St. Louis Cardinals Hot Stove: Trading the kids

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Who’s ready for some more St. Louis Cardinals’ hot stove talk? Ok, so as you may know some of us writers are apart of a bit of “union” called United Cardinals Bloggers, this more of an alliance than anything. Right now, we are discussing different options that the team could do this season in relation to free agency or trades.

The topic at hand today; trading Stephen Piscotty or Randal Grichuk. As a fan who pays a great deal of attention to the minor league system, the front office, and other teams around the league, this frustrates me a great deal. The thought process is that the Cardinals could package one of these guys and go after a guy like Chris Archer or Chris Sale.

Looking at the numbers and looking at what they meant to the club it is easy to see why the team would want to hang on to these two. The team has at least five more years of control on both of these players, they are going to be around a while and they make next to nothing. This saves the club money for extensions to players like Carlos Martinez.

While I wouldn’t mind the Cardinals bringing in one starting pitcher if they aren’t sold on Lackey or Garcia, it simply won’t happen. The comments from Mozeliak after the season ended, assured us that the team knows that pitching is their position of strength and that the offense needed addressed. He also stated that the team’s next prized pitching prospect, Alexander Reyes potentially could play a role at some point in the season. 

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For perspective, the Cubs didn’t go and make a trade for a third baseman last winter. They knew that their top prospect (Kris Bryant) was on his way up and would stake a claim to that spot soon, they weren’t going to go and acquire someone to block him. The Cardinals aren’t going to turn around and do the same thing to their top prospect.

The team values their farm system about as much or more than any other team in the league aside from maybe the Oakland Athletics. The only way I see this team making any kind of big splashy deal this offseason is if they fail to sign Jason Heyward, which I hope doesn’t happen.

In the same respect, you have two teams in the White Sox and Tampa Bay who have a team to build as well and both teams with a simple move here or there could be contenders next season. Do you really think that a small package around Piscotty or Grichuk would convince either of these teams to give up their cost controlled aces? Neither, do I.

With this team needing offense, needing funds to sign other players, and having a farm system that is stacked in pitching prospects and continues to get deeper. Randal Grichuk and Stephen Piscotty are not going anywhere.

Next: Hot Stove: Could the Cardinals trade Lance Lynn?

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