Kuzul

Talks for a long term engagement with newly minted Silver Slugger Dan Uggla are at a impasse and the Marlins, who have recently traded two former Top 10 picks (Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller), key pieces of the disastrous Miguel Cabrera deal, have suddenly become trigger happy in the trade market.

Those deals have helped shore up the bullpen with three arms but have left a hole in centerfield and there still remains a need a catcher.

According to FOXSports, the Marlins have had discussions with the Detroit Tigers regarding the power-hitting second baseman.

The Florida Marlins are not confident they will sign Uggla because of his insistence to add a fifth year to the contract. Uggla recently turned down a four-year, $48 million offer. Uggla made $7.8 million this year and is eligible for salary arbitration for a final time before qualifying for free agency after the 2011 season.

If the Marlins seriously pursue a Dan Uggla trade, they will look to shore up at the bullpen, catcher and/or centerfield If Uggla is indeed traded, Chris Coghlan is likely to slide to second base with former first-round draft pick Matt Dominguez getting a long look a third base in Spring Training. Emilio Bonfacio is another candidate to start at second or third if Dominguez isn’t ready.

Here are five beneficial trades the Marlins could potentially pull off that will help shore up their weak spots:

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There were a lot of players whose average was based on a lot of luck in 2010.  What are the prospects of them replicating those numbers in the upcoming season? 

Will they continue to hold value?  Let’s break them down, one-by-one, and take a look:

1. Austin Jackson – Detroit Tigers – .396

We all kept waiting for the regression to come for Jackson, but it just never seemed to.  Despite posting a strikeout rate of 27.5%, Jackson’s luck helped him post a .293 average. 

Can we realistically expect that to continue?  He had a minor-league strikeout mark of 23.6%, so that number is extremely believable. 

With his speed, a higher than normal BABIP is not outrageous, but this was a bit over-the-top.  Look for his luck to turn in 2011, meaning his average will likely fall significantly.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him hit .260ish, and without power and only 24 SB, his value is likely going to take a significant hit.

2. Josh Hamilton – Texas Rangers – .390

It was a magical season, buoyed by an unrealistic BABIP.  Hamilton is a great player and will remain one of the elite, but he’s just not likely to hit .359 once again. 

As long as he can stay healthy, I’m talking .300/30/100/100 type of value.  People looking for a reason to downgrade him will point to the BABIP, but you really shouldn’t.

The only concern is his health.  Outside of that, consider him among the elite outfielders in the game.

3. Carlos Gonzalez – Colorado Rockies – .384

Many were expecting a breakout 2010 campaign and boy, did he deliver.  However, the BABIP is just one of the questions that surround him entering the 2011 campaign.

Can he deliver a 20.4% HR/FB again?  If not, that drop, along with the inevitable fall in BABIP, is going to cause his average to fall significantly.  It will also mean fewer runs and RBI, further hurting his potential value.

Don’t get me wrong, Gonzalez should be among the best outfielders available, but I just don’t see him repeating his .336, 34 HR, 117 RBI, 111 R, 26 SB campaign.  That said, even if he falls to .300/27/95/95/20, with the potential for more, what is there not to like? 

A regression is likely coming, but there’s little to be concerned about.  We’ll talk about him in a lot more detail in the coming months, however, so I’ll save the bulk of the discussion for later.

4. Joey Votto – Cincinnati Reds – .361

Like the two names before him, his value isn’t solely entrenched in his average (.324 in 2010), so a regression here is not going to be devastating. 

He has shown tremendous power and RBI potential, as well as adding double-digit stolen bases from a position where you rarely see it.  At a deep position, he’s emerged as one of the elite.

5. Omar Infante – Atlanta Braves – .355

Unfortunately for Infante, he has no power and no speed.  In fact, is he guaranteed to even have an everyday job entering 2011? 

He’s a career .274 hitter (who hit .321 in 2010) and has always been more of a utility player. 

With even a small fall in his BABIP, his value disintegrates, since average is all he has going for him (8 HR, 7 SB in ‘10).  Even with full-time playing time, he’s not worth considering.

6t. Justin Upton – Arizona Diamondbacks – .354

He’s posted big BABIP for the past two years, having posted a .360 mark in 2009.  Does that mean we should come to believe it?  Unfortunately, I don’t think so. 

The hope has to be that he can reduce his strikeout rate (30.7% in 2010) and rediscover his power (he went from 26 HR to 17 HR in 2010) in order to maintain a usable average.

