Archive for the “July 31st trade deadline” Category

I’m not sure if I’ll be around when the news or non-news hits at the trade deadline, so here’s a place to discuss all things trade deadline concerning the Cardinals. I’m not expecting much.

UDPATE 3:00 PM *crickets chirping* Looks like the farm system stays intact, but I’m sure it takes a little time to get the news out.

God bless Liam for creating the Bernie Button, it’s a handy tool to get right to Bernie Miklasz’s internet posts without having to see the psychotic flamewars and endless trade “Duncan, Boggs and Ryan for Matt Holliday” threads that make up the P-D forums. For what it’s worth, the other day Bernie called Chris Perez “Reyes II” and said they are trying to turn him into a sinker/slider pitcher. Ugh.

First of all, he is a slider pitcher. Or at least he is when he’s right. Secondly, I had no idea he was being told to throw the sinker but…um…why? I have no qualms about having him try to throw lower in the zone, but when you throw 95 you can get away with throwing a pitch up on occasion. I tried to find data on Perez’s splits in different parts of the zone and found no success, (not sure what it would’ve been worth, anyhow) but I do remember that at times his FB would get a little too true at times, so he can’t just fling the ball up in the zone all the time, but I don’t seem to recall him doing that.

I’m continually baffled that minor league pitching coordinator Brent Strom preaches that pitchers should “be themselves”, while Duncan has to fix everyone by making them a sinker-ball pitcher. The whole org doesn’t seem to be on the same page, to put it lightly. But I’m not here really to discuss that; I would like to just ask you all: Should the Cardinals trade Perez? Because if he’s not their cup of tea I’d hate to see him be monkeyed with and correspondingly lose his value as a ballplayer.

Even without being monkeyed with, I for one am not thoroughly sold he’s the closer of the team’s future; it seems we have seen a lot of these college closers with shaky control problems settle in as middle inning guys-David Aardsma, Joey Devine, Royce Ring, Ryan Wagner, Craig Hansen, heck, even Braden Looper to an extent. The jury is still out Devine and Hansen, but their outlook isn’t as bright as it was when they were drafted. Chad Cordero and Huston Street have proved to be the exception and not the rule, so I found this past draft to be pretty screwy with the landrush on relief pitchers.

I think Perez is a heck of a bullpen arm, don’t misunderstand me. He’s easily a top 3-5 prospect and has more upside than any pitcher in the system. I’d like to see the Cards exercise some patience and help him develop. But if Duncan is the one developing him and feels he just has to reinvent him, then I’d rather see him traded while his value is high. My heart can’t take another Anthony Reyes saga.

lboros already tackled this subject at VEB, but here is my case for why the Cardinals should be sellers-

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