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The St. Louis Cardinals made their biggest roster move in 2014 when they sent Allen Craig and Joe Kelly to Boston in exchange for Corey Littrell and John Lackey. It was a move that fans questioned, both logically and emotionally.

Craig and Kelly were fan favorites in St. Louis. Kelly was loved for his antics, Craig simply for his ability. In 2012 and 2013, Craig was one of the most prolific run producers in St. Louis. Slowed by an injury sustained in late 2013, Craig simply did not regain his form in 2014.

His lack of production led to his trade to Boston. Shortly after arriving, he found his way back to the disabled list. By the time the season came to a close, Craig had only played in 29 games for Boston, posting a paltry .128 batting average and driving in two runs. 

The Red Sox went into the offseason looking to revamp their lackluster offense. They spent $183 million on free agents Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez. Ramirez will make the move to the outfield and assume the starting left field position. Sandoval will become the new third baseman, a position that manager John Farrell had reportedly told Craig to prepare to play.

Craig has spent time primarily in the outfield and at first base in the major leagues. He played a total of 198 games at third base between 2007 and 2008 in the minor leagues. He has also played a few games here and there at second base during his career. His versatility makes him a valuable commodity. 

If he is producing offensively, he is worth that much more. It seems the only thing keeping him from doing so is his health, a problem he insists is no longer a concern, according to Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald.

“I can’t reiterate enough that I feel really good physically,” Craig said, via Lauber.

A healthy Craig is a good thing for a team that has a place for him to play. Boston doesn’t seem to be that place.

With Sandoval at third, Mike Napoli at first and Dustin Pedroia at second, the infield is well covered. The outfield—consisting of youngster Mookie Betts, veteran Shane Victorino and the aforementioned Ramirez—seems fairly well set as well. Jackie Bradley Jr. and Daniel Nava will be challenging for time in the crowded outfield as well.

Indeed, the Boston Red Sox have one of the game’s best hitters and nothing to do with him. It is a similar situation that led to his departure from St. Louis, as the Cardinals didn’t have a clear fit for Craig, either. 

The Red Sox may very well use spring training as an audition ground for Craig to show his health and ability to other teams that may have an interest. His back-loaded contract, which will pay him $5.5 million this year but escalate to $9 million and $11 million over 2016 and 2017, makes him an expensive bench option. 

Alternatively, the Red Sox could use Craig in a super-sub role this season, the final one on Napoli‘s contract. If he starts to hit the way he claims he can, he could take over at first if the Red Sox elect to not bring Napoli back. It’s a long shot, but it may be the best option over all.

Craig may very well be a productive hitter for the future of a franchise. A player with his abilities tends to find a home in a lineup pretty quickly.

It’s not often that a player who can have that level of impact follows a similar path that Craig will have to.

Transaction and salary in this article courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

Bill Ivie is the founder of I-70 Baseball. Follow him on Twitter to discuss baseball anytime.

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The St. Louis Cardinals have been successful by almost any standard. The team has consistently found itself in the postseason. It has managed to develop talent at most key positions on the field. It has often been the blueprint by which other teams hope to do business.

However, one thing has been noticeably absent. The Cardinals have seemingly turned away from the long ball. Home runs are an attractive stat that do not always indicate success. That said, power can change a game in a hurry. The team has lacked that consistent, powerful punch to its lineup.

Meet Xavier Scruggs.

Scruggs is a power-hitting prospect who earned a brief introduction to St. Louis fans during the 2014 season. More importantly, he is a power hitter that stands on the right side of the plate. Right-handed power hitters have not been an abundant resource for the team recently.

Scruggs has posted impressive power numbers throughout his minor league career. He has hit over 20 home runs and driven in more than 70 runs in each of the last five seasons. His strikeout rates are alarming, but he has shown the ability to reach base as well. He is 27 years old, so he is not a young prospect, by any means.

As much as the Cardinals could use Scruggs’ bat, there are obstacles in his way. Namely, Scruggs is a first baseman, and the team fully intends to give the bulk of those at-bats to another power hitter, Matt Adams.

Adams is a lefty, and the Cardinals could use a right-handed complement. That would seem to open the door for Scruggs, but the team ventured into the free-agent pool to sign Mark Reynolds, specifically for that role. 

