St. Louis Cardinals: Taking a Look at Former Cardinals in 2016

As we inch closer and closer to the start of the regular season, let’s take a look at what the former St. Louis Cardinals are up to.

It happens every year, a team decides to say goodbye to an aging or underperforming player and another team decides to give them a shot. There are quite a bit from last year’s team that are playing elsewhere, as well as many other former Cardinals that are preparing for life with a new team or to continue to build their legacy away from St. Louis.

To keep things from being ridiculously long, I will keep it to players from the last five years and won’t cover every single player, just the interesting ones and the ones that have caught my attention.

So, with that said, let’s take a look at our first player.

Peter Bourjos

I had almost forgotten about Peter until I happened upon this piece from MLB Trade Rumors. Bourjos was claimed off of waivers by the Philadelphia Phillies this past offseason and figures to finally get his shot to play on a consistent basis. He told MLBTR that it wasn’t the nagging hip injury that kept him from being a consistent performer during his time as a Cardinal, but instead had this to say about his performance as a Cardinal “I think it was more just being in and out of the lineup.  It was tough getting into a rhythm.”

Bourjos went on to say that was his role and that he had accepted, but stated “It’s tough coming in and facing the set-up guy or the closer in pinch hit at-bats.  It’s tough to get something going,” I agree with Bourjos and I was often scratching my head with the way Bourjos was used during his time as a Cardinal. Matter of fact I never understood the acquisition in the first place. The Cardinals at the time had a glutton of outfielders, and Bourjos was more times than not the odd man out, even before the emergence of Tommy Pham, Stephen Piscotty, and Randal Grichuk.

However, Bourjos never made the most of his opportunities, unlike his former teammate Jon Jay who often embraced the 4th/5th OF role and thrived off of the bench. Bourjos would get his opportunity and would go 0-4 with 3 K and get caught stealing because he over slid the bag.

When asked about his reaction to the Cardinals placing him on Waivers, Bourjos had this to say, “I didn’t really think I’d be back there, just because of how things played out down the stretch.  I think I had three or four starts in the second half of the year.  I didn’t really have a lot of at-bats.  You can just kind of see the writing on the wall, that they had a lot of good young outfielders coming and it probably just wasn’t going to be a good fit,” These are the most damning words Bourjos said.

Our friends at “That Ball is Outta Here” believe that Bourjos will be competing with Odubel Hererra for the center field position, but believe that ulitmately Bouros could be best suited for a corner outfield position. Regardless, with consistent play Bourjos should be better in 2016, and the Cardinals will be kicking themselves that they didn’t get a darn thing for Bourjos, who was still under team control.

Next: Memphis Mafia's Final Member

Jon Jay

Jay was a valued member of this team for a total of six seasons, he came up through the Cardinals’ system and was a key cog in the 2011 World Series team. However, Jay had overstayed his welcome on this team, and that is not his fault. He had a rough injury in 2014 that he ultimately had surgery on in the offseason, coming into the 2015 season his injury was not properly rehabbed (imagine that).

That led to him being on the opening day roster when he really should have been rehabbing the injury more, then he was put on the DL in May and the injury was still not ready to be played on and he was called up about 20 days later and immediately placed in the startling lineup. This was stupid and the organization paid for it, as Jay was put on the DL once again in July, and he missed the entire month of July and August.

Jay came back to the team in September and was given way too many opportunities to get right, while Tommy Pham who was producing at a much higher level rode the bench. It was a bad decision then and while the team got away with it, ultimately winning the division, it still is a bad decision. Jay was put on the postseason roster for seemingly no reason, but after the team’s loss to the Cubs, Jay was traded a couple months later.

Jay was tossed to the outfield lacking San Diego Padres for IF Jedd Gyorko who should figure into the Cardinals’ middle infield bench role. Jay however, should figure into being the starter for the Padres in center field, and I will expect him to be back to his normal ways. In fact he already has a couple of hits in Spring Training and the Padres expect him to be in the running for their leadoff role, a role that he played for the Cardinals at times. If his OBP is back up over .350, that will be a good spot for him, especially in that spacious ballpark.

Ultimately, while Gyorko does have the power expectation and will be with the Cardinals longer than Jay likely will be in San Diego, the Padres may get the better end of the deal. However, there is no room for Jay on this team, and it was time for him to go, as he simply isn’t better than the four options the Cardinals have in house for the outfield. Here’s to him recovering and helping the Padres out this season.

Next: The disappointment

Allen Craig

This is probably the saddest case of former Cardinals. Allen Craig simply isn’t Allen Craig anymore, and the Cardinals absolutely fleeced the the Red Sox in the deal that sent him and Joe Kelly to Boston for John Lackey and Corey Littrell. Craig has had it rough, he simply hasn’t been able to reproduce the numbers he put up for the Cardinals in 2011-2013. He hasn’t had the power he once had, and has been nothing short of a disappointment.

