Why I Don't Like the Giants

On a scale of 1-10, my spite for the Giants sits at around 8.67. I think I get bonus points for bringing Shawon Dunston into this post. Forgot he played for us, didn't you?

I'm going to take a moment to state a personal vendetta here.

I do not like the Giants.

I don't like their uniforms. I don't like their GM. I don't like Randy Winn. I don't like that freakin' huge glove and Coca Cola in left field. I don't like how they personally tailored their stadium for Barry Bonds. I don't like how they most likely knew Bonds was juicing and looked the other way. I don't like Dusty "Dugout Dice" Baker. I don't like that their fans eat garlic fries and tropical drinks. Tropical drinks.

I don't like that this man played for them.

And especially not this man.

Or him.

And, God save us all, my favorite.

I'm not putting a picture of him in a Giants uni. I won't do it, can't do it, shouldn't do it. They aren't winning that war.

I don't like that I have to stay up extra late when we play in San Francisco. I don't like Yorvit freakin' Torrealba and his tan. I don't like the 2002 World Series. I don't like the Splash-O-Meter. I don't like Brian Wilson's tattoos. I don't like that they have Tim Lincecum. And Matt Cain. And Jonathan Sanchez. And Jeremy Affeldt. I don't like the boats. And I do love boats.

But, most of all, I don't like the way we play them. The bats go numb, the pitches go flat, and a team that should be beat suddenly becomes unbeatable. Did I expect us to win a Lincecum-Thompson matchup last night? I was just watching for the commercials. The Giants are no longer that team with a bunch of old guys and a crazy GM that trades for more old guys. They have one of the best rotations in the NL, and a crazy GM who keeps toying their fans with ridiculous trade rumors.

I don't like the Giants, and now it's because I can honestly say that they're good. Not great, but a whole lot better than I ever imagined. It's a good thing we have an ace of our own going tonight, as they have another lefty to throw at us. Oh yeah, and his name is Randy Johnson.

Jess Todd, F-Sam could be PTBNL

If you didn't like the Mark DeRosa trade with Chris Perez's inclusion, you're going to hate to hear this. Jess Todd and Francisco Samuel are supposedly two of the names the Indians can choose from as the PTBNL. The Indians are getting more value than a Billy Mays infomercial.

Color me a bit disappointed in hearing this news. Fox Sports is reporting that promising relievers Jess Todd and Francisco Samuel are two of the names the Indians can choose from to complete the DeRosa deal. I'm afraid to quote their material since it's AP-content, but here's the link. Look in the sidebar to see the scoop from Jon Paul Morosi.

This is shaping up to be one of the most win-now-sided trades in recent memory, and the Indians are already looking to have made bank on their DeRosa rental. I love the fact that we traded for DeRosa, as I've been pulling for him since April, but the reality is, this trade does not help the future of our ballclub at all. You have to give up value to get value, I guess, and the value we're giving up stings quite a bit.

The current ballclub is still trying to find some shape in this mess of injuries and underperforming players, even with DeRosa. Khalil Greene has fallen off the horse again, and Todd Wellemeyer can't find the strikezone. A bit of a mess we're in now, it seems.

Cards Get DeRosa, Perez Gone

The Cardinals have traded frustrating righthander Chris Perez to the Indians for the man of a thousand positions, Mark DeRosa.

Well, Rockin' the Red has finally gotten its wish, although it doesn't quite feel like Christmas morning. If it were Christmas morning in Cardinal Nation, Mark DeRosa would come bearing a pumpkin pie while we told P.J. Walters to scram. No, instead we tell one of our most promising, albeit flawed, relievers to leave the dinner table.

The trade will definitely provide a boost to the infield numbers, and I'd champion trading for DeRosa over Matt Holliday any day of the week. I'm just unsure about trading away a guy that would provide cost-controlled, high-strikeout numbers and potentially fill the closer position for a rental. A good, valuable rental. But still a rental.