Scruggs showed some desire to unblock his path this winter. According to Brian Stull of St. Louis Baseball Weekly, Scruggs played a considerable amount of outfield during winter ball in the Dominican Republic. Scruggs reports a feeling of success with playing the new position, as he shared with Stull: “I didn’t get to rob any home runs, I made some diving catches which was pretty cool. I felt comfortable out there–I think I made maybe one error…it’s good to finally put into play something that I’ve been practicing for a long time. Whatever comes my way, whether it be outfield-infield, I’ll be ready.”

It is not that the outfield really needs the extra competition. Manager Mike Matheny will already be looking at a starting outfield of Matt Holliday, Jon Jay and Jason Heyward. Stephen Piscotty, Randal Grichuk, Peter Bourjos and Tommy Pham will all be competing for a roster spot. 

The deck, at least entering spring training, is stacked against Scruggs. He finds himself unlikely to be the preferred option to back up either at first base or in the outfield.

Adding a new position and subsequently raising his value makes Scruggs an interesting option in 2015. While he will likely find himself in Memphis playing for the Triple-A Redbirds to start the season, the flexibility of where he can be used on the field will make him a candidate for major league promotions throughout the season. It will also raise his value in trade discussions. In addition, the Cardinals could use other outfielders in a trade knowing that Scruggs could fill the role, if necessary.

No matter how you look at it, Scruggs has enhanced his value this winter and given the Cardinals yet another homegrown commodity.

Statistics in this article are courtesy of Baseball-Reference.

Bill Ivie is the founder of I-70 Baseball. Follow him on Twitter to discuss baseball any time.

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The St. Louis Cardinals have reached an agreement on a three-year contract worth $22 million with pitcher Lance Lynn, as first reported by Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. The length of the deal has since been confirmed by the team in a press release.

The deal, which buys out the remaining arbitration years for the hurler, does not cover any free-agent years and does not contain any options, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Extending a young player is a key component of roster and cost control for many teams, and the Cardinals are no different. The process becomes a gamble as the team tries to find the perfect dollar amount that will save it money if the player continues to produce yet is not a huge financial risk if he should falter. The reported deal here seems to follow that mindset.

Lynn has eclipsed the ever-important 200-inning threshold in each of his last two seasons. He has 48 wins to his credit over the last three seasons. He averages just over eight hits, just over three walks and more than eight strikeouts per nine innings in his career. Including the postseason, Lynn has pitched 18 consecutive games without surrendering more than three earned runs or pitching less than 5.2 innings.

He may not be a powerhouse, but he has certainly shown that he understands the game and knows how to succeed. Behind Adam Wainwright and surrounded by impressive young arms, Lynn continues to be the backbone of the rotation. If consistency is the key to starting pitching, Lynn has found his niche.

Matt Swartz broke down the arbitration case for Lynn over at MLB Trade Rumors earlier this offseason and predicted the hurler was in line for a record-setting $5.5 million payday. Another season like the last two, and that number would continue to balloon through the arbitration process. Should Lynn continue to produce at his recent pace, however, the new deal will not pay him nearly the amount he was set to earn through the process.

That said, Lynn could have reached his peak already and may begin to come back down to earth in the next few seasons. A subpar season or a season lost to injury would drastically impact his earning ability as he continued through the arbitration process. In that scenario, he stands to make a lot more money under the reported contract than he would going year-to-year on arbitration.

The arbitration process itself is not a desirable process for players and teams. It can create bad blood and trust issues as the negotiations drag on. The team will produce facts that prove that the player is not worth the amount he is requesting. The player will present evidence as to why he is worth far more than the team wants to award him.

It is a process that teams try to avoid as much as possible. The Cardinals have not reached an arbitration hearing with a player since 1999.

Ultimately, Lynn was rewarded with guaranteed money for the next three years for his performance. Meanwhile, Lynn also knows that he will reach free agency at the age of 30, potentially setting himself up for a very large payday in the future.

The team now knows exactly how much money will be spent on the hurler over the next three years, making payroll more certain. If Lynn continues to produce the way he has, that amount of money is an impressive savings for the club.

It is not often that a deal is produced between a player and a team that seems completely mutually beneficial. In this case, however, it seems both the team and the player have accepted some risk, some reward and a potentially big future.

Statistics in this article provided by Baseball-Reference.com.

Bill Ivie is the founder of i70baseball.com. Follow him on Twitter to talk baseball.

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The St. Louis Cardinals have a reputation for making astute moves, and they furthered it Thursday by re-signing starting pitcher Lance Lynn to a three-year contract.    

