[情報] Cardinals may find pictures too pricy

看板Cardinals作者azure0920 (WS Champ STL Cardinals)時間19年前 (2006/12/04 11:25)推噓0(0推 0噓 0→)

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Cardinals may find pitchers too pricey By Joe Strauss ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH 12/03/2006 LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. — The Cardinals arrive at Disney World on Sunday afternoon. The first ride they'll find is the free agent pitching loop-de-loop. Potentially central players in an overheated marketplace, the defending World Series champions hope to leave the suburban Orlando resort with more than a lousy T-shirt. Looking at his rotation as at least half-full, general manager Walt Jocketty characterizes the club as "much farther along" in addressing its postseason needs than when the club arrived at last December's Dallas meetings. Looking at the rotation as half-empty, Jocketty acknowledges a market that has "skyrocketed" for starting pitching, leaving the Cardinals to decide whether to engage in a bidding war for a marquee name such as Jason Schmidt or to forage for less pricey talent. With a lineup and bullpen virtually set barring trade, the Cardinals still need at least one more arm to place beside Chris Carpenter, Anthony Reyes, Kip Wells and possibly Adam Wainwright. A market that one agent promised Saturday is "only going to escalate" this week has left the Cardinals as uncomfortable participants. An alternative may be turning away from top names, including their own Jeff Suppan, and pursuing value elsewhere among a so-called second tier. The Cardinals also have discussed moving away from a frenzied market that last week awarded oft-injured Adam Eaton a three-year, $24.5 million contract. General partner Bill DeWitt recently noted reluctance to move beyond a three-year framework for any starter, something that scratched lefthander Barry Zito from the Cardinals' wish list. Though open to the possibility that payroll may touch $100 million for the first time, DeWitt cited the potential for "creativity" in fleshing out the rotation. Organizational sources define DeWitt's term as a possible preference for trading for rather than signing pitchers, given an overheated climate. Jocketty has discussed the availability of the Colorado Rockies' Jason Jennings with his Rockies counterpart, Dan O'Dowd. The Rockies and Chicago White Sox are considered teams most likely to deal pitching at the meetings, while the Florida Marlins may again be tempted to part with ace Dontrelle Willis. The Cardinals and Rockies share history. They completed a trade last December that sent reliever Ray King to Colorado for second baseman Aaron Miles and since-released left fielder Larry Bigbie. Jocketty also dealt with O'Dowd in August 2004 when the Cardinals acquired right fielder Larry Walker. Momentum for a Jennings deal has apparently slowed, but the Cardinals remain interested in starting pitchers who may be entering their last season before free agency. The Cardinals apparently are open to making right fielder Juan Encarnacion available for trade. Encarnacion is due $10 million the next two seasons after signing as a free agent last December. The club is less inclined to part with Chris Duncan, who hit 22 home runs in 280 at-bats as a rookie. Jocketty virtually set his lineup by signing second baseman Adam Kennedy on Tuesday while landing Wells for one season without an option for 2008. Regarding Kennedy, Jocketty said, "This was a guy who wanted to come here. In Wells' case, we got a guy everyone agrees will be very good if he stays healthy." The Cardinals have yet to tender an offer for Schmidt but plan to get involved this week. They also intend to meet with agent Scott Boras about their own free-agent pitcher, Jeff Weaver. Jocketty on Friday stated a belief that the Cardinals had a better chance of retaining free-agent lefthander Mark Mulder than NLCS Most Valuable Player Suppan. Suppan is rated a "Type A" free agent; Mulder is coming off shoulder surgery on Sept. 12 and can be had for a shorter length of contract at a reduced price. The club tendered Suppan a three-year offer last month, according to a source, but the annual average value did not approach the $8 million going rate for No. 3 starters in this market. The same factors that may make Mulder a greater possibility for the Cardinals have made him a target for a significant number of other teams, the New York Mets included. Mulder, a Scottsdale, Ariz., resident, visited with the Arizona Diamondbacks last week. The Diamondbacks' prohibition against incentives may work in their favor as they may offer a larger base salary to a pitcher not expected to return from rotator cuff surgery until July. Mulder is set to be married this month. The Cardinals may explore less costly options, including free agents Miguel Batista or Vicente Padilla, who were offered arbitration by the Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers, respectively, Friday night. Batista, who turns 36 in February, will probably fit within the Cardinals' desire for a shorter-term deal. The righthander earned $4.75 million last season while going 11-8 with a 4.58 ERA. He also offers unusual versatility, as the Toronto Blue Jays employed him as their closer in 2005. In 2003, 2004 and 2006, Batista averaged 199 innings while defining himself as a groundball pitcher. Command has proven a greater challenge. Batista walked 180 against 214 strikeouts in his last two seasons as a starter. Pitching coach Dave Duncan already looks forward to rewiring one new addition; Wells led the National League with 99 walks in 2005. Padilla, 29, earned $4.4 million last season, his first in the American League. A former All-Star with the Philadelphia Phillies, he has made at least 32 starts and pitched a minimum 200 innings three of the last five seasons, including this year, when he went 15-10 with a 4.50 ERA for the rudderless Rangers. A noted groundball pitcher earlier in his career, Padilla has changed tendencies in recent years. In his three 200-inning seasons, Padilla is 43-33 despite failing to pitch for a playoff team. The Rangers hope to retain him after losing Eaton and Wells to the Phillies and Cardinals. -- 出國就是為了回國入團就是為了脫團 (煙~) -- ※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 165.134.202.106