The trade implies several things. For one, it means the Cards aren't confident that Perez would have been able to provide substantially better numbers than a replacement player. Essentially, the trade weighs the value of Perez over his replacement verses the value of DeRosa over Thurston/Barden/Greene this year. Ideally, the balance would include future potential in it's weighing, but it seems a little questionable in this case. It's obviously a win-now move.

The trade also implies that the closer situation is steadier than thought. It means that the Cardinals are comfortable with Ryan Franklin this year, and comfortable with securing a reliable closer in the future. If they thought Chris Perez truly had dynamite closer stuff, the move probably would not have been made for DeRosa.

I could also imply that the move factors in Tony La Russa into the equation. Win-now is definitely in his best interest, and the move might also attest to a commitment to winning that has been questioned before. Trade for DeRosa, show that the team is serious about contending, and keep Tony in the mix for a few more years. It probably has crossed the minds of some front office personnel.

DeRosa's numbers will look pretty good in the Cardinals' lineup. Albert Pujols gets another man on base in front of him, Tony gets a guy who can play solid infield and outfield defense, and the lineup looks a little more complete than before.

Perhaps DeRosa can give a Will Clark-esque boost to the lineup. After Todd Wellemeyer's last start, I wouldn't rule out a starting pitching trade next.

Matt Holliday Could Be in the Cards, Mateo Already Is

The transaction news is flying left and right in this corner of Cardinal Nation. First, we hear that Troy Glaus could be traded. Next, the (confirmed) signing of Wagner Mateo. Thirdly, the juicy rumor involving the Cardinals and Matt Holliday.

The Cardinals have agreed in principle to sign their 16-year-old Dominican prize to a $3.1 million bonus, the largest bonus ever given out by the Cardinals organization, exceeding the $3 million given out to J.D. Drew.

It's this kind of international news that gets me giddy, as I believe using an international approach to roster transactions can help capitalize on market inefficiencies in the game of baseball. I was championing Alexei Ramirez and Dayan Viciedo, who both went to the White Sox, and it's nice to see us get our own international bonus baby.

I wish there were more news on the Troy Glaus Could Be Traded rumor, but I feel like it's being a little outshone by the next one.

Matt. Holliday.

The arguably biggest name of the 2009 trade market. One of the top corner outfielders in baseball. No relation to Roy Halladay. In all his bald-headed glory. Could be coming to the Cardinals.

Granted, about 20 other teams and their respective blogs think they have a chance on him too, a simple Google blog search will tell you that, but still. I mean, if Bill DeWitt is on board with it, who's left to nix such a deal? Common Sense was laid off last week.


"Tony, don't hurt me like that."

The Cardinals are apparently willing to ante up for Matt's $13.5 million salary, along with dealing Ryan Ludwick, one of Jason Motte, Chris Perez, or Kyle McClellan, and a prospect, who probably won't be a schlub either. Didn't we already go through this with He Who Shall Not Be Named? That's all I'm going to say about He Who Shall Not Be Named.

Matt Holliday would make a great addition to the ballclub, but at what price do we upgrade our team? Holliday presents only a .083 OPS boost from Ryan Ludwick, and Luddy has had more pop overall than Matt. Is that worth sacrificing cheap, cost-controlled talent? If money is not an option, either, than we should have no problem signing recent first round draftee Shelby Miller to a contract.

I'm all for the Cards making upgrades in a seemingly good year for a post-season run, but I think there are better places to address our weaknesses.

Cardinals to Sign Wagner Mateo

The Cardinals are poised to make their biggest international signing in team history.