According to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, the 27-year-old righty will earn an average of over $7 million per season:

In addition to avoiding arbitration this season, the Cards were able to buy out the remainder of Lynn’s arbitration years with this new contract, per ESPN’s Jim Bowden:

Lynn has been a key player for the Cards since becoming a full-time starter in 2012. He won 18 games that year and earned an All-Star nod. Since then, he has logged consecutive 15-win seasons, and his peripherals have improved as well.

He is coming off his best MLB campaign to date, as he went 15-10 with a career-best 2.74 ERA and 181 strikeouts in 2014.

Lynn was also effective in a pair of playoff outings for the Cardinals, so he certainly did enough to warrant a new contract.

While signing for only three years gives him an opportunity to hit free agency while still in his prime, this is a smart deal on St. Louis’ part since Lynn will earn significantly less than most pitchers of his caliber.

The Cardinals have made the playoffs in four straight seasons, and this is the type of signing that will help them continue that streak moving forward.

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The once-stocked Cardinals system isn’t as strong as previous years, though that was to be expected after the team graduated Kolten Wong and Carlos Martinez to the major leagues last season and tragically lost a future star in Oscar Taveras.

Outfielder Stephen Piscotty didn’t come into the system with a lot of hype but has really turned into an excellent player; dude can flat-out hit, and he’s likely to get his first crack at the major leagues in 2015. 2012 second-round pick Carson Kelly made significant strides in his ongoing transition from third baseman to catcher, while outfielder Charlie Tilson staked his claim one of the team’s top position prospects.

As usual, the Cardinals’ system is also loaded with high-ceiling arms in the lower levels of the minors. 

Alex Reyes, a 20-year-old right-hander, has the best arm in the group behind a projectable 6’3″, 185-pound frame, but he’s still learning how to harness his outstanding stuff and throw strikes. 2014 first-round pick Jack Flaherty opened eyes in his professional debut after signing, making it clear why the Cardinals seemed designed their draft strategy around landing the prep right-hander.

Southpaw Marco Gonzales, the team’s first-round pick in 2013, excelled toward the end of the regular season and well into October, and it’s hard to see him not receiving strong consideration for a rotation spot next spring. Meanwhile, Rob Kaminsky, another undersized left-hander, has polish and a hammer breaking ball to complement an above-average fastball, both of which served him well last summer in his full-season debut at Peoria. 

Here are the St. Louis Cardinals’ top 10 prospects for 2015.

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The St. Louis Cardinals have found success over the last few seasons with a strong pitching staff. The rotation, while successful, has been a source of injury concern. The team has seemed confident that the starting pitchers are healthy for the 2015 season. Their rumored interest in top-tier starters may suggest otherwise.

Most of the rumors caught attention when Ken Rosenthal mentioned the Cardinals as a potential landing spot for James Shields on MLB Network’s Hot Stove. The comment was made during a prediction segment of the show and was not based on any inside information, according to Rosenthal.

@BirdsOnTheBat13 That was simply my speculation, not an actual report.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 6, 2015

Now, Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi have shared thoughts, via FoxSports.com, that the Cardinals are looking to upgrade their rotation. The names the writing duo are connecting to St. Louis in this piece are David Price, Cole Hamels and Max Scherzer. Rosenthal and Morosi also point out that this interest sheds light on the team’s concern with its current staff.

As of right now, the Cardinals would look to open the season with a starting rotation of Adam Wainwright, Michael Wacha, Lance Lynn, John Lackey and Carlos Martinez with Marco Gonzalez providing some competition to Martinez for the final spot. Looking at that rotation, it is easy to see why the team shouldn’t need to add a pitcher.

However, Wainwright underwent minor surgery following the Redbirds’ elimination from the 2014 postseason, as reported by Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Wacha pitched limited innings and continues to deal with a stress reaction in his throwing arm, an ailment that is extremely rare and comes with no guarantees of health. Lynn has avoided injury but has battled with bouts of inconsistency over his career. Martinez and Gonzalez are unproven commodities.

But interest in Price, Hamels and Scherzer does not suggest that the Cardinals are hoping to round out their staff. Those names belong at the top of the rotation and would suggest that there is concern with the trio of Wainwright, Lynn and Wacha. More specifically, it raises concern that Wainwright may not be recovering from his surgery as well as expected or that Wacha is not comfortable with his ailment.

