jimmy15stl
11-15-2001, 07:28 PM
ah, free agent shopping and retooling time is here. this is almost as good as the baseball season itself. i have been thinking and now that i think i have accepted the fact that georgie will dump a truckload of money on giambi's doorstep, we in the cardinal nation must look else where to continue to build on the solid foundation currently in place. there are two major needs for the cardinals (though they have been played out pretty well already):
a closer and another bat, preferably an outfielder. troy percival would look great in a redbird uniform, but the price may be too high (bud smith?). next best option is jeff shaw, who has at least 1-2 good years left. problem there: i have heard he wants to play no more than two more years and wants to go to cincy. if garrett stephenson can come back, the birds will have a glut of starting pitching. morris, kile, williams, smith, hermanson, stephneson, benes (alan and andy), bonus: if ankiel can pitch in the majors without throwing 2 WP/inning. but reality must be set in before we get too up on the SP. williams may or may not be the pitcher he was the second half of the season last year. never before in his career has he pitched that well, we will have to see if that was for real or lightning in a bottle. stephenson, if he can pitch nest year will likely come out of the bullpen. i LOVE this guys mentality, so i wish him all the best. andy benes is DONE! he has nothing left. he throws batting practie. they need to buy this guy out. alan has some upside. he was a hell of a pitcher in his rookie year and has good potential. the bullpen needs a major overhaul. if i was jocketty, timlin, james, both mathews (t.j. and mike), and tabaka would all hit the road. i would like them to sign christensen again along with getting a closer. maybe give mike williams a shot if he is not going to cost too much. have alan benes and stephenson in the pen as well. maybe fill in with a couple of .5 - 1.5 mil players, lower end of course, to round it out. failing to obtain a good closer, give hermanson a shot in the pen for a few weeks (he was outstanding in the playoffs).
on to hitting. it would be nice to get gonzales or alou to put in the outfield, but that is a bigger pipe dream than giambi. more likely a marty cordova, or rondell white (but he cannot stay healthy for anything). i would like them to bring back shawon dunston for the bench (at least bonilla is gone off the bench, maybe paquette) and maybe orlando merced. and i implore the cardinals NOT to trade eli marrero, he is such a versatile weapon and good defensively in at least four spots (c, 1b, rf, lf). well, let me know what you all think. anything you would do different? am i completely insane? whatever, just let me know.
ps sorry about the length!:freak:
a closer and another bat, preferably an outfielder. troy percival would look great in a redbird uniform, but the price may be too high (bud smith?). next best option is jeff shaw, who has at least 1-2 good years left. problem there: i have heard he wants to play no more than two more years and wants to go to cincy. if garrett stephenson can come back, the birds will have a glut of starting pitching. morris, kile, williams, smith, hermanson, stephneson, benes (alan and andy), bonus: if ankiel can pitch in the majors without throwing 2 WP/inning. but reality must be set in before we get too up on the SP. williams may or may not be the pitcher he was the second half of the season last year. never before in his career has he pitched that well, we will have to see if that was for real or lightning in a bottle. stephenson, if he can pitch nest year will likely come out of the bullpen. i LOVE this guys mentality, so i wish him all the best. andy benes is DONE! he has nothing left. he throws batting practie. they need to buy this guy out. alan has some upside. he was a hell of a pitcher in his rookie year and has good potential. the bullpen needs a major overhaul. if i was jocketty, timlin, james, both mathews (t.j. and mike), and tabaka would all hit the road. i would like them to sign christensen again along with getting a closer. maybe give mike williams a shot if he is not going to cost too much. have alan benes and stephenson in the pen as well. maybe fill in with a couple of .5 - 1.5 mil players, lower end of course, to round it out. failing to obtain a good closer, give hermanson a shot in the pen for a few weeks (he was outstanding in the playoffs).
on to hitting. it would be nice to get gonzales or alou to put in the outfield, but that is a bigger pipe dream than giambi. more likely a marty cordova, or rondell white (but he cannot stay healthy for anything). i would like them to bring back shawon dunston for the bench (at least bonilla is gone off the bench, maybe paquette) and maybe orlando merced. and i implore the cardinals NOT to trade eli marrero, he is such a versatile weapon and good defensively in at least four spots (c, 1b, rf, lf). well, let me know what you all think. anything you would do different? am i completely insane? whatever, just let me know.
ps sorry about the length!:freak: