Marcell Ozuna will be a free agent for the first time in his career this winter, but the slugging corner outfielder doesn’t sound eager to play elsewhere next season. Asked by Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about a possible return to the Cardinals in 2020 and beyond, Ozuna candidly replied: “That’s my priority. My agents just have to do their job.”
It’s not the first time that Ozuna has voiced a preference to remain with the Cardinals, but his most recent statements were more emphatic than previous comments on the matter. Hummel also chats with Ozuna about the excitement over his first pennant race before talking with Adam Wainwright about the team’s young arms, so Cards fans will want to check out the column in its entirety.
Ozuna will have age on his side in free agency, as he won’t turn 29 until November. He also may have rediscovered the pop he lost during a 2018 season that was marred by shoulder troubles; Ozuna slugged 37 homers with a .237 isolated power mark (slugging percentage minus batting average) in 2017 but managed to connect on just 23 round-trippers with a .153 ISO in 2018. This year, he’s batted at a .255/.333/.496 clip with 26 home runs and a .241 ISO through 465 plate appearances (but missed time due to fractured fingers). He’s also walking at a career-best 10.4 percent clip and has swiped a career-best 12 bases in just 13 attempts.
The Cardinals (and other interested suitors) will be tasked with determining whether improved health in Ozuna’s shoulder led to that restored pop or whether the reemergence of his power stroke is more closely linked to changes to the composition of the 2019 baseball that have resulted in a league-wide home run boom. Both have probably contributed to some degree, but each team could figures to have a varying view on the extent to which each of those factors has impacted Ozuna’s output. Those opinions and projections will inform the strength of offers he receives on the open market.
Another critical factor for Ozuna will be draft-pick compensation, as it seems probable that the Cardinals will issue him a one-year qualifying offer. This year’s QO will fall around the $18MM mark, but Ozuna and his reps at MDR Sports Management will likely feel that a more substantial guarantee awaits in free agency (even if it’s not quite at such a hefty annual value). Ozuna’s $12.25MM salary for the 2019 season has pushed his career earnings north of $26MM, giving him plenty of financial security if and when he declines the QO and explores the open market. Ozuna checked in at No. 8 on the July update to MLBTR’s Free Agent Power Rankings.
Of course, it takes two sides to make a deal, and looking at the situation from the Cardinals’ vantage point, it’s less clear that an Ozuna reunion will be a priority. Dexter Fowler is still owed $33MM through 2021 (including the annualized payouts of his deferred signing bonus), and his $82.5MM contract included full no-trade protection. As such, he’s unlikely to be moved and can be expected to hold down one of the outfield spots in 2020 with a fair degree of regularity. Meanwhile, 24-year-old slugger Tyler O’Neill seems ready for a legitimate audition in left field, even if his strikeout issues remain a concern. St. Louis also has one of the game’s premier defenders in center (Harrison Bader), one of the game’s best outfield prospects (Dylan Carlson) and a slew of utility options/part-time outfield options.
Re-signing Ozuna could allow president of baseball operations John Mozeliak and general manager Mike Girsch the opportunity to trade from that impressive crop of outfield talent, but there’s an easy argument that the Cards are better off taking the draft pick and allocating those financial resources elsewhere. Both Wainwright and Michael Wacha will be free agents at season’s end — Wacha tells Hummel he’d also like to return — and the bullpen has been an ongoing need in St. Louis despite considerable front-office efforts to improve it. The Cardinals already have $139MM committed to the 2020 season, not including modest first-time arbitration raises for righties John Gant and John Brebbia. This year’s payroll sits at roughly $165MM, so it’d certainly be defensible to see them forgo a weighty annual salary for Ozuna and spend their remaining dollars to bolster the pitching staff.
Don’t the Cardinals have better younger more viable options about ready in the minors?
O’Neill isn’t the guy. Carlson could be but unless he forces his way on there’s no reason he shouldn’t start next year in AAA.