Who is Wagner Mateo? A 16-year-old boy about to become a rich, rich man, that's who he is. The Cardinals appear ready at the end of this month to make their biggest splash in the international market, since, well, ever. Baseball America, tell us what the man has won:

A $3 million bonus would be the second-biggest bonus ever given to an amateur international player from Latin America, and the largest bonus ever for a Latin American hitter. Oakland righthander Michael Ynoa set the all-time bonus record last year with a $4.25 million bonus on July 2, while Rafael Rodriguez set the record for a position player last year by signing for $2.55 million with the Giants. Mateo is represented by Edgar Mercedes, who also trained Ynoa last year at his Born To Play Baseball Academy.

Wagner Mateo is an outfielder with a good frame and possessing a plethora of tools. Future Redbirds has a solid video on him, and he doesn't look like he has too many holes in his lefthanded swing.

In case you don't know, the international signing period is the time clubs can make formal offers to international players not eligible for the MLB Draft. July 2nd marks the beginning of that period, but clubs have been scouting and talking to players for quite some time now. 16-year-olds like Wagner have agents that try to sell their clients to the big clubs hoping to stock the farm system outside of the draft.

If Wagner indeed signs, you won't see him for quite some time, as he'll trudge his way along the Cardinals' farm system. But he'll be there, by golly, he'll be there. And we'll be watching.

Ghost Ride Dennys' Volvo

How do you give possession to a first name that looks like the singular form of a dining establishment without indicating possession of said restaurant? Dennys's? If you clicked away now I wouldn't blame you.

Tomorrow (or rather, Today) is a travel day for me, and by travel I mean moving around outside the house for longer than 2 minutes. So, for your enjoyment, and perhaps a documentary of the general IQ of the fine population of the Greater Oakland Area, here is every reason the A's should stay in Oakland: to keep seeing the whitest version of the Dirty Bird/Funky Chicken ever performed on the roof of a moving Volvo. Am I fully prepared to ghost ride my Pontiac for the Cardinals to acquire Mark DeRosa? YES. Am I prepared to do the Dirty Bird while doing so? If called upon.

Joel Pineiro Who?

Breaking down Joel Pineiro's great start to the season is harder than watching Chris Berman wear a Hawaiian shirt in HD.

Good morning Cardinal Nation. I wish I was more motivated to say "Good Morning" at any time before 10 o'clock, but that's about as likely as a family of small birds finding nest in Ryan Franklin's beard.

The artist formerly known as Joel Piniero struck again last night, this time to the tune of 9 innings, 2 hits, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, 22 ground outs, and no cramps. His ESPN game score reached 83, which, unfortunately, wasn't good enough for the top ten game scores in the National League.

Nay, he already has a spot on that list, sitting comfortably at 5th place, behind Chris Carpenter two spots up and ahead of Kyle Lohse one spot below. 5th freakin' place! Since when did Pineiro become capable of pitching the 5th best game in the NL, much less barely elude making the top ten again with his 83 last night? I mean, we already knew he was capable of this kick save and a beauty, but actually playing baseball? Who knew?

What exactly has changed this season, besides a weakening in the infield defense around him, has been what I call THE NEGATION OF THE DINGERS. Joel's home run prone antics in previous years have almost completely reversed, now at a meager 0.19 HR/9 and trending downward.

To put it in perspective, Pineiro's career HR/9 is 1.03, and last year's was 1.33. Joel's ground ball rate is a staggering 2.71 GB/FB and home run per fly ball rate is an equally impressive 2.9%. So, not only is Joel not giving up fly balls, but, even when he does, only 2.9% are being hit well enough to leave the yard. That last sentence probably takes Dave Duncan's breath away.

Crampnasty Pineiro's strikeout rate is terrible, only striking out 3.88 batters per nine innings. But he still is saying "Suck It" to the institution of conventional wisdom and is putting up a 3.33 K/BB.

So, to get this straight, he isn't giving up fly balls, when he does they prefer landing on the grass instead of people's heads, he isn't striking people out more than Cal Eldred probably could, and he isn't walking them either. This season is proving to be more of an anomaly than Bud Smith.

