***Official Cardinals Offseason Thread*** (1 Viewer)

[bulldog4life]

Two-time MVP Juan Gonzalez is seeking another swing at a comeback after nearly three years since his last at-bat, and the Cardinals have discussed extending him an invitation to spring training.

Has anyone taken major league clubs for more money with less production in the last 5-7 years than this guy? I guess Moz has nothing better to do with his time than to invite under-performing washed-up ex-MVPs to spring training. This is going to be a long year for Cardinals Nation.

 

[Eephus]

Has anyone taken major league clubs for more money with less production in the last 5-7 years than this guy?

Mike Hampton

 

[curta269]

Two-time MVP Juan Gonzalez is seeking another swing at a comeback after nearly three years since his last at-bat, and the Cardinals have discussed extending him an invitation to spring training.

Has anyone taken major league clubs for more money with less production in the last 5-7 years than this guy? I guess Moz has nothing better to do with his time than to invite under-performing washed-up ex-MVPs to spring training. This is going to be a long year for Cardinals Nation.

He might get an invite to spring training, but there is no way he makes the team. Unless, he justs rips the cover off the ball, but I seriously doubt that would happen. Plus, its not like they would be paying him much if he did make the team.

 

[Wrigley]

Has anyone taken major league clubs for more money with less production in the last 5-7 years than this guy?

Mike Hampton

Kevin Brown

 

[schlesinj]

Has anyone taken major league clubs for more money with less production in the last 5-7 years than this guy?

Mike Hampton

Kevin Brown

Chan Ho ParkCarl Pavano

 

[MrPhoenix]

Has anyone taken major league clubs for more money with less production in the last 5-7 years than this guy?

Mike Hampton

Kevin Brown

Chan Ho ParkCarl Pavano

Denny NeagleDarren Dreifort

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Russ Ortiz

 

[MrPhoenix]

Projected Cardinals Opening Day lineup for 2008:

1. SKIP SCHUMAKER, RF.333 BA, .358 OBP, .458 SLG, 19 runs, 19 RBIs, 2 HR2. RICK ANKIEL, CF.285 BA, .328 OBP, .535 SLG, 31 runs, 39 RBIs, 11 HR3. ALBERT PUJOLS, 1B.327 BA, .429 OBP, .568 SLG, 99 runs, 103 RBIs, 32 HR4. TROY GLAUS, 3B.262 BA, .366 OBP, .473 SLG, 60 runs, 62 RBIs, 20 HR5. CHRIS DUNCAN, LF.259 BA, .354 OBP, .480 SLG, 51 runs, 70 RBIs, 21 HR6. YADIER MOLINA, C.275 BA, .340 OBP, .368 SLG, 30 runs, 40 RBIs, 6 HR7. ADAM KENNEDY, 2B.219 BA, .282 OBP, .290 SLG, 27 runs, 18 RBIs, 3 HR8. ADAM WAINWRIGHT, RHP14-12, 3.70 ERA9. CESAR IZTURIS, SS.258 BA, .302 OBP, .315 SLG, 31 runs, 16 RBIs, 0 HR

I really want to vomit now. This team is going to be awful. Thanks, Bill Dewitt, you slimeball mother ####er.

 

[Balco]

This is the worst team in the NL. Man, aside from Pujols, what is their to like on this roster. They need to build up the farm system, and try to trade any valuable part they have save for Pujols and Molina.

 

[Mr. Know-It-All]

Projected Cardinals Opening Day lineup for 2008:

1. SKIP SCHUMAKER, RF.333 BA, .358 OBP, .458 SLG, 19 runs, 19 RBIs, 2 HR2. RICK ANKIEL, CF.285 BA, .328 OBP, .535 SLG, 31 runs, 39 RBIs, 11 HR3. ALBERT PUJOLS, 1B.327 BA, .429 OBP, .568 SLG, 99 runs, 103 RBIs, 32 HR4. TROY GLAUS, 3B.262 BA, .366 OBP, .473 SLG, 60 runs, 62 RBIs, 20 HR5. CHRIS DUNCAN, LF.259 BA, .354 OBP, .480 SLG, 51 runs, 70 RBIs, 21 HR6. YADIER MOLINA, C.275 BA, .340 OBP, .368 SLG, 30 runs, 40 RBIs, 6 HR7. ADAM KENNEDY, 2B.219 BA, .282 OBP, .290 SLG, 27 runs, 18 RBIs, 3 HR8. ADAM WAINWRIGHT, RHP14-12, 3.70 ERA9. CESAR IZTURIS, SS.258 BA, .302 OBP, .315 SLG, 31 runs, 16 RBIs, 0 HR

I really want to vomit now. This team is going to be awful. Thanks, Bill Dewitt, you slimeball mother ####er.