Chances are he’s going to regress in the BABIP department, so if he can’t do those two things, his average is going to become unusable (he hit .273 in ‘10). 

It’s going to be interesting to watch how this plays out, because he has the potential to be one of the elite players in the game.  We will certainly revisit him as the season gets closer.

6t. Colby Rasmus – St. Louis Cardinals – .354

His feud with Tony La Russa and whether he asked out of St. Louis helped to mask that some of his success was buoyed by a lot of luck. 

However, before we say that he’s going to post an unusable average (he was at .276 in ‘10), he saw his strikeout rate go from 20.0% in 2009 to 31.9% in 2010. 

Considering his 22.7% minor league strikeout rate, there’s little reason to believe he’s that bad.  Even with a fall in his BABIP, he should continue to post a usable average.

8. Ichiro Suzuki – Seattle Mariners – .353

What is there to say about Ichiro that we don’t already know?  He has a career BABIP of .357 and is one of the best hitters in the game.  There’s no reason to expect anything less from him in 2011.

9. Jayson Werth – Philadelphia Phillies – .352

We have to expect a regression, but we can’t get a full grasp on his potential value in the average department until we know where he is going to play. 

If he leaves Philadelphia, the power potential may fall, which will certainly help contribute to a lower average.  We’ll revisit him once he signs via free agency.

10. Joe Mauer – Minnesota Twins – .348

Catchers just aren’t supposed to do this, but year after year, Mauer delivers.  With a career BABIP of .344, there’s little reason to think that he’s going to fall off in any way, shape or form. 

While we learned in 2010 that his power surge in 2009 was likely an aberration (28 HR), he once again proved that he’s among the elite average hitters in the game (.327 in ‘10).

What are your thoughts on these players?  Who is going to maintain their big 2010 seasons?  Who may regress in 2011?

Make sure to check out our early 2011 rankings:

• Top 15 Catchers
• Top 15 First Basemen
• Top 15 Second Basemen
• 2011 Fantasy Draft First Round Breakdown

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM

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When the Atlanta Braves 2010 came to a close a couple weeks back at the hands of the eventual National League Champion San Francisco Giants, there was a lot of mourning at the Britt (that’s me) household.

I was resigned to filling out college applications and (gasp) putting school over baseball for a couple of weeks as I bitterly refused to watch the LCS’s for the thought of what might of been had Chipper Jones, Martin Prado, Billy Wagner and Kris Medlen been good-to-go for the first round of the playoffs.

What’s that?

I sound like a bitter fan of a team that dons blue caps with red “C”s.

Well…I guess I shouldn’t digress.

But, now that the World Series has begun and the “Least Annoying Team Left in the Playoffs” Award-winning Texas Rangers have a chance to knock off the team that broke my heart in the opening week-or-so of October, I’m feeling up to digging back into the sport that consumes my nights from about 7-10 during the summer.

As one looks at the Atlanta Braves’ roster, one notices that there are only a couple major (as there have been for the past couple of offseasons) holes to be filled.

One of which is the lack of some “grizzled old veteran” in the bullpen.

With the swagger of Billy Wagner headed for retirement greener Virginia pastures and Takashi “can’t-pitch-back-to-back-nights” Saito getting his (contract-mandated, mind you) release papers in the past couple of days, the average age of the bullpen lost a few months.

I’m not saying that the Braves have to go out and sign some Arthur Rhodes-looking 40-some-year-old just for the heck of it—don’t get that impression, at all.

I’m just saying that with the lack of experience down in the ‘pen (the most experienced guy that’s going to be relied upon next season is Peter Moylan, who has all of three FULL seasonsin the bigs), someone like Joe Beimel or Grant Balfour (both free-agents-to-be) could be helpful to the under-30 quartet of O’Flaherty, Venters, Dunn and Kimbrel that will be shutting the door in late-inning situations in 2010.

Oh, and that leads to this prediction: Kyle Farnsworth won’t be back.

The other major thing that needs help is the rotation.

Wait…this isn’t the 2008-09 offseason (isn’t it nice not to have to think about, though, isn’t it…hey, you have to find positives when you’re watching Jeff Francoeur riding the pine in the World Series before any of the other Baby Braves).

Short of dumping Kenshin Kawakami, that was a total and complete (poorly executed, I might add) joke.

But really, that only other major red flag being thrown up on the Braves’ current roster is in the outfield.

We can all celebrate now that Melky Cabrera had been given his pink slip…but (once Rick Ankiel’s option is declined) with Jason Heyward, Nate McLouth and Matt Diaz looking like the options right now, there needs to be some work.

