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Edmonds out - Is Rasmus in?
Posted Saturday, December 15, 2007, at 8:32 AM<< Previous | Read comments | Respond | Email link | Next >>
The trade of Jim Edmonds to the San Diego Padres for minor league prospect David Freese answers some questions about the 2008 St. Louis Cardinals and raise several more.
This move, along with David Eckstein's signing with the Toronto Blue Jays, is clear evidence the Cardinals are finally cutting ties with the past and accelerating the rebuilding process.
I like the move from this perspective: trading a former All-Star center fielder for a guy who doesn't even crack the Padres top 20 prospects list is a concession that giving Edmonds an extra year on his contract was a serious mistake.
It's a type of admission that former GM Walt Jocketty seemed reluctant to embrace. I suppose that's human nature. You build something that's successful for a long period of time and you become hesitant to tear it apart. But a team that won 105 games in 2004 won only 78 in 2007. It's time for the wrecking ball.
Cutting your losses and moving on may not be the rallying cry that fans want to hear but the deal makes the Cardinals a younger team and gives them needed financial flexibility. As VEB wrote early this morning, "I gotta think this move was made with a subsequent move in mind." I agree. Stay tuned. The offseason is finally getting interesting.
Some questions and comments:
The Padres come to St. Louis on July 17. I expect Cardinals fans to give Edmonds a loud and long standing ovation. Comments Showing comments in chronological order [Show most recent comments first] |
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I am glad the Cards traded Edmonds. I think everyone would agree that his age was weighing down the youthfulness of the outfield.
What puzzles me is what else we had to give up and what we are getting out of this deal. Even though Edmonds had been rapidly declining in the last couple of years, is it really worth trading him for a Class-A prospect who may never see the majors? Plus we throw in at least a million? If Jimmy didn't have family ties, I think he would have considered this deal embarrassing and insulting to his time in St. Louis!
Speaking of family ties, why go after Friese? Is it because he has family ties in St. Louis? It wouldn't matter anyway because the scrub may never see playing time in the majors, even if we get rid of Rolen.
Are the Cardinals eating up money to get a prospect? I know that Edmonds' contract may be cheaper if we traded him and take a bit of what he is owed.
What about Rasmus? We always hear how he is going to be great, but how do we truly know? I know it is always a gamble, but trading a question mark for a bigger question mark (and a scrub) puzzles me. I think Ankiel should play centerfield and keep Rasmus for 2009 season (he was projected to play this year anyway). Look what happened the last time we rushed a hotshot through the system. He had a great season, but then melted down in the playoffs. More than a couple years later and several innjuries performed, he may be starting in right field. Do the Cards really want to rush a prospect in the system?
But Edmonds will be missed. He brought some flashiness and excitement to this era of Cardinal baseball. My favorite moment with him was the 2004 season. That was arguably one of the best seasons of Cardinal history (even though they did not win the Championship - but if they did the Cards still may not have been deemed worthy) when Rolen, Pujols, and Edmonds formed one of the deadliest combos in baseball.
You always knew that Jimmy was going to do his best in the outfield. The centerfield was protected. When he was ought and the oh so awful Taguchi took over, the outfield was compromised.
So let's all raise our glasses:
To Jimmy Baseball!
mattstl77: I agree with almost all of what you said except the part about Rasmus
"Look what happened the last time we rushed a hotshot through the system."
Ankiel got brought up early back in 1999. The LAST time a hot prospect was rushed up a year or two ahead of projections was 2001, a little known player with good tools but only 3 games played above single A ball. Seems like Albert Pujols seemed to turn out pretty well for being rushed.
Not that Rasmus is the next Pujols or the next Ankiel. But if you look at the best players in the majors most were promoted very aggressively, skipping multiple levels of the minors and hitting the majors by 20 or 21.
Freese is much more than a scrub. He may be a little old for Class A ball but remember he was being blocked a Double A by blue chip prospect Chase Headley.
As far as his ranking in the Padres' system, his status depends on the source. He was rated in the Top 20 for the Padres by Baseball America last year. It should be pointed out also that the Cardinals system is not as deep as the Padres.
Also, the Cardinals just named Jaron Madison as the Ass't Director of Scouting. He comes to the Cardinals from the Padres org. so he knows Freese as well as anyone.
Is Rasmus the real deal? I think so. I have seen him play multiple times and he has all the tools. Great power, speed, and defense. He can hit for average, take a walk, and steal a base. He could be a 30/30 guy.
If you want to more about Freese check what I wrote here:
http://stlcardinals.scout.com/2/711557.h...
Ownership has the 2006 trophy, a new stadium, and as always solid ticket sales.
Sell, sell, sell.
Looks like the business side of baseball is coming in to play for the Redbirds.
Get ready for "rebuilding" years until they sell.
I imagine Edmonds will have a decent bounceback year in '08, although I don't know how well he'll handle the big CF in San Diego. Age and injuries have turned him into an average center fielder. A lot more balls picked up grass stains last season.
The trade was probably the right move. The focus is on '09 where it should be. There's no reason to spend money this season to upgrade the team marginally. The worst thing they can do is to take the savings and a few more million and sign an overpriced #4 starter.
If Freese contributes in the future, it will be a bonus. This was a salary dump.
The Cardinals are in this situation not because they aren't willing to spend on ML contracts. The overriding problem is the farm system, which only recently have they taken steps to upgrade. (And they are still not doing enough.)
We don't have prospects to plug in and we don't have prospects to trade.
The other problem is that they have not spent wisely (Edmonds extension, Mulder re-signing, Kennedy, etc.)
I don't think Rasmus will be the Cards' CF. He had a very hard time hitting AA curve balls, especially after Mather, who hit behind him, was moved up to Memphis. He could surprise in spring training, but my bet is that he is a season away. Wherever he sends up, he needs to play every day. Sitting on the bench in StL does him no good.
The few times Ankiel was in CF last year for the Cardinals he looked rough. If he doesn't improve, I think Schumaker will be in center, Ankiel back in right.