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Matt Morris and unanswered prayers
Posted Wednesday, August 1, 2007, at 7:53 AM<< Previous | Read comments | Respond | Email link | Next >>
So how did the Cardinals brass spend the last hours before Tuesday's trade deadline? By attempting to acquire pitcher Matt Morris.
But the San Francisco Giants had other plans and shipped him off to Baseball Siberia, otherwise known as Pittsburgh. Thank goodness for unanswered prayers. Yes, Morris would have slightly improved the rotation for a longshot contender. But assuming the majority of the $13.5 million remaining on his contract through next year makes absolutely no sense. He'll turn 33 next week and is clearly on the downside of his career. Surely, the Cardinals recognize they wouldn't be getting the Matt Morris of 2001. But we've seen this time warp behavior play out several times in recent years. Witness the re-signing of Mark Mulder and the unnecessary extensions given to Chris Carpenter and Jim Edmonds. How can an organization spend so much time looking through the rear view mirror? One view is that Tony La Russa is die-hard loyal to veteran players. By wanting Morris back, he was giving an indication that he plans to return for 2008. Is this what Cardinals fans have to look forward to next season? A reunion tour? Who's next? Craig Paquette? Fernando Vina? Todd Stottlemyre? On the same day the Cardinals were groovin' to the oldies, the Los Angeles Dodgers traded Wilson Betemit to the Yankees Scott Proctor, a mediocre relief pitcher. Betemit is young (he won't turn 26 until November), a switch-hitter, and can play second, shortstop and third base. In other words, he's a player who can make a difference in the years to come and the pricetag was very reasonable. VEB thinks Troy Percival may have been enough to get him. We're left to wonder if it was ever discussed. The news here isn't all bad. If the Cardinals have the money to spend on Morris, they have it to spend elsewhere. And that's where it should be spent -- elsewhere. Reruns are never as good as the first time around. Comments Showing comments in chronological order [Show most recent comments first] |
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There is nothing wrong with the Cards signing Carp and Mulder. There is nothing wrong with signing veterans too...as long as you are not paying too much money for them. Carp and Mulder are worth every penny...I can't say that about Edmonds.
Of course the Cards could overspend for unproven talent. Then we would be getting an article bashing that.
They're paying Mulder $5 million this season. Is that you call worth every penny?
I await the day the Cards "overspend for unproven talent."
Man you are an idiot. The extension for Carpenter was a sound investment at the time. He was the best pitcher in the NL, making less than Matt Morris. The Mulder signing was a good one as well. I am trying to remember the last time the Cards signed a veteran pitcher with an injury, knowing her would be out up to a year. I think he came back and won a Cy Young. Who could that be?
Carp is worth every penny. No one could have guessed that he would miss most of the season.
Mulder's salary is a drop in a bucket. It was a way to guarantee that we would have him after rehab. You said yourself that our players tend to get better after they leave the team. Who is to say that wouldn't happen to Mulder? He does have the best record for a starting pitcher in the MLB.
I can see both sides of the argument on the Carpenter signing. At least they will recoup some of the money through insurance. Mulder on the other hand has already been a disaster (see Haren, Dan). Resigning him is like an addict gambler reasoning that he can't lose 3 hands in a row in blackjack. Matt, the Cardinals will not be spending big bucks on pitching this winter so be prepared to call DeWitt a cheapskate. He's not a cheapskate, Walt and Tony have just spent alot of his money on veterans who are average at best (Edmonds, Juan, Looper, Kennedy, Wells).
I agree with themovieman13. You are an idiot with perfect 20/20 hindsight...what a gift!
DeWitt is the one who signs the checks. TLR and Jocketty can make suggestions, but ultimately DeWitt is the one who calls the shots.
Mitchell's basic point is well-taken. Semolefty's also throwing strikes. It's not really about DeWitt's unwillingness to spend; it's about how the Cardinals allocate the money.
Extending Edmonds' contract was an expensive, high risk move. The Mulder deal was even riskier--essentially $11.5 million for 2008 for a pitcher coming off rotator cuff surgery. It could work out, but the track record for rotator cuff guys is not good. And assuming the Giants weren't going to pick up most of Morris' salary, that deal would have been at best questionable.
More money should be allocated to prospects. The farm system has been upgraded lately, but more work needs to be done. The Cardinals continue to be very conservative in drafting and signing expensive prospects. And they avoid offering arbitration to some players they know will sign with other teams so they will not have to pay large bonuses to the compensation draft picks they would receive.
They need to take a fraction of the money they would have spent on Morris' salary and sign Kyle Russell, who many scouts believe has the most power potential in this year's draft. He fell to the 4th Round because most believe he will return to Texas next year and become a Top 5 pick in 2008. But he can be had for 1st Round bonus money, which is somewhere in the $1 to $2.5 neighborhood. Pro-rate that amount over the 6 major league seasons he will be under the Cardinals' control, and the risk-reward ratio looks very good.
One other item on pitchers, injuries and contracts. Remember a few years ago the Cardinals were hot and heavy for A.J.Burnett - but wouldn't give him a fifth year? Given Burnett's history, they were correct in being skeptical. Although it wasn't technically a five year deal - the Cardinals extension of Carp's contract locked him up for five seasons (2007 through 2011). Too bad they didn't follow their own advice. No starting pitcher - especially one with a history of arm trouble - is worth locking up with big dollars for five years. The risk-reward is just not there.
Another reason to improve the farm system and have major-league ready prospects...you can then flip them for proven big-leaguers. Look at what the Braves did at the trade deadline. If you have a team that is a piece or two away from winning a championship, the farm system can help fill those holes. The Braves and the Twins are the models to follow.
As are the Angels.
unclegrubworm: The real draft pick the Cardinals should have went after is Rick Porcello in the first round. Sure Boras is his agent and high school pitchers are very risky, but for the lack of an extra few million we could have had the #2 or #3 best player in the draft with the potential to become a major league ace instead of drafting that high school infielder whose maximum ceiling is becoming the next Adam Kennedy (though probably with even less power).
Im sure the guys on this site can say who we should have drafted, in a few years after everything shakes out. Best hindsight analysis ever found right here.
I definitely agree on Porcello. Drafting and signing that kind of talent seems to me to be the most cost-effective way to compete in this era.
With the new rules, it makes even more sense to take the 1st Round risk, since a team that fails to sign its pick essentially gets that pick back next year. It will be interesting to see what kind of deal Porcello and Boras get from the Tigers.
Marti Back in Springfield
Amaury Cazana Marti's Mexican League season is over, and the Cardinals have assigned him to AA Springfield rather than Memphis. Marti hit .337 with 15 homers for Minatitlan.
In his first game last night, he doubled and homered. Rasmus had his best offensive game in several weeks with 2 homers.
After the game, Marti told reporters: "I'm hungry. . .for baseball."
You know what I hate about blogs? The impersonal nature of it gives jagoffs the opportunity to be impolite and rude. Calling Mike an idiot for an opinion that can be supported makes you seem unreasonable and ill-informed. Notice I did not call you an idiot. Just a jagoff!
I think (hope) everyone agrees that mike is not an idiot.
Mike is not an idiot. He just feeds the rumor fires and causes a lot of ruckus over nothing. But then again, that is what prompts people to respond to these blogs.