I don't know if that's the case here. A big reason (according to the analysts here) that Goldy didn't have the production of the previous year was that he didn't have anyone that could reliably get on base in front of him. If he gets some protection in the line-up I think he'll be pretty good. It's not like he's old, and he's never had a serious injury, just some inflammation in his elbow that one time.

And even with the lack of help last year I think he hit close to .300 (I believe it was .290 or .295 or something). Plus he knows how to get a hit in big games, which might be helpful in the playoffs if we make it that far.

He's never been a big team leader guy, but I don't think the Cards are asking that of him either. So if all he has to do is play his game, and he gets some consistency in front of him I really believe he'll get back to his previous form.
[Reply]

like DJ has said, in today’s FA market, the best you can hope for is a fair deal for both sides. Looks to be at market value.

We don’t have any 1B minor leaguers he’d block so, why not?
[Reply]

Yadi has a career wRC+ of 100, Vizquel is 83. Over the last 19 years, MLB average for catchers is 84 and 95 for SS. So, while Molina is 19 percent more productive than positional average, Vizquel is 12.6 percent worse. There is a large offensive gap between the two.
[Reply]

We do, they are just playing third right now.
[Reply]

im not going to get worked up about this signing as long as they don’t act like this was the equivlent of signing Harper etc. you could see this coming from the moment the trade was announced.

he’s a good player but needs other bats around him. He’s not carrying a team. We are going to need more offense from somewhere.
[Reply]

Gorman and Montero are both candidates to have to move across the diamond to 1B.
[Reply]

not anymore.....:-)
[Reply]

We absolutely do. In addition to Gorman and Montero, there's Baker and possibly Torres.

Locking up 1b with the most expensive contract on your team is just incredibly stupid, especially on an extension that doesn't even start until 32.

This entire sequence has been wrong-headed from the start.
[Reply]

And he will still outhit Harper next year and the year after that and the year after that.....as well as play better defense for less money. By the time he hits 34 we will turn him into Big Pappy west. And one of those fine first base prospects can take over.

I really like your posts DJ on this board and at birdsonthebat, but your man-love for Harper has blinded you on this one.
[Reply]

Want to bet?

I’m with DJ. Harper is going to do huge things in Philadelphia and they’re never going to force him into CF, so his defensive value won’t take the hit it did the 2 years the Nats did that.
[Reply]

And if his defense slides in the OF, give him an offseason and he'll be every bit the defensive 1b Goldschmidt already is. He's simply a better athlete.

He has faaaaar further to fall on the defensive spectrum than Goldschmidt does. Even if he continues to struggle in RF, you still have LF to go before you need to worry about making the 1b conversion. Harper's overall athleticism would likely translate to a plus defensive LFer; something similar to what Ozuna was billed as.
[Reply]

I'm with you on Dewitt's approach is not the one I'd take. Going for 90 wins and a WC is not winning baseball. Mo's FA signings flop way more than hit.

But that being said, You act like we got another Gyrko level guy. He's a golden glover. An All-Star. Going to give us 5.5+ WAR. He runs the bases well. By all accounts has a great attitude and work ethic. We gave up spare parts for the guy. If he went to FA next year, he'd be the #1 FA on the market. The FA market money is stupid money. Who are we going to get better than him in FA in the next two years?



I had the man-love for Harper too. I said we should have gave him $350 million/10 and wrote off another $50 million for Fowler to go away. I've tried so many times to get into birdsonthebat and the admins never let me in. Has to be personal. :-)

Ozuna is gone next year. Fowler sucks. Carp is going to be a year older. All those players you mentioned are not ready for the majors yet. What were they supposed to do besides sign Harper? We had to get some more offensive production in the lineup. Most of what I've read says its a reasonable deal in today market.
[Reply]

Goldschmidt's contract starts next year. We have him locked in for the next 6 years. Ages 31-36. AAV of $24.1 million salary for the 6 years.
[Reply]

That's not good.

The best move they've made this spring is actually the Wieters signing.
[Reply]

Why? Everything I've read says it was a good to fair deal.
I wanted Harper. Didn't happen. Besides that move, what would you have done to get some offense into the lineup?
[Reply]