St. Louis Cardinals: How the Rest of the Central Is Doing

Pittsburgh Pirates

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The St. Louis Cardinals will know nothing about the Pittsburgh Pirates, really, until the season opens, because the Bucs brain trust either does nothing or waits until the last minute to add players at bargain basement rates.

When GM Neil Huntington signed left-handed starter Francisco Liriano back in 2013, for instance, pitchers and catchers were on the verge of reporting. Huntington also has a knack for making the under-the-radar trade that pays off big later on. His trades for utility infielder Sean Rodriguez and catcher Francisco Cervelli last winter turned out to really help them reach the postseason again.

This tells you all you need to know about the Pirates. The biggest buzz about them heading into the Winter Meetings in a few weeks is about which minor leaguers they’ll add to the 40-man to protect them from the Rule-5 draft. Scintillating.

Here’s something, though. They are listening on offers for every player they have who’s a year away from free agency. That includes cement-gloved power hitter Pedro Alvarez, hometown boy Neil Walker, closer Mark Melancon, and Cervelli. MLBTradeRumors.com says they’re trying to sign Cervelli to a multi-year deal. Everyone else, however, is fair game for the right offer (translation: prospects).

Next: Milwaukee Brewers

Milwaukee Brewers

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The St. Louis Cardinals have no need to worry about competition for free agents from Milwaukee. Oh, the Brewers will be big players alright — at the Rule-5 draft (rim shot, please.) The Brewers have the look of a team that will fight it out with the Reds for rights to the division basement.

New GM David Stearns, formerly an assistant GM with those alleged database hackers in Houston, has already jettisoned deadweight off the 40-man roster to make room for new Rule-5 picks. Logic and a look at the depth charts tell us he’s on the lookout for a center fielder and third baseman.

History tells us he just might find a star, some accomplished minor leaguer buried deep behind flashier players in an other system. Hall-of-Famer and Pirate icon Roberto Clemente was a Rule-5 pick back in 1954, after all. So was Josh Hamilton back in 2006. It can happen.

Next: Cincinnati Reds

Cincinnati Reds

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St. Louis Cardinals fans should show a little empathy toward Uncle Walt. He’s hamstrung by a hypercompetitive owner with a limited budget. As a result, the Cincinnati Reds held onto players longer than they should have, and now they’re stuck with a disappointing big league team and middling farm system.

All the noise the Reds are making this winter so far has been about dealing key players. Namely their closer, the Cuban Missile, Aroldis Chapman. As you know, I champion any idea of trading a closer when his value is highest. Hence my steady suggestion to move Rosenthal before he has a mental breakdown or something.

I figured Uncle Walt screwed himself by not unloading Chapman at the deadline. I thought the same thing about the San Diego Padres, too, but look at that fantastic load of prospects they got back for Craig Kimbrel. Goodness. Along that same vein of me being wrong is Chapman, whose value hasn’t diminished since July.

There was also scuttlebutt about the Reds dumping second baseman Brandon Phillips onto the Arizona Diamondbacks for the even more moribund Aaron Hill. But there’s been no further talk of that since Ken Rosenthal wrote about it on Wednesday.

The rumors and reports indicate one thing. The Reds are in transition and are looking for young talent to keep fans from going nuts for the next few years.

Do you know what would be really great, though? If the Reds were willing to unload their financial albatross, first baseman Joey Votto, onto the more than-grateful and recently flush St. Louis Cardinals. Dare to dream.

Next: Chicago Cubs

Chicago Cubs

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CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman and just about every other baseball writer on the planet has painted a worse-case-scenario picture for St. Louis Cardinals fans. The Chicago Cubs will be big spenders this offseason, improving what is already a very strong club in 2016.

Really, the only player of note they’ve lost is starting center fielder Dexter Fowler. But the Cubs have already been linked to Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley, who Boston drafted while Cubs GM Jed Hoyer and team president Theo Epstein were there.

But the big-ticket items for Chicago are expected to be pitchers. They obviously have ties to free agent righthander Jeff Samardzija. David Price and Jordan Zimmerman have also been linked to the Cubs by multiple reporters speculating on the matter.

Next: The Case Against Chris Davis

No one knows for sure who the Cubs’ big additions will be, but the prevailing opinion is that they will be big. And that the St. Louis Cardinals will have their hands full in 2016 and beyond.