But wait, there's more. You'd think a pitcher having this amount of success with numbers popping off every career norm he's had is probably just having a good year. Not so. His GALIFB, Generally Accepted Luck Indicator for Bloggers, otherwise known as BABIP, Batting Average on Balls Hit in Play, is exactly at .300, right where we'd constitute a pretty average-luck season. If it were extremely low, we'd know that number would regress back up to the mean, and vice versa. There's nowhere to regress for Joel. He's unregressable.

His LOB% is similarly unindicating that his success is extremely lucky. Right now he's stranding 64.1% of runners on base, lower than his career average of 70.3%. If he were stranding runners at, say, 90%, you'd know that wasn't going to last. 64% is pretty sustainable, and we again have nothing to indicate a regression other than previous years' performances.

I can't understand you, Joel. Extreme ground ball tendencies, near-perfect strike zone comprehension, no indications that there's a lucky horseshoe in your back pocket. There must be only one other explanation. He's juicing.

How else could we explain that fact that his fastball is actually losing velocity, or the spasmatic cramps on the mound from poor hydration or lack of physical fitness, or that growth of facial hair taking over his face?

I wonder how many New Yorkers said, "Who the **** is Joel Pineiro" last night? I love it.

Troy Glaus Could Be Traded

If Glaus can't get his arm up to strength for playing third, the Cardinals may be better suited to trade him and his $11.25 million salary.

Chalk this one up as coming from left field; Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal says that Troy Glaus may be a trade candidate this July, if he can't field third base fully by the deadline:

Glaus, who has yet to play this season while recovering from surgery on his right shoulder, is progressing better with his hitting than his throwing, according to a source with knowledge of his recovery process. . . If Glaus cannot play third base, he will be of virtually no use to the Cardinals.

It makes perfect sense that the Bill DeWitt-owned Cardinals would be willing to shed some payroll on a contending team, but where would that leave our team offensively? Frankly, the same place it was before, if Troy really is unable to play third base without botching every ground ball. The noise surrounding Troy has quietly died down, to the point where his potential to even play a game this season is questionable.

How do you turn a trade of Glaus into your favor? If Glaus is truly able to come back, and he truly can't play third base because of his arm, absorb the majority of his salary and get something useful in return. We're not even sure Glaus will be able to play any position at this point, making his entire salary moot. If he actually can, use some of it to get some value in return.

Rosenthal cites the Rangers, Mets, Giants, Braves, Tigers, and Mariners as teams who could use Glaus' bat as either a first baseman or DH. Perhaps Texas would be willing to part with one of their young arms in the farm system for a mid-season boost?

Don't Call Me Greene Just Yet

Khalil Greene is back on track after a much needed, much deserved break.

It can't be explained how much of a boost this must be for Khalil Greene, hitting a home run in three straight games. Khalil has had a rough first stint with the Cardinals, to be sure, and what was needed most, above anything, was for him to see his hard work starting to pay off.

Things like this help put some mental perspective to what I experience in my own life. Like Khalil, I found myself hitting a slump at the end of the school year, not in terms of grades but in terms of enjoying what I was doing and putting in all of my effort. What I really needed was to get away, to come home, watch the Cardinals, and refresh my soul and mind for another productive year. I wasn't going to be able to break out of the slump at school; I needed to come home and see my family and friends that have rooted me so strongly to this place.

I feel like Khalil Greene needed a similar break to put his mind back in the right place. We all know about the concern over his well-being and the many articles that were written beating the horse to death. Perhaps being away from the spotlight and the pressure to perform gave Khalil a mental refreshment that was so badly needed. In Memphis, Greene did bat .400/.438/.533 in 15 at-bats, an indication that a change in scenery, a change in what he felt was his role on the team, was really what was necessary more than anything.