Trade O’Neill and see if there’s any new interest in J-Mart. Sign Ozuna. J-Mart is your 4th OFer unless you can trade him. Carlson will come either mid season or next when Fowler is in his last year. After Fowler leaves you’ve got Ozuna Bader and Carlson.
Everyone talks about the Cards OF depth for years (Grichuk and Piscotty were the FUTURE for a while). Maybe they should have held on to Mercado, but they haven’t produced an outfield bat as good as Ozuna yet.
A team’s 4th OFer needs to be able to play CF decently in a pinch. J. Martinez is not someone you want in CF…ever.
Your 4th outfielder doesn’t need to play center if your left or right fielder can play center as well
I like ONeill as a fourth outfielder next year, but they also have Lane Thomas as an option. If you can get a big piece for ONeill, do it.
I’m ok with Martinez on the roster, but I agree, he shouldn’t be the fourth outfielder. Fowler’s centerfield days are about in the rear view.
You won’t get much for O’Neill, not with him declining from last year. Otherwise, he IS Grichuk.
I’d still like to send Martinez to an AL team where the return would probably be better. Get a pitcher as part of the comeback.
Besides, maybe Rick Ankiel has yet another comeback in him, as combo CF and Loogy. We’ll call him Grit-tei Ohtani.
Even Grichuk netted a controllable setup man who borderline dominated in the AL East the year prior …
$165 million on the Cardinals books this season and already $139 million for next season. Hmmm. So the dead money contracts that John Mozeliak has committed the Cardinals over the past 3 years are finally catching up with Mozeliak and the Owners! What would the 2020 salary commitment be without all of the Mozeliak dead deals still having to be paid. These are on the dead money contracts for 2020…..Cecil, Leake, Holland, Carpenter, Gregerson, Leone, Fowler, and I’ve missed a few that are either liabilities, playing for another team, or have been kept on the DL to keep from having to play them. Mozeliak has got to go!!! Whether the Cardinals make the playoffs—win the World Series, Mozeliak needs to go!!!!
It’s exactly why handing a 4-year or 5-year deal to Ozuna would be highly questionable.
Holland is not on this list
I would sign Ozuna if the price is right. Try to trade Fowler now that he’s rebuilt some value. Ozuna, Bader, eventually Carlson. Who knows, maybe Ozuna settles for a modest deal at which point it would be silly not to.
Bingo
Bingo
Cards will be able to trade Dex if it’s to a team on his list AND … probably they eat 1/3 or so of his remaining salary. That said, that’s not THAT much as he has just two years left.
What teams are on “his” list? He has FULL NO TRADE protection.
The trouble with Ozuna’s 2019 statistics gushed over in this article is the change in the ball.
1. Per studies, the ball is carrying 15-20% further then 2019, and being hit harder.
2. This is due to the hide being snug to the core, and the seams being recessed via the manufacturer.
3. Pitchers cannot use the seams in 2019 to throw breaking pitches as they did in 2018. This is the reason pitchers like Reyes and Wheeler of the Mets have regressed, as they can’t adjust. Consequently, their breaking pitches are flatter, and even the movement on their fastball is missing.
Combined with bandbox parks, HR records are being set all over MLB.
Whether MLB administration will step in and have the ball return to 2018 levels or keep it as is, will determine exactly how powerful hitters such as Ozuna are in 2020.
Vandals- Thank you for the comment.
I understand that MLB wants to increase run scoring but I think that this is shameful as it has affected who is good and who is not.
Raise the mound if the same baseball is used next year.
These records need an asterisk.
I do not think it fair to the pitchers of the type that it affects the most.
Perhaps. But Ozuna has the 5th hardest hit ball ratio, and is among the most “unlucky” hitters in 2019. His resigning is a tough decision, but the ball should not be part of the equation. Same ball for all players.
I guess the balls were juiced in 2017 then too? But not in 2018. Look at Ozuna’s power numbers in 2017.
@zpgreen;
Think you missed it.
