Mo’s hesitation on Lopez isn’t really about the money and saving the bullet. If the Cards have around $7M left, they could sign Lopez and still have their bullet if they need a pitcher. After all, what pitchers are left that you couldn’t get for $4M?

I understand that going forward there is a big chunk going to a core group, and Luddy will be getting expensive, so Mo needs to see if these young guys can hack it. That is no excuse for not doing what it takes to win now, and I’m not talking division champ.

There is more bunka in this than your usual article. They are praying Lozano doesn’t leave Lopez on Mo’s porch wrapped in a blanket, with photographers around.

The Cardinals are the market foundation for any plan Lozano may be crafting. If they are winners, all guarantees go up. He is in a position to offer Lopez now for chump change and incentives, just because it increases his prospects exponentially for getting close to 300 mill for AP where ever.. The Cardinals will hold their money against that possibility. If Pujols comes out smoking, they may use it to embellish, especially in support of a Franklin alternative , or a Carp breakdown. If Albert comes out slow, they will just watch, profiting by his struggles. They have until the 7/31st.

Summation………..I would be very surprised it they took Lopez. At any cost. He likely ends up in Milwaukee. They will pray for prospects to raise their value.

It may also be a coincidence that it just happened to occur 3 or 4 days after Brendan’s surgery.

But another possibility, along the lines of what Westy has been hinting at, before he backpeddled, does seem to present itself. None of this means Westy isn’t hallucinating, it just means he might be right.

The word is that the AP talks went no further than stated above. One of the advantages of being in closed talks (stalling) with the Cardinals, Lozano apparently used that position to pick off Lopez from SB. This is an uncommon occurrence. It is attempted often though. Rarely does an agent find the type of advantages that would create an appearance of “superior position”. This would be one of those……………………. Scottie often has to deal with appearing to be the target of colluding owners which worries his clients………………………. he parried gracefully with a ” 30 teams aren’t looking for a “starting” 2nd baseman comment.

The point here is Lozano has nothing better to do than hustle a vulnerable kid……… its business, he knows what to do with advantage. It is a huge tell about his Cardinal disposition though. Boras pays him back……..if this wasn’t a payback already by Lozano. Life goes on. I’ll tell you whats coming down soon enough.

The article on McGwire and Ryan makes the wrist situation more understandable. With Brendan being laid up for a while, maybe Mac can somehow make a hitter out of Tyler.

This is a very convenient delaying tactic. Its timing is clear. It says nothing. This is an invitation for Tony to say something. It presumes, falsely, that what ever the Cards want or need, will be available at their pleasure. Last year it was, “we just don’t see anything we like”.

My point here isn’t about a desire to sign Lopez. I would rather watch the kids myself. These tactics will influence the Pujols negotiations though.

Other than Gatcia, who is given a 35% chance, everybody else Mo is counting on to fill roster spots could hardly even be considered legitimate prospects the odds are so long.

There are protocols honored to some extent by Pro Agents. Scott Boras is a very powerful and influential character. In any dialog or exchange with Lopez, its highly unlikely that Lopez comes out on top. That being said, the likelihood that Lopez jumps from Scottie to Hollywood in the same day, all by him self is slim and none. The connection to Hollywood certainly wouldn’t have been promoted by Lopez. The immediacy of the announcement was purposeful then in the market place. That is a move by a professional agent in an influential position from the get-go.

I would say this is a likely scenario;

Albert calls Lopez, or Lopez calls Albert, either is a possibility. Lopez wants to know why the Cardinals aren’t picking him up. Pujols wants to know what Boras is asking or what the Cardinals are offering, if anything. Lopez obviously is resentful of Boras using him as a Hood Ornament in a collusion case, or fearful that he is a victim of an attack on SB by the owners. Albert says that you should talk to my agent. Lozano sees a goldmine of information concerning Cardinal intentions wrapped up in this situations, so he advises, through Albert I would guess, that he jump to his agency. Lopez calls Lonzano and then calls Boras and terminates. This can be a litigious situation, so I’m guessing all the details were scrutinized.
The game is really on now. It is likely that Lozano pushes hard to get the Cardinals to make some sort of deal…………..or know why. I would guess this is indicative of what is really happening in the Albert/ Cardinal negotiations.

What if Albert approaches Mo and says,” man, he will take an incentive laden deal…….and Mo says no. Or will DeWitt bury the hatchet in Scotties back. This is perfect.

Among BHSC clients: Albert Pujols…

haven’t been following all this but just read the link to Brian’s article at Scout and I am feeling very optimistic about “the Boog’s” 2010 season . Man, if he could improve because of the surgery this could be one fantastic Redbird season.

First lack of objectivity, in that the analysts probably work for Luhnow and helped choose the prospects in the first place.

Second, it wouldn’t just be Law who was wrong, but every other ranking I have seen or heard of.

Third, as Westy said, “They had nothing for the playoff, little for the Sept call up.”

Fourth, my own opinion that there are no impact players, just AAAA type role players who could probably be picked up as FA’s cheeper that what it costs to develop them from scratch.

That said, why would you assume Law is correct and the Cardinals are wrong?

Suppose Luhnow was telling it like it really is inside the organization. Suppose the Cards’ analysts really do evaluate the Cards’ prospect pool as midpoint. Then, I suppose, Law is entirely correct? What then?