Free Agent Filers

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haltz
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Free Agent Filers

Post by haltz »

MLB.com: 57 players file for free agency
Shysterball wrote:St. Louis: Cairo, Miguel J. (INF); Eckstein, David (SS); Percival, Troy (RP); Wells, Kip (SP)

Someone is going to fall for Eckstein's .309 average and his pedigree for scrappiness and offer him too much money. Cardinal fans had better hope it's not St. Louis, because he's not worth any more (and probably somewhat less) than the $4.5M he made last year. Percival's nice little comeback probably earned him a nice big paycheck for 2008, assuming his arm can handle a whole season. Which isn't necessarily a safe assumption.
Matthew Leach wrote:ST. LOUIS -- Free agency started in St. Louis on Monday, just as it did across baseball. With the end of the World Series, players are now able to start filing for free agency. Four Cardinals filed on Monday, headed by shortstop David Eckstein.

The Cardinals and Eckstein's agent have had some conversations, but progress has been slow at best. Eckstein, who will be 33 by Opening Day 2008, has been productive in St. Louis but also has been limited to a total of 240 games the past two years due to injuries.

Also filing on Monday were infielder Miguel Cairo and pitchers Kip Wells and Troy Percival. Wells is expected to depart, and Cairo likely won't be a high priority for the Cardinals given the preponderance of utility infielders on their roster.

Percival is a more complicated case. After a strong comeback season, he has positioned himself so that he could be considered for another club's closing job.

Teams have exclusive negotiating rights with their own free agents until Monday, Nov. 12.
It looks like the Elias rankings could possibly come out tomorrow.

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Ace
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Re: Free Agent Filers

Post by Ace »

So many starting pitchers to choose from.

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GatewaySnayke
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Re: Free Agent Filers

Post by GatewaySnayke »

Crap. Cairo is a free agent?

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Third Strike
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Re: Free Agent Filers

Post by Third Strike »

I'm gonna miss Eck... :cry:

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KyCardinalFan
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Re: Free Agent Filers

Post by KyCardinalFan »

Preponderance. Do ya think that was on his word-a-day calendar so he used it? Personally, I would've used plethora.

The Percival situation will be interesting. I wish I knew what the Cards' Plan B is if they let Eck go, now that Renteria isn't available.

Cairo, meh. Wells, see ya.

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Cole Burns
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Re: Free Agent Filers

Post by Cole Burns »

KyCardinalFan wrote:Preponderance. Do ya think that was on his word-a-day calendar so he used it?
Poor word choice. Here's what dictionary.com has to say about "Preponderance."
preponderance

noun
1. superiority in power or influence; "the preponderance of good over evil"; "the preponderance of wealth and power"
2. a superiority in numbers or amount; "a preponderance of evidence against the defendant"
3. exceeding in heaviness; having greater weight; "the least preponderance in either pan will unbalance the scale"

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cpebbles
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Re: Free Agent Filers

Post by cpebbles »

I suspect the Devil Rays will give Troy the chance to close that he desires. The only question I have is whether he is going to settle for that or go into the season waiting for a closer opening on a respectable ballclub. If he decides to wait, there's a decent chance he ends up back here because I don't really see many contending teams deciding to go that route if their closer goes down.

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KyCardinalFan
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Re: Free Agent Filers

Post by KyCardinalFan »

Cardinals.com now reports that Russell Branyan has filed for FA as well.
ST. LOUIS -- Russell Branyan became the fifth Cardinal to file for free agency on Tuesday, the second day that potential free agents could file.
St. Louis acquired Branyan from the Phillies for future considerations on Aug. 31. Eventually, the clubs settled on cash as the compensation rather than a player. Branyan went 6-for-32 (.156) with a home run, four runs, two RBIs and seven walks in 21 games as a Cardinal.

Given that St. Louis has starting third baseman Scott Rolen and backup Scott Spiezio under contract for 2008, and Aaron Miles and Brendan Ryan under team control, it is unlikely that the club will make any strong bid to retain Branyan. He was acquired after Rolen shut it down for the season due to shoulder troubles.

Teams have exclusive negotiating rights with their own free agents until Nov. 12.

Filing Monday were David Eckstein, Troy Percival, Miguel Cairo and Kip Wells. Eckstein and Percival are Type B free agents, meaning that if the Cardinals offer them arbitration and they sign elsewhere, St. Louis receives limited Draft pick compensation.

Matthew Leach is a reporter for MLB.com.

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BW23
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Re: Free Agent Filers

Post by BW23 »

Well, offering Eck arbitration is a no brainer now. It won't cause a team to not sign him because of it, and the Cards will get a decentn pick.

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haltz
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Re: Free Agent Filers

Post by haltz »

I'm really surprised that Eckstein slipped to a type B after being #7 among SS, 2B and 3B last year. Maybe Elias is factoring in UZR now (or errors). Eh, maybe not. I guess 2005 drops which gives him 240 games or so, plus whatever new players.

Schilling listed St. Louis as a possible destination on his blog today.

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