Comments on: Cardinals spring training rosters and numerology

By: Brian Walton

Brian Walton — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 15:10:07 +0000

Felipe Lopez assigned #8. Troy Glaus is not coming back for it….

By: Brian Walton

Brian Walton — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:07:27 +0000

Samuel Freeman given #90 and Shelby Miller with #91.

By: Brian Walton

Brian Walton — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:51:47 +0000

Hill has been given #48 with the update added above.

By: ball in play

ball in play — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 23:08:08 +0000

J,
cot’s contracts does a very good job of acknowledging those release dates, if the info is made public.
jim edmonds w/mil is listed as …… “may request release if not on Major League roster 3/25/10″.
rich hill does not have this type info listed, so i’m going with no such clause, until i see a source.

By: Jmodene

Jmodene — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 09:48:33 +0000

While it’s true that since Hill signed a minor-league contract, he would have to earn a spot on the 40 (and 25)-man roster, I wonder if it’s not possible that he’s got a clause in his contract that would grant him his release if he reports to Memphis but isn’t called up by, say, May 15.

By: WestCoastbirdWatcher

WestCoastbirdWatcher — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 05:10:30 +0000

or not

By: blingboy

blingboy — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 04:40:09 +0000

I saw in the SF paper that Albert and wife sold a house in St. Louis suburb Creve Couer. The rest of the story is it was the one he bought for a half million in 2002 before he got rich. He has a much bigger house now, and I guess just got around to selling the old one, maybe due to the down market.

By: WestCoastbirdWatcher

WestCoastbirdWatcher — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 04:17:22 +0000

Looks like Albert opts for a little more security as he sells the mapped house. Theres lots of nice property for sale North of town. Bet he incorporates before he buys this one.

By: JumboShrimp

JumboShrimp — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 01:20:15 +0000

Hill is like the southpaw reliever the Cards signed last off-season. I forget that guys name. He spent the season at Memphis. Hill too gives depth to the roster at AAA, in case of injuries.
Hill’s best route back to the majors is to establish himself at AAA. This being so, it may not much matter which AAA team he plays for. He may as well pitch for Memphis.

By: CariocaCardinal

CariocaCardinal — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 01:02:59 +0000

bip, you are right that most likely Hill would not have a say over going to Memphis. Some more prominent minor league contract signings can get a clause negotiated into their contract that allows them to request their release if not on the major league roster by a certain date. Usually this date is into mid-May or June. A few get the date as of opening day but I’d be almost certain Hill didn’t have enough clout to get that early of a date.

That said, I don’t expect him to be in Memphis. If he has found the magic again he’ll be the 5th starter, if not I’d expect him to be released.

By: CariocaCardinal

CariocaCardinal — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:55:51 +0000

With revenue sharing, the A’s generate plenty of cash. It is not a question of having financial resources, it is a question of be willing to spend them on the team. If you dont believe me, go ask Scott Boras

By: JumboShrimp

JumboShrimp — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:48:20 +0000

Oakland competes in a market with San Franciso, which is probably a richer team. This gives the As incentive to make themselves look more clever than the Giants so as to win more fans (ie., Moneyball book hype). They can gain publicity from signing Sheets (to a short deal), like investing in the Domincan phenom Inoa. Or trading for Holliday, but then unloading Holliday.
Part of the style of the As is to make a lot of player moves. If the As do well, they have to trade successful players in order to hold down total spending, like the Marlins do. But if they do not do well, then they need to trade players so as to promote positive buzz about their prospects for the future.
Maybe if the As can engineer a move to better stadium, they can gain financial resources and change some of their past approach.

By: WestCoastbirdWatcher

WestCoastbirdWatcher — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:51:07 +0000

Seattle has spent heavily………Angels will always field a team……Texas has new ownership. No one is going to “steal” anything. This is exactly the same as the Holiday signing. A calculated risk with several avenues of corrections or vindication.. Getting the political mechanisms in place for a move is a very expensive investment.

By: CariocaCardinal

CariocaCardinal — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:39:25 +0000

Damon may drop into their lap as well.

By: blingboy

blingboy — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:32:17 +0000

The future revenue sharing might get squeezed if the A’s actually win. They will probably just keep things interesting.

By: CariocaCardinal

CariocaCardinal — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:24:58 +0000

The AL West is there for the taking. It is a long shot by Bean but if Sheets pitches like an ace, Duchscherer stays healthy and at least one of the young guys steps up strong they could steal the West.

By: WestCoastbirdWatcher

WestCoastbirdWatcher — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:14:51 +0000

Bean has to keep the A’s profile high to insure a positive outcome in their attempted move down the peninsula to Fremont. If Sheets is solid, he will turn him over at the break for good prospects. If not, he can say he’s trying to please the fans. If Sheets is 10/4 at the break, whats his value?

