OT: Ping St. Louis Cardinals Fans

[primelord]

I didn't want to hijack the Clemens thread anymore than I already had so I started a new one. What do you think the Cardinals should do with J.D. Drew. He is hitting really well so far this year and is showing that potential again of being an all-star ball player. However they are going to have to shell out some serious dollars after this season if they want to keep him.

The things that are nagging me are his obvious problems with staying healthy, and you hear stories about him asking out of the lineup here and there.Now I know he doesn;t want to push things because he doesn't want to get injured again, but it kind of worries me when a ball player wants out of the lineup. So what do the Cardinals do? I think you have to assume that if they don't think they are willing to pay him big bucks in the off season they will deal him beofre the deadline. Especially since his trade value should be very high if he keeps hitting.

Do the Cardinals deal him or roll the dice and try to lock him up after this year?

[Cards4ever]

Deal him, the money it's going to take to sign him isn't worth it. He just can't seem to stay healthy.

[primelord]

Originally posted by Cards4ever
Deal him, the money it's going to take to sign him isn't worth it. He just can't seem to stay healthy.

I just have these nightmare visions of him hitting .330 with 40 HR's and 100 RBI's every year for some other team. I guess if we could get a good starting picther for him though they may just have to make that deal. I really hope they don't deal him for Urbina though. That rumor is going around and while I would like to see the Cards land Urbina I don't think it is worth giving up Drew to do it.

[Cards4ever]

No, we definitely don't want Urbina for Drew.

There is so many ways you can look at this whole deal. If they are where they are now near the end of July, unless they can get something really good, keep him and just roll the dice as far as him leaving for nothing.

If they are out of the race(8-10 games out), deal him.

[primelord]

If they are where they are at now in July though I wonder what helps your team more. J.D. Drew and your current start rotation or say Eli marrero (who should hopefully be back by then) in right and a guy like Cory Lidle added to your starting 5.

[WSUCougar]

I've heard repeatedly that Drew won't be traded unless the Cards are "blown away" by an offer. The rather remarkable flashes of ability he has shown this season probably only stiffen that resolve. But it might also be window dressing, because...

...I doubt the injury question will ever fully disappear, as well as the guy's seemingly lackadaisical approach to the game. All that being said, I'd say trade him NOW while his value is peaking (peaked?). The team is in deperate need of bullpen help. It gets worse almost on a day-by-day basis. I dream of a simple scoreless inning from the pen! Getting Izzy back is great, and Painter will hopefully help too, but the injury shadow looms large, and the rest of the bullpen is filled with question marks. Kline seems to be back online, but is so fragile emotionally. Eldred has done pretty well in a new role, but is no guarantee by any means. The rest of the guys are just undependable or outright bad.

But we also need a starter-quality outfielder in any Drew trade package. We have little OF depth as it is, and trading Drew would only make a weakness worse. Kerry Robinson is a goner, So Taguchi is not the answer, and the others are bench players at best.

I say trade Drew for a solid OF and quality right-handed bullpen help.

[Cards4ever]

The only trouble is, being a FA at the end of the year, I don't think they can get a whole lot for him, unless he goes to a contender, and what contender is going to want to give that to the Cards?

[panerd]

Not to threadjack here either, but it ties into why I think the cardinals have bullpen trouble. Why does Larussa insist on going with the matchups and sometimes have as many as three pitchers in an inning, but when a pitcher is getting shelled (Tomko the other night or Eldred & Fassero last night) keeps them in to blow the game. I don't know if the Cardinal problem is as much with their bullpen as it is with the management of the bullpen. (Don't get wrong either, I think Larussa is a very solid manager in most other aspects of the game)

That said, I wonder if they would have the guts to trade Drew to the Cubs for Alfonseca and a prospect.

[Cards4ever]

I don't think they will be dealing with the Cubs when they are so close in the standings.

[Fonzie]

Agreed - there will be no deal with the Cubs. But the Cards will need to trade Drew.

