GatewayRedbirds.com

I wasn't going to do this thread, since I find it largely unnecessary these days. You can find all this information with one simple click over at Cot's and then doing a little extra addition. However, I've seen way too many people throwing around stupid numbers (not necessarily here, but in the media as well). I just can't let it go. I know some of those guys read this forum, so hopefully this will at least get some people thinking.

How much do we have available to reach our stated $110M payroll? (italics = estimation) (I'm also not sure what the new league minimum is, so I calculated it at $400k and $450k).

1b - Berkman - $12M
2b - Descalso - $400k
SS - Furcal - $6.5M
3b - Freese - $400k
C - Yadier - $7M
RF -
CF - Jay $400k
LF - Holliday - $15M ($2M deferred)

OF4 - Craig - $400k
OF5 - Skip - $1.5M
UT -
MI - Greene - $400k
C - Cruz/Anderson - $400k

SP1 - Wainwright - $9M
SP2 - Carpenter - $10.5M ($2M per was deferred in original deal. New deal replaced old w/ no indication of deferred money)
SP3 - Garcia - $3.375
SP4 - Lohse - $12.2M
SP5 - Westbrook - $8.5M

CL - Motte - $1M
SU - Lynn - $400k
LHRP - Scrabble - $400k
LHRP - Romero - $750k
RP - Salas - $400k
RP - McClellan - $1.5M
RP - Boggs/Sanchez $400k

UPDATED 12/17/11: Total $92.85M ($93+M if the new CBA kicks league minimum up to $450k this season)


Initial Post: That's with the arbitration estimates on the high side, no deferred money included, and with the roster filled out with likely internal candidates. Now, subtract from $110. That leaves us with between $17.5 - $18M available right now to spend in multiple different ways.

So, those of you who want Beltran as long as he comes in for less than $15M you can still lock up that LHRP spot and maybe bring back Punto or another $1M UT and you'll hit budget.

More likely scenario is Beltran at $13M, Punto at $1M, Rhodes at $1M and you're under budget by $2-$2.5M. I think, if you asked me today, that's what I would do. I think I would rather have that money left over for the deadline than go after a guy like Mike Gonzalez who made $6M last year.

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Thank you.

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Everyone wants to sign Beltran and that's fine. He'd be a great addition. It's tougher to actually sign someone than talk about it and I imagine the competition for his services will grow (especially if someone like Boston jumps in). That's a scary thought considering there is no apparent alternative besides dumpster diving.

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I saw Nick Stavinoha's last major league homer and Mark Mulder's final major league pitch.

Love it. Thanks, Fat!

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Excellent thoughts. I wonder if it isn't Beltran or the trade market. Or maybe someone like Cuddyer and Gonzalez and then saving some cash for the deadline. This is a tough market to add one specific short-term/high impact piece, which is what I would prefer since I like our internal depth. Then again, it's never easy to do that. The Cards have been really good at it over the years, though, because we're such an attractive franchise to play for.

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What about Josh Willingham? I know he's a LF but he hasn't been a butcher there, model of consistency and raked pretty well in traditional pitcher's parks. He could probably come at 60-70% of the cost of Beltran too.

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Willingham is more or less a DH that fakes it enough to not take away all his value as a LF. I'm not sure how willing the team would be to move Holliday to RF(which would certainly have a negative impact on his value), but it doesn't look like he fits very well.

I addressed your thoughts on Willingham in some other thread. I don't really see it. I only like an OF'er for more than 1 year if he's a legitimate high-impact player. Basically, just Beltran. Otherwise I would look hard at 2b or something else. I don't know. I'm struggling to come up with anything that I like at all except Beltran. I like Craig as well as almost any of the other corner OF'ers available.

Would still really like to see a RH CF'er brought into the mix.

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For 1 year and like $4-5 million that would be nice. But, Beltran can at least play CF. He might not play it well anymore, but you can put him there, and not feel like Chris Duncan is out there.

Beltran really is the perfect fit here: A middle-of-the order switch hitter who can play any OF position (I probably would not want to see him more than 20x in CF) and who fits our budget. Cuddyer has a nice bat, but is a butcher in the field, and Willingham probably belongs in the AL.

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