Options range from Jayson Werth to Colby Rasmus (if he is made available, he’s a perfect fit) to Wilkin Ramirez (you know, that last-second deadline acquisition who didn’t do too badly with Gwinnett after coming over).

I’m only touching on that here to tease a slideshow coming up (I know, a real d-bag move).

The one thing that is for sure is this: the Braves weren’t that bad of a team running on three legs down the stretch.

One piece thrown in the mix here and there makes this team a pretty big threat in the National League in 2011.

After all, Hanson, Hudson, and a rejuvenated Lowe (no Jurrjens, think: trade-bait) are all penciled into manager Fredi Gonzalez’s rotation next season and there’s going to be an even slightly more matured Jason Heyward somewhere in the lineup.

All I can say right now that’s a for sure: Spring Training can’t get here fast enough.

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The 2010 MLB season is drawing to a close, and while many teams and their fans are looking to the postseason, others are already looking to next year. In the case of some players, next year could bring major changes.

Recently, there have been reports of players being unhappy with their situations and requesting trades, most notably Colby Rasmus of the Cardinals and Prince Fielder of the Brewers. Other players look like they have been wanting out for a while, and as a result they may do just that.

The following is a list of 10 players who could be in a different uniform next season. Some, like those listed above, are almost guaranteed to be gone, while others on this list are long shots and likely will remain with their current team, at least in my opinion.

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The NL-Central boasts a few great pickups this week and one real surprise Sit ‘Em candidate.  While there is great outfield help abound, a couple could use some rest on your bench. 

Low-percentage owned pitchers rounds out the help in this week’s fantasy baseball forecast.  Congratulations to those of you who followed last week’s advice in starting Neil Walker and sitting Dexter Fowler.

Start ‘Em

Jonny Gomes | Cincinnati Reds | 36.1 percent

He hasn’t been as hot as he was before the All-Star break, but Gomes might be able to find a spark this week against some weak pitching and playing in hitter-friendly parks. 

His lifetime stats at Coors field include a .409 average and three home runs in 22 at-bats.  Against the four starters for Colorado, Gomes is hitting .474 with five home runs in 19 at-bats for his career.  He’s also hitting .310 with two home runs through 29 career at-bats against the Pittsburgh starters.

Colby Rasmus | St. Louis Cardinals | 78.7 percent

Look for the newly disgruntled Cardinal to have a great week.  Against Atlanta this year  Colby is hitting .600 in ten at-bats with one home run. 

His bigger strength though, is hitting against the Brewers.  This year against the Brewers Colby is hitting .393 with a .514 OBP and three home runs in 28 at-bats.  Also, all of Colby’s games are away games this week, in which he’s hitting .305 (79 points higher than at home).

Sit  ‘Em

Luke Scott | Baltimore Orioles | 96.7 percent
One of the streakier players in baseball, Scott is headed for…

Click here to continue >>>>

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I don’t usually write about teams that I am a fan of-admittedly, that’s partly because my teams aren’t always doing something interesting, so it’s easier to write about the current events. But it does also help keep my writing mostly unbiased. However, with both MLB.com and ESPN.com are reporting that Cardinals center fielder Colby Rasmus has had various issues as of late, ranging from unhappiness to an alleged rift with manager Tony La Russa, I feel that I need to weigh in. I don’t claim to know anything more than what is said in the articles on the two aforementioned websites. However, that doesn’t mean I can’t put my two cents in on the matter.

Both stories seem to agree on the basic points: Colby Rasmus has had some problems adjusting to the Major Leagues, and he has denied rumors that he has requested a trade. Also, both mention what Albert Pujols has to say on the matter and mentioned Rasmus’s supposedly strained relationship with St. Louis skipper La Russa.

First, I’ll mention Pujols’ thoughts on the subject; they seem to me to be addressing the reports that Rasmus requested a trade, rather than his teammate himself. This is an important distinction, as it means that Pujols’ presence in the article is more than likely meant to draw attention to the article, rather than provide any confirmation to the story. Rasmus has denied that he requested a trade, and I have no problem accepting that. The story may well be a rumor taken to press to attract attention. That sort of thing happens.

I also don’t mind if he has had problems adjusting to being in the Majors. Rasmus isn’t even a month over 24; not everyone can be a Jason Heyward, who seems to have been born specifically for the purpose of playing baseball professionally. If he takes a little longer than some players, I’m fine.