Now, in four games since coming back to St. Louis, Greene has three home runs and a double, and he looks more at ease than ever at the plate. If ever you could tell what someone was thinking through their smile, yesterday was the day. The fact that the Cardinals offense is firing on all cylinders the past couple of series has probably helped alleviate some of the pressure to perform, along with the fact that it wasn't in front of a home crowd in KC, just half of one. Khalil Greene smiled, and the whole team smiled with him. So did we.

He won't post a batting average over .250, but Greene still has a .709 OPS for the season and still has potential to add some value to the ballclub. If he can boost his OPS to around .750, it will make up for some of his defensive pitfalls and make him a pretty useful infielder. This is probably his last chance to have a firm hold of a spot on the roster; let's hope he can make the most of it.

Colby for ROY and Reviewing the Farm

Colby's hot start has catapulted him into ROY consideration, and I take a look at the guys to watch on the farm this season.

First of all, at what point does Colby Rasmus start getting Rookie of the Year consideration? FanGraphs has Colby up there, and I don't think there is any question whether Colby's current .285/.330/.480 line is the most ROY-worthy of the options available. His 0.89 WPA is second-best on the team to Albert's 3.05, and no other rookies come close to his 2.4 WAR, which is Wins Above Replacement and is explained here. Oh, and he still hasn't walked this month.

I haven't written much about the farm system this year. After all, with great sites like Future Redbirds, Bird Land, and Viva El Birdos, there aren't many stones left unturned in regards to the farm system. If you have questions, they usually have answers, which is not an insignificant feat for bloggers also dealing with the real world. I don't think I've said this in a while, so great work to all the contributors at those respective sites.

Reviewing a farm system is like reviewing whether it was worth it to pay 80 million pounds for the rights to Christiano Ronaldo. There's no right answer, except for the fact that Real Madrid is getting better and Manchester United is getting worse. I can sense this analogy both failing badly and going over your head, so I'm going to drop it right now.

Good job, Kujo.

Guys to Watch in 2009

Jarred Bogany, OF: Bogany may not have the draft status of a Colby Rasmus, but he's putting up some pretty decent numbers in his second year in the system. His line of .277/.318/.386 is being propelled by a tyrannic June. I'd like to see his power numbers start to increase, especially given his age (22) for his level (A-ball).

Scott Gorgen, SP: Gorgen is only a year older than me. That makes me feel old. Nevertheless, Gorgen has put up some dynamite numbers in A+ Palm Beach - 8.67 K/9, 2.95 ERA, and 4.05 FIP. Keep an eye on him.

Daniel Descalso, 2B: You can't argue with Dan's AA Springfield numbers. Last year was small sample size, but this year is more of the same. .328/.402/.532 with 6 home runs and (gasp) a .204 isolated power, including 23 doubles. His BB% and K% are near even, both hovering around 10-12%. At his level and in this system, he could move fast at his position.

Guys to Keep Watching in 2009

Daryl Jones, OF: It's old news that Daryl was an underachieving, toolsy outfielder who couldn't get it quite together. In his second year at Double-A Springfield, he's still producing, with a line of .306/.392/.405 and 7 stolen bases. How much he continues to develop will determine if he can become an impact player in the MLB.

Brett Wallace, 3B: Brett is trying to come one of the fastest moving prospects since Chris Perez, but he's still trying to adjust to Memphis. It makes sense that they would want him to move as fast as possible, given how developed his bat is and our glaring need at third base, but I worry he's being pushed too fast. We'll see if his bat can start to come around.

Tyler Henley, OF: Tyler is old for his level, which could ultimately put a cap on his development, but he's putting up some solid numbers in Springfield - .330/.388/.495 and a pretty good 8.9% K rate.

Clayton Mortensen, SP: Clayton has had a rocky stint in Memphis, but he has a decent array of pitches and can still get ground balls. He has a 4.28 FIP, which isn't great, but it isn't exactly bad either. If he can continue getting ground balls, he'll have a place in the majors.

