The aging St. Louis Cardinals.
Waiver wire pitching targets.
Marlins send LoMo to AAA.
Spoiler [+]
Heading into the season, the St. Louis Cardinals armed themselves to the teeth with veterans. With Albert Pujols under team control for one more season, and Tony La Russa essentially working year-to-year, this was the time to push their chips to the middle of the table. But as the trade deadline neared, the Cardinals' playoff chances were tenuous at best, so they doubled down for even more veterans, and did so in part by trading their youngest premium position player -- Colby Rasmus. Unfortunately, the Cards' new acquisitions have failed to stem the tide, and as their playoff hopes fade, it's fair to wonder if the window of opportunity has closed for the suddenly old Cardinals.
In breaking down FanGraphs' WAR of each team in the game by age group, we find that at the start of play on Friday, the Cardinals were one of five teams in baseball in which players aged 30 or higher were contributing close to half of their team's WAR or more. The Cardinals were at 56 percent; the other four are the Texas Rangers (49 percent), Chicago Cubs (54 percent), New York Yankees (67 percent) and Philadelphia Phillies (76 percent). While the Cubs are in a league of their own, the Yankees, Rangers and Phillies all stand a very good chance of reaching the postseason.
In Rasmus, the Cardinals had the guy to balance the aging scales. Last season, at the precocious age of 23, Rasmus compiled a .366 wOBA that ranked third among center fielders, trailing only Josh Hamilton and Carlos Gonzalez. But as center field was not the primary position for either Hamilton or Gonzalez, there was a case to be made for Rasmus as the best offensive center fielder in the game entering the season. Rasmus, however, hasn't been the same player this year, and the pitching-thin Cards decided they needed pitching more than they did their young center fielder.
In the deal, the Cards did receive two players under 30 -- 27-year-old Edwin Jackson and 25-year-old Marc Rzepczynski. But whereas Rasmus still has another three years to go before he reaches free agency, Jackson is a free agent at season's end. The Cards will have Rzepczynski for quite some time, but they have already marginalized him in favor of another uber-veteran -- 41-year old Arthur Rhodes, who the club signed off the scrap heap Friday. It's a head-scratching move, as Rzepczynski's FIP this season is a career-best 3.22, while Rhodes' is a putrid 5.97, the fourth-worst mark among relievers with at least 20 innings pitched.
Despite all the jockeying, St. Louis continues to slip. At the time of the Rasmus trade, the Cards had a 45.1 percent chance to reach the playoffs, according to Cool Standings. After Friday's win over the Rockies, that percentage had dropped to 29.9 percent -- sixth in the National League. Again though, the situation may be bleaker than it appears, as the Cards have not been able to solve the Milwaukee Brewers, their only remaining competition in the National League Central. For the season, St. Louis is 4-8 against the Brewers, but since the start of June, it's even worse: The Cards are just 2-7 and have been outscored by 22 runs against the Brew Crew. The two teams will play six more times between now and Sept. 7, and there is a chance that their final matchup doubles as the Cardinals' last day of contention.
The future isn't completely barren in St. Louis, of course. On the prospect front, Keith Law listed three Cardinals pitchers among his midseason top 50 prospects. But pitching prospects are a notoriously fickle bunch, and if the Cards pick up Chris Carpenter's option, they'll already have five starters under contract for next season -- four of whom will be 30 or older. Among players already in the majors, Rasmus' replacement, Jon Jay, has been above average offensively and is just 26. And when 27-year-old Allen Craig and 28-year-old David Freese have been in the lineup, they have produced as well. However, those guys are seen more as complementary players rather than building blocks.
When the Cardinals signed 35-year-old Lance Berkman, 33-year-old Jake Westbrook, 40-year-old Miguel Batista and 33-year-old Nick Punto before the season, the message was clear: We're going for it. But now the Cardinals are a team filled with players on the wrong side of 30 -- in Friday's game, six of the team's nine starters were 31 or older -- and the Rasmus trade, as well as recent acquisitions like Rhodes and shortstop Rafael Furcal, give them no path to getting younger and maintaining their current level of production at the same time.
