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St. Louis Cardinals: James Paxton is a dream fit for Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals should treat the rumors floating around that the Seattle Mariners are currently selling like a siren song, both beautiful and irresistible. There is a great deal of elite young talent stocked on the Mariners, but one in particular stands out as a perfect fit for the Cardinals.
Simply put, James Paxton is everything that the St. Louis Cardinals need, the high velocity lefty arm that the St. Louis Cardinals have been sorely lacking for years. At 30 years of age, Paxton isn’t a spring chicken, but he’s still in his best years with team control until 2021, making acquiring Paxton an attractive option for the Cardinals.
He has also been incredibly consistent throughout his career, and has really grown into himself over the past three seasons. His inning count has gradually risen from 121 in 2016 to 160 this season. While he didn’t quite repeat on his spectacular 2.98 ERA of 2017, he has proven that he has the talent to lead the rotation with solid numbers all around, highlighted by an elite 11.7 K/9.
One issue that did arise in 2018 was his HR/9, increasing from .6 in 2017 to 1.29 this season. This is a bit concerning, but because his WHIP and BB/9 rate have remained consistent and low, I am not particularly worried about his control.
Additionally, a move from the American League should serve his numbers better. While it will be slight, the absence of the designated hitter in the St. Louis Cardinals’ native National League will make it easier for Paxton, and should have a positive impact on his performance and his numbers. Some of the biggest hitters in the American League are mainly used as the DH, such as J.D. Martinez (93 games), Giancarlo Stanton (85 games), and Khris Davis (139 games).
This should make it much, much easier for Paxton to keep the ball inside the park. I get that there are plenty of big bats in the National League as well, but facing a pitcher four times a night instead of a 40+ home run guy is surely a reprieve for pitchers.
For the St. Louis Cardinals, going after Paxton should be a no brainer. At an average of 95.5 mph on his fastball, Paxton would be the most talented hard-throwing lefty the Cardinals have had in who knows how long. Additionally, bringing Paxton on would relieve the pressure from Carlos Martinez to be the leader of the rotation, and might make it easier for the Cardinals to keep Martinez in the bullpen if he continues to thrive there.
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One obstacle that lies in the way of all this is that the Mariners know exactly what the St. Louis Cardinals should know, which will make his price rather high. Will the Cardinals be willing to part with one of the elite pitching prospects that they have been grooming for so long? I’m sure that’s exactly what it will take, but it the Cardinals are serious about making 2019 a bounce-back year for the ages, that shouldn’t be a problem for management
Acquiring a top tier talent like Paxton for cheap is exactly what the St. Louis Cardinals need to make their pitch to guys like Bryce Harper that much more appealing. After all, the only thing better than getting paid $350 million to lose is getting paid $350 million to win. Making a move like this would significantly bolster the roster without impacting the offer the Cardinals can make to guys like Harper.
Paxton would almost certainly elevate the team as a possible ace, or work with Carlos Martinez as a monstrous 1-2 punch, similar (but not equal to) the Carpenter-Wainwright duo that St. Louis Cardinals fans were blessed with in 2009 and 2010. Whether that requires giving up an Austin Gomber, a Ryan Helsley, or even a Dakota Hudson (sorry Trevor), the Cardinals should show no fear given a reasonable price.
Next. Listening to the mighty Bob Gibson. dark
If St. Louis Cardinals management wants to really show their fans that they are dedicated to success after missing three consecutive postseasons for the first time since the turn of the century, this is the time to be aggressive. James Paxton seems to have the Cardinals name written all over him, and they should have no qualms pushing to make Paxton a St. Louis Cardinal.