| | Don't expect trades to fix Cards' woes ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH 05/21/2007
At nine games under .500, the Cardinals (16-25) have posted their worst
record under Tony La Russa since the end of the 1999 season, when they
staggered to a 75-86 finish. At least that '99 team had Mark McGwire
and hit home runs — which, if nothing else, offered a little showtime
to distract us from the bad baseball.
There's little entertainment value in the 2007 Cardinals. They just
completed a brutal trip, losing seven of nine overall, including the
last five. Yes, the offense picked up. Yes, the players seemed to
invest a little more energy in their effort. But the starting rotation
continues to deteriorate; the Cardinals starters' ERA of 5.48 is the
worst in the National League. That ERA is the highest for the St. Louis
starters since the 5.50 ERA during the strike-shortened 1994 season.
Any overall gains made by the lineup are offset by the woeful lack of
production coming from Jim Edmonds and Scott Rolen. The malaise is
stunning; the Cardinals have gotten a .178 batting average, two homers
and 18 RBIs from the No. 4 spot in the lineup, and a .226 average with
one homer and 15 RBIs from the No. 5 hole. And as we saw again in
Sunday's 6-3 loss in Detroit, Edmonds is losing his ball-hawking skills
in center field.
So what to do?
Fans are demanding trades, moves or a roster blow-up. Well, even with
all of these flaws, it's a little too early for that. First-place
Milwaukee has lost seven of 10, and the Brewers are still on a tough
stretch of schedule. The Cardinals, trailing the Brewers by 9 1/2
games, are about to play five series against teams (Pirates, Nationals,
Rockies, Astros and Reds) who were a combined 91-126 through Sunday.
This could be the Cardinals' best, and last, chance for a turnaround —
if indeed such a thing is possible.
For those who want to quit on the season and rip the roster apart
now, I have a few questions: Whom do you trade, and what do you expect
to receive in return? And do you see any saviors at Class AAA Memphis?
If you think a general manager is going to part with a prime prospect
for Kip Wells or Juan Encarnacion and the remaining $10 million on Juan
E's contract, you're loony tunes. And do you really think there's a
market for Edmonds and the $17 million left on his deal?
Some trade possibilities could emerge later. If the Cardinals look to
dump salaries, maybe (and just maybe) they could entice a GM to take a
chance on reviving Rolen. But he's owed about $45 million and has a
no-trade clause. If a contending team loses its closer, perhaps the
Cardinals could move Jason Isringhausen and forgo his 2008 option. (He
can also veto a trade.) There would be some interest in the team's
other relievers, but the return wouldn't be great. And the bullpen has
been the team strength in 2007.
The last thing the Cardinals should do is trade young veterans who have
talent and low salaries (Chris Duncan, Adam Wainwright, Anthony Reyes,
etc.). And please do not sacrifice any of the organization's few
attractive prospects for some short-term fix. That would be insane.
Look, I can't stand watching the way this team plays. I don't like its
personality, either. But making a series of dumb moves isn't going to
revive the Cardinals. I'd like to see manager Tony La Russa try Duncan
in the No. 4 or No. 5 hole. I'd like to see this organization elevate
top prospect Colby Rasmus to Memphis, speed up his timetable and see if
he can be ready for the bigs in 2008; the five-tool outfielder is
tearing it up in AA ball. Later in the season, Memphis outfielder Rick
Ankiel should get an extensive look in St. Louis to see how he fits
into the planning for 2008.
But for the most part, this is the team the Cardinals must field for
the remainder of 2007. There's no easy way out. So save the dynamite
for the offseason. Until then, all you can do is hope they'll play
better. |
| | Posted 5/21/2007 9:08 AM - 18 Views - 0 eProps - 0 comments
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