David Kopp, SP: Kopp is another pitcher that is worthy of making a fuss over. He doesn't have frontline stuff like Shelby Miller, but he's one of my favorites. Kopp's mechanics have been compared to Greg Maddux, and, if he can stay healthy, he'll have a chance to make an impact in the upper levels.


Guys to Put Both Hands Over Your Eyes and Peep Through the Cracks in 2009

Peter Kozma, SS: Kozma hasn't exactly been lighting it up at Springfield, but his June has been markedly better than May. He's still only 21, and he still plays some really solid defense. This year and next will determine if Peter really is a bust or not. Don't look for Kozma to play a role on the big club anytime soon though.

Mark Diapoules, SP: Mark has hit a roadblock after a pretty solid 2008 campaign in A and A+ ball. Mark has always been a personal favorite because of his ability to get both strikeouts and ground balls. This year, however, Mark's walk rate has gone way up and strikeout rate way down, and you can tell by his 6.48 ERA and 5.84 FIP.

Bryan Anderson, C: Bryan Anderson, once the cornerstone of many proposed deadline deals, is becoming more of an afterthought after a pedestrian start to his 2009 season - .245/.295/.400 in 155 AB. I'm still confident that Bryan will turn into a solid big leaguer, but he needs to get his bat rolling again at some point. Chances are, his future will be with another organization once it does.

Jon Jay, OF: Jay has consistently put up solid numbers, but this year he's fallen off the wagon a bit, putting up a mere .617 OPS. With the number of capable outfielders in this organization, the future does seem all that bright for Jay in St. Louis, unless he can get his OBP up and keep utilizing his speed.

Cards in KC again. Go get 'em.

Pineiro Does the Cramp Dance

Joel Pineiro had the cramps last night, so I'm devoting an entire post to it.

That was probably the scariest leg cramp I have ever seen last night from Pineiro. The worst ones I have ever experienced have been in the dead of night, when you're lying in your bed helplessly writhing in pain as you wait for the clamp on your leg to loosen. The pain of a leg cramp can leave you literally feeling like you will never be able to use your leg again. Luckily, I've never had a debilitating cramp in the middle of an athletic event, but, last night, Joel wasn't so blessed.

Whenever I think of leg cramps, two things come to mind. First, the Spongebob Cramp Dance, which was one of the funniest things on cartoon television. Watch this, and tell me you can't imagine Tony La Russa and Yadier Molina joining Joel in the cramp dance as he waddles from side to side on the ground.

The second thing that comes to my head is that part of the movie Osmosis Jones when Bill Murray's character gets a leg cramp because someone knocked down a control tower or something. I looked for a clip and couldn't find one, so I guess you'll just have to take my word for it. For cheesy cartoon-live action kids movies, that part was actually kind of funny.

Leg cramps aren't all fun and games though, so I thought I'd add some real advice for how to avoid cramping when participating in athletic events. Sure, the focus of the video is running, but it's applicable to all situations.



Cards in KC tonight. Keep giving Tyler Greene starts, and stop putting Jason Motte in tight situations until he shows he can handle the squeeze. OK, enough of the cramp jokes. For now.

Rasmus Likes to Run

Colby Rasmus is on fire in the month of June, but the question remains: will Colby draw a walk this month?

Let's put the odds that Colby takes a walk in the month of June at 4:1, to throw a random, arbitrary number out there. If he can make it the whole month without walking and still have a June OPS over 1.000, I'll devote an entire post to how freakin' cool Colby Rasmus is. Raz, the ball's in your court.

We all know that Colby is "the slow starter"; ever since his rise to blue-chip prospect status, we've started each season looking for the Raz to set the world on fire, only to see him slowly crawl along the first month or so with pedestrian stats. Last year in Memphis, it seemed like he was never able to truly get in his comfort zone, and, for a streaky hitter like Colby, not finding your comfort zone means lots of 0-4 nights.

