Join baseball writer Derrick Goold for his live Cardinals chat from the Winter Meetings
Bring your Cards questions and comments to Monday’s 11 a.m. live chat.
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Yes. The Cardinals will explore extensions in spring. It makes sense for one to be discussed with Mikolas. They've done it before. They're a good fit. Both sides like how they mesh. Etc. Etc. I'm eager to see if the Cardinals do something with Montgomery, and where they see him as part of their future. As mentioned a few times already in this chat, they are high on his ceiling, on his contribution, but are they high on his multi-year fit with them? That's a question I'm not sure they even have an answer for right now, but they're going to be thinking about it as the spring arrives and certainly as that season unfolds.
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Outside of Jose Quintana, they just really haven't been in the mix for starters. That's what they're telling agents, so take it for what it's worth. Quintana would like a reunion, and it's not the Cardinals style to reject interest from a pitcher, so that's where things stand at the moment.
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They can be. And that brings us to the first pause. I've got to relocate, and check in on something. Running a bit behind on a commitment, but that's how it goes here. Hopping from phone call to chat to phone call ... And now I need to move. So please give me a few minutes. Thank you for your patience.
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Nope. Nothing that hasn't been reported already in the Post-Dispatch over the past few weeks, and I trust he and others have read. If his report refuted it, let me know. If his report repeated what's already been reported, then please take note, if you care:
Hot Stove ignites with return of MLB Winter Meetings; Cardinals seek their first spark
STLtoday.comFor the first time in three years, front offices, agents, and media will gather for the Winter Meetings, and the Cardinals have significant shopping yet to do.and:
As MLB rules shift, star shortstops hit free agency. Enticing? Cardinals have short answer.
STLtoday.comConsensus among baseball execs is that banning shifts will put premium on middle-infield defense at a time when "generational" talents are available. -
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They are remaining in contact with agents for shortstops and they'll continue to see how that market develops. If there's a move (mostly in commitment of years, honestly) that they like, they'll jump in more aggressively. As of last night, I was told the same thing that we've been reporting at the Post-Dispatch for a few weeks: They're going to have talks with/about the available shortstops.I do know that a few of the reps for the shortstops would like the Cardinals to be involved, or would like to use the Cardinals as an "involved" team to prompt moves elsewhere. That stuff happens, as you know. So, it's always important to know where you get your info.
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Agreed on Turner. One way to "protect" leading hitters is for the Cardinals to put someone on base ahead of Goldschmidt and Arenado so that there's no where to put them and damage suddenly becomes a rally/crooked number. That is where Turner would be a solid fit. Bogaerts is a superb hitter and would increase the Cardinals' offensive depth. Correa would also fit that description. A shortstop who can hit second for a contending lineup would be the "protection."
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I did not put them there because I stuck with the catchers that the Post-Dispatch had reported the Cardinals had some contact/interest/possibility of getting. I went with the names I have put in the paper because I could confirm them. That was the thinking. Not speculating other options. They'll be plenty of that elsewhere.
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It didn't inspire them to be last year. I want to say yes because it continues to be vexing why the Cardinals aren't more involved in two consecutive years of standout talent at shortstop, but there they are, adopting that stance, and it's hard to suggest that left-handed would change their view much.If they go two consecutive years without being much a player/bidder in the shortstop market, it is something the fans should always recall. Truly.
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I have a hard time reconciling the stance that you don't think much of a player but think another team would totally jump to trade for him. Teams invest a lot of money in trying to identify talent for trades, and it's rare -- not saying it doesn't happen, but it's rare -- that a team would make a trade for a player thinking, well, huh, this guy isn't all that special, but maybe, shrug, there's something.With Nootbaar, few players in the majors have done more to heighten interest in them. Seriously. He went from being demoted to Memphis to being coveted by other teams in just a few months -- and the Cardinals aren't exactly eager to trade him, let's be clear.So, why is that?Well, it's the combination of things that Nootbaar did in the second half of the season. He was among the leaders in OBP and that put him high up there for OPS with a solid slugging percentage. His slash line was .240/.366/.480. You'll notice that the OBP is well above his batting average and he got there with an elite walk rate. How elite? Well, his 16.7% walk rate in the second half of the season ranked fourth in the majors. Here were the players ahead of him:1. Aaron Judge2. Juan Soto3. Adley Rutschman4. Lars5. Josh BellAnother way to look at the spot Nootbaar put himself is consider the statistics wRC+, that is weight Runs Created +. It takes into account factors such as ballpark and compares hitters against their peers with 100 being the average. Nootbaar had a 140 wRC+, according to FanGraphs. Here were the other outfielders around that production:Michael Harris II -- 144George Springer -- 138Mookie Betts -- 146and Sean Murphy -- 140Nolan Arenado had a second half wRC+ of 154 and Goldschmidt had a 168 wRC+.That's the performance that has evaluators eyes.
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