It is all speculation. General manager John Mozeliak, while surprisingly candid on some subjects, tends to play his cards very close to his vest. Seldom does word leak out of the St. Louis offices about trades, negotiations or even injury updates until the team is ready to release the information.

The fact of the matter remains: It appears that the Cardinals are interested in some of the best starting pitchers available. Why they are interested in that market is currently a mystery.

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The St. Louis Cardinals have been quiet ever since starting their winter off with a bang by acquiring Jason Heyward. A bit too quiet.

But maybe not for much longer. Word is the Cardinals want to make another bang. And if they pull it off, their status as one of the National League‘s elite teams will become clad in iron, cement and other similarly sturdy things.

As Jon Morosi and Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com reported late Wednesday night, the Cardinals are thinking of adding a big-name ace starter to their rotation, with their top ideas being signing free-agent right-hander Max Scherzer or trading for left-handers David Price or Cole Hamels.

So no, they’re not messing around. That’s two Cy Young winners (Scherzer and Price) and a guy who’s finished in the top 10 of the Cy Young voting four times (Hamels).

Despite St. Louis’ silence since acquiring Heyward, you could see something like this coming. Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wondered aloud in late November if the Cardinals had a big move up their sleeve, and even general manager John Mozeliak seemed to be saying “maybe.”

“You don’t stop looking for ways to improve, but as far as options go we think we have five quality starters, at least, to go with,” Mozeliak told Derrick Goold of the Post-Dispatch, before adding: “I wouldn’t rule out doing something later.”

Now, before we go any further, let’s acknowledge nothing is guaranteed here.

Hamels is still owed $100 million over the next four seasons, and the Philadelphia Phillies are probably looking to move all of that and acquire young talent. The Cardinals typically have a lot of that, but not so much now after a series of trades in recent months.

Meanwhile, the Detroit Tigers are very much in win-now mode, so they’ll presumably need to be blown away to deal Price. To that end, it would be risky for the Cardinals to go all-out for a free agent-to-be like him after already doing so to acquire Heyward.

As for Scherzer, SB Nation’s Marc Normadin is right on the money here:

You can just forget about those Scherzer dreams, though, even with the Cardinals’ history of pulling off moves that seem designed only to spite the other 29 fan bases. He’s looking for $200 million and a long-term deal the length of which you probably won’t see the Cardinals speaking of, and the main connection here is that Scherzer is a Missouri native.

Morosi and Rosenthal expressed similar doubts and also noted that St. Louis’ preference is to add a lefty anyway.

But while the Cardinals adding Scherzer, Price or Hamels may not be likely, this is one of those rumors that behooves one to consider the possibilities. And in this case, the possibilities are the kind that get the blood pumping.

As things stand now, the top four of the Cardinals’ starting rotation is projected to be:

1. Adam Wainwright
2. Lance Lynn
3. John Lackey
4. Michael Wacha

Looks strong, right? Wainwright has a track record as an elite ace. Lynn is coming off a 2.74 ERA. Lackey had a strong 2014 outside of a rough stretch between late June and early August. Wacha has looked like a top-of-the-rotation guy when he’s been healthy.

So how would this rotation look with Scherzer, Price or Hamels inserted into the mix?

Well, if we look at some numbers from the last two seasons, a bit like this:

If you don’t know ERA+, that’s ERA adjusted for league average and ballpark factors. An even 100 is average, with anything over 100 denoting above-average pitching.

So if the Cardinals add Scherzer, Price or Hamels, they’ll have a rotation consisting of five guys who have been between slightly above average and way above average over the last two seasons. From top to bottom, it’s a rotation that would look as strong as any.

There are caveats, of course. Wacha is undeniably talented, but he missed close to three months in 2014 with a bad right shoulder. Lackey is 36. One FanGraphs specialty suggests Lynn probably doesn’t have another sub-3.00 ERA in him. Wainwright is 33 and coming off surgery on his right elbow.

In light of these things, the long-run outcome of the Cardinals adding Scherzer, Price or Hamels could end up being something of a disappointment. What would have looked like an elite rotation could be rendered merely good enough by injuries and/or ineffectiveness.

But since such things are hard to project, it’s best if we focus on projections that can be made.

To that end, the Cardinals are already projected by FanGraphs to get more WAR from their starting pitchers in 2015 than all but four other teams:

Bear in mind that’s without Scherzer, Price or Hamels, as, you know, they’re not members of the Cardinals just yet.