Hell - I don't think that is terrible at all. especially considering we will eventually have Ryan at SS and Rasmus in CF, moving Ankiel over to a corner and Duncan on the other corner.

 

[MrPhoenix]

Projected Cardinals Opening Day lineup for 2008:

1. SKIP SCHUMAKER, RF.333 BA, .358 OBP, .458 SLG, 19 runs, 19 RBIs, 2 HR2. RICK ANKIEL, CF.285 BA, .328 OBP, .535 SLG, 31 runs, 39 RBIs, 11 HR3. ALBERT PUJOLS, 1B.327 BA, .429 OBP, .568 SLG, 99 runs, 103 RBIs, 32 HR4. TROY GLAUS, 3B.262 BA, .366 OBP, .473 SLG, 60 runs, 62 RBIs, 20 HR5. CHRIS DUNCAN, LF.259 BA, .354 OBP, .480 SLG, 51 runs, 70 RBIs, 21 HR6. YADIER MOLINA, C.275 BA, .340 OBP, .368 SLG, 30 runs, 40 RBIs, 6 HR7. ADAM KENNEDY, 2B.219 BA, .282 OBP, .290 SLG, 27 runs, 18 RBIs, 3 HR8. ADAM WAINWRIGHT, RHP14-12, 3.70 ERA9. CESAR IZTURIS, SS.258 BA, .302 OBP, .315 SLG, 31 runs, 16 RBIs, 0 HR

I really want to vomit now. This team is going to be awful. Thanks, Bill Dewitt, you slimeball mother ####er.

Hell - I don't think that is terrible at all. especially considering we will eventually have Ryan at SS and Rasmus in CF, moving Ankiel over to a corner and Duncan on the other corner.

Izturis, crappy.Ryan and Rasmus, unproven.Ankiel, lord knows.Duncan, not entirely sold.Kennedy, awful last year.Schumacher, seriously?Molina, still a Molina.Glaus, can he stay healthy?Lots of ?'s and crappy answers.

 

[curta269]

Not new, but just a preview story of '08 off of mlb.com.

01/23/2008 10:00 AM ET

Cards will have new look in outfield

With Edmonds, Taguchi gone, Ludwick has new seniority

By Matthew Leach / MLB.com

The following is the fourth in a series of weekly stories on MLB.com examining each Major League club, position by position. Each Wednesday until Spring Training camps open, we'll preview a different position. Today: Outfielders.

ST. LOUIS -- Nowhere is the changing face of the Cardinals more evident than in the outfield. Whether you look at who's gone or who's on the way up, transition is the story on the outfield grass at Busch Stadium.

Jim Edmonds, who had been the dean of the roster, was dealt to San Diego. During his eight years as a Cardinal, Edmonds won six Gold Gloves, made three All-Star teams and five times received MVP votes. He also served as a leader, a mentor and a coach on the field. Meanwhile, the man groomed as Edmonds' replacement, Colby Rasmus, is knocking on the door of the big leagues.

Also gone is So Taguchi, a steady presence and beloved teammate for four seasons, now with the Philadelphia Phillies. And Juan Encarnacion's career is in jeopardy after he was struck in the face last summer by a foul ball.

In their wake, the oldest outfielder is Ryan Ludwick -- all of 29 years of age and a veteran of exactly 224 big league games. The two surest things are Chris Duncan and Rick Ankiel, and each of the two lefty sluggers comes with a question mark or two. You may not need a program to tell all the outfielders, but the group surely has a changing face.

"It's going to be exciting," said pitcher Chris Carpenter. "You're going to have a bunch of young guys out there that really play hard and compete their butts off every single day and they're hungry to be successful and they have fun doing it."

It could be just the kind of unit that brings out the mixing-and-matching best in manager Tony La Russa. Duncan will likely be penciled in as the all-but-regular left fielder, but the club has yet to commit to him as an everyday player. He still sits a good bit against left-handed pitching, or at least he did in 2007.

Ankiel projects as the starting center fielder, and if he's not there, he'll be the primary right fielder.

From there, it gets fuzzy. As the only right-handed power source and a high-energy player, Ludwick would seem to have a roster spot secure. As for playing time, though, there's no being sure.