Craig was outrighted from the team in the fall, and not one team wanted to relieve the Red Sox of the contract. Now, off of the 40 Man Roster and not guaranteed a spot with Boston, Craig is hoping to rekindle his old self this season, and is vying for a spot as a backup to Hanley Ramirez at first base. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe has an interesting story on the situation that Craig is in.

Cafardo mentions that Craig was a beast with the Cardinals, an all-star and a prodigious run driving in machine. However, things simply haven’t been the same in Boston, as Craig has struggled since the trade and has found himself on the outside looking in on the Red Sox roster. However, he is owed a total of $20 Million the next two seasons, so the Red Sox have to see what he has got in the tank.

When asked if he thinks he can turn the corner in 2016 Craig said, “Absolutely, I can be what I’ve been,” he said. “It wasn’t that long ago. I’m trying to get ready for my season. I’m not going to put any added pressure on myself. I’d just going to do what I can do to get ready for the season, and whatever happens, happens. But when I step into the box now, I feel like I’m healthy again with my foot and my legs, and I think that’s given me the confidence to move forward and leave the past couple of years behind.” This is good to hear, as it isn’t fun to see Craig languishing away in Pawtucket.

In speaking about the frustration about being in Pawtucket, Craig told Cafardo this, “there was a lot of it, but I realized I had to move on from it and I did. I’m in a better place mentally. I’ve gone through it and I’m coming out the other side and I feel good. I’ve had people who supported me for sure and I appreciate that. Baseball is a tough game, and this whole deal feels like it’s happened so quickly. I feel healthy now, and that’s the most important thing for me as I live in the present and look ahead.”

While it is nice that the Cardinals aren’t dealing with Craig’s frustrating performance, it is unfortunate to see him struggle, and I hope he has a much better 2016 and rekindles a little of what he did for the Cardinals.

Next: The other side of the Lackey trade

Joe Kelly

The other player the Cardinals sent packing to Boston was Joe Kelly, the young pitcher who was struggling to be a consistent member of the rotation before the trade. It seemed like a no-brainer for Boston, they sent off an aging pitcher and an underwhelming pitching prospect for a young pitcher and young hitter. Kelly has less than a season and a half under his belt with Boston and has made 35 starts, with a record of 14-8 and an ERA of 4.60.

Last season, Kelly made the bold claims that he was going to contend for the AL Cy Young, this of course didn’t happen. Kelly struggled with inconsistency and injuries last season, and even made four starts in AAA last season. So, to say Kelly was not as good as he thought he would be is an understatement. This season, Kelly is figured to be in the running for the Red Sox fifth starter role.

I always thought Kelly was best served out of the bullpen than as a starter, so for the Red Sox it could be to their benefit if he does not make the starting rotation for the club, especially if he is near the Steamer projection of a 4.19 ERA as a starter. Our friends at Bo Sox Injection believe that he will ultimately lose this battle to Henry Owens, so things could be on the upswing for Kelly if he is in the bullpen.

For more on Kelly and Craig, check out my fellow editor’s piece on them here.

Next: World Series Hero Still Waiting

David Freese

Freese is a prime example of the qualifying offer system being a disservice to the players, as he is still currently without a MLB home. It was expected that Freese was going to be back with the Angels this season, but things changed when the Angels offered him the Qualifying Offer, instead of offering a fair contract to bring the third baseman back.

We all know the contributions the local boy made for the Cardinals during his career and naturally some have thought there could be a potential reunion with the Cards and Freese. However, if the Cardinals were unwilling to do away with the draft pick for the likes of Justin Upton and Chris Davis, then they definitely won’t do so for Freese.

With Freese having a decent 108 wRC+ the past two seasons you would think that someone would like to use his services at third. However, he still sits unsigned and I am not sure where Freese will land, or if he will get a job before the season starts. Freese is yet another player who should have just taken the qualifying offer, as nobody seems willing to give Freese the multi-year deal he seeks.

As one of my former favorite players, I hope he gets the call from somebody soon. It is probably agonizing for him, playing this waiting game, but that’s part of being a professional baseball player.

Next: The Wizard of Koz

Pete Kozma

Curiously Kozma was on the Cardinals’ roster all season last year, and I was extremely happy this winter when the Cardinals finally removed him from the 40 Man roster and he was subsequently claimed by the New York Yankees. Kozma was very good defensively at short and that is just about it, he wasn’t good enough for the Cardinals as the backup option and the team finally made that realization and let another team have him. He also is one of the Cardinals’ 30 worst players of all time in my opinion.

It is not even a guarantee that Kozma will make the New York roster, as he is a non roster invitee to the Yankees camp. Kozma is actually currently out with a lower back injury, that it is likely going to keep him out for a few weeks. I would not be surprised at all for Kozma to not make the Yankees roster, and to wind up either with Yankees AAA team or somewhere else.