Nothing's changed this year, as Colby started his first season in the majors a tad below expectations, if our expectations were what he's truly capable of producing: .254/.357/.305 in April and .212/.250/.447 in May. This month, halfway through, Colby has finally turned on the gas and hasn't looked back, batting .396/.396/.708 in 48 at-bats, including a 31% line drive ratio. In comparison, Albert Pujols, who has been on his own recent tear of hitting, is batting .273/.379/.745 in 55 June at-bats.

To put up those kind of numbers without taking a walk is near insane. Then again, why would you walk when the ball is magnetically attracted to your bat?

I don't think it's been communicated enough how big of a boost Colby's hot streak has been to the offense. Fangraphs has Colby's true value worth $9.7 million so far this year, compared to the several hundred thousand he's making as a rookie. If Colby can learn to start taking more walks while still making the solid contact he's been capable of this month, that dollar amount will rise even more. That's called running your way to a big payday.

Cards Draft Jim Klocke

I'll be back to cover more of the guys I like from the 2009 MLB Draft, which took place the past three days, but I need to make special mention of SEMO junior Jim Klocke, who was drafted by the Cards in the 46th round.

Usually late round draft picks are just blurbs on the radar, but this pick has some special significance because Klocke is not only a Southeast Missouri State University student (where I also attend) but also a graduate of St. John Vianney High School in St. Louis, where he was part of two state champion teams.

Klocke isn't a significant pick just because of his ties to the St. Louis area, either. He can play. At 6'0, 195 lbs, Jim has the size to stick as either a catcher or pitcher, as he has played both this year. With his bat, though, his most position will likely be catcher, where he has a collegiate .359 batting average and 1.001 OPS.

Seeing him live a couple times, Klocke has really been the one player that looks the most like a potential farmhand on the SEMO team, with a smooth lefthanded stroke that has gap power. On the con side, his speed is below average, and his arm isn't exceedingly strong. From inside the batter's box, bat speed and plate coverage are two of the attributes that really stick out.

As has been said on other Cardinals blogs, late rounds aren't where you find "toolsy" players. Here, you find players that may have strong numbers but don't have the total package. With Klocke, his strength is definitely with the bat, and it will be interesting to see 1.) if he signs with the Cards and 2.) how well he can translate that aluminum success to wooden bats.

The OVC (Ohio Valley Conference) is no league of pushovers, mind you. Last year, pitcher Christian Friedrich of Eastern Kentucky was selected in the first round, largely regarded as one of the studs of the 2008 class. This year, Eastern Illinois pitcher Tyler Kehrer was taken by the Angels with the 48th pick and the Twins selected Jacksonville State pitcher Ben Tootle with the 101st pick. Overall, nine players from the OVC were drafted this year, including Klocke.

Do I think he has the potential to move up the farm system? I think, if he can get his bat going, it will take him up a few ranks, possibly onto the normal circuit of A-, A, A+ ball. How well he can develop into the catching position defensively, however, will truly judge how well he performs in the system. A light-hitting catcher with doubles power is probably the ceiling on him, but that's not to say that isn't a pretty useful player.

This is an exciting pick because it's someone who I have written about before, asking for the Cardinals to take a look at. They have, and it'll be fun to potentially have both a St. Louis native and SEMO student in the farm system. Congrats, Jim!

I'll be back later today to have a much-needed farm update and a look at some of the other significant draft picks.

Stop the Pandering

The nation is on the brink of collapse, the faithful pandering for their leadership to do something that will bail them out of this mess. The only way to improve the situation is for outside help to come in and right the ship.

Wait, wait, wait.

What is going on here? The Cardinals get swept in a series, and it's already time to trade all our assets for Matt Holliday? I am sick of all this reactionary writing about how the Cardinals have to make a move; how the Cardinals have to acquire Holliday or some other superstar in order to last; how the Cardinals have to do this and have to do that.

It seems like we go through this same routine, year after year. The Cardinals hit a slump, the sports journalists begin pandering to the fans for the Cardinals to make a major move, and then that move never happens.

