St. Louis Cardinals: Redbird Rants All-Star Break Summit

2. Who would you prefer the Cardinals acquire: Giancarlo Stanton or Josh Donaldson?

Josh: This is a tough decision. Both players offer you a star that can slide right into the three-hole in the lineup. The one thing Stanton offers, that Donaldson does not though, is contract length. Stanton would be a Cardinal for at least his prime years. He could then opt out and go for more money or the Cardinals could be on the hook for his contract into his aging years. That is a risk the team should take, in my opinion.

Dr. Miles: With Jedd Gyorko working out so well, and being MUCH less expensive than Donaldson, I’d prefer the Cards target Stanton. I just wrote a piece essentially comparing Stanton and Donaldson. Stanton has much more team control which has been a thing of interest for the Cards in the past.

Tito: I would prefer a big bat in general, but if I had to choose, I would go with Stanton. Had you asked me this question at the beginning of the season, I would have said Donaldson. However, Jedd Gyorko has exceeded any expectations I think most of had at third base.

Stanton offers more upside than Donaldson in terms of age and power. Acquiring Stanton wouldn’t come with as many questions as Donaldson either. For instance, if Donaldson is the man, what happens to Gyorko, Matt Carpenter and Kolten Wong?

Front office said Luke Voit and Paul DeJong aren’t going anywhere so something has to give, right? It would be rough waters to navigate for new GM Mike Girsch.  You would have to expect the Cardinals would ship one of those three elsewhere to fulfill any move. Unfortunately, the person I could see going is Kolten Wong.

Nathan: Stanton. He’s younger and has had the better season offensively. Plus, I still don’t think he’s reached his potential. Much of that is due to an injury history, but if he can stay healthy, one can only wonder what numbers he could end up with while playing for a contender.

The gigantic contract is the X-factor, of course. If the Cardinals do kick the tires on trading for Stanton, I would expect the front office to ask Miami to pay for part of that contract. A deal involving either Donaldson or Stanton would also cost the Cardinals’ farm system dearly.

Brendan: At this point I’d rather see the Cardinals acquire Josh Donaldson, but only because I think he would come at a much cheaper price. Donaldson is struggling this year hitting .261 with just nine home runs. Toronto might have to sell low on their slugger. Something tells me Miami on the other hand will be asking for the world in return for Stanton, or at least they should.

Shane: Donaldson. He is under contract for the 2018 season and is far less expensive than Stanton. On top of that, the deciding factor for me is Donaldson being the healthier option. Yes, Donaldson missed a month this season due to a calf injury, but has played 155 or more games in each of the last four seasons.

Stanton, however, has only played 145 or more games two times in the last seven seasons. If I’m trading for a franchise player, I want a guy who can play everyday versus a guy hindered by injuries year after year.

Dan: Stanton.  If reports are true, that the Marlins would dump the slugger for a pittance if the new team takes the contract, you acquire the best (sorry Aaron Judge) home run hitter in the game.  He is still just 27 years old people.

Donaldson would be the most costly asset on the market, and the Blue Jays will want pitching.  Say goodbye to Alex Reyes, Jack Flaherty, and Weaver plus a PTBNL.  Donaldson is a stud and a better fit for this team, but this team needs to change. Donaldson is also on the wrong side of thirty.

If my cost-estimation of Donaldson is too high, and you can get Stanton for money and second-tier prospects, you go blockbuster and get both.  The team would have to really think it could make the playoffs this year to justify that to the fans.

Christian: I would prefer Giancarlo based on age, but Donaldson is far more likely, so I will go with him. With the ownership of the Marlins still up in the air, moving someone who is both a huge contract and a huge moneymaker like Stanton becomes even more difficult.

On the other hand, the rebuilding Blue Jays are a much more appealing trade candidate. While the infield would shift around, a bat with both solid contact and pop would be helpful to ease the transition into the next generation of Cardinal talent over the next couple of years.

Trevor: Giancarlo Stanton, without a doubt.  He costs quite a bit, but the St. Louis Cardinals have the free space.  His high cost also lowers his trade price tag.  However, the main reason Stanton is the smarter move is the versatility around the infield already. Gyorko and Wong are all having great years.

Plus, the emergence of Luke Voit allows Matt Carpenter to move around the infield as well.  There is no need to give up top prospects to add another bat to that mix.  Stephen Piscotty can transition to left and Stanton will slide beautifully into right field.

Larry: A deal for Donaldson, with only this year and an arbitration year, wouldn’t cost nearly what Stanton would. This would buy the team a couple of years to figure out what it has with all the young dudes. Stanton’s contract is massive, well into his thirties, if he doesn’t opt out in 2020. He’s an injury and aging risk in those later years, in which his salary spikes considerably.