Comments on: Baselining Left Field

By: RunSup

RunSup — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 05:10:29 +0000

If the Cardinals go into 2010 with Craig as their starting anything, Mo failed the off season. Craig needs to win a spot on the roster first. Then fight for playing time off the bench.

Holliday prices himself out of StL, and the Cardinals happily take the compensation picks.

Vladimir Guerrerro was not offered arbitration by LAA. No loss of draft picks for signing him. You don’t have to commit long term as he is 35. He’d probably like to hit behind Albert, his countryman. Even with health concerns you still count on Vlad for 2/3rds of a good season. Craig, Jones, or whoever can back him up.

There. Quite Easily done. Next question? ;)

By: Easy

Easy — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 04:13:59 +0000

Flim Flam may have a great idea. Giles was, at one time, a coveted player for the Cardinals which probably means he was a LaRussa obsession. He has creamed right handed pitching over his career and Craig has creamed lefties in the minors. If Giles is available for cheap then I would expect this to be far preferable to the guys who manned left field before the Holliday trade. It also means we could forget paying Holliday half of Dubai’s debt over the next six years in a crippling contract. We’d get to see what Craig can do (something I’d really like) might be able to get TLR to accept giving Freese a chance at 3b (something else I’d really like since I think he’d also do far better than the suspects who manned it this year), get us a couple of draft picks and maybe allow us to sign a real closer and make a good offer to Albert. Except for the 3b part you can’t do any of that if you sign Holliday. A Giles/Craig platoon sounds mighty good to me.

By: Memphis25

Memphis25 — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:13:47 +0000

VolsnCards5, AZP for the most part is neutral but plays small on days when the humidity is low, He had a .445 SLG at home vs the .634 he had on the road, he hit 7 HR at home and 2 HR were in one game where 8 others were hit and 2 other guys had 2 HR games.

Whats going to happen to his SLG and overall line when the park goes from a Neutral to a pitchers park and the level of competition increases, and its no more flawed minor league LHP to hit and he’s facing polished major league lefties who have better stuff and control.

By: FlimtotheFlam

FlimtotheFlam — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:05:19 +0000

I have been thinking about a Brian Giles/Allen Craig platoon on the cheap. I bet we could get Giles on practically nothing. I would want to know how his knee is hurting. But I have hard time believing arguable the best RFer in baseball in 2008 became the worst one by 2009. Some bad luck and injuries mixed in.

By: VolsnCards5

VolsnCards5 — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:38:10 +0000

hmmmm…every park factor i have seen on autozone park makes it seem pretty average…not really a hitter or pitcher’s park

By: Felonius_Monk

Felonius_Monk — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:11:12 +0000

I suspect Eric Hinske taking a big chunk of PA in LF, with Craig playing every day against LHP and taking some PH/occasional starts vs RHP would put up in excess of 2 WAR. I guess that’s our “cheap option” for LF, and, to be honest, I rather like it. I can’t see Hinske costing more than $3m, and that leaves us money to add a 3B or a top SP.

By: Travis

Travis — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:34:54 +0000

Erik, Completely agree. As I said I wasn’t advocating Nady. Not sure why all the love for him exists, but we do need some veteran to help out.

I think this comes down to Pujols. They want to resign Holliday for Pujols. I wouldn’t be shocked if they make both deals before the end of the winter. Patience is hard, but I think it is worth it.

Holliday was never going to sign during the negotiation period. This is his biggest and best chance to land a huge contract. He was going to play the Yankees and Red Sox and drive up the market as much as possible. Right now he isn’t getting a lot of play. To walk away from that negotiation before it ever has a chance to succeed would be foolish.

Anyone see Goold’s article which referenced the Sox getting involved and how they could turn Bay into Holliday and land a better pick out of the deal?

By: sportsman

sportsman — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:23:50 +0000

az–hit the nail on the head. a good gm is one who can correctly evaluate incremental cost (especially if he works for dewitt). want the corvette or ferrari? the ferrari will probably get you around the track a tick faster, but that tick will cost you a bundle. that is why i worry about getting involved with holliday at all. to my mind they should have offered during the exclusive period and if he didn’t accept (he wouldn’t), then just move on. the longer he waits, the more mo will have to pay for the alternatives.

after they pulled the mid-season trigger this year, i’m not all that opposed to going with freeze, jay/craig in left, and some cash.

By: Memphis25

Memphis25 — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:02:24 +0000

VolsnCards5 he has proved he can hit in hitters parks but so does everyone else thats why they are hitters parks once he’s forced to hit real HR’s his power is going to limited and his stike outs are going to spike.

By: VolsnCards5

VolsnCards5 — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:45:46 +0000

How do you know Craig is going to be exposed? Seems to be he has proven time and again he can hit