And that's without getting into what they will do if they lose Pujols in free agency.
So not only is this year's window closing rapidly for the Cardinals, what's worse is that without Rasmus, there isn't anyone on the left side of 30 to help keep it wedged open.
In breaking down FanGraphs' WAR of each team in the game by age group, we find that at the start of play on Friday, the Cardinals were one of five teams in baseball in which players aged 30 or higher were contributing close to half of their team's WAR or more. The Cardinals were at 56 percent; the other four are the Texas Rangers (49 percent), Chicago Cubs (54 percent), New York Yankees (67 percent) and Philadelphia Phillies (76 percent). While the Cubs are in a league of their own, the Yankees, Rangers and Phillies all stand a very good chance of reaching the postseason.
In Rasmus, the Cardinals had the guy to balance the aging scales. Last season, at the precocious age of 23, Rasmus compiled a .366 wOBA that ranked third among center fielders, trailing only Josh Hamilton and Carlos Gonzalez. But as center field was not the primary position for either Hamilton or Gonzalez, there was a case to be made for Rasmus as the best offensive center fielder in the game entering the season. Rasmus, however, hasn't been the same player this year, and the pitching-thin Cards decided they needed pitching more than they did their young center fielder.
In the deal, the Cards did receive two players under 30 -- 27-year-old Edwin Jackson and 25-year-old Marc Rzepczynski. But whereas Rasmus still has another three years to go before he reaches free agency, Jackson is a free agent at season's end. The Cards will have Rzepczynski for quite some time, but they have already marginalized him in favor of another uber-veteran -- 41-year old Arthur Rhodes, who the club signed off the scrap heap Friday. It's a head-scratching move, as Rzepczynski's FIP this season is a career-best 3.22, while Rhodes' is a putrid 5.97, the fourth-worst mark among relievers with at least 20 innings pitched.
Despite all the jockeying, St. Louis continues to slip. At the time of the Rasmus trade, the Cards had a 45.1 percent chance to reach the playoffs, according to Cool Standings. After Friday's win over the Rockies, that percentage had dropped to 29.9 percent -- sixth in the National League. Again though, the situation may be bleaker than it appears, as the Cards have not been able to solve the Milwaukee Brewers, their only remaining competition in the National League Central. For the season, St. Louis is 4-8 against the Brewers, but since the start of June, it's even worse: The Cards are just 2-7 and have been outscored by 22 runs against the Brew Crew. The two teams will play six more times between now and Sept. 7, and there is a chance that their final matchup doubles as the Cardinals' last day of contention.
The future isn't completely barren in St. Louis, of course. On the prospect front, Keith Law listed three Cardinals pitchers among his midseason top 50 prospects. But pitching prospects are a notoriously fickle bunch, and if the Cards pick up Chris Carpenter's option, they'll already have five starters under contract for next season -- four of whom will be 30 or older. Among players already in the majors, Rasmus' replacement, Jon Jay, has been above average offensively and is just 26. And when 27-year-old Allen Craig and 28-year-old David Freese have been in the lineup, they have produced as well. However, those guys are seen more as complementary players rather than building blocks.
When the Cardinals signed 35-year-old Lance Berkman, 33-year-old Jake Westbrook, 40-year-old Miguel Batista and 33-year-old Nick Punto before the season, the message was clear: We're going for it. But now the Cardinals are a team filled with players on the wrong side of 30 -- in Friday's game, six of the team's nine starters were 31 or older -- and the Rasmus trade, as well as recent acquisitions like Rhodes and shortstop Rafael Furcal, give them no path to getting younger and maintaining their current level of production at the same time.
And that's without getting into what they will do if they lose Pujols in free agency.
So not only is this year's window closing rapidly for the Cardinals, what's worse is that without Rasmus, there isn't anyone on the left side of 30 to help keep it wedged open.
Waiver wire pitching targets.
Spoiler [+]
Jason Marquis pitched with a broken leg until he couldn't anymore. Now the starting pitcher who was acquired to fill a spot in their rotation will be out for four to six weeks, as Nick Piecoro writes.
