The handwriting was on the wall for Randy Flores and fellow left-hander Tyler Johnson.
The two had lost precious ground in their attempts to seize the two left-handed spots in the St. Louis Cardinals bullpen and as a result, were among three players non-tendered by the club at Friday’s midnight EST deadline. Infielder Aaron Miles was the other.
There were two other important reasons for these players being cut loose. One is money and the other is roster spots. These players three could have each earned several million via arbitration while there are replacements coming up behind them still making only six figures.
Two lefties gone
Flores, 33, had his time in the St. Louis spotlight, playing a headline role while pitching in 185 games for the Cards from 2005 through 2007, but began to decline in the second half of 2007.
Last season, his fifth in the organization, was a complete washout between injury and ineffectiveness. Flores passed through waivers unclaimed last summer on his way to a demotion to Memphis.
Despite over three years of major league service time, the injury-prone Johnson has only pitched in 77 big-league games. Once a top organizational prospect, the 27-year-old was selected by the Oakland A’s in the 2004 Rule 5 Draft, but was returned to St. Louis during spring training.
Since, he has been slowed by a myriad of arm problems. Johnson’s St. Louis highlight may have been his team-leading ten appearances and four holds during the magical 2006 post-season.
Left-handed relief alternatives aplenty
In recent weeks, the Cardinals have added a host of others from the left side. They include Charlie Manning via waivers from Washington, the former free agent from Tampa Bay, Trever Miller, and minor leaguer Ian Ostlund, also invited to major league camp.
The Cards have stated they are still in search of another lefty, with former Colorado closer Brian Fuentes a prime target. All will compete for likely two roster spots at the major league level this coming spring.
Miles also gone (again)
Of the three non-tenders, Miles was perhaps the biggest surprise, but perhaps not.
The switch-hitting infielder, who will turn 32 on Monday, was in the same situation one year ago and was also non-tendered by the Cardinals. That way, the team could avoid the arbitration process with Miles, where the club could end up being forced to overpay to keep him. Surprisingly, the two sides reunited in January when Miles was given $1.4 million to return to St. Louis for 2008.
After a solid year backing up the middle infield and even getting starts in the outfield, I thought Miles would be asked back in 2009. Perhaps that could still happen, but not via the arbitration process.
Nick Punto: Over $4M per year
Market realities
Though I had projected that the Cardinals would tender Miles a contract, I second guessed myself as recently as Friday. That is when the Minnesota Twins re-signed their utility infielder Nick Punto to an eye-opening two-year, $8.5 million deal.
The 30-year-old Punto, playing a comparable role to Miles for the Twins, has a career line of .252/.319/.332 over the equivalent of roughly five MLB seasons. Miles’ line is .289/.329/.364 over his time with the White Sox, Colorado and the Cardinals.
So, if Punto can fetch $4.25 million per year on a two-year deal, isn’t Miles worth at least $5 million? Considering that view of the current market, I can see why the Cardinals took the cautious route here.
Miles is a handy player to have around, but not at that kind of price.
Infield alternatives
While they may still go outside for a Miles replacement if he does not return, the Cardinals do have alternatives. Several younger, cheaper and less-experienced in-house players already on the 40-man roster include Brendan Ryan, Brian Barden and Tyler Greene.
Ryan has the most time in the majors of the three but lacks consistency. That translates into less confidence shown by the coaching staff. The 26-year-old has no minor league options remaining, which means he has to either make the big league club in the spring or pass through waivers before heading back to Triple-A.
The Olympian Barden was originally claimed off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks late in the 2007 season. It doesn’t seem the Cardinals can decide about the 27-year-old. Last spring, they took him off the 40-man, when he went unclaimed, then later re-added him. Barden has yet to impress in two end-of-season call-ups. Despite a decent season in Memphis, Barden received a grand total of nine September at-bats with St. Louis in 2008. Not inspiring.
Greene, taken just two picks after top organizational prospect Colby Rasmus in 2005, has long been touted for his potential, but had yet to deliver until 2008. The shortstop had a decent season between Springfield and Memphis and for the first time as a professional, was moved all around the infield during his stint in the Arizona Fall League where he looked fine defensively. That tryout was surely not coincidental.
Second baseman Jarrett Hoffpauir also still sits on the 40-man roster, likely on the strength of a .407 OBP put up in 2007 between Springfield and Memphis. His 2008 mark was a more realistic .352, but any future shot at St. Louis seems unclear.
What’s next?
All three non-tendered players, Flores, Johnson and Miles, are officially free agents, available to sign with any team with no penalties or restrictions, including the Cardinals – if both sides are willing.
As expected, five other Cardinals were tendered offers for 2009 by the deadline, Chris Duncan, Ryan Ludwick, Rick Ankiel, Todd Wellemeyer and Brad Thompson. These players are bound to the Cards for next season, with the amounts of their salaries still to be negotiated over the next two months.
