The Cardinal Way Part 3: Inception

[royals19]

Re: The Cardinal Way Part 3: Inception

I want to see the big trade! damn cliffhangers.

Ask and you shall receive my friend.... Ask and you shall receive...

In the waning days of the offseason, it was mostly quiet. General Managers had already tapped out the free agent market and were now in the process of evaluating their rosters for the coming season...

But not Willie Singleton. There was a rustle, a strong wind, a shifting in the climate... There was a sense of something aloof, a sense that not all the I's had been dotted and all the T's had crossed for our beloved St. Louis Cardinals.

Trade talks swirled on OS, MLB Trade Rumors, Twitter, MLB Network and ESPN... And at this point, it wasn't really a matter of if it was going to happen. It was a matter of who it was going to happen to. I'll be the first to tell you that the sense around the Cardinals wintering across the country was one of restlessness. The fact that anyone of them could be shipped out to a remote location like Sibera or Houston was a daunting feeling and one I wouldn't wish on anyone.

Little did they know, the gauntlet had already been cast.



It was decided on a snowy January the 5th that Matt Holliday would be the one to go. Willie didn't like the move, I didn't like the move and we sure as heck know Cardinal Nation didn't like the move... But it was one that had to be done for obvious reasons.

4 Obvious Reasons Why Matt Holliday Must Be Traded

-Matt Holliday is 35 years old and has this season and another remaining on his contract.

-Matt Holliday's contract will probably be unmovable in the coming season.

-We have various other options that are much younger and just as capable, ready to take over Holliday's spot.

-Matt Holliday's defense is like Public Television... it just keeps getting worse and worse.

Matt Holliday is still an offensive threat but his defense has just gotten to a completely unserviceable level. When you consider how important defense is to our team, you'll realize how having Matt out there every game makes things untenable. He might hit 30-35 home runs and hit .270... but he'll make 10+ errors a season and we just can't have that.

On top of that, it didn't make much sense to move Jay because he's still got some upside and good defensive ability. It didn't make much sense to move Jacoby Ellbsury because we're at a point where we can't replace his bat at the top of the lineup and we can't replace his defense in center field.



Sunova biscuit... Apparently trading Matt Holliday is going to be tougher than was originally thought. Even though the Braves have some really nice pieces, I'm not sure what Atlanta plans to do with him (Play him in center field? Probably...).

But Houston? Why? I'd love to send Holliday to Houston... They've got all sorts of young pieces we could use. But again, it isn't very realistic because Houston isn't close to contending yet...

At this point, it's safe to say that moving Matt Holliday won't be no cake walk.

[xboxxerx]

Re: The Cardinal Way Part 3: Inception

Talk about hanging the cliffhanger Royals.lol

[Deuce2223]

Re: The Cardinal Way Part 3: Inception

Pretty sure Holliday could look good in a M's uni.

[xboxxerx]

Re: The Cardinal Way Part 3: Inception

Pretty sure Holliday could look good in a M's uni.

Or a Halo on it for that matter, Deuce.lol

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: The Cardinal Way Part 3: Inception

Due to the title of this thread, I am expecting dealing Matt Holliday will be a trade within a trade within a trade. You just need to use inception to to convince the Angels to give you Mike Trout in return.

[xboxxerx]

Re: The Cardinal Way Part 3: Inception

Due to the title of this thread, I am expecting dealing Matt Holliday will be a trade within a trade within a trade. You just need to use inception to to convince the Angels to give you Mike Trout in return.

^ Now that's funny!!!

[royals19]

Re: The Cardinal Way Part 3: Inception

Due to the title of this thread, I am expecting dealing Matt Holliday will be a trade within a trade within a trade. You just need to use inception to to convince the Angels to give you Mike Trout in return.

Haha, that's great! I should've thought of that!

The following morning, January 6th, the **** hit the fan when ESPN caught wind of trade talks between the Astros and the Cardinals. If we eavesdropped on Willie Singleton's conversation with Houston we'd find that talks quickly broke down.

Willie ... No, we are not interested in Lucas Harrell...

Jeff Luhnow I don't know why you're so interested in Harrell... It's going to take Taveras and possibly Wacha to get a deal done...

