Matt Holliday is a Cardinal

by feNOMINAL on Jul 24, 2009 9:55 AM PDT

According to Rotoworld, A's receive Brett Wallace, Clayton Mortensen, and Shane Petersen. I think this is a great move for Choaktown, landing someone like Wallace, who could probably step in right now, and make an impact next year. Mortensen seems decent enough, and is probably filler with Outman lost, and Gio and Eveland sucking.

What does everyone think?

Does this make Oakland more competitive next year? And in 2011? Or, will Texas, with that farm, be the class of competition?

UPDATE: Lots of LINKS at Athletics Nation, and ANALYSIS there too.

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I just was about to post this…

"The Napoli-est Place on Earth."

by KyRod on Jul 24, 2009 9:59 AM PDT reply actions

I think Holliday will do good with the Cards

Oakland is still at least 2 years away from seriously contending IMO.

RIP Nick Adenhart

by stolenbases on Jul 24, 2009 10:02 AM PDT reply actions

good trade both ways

I dont like seeing the a’s get better but I’ll give them credit. They won’t compete next year and it’s iffy for the year after that but 3 years will definately see the A’s as a contender.

R.I.P. #34

by sctrojan13 on Jul 24, 2009 10:05 AM PDT reply actions

Shit

Oh well at least Texas and Seattle think they’re in it enough not to make equally smart moves.

by Wytelitning on Jul 24, 2009 10:06 AM PDT reply actions

this...this year is different

We’re pitching better than you guys now, the Rangers will win the division. Ha. Sorry i couldn’t help it.

R.I.P. #34

by sctrojan13 on Jul 24, 2009 10:07 AM PDT up reply actions

But can you pull off the comeback as well as we do?

I don’t think so.

;-)

by 27up27down on Jul 24, 2009 3:51 PM PDT up reply actions

Seattle is right on the razor's edge of holding or folding for 2009.

We don't have a Bullpen. We have a Cowpen. Before we get to call it a Bullpen these guys gotta grow a pair.

by Stirrups on Jul 24, 2009 5:39 PM PDT up reply actions

I don' know much about the prospects.

But with Glaus on the way back and Ankiel’s power, the middle of that lineup is seriously scary.

This team is our extended family, That's why we love them no matter what the record, no matter what the score.

by halofan4life on Jul 24, 2009 10:56 AM PDT reply actions

Glaus isn't coming back to St Louis

He still can’t throw, and LaRussa isn’t going to put him at 1B and have Pujols play 3B. He’s making far too much money to be a pinchhitter.

See if he doesn’t get traded to an AL team to DH, because he won’t be playing D this season.

by George Kaplan on Jul 24, 2009 5:53 PM PDT up reply actions

Ahhhhhh, I see

I had read reports saying otherwise. I most likely misread them. Thank you for clarifying

This team is our extended family, That's why we love them no matter what the record, no matter what the score.

by halofan4life on Jul 24, 2009 6:03 PM PDT up reply actions

If you saw something which said otherwise

…I’d be interested to read it. I was reading the St Louis paper and it said that Glaus couldn’t throw across the diamond and wasn’t expected to be able to do so this season.

When I saw the Holliday deal, I wondered if this is a prelude to trading Glaus as an AL DH, but I couldn’t think of a contending team which needed him in the lineup as the DH only. Besides, I think he still has a no-trade clause, and that makes the deal more costly and difficult.

by George Kaplan on Jul 24, 2009 6:10 PM PDT up reply actions

I guess I misread about him coming back soon to 3B, but...

Glaus to OF? According to this, he’s been working out in the OF.

This team is our extended family, That's why we love them no matter what the record, no matter what the score.

by halofan4life on Jul 24, 2009 7:05 PM PDT up reply actions

Interesting

What we need to acknowledge is that Rosenthal is a notorious windsock. Just a few days after the article you cited, he wrote:

If Glaus cannot play third base, he will be of virtually no use to the Cardinals. Albert Pujols, perhaps the best player in the game, is the team’s first baseman. The Cardinals also are finished with inter- league play, eliminating any possible need for a DH.

It is as if he never endorsed the idea of Glaus to the OF in the first place.

Meanwhile, 1B isn’t looking too good, either. Glaus was playing 1B in a AAA rehab game last night:

Starting at first base, Glaus’ shoulder pain became a problem. Brandon Dickson threw a bad pick-off attempt, and the ball rolled past Glaus. He couldn’t throw the ball hard back into play, allowing the runner to advance from first to third.

So apparently he can still make solid contact with the bat, but he’s useless with the leather.

by George Kaplan on Jul 24, 2009 10:39 PM PDT up reply actions

Then it's agreed that Rosenthal is throwing shit and hoping it sticks.

And that I should check the dates of stories before I cite and link them here.

This team is our extended family, That's why we love them no matter what the record, no matter what the score.

by halofan4life on Jul 24, 2009 11:39 PM PDT up reply actions

Absolutely not your fault

Rosenthal gets a lot of replay on the global interwebs. When something he writes is repeated dozens of times, it will appear to be true. And unless one is both (A) a religious reader of Rosenthal who (B) cross-references current columns against recent ones, it can be very difficult to keep him honest.

My personal solution is to take whatever of his that I read and divide it in half, and then assume it is at least 33% bullshit remaining. The guy is obligated to write a column 3X a week, plus appear on the Fox game of the week and (more recently) on MLB Tonight. He needs something to talk about, and I think he is apt to pass along whatever hearsay he gleans, without pausing to verify or even pass it though the SenseMeter. When he begins a sentence with the phrase “my sources tell me” then he becomes the anti-EF Hutton.

by George Kaplan on Jul 25, 2009 4:40 AM PDT up reply actions

That's a good formula for when reading Rosenthal

I’ll keep that in mind next time I read one of his articles, or when I see him on MLB Tonight.

