5 notable transactions the Cardinals have made in February over the years

Teams typically head into the Spring Training season with full 40-man rosters as they head towards finalizing moves for the regular season. Most big names tend to be the first free agents to sign at the start of the negotiation period, so, until recently, it was uncommon to see notable signings in February. As teams aim to trim down their rosters, there are some additional seemingly minor transactions that pay off.

The St. Louis Cardinals are no strangers to bargain hunting, typically in the form of minor league contracts to former cast-offs. This season is no exception, as the only moves for the team so far have been minor league deals for relievers Zack Weiss, Nick Anderson, Rob Kaminsky, and Curtis Taylor, plus a cash trade for utility man Michael Helman. The Nolan Arenado trade with the Rockies notwithstanding, the other names on the list are some under-the-radar (or, as some fans would accuse John Mozeliak of, dumpster diving) players who ended up having success with the Cardinals.

What minor moves paid off in a major way for the Cardinals?

Scott Spiezio: February 17, 2006 - Minor league contract

After parlaying a successful four-year stretch with the Angels in the early 2000s into a deal with the Seattle Mariners that ended with his release, utility infielder Scott Spiezio needed a new team heading into the 2006 season. After the Cardinals lost second baseman Mark Grudzielanek and had an injured Scott Rolen at third base, Spiezio was a target to help back up all around the diamond. Former Angels teammate and budding Cardinals hero David Eckstein also promoted him as a hard-nosed leader who balanced that with a fun personality. At the time of his signing, Spiezio celebrated the new contract by dying his goatee red, a look that became a signature memory of the 2006 Cardinal season.

Needing to fill in all around the field due to nagging injuries or matchups, Spiezio played in 119 games in 2006 and put together his best season since his last with the Angels. On top of his .272 average, the former sixth-round pick tallied a career-high OPS and OPS+. In his utility role, Spiezio tallied a 1.6 bWAR and was a regular for the postseason run that ultimately culminated in a World Series championship. He finished third on the team with six RBIs during the playoffs and added on two triples and a double in his limited action.

The team rewarded his performance with a two-year deal, but Spiezio saw his baseball career come to an end due to substance abuse issues. While his 2006 season was nothing spectacular, his trademark facial hair and his outgoing personality (on top of his side gig as a lead singer for the band Sandfrog) made the switch-hitter a household name for Cardinal Nation.