No, the part of this story that worries me the most is the story of La Russa and Rasmus having issues getting along. If this is the case, then I think that the Cardinals may have to let La Russa walk this winter. 

It isn’t easy to say that, after all of the success that he’s brought to the organization. But there are several reasons that it would need to be done. La Russa isn’t exactly the easiest manager to get along with. He’s run several players out of town in his time (including one of my favorites, Scott Rolen, but I’ll try to leave bias out of this). However, more importantly, he doesn’t always make sound judgements as a manager. I don’t even live in St. Louis, so I can only see the Cardinals when they’re on national television or when they come to town. Despite this obvious limitation, I can still instantly recall at least two games this season where his over-managing likely cost the Cardinals the game (the two I have in mind specifically being the 20-inning debacle against the Mets in April, and the Cubs game last month in which La Russa pulled all of the starters only to see the back-ups mount a near comeback). Of course, we can bicker all day about what might or might not have happened if La Russa hadn’t been making calls.

However, we can definitely show that La Russa hasn’t been putting the best players on the field. For example, as of late, Pedro Feliz and Skip Schumaker have been the starters at third and second base, respectively. You may recognize these two as two of the worst players in the majors. Going by Fangraphs Wins Above Replacement calculations, the two have each been worth -.1 wins this year in their time with the Cardinals (keep in mind WAR is a cumulative stat).  The Cardinals have THREE players on the bench who have a higher WAR in less playing time (Tyler Greene, Felipe Lopez, and Aaron Miles). Yet, Tony La Russa continues to run out one of the worst infields in the majors, even though the Cardinals are trying for a playoff spot (and this isn’t even accounting for Brendan Ryan, who has managed one win ENTIRELY through his glove).

At the same time, it seems La Russa has been hesitant to guarantee Rasmus anything. Last year, he continued to put Rick Ankiel in the line-up despite Rasmus’s better numbers (2.3 wins to 0). When Ryan Ludwick returned from the DL, La Russa chose to sit Rasmus in order to keep Jon Jay in the line-up. Moments like these seem to indicate at best that La Russa isn’t fond of Rasmus, and, at worst, that he both dislikes Rasmus and has a blind devotion to struggling veterans that may cost the team a post-season. At the very least, I would say a 24-year old center fielder with All-Star-level ability is more valuable to the Cardinals going forward than a 65-year old manager. Again, I say this with all due respect and gratitude with La Russa and what he’s done for the team; this is merely what I think would benefit the franchise going forward.

I don’t know if this is truly an either/or situation. But if it truly does come down to keeping Tony La Russa OR keeping Colby Rasmus happy, I would have to side with Rasmus.

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With news that Cardinals outfielder Colby Rasmus has requested a trade, a team with an already cloudy future did not get any clearer. 

Here are five reasons why Cardinal fans’ motto for the rest of the season should be “playoffs or bust.”

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The planets are back in alignment.

After two grand slams, a benches-clearing brawl, a rain delay, and a series to remember, the St. Louis Cardinals have returned to their usual perch atop the National League Central.

For all that was exciting outside the field of play, the on-field action was rather passé. The Cardinals finished a resounding three-game sweep by upending the Cincinnati Reds, who entered the series with a two game division lead, 6-1, on the strength of a Colby Rasmus grand slam and seven shutout innings by Adam Wainwright, who picked up his league-leading 17th win of the season.

The Reds never really threatened, as Wainwright shackled them to only two hits and no walks. Only once did a Red reach second base.

“We won three games against a team that was in first place, at their park,” Wainwright said. “It’s good to get three wins against anybody, but against a team like the Reds, a good quality team with possibly a Hall of Fame manager over there, they’re playing hard, they’re playing good all year. It’s good to get the series win.”

With Wainwright on the hill, the Cardinals got the very little offense they needed off of Rasmus’s slam in the fifth. After toughing out a long at-bat against veteran Bronson Arroyo, Rasmus deposited a full-count changeup to straightaway center, giving the Redbirds the lead for good.

“Everybody knew he had to come over the plate at that time, because you don’t want to walk in a run,” said Reds manager Dusty Baker. “Bronson, other than that one inning, threw the ball pretty well.”

The emphatic win was St. Louis’s third of the series, and pushed the Cardinals to 4-1 on the road trip.

That’s not to say the series was without drama.

Tempers flared early, starting with Brandon Phillips running his mouth before Monday’s game.