Willie But we don't have any interest in Harrell. We want prospects in return...

Jeff Luhnow OK... OK... We can do Taveras for Harrell straight up. I'll call the commissioner's office.

Willie NO! We don't want your trash you dumb****! We're talking about Matt Holliday... Not Milk Carton. Take Lucas Harrell and...

Jeff Luhnow Alright, we want Taveras and Wacha for Harrell... See where yelling and cursing gets you? Right back to square one... Hello? Willie?

Willie. Looks like we lost signal...

Idiot... Apparently the Astros are just as mischievous as everyone makes them out to be. Twisting trade talks, swindling signing bonuses and just downright bullying the other teams all but ensures that we won't be doing business with them any time soon.

However, if we learned anything from this mindless exchange with the Astros... It's that Matt Holliday should go to the AL West. As you can see, all of the destinations make good sense:

Down to LA to form a dream team outfield with Trout and Hamilton?

Maybe he goes down to Texas to play with Prince and restore Texas to their glory of a couple years ago?

What about back to Oakland to serve as protection for Cespedes?

How about up north to Seattle to play with Robbie Cano and King Felix?

[royals19]

Re: The Cardinal Way Part 3: Inception

BREAKING NEWS: Matt Holliday Traded to Mariners
Cardinals Acquiring Interesting Set of Prospects

...And just like that, the Matt Holliday era in STL was over.

Moving a face of your franchise is never easy but from a front office perspective, it was necessary. We didn't want to be stuck with Matt Holliday's contract once he regressed below 80 OVR this season and his value was never going to be higher than now. It'll sting in the clubhouse but it'll save us in the long term now that we have his remaining 14 million off the books.

So here's how the deal shook out:



Once we got the names out and our research was done on the players involved, it didn't take long for both sides to exchange medicals and get a deal done... All in all, it took about an hour at most to get this deal done.

Now let's take a look at the thought process from both sides.

Seattle
The Mariners had a logical need for Holliday because they needed a proven bat to protect Robinson Cano in the middle of the order. Seattle had the cash to spend and a spot open in the outfield. Acquiring Holliday took the Mariners from being a fringe contender to being a full fledged one as they will probably look to give Oakland a run for their money in the division this year.

Cardinals
The Cardinals were in need of 3 things coming into the winter: Rotation help, Bullpen Help and another MIF option. In one swing of the magical trade wand, they managed to get all three. Coming off a career high in home runs and with 2 years of control left, it made the most sense to trade Holliday now.

We probably could've gotten more for Holliday but we sacrificed a larger return for players at positions of need and for years of controllability which seem to be somewhat undervalued somewhat by the trade market.

[royals19]

Re: The Cardinal Way Part 3: Inception

THE FINAL RESULTS

Seattle Gets:

LF- Matt Holliday

Seattle gave up quite a bit to acquire Holliday but it was a necessary move for them to become a full fledged contender in a strong AL West. On top of that, they basically landed a controllable power bat by using good players they had no logical place for.


St. Louis Gets:

SP- James Paxton
CP- Carson Smith
SS- Chris Taylor

Willie Singleton loaded up on potential and years of control by acquiring Paxton, Smith and Taylor. Paxton will enter the spring as the projected number 3 starter. Smith will be given a shot to win a bullpen spot. Taylor gives us a third option behind Danny Espinosa and Kolten Wong. Taylor will likely stay at short and eventually spell Jhonny Peralta from the spot within the next 2 seasons.

Here's what Jonathan Mayo and the MLB.com Prospect Watch crew have to say about each of the new Red Birds:

JAMES PAXTON-LHP
Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45 | Overall: 55

Paxton has been an intriguing yet enigmatic lefty with electric stuff, since his pro debut in 2011. His brief big league debut in 2013 had some thinking he was ready to put it all together, though a lat strain forced him out of action for most of the first half of '14.

The former Futures Game participant has many things going for him, including two above-average or better pitchers in his fastball and curveball -- all coming downhill from a 6-foot-4 frame. Since Paxton can touch 95 mph from the left side to go along with that solid breaking ball, having a below-average changeup that might only be good enough for him to show occasionally might be enough. When Paxton got to the big leagues, he showed a more relaxed and refined delivery, which in turn led to better command.

