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St. Louis Cardinals: 5 Tempting Non-Tendered Free Agents
The St. Louis Cardinals aren’t above slumming it in the newly refreshed crop of non-tendered free-agents. Every now and then, even the best teams find a gem.
In the wake of yesterday’s non-tender deadline, a new crop of players have become available to the St. Louis Cardinals and every other Major League team. There are reasons these players weren’t offered contracts, but that doesn’t mean another team shouldn’t bet on them.
If you take a look at last year’s list of non-tenders, the names are pretty underwhelming. Only Justin Smoak made any kind of impact on a playoff-bound team, and it’s pretty easy to make the argument that the Toronto Blue Jays would have been just fine without him. But two winters ago, the Miami Marlins let right-handed reliever Ryan Webb walk, and he wound up being an important bullpen cog for the surprising Baltimore Orioles in 2014.
The New York Mets made an even bigger gaff (shocker) at the 2013 non-tender deadline by letting go of infielder Justin Turner, who has been a low-budget revelation for the big-budget Los Angeles Dodgers since then. Last year, the righthand-hitting Turner slugged 16 homers and drove in 60 for big blue, nearly hitting .300 on the year.
The most recent non-tendered free agents include 5 names that stand out for the St. Louis Cardinals. Each one can fill a hole on the roster. The question is, should they?
Next: Henderson Alvarez, RHP
Henderson Alvarez, RHP
Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
The biggest surprise from yesterday was the Miami Marlins’ decision to cast off Henderson Alvarez, their one-time All-Star pitcher — and Opening Day starter last year. The Venezuelan right-hander was expected to earn about $4 million in arbitration this year, but lately he’s been spending a lot of time doing this (see photo). Alvarez had season-ending shoulder surgery in May after making just four starts.
The Marlins must think Alvarez’ recovery will linger well into 2016, or else they would have kept him. So if the St. Louis Cardinals make a bid — and they should because he’ll be 26 in April — they can count on him missing at least the first month of the season. Maybe more. But then? Then there is the potential of 2014 Alvarez, who finished 12-7 with a 2.65 ERA in 30 starts, the last of which was a no-no.
If John Mozeliak was willing to pay David Price a truckload of money for a lot of years, he should be comfortable going after a younger pitcher with upside.
Next: Pedro Alvarez
Pedro Alvarez
Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Another surprise for the St. Louis Cardinals and everyone else in baseball was the Pittsburgh Pirates’ release of first baseman Pedro Alvarez. But really, I think this is more about his history with the organization than anything else. Alvarez was a 1st-round pick of the Pirates (and the 2nd overall pick) back in 2008, making his big league debut with the club in 2010. Three years later, he led the Majors with 36 bombs (and 186 Ks, BTW), made the All-Star Team and helped the Pirates rise from the ashes. In the meantime, fans started showing up at PNC Park wearing fake Alvarez Amish beards in his honor.
Now, no more. Alvarez didn’t really fit with the team’s defense- and metrics-focused approach to the game. It was all or nothing with Alvarez (his career average is .236) and his hands are made of stone. Unable to hack the hot corner (27 errors in 2012 and again in 2013), the Bucs last year moved him to first base, where he made 23 more miscues.
I’m praying the St. Louis Cardinals don’t make a run at him. Pedro Alvarez will be next season’s version of 2015’s Kendrys Morales, going to the American League where he doesn’t have to worry about his D.
Next: Ike Davis, 1B
Ike Davis, 1B
Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Like Pedro Alvarez, Ike Davis jumped into pro ball out of college as a first-round draft pick in 2008 made his big league debut two years later. That’s fast, even for a relatively accomplished college hitter like those two were. Maybe their non-tendered status this year is an indication they were rushed to the bigs a little too quickly.
Davis took his original club, the New York Mets, by storm in his third year, swatting 32 homers and driving in 90 runs in 2012. He hasn’t hit more than 11 in a season since, while his batting average lingers comfortably below .250 every year. Last season, he had hip surgery in August, cutting short his one and only season with the Oakland Athletics. The highlight for him was pitching two innings of scoreless relief against the Baltimore Orioles on August 16 (see photo).
Davis will be 29 in March, but his career looks as if it’s been over for at least a year or two. I’d love to make a case for him with the St. Louis Cardinals, but I can’t. The team would be just as well off reacquiring Mark Reynolds. And I have a pretty good idea of how Cardinals Nation feels about him.
Chris Carter, 1B
Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Wouldn’t it be great if the St. Louis Cardinals could sign a player from the Houston Astros on the cheap and watch that player blossom as he never had before? Enter new Jeff Luhnow castoff Chris Carter. Houston Chronicle Astros beat writer Evan Drellich reported on Carter’s release earlier in the week, giving the St. Louis Cardinals and other potential suitors guidelines on getting more out of him:
Carter’s best value lies in everyday at-bats, which the Astros stopped giving him for most of the second half in 2015 — until he went off at the end. He hit .333 with .400 on-base percentage, .822 slugging percentage and six home runs from September through the end of the regular season.
The 6-4, 250-lb. Carter provides a nice, big target at first base, and he made improvements in his work around the bag last year. But while he isn’t the defensive liability Alvarez is, Carter is more strikeout prone. And if he’s not hitting long balls, he’s making outs. In 2001 career plate appearances, his career batting average is .217.
Here’s the thing, though. Carter’s powerful stroke is nice and easy. It’s not like he’s throwing himself off balance to yank the ball out of the park. He seems as if he doesn’t make adjustments within at bats to be able to hit breaking balls and pitches on the inner half.
Maybe a season with John Mabry and Bill Mueller can help fix that. Maybe Carter can learn something from watching another big and powerful hitter, Matt Holliday, take at-bats every day. It feels as if it’s something worth exploring.
Next: Yusmeiro Petit, RHP
Yusmeiro Petit, RHP
Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Why the San Francisco Giants did not offer right-handed setup man Yusmeiro Petit a contract yesterday is a bit of a mystery to me. In four seasons by the bay, the one-time New York Mets prospect has posted a 3.66 ERA, 8.8 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in 245 2/3 innings of work. What makes those numbers more impressive is the irregularity of the work he got. Sometimes he’d make a spot start (once coming close to a no-hitter even). Sometimes he’d be asked to come in and salvage a starter’s short outing. Sometimes he’d sit for a week without seeing any action.
Ask any relief pitcher on earth about their success, and they’ll include regular work as at least one reason. Petit never got that, and yet the 31-year-old Venezuelan still shined. He would be a bigger boost to the St. Louis Cardinals bullpen than most fans realize. He’s a stabilizer. He takes the pressure off everyone from starters to other relievers to his manager simply because he can handle just about any situation. What team (other than the Giants) couldn’t use an asset like that?
Next: Are the Pirates the New St. Louis Cardinals?
Please, St. Louis Cardinals. Sign him before the Chicago Cubs or Pittsburgh Pirates do.