“I’d play against these guys with one leg. We have to beat these guys. I hate the Cardinals. All they do is [expletive] and moan about everything, all of them, they’re little [expletive], all of ‘em. I really hate the Cardinals. Compared to the Cardinals, I love the Chicago Cubs. Let me make this clear: I hate the Cardinals.”

The Cardinals gave Phillips no reason to change his sentiments, holding him 2-14 for the series.

Phillips is a .255 career hitter versus the Cardinals.

“It certainly added fuel to our fire when you’ve got guys opening their mouth, saying stupid stuff,” said Adam Wainwright (17-6), who pitched seven shutout innings and gave up two hits, both singles. “But we only used that in a positive way. It’s very unprofessional to fire back.”

Phillips also neglected that current Reds Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen, Miguel Cairo, and Russ Springer, along with GM Walt Jocketty, are all former Cardinals.

“It doesn’t do anybody any good,” said Jocketty on Tuesday afternoon. “I just wish he wouldn’t have said it. I haven’t seen him but I will [talk to him].”

In the first inning of Tuesday’s contest, Phillips continued his usual habit of tapping the catcher and umpire on the shin guards. St. Louis backstop Yadier Molina would have no part of it.

“I was ready to start the game, and he touched me,” Molina said. “The comments that he made yesterday, that he’s got no friends over here, why are you touching me then? You are not my friend. So don’t touch me. “

While Molina and Phillips began jawing at each other, both managers came out. In the end, both benches erupted into a fracas that caused managerial ejections and a concussion sustained by Cardinals catcher Jason LaRue, after he was kicked in the head by starting pitcher Johnny Cueto. LaRue will need stitches.

The Cardinals won that day, 8-4, tying Cincinnati for the division lead and setting up Wednesday’s battle.

Whiners? Make that division leaders.

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Billy Bob Thornton. Bob Knight. Nelly. Bill Clinton.

Recently another big name has been added to the above list. Apparently, Roy Oswalt is a Cardinals fan.

The Astros’ ace has stated on numerous occasions that he’d favor a trade to the St. Louis Cardinals, and because Oswalt has a full no-trade clause, he holds all the cards.

So now it’s up to St. Louis to make a move. With a farm system that has been depleted by several trades over the past few years, the Cardinals cannot afford to make a mistake here.

Cardinals fans won’t soon forget how Oswalt dominated them in Game Six of the 2005 NLCS, eliminating St. Louis from the playoffs. Come October, no team would want to face a Cardinals rotation anchored by three aces in Oswalt, Chris Carpenter, and Adam Wainwright, all perennial Cy Young candidates. The road the the National League pennant would run through St. Louis. So who should and shouldn’t the Cardinals move to get the Astros’ ace?

On Their Way Out: Players the Cardinals Shouldn’t Hesitate To Offer

Brendan Ryan: It’s no secret that Brendan Ryan has struggled. Trading him could be a great move for the Cardinals. He’s been batting below the Mendoza line for most of the season, and his usually stellar defense has been less than great. So, if the Astros see potential in him, let them figure it out. Ryan is already 28, so moving him would be an added bonus to acquiring Oswalt.

Fernando Salas: In the first few assignments of his career, Salas has been very good. The Cardinals could relay this into a possible trade, although he wouldn’t be the centerpiece of a trade. Tony LaRussa has brought slowly worked him into higher and higher pressure, but he has continued to be effective, giving up just one earned run on a home run over 8.2 innings pitched. The Cardinals already have two young fireballers in their bullpen, so Salas is expandable.

Robert Stock, Brian Anderson, or Matt Pagnozzi: I list these three here together because they all fall into basically the same category. Three catchers, who find their path to the majors blocked by Cardinals mainstay Yadier Molina. They’re all considered top prospects in the Cardinals organization, but there’s not spot for them now, so they’re better used as trade chips.

Daryl Jones: A year ago, I didn’t want to see Daryl Jones included in a trade for a big name player. This year, things have changed. In 2008, when Jones batted .316, stole 24 bases, and hit 13 home runs, he looked like a five-tool player who could see starting time in the Cardinals outfield in the coming years. Since then, he has struggled against AAA pitching, and his batting average has dropped the past two seasons. He did bat .209 at Rookie ball in 2005, so he could just be adjusting. The Astros would jump at the chance to get him, and he wouldn’t be to big of a piece for the Cardinals to give up.

Blake Hawksworth: Hawksworth has progressed well this season, and no longer has prospect status. He’s filled in well for the Cardinals as a fifth starter this year, but has an ERA of nearly 5.00. If Oswalt joins the fold, Hawksworth would have to be moved to an already crowded bullpen. It would be better for the Cardinals to simply include him in a trade. He was the Cardinals top prospect in 2004, so the Astros may still see improvement left in him.

