St. Louis Cardinals: 5 Tempting Non-Tendered Free Agents

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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.