I don't know how to fix all the Cards' offensive woes either, but why does the solution always have to be to trade our best prospects for temporary solutions? Why does there always have to be "a solution"? Why can't the team have ups and downs, like every other team in the Major Leagues, and have our writers and fans write from a broader perspective than one series or one month? The fact is, the Cards are still only 2 games out of first and would be in the postseason if play stopped today. Why all of the "sinking ship" metaphors and the calls to arms? We're in 2nd-freakin' place!

I don't have a problem with looking for potential trade acquisitions that could improve our chances of fielding a playoff-bound team, but I do have a problem with the negative mindset and morale-crushing that will surely turn to utmost optimism once we go on a five-game winning streak. Let's keep our team and season in perspective, shall we? Enjoy the times the team is going right, look for improvements when the team is struggling, and, for goodness sakes, take a chill pill and relax.

2 Trades That Could Happen in July

The Cardinals are starting to look for outside help to boost the offense, and I look at and compare two potential possibilities.

The Cards 30-22, tied for first in the NL Central, are in a much better position to make an impact trade than they were at the beginning of the season. On the farm, several prospects (Mitch Boggs, Jess Todd, Daryl Jones, etc.) are proving to be more of the blue-chip quality, and the Cards have the ability to take on some more salary this season.

1st Trade Possibility: Mark DeRosa, 2B/3B, Indians

This marks the third time I've dropped hints about Mark DeRosa, incontestably my personal favorite for a Cards acquisition this summer. Not only does Mark DeRosa have quiet power and a decent OPS, he has Tony La Russa-esque versatility that allows him to play virtually any position on the field.

DeRosa, 34, has started the most games at third base this year, but last year he started the majority of his games at second base with the Cubs. At $5.5 million this year, the final year of a two-year contract, DeRosa doesn't have the hefty price tag or constraining contract to block any type of deal financially.

What makes DeRosa such a good option for the Cardinals? He adds some more pop to the third base position, displays decent on-base skills, and plays solid defense across the board. Think of a more-developed Brian Barden, one that has been in the league for a while now and knows the ins and outs of being a major league player. Last year, according to FanGraphs, DeRosa was worth 17.2 million dollars, while only making $4.8 million with the Cubbies.

The Indians, who aren't in the postseason hunt, are willing to part with Mark, and the price tag won't be unbearable. Mitchell Boggs is probably a good bet for inclusion, and that trade wouldn't be too bad on the farm.

2nd Trade Possibility: Freddy Sanchez, 2B/3B, Pirates

We're pretty familiar with Freddy from his six years with the Pirates, and he seems to be a name that always pops up around June and July. He's 31, capable of playing multiple positions in the infield, and is making $6.1 million this year, with an $8 million club option next year. He doesn't provide very much power, making his value really dependent on batting average.

Last year, his batting average dipped back and forth, and he was only able to provide a .669 OPS because of it. This year, his walk rate is back up and his batting average has stayed above .300, helping boost his .867 OPS. One red flag is the high .380 BABIP, his batting average on balls hit in play, an indicator of luck on the playing field. That likely will drop as the season moves on, which will affect his average and OPS.

What would it take to get Sanchez? The Pirates would probably start and end with Jess Todd, and I think the price tag would end up being too high for the actual value we'd be getting in return. If we needed a two-year answer at 3rd base, Sanchez would be a good option to consider. But we have Brett Wallace, and Allen Craig, and David Freese. The need isn't there.

The Verdict? Mark DeRosa makes more sense for the Cards in that he's be a short-term fix without digging too deep into the farm system. Freddy Sanchez would provide better offensive support, but it might take too much to secure him in a deal, especially within the division. With Troy Glaus due back at some point this year and Brett Wallace waiting in the wings to take over at third, it makes it less of a priority to find someone who would stay beyond this year.