This team is our extended family, That's why we love them no matter what the record, no matter what the score.

by halofan4life on Jul 25, 2009 10:13 AM PDT up reply actions

This poses (what I think is) an interesting question

What to do with Glaus?

Is there a team in the AL in contention and capable of swallowing a lot of his salary, and which also has the spare parts to trade to the Cards?

Or maybe a team which would take him on as a very defensively-challenged 1B in order to obtain his bat?

Or are the Cards going to have to DFA him just to clear his spot on the roster for a player who CAN help them win the NL Central?

by George Kaplan on Jul 25, 2009 10:24 AM PDT up reply actions

Here's what I have looked up

Twins Morneau is at 1st, not moving. Kubel has done a majority of the DH’ing and has been quite solid, .930 OPS, 17 HR and 55 RBI’s. I considered them because you can consider them a bubble team b/c even at 48-49, they’re only 4 games out.

White Sox Konerko at 1st, Thome at DH. Konerko has an .839 OPS, 18 HR and 64 RBI’s. Thome has a .903 OPS 17 HR and 58 RBI’s. There GM has always had an itchy trigger finger, but I don’t see him being useful there.

Mariners Russell Branyan at 1st has been KILLING it this year. .923 OPS, 24 HR and 55 RBI’s. Someone finally trusted him as an everyday player and he isn’t disappointing. On the other hand, Griffey is at DH doing his farewell tour and it’s starting to look like a sympathy signing. .705 OPS, 10 HR and 27 RBI’s. They could use an upgrade at DH, but nobody knows whether or not they are going to buyers or sellers. I added them because at 6.5 back, I consider them to be in contention.

Rangers Chris Davis at 1st is definately subpar, especially playing in the Bandbox at Arlington. A .671 OPS, 15 HR and 33 RBI’s. Blalock is at DH with a .820 OPS, 19HR and 47 RBI’s. Blalock has always done well in Arlington and they don’t need the upgrade there. The bigger question there would be, would they be willing to deal with subpar defense that replaces Davis? I personally think with the pop Glaus has, he’d do fine in Texas at the plate.

Rays Carlos Pena at 1st, like Morneau, he isn’t going anywhere. However, Burrell looks llike a bust with his .700 OPS, 6 HR and 35 RBI’s. I’m pretty sure though that the Rays wouldn’t be able to afford any new expensive contracts with their small budget.

In summary…The Mariners, Rangers and Rays could USE Glaus. However, in the Rangers case, I don’t see them replacing Davis with shotty defense considering how they have made a conscious effort to fix that past problem. The Mariners are on the bubble and I envision them to be sellers before the deadline. And Glaus to the Rays would be more of a gamble than anything in replacing Burrell. Looks like the Cards are screwed on this one IMHO.

This team is our extended family, That's why we love them no matter what the record, no matter what the score.

by halofan4life on Jul 25, 2009 5:31 PM PDT up reply actions

Good trade for the A's

They need a prospect who has a shot at being an impact hitter. It’s not going to help them in the short run, but if Wallace can improve his defense he can be the third baseman of the future, which they desperately need

by ETA on Jul 24, 2009 11:32 AM PDT reply actions

Yep good trade all around

I’d say it almost locks the Cards for 1st place. They should pull away unless Milwaukee does something.

And the A’s might get scary soon. But I’m more worried about Texas for the next few years…

by Monkeyspanked on Jul 24, 2009 11:56 AM PDT reply actions

Agreed, good trade for both sides

But this current set of A’s pitchers don’t seem to have the same studly effect that Zito, Mulder, and Hudson once did. For the most part, and I dig Anderson, they look to be more duds than studs. I think the Magic Beane has worn off. It wasn’t like they won any World Series under his reign anyway.

Rangers…good system, good leadership, bad money situation. Jury is out.

I’m high on the M’s and their new gm/managerial staff. If they can stay health and start getting some production out of their offense, they can be something soon.

Still think the Angels will be the cream of the crop for years, especially as we weather this dry period for upper level prospects. This is why I don’t want to see our young pitching dealt away. There are plenty of pitching options out there that can acquired for mid-level prospects by simply relieving another team of a heavy contract.

In Remembrance of Nick Adenhart, Courtney Stewart, Henry Pearson. Heal soon Jon Wilhite.

I want Andrew Thomas Gallo to be a pinata, and the Angels supply the bats...

by Slasher52 on Jul 24, 2009 12:06 PM PDT up reply actions

I think it's hard to make a case that Anderson, Cahill, and Mazzaro are any less studly then Mulder, Hudson, and Zito--yet.

I’m an A’s fan BTW.

It really is comparing apples to oranges. Mulder, Hudson, and Zito were all polished college draft picks, most of whom had the skills coming out of college to compete as an ace within the first 6 months of their career.

Anderson, Cahill, and Mazzaro, on the other hand, were all highschool draftees who were rushed through the system thanks to a pathetic A’s starting rotation this year. They lack the polish of the famed “big three,” and are still learning on the job. They are all 21 and 22 years old and could still be in college had they decided to go that rout. We wont know if they are stud or dud for another year or two to see how they develop against major league pitching, to see if the league catches up to them, and to see if Beane trades them for prospects (because another “young stud” comes up behind them).

Sometimes life will strike you out on a curve ball and the only choice you have is to flip off the umpire and walk to first base anyway.

by Threepwood XX on Jul 25, 2009 5:40 PM PDT up reply actions