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St. Louis Cardinals Sign 2 Free Agents, 1 with Big Potential
Sep 27, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Minnesota Twins catcher
(26) slides in safe at home ahead of the throw to Detroit Tigers catcher
(13) in the fifth inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
As the St. Louis Cardinals and their fanbase (me included) remain on #HeywardWatch, general manager John Mozeliak has quietly begun to reshape the 2016 squad with a couple of minor league moves. This week, he signed catcher Eric Fryer and reliever Juan Gonzalez and invited them to big league camp.
One of those guys could pay off big.
Most of the baseball world, however, was distracted yesterday by the Atlanta Braves’ baffling trade of shortstop Andrelton Simmons to the Los Angeles Angels. But Mozeliak won’t be able to stay out of the headlines for long. Not with reporters egging him on to spend big on the free agency market.
I will be as happy as everyone else in Cardinal Nation if the St. Louis Cardinals sign David Price or Zack Greinke or Jordan Zimmerman. But I also have a great appreciation for the off-the-radar move that pays off later on. Think of the Blue Jays picking up Edwin Encarnacion five Decembers ago.
Here’s hoping one of these two new Cardinals can make half as big of an impact.
Next: Eric Fryer
Eric Fryer
Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
The 30-year-old Ohio native, who hales from St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny‘s hometown of Reynoldsburg just outside of Columbus, gives the organization more catching depth. And that’s a good thing given Yadier Molina‘s advancing age. The future Hall-of-Famer is still just 33, but catchers are like dogs. They age faster than the rest of us do.
With his move to the St. Louis Cardinals, Fryer wins an opportunity to take over as Molina’s back-up. Don’t hold your breath. Since the Milwaukee Brewers drafted him out of Ohio State in the 10th round in 2007, the 6-2, 240-lb. backstop has hit just .243 with 40 homers over nine minor league seasons. His best with the bat was his first full year in pro ball, when he hit .335 at the low-A level in 2008. Last year, he hit .293 with a couple of homers and 19 RBI in 222 at-bats at triple-A Rochester.
Fryer has played for four other big league organizations now, including the Brewers. He spent a half season with the New York Yankees before being shipped to the Pittsburgh Pirates for reserve infielder Eric Hinske and cash in 2009. The Twins signed him to a minor league deal in 2012, and he’s been ping-ponging between triple-A and the big leagues ever since.
Although the Twins and Pirates have used him exclusively at catcher for the last two seasons, Fryer does have minor league experience at the corner outfield spots and first base.
Next: Juan Gonzalez
Juan Gonzalez
Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
The St. Louis Cardinals’ signing of righhanded reliever Juan Gonzalez is the one I’m interested in. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch‘s Derrick Goold mentioned it only briefly in his post-GM Meetings report yesterday, and countered Gonzalez’ strong numbers in 2015 by adding that the 6-2, 200-lb. Venezuelan righty had toiled in the minors for nine years.
Goold is correct, of course. Gonzalez is indeed a nine-year minor leaguer, but the righthander is still just 25 and has been young for his league almost every year he’s taken the mound.
Last year, he appeared to turn a corner. After being selected for the 2015 Futures Game, Gonzalez told NewsOK.com that his slider was the key:
“My slider, last year was very slow,” Gonzalez said. “When I threw my slider, I threw slow. When I throw a slider, I need to throw it the same as a fastball. That’s what I worked on this year.”
In the World Team’s 10-1 thrashing at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, Gonzalez faced three batters the 7th and 8th innings, striking out two and getting the other batter to ground out. Gonzalez finished 2015 with a 1.62 ERA, 51 strikeouts and 16 walks in 50 innings of relief between double- and triple-A. He ended up being the closer at triple-A Oklahoma City, where he nailed down 12 saves.
Next: The Cardinals Will Be Big Spenders This Year
St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny needs another reliever he can trust. Gonzalez looks like he has a good chance to be that guy. And maybe then some.