You can probably guess how adding one of them would alter the projections, but we can get specific with some numbers. Here’s the WAR Steamer projects for Scherzer, Price and Hamels in 2015:

• Price: 4.0
• Scherzer: 3.8
• Hamels: 2.6

The projections for Price and Scherzer put them among baseball’s top seven pitchers, while Hamels’ projection of 2.6 WAR lands him just outside the top 25. That’s underselling his talent by just a bit if you ask me, but it would be a perfectly acceptable performance.

At any rate, you can do the math. Even if you add Hamels and his modest projection, the Cardinals’ starting pitching would move up the ranks to be right there with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Add Scherzer or Price, and the Cardinals jump to the top.

This is to say the projections can confirm what you’ve probably been thinking all along: If the Cardinals can add Scherzer, Price or Hamels, their rotation would become arguably the best in baseball.

As for what such a rotation could do for the Cardinals’ contention outlook in 2015, the absolute least it would do is switch their NL Central status from “likely favorites” to “obvious favorites.”

FanGraphs‘ projected NL Central standings have the Cardinals on top at 87-75, but right there with them are the Pittsburgh Pirates at 86-76 and the Chicago Cubs at 83-79. But if you put Scherzer, Price or Hamels on the Cardinals, their projection would presumably get bumped to at least 88 wins and maybe as many as 90 wins.

That would mean a nice, solid buffer zone between the Cardinals and the Pirates and Cubs, which is plenty significant. In a day and age when earning a wild-card berth only guarantees one postseason game, being the clear team to beat in your division is huge.

Granted, an 88-90 win projection doesn’t sound like much on paper. But the projections do tend to be conservative like that, and nobody in the National League is projected to do much better. The Dodgers’ projection of 91 wins is the best, and the Washington Nationals‘ projection of 88 wins is the second best.

So adding Scherzer, Price or Hamels wouldn‘t just create some distance between the Cardinals and the rest of the NL Central. It would also erase the distance between them and the two teams in the National League that—on paper, anyway—look like the league’s top two World Series contenders.

More specifically, the road to the World Series would look noticeably different.

Though the Cardinals look like a solid match for the Dodgers and Nationals now, they’d look like a much, much more solid match for them with an upgraded rotation. They’d be capable of clashing with Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and the rest of the Dodgers rotation and Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg and the rest of the Nationals rotation.

Again, the last thing anyone should do is take it for granted that the Cardinals are going to sign Scherzer or trade for Price or Hamels. They may want to, but it’s going to be easier said than done.

But you can see where they’re coming from. Adding one of them would mean rotation insurance at worst and a significant boost to their 2015 contention status at best. 

Already one of the National League’s elite, adding Scherzer, Price or Hamels is St. Louis’ ticket to becoming even more elite.

Note: Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted/linked.  

If you want to talk baseball, hit me up on Twitter.

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As the world prepares to turn the final calendar page of 2014, it creates a time of reflection. The 2014 calendar year was a busy one for the sport of baseball, and the St. Louis Cardinals are no exception. The top five stories of 2014 give a snapshot of a dynamic time in St. Louis.

The Cardinals have been one of baseball’s most successful teams in recent memory. Consistently finding their way to the postseason, developing talent from within the organization and being strong-willed enough to make trades to try and improve the team have all become standard operation for the team.

During 2014, the Cardinals faced tragedy, traded away fan favorites and former top prospects, saw a prospect start to realize his potential and continued to provide surprising news. The team had big moments on and off the field. 

Here are the top five stories from 2014.

All statistics in the following article are provided by Baseball-Reference.com.

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History suggests the St. Louis Cardinals rarely go all-in during the offseason. After dealing starter Shelby Miller to the Atlanta Braves for Jason Heyward and reliever Jordan Walden, rumor has it the Cardinals may be scripting another chapter in their offseason history book. By playing fact or fiction with the latest buzz surrounding the Cardinals, I will offer you a better understanding of what is possible and what remains pure fantasy based on the team’s biggest need—starting pitching.

It’s likely the Cardinals aren’t done wheeling and dealing. Facts are buried under the layers of smoke screens combined with how the free-agent market takes shape. Predicting general manager John Mozeliak’s next move would be like calling the weekly weather in the Midwest.