Ozuna regressed in 2018. Because of the juiced baseball, he is putting up what would be – at best – his 2018 numbers this year if not for the baseball. Almost ALL batters are hitting the ball harder and further in 2019. To say they’ve all improved is nonsense.
One other thing – he is an awful LF.
In free agency he will be stacked against Puig…..and Puig should be the one in demand the most and the one getting the better contract. Puig is an above average RF with a cannon arm. It’s possible he has matured….or at least smartened up some.
It’s not nonsense to say he has improved, because it’s not just the ball. Ozuna’s bad 2018 had everything to do with a bad shoulder and nothing to do with the non-juiced ball. Ozuna’s 2019 is a solid season that’s belied by even stronger metrics. 98th percentile in hard hit %, xOBA of .345 and a low BABIP of .271. He’s a masher. And he’s not awful in LF either. Last year, yes. This year, no. He’s playing at about 80% of his previous Gold Glove defense, which is more than passable. Not sure how many teams would prefer Puig over him.
@Vandals nah bro, you missed it. You missed the part where Ozuna admitted he played through an injured shoulder all year last year because he didn’t want surgery due to differences in Miami and StL medical staffs.
Either you are a passive Cardinals fan that doesn’t watch games and read articles, or you are a fan of another team. Either way, best not to comment on a specific team or player without having the whole story. Stats from a website don’t explain everything bud.
thank you zpgreen…you are exactly right…vandals forgot about the shoulder injury I guess
zpgreen, it helped Ozuna that he had guys like Stanton and Yelich hitting in the lineup with him. Those guys were usually 2, 3, 4 in the lineup. Not bad to be hitting in front or behind them. This year he has Goldschmidt who has been mediocre by his standards, and any number cast of characters hitting behind him and in front of him. Pitchers just keep giving him a dose of sliders and pitches off the plate because there is nothing much to fear if they do walk him.
take the draft pick
When a guy like ozuna, who has proven he can be the guy when healthy, wants to stay with the team, I think you have to really try and lock him up! I love O’Neil and Carlson, but they still have a lot to prove
O’Neill should be traded for a good reliever with control if possible. Start the season with Ozuna/Bader/Fowler occasionally using Martinez and then you have Carlson maybe forcing the issue by midseason or in case of injury.
All free agents say the same thing they want to resign. Who gives him the most money is where he goes. Its very rare for a player now days to take less and play where they want to play.
@arc89
So true!
@arc89 Normally this would ring true, but not in this case. Ozuna has repeatedly stated he wants to stay with the Cardinals. He also switched his agent to a Latino focused management group that also represents multiple Cardinal players, including Molina, who is one of Ozuna’s best friends.
I believe Ozuna is genuine when he says he wants to stay.
Wait and see. I have heard the same thing many times. If some team like the Padres over pays him he will jump ship. Do you really think Machado went to San Diego for something other than money?
@arc89 Not even close to the same scenario. Ozuna has been with the Cardinals for 2 full years now. Machado was with the Dodgers for half a season only to replace Seager while he was injured. The Dodgers didn’t really try that hard to retain Machado and he didn’t repeatedly state how much he wanted to stay in LA. Nor did Machado change agents that are friendly with the Dodgers org or his teammates.
Like I said in my original comment, normally your thoughts would ring true, but Ozuna’s circumstances might be different. And maybe getting the most money isn’t his primary focus like Ozzie Albies in Atlanta who accepted less money than he could have earned had he not signed an early extension.
Lastly, Ozuna is not a top tier talent like Machado was. It will be interesting to see if Ozuna can even top $100M on the open market given his mediocre defense, injury history and draft pick compensation.
That is true, but in this case it is really telling that he switched agents just so he could have the same representation that Yadi has to improve his agent/Cardinal relationship. Whether that means discount, I don’t know, but it seems he means it when he says he wants to stay in St. Louis.
Bogaerts probably did and his agent is the same.. Grab all u can get Boris that Ozuna has, but it’s not very common.
How much of a discount will the combo Ozuna-Boras offer St Louis? TBD, but if Ozuna TELLS Boras he’ll take less, not much grab it all can do about it.
