Kolten Wong is one of the best second basemen in baseball. Given his fairly modest offensive years, he is not among the best players in baseball.
Not this year. But the labor contract is up as of Dec. 1, so I can't promise anything about next year.
I will say that Rolen, though finishing fourth, may have the best chance of those four to be elected by the writers because he has six elections remaining, compared to one for Bonds, Clemens and Schilling, if the last named is still on the ballot then.
Thank you. This will all be sorted out in the next 24 to 72 hours.
I think Arenado deferring some of his salary, if that's the way the deal goes, was one of the provisions upon which the Cardinals might have insisted.
Hard to say. I hadn't thought about that. He surely was a winner. But perhaps not long enough of a healthy career.
He did have some injury problems last year but the two sides exchange all the pertinent medical information so there are no skeletons of that type in the closet.
He had Ozuna hitting behind him for his first year and that worked out all right but this should be even more protection. Or you could hit Arenado third and Goldschmidt fourth.
So far, pending the DH resolution, Carpenter is a highly paid backup. But you have to play him two or three times a week, I would think. He could back up at first, third and (maybe) second. .
As for the final three, they likely would be at Memphis. I don't Martinez is in a deal with anyone so far because teams don't want that $11 million contract and potential headache although that is a possibility. There could be 14 pitchers in certain circumstances and I think you've named all of them, if Mikolas and Hicks are healthy. Martinez will come to camp ready, which hasn't been his modus operandi some years.
Always a chance. Any pitcher who comes in now would be on a one-year deal.
Haven't heard that but I imagine the wheels have been in motion for a while.
I can't think of one that's better. There were some good ones in the early 1980s with Hernandez, Herr, Ozzie, Oberkfell, McGee, Hendrick. And when you had Pujols, Rolen and Renteria at the same time to go with Matheny and Edmonds in 2004. The 1985 club was not strong defensively behind the plate (Darrell Porter was fading) nor at first base (Jack Clark), but it had Coleman, McGee and Van Slyke in the outfield and Pendleton at third. I always favor the clubs which have the strongest defensive catchers and 2004 and now, potentially, stand out.
Good idea but the public doesn't have much say-so on those Era committee ballots. I'm with you. The game changed when Flood took his stance. And, when he was hitting, his stance wasn't too bad either.
If he doesn't want to be on, that's fine with me. But if he remains on, he effectively has tanked his chances of election next year anyway.
DeJong has been a bargain so far. Andrew Miller's contract comes off next year, too, plus potentials for Wainwright and Molina playing their final seasons Don't know the deferred money amount in Arenado deal.
You are correct. The Rockies don't make this kind of deal in normal times. t
As good as Cardinals fans must feel, those who follow the Rockies are going to have to have extreme patience. In a four pro-sport town, the Rockies easily could sink to fourth in public esteem.
Good question but a lot would depend on how many seats you're talking about because this is team that expects to sell out in good times.
