As a Cardinals fan, this is the time to think about next year. We are all gearing up for next season, debating, wishing and waiting to see what exactly the Cardinals do in the hot stove league. As we wait for the free agency period to begin, I have a few wishes for the Cardinals next season.
Bring Matt Holliday back, and get him a bigger glove. We all know by now the Cards were a better team with Mr. Holliday on the squad. He provides Albert Pujols with the required protection for Albert to excel. Even if Holliday were to enter a slump, his reputation alone would force pitchers to respect him. This is not going to be a cheap move. Holliday is the premiere free agent of the ’09 class, and his agent has been running the hype machine for weeks. Big markets will be calling, and the Cards need to do their best to match.
Bring Mark DeRosa back. While, as Cards fans, we didn’t get to see the best that DeRosa has to offer, he is still a good player. He’s a valuable commodity, not many players can play as many defensive positions as him. He provides valuable insurance in case the Cards cannot resign Matt Holliday. DeRosa could be the everyday left fielder, or Skip Schumaker could go back to the outfield and DeRosa could play second. DeRosa could also play third as the Cardinals try to break David Freese in at the position. TLR loves lineup flexibility and no one provides that quite like DeRosa.
Let Dickie Ankiel go. For those of you who read TLR’s book, Three Nights In August, you realize that TLR blames himself for the demise of Rick’s pitching career. TLR is too close to Mr. Ankiel, and I believe Rick benefits from this with undeserving starts. It’s time for the Colby Rasmus era to begin in center field. Colby needs to play everyday, and I fear that if Rick is on the roster, TLR will be committed to playing him and take starts away from Rasmus. This move would be addition by subtraction, very similar to the Chris Duncan trade. There is one situation where I could rationalize bringing Rick back: If you have no one else to play left field. If Holliday, and DeRosa both leave and other free agents sign elsewhere, then bring Rick back. Kind of like picking up the fat chick at the end of the night because getting laid is better that not getting laid at all. Once the ugly lights come on, Rick is not something I still want to see in the outfield.
Let Pineiro go. This one pains me to say. As good as he was last year, the Cardinals have a crap load of money tied up in the starting rotation for next year. I don’t think the Cardinals will be able to afford what Pineiro will get on the open market. This is the classic “it’s not you, it’s me” breakup.
Get a freaking closer already. Ryan Franklin was lights out for the first half of 2009 as the closer, and then he fell apart. I do not believe that Franklin at this point in his career has the stamina to be the everyday closer for an entire season. If you listened to the ITD Morning After yesterday or read From the Desk of Tim McKernan this morning, you know that Cards pitching coach Dave Duncan agrees. Duncan did not exactly give a vote of confidence for Mr. Franklin. If you want to win the big games, you need a shut down closer. Franklin was that guy for part of the ’09 season, but I don’t think he will be that guy for a whole year.
For some this can be the most exciting part of the year. It is fun to watch a team being put together. These are just a few things I would do if I were the Cards GM this off-season. It will be very interesting to see if the latest edition of the “hometown discount” theory works with Matt Holliday. We will know the outcome very soon.