@johnsilver Boras isn’t Ozuna’s agent anymore…
thanks for this article. It’s refreshing to get information about teams not on the east coast.
Ozuna is a body waiting to break down if ive seen one. Already had multiple shoulder problems and although hes been better in the outfield this year hes still not good. An aging outfielder with injury concerns? It’s a hard pass for me.
28 is aging? and a single shoulder problem that required no shoulder reconstruction tyvm..
Hyperbole is same as lying in some cases..
Sorry Marcel, it’s not the Cards priority to sign you. They already effed up by extending Carpenter, and they have other options to play OF. You’re too inconsistent for a long term, high $$ deal. Then again, it’s Mozeliak at the helm. Anything stupid is possible.
Yeah, this has all the scent of a Mo/Girsch $125MM/5 boondoggle. Let Ozuna take the QO or we get the pick.
They also have Randy A. and Carlson should be ready by 2021. Still have Fowler to pay 2 more years. It’s just not warranted to pay him.
No chance on earth they mirror the Goldschmidt deal. Probably will get Fowler money ($82.5M) with one less year. 4/80ish.
5/$125 PLUS full no-trade. THAT makes it a Mo/Girsch boondoggle.
I would be OK with going, say, 3/$65 and even one or two mutual option years after that, but no more.
And, remind me again who that other former Marlins outfielder was, the one traded after Ozuna, that Mo didn’t want to outwait Jeter on?
Cards and Marlins had all but finalized a Stanton trade two offseasons ago but Stanton wouldn’t waive the NTC.
I think he was talking about Yelich.
The “stupid” management has the Cards up 4 with 19 to play in the tough NL Central.
Close, maybe, but not tough. Nobody in the Central is very good. The Cards get exposed every time they play a good team.
If they take 4/6 from Washington and Arizona, MAYBE they have a shot at beating Atlanta.
How they play against Washington and Arizona has literally no bearing on how they would play against Atlanta in the playoffs unless it changes their playoff position. As soon as you qualify for the playoffs, everyone starts off with a blank slate (aside from home field advantage)
The Cardinals are 33-35 against teams with winning records currently on the year. They are 4-3 against the Dodgers, 3-1 against the Nationals, 2-1 against the Diamondbacks, and 2-4 against the Braves.
I would hardly call that “exposed every time they play a good team”.
When the Cards had that 11 game stretch against Cubs, Astros, As and Dodgers, they went 3-8.
So apparently the season is 2 weeks long and not 6 months. Thanks for clarifying.
Every team has bad stretches. I’m not saying the Cardinals are the best team, but don’t act like because they play in a division that won’t have a 100 win team makes the division bad.
Your takes are terrible.
Ah yes, the old faithful last resort of name calling because your argument is terrible and you are getting defensive.
Just for the record, I forgot the part where a road win or loss is valued differently than a home win or loss. Thank god you were here to inform the world that losing road records determine how good a division is. I’m sure no World Series team has ever won the whole thing with a losing record…
You must think that winning the regular season guarantees the World Series victory. That’s why they have playoffs. Many wild card teams who weren’t deemed to be a threat have won the World Series.
The NLC is not the weakest division. It may not be the strongest, but it’s definitely not the weakest. You can’t judge a division’a entirety by the top 1 or 2 teams.
If you think this division is “tough”, you’ve officially lost your mind.
Lol what division was tough this year?
The AL East. The NL EAST is more competitive. Bottom line is baseball is purely saturated with mediocrity. So if you want to discuss the Cardinals being the best mediocre team in baseball, then you have an argument you might win.
Forgive me for butting in,but I just added up all wins in each division to see how all five teams played outside of the division.In order,they are ALW,376-NLE,369-NLC,364-NLW 364-ALE,359,-ALC,332.The difference between 1st and 5th is NLC,18-NLW,32.5-ALW,36.5-NLE,38-ALC 45.5-ALE,48.