Skip Schumaker is probably the best outfield defender on the Major League roster, and he has the added benefit of being able to lead off. Schumaker is out of options, so if he doesn't make the club, he could well be traded.

St. Louis Cardinals

• Catchers: Molina continues to improve

• Corner IF: Cards counting on duo

• Middle IF: Izturis ready to step in

• Outfielders: Jan. 23

• Starters: Jan. 30

• Bullpen: Feb. 6

• DH/Bench: Feb. 13

Then there's Rule 5 Draft acquisition Brian Barton, a speedster who might also be a leadoff candidate. Barton is probably fifth on the depth chart, but he's brimming with confidence.

"I'm as optimistic as it gets," said the University of Miami product. "I see myself going in, having a position, starting, having an impact right off. Whether that happens or not, that's what I feel. I have that much confidence in my ability. I feel like I can go out and make an impact."

But hovering over Schumaker, Ludwick and Barton -- and to some extent, even Ankiel -- is the future. Rasmus is one of the top five prospects in baseball, and he'll be given a chance to crack the Opening Day roster. Rasmus is clearly expected to be the regular center fielder for a long time. The question is whether his tenure starts in April.

"If you ask the other outfielders, it wouldn't be that nice," La Russa said. "But since I'm for the Cardinals, if he's one of the best, it would be great for us. If not, that means somebody else is better, and that's great for us. We'll see. It should be fun."

If Rasmus makes the club, he'll do so as a regular. The starting outfield would almost certainly be Duncan, Rasmus and Ankiel, with the other three battling for two spots.

So it's just about time to tee it up in Spring Training and find out where everyone stands.

"It's going to be fun," said closer Jason Isringhausen. "This will be a good competition in the outfield for all three spots. I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be a fun spring for some guys."

Matthew Leach is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

 

[curta269]

Some minor news here.

Matheny will do spring thing with Cards

By Rick Hummel

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

01/24/2008

August 17, 2004 -- Former Cardinals catcher Mike Matheny.

(CHRIS LEE/P-D)

Former Cardinals catcher Mike Matheny, whose playing career was short-circuited by a series of concussions and their aftereffects, began to "turn the corner," as he put it, around Christmas last year.

"I started working out again and not having any repercussions," Matheny said Wednesday. "Now, I've got to get the desire back to work out."

Matheny, 37, isn't planning a comeback. But he will be back in uniform next month after accepting the Cardinals' offer to help out in spring training, even if it will be a relatively brief stay.

He doesn't want to be away from his five youngsters (ages 7-13) for too long, so he will be

in Jupiter, Fla., for just the first two weeks of a six-week spring training camp.

Matheny, who wants to coach or manage in the future, said, "This would be a foot in the door." He said he is "excited" about the prospect of instructing but said he didn't actually know what his responsibilities would be. Manager Tony La Russa said they would be limitless.

"We're more excited than he is," La Russa said. "He is one person the whole organization felt we needed to get back involved with us.

"He has a lot to offer, and as a player he was already doing coach-like things, especially later in his career. He's really well-based on how the game is played and how to conduct himself."

La Russa said he has no doubt that Matheny would be a successful manager or coach, and he agrees with Matheny about one important aspect of the job. "The commitment to coaching is very time-consuming, and I think he's going to have to pay attention to family first," La Russa said.

"But you start listing the number of things he can help us with, whether it's helping our catchers or other teammates, and it's a long list."

Matheny, who helped the Cardinals to four postseason appearances in five seasons from 2001 to 2005 before signing with San Francisco as a free agent, said he had a standing offer from the Giants to come back as a minor-league manager. But, the St. Louis County resident said, "(The Giants) knew where my heart was. This is where my baseball home is, as well as my physical home."

Matheny said he plowed himself into family affairs in 2007, his first year out of the game, and paid little attention to the Cardinals or the Giants. There were parts of the game he didn't miss, such as the travel, but he said he did miss the opportunity to be a leader. Not all .239 career hitters have the respect and admiration of the entire clubhouse, but Matheny was one of the rare players who did.

His leadership role when he played will evolve into more of an advisory role now, at least for now.

"I'm not really looking to climb any ladder," he said. "But sometimes guys on the bubble need to talk to air out things, and I think I can be a good middle man between the players and the front office.

"I don't want to be just a guy. I want to be useful."

Matheny said he is looking forward to working with some of the young pitchers and catchers in the organization, notably young Bryan Anderson, and he is eager to renew acquaintances with Yadier Molina, his successor with the Cardinals.