If Paxton can continue to find the strike zone, a future as a starter awaits, with the Cardinals knowing he has the power stuff to succeed in the bullpen if needed.

CARSON SMITH-RHP
Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

Relievers who throw from an unorthodox arm angle are often dismissed as being successful because of trickery. When they strike out nearly 12 batters per nine innings, it's time to take notice.

Smith isn't just a guy who throws from a low three-quarters angle. From that slot, he can crank his fastball up into the mid 90s, sitting in the 91-93 mph range. Smith's heater has plus sink to generate a ton of ground-ball outs. He has one of the best breaking balls in the system, a sweeping slider with early break. Smith is especially tough on right-handed hitters, and he went more than a month at the end of 2013 without giving up a run. Because of his arm angle and especially that slider, he reminds some of former reliever Jeff Nelson.

Smith profiles as a seventh-inning or setup-type guy, but he's one who should contribute to the big league bullpen soon.

CHRIS TAYLOR-SS/2B
Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 35 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50

Seattle was very familiar with Taylor, having seen him multiple times while scouting Danny Hultzen in 2011. The club was happy to get Taylor a year later.

Like has often happened with Virginia position players, Taylor has hit better than expected once out of the unfriendly confines of his college home park. He's shown a knack for being patient and he is using all areas of the field. Taylor has gotten a bit stronger, though power is never going to be a big part of his game. He has excellent baserunning instincts, and he has the range and the hands to play shortstop. Some feel his arm might be better at second or for moving around the infield.

I think Smith and Taylor will be good but Paxton is the real gem of this deal.



We have several lefties in our system who have the same pitchability as Paxton but they don't have the ability to hit the mid 90s with plus breaking stuff and good offspeed. I'm excited to get this kid in camp and see how he can pitch against major league hitters in the NL.

[Deuce2223]

Re: The Cardinal Way Part 3: Inception

I have been thinking of making a deal for Holliday or Craig in my M's Franchise, but for my it just doesn't make since for deal Paxton, because they still have all their rotation pieces. But it's interesting you did Smith and Taylor because I was looking at Smith and Miller + something.

[royals19]

Re: The Cardinal Way Part 3: Inception

I have been thinking of making a deal for Holliday or Craig in my M's Franchise, but for my it just doesn't make since for deal Paxton, because they still have all their rotation pieces. But it's interesting you did Smith and Taylor because I was looking at Smith and Miller + something.

I was thinking about adding Miller instead of Taylor but Miller is already big league ready and I didn't really have a spot for him. I think Miller is limited to just up the middle which isn't a bad thing but it wasn't something I needed. I wanted Taylor because he can play all over and can eventually be my long term replacement at shortstop.

***

Yes folks, it's that time of year again... when Ma and Paw pack up the station wagon and adventure down to the orange farms and everglades of Florida to watch their favorite team participate in Spring Training.

I'm not going to lie, I love the warm weather, palm trees and free golf that Jupiter has to offer but after a while it starts to wear on you... you know, trying to juggle innings for the pitchers and ABs for the hitters... It's a pain. But right now, it's nice to get away from the heat of the regular season for a month or so.

This spring, we've got some big things on tap. We have far too many guys just sitting in the minor leagues. With several positions open, I figure now is as good a time as any to see what guys like Randal Grichuk, Kolten Wong, Mike O'Neil, Sam Freeman and Marco Gonzales got for us.

If this was just a video game, I'd be content to let these guys rot away in the minors, collecting the league minimum and spend their years living out of a suitcase. Unfortunately though, it just doesn't work like that for Willie Singleton. Agents gotta start making nasty phone calls, players start striking and lord knows you'll hear about it from the fans.



Kolten Wong would be the first to get the ball rolling on this new youth movement. If you recall, Wong won the second base job out of Spring Training then embarrassed himself through all of April and part of May. If he wants to ever install himself as a big leaguer on our roster, he's going to have to do it this spring or risk becoming trade bait. This is the one guy Cardinals fans have been waiting for since the day he was drafted.