This means that the most tightly contested division is clearly NLC,but that does mean that the best teams are there.It means that the worst teams are in other divisions.
It is difficult to say that the ALE is the best division because it clearly has two of the worst teams.The NLE has the most average or better teams.
Road records are irrelevant in this analysis.
The best division could probably be the one with the best % outside of the division.One cannot cherry pick though and just include the best teams,especially because they feast on the worst teams in the particular division.
Exactly…no division in baseball has been great…does the NL central have the best team? No…do they have a competitive division? Yes…playoffs are a crab shot…so good luck
The Cards have lots of other OFers that they should use Ozuna’s money to sign a guy like Wheeler. Bader, O’Neil, Martiniz is good
Lol, Wheeler has been even less of a difference maker than Ozuna throughout his career. Could see them going for Bumgarner, Hamels.
Still though, they should go get something. Hamels could work
I’ll see your lol, and raise a lmfao. The Cardinals pitching staff doesn’t a broke D pitcher like Wheeler, because they’re fine. Perhaps this guy should consider his Yankees sign him.
The Yankees need Cole, not another 4 like Wheeler. The cards already have an Ace, they could use a 4
And they are paying their ace peanuts. They can afford to take on a big pitching contract, so Cole or Bumgarner make a lot more sense for them than lower-tier pitchers if that’s the route they go.
Why not have 5 ace pitchers? Sounds good to me. It’s funny how people think only one ace is sufficient.
Stan-Cole will be going to a west coast team or the Yankees.
No one else has a chance.
Cole will be a Padre or Angel on opening day 2020.
Mendoza – Poor take. He may end up there, yes, but money talks and I’d bet dollars to doughnuts that you aren’t in Cole’s inner circle to know what he really wants.
Stan-No I am not in Cole’s inner circle as this is my opinion but a couple of years ago he acknowledged a potential interest in playing with his brother in law and Cole is from California.
He will become extremely wealthy and when one gets so much money for many people the place of residence near one’s job would be very important.
Not everyone thinks that money is the only important consideration.
Why is it a poor take?
How is Bader “good” when he is hitting ..210 in 120 games? The guy is the worst and least productive center fielder in all of MLB.
Bader is Bourjos.
He has looked a lot better…and I mean a lot better since being sent down and coming back up…look at his numbers since he has been back
Agree 100%. He has hit into some tough luck too. He has scorched some balls recently, with little to show for it. He has been remarkably better at laying off breaking balls out of the zone, and his walk rate has skyrocketed. He hasn’t been Bourjos lately, you need a new line.
If they can agree to something like 4 for $60M, then I’d say do it. I’m not sure that would get it done, but you never know with the past few offseasons and free agents with QOs attaches to them.
He’s had some injuries so you never know how he’ll hold up long term. However, the Cardinals would be taking a huge gamble rolling with Bader and O’neill in the outfield considering they both strike out a ton.
The Cardinals can feel free to re-sign him. Corey Dickerson will be a lot cheaper on the free agent market and has been a better player for the last 3 years.
Corey Dickerson has not been better than Ozuna the last 3 years.
Dickerson OPS the last 2 years has been .804 and .891. He’s just been hurt a little this year.
Dickerson is an under rated player from this Pirates fan’s perspective
I think that the Pirates would do well to consider signing him if they have given up on Polanco.
Of course the first thing they should do is fire their health staff if they do so.The Polanco situation is an atrocity.
Ozuna has looked ridiculously bad in the field on a fairly regular basis this season.
Last season, maybe. This season, no, not really at all.
Ozuna should be far from a priority at this point unless he accepts a 3yr deal or so. Also, in what world is the bullpen an ongoing issue for this team. Not only are the one of the best statistically but they are as always incredibly deep. The only hole they currently have is an appropriately aged superstar player.
Well said!!
speaking of John Gant, check out that man’s win loss! 10-0 purely out of the pen is incredible.
Wins/Losses meaningless stat. Welcome to the 21st Century 19 years late.
Roy Face disagrees.
