Let's Go Blues

Justin Masterson. Whoo. Hoo.

I really don't get this one.

I don't mind what we paid. Ramsey isn't anything exciting. He's 24 and still in AA after a disappointing year in hitter-friendly AA as a 23yo. He'll probably make the majors at some point, but I don't expect him to be all that great.

But, what was the purpose of this? How are we better? Masterson was good in 2013, and maybe he'll find that level again. Maybe. But, I'd say he's our 5th or 6th best starter right now and that doesn't include Michael Wacha. Bernie is trying to sell the trade as an improvement to IP from our starters (which is a problem). But, he's averaging 5.16IP/start this year with 11 of 19 starts under 6IP. In 2013, he was at 6 1/3 IP/start which is decent, but still not great. He's been rocked this year too. It's not just ~5IP/start. It's ~5IP/start in which he has been hammered. Maybe it's because of his knee injury. I don't know when he hurt it, but I really don't have high expectations for this move. If it doesn't work, we're out a meh prospect which isn't the end of the world. But, I don't really see a ton to be excited about here. Maybe this is a precursor to a bigger move? We needed to add a starter so we could trade both Miller and CMart or something? I dunno, but I don't really get it right now.

The gridbirds got killed 12-1 and today the lowly Padres go for the sweep!

JesusNEVERexisted wrote:The gridbirds got killed 12-1 and tonight the lowly Padres go for the sweep!

I thought you didn't watch barfball. Btw, where do you come up with this stuff??? Barfball. Gridbirds. This is really clever stuff. Do you google these or are they just in your head. Either way, keep em coming because they are hilarious.

I don't watch. The very thought of watching barfball puts me in a semi coma!

But you can't avoid hearing about them. It's all over the local TV and radio news.

JesusNEVERexisted wrote:I don't watch. The very thought of watching barfball puts me in a semi coma!

But you can't avoid hearing about them. It's all over the local TV and radio news.

Barfball! THERE IT IS AGAIN! I'm serious man, this could be your "Here's your sign". Good stuff!

F Keenan wrote:

JesusNEVERexisted wrote:I don't watch. The very thought of watching barfball puts me in a semi coma!

But you can't avoid hearing about them. It's all over the local TV and radio news.

Barfball! THERE IT IS AGAIN! I'm serious man, this could be your "Here's your sign". Good stuff!

IF YOU LIKE BARFBALL....you might be a redneck.

IF YOU LIKE GRIDBIRDS....you might be a redneck.

Heeeeeeere's yer sign. Get 'er done. They call me Tater Salad.

WOW!!! Lester + Gomes to the A's for Cespedes!!!! I heard the A's were in on Lester, but wow. Cespedes is a stud and Lester's gonna bolt when his contract is up. Their rotation is ridiculous now though. Lester/Samardzjia/Kazmir/Chavez/Hammel. When Kazmir is your 3rd starter, you're in pretty damn good shape. I do wonder how this will impact their offense though. They have a lot of other good pieces still, but sometimes you take one piece out, and it has a big impact.

You forgetting someone? Sonny Gray, dude.

Allen Craig/Joe Kelly for John Lackey.

Um...................................

dmiles2186 wrote:Allen Craig/Joe Kelly for John Lackey.

Um...................................

Terrible trade for the Cards.

glen a richter wrote:You forgetting someone? Sonny Gray, dude.

LOL, yeah, totally forgot him. That's even sicker.

glen a richter wrote:

dmiles2186 wrote:Allen Craig/Joe Kelly for John Lackey.

Um...................................

Terrible trade for the Cards.

I hate the trade on the surface. However, there are some things I like about it.

Lackey has a $500k option next year, so he will be CHEAPER than Joe Kelly next season. Craig has been awful this year. His departure opens up a full time spot for Oscar Taveras. The Cards also save something like $6m next season.

The rotation now sets up to be:

Waino
Lackey
Lynn
Miller
Masterson

I think this also means Wacha is done for the year, they just haven't said so yet. The Cardinals have made their moves by giving up no prospects of note whatsoever.

Downside, Lackey is 10 years older than Kelly. I liked Kelly, but his ERA was a full run higher than Lackey's this year. And a Derrek Goold tweet said this 'stunned' the Cards locker room. It's a shake up for sure.

Still...Lackey/Craig straight up I could live with. Don't know why we had to throw in Kelly.

I actually like this deal. I mean, I'll be sad to see Kelly and Craig go. I liked both of them. But, here's how I see it.

Craig has been awful this year. They are throwing him inside fastballs 40% of the time, up from 18% in the past, and he can't get around on it anymore. I don't know if it's physical, mental, the book being out, or what. But, he's been really really bad this year and just looks completely lost up there. He also is blocking Taveras (who has actually been a bit worse).

Kelly is alright, but he's just a 4/5 starter. Lackey is a solid 3, borderline 2. He has a 3.60 ERA (with a lower FIP and xFIP) in the NL East. I'm OK giving him up and hoping Taveras comes around to upgrade from Kelly to Lackey.

Also, since Wacha got hurt, Cards are dead last in IP per start in all of baseball. Lackey averages nearly 7IP/start. We desperately need innings.

Tampa Bay got a nice haul for David Price. Smyly, Franklin and Adames not bad at all. Smyly will help keep them competitive in the wild card race this season, so it's not like they completely gave up.

And all three Rays fans think they got screwed in the deal. Clueless rubes baking away in the Tampa sun.

I kidna thought they would get more too. Smyly is OK. Franklin was a really big prospect, but hasn't done much yet. I don't know much about Adames. My initial thought is that the Cards could have matched it pretty easily without including Taveras. Dunno. This seems like less than what the Cubs got for Samardzjia although that included Hammel too.

cardsfan04 wrote:I kidna thought they would get more too. Smyly is OK. Franklin was a really big prospect, but hasn't done much yet. I don't know much about Adames. My initial thought is that the Cards could have matched it pretty easily without including Taveras. Dunno. This seems like less than what the Cubs got for Samardzjia although that included Hammel too.

Yup, I agree. In terms of prospects, the Cubs made out with more on Samardzjia. Yeah, the Rays may have got some quality players, but ultimately, when you are trading David Price, you expect to get a prospect with the highest ceiling you can. I don't believe the Rays did that.

dmiles2186 wrote:

cardsfan04 wrote:I kidna thought they would get more too. Smyly is OK. Franklin was a really big prospect, but hasn't done much yet. I don't know much about Adames. My initial thought is that the Cards could have matched it pretty easily without including Taveras. Dunno. This seems like less than what the Cubs got for Samardzjia although that included Hammel too.

Yup, I agree. In terms of prospects, the Cubs made out with more on Samardzjia. Yeah, the Rays may have got some quality players, but ultimately, when you are trading David Price, you expect to get a prospect with the highest ceiling you can. I don't believe the Rays did that.

Just read a comment from Mozeliak on it:

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meh, guess they didn't want to pay for him. But, I really wish they had. Shelby, Piscotty, Diaz. Or something like that maybe. I dunno. I had my hopes up, so I'm disappointed, but I'm actually happy with the trade deadline for us (although I think I'm in the minority pretty much everywhere).

On Lester. This makes sense.

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And, one more. Gotta be shitty to find you got traded on TV.

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