Kozma simply doesn’t offer enough offense to be a major league shortstop as a starter or a backup, so unless a team is out of options defensively, he will likely be stuck moving back and forth from the minors to the majors. He just doesn’t offer enough to be a big league regular, but can fill in defensively if a club has enough offensive options and simply needs someone to man the shortstop position.

Next: A Knuckle Baller

Dan Johnson

If you were paying attention to the Cardinals broadcast today you heard Al Hrabosky mention that former Cardinals’ first baseman Dan Johnson will be back with the Tampa Bay Rays this season, the team he spent parts of the 2008, 2010, and 2011 seasons playing first base for. However, the Rays have not signed Johnson to be a first baseman. Instead, Johnson has signed to be a kuckleball pitcher.

Dan and Al mentioned on the telecast that often times infielders are the best at throwing the kncukleball. This is an interesting choice for the 36 year old, but it is apparently pretty serious, as the Rays have signed Charlie Haeger to work with Johnson and another knuckleballer Eddie Gamboa according to Roger Mooney of the Tampa Tribune . While I see the reasoning for it (he can’t hit major league pitching) it just is an interesting move for a 36 year old to make.

I will definitely be keeping my eye on him this season, it is probably going to take some time for him to get used to pitching, so he may take a while to get up to the major leagues. The interesting thing is that Johnson is said to have had minor league offers to be a first baseman/DH according to Mooney. Mooney mentions that Rays actually had the interest in Johnson as a pitcher and it wasn’t Johnson who had to convince them.

Mooney mentioned that Johsnon said he was willing to play in the low minors to become a pitcher because “what else am I going to do”. This is a pretty funny quote, and it will be interesting to see if he can make it up to the majors.

Next: Behind Enemy Lines

Jason Heyward

We all know where Heyward will be playing this season. We all know how he spurned the Cardinals because they weren’t “young enough”. It is so frustrating that he decided to go to the Cubs, not just because he is a good player, but because he will seemingly be better with the Cubs than he was with the Cardinals. You ask “why?” He will be playing 81 games in a hitter friendly and fielding friendly Wrigley Field, so not only will his power numbers get better, he should even have a better defensive season.

However, for the Cubs he won’t even be their centerpiece, they are filled with talented young hitters like Anthony Rizzo, Kyle Schwarber, Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, and more. So, Heyward will be a good player for the Cubs, but he won’t be THE player for the Cubs. However, things could change quickly if Bryant and Schwarber have sophomore slumps and an injury occurs elsewhere. This would be too good to see.

I honestly don’t hope for the best with Heyward, while I don’t want him to be injured, I wouldn’t mind him struggling live up to his contract by any means.

John Lackey

The media is fawning all over Chicago and their “super roster”, especially that they “stole” John Lackey from the Cardinals. This is hilarious to me, because Lackey is going to be much worse in 2016 than he was in 2015. He won’t be a value signing for the Cubs in any way, shape, or form. I actually believe that Lackey will be a contract the Cubs will regret by the end of next season.

Lackey had a career year at age 37 last season with the Cardinals, there are many factors to go along with this. The main reasoning is that he was pitching in one of the most pitcher friendly parks in the league in Busch Stadium. Then you figure in that he was pitching to the best defensive catcher in the game more times than not, and on one of the best staffs in the league. Considering that Lackey then left runners on base at a shockingly high rate as well gives more evidence that Lackey will regress in 2016.

So, for those of the media claiming Lackey is still a great starting pitcher, prepare to eat your words in 2016.

Next: Another World Series Hero

Jason Motte

Let’s take a look at a former Cardinal that Cardinals’ fans can finally root for again. Jason Motte got himself out of Chicago when Cardinals’ fans disdain for the Cubs is at an all time high, and good for him. However, Motte has gotten himself back into another hitter’s parks with Colorado. Motte hasn’t had the best of luck returning from Tommy John surgery, as his sub 3.00 ERA hasn’t returned and he is allowing many more runners, as his WHIP is up quite a bit from his 2012 season.

Motte was signed by the Rockies, as they attempt to build a hard fastball throwing pitching staff to help avert the thin Colorado air that makes baseballs go a long way. While the Rockies aren’t going to go anywhere this season, an attempt to rebuild their pitching staff is the way they need to go, and it will be good to root for Motte again, and it is good that he is avoiding all of that ridiculousness going on in Chicago right now.

The neat thing about this is that Motte will get to touch another area with his awesome charity and personality, the man does the most he can with his foundation and his heart. This is something that is truly special to see. Motte is a great guy and I am sure that the Denver area will love him, as he continues with his foundation. I expect Motte to be a must follow on twitter, and to bring a fun environment to the Rockies clubhouse and bullpen.

The projections aren’t favorable for Motte right now, as Steamer has his ERA jumping to 4.15 and his WHIP jumping to 1.308, but hopefully Motte bucks the predictions and has a good season for the Rockies.

Next: Will 'The Machine' be a 'Machine'?