[+] Enlarge
Crystal LoGiudice/US PresswireIf they don't go the waiver route, Bauer could get the call.
The Diamondbacks apparently have called up left-hander Wade Miley, as Nick writes, to fill Marquis's spot on the roster, and considering how well Miley has thrown in eight Triple-A starts, it's possible that he could be the solution. Miley's numbers in the hitting-rich league: 4-1, 3.64 ERA, only 16 walks in 54.1 innings, with 56 strikeouts.
But presumably, the Diamondbacks will continue to evaluate all alternatives, such as Trevor Bauer, the No. 3 pick in the June draft, who made his first start in Double-A on Sunday and dominated -- he allowed no runs in five innings, surrendering five hits and a walk while striking out eight.
And Arizona will comb through the names of pitchers who are passing through waivers, or who have already passed through. Here are pitchers who have gone through waivers and can be traded right now:
Bruce Chen, Kansas City: He's 7-5, with a 4.15 ERA, and is making $2 million. He has pitched well at home, and struggled on the road this season.
Jason Vargas, Seattle: He's 7-10, 4.01, working at the back end of the Seattle rotation, while making $2.45 million. He has really struggled in the second half, with a 6.03 ERA.
Rodrigo Lopez, Cubs: He is 3-3 with a 4.78 ERA this season, while making little more than minimum. Remember, he started 33 games for the Diamondbacks last year, posting a 5.00 ERA. He wouldn't be a bad option, because of his versatility and experience.
Chris Capuano, Mets: He's 9-11 with a 4.58 ERA, and isn't making much money. But remember, he's an acute fly-ball pitcher and has had success working in spacious Citi Field; in Arizona, some of the deep fly balls that are caught in Citi Field would be rows deep in the stands.
Capuano pitched against the Diamondbacks on Sunday, and again struggled in the middle innings, as Andy Martino writes.
Ted Lilly, Dodgers: He's still owed about $28 million on his contract, and there's no way the Diamondbacks would absorb that salary.
Chien-Ming Wang, Nationals: He's pitched OK for Washington, but it's hard to believe that the Nationals would just give him away, considering the money and time they've put into his rehabilitation -- and it's hard to imagine the Diamondbacks would want to give up a lot for him, considering the risk. As a ground-ball pitcher, Wang would fit Arizona better than someone like Capuano.
Tom Gorzelanny, Nationals: He's 2-6 with a 4.50 ERA, while making $2.1 million.
Carlos Zambrano, Cubs: You might have heard that he's some had issues of late.
Bronson Arroyo, Reds: Too expensive, and even the Reds have wondered how healthy he is.
So, in summation: the Diamondbacks' best hope for help is probably from within, and Bauer is someone to watch.
[h3]Uggla's run[/h3]
⢠Dan Uggla's remarkable hitting streak is over, after 33 games, after Darwin Barney robbed him of a hit on Sunday. And Uggla could not have been more gracious after the streak ended, relishing the experience, talking about how fun it was, and about how incredible Joe DiMaggio's record is.
Uggla's streak energized teammates, writes David O'Brien.
From ESPN Stats & Info: With an 0-for-3 day Sunday, Dan Uggla saw his hitting streak come to an end at 33 games. It's the fourth-longest hitting streak by any player since 2000 and matches the third-longest by a second baseman all-time. The longest since 2000:
2005-06 Jimmy Rollins: 38
2006 Chase Utley: 35
2002 Luis Castillo: 35
2011 Dan Uggla: 33
And the longest by second basemen all-time:
Chase Utley, 2006: 35
Luis Castillo, 2002: 35
Dan Uggla, 2011: 33
Rogers Hornsby, 1922: 33
Nap Lajoie 1906: 31
[h3]Notables[/h3]
⢠Today is deadline day for draft picks to sign, and keep in mind that a lot of the deals that will be finalized in these last hours have been in place for weeks. But there are many club officials who don't want to announce significant contracts that go beyond the Commissioner's slot recommendations, lest they incur the wrath of the suits on Park Avenue.
The Orioles are working to finalize their deal with Dylan Bundy. The Royals will know today if they'll sign Bubba Starling. Washington GM Mike Rizzo negotiated with Matt Purke's agent.
