St. Louis Cardinals Set To Make Non-Tender Decisions

By midnight EST tonight, MLB teams will need to make their decisions on non-tender players. The St. Louis Cardinals will have to make decisions with four players on whether to offer them a contract for 2012. The players are Kyle McClellan, Jason Motte, Skip Schumaker and Ryan Theriot. Players tendered a contract will go to arbitration to determine next season’s salary or will reach an agreement with the Cardinals ahead of time.

According to MLB Trade Rumors, the anticipated salaries for each player is as follows; McClellan ($2.7MM), Motte ($1.7MM), Schumaker ($3.1MM) and Theriot ($3.9MM). Of the four, Jason Motte is a certainty to return. Motte is entering his first year of arbitration eligibility so his price tag will obviously increase, but he will be incredibly valuable based on his presumed importance with the club especially when we consider what closers have been paid this season as free agents.

A case could be made to keep Schumaker. Schumaker adds depth to the outfield and can backup second base. His familiarity with the club is a major benefit when filling a “super” utility role. Schumaker fits that description and will not break the bank. Derrick Goold tweets that Schumaker could be offered a two-year deal ahead of the deadline.

Keeping McClellan would have more to do with getting something for him in return on the trade market. Once a player is non-tendered they become free agents and the team does not receive compensation in return. McClellan could be tendered a contract and then be moved by the Cardinals to a team looking for a starter which is McClellan’s preference. McClellan enters his second year of arbitration eligibility so while he comes cheap it, would be nice to net a return from him if the Cards have no intentions of using his services in 2012.

It is doubtful that Theriot is tendered a contract due to his anticipated salary for next season. Jon Heyman tweeted on Saturday that the Houston Astros may have an interest in Theriot.

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