Will Wong have an Oscar Taveras, video game, like year or will he fall flat on his face again? I don't know... But let me tell you, the kid has looked sharp all spring. He's got better defensive ability and a better bat than Espinosa but can he consistently use his tools and live up to his promise?

That, my friends, is the question...

[royals19]

Re: The Cardinal Way Part 3: Inception

The next place of concern is the outfield.

There are just too many outfielders in camp for my taste.

-Willie Singleton

Wise words Willie. I'd be a fool if I didn't tell you that we saw this coming from day one. It was pretty much assumed that once one slot in the outfield opened, the flood gates would open and pour out 4-6 guys vying for one spot. As you may have guessed, Ells and Taveras have probably 6 ABs between them. Their lineup spots are invaluable to evaluating all these guys.

With that being said, RF and CF are good. Left Field is where the mess is.



Right now, the race is down to pretty much 4 guys for the left field spot. The first is obviously Randal Grichuk who somehow found light tower power last season in AAA. He's our most refined outfield prospect and is clearly ready to handle the task. In just 10 games, he's already dropped 7 bombs...

It seems like the decision should be easy but it isn't.

We've also got the 27 year old Mike O'Neil who's hitting .479 through 33 ABs. Don't let his age fool you. He basically a smaller version of Jacoby Ellsbury.

Then there's James Ramsey who's got Johnny Gomes-like intangibles, Gucci designer glasses and a weird wrist band, shooting sleeve combo on his left arm. This guy might be worth a couple story lines himself.

Lastly, there's Jon Jay who's really just hanging on by a thread in this race. He doesn't have the raw tools that some of these guys have and it seems like we may have been wrong about his star potential this whole time...

As you can tell, we've obviously got a tough decision ahead of us in the coming weeks.

[royals19]

Re: The Cardinal Way Part 3: Inception

The last area of concern is the bullpen.



We've got our fair share of gunslingers out there but not even half those guys are ready for a bullpen role. The only locks heading into camp were J.P. Howell, Kevin Seigrist, Jason Motte and Trevor Rosenthal. Everyone else is going to have to earn a spot.



I'll be the first to say that I was blown away by Sam Freeman's performance this spring. The former Jayhawk came into camp throwing 95+ with a good slider and a nice change with good location. Waaay back in 2013, he was a key cog in our bullpen and sort of fell off last spring and we didn't hear anything from him all season. It looks like we're going to go 3 lefties in the bullpen again... I don't like it but Freeman may have forced our hand with his performance.



Then, there's Carson Smith who we just got in the Matt Holliday trade. This dude is going to be good. He's throwing a 95 MPH sinker, a 95 MPH fastball, a great Circle Change and a good slide piece. It's looking like he might be paired with Seigrist as a setup guy.

Other guys to keep an eye on include Joe Kelly and Carlos Martinez who are probably going to make up the middle relief corps along with Howell this season. We've used Kelly out of the long man role but I think he's better suited for a middle relief role where we can use him more frequently. I want to try to get more innings out our middle relievers this season and those two should definitely be able to help.

With that being said, it doesn't look like Tanner Bowling will be making the big league squad this year. He really needs to go back to AAA to develop a better breaking ball. He can blow hitters away with his fastball but needs a second pitch to be more effective... It's a shame too... I was looking forward to seeing his turtleneck and trucker beard at the show this year.

[royals19]

Re: The Cardinal Way Part 3: Inception

Hey guys, just wanted to drop in and let you know that I'm still around.

It's been a while since I've done an update and it's going to be quite some time before I do another one. People tell you all the time that you'll have more free time than ever in college but that simply isn't the case. Between school, my social life and baseball, I've got maybe 2-3 hours a day to myself... I'm making this post right now at 12:30 AM. As a result, I'm not really sure when I'll be able to post and if I'll be able to get back into this again. With each passing day, it gets harder and harder to stay interested.

I don't want to keep jumping franchises and it pretty much boils down to the fact that this very well could be the end of my franchises on this site because I have literally no time to do anything any more.

Sorry and I hope everyone is doing well,

Royals19

[xboxxerx]

Re: The Cardinal Way Part 3: Inception

Enjoy the college life Royals. Hope all goes well.