The Diamondbacks are still negotiating with Archie Bradley, the No. 7 overall pick.
⢠Jack McKeon was fairly direct in addressing Logan Morrison's demotion; it is clear from his comments that Morrison's outspokenness, as a young player, did not sit well. From George Richards's story:
David Hyde thinks the Marlins have sent a good, hard message.
The thoughts from here: Morrison should head to Triple-A and go about the business of playing baseball. Derek Jeter is considered to be incredibly boring by some of the writers who have covered him, but there is a method -- a strategy -- in that. Derek figured out a long time ago that he didn't want to create any situation that would interfere what he really loves: Playing baseball. It would be worthwhile for Morrison to take the same approach.
⢠The Cubs have won 13 of their last 17, while preparing for the grievance war with Carlos Zambrano, writes Paul Sullivan. The Cubs are culpable in the Zambrano mess, writes Rick Telander.
⢠The Astros are at the center of realignment talk, writes Zachary Levine.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. Torii Hunter had hoped to sell the Angels to Carl Crawford last winter, and this winter, he says he won't be selling to anyone.
2. Jorge Posada would consider playing for other teams, writes Mark Hale.
3. Alex Gordon is going to talk about a long-term deal with the Royals.
4. Trevor Plouffe is going to get playing time, and now the rest is up to him, as La Velle Neal writes.
[h3]Dings and dents[/h3]
1. Juan Nicasio is set to visit teammates today, as Troy Renck writes; coach Rich Dauer suffered a fractured nose.
2. Barry Zito has a severe ankle sprain.
3. Juan Uribe is going to see a specialist about his injury, as Ben Bolch writes.
4. Justin Smoak hopes to be back in a couple of weeks.
5. Alex Rodriguez played in a simulated game.
6. Jake Arrieta is pleased with how his surgery turned out, writes Keith Van Valkenburg.
7. You have to feel bad for Dontrelle Willis, who has battled his way back -- but is now dealing with forearm stiffness.
8. Jason Kipnis is dealing with some soreness, as Dennis Manoloff writes.
9. Brennan Boesch is ready to return, he says.
[h3]Sunday's games[/h3]
1. You can't stop the Brewers, you can only hope to contain them: Nyjer Morgan got it done in extra innings.
2. Brandon Belt was put in the Giants' lineup, hit two homers, and you wonder if years will pass before he's out of the lineup as a regular again, as Henry Schulman writes. He is tired of scenarios, as Andrew Baggarly writes.
3. The Rangers won, on the eve of a big series, as Jeff Wilson writes.
4. The Angels lost to fall four games behind the Rangers, and as Bill Shaikin writes, seven of the Angels' next 12 games will be against the Rangers.
5. The White Sox are back to .500, and maybe prepared for a run, writes Dave van Dyck.
6. The Cardinals pulled out a badly needed win, behind Albert Pujols. Octavio Dotel starred in relief, writes Derrick Goold.
7. Oakland's rally fell short.
8. A young Dodger shortstop had a really good day.
9. The Mariners got a strong outing from Charlie Furbush, as Geoff Baker writes.
10. Brett Lawrie has proved he belongs, as Richard Griffin writes.
11. The Rockies have lost 17 straight games on Sunday. From Elias: That's the longest streak on a Sunday since 1900, topping the 1927-28 Phillies, who lost 16 straight on Sunday, and the 1960 Phillies, who did the same.
12. The Padres headed home, after winning again.
13. The Red Sox were tagged with a loss in Seattle, as Peter Abraham writes. Tim Wakefield's wait for 200 career victories is starting to feel heavy, writes Dan Shaughnessy.
14. The Tigers lost, and Magglio Ordonez's struggles continue, as Vince Ellis writes.
[+] Enlarge
Crystal LoGiudice/US PresswireIf they don't go the waiver route, Bauer could get the call.
The Diamondbacks apparently have called up left-hander Wade Miley, as Nick writes, to fill Marquis's spot on the roster, and considering how well Miley has thrown in eight Triple-A starts, it's possible that he could be the solution. Miley's numbers in the hitting-rich league: 4-1, 3.64 ERA, only 16 walks in 54.1 innings, with 56 strikeouts.
