St. Louis Cardinals: Addressing the loss of Zach Duke

Bottom Line

There are many solutions that would work here, right?  This doesn’t make them all correct options however.  That said, I think the Cardinals should shoot for the moon knowing that there are internal options that would suffice.

If I had my way, I would love to see the Cardinals join the bidding war for Chapman.  I hope that Mozeliak learned a thing or two this season when the Cleveland Indians went and grabbed one-time closer Andrew Miller from the Yankees to solve their pen needs.  Miller is being used now as a setup man but has the ability to serve as closer too.

In this thinking then, the Cardinals could well use Chapman as both closer and/or setup man.  Following this same thinking then, the Cardinals could and probably should use Rosenthal in the same manner.  But wait, there’s more!

More from St Louis Cardinals Rumors

• Cardinals Rumors: Is Willson Contreras Defense a Concern?
• St. Louis Cardinals: Alejandro Kirk or Danny Jansen?
• Cardinals: Free-agent Cody Bellinger hitting with Matt Holliday
• Cardinals: Pros and cons of free agent targets for St. Louis
• Cardinals: Alex Reyes and Delvin Perez should be cautionary tales

The Cardinals could and probably should kick the tires on Wood for the same reasons.  Wood was a one-time starter who is now serving incredibly well from the pen.  Could he be a setup man?  Perhaps a closer?  Or perhaps he could even find his way back into a rotation?  Maybe the Cardinals should offer something to Wood in the multiple year variety…

How about “Scrabble?”  I think that he would be a really nice add back to the Cardinals pen.  My only concern with him is that I believe he might need a few years to entice him in a deal this season.  Where I would like to see Wood in a longer deal, I’m not so crazy about 2-3 years of ‘Zep because we have seen him struggle wearing the birds before.

All of that said, I think the Cardinals are not in such a dire need due to the exit of Duke as might have been foretold.  I feel that the team should pump the brakes and focus on more important issues such as the need for a true center fielder and a bat of consequence if they have truly decided to let Matt Holliday move on.

Next: What to do with Moss?

It will be fun to see which way the organization goes in this regard.  Stay tuned with us at Redbird Rants for more information as we learn more.  Go Cards!