I like the Roy Face reference. I think he was 17-1 in 1960?. One of the first true relievers. The Pirate little guy deserves more recognition. Fork ball specialist.
Spud-close,good memory.18-1 in 1959.Him,Law,and Haddix were their only good pitchers in the 1960 WS against the Yankees.
Thanks for the correction.
Spud- Thanks to you and Mack for bringing back great childhood memories.
That is the only thing that us Bucco fans have at this point.
18-1 and started 17-0 I believe!
Plot-Meaningless stat for bad teams and computer geeks who do not know anything else.
Over time,wins vs losses generally even out to the norm.
One year you are right.
After about three,normally they reflect a pitchers ability on most teams.
Far from meaningless.
The objective still is to win games,not look good for the really meaningless stats.
Nolan Ryan. Prime example of how Wins/Losses are a team outcome more so than how a guy pitches. If Ryan pitched on the Yankees or Dodgers in the 1970s and 1980s, he would have won a lot more games. 324-292 with a 3.19 ERA. Conversely, Ron Guidry was 170-91 with a 3.29 ERA with Yankees during the 70s and 80s.
I had this same discussion about a month ago on Nolan Ryan.
See my answer on this thread to another poster about the one year record.
When you say “meaningless” it is forever.
If you correlated the era(another meaningless stat) along with any other real and not manufactured stat,for all HOF’s,you would see general convergence on who was great.
Ryan seems to be an outlier,and to some extent he was,but one can always cherry pick.
Is there a perfect stat,no.But the traditional ones are the best ones to use almost all the time for medium and long term records.
Far from meaningless.
Wins and losses are meaningless and so is anyone who says otherwise. Go back to Kindergarten.
Tatis- super dumb comment from a super dumb a—!
You have lost all credibility as the troll that you are.
Not a meaningless stat at all. It means he came through in very high leverage situations.
Or it could mean he came into a tie game in the top of the 6th, gave up a run, then the team scored 2 in bottom of 6th and never relinquished the lead.
John Gant has 1 full WAR, which is not bad for a reliever. Not bad at all. His K/9 and K/W are kind of pedestrian, as is his WHIP. FIP is decent.
None of that is “incredible.”
I don’t think anyone ever mentioned that any of those numbers from Gant are incredible.
The situation in which a reliever has managed to accrue a 10-0 record this late in the year is what is incredible. It’s not easy to avoid a loss in almost 60 appearances, especially a guy being utilized in high-leverage situations for the most part
I was spinning off Plot Thickens’ comment, with which I agree.
Let’s put it another way. Gant was just lucky enough to be called in with a game tied or the Cards behind.
If the Cards were ahead and he had a 10-0 record (saves/blown saves) nobody would make a deal out of this at all. After all, Gagne has the record of 84 straight saves without a blown one.
Also, finishing just 13 of his 57 appearances, and just 3 saves? Not all of his appearances are high lev
Gadfly-Plot is correct when you are talking one year like you and him are.
The other thread about Roy Face is interesting He was one of the first firemen in the 1950’s.Did he generally come in with the score tied,or did he give up a run and his record benefited when the Pirates came back.Again,it is a one year record.
Posters who use the word “meaningless” to me clearly do not know what they are talking about as that is an extreme word.
When the HOF stops using this as a meaningful stat,and the sportswriters agree,then I will consider changing my position.But probably not.
The HOF is using it. 300 wins is not attainable any longer and all of baseball agrees. Just look at some of the win/loss records of some CYA winners in the last 10 years. Is it meaningless if a pitcher is 5-15 with a 5.00 ERA? NO. But I’ll take a pitcher with a 2.75 ERA and 10 wins over a guy with a 3.75 and 15 wins. Trust me, I know baseball. Wins/Losses are team numbers.
You may know baseball.
You do not know logic nor statistics.
You are using a hypothetical with what pitcher you would want on your team.It is your opinion and as such is not argueable.