But presumably, the Diamondbacks will continue to evaluate all alternatives, such as Trevor Bauer, the No. 3 pick in the June draft, who made his first start in Double-A on Sunday and dominated -- he allowed no runs in five innings, surrendering five hits and a walk while striking out eight.
And Arizona will comb through the names of pitchers who are passing through waivers, or who have already passed through. Here are pitchers who have gone through waivers and can be traded right now:
Bruce Chen, Kansas City: He's 7-5, with a 4.15 ERA, and is making $2 million. He has pitched well at home, and struggled on the road this season.
Jason Vargas, Seattle: He's 7-10, 4.01, working at the back end of the Seattle rotation, while making $2.45 million. He has really struggled in the second half, with a 6.03 ERA.
Rodrigo Lopez, Cubs: He is 3-3 with a 4.78 ERA this season, while making little more than minimum. Remember, he started 33 games for the Diamondbacks last year, posting a 5.00 ERA. He wouldn't be a bad option, because of his versatility and experience.
Chris Capuano, Mets: He's 9-11 with a 4.58 ERA, and isn't making much money. But remember, he's an acute fly-ball pitcher and has had success working in spacious Citi Field; in Arizona, some of the deep fly balls that are caught in Citi Field would be rows deep in the stands.
Capuano pitched against the Diamondbacks on Sunday, and again struggled in the middle innings, as Andy Martino writes.
Ted Lilly, Dodgers: He's still owed about $28 million on his contract, and there's no way the Diamondbacks would absorb that salary.
Chien-Ming Wang, Nationals: He's pitched OK for Washington, but it's hard to believe that the Nationals would just give him away, considering the money and time they've put into his rehabilitation -- and it's hard to imagine the Diamondbacks would want to give up a lot for him, considering the risk. As a ground-ball pitcher, Wang would fit Arizona better than someone like Capuano.
Tom Gorzelanny, Nationals: He's 2-6 with a 4.50 ERA, while making $2.1 million.
Carlos Zambrano, Cubs: You might have heard that he's some had issues of late.
Bronson Arroyo, Reds: Too expensive, and even the Reds have wondered how healthy he is.
So, in summation: the Diamondbacks' best hope for help is probably from within, and Bauer is someone to watch.
[h3]Uggla's run[/h3]
⢠Dan Uggla's remarkable hitting streak is over, after 33 games, after Darwin Barney robbed him of a hit on Sunday. And Uggla could not have been more gracious after the streak ended, relishing the experience, talking about how fun it was, and about how incredible Joe DiMaggio's record is.
Uggla's streak energized teammates, writes David O'Brien.
From ESPN Stats & Info: With an 0-for-3 day Sunday, Dan Uggla saw his hitting streak come to an end at 33 games. It's the fourth-longest hitting streak by any player since 2000 and matches the third-longest by a second baseman all-time. The longest since 2000:
2005-06 Jimmy Rollins: 38
2006 Chase Utley: 35
2002 Luis Castillo: 35
2011 Dan Uggla: 33
And the longest by second basemen all-time:
Chase Utley, 2006: 35
Luis Castillo, 2002: 35
Dan Uggla, 2011: 33
Rogers Hornsby, 1922: 33
Nap Lajoie 1906: 31
[h3]Notables[/h3]
⢠Today is deadline day for draft picks to sign, and keep in mind that a lot of the deals that will be finalized in these last hours have been in place for weeks. But there are many club officials who don't want to announce significant contracts that go beyond the Commissioner's slot recommendations, lest they incur the wrath of the suits on Park Avenue.
The Orioles are working to finalize their deal with Dylan Bundy. The Royals will know today if they'll sign Bubba Starling. Washington GM Mike Rizzo negotiated with Matt Purke's agent.
The Diamondbacks are still negotiating with Archie Bradley, the No. 7 overall pick.