The tragic death of rookie outfielder Oscar Taveras rewrote the Cardinals’ offseason agenda. Suddenly, the Cardinals went from needing minor tweaks to being desperate for a big move.

Has Mozeliak locked himself in his office while pondering another big move? Will the GM throw a lucrative deal at a starting pitcher to aid the best rotation in the National League Central Division? 

The clock is ticking as Mozeliak digs in. 

Are the Cardinals plotting to offer Max Scherzer a contract?

Given the recent history of the Cardinals and acquiring free agents, it would be unwise to fathom Mozeliak and owner Bill DeWitt Jr. presenting Max Scherzer with a gaudy contract.

However, I believe this is purely a fantasy.  

The Cardinals need another starter after trading Miller. 

The 2015 projected rotation consists of Adam Wainwright, Lance Lynn, John Lackey, Michael Wacha and Carlos Martinez. Martinez will enter spring training as a starter, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Wainwright and Lynn are staples. Lackey is on the back end of his career, and Wacha‘s health remains a mystery after dealing with a rare stress fracture in his right shoulder. Even if Martinez enters the regular season as a starter, he is inexperienced and will need time to adjust to pitching every fifth day. There’s also Jaime Garcia, who is an injury-plagued lefty that can never remain healthy for an entire season.

Back in March, Detroit Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski made a significant offer to Scherzer in an effort to keep him in Motown. The offer was worth north of $25 million per season and failed to match the contract Justin Verlander signed prior to the start of the 2013 season.

To no surprise, Scherzer rejected the offer and opted for free agency, where he can cash in. And he deserves that ability after winning the American League Cy Young Award in 2013 and reaching 18 wins last season.

The Cardinals haven’t publicly expressed interest in any free agent, which would be foolish to do. But Scherzer remains an attraction for multiple reasons. 

The Cardinals have the payroll flexibility to sign Scherzer if they choose to do so. Scherzer is from the area and stated the Cardinals were his dream team.

“It would be too cool,” Scherzer told Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in March. “I grew up there. When you’re a little kid, you picture yourself putting on the [Cardinals] uniform.”

Indeed, that says a lot about Scherzer. But it’s just an idea for the time being.

The Cardinals could certainly use the services from the kid they originally drafted, and a substantial offer isn’t out of the picture. Still, the odds of the Scherzer coming home remain slim. 

Are the Cardinals in the running for Jon Lester?

According to ESPN, there is a fourth team bidding for Jon Lester. Though the ghost team has yet to be identified, the Cardinals are believed to be it.

And why not? The Cardinals have resources to invest in Lester. Mozeliak doesn’t have the luxury of waiting for his prospects to mature like he used to. 

Lester has taken his time deciding which organization he will pitch for in 2015. When you’re one of the top pitchers on the market, why wouldn’t you be patient and let GMs bid against each other while jacking up the price tag?

It’s a good move by Lester and his camp.

At first, it didn’t seem likely the Cardinals would seek Lester.

It’s funny how quickly things change.

At the July 31 trade deadline, the Boston Red Sox were 12 games under .500. The season was lost, and the focus shifted to the future. Boston shipped Lester to the Oakland Athletics at the trade deadline last season. In northern California, Lester helped the A’s reach the playoffs by winning six of his 11 starts.

For Lester, reaching the playoffs last season marked the fifth time he’s done so in his career.

In my opinion, Lester is the best option in terms of starters on the market. He’s a winner—and an experienced one. Lester has two World Series rings (2007, 2013). He’s a perfect 3-0 in his three World Series starts over his career.

The Cardinals would be wise to present Lester with a hefty contract, especially with the uncertainties regarding the health of Wainwright and Wacha. 

With a chance to reverse their current offseason trend, the Cardinals have an opportunity to make a big splash by signing one of the most attractive starters on the market. They won’t get both, but I believe they will land one. 

And that man is named Lester. 

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The St. Louis Cardinals were escorted into the offseason short of winning their 12th World Series championship. Looking ahead, the core of the team remains intact, and the Cardinals will need to make some cost-effective adjustments to their roster this winter.

Big spending is out of the question. Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. hasn’t operated like that since he took the reigns of the organization in 1996.

However, expect the Cardinals to make some low-key moves to patch up a few minor leaks. The Cardinals are responsible for just $82.8 million in contracts for next season, according to Baseball Reference. That leaves a good amount of wiggle room for the general manager John Mozeliak to work with. 