Sabathia is generally regarded as a HOF by posters because of his total wins but it is not 300.The HOF is clearly lowering the general total to say 250,and the greatest pitcher of all time did not even meet that standard.
Your use of the word “meaningless” in my mind allows me to include my second sentence.
Hopefully you are not the poster from about a month ago who mentioned Nolan Ryan as an example.
If you are this thread is an example of Groundhog Day.
Fortunately the Cardinals basically print money, even though they like to act like they are broke. So the questionable/unnecessary extensions to Carpenter and Mikolas won’t prevent them from signing Ozuna. He is a very talented young player but extremely streaky. Let’s see how he does the rest of the year and IF we make the playoffs. He has been pretty cold recently. If he does not heat up and prove himself to be a difference maker when it counts RIGHT NOW take the draft pick and plug in the kids. Carlson will be ready and O’Neill deserves a real look if he can strike out less. Plus don’t forget about Lane Thomas.
I’m higher on Justin Williams than I am Lane Thomas, tbh. Lane has had a boom of a start of an ML career though.
Don’t forget Arozarena. He should be in the mix.
Yep. Higher on Arozarena than I am Williams. Hope he can get at least a part time role in 2020 but it’s crowded. 2021 seems a little clearer. Would love to see him get 550 ABs.
Sign the man! He has proven talent, with the other young guys you have potential.SHOW ME THE PROVEN TALENT!
How many guys do the Cardinals hype and then they are just like everyone else one the team? Look what they gave up to get him! Resign him and trade the AAAA guys.
There are several things that will factor into whether or not Ozuna is re-signed. If they allow him to walk, the power has to be replaced by someone capable of hitting in the 4 spot. There is no one, to my knowledge, within the organization ready to fill that void.
Carlson could get a legit crack in ST to replace him in RF, but you wouldn’t want the immediate pressure of him hitting 4th to come into play.
J. Martinez is, at best, a bench bat in the NL and a DH in the AL. He doesn’t fit the criteria as a cleanup hitter, either.
O’Neill is a K machine and that’s not likely to change. Prodigious power is great to have, but if that’s your main calling card, coupled with huge strikeout numbers, you can’t be relied upon to hit in the middle of the lineup.
Lane Thomas is the best fit as a 4th OFer this organization has right now, sans the injury.
The fact is, Fowler’s contact and full NTC has hampered this team from the moment it was signed. Throw in the ridiculously bad extension for Carpenter and you have even less wiggle room.
The main need this off season should be bettering the rotation. No way Wacha is brought back and the same should be done with Waino. C. Martinez will likely be back in the rotation next season, unless he’s traded, which would constitute selling low.
Knee-jerk signings and extensions need to calm down from this FO.
If Waino wants to pitch again he’ll be back, regardless of how effective anyone thinks he’ll be. Wacha is gone and should be.
If Waino is ok with another low-guarantee, incentive-laden deal, he’s earned another shot in my book (barring another injury for the rest of the year). He’s proven he can still pitch at the major league level, and some games he’s been flat-out dominant. The inconsistency but flashes of brilliance is more than enough for me from a number 5.
Stan-please just don’t let him pitch nor bat against the Pirates.
Which is a very poor business reason to bring Waino back. The Cards have this tendency to be run on emotional attachment over business aspects and it muddies the water.
Everyone was saying how bad it was to bring back wainwright this season…I was on the fence about it and leaned towards not a good idea…but wainwright has been excellent…better numbers than Lester I believe…not bad for a number 4-5 guy
Please stop with using superlatives like excellent. Wainwright has NOT been excellent. Excellence is for guys like Verlander.
Omg lol give it up dude…first off, Verlander has been more than excellent…he has been extraordinary, somewhat abnormal… wainwright has been excellent…sorry my vocabulary extends further than yours
If excellent is an ERA north of 4, then i hope to God you aren’t handing out bonuses to sales people at your company.
