St. Louis Cardinals: Cards should welcome a “hurricane” this offseason

The St. Louis Cardinals have promised that their overstocked outfield will lead directly to a busy offseason. This stockpile should allow them to pick up a major piece from Miami.

As of the writing of this piece, the St. Louis Cardinals are awaiting their Saturday night game and the state of Florida is awaiting the arrival of hurricane Irma. Irma looks to change the landscape and life of Florida and even specifically Miami. The 2017 offseason looks like an opportunity for a “hurricane” to change the landscape of the Cardinals.

John Mozeliak was noted as saying lately that having an overloaded outfield was a good thing going to this offseason as it will allow the St. Louis Cardinals to become gigantic trade players. Many are now speculating if these outfielders will allow the Cardinals to pick up the likes of Giancarlo Stanton.

While I originally disagreed with the Cards putting a target on Stanton, I now believe that he makes great sense for the future of the club. Stanton currently sits with a contract that sees his first free agency year in 2028. This might sound like a long time but we must remember that Stanton is 27 and will enter the 2018 season at age-28.

The St. Louis Cardinals lost Albert Pujols after a lengthy stay with the club as the franchise player around which all trades and such are made. The same can be said for the incumbent franchise player, Matt Holliday, at the conclusion of the 2016 season. Now, only Yadier Molina remains as the franchise player.

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Picking up Stanton would make him the St. Louis Cardinals franchise player until 2028. While his contract is large, the Cardinals have the money and have the prospects, potential trade pieces, and availability in the outfield that the Miami Marlins would want in return.

Here are a few names that could go along with my percentage thought of an actual departure:

• Jose Martinez – 10% chance of leaving
• Stephen Piscotty– 40% chance of leaving (should be higher but I’m not so sure that the organization is ready to leave this player behind)
• Tommy Pham– 40% chance of leaving (I hope this isn’t so but he has good value now and the Marlins could surely allow him to slot in the spot vacated by Stanton)
• Randal Grichuk– 50% chance of leaving
• Harrison Bader– 25% chance of leaving (only because of his youth and potential promise)
• Tyler O’Neill– 75% chance of leaving

Notice that I fully expect that O’Neill is on the move. I think he makes the most sense for the Marlins as he is a promising young power outfielder. Sounds a lot like Stanton…

Whether the St. Louis Cardinals pull the trigger or not this offseason is yet to be seen but they absolutely SHOULD.

Next: Grichuk or Schwarber

Would you pick up Stanton? Let us know on Twitter and thanks for reading!