Ken Rosenthal Proposes Trade Option To Fill SS Hole From Way Out In Left Field

Ken Rosenthal has officially gone off and dove into the deep end of the pool with his recent trade article involving the Cardinals. His trade proposal this morning wherein the Cardinals would receive Troy Tulowitzki, and some salary relief, for a package of Allen Craig, Trevor Rosenthal, and Shelby Miller was ludicrous to say the least.

Yes, the Cardinals are in the market for a SS. Everyone knows it, and Mozeliak is going to address it this offseason, but like this?

Oct 28, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Allen Craig (21) plays first base against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning of game five of the MLB baseball World Series at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

No, they will not be trading a guy that just finished with the 3^rd  best average in the last 40 years when batting with runners in scoring position that is under a highly club advantageous contract until 2017, or 2018 if they choose to assume his option. Nor will they be actively looking to move a 15 game winner that isn’t even arbitration eligible until 2016, and won’t see free agency until 2019, or the recently named closer heading into next season that’s under the same club control as the 15 game winner.

Despite all of their accomplishments in Cardinal red, it’s always possible one of them could be traded, but it is laughable to think that all 3 would be packaged together and sent off in the same trade for 1 injury prone SS that has had a ton of trouble staying healthy in recent years. I get where he is coming from if the point of the piece is to insinuate that the Rockies have to listen if the Cards approach them with an insane package like that, as they very well should, but he should get that such an approach will NEVER be taken by Cardinals management. They didn’t get where they are today by doing anything even remotely in this realm of thought.

If a trade is the route they choose to go, it’s far more likely that the Cardinals are going to be kicking the tires in Texas to see if a match could be made for either Elvis Andrus, or Jurickson Profar, and it’s also entirely possible that Starlin Castro could be on the Cardinals wish list. That said, it’s also just as likely the Cardinals brass decides to pony up some of their freed up coin and buy a free agent like Jhonny Peralta or Stephen Drew instead of parting with premium talent for a fix.

One thing is certain: This road is going to end with a new starting SS for the Birds on the Bat when next season starts. Where the merry go round stops spinning is anyone’s guess, but guesses like Ken Rosenthal’s above shouldn’t ever see the light of day.

With this national media salvo fired this morning it’s very safe to say that silly season has started. Perhaps it’s time for Rosenthal to loosen the bow tie and let some blood flow back into his brain before he swims any deeper into the abyss.

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