I’m going to write something on the problems of “high profile” anomalies like Albert in todays FA market system. Howard is another good example as is SF’s little problem. There is an appearance that a solution may have been found, as a stopgap, until the next MLB/Players Union negotiations.

By: Brian Walton

Brian Walton — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:56:28 +0000

bb, revenue sharing money to spend…

bip, glad you are using the matrix.

By: blingboy

blingboy — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:51:42 +0000

Mo is done paying full price is all Westy. Nothing wrong with that. Might be some deals in two weeks, three weeks.

As to the dialog. Mo said his piece. So did Albert. Next one to talk loses, just like any other stand-off.

What’s the buzz out there on the Sheets contract? Has Billy lost his mind?

By: WestCoastbirdWatcher

WestCoastbirdWatcher — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 20:30:05 +0000

BB………..forget ye not that all activities are part of a dialog with Pujols. All money’s spent here likely have a consequence in future negotiations. I would say some of my earlier conjecture is starting to fill out. The dead pool is rich with better players than we haver on this roster. The Hill signing is a joke. If he doesn’t make the team, he can demand a release, and probably will. Don’t forget, BD had to have shaken some hands in the Holiday negotiations. I’m sure he signs for 5/90. The rest is just posturing. The Albert business may already be over.

Are they saving a Lugo’s worth of dry powder? Hummmmmmmmm!

By: ball in play

ball in play — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 20:27:07 +0000

i have used the roster matrix all winter and am glad it is available.
BW, if rich hill was signed as a non 40man minor leaguer, why would he have to agree to go to memphis.
what makes his situation any different than maclane who could be re-assigned without agreeing?

By: blingboy

blingboy — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:43:13 +0000

I would rather have had Sheets for $8-10 than Penny for $7.5-9.

Gotay got a ‘keeper’ number. Zink got Taguchi’s 99 so maybe that is a keeper number too. Jukich, at 65, is a long shot but definatly not as long as the guys who got 70′s and 80′s. Those are ‘warm body’ numbers to man split squad games. I guess Mo knows what happens if he gives Tony an opening with Edmonds.

I’m not seeing anything intrigueing Westy. I don’t think anyone thinks Mo won’t keep his eyes open. Lopez is the only thing that would matter much. Will be interesting to see if Skip gets more than one year.

By: WestCoastbirdWatcher

WestCoastbirdWatcher — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:29:54 +0000

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/columnists.nsf/jeffgordon/story/3B79D82008076E89862576B80054E6D0?OpenDocument

Were putting the psych on the competition, making them all think that it business as usual for the Cardinals……………. I’m starting to form an opinion.

By: Brian Walton

Brian Walton — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:04:40 +0000

Good questions, Bw52. Readers, we are unrelated!

I don’t know the answer about the plans for Jukich’s use other than they may be thinking the other starting candidates are more worthy of consideration. If they can get him to contribute as a reliever, he offers a possible option if Reyes or Miller is injured in camp. I think there is a decent chance if Jukich impresses that the Cards might try to work a deal to keep him and send him to Memphis. It seems unlikely, though not impossible for the Cards to keep three lefty relievers coming out of camp.

I have no idea where Hill’s head is right now. If he was smart, he would agree to go to Memphis unless for some reason he is lights out in camp and wins the fifth starter’s role. Considering where he is coming from, that seems a long shot to me. I agree signing him was a low risk deal, but my expectations are also very low. He is out of options, so if he is added to the 40-man, he would probably need to stick. Given his past, someone may grab him off waivers unless he really stinks this year after having pitched well enough to be added to the roster in the first place.

Here is a summary of his last two years. First in 2008, he lost his control and ended up in the very depths of rookie ball amid the Cubs’ view it was a mental issue. They tried to trade him for months and ended up with just a middling prospect in return. Last season, Hill then hurt his elbow and had August shoulder surgery. The latter concerns me with any player, let alone one with Hill’s other issues. Dave Duncan is a great coach, but he isn’t a doctor of any kind.

I expect Norrick, MacLane and Rundles will all be in Memphis, though there could be numbers issues there depending on spring injuries, of course.

By: Bw52

Bw52 — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:48:36 +0000

Brian a question please.Ben Jukich has been a starter in the minors.I wonder the reason s he is going to be used in the Brian Thompson role (if i understood correctly) instead of a 5th starter.What do you feel his chances are to stick with the Cards ? Due to the lack of LHP in the high minors in the system is there a chance Jukich would be kept in AAA if a trade could be made if he doesn`t make the big league roster.Do you think Rich Hill would take a AAA assignment as depth.Same question for Rundles?Isn`t the other LHP competition is Norrick and MacLane.I think MacLane is a very long shot for STL spot and he stays at AAA.

By: Brian Walton

Brian Walton — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:27:47 +0000

It only seemed appropriate to continue on the numbers theme of the week…