Adron Chambers: Adron Chambers is not the future of Cardinals Nation. However, he could be another team’s future. His speed makes him valuable, although his defense is suspect. He’s played most of his games in center field, where he has a .964 fielding percentage. He’s only 23, so he has time to improve, but would likely be the third player in a three-player deal.

Deryk Hooker: If the Astros are looking for pitching help, as rumored, Hooker could be included in a deal. He currently leads all Cardinals prospects with 94 strikeouts, and put up a 2.83 ERA with a .220 average against for Quad Cities. This has been a breakout year for Hooker, who just turned 21 this June.

Daniel Descalso: Descalso is an interesting case. He appears to be a slightly better hitting Brendan Ryan, expect that Descalso plays second base. His numbers in the minors have been good. With Triple-A Memphis, he’s posted a solid .357 on-base percentage, and has driven in 52 runs, putting him on pace for a career high. If the Cardinals don’t move him, the 23-year old is their future at second base.

Packing Their Bags: One of These Players Could Be Moved, But Not More

Allen Craig: As the best hitting prospect the Cardinals have, Craig is a prime candidate to be moved in a deal for Oswalt. However, Craig’s primary position is first base, and he’s not going to play there any time soon. It’s possible that he gets time in the outfield, but right now he’s got a big league bat, but not enough time to show it off. He could have that opportunity with Houston, who is rumored to be moving first baseman Lance Berkman. Craig could come back to bite the Cardinals, but, if it means acquiring Oswalt, it’s worth it.

Lance Lynn: He could be the centerpiece in a move for Oswalt. The Astros are said to be looking for pitching, and there may be no better option than Lynn, who was named St. Louis’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2009. He currently has 90 strikeouts for Triple-A Memphis to lead the team.

Jon Jay: In two stints with the Cardinals, Jay has exceeded all expectations, with a slash line of .378/.441/.607, and he has gained more and more playing time as the season progressed. However, he’ll have to come back to earth eventually, and the Cardinals could be wise to sell high here. I would miss the enthusiasm Jay brings to the team, and would hate to see him come up big for the Astros against St. Louis, but I think the Cardinals would be willing to move him, if it means the pennant.

Eduardo Sanchez: Eduardo Sanchez is listed as the Cardinals sixth best prospect by Baseball America, and for good reason. Out of the minor league bullpen, Sanchez posted a .920 WHIP in 2009, among the best in the organization. He has faltered this year in split time between Springfield and Memphis, but if the Astros want him, the Cardinals could move him with little thought.

Mitchell Boggs: As a major league ready arm, Boggs may fit the bill for Houston. He can develop into either a fourth or fifth starter, or even a closer. With a fastball in the high-90’s, and a devastating slider, Boggs has put hitters away out of the St. Louis pen, posting a 1.168 WHIP while striking out 6.6 batters per nine innings. At the age of 26, he could develop into a strong closer in the Houston bullpen.

Deal Breakers: Players Who Aren’t Going Anywhere

David Freese, Colby Rasmus, and Jaime Garcia: These three are the future of Cardinals Nation. Rasmus has been called, along with Andrew McCutchen, the future of center field in the National League. Garcia, who made the club out of spring training, has looked like a Rookie of the Year favorite, posting a 9-4 record with a 2.21 ERA. He  looks like a future front of the line starter for St. Louis. Freese was of to a hot start before injury derailed him. It’s very likely that he’ll be moved in the foreseeable future, because the Cardinals don’t have a suitable replacement for him at third.

Shelby Miller: He’s the reason a trade hasn’t gotten done yet. It appears the Astros want Miller, last year’s first round draft pick, but the Cardinals are unwilling to part with him, and for good reason. Miller is only 19, but has the top rated fastball in the organization. Baseball America lists him as the Cardinals’ top prospect, and he looks like he will replace Chris Carpenter within the next four years. Even if it prevent the deal from getting done, you do not trade Miller.

So can the Cardinals get Oswalt? If the Astros are willing to look past Shelby Miller, I think a deal can get done by the July 31 deadline. There may yet be another wrench thrown into the equation. If the Cardinals manage to surprise everyone by signing twelfth-round pick Austin Wilson, a top 15-pick talent that the Cardinals have been recruiting vigorously, trading Jay, Craig, or Jones would become a no-brainer.

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