I think the best approach would be to handle Drew cautiously, keep him healthy, and play a wait-and-see game. This is easier said than done, but if they can pull it off, and if the Cards are in contention in, say, a month, then they'll be well-positioned to try to trade him for quality pitching help and a replacement outfielder. The key will be finding a trade partner who will be enamored by his potential. Do those teams still exist?

But if the Cards are not in contention, then trade him for prospects, as the minor league system is a near shambles. I'd almost rather that they do this anyway, but that's more a reflection of my soft spot for minor league development than anything.

[primelord]

I wouldn't say the minor leagues are shambles. They have several solid pitching prospects. They are very thin on position players though.

[Hawglaw]

What makes it so hard to trade Drew right now is that he is playing SO well..... Of course, his value may never be this high again.

[sony]

If the Cardinals Front Office had any marbles in their heads at all, they would lock this young stud up.

Drew will eventually get past his injury prone "phase" and deliver monster numbers in the coming years.

Would you guys want a winning season with an (opinionated) over payed player?

or

Would you guys want a team that never sees the playoffs but has plenty of money left just floating around doing nothing.

I'd go with the first choise.

Show DREW the money!!

[GoldenEagle]

When is Pujos a free agent? I dont mean to be positive here, but it seems the Cardinals always find money to see free agents when no one thought we had any. Exapmles are Scott Rolen and a few others. But we have young starts who going to demand big money when they become free agents (pujos, drew, morris, renteria).

[Neuqua]

Go Cubs!

:)

[MizzouRah]

They can't pay Pujlos and Drew.

We need a Starting pitcher more than anything. I would play Marerro in RF when he gets back, although I wish they could deal that crap bag Martinez. Funny how he looked like a fool against Clemens last night.

I love Drew, always have, but I think he's going to have to go. We could definitly get a SP for him, at least a good #3 behind Woody in the rotation as Tomko has been a big disappointment.

We'll see that majic Walt can work.


Todd

[Logan]

While I certainly don't qualify to read this (Mets fan :)), there's a lot of talk in NY that the Mets and Cards would match up well together in a deal. Apparently, Phillips (now gone) and Jockety were talking a lot, and as soon as Duquette got the job, he got on the phone with the Cards. From what I've heard, a deal would center around Benitez, Alomar, and possibly Leiter getting dealt in some form for Drew and a pitching prospect.

Benitez and Alomar are both FAs too, BTW...

[MizzouRah]

Originally posted by Logan
While I certainly don't qualify to read this (Mets fan :)), there's a lot of talk in NY that the Mets and Cards would match up well together in a deal. Apparently, Phillips (now gone) and Jockety were talking a lot, and as soon as Duquette got the job, he got on the phone with the Cards. From what I've heard, a deal would center around Benitez, Alomar, and possibly Leiter getting dealt in some form for Drew and a pitching prospect.

Benitez and Alomar are both FAs too, BTW...


I would love to see Leiter here. He would be a perfect fit, plus he's left handed. I don't care too much for Alomar, since we have Vina, but I would guess he'd be a Met if we got Alomar, and Alomar has such potential to break out this year. Benitez would fit well as he could alternate with Izzy since Izzy isn't going to be at 100% anytime this season.

Drew and Vina for Benitez, Alomar, and Leiter? Hell yes. Leiter would HAVE to be in the trade or else I wouldn't do it though.


Todd

[primelord]

Another thing to keep in mind when trying to decide whether or not to pay Drew is that Renteria is a free agent after this season also. And given the way he is playing I can't imagine he will be cheap to sign either.

[GoldenEagle]

Originally posted by primelord
Another thing to keep in mind when trying to decide whether or not to pay Drew is that Renteria is a free agent after this season also. And given the way he is playing I can't imagine he will be cheap to sign either.

Is there an echo in here? :)

I dont think the Met will want Vina. They are in rebuild mode.

[tucker342]

If you're going to get rid of him, you might as well get something in return, deal him...

[Easy Mac]

I think Drew is a contract player like Javy Lopez.

[MizzouRah]

Originally posted by Easy Mac
I think Drew is a contract player like Javy Lopez.

Then he needs to play everyday. :)



Todd

[Cards4ever]

Leiter I'm interested in, the rest of that mess, nah, that's ok.