St. Louis Cardinals: Five Remaining Free Agents Who Could Be Serviceable Additions

The St. Louis Cardinals have already addressed several needs in preparation for the upcoming season, but free agency provides the opportunity to make an even larger statement into the new year.

After dedicating more than $112 million and nine years between the contracts of southpaw Brett Cecil and World Series champion Dexter Fowler, the St. Louis Cardinals answered uncertainties surrounding late-inning pitching specialists and the routine outfield layout.

While these moves alone serve as precursors for improvement upon last season, St. Louis is no stranger to making late offseason pushes for free agent. Over the past decade, the Cardinals have signed long-term models like Matt Holliday and short-term fixtures such Pat Neshek to post-New Year’s Day offseason contracts.

One recent article from MLB.com’s Cardinals beat writer Jenifer Langosch suggests that gambling for a big name free agent like Jose Bautista or Mark Trumbo may not be likely unless the team sees their services as enticing for the team’s present and future development.

The real question then is whether an addition such as these names (or others) will actually do much toward catching the 2017 Cubs. There are plenty of writers who are voicing that the idea of catching the 2017 Cubs is one filled with flaws, the St. Louis Cardinals should not simply do nothing.

Therefore, if the Cardinals were to make a signing in the next few months, it would likely be in an area that could still depth or improvement. For the upcoming season, such an acquisition could mean adding another relief pitcher for a bullpen that struggled with injuries and inconsistencies last year or pursuing a utility position player that could adapt to infield or outfield duties.

Let’s add here quickly that GM Mozeliak himself has made statements voicing a desire to add pieces to the farm.

Additionally, the ability to bring in under-the-radar players could prompt more excitement, experience and anticipation for catching a Chicago Cubs team fresh off their first World Series in a decade. With all factors considered, here are five free agents who could work their way near contracts before Spring Training begins next month, each with different likeliness to hone a uniform with the birds on the bat next season.

2. Carlos Villanueva

Reunions are not generally not common in baseball, but Villanueva makes an intriguing case for a team who he last suited up for in 2015. He posted a 4-3 record with a 2.95 ERA en route to a 0.9 WAR that season, but last year’s 5.96 ERA with San Diego and a 5.8 WAR elsewhere throughout his career sparks caution around his services.

One reason why Villanueva proved so valuable to the Cardinals was his flexibility compared to the rest of the pitching staff. The Cardinals lack of an established swing man who could toss multiple innings in multiple days could have factored into the nearly 1.2 run rise in the pitching staff’s collective ERA last year.

Likeliness: Minor league deal possible

The Cardinals could entertain Villanueva to come back on a minor league deal or tryout contract once again, but a return would likely be more a matter of space on a team that already has a strong idea of its seven relief pitchers.

3. Trevor Plouffe

Out of left field… or third base… or one of possibly four other positions he has embraced in seven years of MLB service, Plouffe averaged nineteen home runs and sixty-eight RBIs in his previous four seasons prior to 2016. Three trips to the disabled list limited Plouffe last year, but the 30 year-old proved effective when healthy with the Minnesota Twins

Additionally, he embodies the caliber and need to bounce back of recent free agents who have rejuvenated their careers with the Cardinals on short-term deals, including Lance Berkman and Mark Reynolds. Adding another potent power bat would further ensure the team’s vision to compete against the Cubs’ high-power offense in 2017.

Likeliness: Doubtful

St. Louis usually has a tendency to find their utility players early into free agency, and the team would need some solution for the starting log jam this would create for Jedd Gyorko, Jhonny Peralta and Matt Adams upon others.

4. Sam Fuld

For a roster that ranked sixth in errors last year, including five from the starting outfielders, a defensive specialist such as Fuld could be a valuable addition. Unfortunately, he might not be ready to play immediately due to his ongoing recovery from rotator cuff surgery last April, but it could bring out more competition out of Tommy Pham, the team’s current fourth outfielder.

The intangibles that Fuld could bring to the Cardinals when healthy are pieces of the game that have proved weak for the team in recent years. He draws a walk about every ten at-bats on average, averages a steal at about the same rate and has compiled twenty-nine outfield assists over eight seasons in primarily bench roles. His athleticism alone has resulted in several highlight-reel defensive plays.

Likeliness: Minor league deal possible, but not likely

Considering Fuld missed all of last season with his rotator cuff injury, a return to baseball would likely come on behalf of a minor league deal where he could regain health and potentially work his way up.

5. Coco Crisp

Once a prospect in the Cardinals minor league system, Crisp was traded for a half-season of veteran pitcher Chuck Finley in 2002. Since then, he has produced double-digit steals in fourteen consecutive seasons, played significant roles for six postseason teams and finished within the Top 20 of AL MVP voting as recent as 2013.

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Similar to Fuld, Crisp may see fewer opportunities in his mid-30’s and would likely be more of an insurance chip with the Cardinals current outfield plan involving Dexter Fowler, Randal Grichuk and Stephen Piscotty. But recent breakout performances from Crisp in the Cleveland Indians’ World Series last year run may prompt the team that drafted Crisp to at least consider the thought of adding a profound switch-hitter.

Likeliness: Very doubtful

A push for Crisp would seem more likely had Fowler not signed with the Cardinals, but even if he adapted to a bench role, a role with St. Louis only seems possible if an injury to one of the three starting outfielders arises.

Next: St. Louis Cardinals: New Year Resolutions

Whether the St. Louis Cardinals feel the need to upgrade depth on the mound or the bench, several members of the remaining free agent class provide low-risk, high-reward potential. These deals may not be immediate, but the team still has a little less than three months to decide if any players from this crop are worthwhile come Opening Day.