With these moves, the Cardinals 40-man roster is currently at 34 players. This gives the organization plenty of flexibility to make other moves as the 2008-2009 hot stove season continues.
I still hold the theory that Miles would not have returned in 2008 if not for Spiezio’s problems.
Miles was non-tendered in mid-December 2007 prior to Spiezio’s car crash. Miles is then re-signed in early January 2009 in what most thought was a surprising move. I still think the Cardinals’re-signed Miles as insurance against Spiezio’s problems.
I think someone internally will now get their shot.
Hopefully Miles will return. However if he can get Punto Money then he should go for it. Cards will not go that high
I’m still sorry to see Miles go, particularly if Kennedy is going to be starting at second.
You know, UConn, that Spiezio angle is one that I never thought of pursuing. It does make a lot of sense looking back. I may nose around come spring and see if I can get a read on that. Now that a year has passed, someone might admit it, if that is how it evolved.
Too bad Spiezio seems to have messed up his life.
619booyah, I don’t know if Miles can get Punto money or not, but if I was his agent, I sure would start in that neighborhood. The numbers tell me Miles is a better player – offensively at least. I am not sure about Punto’s defense, though.
When I read about that signing, I thought, “Uh oh. I wonder if the Cards will non-tender Miles,” just based on the dollar value alone. In terms of MLB experience, Punto has one more year, though Miles is actually two years older.
I would have thought somewhere between $2.5 million and $2.8 million, with the latter amount doubling Miles’ salary, would be about as far as I would go if I were Mo. The Cards probably realized they could get taken to the cleaners in arbitration.
nutlaw, I don’t know what to think about Kennedy. He seems to me to have had a season offensively sort of like Felipe Lopez, without the extremes. Started poorly, went south from there, only to finish respectably.
Kennedy is better defensively than either Miles or Lopez, though… All depends on whether or not his bat shows up in 2009. Kennedy has to realize he is either going to restore his career or slip down the David Eckstein path of late-career backup/journeyman status.
Nick Punto is a good defensive player. This signing number has surprised even his close friends. Nick is becoming a Twins Icon, very much in the image of the coach Gardinhire’s player image. He will sacrifice his body without hesitation. Staying healthy is his greatest challenge. He would have been a great 2nd baseman for the Cards, I’m sure at 5mill for 2yrs if it would have been offered.
Welcome, WCBW! Yes, perhaps it is not coincidence that both TLR and Gardy are both former middle infielders themselves and seem to favor such players. Though TLR likes Miles, he isn’t signing the checks.
A fair golfer too I must say Brian. Scotty B is hiding behind Tex at the moment. The stoning may be continuing from last year. I am grateful for the peace…………..at Christmas:)
Here’s to hoping we re-sign Miles. I think it’s a smart move as we at least don’t have to go through arb with him.
And welcome to the blog world Brian! I’ll add you to my links on my blog (www.buschbirds.com). Can’t pass up the attempt to shamelessly advertise myself!
Best of luck with all of this!
I was kind of surprised with the decision to release Johnson. Howerver, I know that his lifestyle and some of the decisions that he has made in the past have frustrated the club. Perhaps it was just an attempt to add more “flexibility” to the 40-man roster and they will try resigning him to a minor league deal.
Or, on a less serious note, perhaps they can just add another lefty to the non-tendered list and release Johnson’s father in law too…:lol:
After the 2006 season, Duncan thought about converting Tyler Johnson to a starting pitcher. This was testimony to Johnson’s lofty stock at the time, after being a great part of the stretch drive to a WS triumph. Johnson had enough pitches and had a bright future. In due course, however, the Cards instead decided to go with the a consummate professional, Braden Looper.
The As and Reds might give Johnson a 2nd chance. He blew a first opportunity in St Louis, rumor has it for not showing enough dedication to his profession by exercising in the off-season.
I don’t know for sure about the rumors, nor if bridges have been burned such that they can never be rebuilt. I do know that people do change over time. Maybe Johnson had time during his rehabs to consider his outlook. I am hoping he can be effective wherever he ends up, StL or not. He obviously has a lot of talent and I hope he neither squanders it nor loses it due to ongoing health issues.
Because Johnson once had such a promising future and southpaws are useful, I would have expected the Cards would offer him arbitration, in hopes he gets it back together.
However, since they did not retain him, his departure may illustrate the brevity of ML careers or a decision that Johnson was not someone the team wanted to sink more time in.
Just based on what happened between the lines, I would have offered TJ, too. Or maybe they will try to get him back on a minor league deal.
Once a team gives a guy his freedom, plus deny him a ML salary, it may not be able to recruit him to return. Maybe the Cards are exacting in expectations of player attitudes. Or maybe the injury was career threatening, making Johnson’s bounce-back long-odds.