Really…well let’s look at it deeper..so wainwright signed a contract for 2 million guarantee deal with incentives to make it 10 million…low risk, high reward deal…the cardinals have been rewarded enough to make it a 10 million dollar deal…great job by wainwright…meanwhile the cubs are paying Lester 22,500,000 who has pretty much the same numbers as wainwright…
Thought I would chime in here. Didn’t Lester sign his contract like 5 years ago? How does that relate to the Wainwright deal?
I’d eager a bet that Fowler could be moved now that he’s had a bounce back. May not get full value but close.
He still has to agree to a move. Who knows if he would even entertain a trade.
Not sure the bullpen is still a problem, and I definitely don’t want the Cardinals spending free agent dollars on a reliever. One more lefty is needed, but with Gallegos, Brebbia, Gant, and really now Fernandez, (and maybe C-Mart), the bullpen has been one of the strengths of the year.
Agree that the bullpen is no longer a problem. As for a lefty, we still have Austin Gomber, who Hudson narrowly beat out for the rotation. Gomber began pitching again about two weeks ago; unfortunately he ran out of minor league season. He wants to be a starter, but I think the club may see him as more of a reliever long term.
Nooooooo. Please God no! Noooo!
If the Cards do let him walk, the Mets should be all over Ozuna.
If the Cards hold him, O’Neill should be part* of a package for Thor.
*Not saying O’Neill should be the premier part of the package – I know it’d take a lot to get Thor.
Ozuna’s best bet is probably the Qualifying Offer. There are pitchers who could hit .250 with 25 bombs. If he turns down the QO he’ll probably get a 2/$20 mil “Prove you can still hit” deal in the second week of March.
No way on earth any of that happens. He’s been the best hitter on a contending team all year. His metrics are great. He’s smashing the ball and has really rebounded from a frustrating/underwhelming 2018.
QO Ozuna. If he declines, walk away. Then call Boston to see what it will take to acquire Betts. Option 3 is Arozarena and go hard for a starting pitcher.
ONeill, Thomas, Edman, and maybe even Martinez would all be ahead of Arozarena on the depth chart based on what we have seen this year. I think it would take a combination of a trade or two and a massive showing in Spring Training for option 3 to be realistic.
Harrison Bader is the worst offensive player the Cardinals have fielded in 20 years.
Cesar Izturis? Brendan Ryan? Pete Kozma?
I see your Kozma and raise you a Ty Wigginton
Your comment is the epitome of hyperbole.
The Cardinals absolutely should resign Ozuna. Their outfield is atrocious. Fowler is nothing but .240 every year, Bader is the worst offensive outfielder in MLB and the worst offensive player the Cardinals have had in over 20 years, O’Neill can’t stay on the field and Martinez is a platoon player. Resigning Ozuna is a must.
Fowler is pretty much matching his Cubs run right now … mirroring 2015 very closely
You need to lighten up dude…Bader had a sophomore slump but looks like he is turning it around…if you care to actually look at this article it explains a lot about him and how well he has been doing since his return….
google.com/amp/s/www.vivaelbirdos.com/platform/amp…
Harrison Bader has an offensive war of 0.8 this year, which is FAR from the worst. Billy Hamilton, as an example, has a -0.4 war. Bader has been plenty good with the bat since his callup and that is starting to reflect in his numbers.
Bader last 14 days .647 OPS. Last 7 days. .521 OPS.
His walk rate is way up, strike out rate way down, and hard hit rate has skyrocketed prior to being sent down. If you look at the advanced stats, the numbers are going to catch up if he continues to hit the way he has since his call up.
…and Carpenter is on his way back too. Keep listening to Bernie Miklasz.
Lol Debbie Downer…ok well if Bader doesn’t work out it’s not like the cardinals don’t have options to replace him…talk negative all you want but Bader will always be a positive War with his defense…shucks I guess that will do
It’s actually pretty easy to look up the numbers yourself, I don’t need someone else to do it for me. You should try it sometime.
LET HIM WALK
Steve Cishek, is that you?
No it isn’t. So shut up and stop wanting to lose. Heck, go to the Brewers idc lel