Molina, recently signed to a four-year contract extension, has little to learn from a technical standpoint, Matheny conceded. But he does want to team up with strength coach Pete Prinzi to provide some conditioning tips so Molina can survive the long seasons behind the plate.

"I want to challenge him on a couple of things," Matheny said. "Everybody needs pushing a little.

"If somebody was to go to Yadi and say there's one thing he needed to work on, it's that he's got to be battling himself physically to play every day.

"There's that balance of energy you need to play in 102-degree heat, and sometimes you have to force yourself to do it.

"We all need to challenge ourselves to stay away from complacency."

Now that David Eckstein is in Toronto, Matheny's uniform number 22 may be available again.

"I don't care about that," Matheny said. "My first camp, I think I was a defensive lineman. My number was somewhere in the 90s.

"The one that counts is the logo across the chest. It's great to be back."

rhummel@post-dispatch.com | 314-340-8196

Its good to see Matheny helping out with the team. He was always one of my favorite Cardinals.

 

[boom king]

Has anyone taken major league clubs for more money with less production in the last 5-7 years than this guy?

Mike Hampton

Kevin Brown

Chan Ho ParkCarl Pavano

Denny NeagleDarren Dreifort

MO VAUGHN

 

[MrPhoenix]

Cardinals sign Juan Gone to a minor league deal

The Cardinals have signed two-time American League MVP Juan Gonzalez to a one-year, minor-league contract.

The signing guarantees Gonzalez a base salary of less than $1 million if he makes the major-league club.

Gonzalez, a righthanded batting outfielder who has not played in the major leagues since taking one at-bat for the Cleveland Indians in 2005, is slated to report to spring training with the Cards' position players.

He was signed by the Cardinals on the recommendation of Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina; former Cardinal Eduardo Perez; and third-base coach Jose Oquendo.

Gonzalez, 38, has worked out this winter at Perez's Winter Training Program in Puerto Rico.

Pujols and Oquendo visited Perez's program in January to work with the players, and Pujols and Molina took batting practice with Gonzalez.

An MVP in 1996 and 1998 with Texas, Gonzalez has 434 career home runs but only one big-league at-bat since May 2004. He tore a hamstring in his only 2005 at-bat and has not played in the majors since.

Gonzalez batted .314 with 47 home runs and 144 RBIs in 1996 and .318 with 45 home runs and 157 RBIs in 1998.

In 2006, Gonzalez played 36 games with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League.

Recently, Gonzalez's name appeared in the Mitchell Report, which detailed a 2001 incident when steroids were discovered in a bag searched at Toronto's airport. The bag was linked to Gonzalez, though the report says a member of his entourage claimed ownership.

In his book "Juiced," Jose Canseco wrote that he introduced Gonzalez to performance-enhancing drugs when they were teammates.Gonzalez, 38, won American League MVP awards in 1996 and 1998 with the Texas Rangers.

Pitchers and catchers report for spring training Feb. 14, and the Cardinals will hold their first full-squad workout Feb. 19 in Jupiter, Fla.

:championship:

 

[curta269]

Cardinals sign Juan Gone to a minor league deal

The Cardinals have signed two-time American League MVP Juan Gonzalez to a one-year, minor-league contract.

The signing guarantees Gonzalez a base salary of less than $1 million if he makes the major-league club.

Gonzalez, a righthanded batting outfielder who has not played in the major leagues since taking one at-bat for the Cleveland Indians in 2005, is slated to report to spring training with the Cards' position players.

He was signed by the Cardinals on the recommendation of Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina; former Cardinal Eduardo Perez; and third-base coach Jose Oquendo.

Gonzalez, 38, has worked out this winter at Perez's Winter Training Program in Puerto Rico.

Pujols and Oquendo visited Perez's program in January to work with the players, and Pujols and Molina took batting practice with Gonzalez.

An MVP in 1996 and 1998 with Texas, Gonzalez has 434 career home runs but only one big-league at-bat since May 2004. He tore a hamstring in his only 2005 at-bat and has not played in the majors since.

Gonzalez batted .314 with 47 home runs and 144 RBIs in 1996 and .318 with 45 home runs and 157 RBIs in 1998.

In 2006, Gonzalez played 36 games with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League.

Recently, Gonzalez's name appeared in the Mitchell Report, which detailed a 2001 incident when steroids were discovered in a bag searched at Toronto's airport. The bag was linked to Gonzalez, though the report says a member of his entourage claimed ownership.

