My latest attempt to turn the Cardinals into a champion has reached the trade deadline. Simming the 2018 season up to the all-star break leaves us 15 games over .500 and in first place by 4 games over the Cubs. So these Cardinals are better than the real team at the point where Matheny was fired, and more in line with where they seem to be today. In my league, Chicago lost Jon Lester for the season early and their offense has been sluggish, but they remain 7 games over .500 and are gaining ground lately. Thus, I approached the trade deadline like a team that needs to add key pieces for a pennant drive.
I started managing the games after the all-star break, in order to get a good feel for the team. I have seen enough to be comfortable with most areas except the bench and the bullpen. Greg Holland was terrible in the closer role so I released him and swallowed his $14M salary. No one else has come forward to claim the ninth inning although the bullpen has been decent overall. Reserves Harrison Bader and Yairo Munoz are still developing in my scenario, and need to be playing every day in AAA.
So, I concluded that my biggest needs were veteran role players for the bench and bullpen upgrades to include an experienced closer. My solutions were:
1. Traded INF Greg Garcia to KC for CL Kelvin Herrera. Rebuilding KC wanted to get rid of Herrera's $8M salary, just as they did in real life. Garcia is starting at SS and batting second for KC, so they obviously like the deal so far. Herrera will not be extended but I might consider him in the offseason market.
2. Traded RHP Sam Tuivailala to CIN for LHP Wandy Peralta. I swapped a pitcher with no options for a lefty with three options that I could stash at AAA in case of injury to Cecil or Lyons. I have plenty of bullpen depth from the right side, but Sherriff was the only lefty in reserve.
3. Traded CF Oscar Mercado and minor league RP Preston Guilmet to OAK for INF Jed Lowrie. OAK wanted to dump Lowrie's $6M salary because they are mired in last place at 34-68. Lowrie is a switch-hitter and can play all infield positions, so he makes a great bench piece for the stretch drive. He is 34 and will be a free agent, so this is a short-term relationship.
4. Traded 1B Luke Voit and 2B prospect Zach Kirtley to TEX for CF Aaron Hicks. Texas claimed Hicks off waivers from the Yankees in April. The Rangers have fallen out of the race and recently changed their focus to rebuilding, so Hicks and his $3M salary are expendable. He plays all three outfield positions well and is a switch-hitter like Lowrie, making him an ideal fourth outfielder. Hicks has one year of arbitration eligibilty left, but I could decline to offer.
I chose not to trade Tommy Pham now because he has too much value to be dumped for prospects. He could be an offseason trade chip or I might just keep him through his arbitration years. Pham could replace Hicks as the fourth outfielder next season if Bader develops or I acquire a better center fielder.
Ozuna and Wacha have performed too well to accept a bargain extension now. My current strategy for them is to go to arbitration for 2019, see how they perform next year, and then give them a QO. I could still sign them as free agents and I might get a bargain if they have a draft pick attached.
Some other random notes:
- I experimented with an outfield alignment of Pham-Fowler-Ozuna left to right, but Ozuna-Pham-Fowler is clearly better defensively.
- O'Neill started hot in AAA, was brought up for a look, and promptly took the DH role away from Jose Martinez. No urge to acquire Calhoun in this version.
- Hicks was ineffective in the bullpen and was sent to AAA where he is performing well as a starter. His future might be as a rotation piece or trade chip.
- Bader looks to have more upside in this version and I plan to give him a long look before committing big money to a different center fielder.
- I plan to extend Wainwright to meet my owner goal. I hope that he will eventually accept a one-year extension or maybe one plus a vesting option.
- Fowler is one of my best players and I have no desire to trade him. He might be in right field for the rest of his contract.
- My glaring hole for next season is the left side of the infield, especially third base. Sound familiar?
Current status:
