peichholz posted on July 03, 2009 00:00
When Cardinals Chairman Bill Dewitt stated in the Post-Dispatch a couple of weeks ago that a big trade was not likely and that he was satisfied with the makeup of the roster at the time; I was irate. I was upset because the Birds had an excellent nucleus, but some glaring holes. After reading the article, it seemed to me like the organization was content with filling seats and providing a mediocre product.
Over the course of the last 8 weeks I have used this space to question DeWitt’s desire to
field a winner and John Mozeliak’s ability to make it happen. I wrote that I didn’t believe that the organization was committed to being anything more than competitive and that while I hoped they would make a move, I wouldn’t believe it until I saw it. Well…on Saturday night, Mozeliak made his first significant trade as GM of the Birds with the acquisition of Mark Derosa for Chris Perez and a player to be named later. Today, I am happy to report that I was wrong about DeWitt and Mo.
At the time of the Post-Dispatch interview, DeRosa was scorching and I assumed the cost of his services would rise accordingly; thus pricing the Cards out of the market. In retrospect, the same interview that had me so fired up, may have been an ingenious negotiating ploy by DeWitt. This posturing by Dewitt may have actually priced DeRosa back within the reach of the Cardinals.
The acquisition of DeRosa proves to me that the Cardinals are committed to winning. As a fan of the team, that is all I want from the crew in charge. DeRosa may not be the cleanup hitter that many Cardinals fans are clamoring for, but he does represent an “impact bat.” DeRosa has more RBI than big names like Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee, David Wright, and Matt Holiday; just to name a few. The combination of his capability to drive in runs with his ability to play multiple positions makes DeRosa an invaluable addition to the team.
DeRosa’s price tag was not cheap. The Cardinals had to part with Perez, a potential shut-down closer, and will have to give up another pitching prospect down the road. Despite the cost, I believe the addition of DeRosa is a no-brainer. The Cardinals have found a cl
oser in Ryan Franklin and an heir to the throne in Jason Motte. The loss of Perez, a guy pitching about 8 innings per month, will not be felt as long as Jeff Lunhow continues to excel in his position as VP of Amateur Scouting and Player Development.
Mark DeRosa is not the second coming. He will not be able to solve the Cardinals offensive woes alone. The Cardinals need to get help from the guys currently on the roster, specifically the painfully bad Chris Duncan and Rick Ankiel. Fortunately, it appears that Ryan Ludwick is starting to get his hitting-eye back and has been taking much better at-bats this week. I still think Luddy will eventually become the cleanup hitter the Cards are looking for.
DeRosa’s wrist injury is a major cause for concern, but if he returns soon, as the Cardinals project, his addition is a major coup orchestrated by Mozeliak and Dewitt. The Cards have struck first! It’s your move Milwaukee and Chicago.
It has never felt so good to be so wrong.
Extra Innings:
-It’s a good sign that Lohse threw 79 pitches in his rehab start Thursday night. The rotation desperately needs him back.
-The Cards scored 5 runs in a game where Pujols had 0 hits and 0 RBI on Thursday night. A productive Luddy in the cleanup spot would be huge going forward.
-Ryan Franklin deserves to be an All-Star.
Pete Eichholz plays sportswriter on Thursday nights; you can read him here on Fridays
slippery11pete@yahoo.com