Diaz stays down and Mejia goes down for now, I guess. Diaz is not hitting well there.Matheny says Voit and DeJong aren't going anywhere so I guess it's Voit to the bench and Carp back to 1st base? Maybe Voit plays against lefties and Carp plays 2nd base? Somebody has to go when Wong is activated so I guess Mejia gets sent out? That dude may be their best 2nd baseman.
So you believe the Cards can win without a legit 3,4 or 5 hitter. You are not going to get a super star without paying for it. The game is such that if you don't pay the money you become a middle of the pack team. I agree he is injury prone, but they were willing to spend a ton of money on Fowler who has always been an injury waiting to happen. They need to upgrade the middle of the lineup and it's going to be very expensive. Donaldson might be an option but he also is hurt a lot and only 1.5 years left on his contract. Not sure what else is out there that would qualify as the face of the franchise player.
You can find a legit hitter with a lot better contract than Stanton. Would you sign Stanton to a 10 year, $295 M contract right now where he can opt out after 2020 if things go well? I wouldn't. That's what you are assuming if you trade for him.
No doubt I was all for signing Encarnacion. If there is something out there then go for it, but this last 3 seasons of having 70 to 80 RBI guys in the middle of your line up has got to change. You are assuming that he won't live up to his 3.5 years of control. Assumptions are always part of the risk and that is why the Birds won't do this because they think too logically like you. I on the other hand have grown weary of such a week middle of the line up and have no dog or money in the fight so I say go for it. (lol)
The Cards can't give someone a seven year insurance policy on the back end in case they don't work out for 3.5 years.
They just gave Piscotty a pretty nice contract, not sure anybody else wants him for that money right now. If they have any young stud pitchers they should at least be in the bullpen, if not the rotation, now. Unless you want give up Reyes. Voit may be the only good 1st baseman we have, and it appears he can hit a little.
Cards have some decent minor league pitchers. It does feel like they have something they could deal there.
Cards have a surplus of OFs and pitchers at some point you have to trim those numbers down to improve the big club. Players having dominant years in the minors does little to help the major league club if they never get a chance. The ones they have brought up have been very productive, but a very small sample size. Diaz, Grichuk, Wong, Piscotti, and Pham have all shown signs of being good. The Birds have the money and the prospects to make something happen, I just don't think they will as they continue to believe their young guys are going to be superstars.
Waino is getting old and it seems everybody would like to see Lynn gone. Better have some of those prospects ready to take their place. I don't see how they get a middle of the order, RBI type guy for a minor league pitcher and/or outfielder.
Cost control is powerful. Lot of teams place a high value on prospects for that reason. Especially if you take on a big contract.