In his book "Juiced," Jose Canseco wrote that he introduced Gonzalez to performance-enhancing drugs when they were teammates.Gonzalez, 38, won American League MVP awards in 1996 and 1998 with the Texas Rangers.

Pitchers and catchers report for spring training Feb. 14, and the Cardinals will hold their first full-squad workout Feb. 19 in Jupiter, Fla.

:championship:

They are a lock to win the NL Central now! I am going to bet my whole savings account on them!

 

[curta269]

Carpenter optimistic on '08

By Joe Strauss

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

02/07/2008

(Chris Lee/P-D)

JUPITER, FLA. — A week before pitchers and catchers officially report, rehabilitating ace Chris Carpenter made his first figurative pitch of spring training camp Wednesday.

Sidelined since last opening day by elbow problems that eventually required ligament replacement surgery last July, the 2005 NL Cy Young Award winner insists he will be part of the Cardinals' rotation for a significant portion of the coming season.

"The question is whether it's going to be before the All-Star break, after the All-Star break or somewhere in between," Carpenter said after a lengthy workout at the club's Roger Dean Stadium complex. "It just depends on how things go. I'm hoping it's going to be before. But everyone I've talked to has told me not to rush. I'm doing everything they told me to do. I'm not going to go overboard on stuff. I'm not going to push it and end up screwing everything up."

Carpenter made three sets of 25 tosses from 90 feet Wednesday. He plans to reach 120 feet next week, 150 feet in early March, then to throw off a mound before the team breaks camp.

An unblemished rehab would permit Carpenter to rejoin the club sometime in June; but minor setbacks during recovery from "Tommy John" surgery are more the rule than the exception, so a longer recovery is anticipated.

"They say 10-12 months (recovery) depending on how many times you slow down," Carpenter said. "There might be some soreness here and there that causes you to miss a few days. That's to be expected. What you want to avoid is missing a week or more."

Fellow starter Adam Wainwright and swing man Todd Wellemeyer are among early arrivals. Another rehab subject, lefthander Mark Mulder, is expected as early as today.

Carpenter acknowledges the impact he and Mulder might have on the season if his right elbow and Mulder's left shoulder return to normal.

"I'm really looking forward to it," said Carpenter, who had bone spurs shaved from the elbow last May and attempted an unsuccessful rehab before submitting to ligament replacement July 24. "I'd love to be back the first week or two of June. That'd be great if I had no problems. But I don't know what it's like when you first come back."

Carpenter has spoken to current and former teammates who have needed the surgery — Pat Hentgen, Troy Percival, Rick Ankiel, Josh Kinney and Matt Morris, among others — and understands he must be patient.

Carpenter has used the down time from throwing to run and strengthen his shoulder. He describes his shoulder as "fabulous." Wainwright thought Carpenter looked leaner.

Regardless, a pitcher who found the 2007 season a suffocating experience sounded liberated Wednesday.

"I'm excited about it," Carpenter said. "It's tough that it had to happen, but we figured out what was going on and got it taken care of."

Carpenter insisted his elbow gave him no warning of an impending problem last spring as he compiled a 2.60 exhibition ERA while striking out 19 and not allowing a home run in 27 2/3 innings. Carpenter endured a difficult six-inning start against the New York Mets before returning home to host a gathering including parents, in-laws and friends.

It was during the get-together that he began experiencing swelling of the elbow. The next day, Carpenter found the swelling made it impossible to touch his right shoulder with his right hand.

The team's overexposed rotation quickly crumbled. Without an obvious replacement at Class AAA Memphis, the Cardinals could not compensate for Anthony Reyes' turbulent start. They finished 14th in the league with a 5.04 starters ERA and 889 innings pitched. Wainwright pitched the team's only nine-inning complete game. Every other rotation except the Washington Nationals' recorded at least 50 more strikeouts. Last summer's collapse was in contrast to 2005, when the Redbirds finished second in the league in starters ERA (3.61) and led in innings pitched (1,048) and complete games (15).

Carpenter pitched 516 2/3 regular-season and postseason innings in 2005-06. More than 10 months removed from throwing his last major-league pitch, he felt good enough Wednesday to look at his recent repairs and down time as a positive.

"I've got a new elbow. The shoulder's great. I should be good to go until I'm 50."

 

[Tremendous Upside]

"The question is whether it's going to be before the All-Star break, after the All-Star break or somewhere in between," Carpenter said.

During the game itself?