⢠Jack McKeon was fairly direct in addressing Logan Morrison's demotion; it is clear from his comments that Morrison's outspokenness, as a young player, did not sit well. From George Richards's story:
- "If there is a message, it's, 'Don't get comfortable,' '' McKeon said. "Don't think you have it made. You have to work at this game. Too many young guys think they have it made, are darlings of the media, run their mouth. Tend to your business, get better at your craft. The record books are full of one- and two-year phenoms. Don't believe me? Look it up.''
David Hyde thinks the Marlins have sent a good, hard message.
The thoughts from here: Morrison should head to Triple-A and go about the business of playing baseball. Derek Jeter is considered to be incredibly boring by some of the writers who have covered him, but there is a method -- a strategy -- in that. Derek figured out a long time ago that he didn't want to create any situation that would interfere what he really loves: Playing baseball. It would be worthwhile for Morrison to take the same approach.
⢠The Cubs have won 13 of their last 17, while preparing for the grievance war with Carlos Zambrano, writes Paul Sullivan. The Cubs are culpable in the Zambrano mess, writes Rick Telander.
⢠The Astros are at the center of realignment talk, writes Zachary Levine.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. Torii Hunter had hoped to sell the Angels to Carl Crawford last winter, and this winter, he says he won't be selling to anyone.
2. Jorge Posada would consider playing for other teams, writes Mark Hale.
3. Alex Gordon is going to talk about a long-term deal with the Royals.
4. Trevor Plouffe is going to get playing time, and now the rest is up to him, as La Velle Neal writes.
[h3]Dings and dents[/h3]
1. Juan Nicasio is set to visit teammates today, as Troy Renck writes; coach Rich Dauer suffered a fractured nose.
2. Barry Zito has a severe ankle sprain.
3. Juan Uribe is going to see a specialist about his injury, as Ben Bolch writes.
4. Justin Smoak hopes to be back in a couple of weeks.
5. Alex Rodriguez played in a simulated game.
6. Jake Arrieta is pleased with how his surgery turned out, writes Keith Van Valkenburg.
7. You have to feel bad for Dontrelle Willis, who has battled his way back -- but is now dealing with forearm stiffness.
8. Jason Kipnis is dealing with some soreness, as Dennis Manoloff writes.
9. Brennan Boesch is ready to return, he says.
[h3]Sunday's games[/h3]
1. You can't stop the Brewers, you can only hope to contain them: Nyjer Morgan got it done in extra innings.
2. Brandon Belt was put in the Giants' lineup, hit two homers, and you wonder if years will pass before he's out of the lineup as a regular again, as Henry Schulman writes. He is tired of scenarios, as Andrew Baggarly writes.
3. The Rangers won, on the eve of a big series, as Jeff Wilson writes.
4. The Angels lost to fall four games behind the Rangers, and as Bill Shaikin writes, seven of the Angels' next 12 games will be against the Rangers.
5. The White Sox are back to .500, and maybe prepared for a run, writes Dave van Dyck.
6. The Cardinals pulled out a badly needed win, behind Albert Pujols. Octavio Dotel starred in relief, writes Derrick Goold.
7. Oakland's rally fell short.
8. A young Dodger shortstop had a really good day.
9. The Mariners got a strong outing from Charlie Furbush, as Geoff Baker writes.
10. Brett Lawrie has proved he belongs, as Richard Griffin writes.
11. The Rockies have lost 17 straight games on Sunday. From Elias: That's the longest streak on a Sunday since 1900, topping the 1927-28 Phillies, who lost 16 straight on Sunday, and the 1960 Phillies, who did the same.
12. The Padres headed home, after winning again.
13. The Red Sox were tagged with a loss in Seattle, as Peter Abraham writes. Tim Wakefield's wait for 200 career victories is starting to feel heavy, writes Dan Shaughnessy.
14. The Tigers lost, and Magglio Ordonez's struggles continue, as Vince Ellis writes.
Marlins send LoMo to AAA.
Spoiler [+]
On Saturday night, the Florida Marlins decided that Logan Morrison needed to spend a little more time in the minors, so they optioned their starting left fielder back to Triple-A. According to Morrison, he was so angry with the decision he left the room before the explanation got further than âyouâre hitting .249,â