Re-signing reliever and former closer Jason Motte should be near the top of Mozeliak’s offseason to-do list. Motte spent the better part of the last two seasons recovering from Tommy John surgery. The righty struggled this season with a gaudy 4.68 ERA. His velocity wasn’t there, nor his punch-out power.

In fairness to Motte, it is not unusual for pitchers to struggle after returning from reconstructive elbow surgery.

During spring training 2011, Adam Wainwright was lost for the season after blowing out his right elbow. Following surgery and extensive rehab, Wainwright returned to the mound in 2012 but was hardly the same. His compiled a 4.56 ERA in his first 17 starts. He finished the season with a record of 14-13 and a 3.94 ERA.

It’s also paramount to realize how big of a factor Motte was for the Cardinals in 2011-12. He was dominant in the 2011 postseason and saved five games, including Game 7 over Texas to clinch the Cardinals’ 11th title.

Motte followed that remarkable playoff run by tying Atlanta’s Craig Kimbrel for the National League lead in saves with 42. The Cardinals rewarded him with a two-year, $12 million deal following the 2012 season.

Obviously Motte didn‘t live up to the contract because he was shelved. But the Cardinals shouldn’t give up on him. Instead, they should re-sign Motte to a short-term deal and see how he performs. 

A utility infielder is another area the Cardinals need.

The Cardinals received nothing from Mark Ellis, whom they signed to a one-year, $5 million deal last winter. Ellis was to provide insurance in case Kolten Wong struggled at second base.

Things didn’t go Ellis’ way. He dealt with an injury early in the season and never got going. Still, Ellis remains an above-average fielder with seven defensive runs saved, according to Fan Graphs.

Wong took off and became a staple of the lineup during the second half of the season. Ellis was excluded from the playoff roster in favor of Pete Kozma, who spent the majority of 2014 with Triple-A Memphis. Ellis is a classy guy, a grizzled veteran with poise and wisdom. He’s a good clubhouse presence. But the Cardinals can look elsewhere for another infielder.

One name that comes to mind—if the price is right—is Rickie Weeks, the longtime second baseman for Milwaukee. The Brewers declined Weeks’ $11.5 million option for 2015, making him a free agent.

Obviously, the interest in Weeks all depends on cost. It wouldn’t hurt to gauge the temperature on Weeks, who is in the downside of his career. 

Otherwise the Cardinals could opt to go with Kozma or another look outside the organization for infield help. Though, the market for middle infielders at a controlled price is rather slim. 

Elsewhere, Yadier Molina isn’t getting any younger. Additional off-days will be in order next season to avoid injury, and the Cardinals need to find a reliable and productive option to spell the future Hall of Famer.

A.J. Pierzynksi’s production as a member of the Cardinals was anything but convincing. In 95 plate appearances (including postseason), the veteran managed a skinny .239 average with a .295 on-base percentage and stranded 40 runners.

Defensively, Pierzynski was vulnerable. After joining the Cardinals, opponents were a perfect 13 of 13 in stolen-base attempts.

Pierzynski’s edgy personality never came into question while with the Cardinals. In fact, the club needed some flare and Pierzynski provided it.

But the Cardinals will be better off going a different route for next season.

Geovany Soto, who spent time with Texas and Oakland this season, is a free agent. Last season Soto posted a caught-stealing rate of .435 percent in 24 games. By comparison, stealers were 50 of 61 off Pierzynski last season. 

The sample size for Soto is small in terms of production last season but all isn’t lost on the veteran backstop. Also, Soto missed 10 weeks of the season with a torn meniscus in his knee. The Rangers traded Soto to Oakland for cash in late August. With the Athletics, Soto batted .262 in 42 at-bats. 

Finally, the Cardinals will look for left-handed relievers. Kevin Siegrist was injured during the postseason and stumbled a bit after a stellar rookie season in 2013. Internally, the Cardinals have Sam Freeman, the 27-year-old hard thrower. But Freeman will have to earn confidence from manager Mike Matheny in 2015.

Zach Duke appears to be a good fit for the Cardinals. Duke enjoyed a solid season with the Brewers. In 74 appearances, Duke crafted a 2.45 ERA while holding left-handed hitters to a .198 average. He also held right-handed hitters to a .242, which is impressive from a left-handed reliever. 

Mozeliak and his staff will be busy this offseason, and these are a few cost-effective moves the Cardinals can make as free agency begins.

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