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St. Louis Cardinals: 3 Dream Free Agent Pick-Ups in the 2013-14 Offseason

It’s time for the offseason shuffle! The St. Louis Cardinals will be among the 30 MLB clubs shaping up their lineups heading into 2014, and the free agent market is the biggest tool at their disposal.

The team made headlines with their young talent this year, but it seems as if trading away the farm system is not in the plans.

“[The] preference of [John] Mozeliak is to not trade away players, but [he’s] not close-minded to it,” reports Brian Stull of 101 ESPN about the Cardinals general manager.

So which free agents may be wearing the birds on the bat in 2014? This article takes a look at three available players who would most benefit the club in terms of talent and filling in holes on the roster.

*All statistics are current on baseball-reference.com as of November 9, 2013.*

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St. Louis Cardinals: Most Tradable Assets in the 2013-14 Offseason

The St. Louis Cardinals are sure to be wheeling and dealing this offseason.

The 2013 World Series exposed some of their weaknesses—namely production from the bottom of the order and a thin bench. And it’s been clear throughout the season that Pete Kozma is probably not a long-term answer at shortstop.

Luckily, they have one of the most enviable farm systems in all of baseball. But are there bigger names who may become trade bait to help fill in the blanks?

In no particular order, here are the five Cardinals who are expendable and would bring the most talent to St. Louis if traded. (You won’t see Jon Jay on this list, because although it wouldn’t be a big deal for the Cards to lose him, he wouldn’t provide much return.)

Read on to find out which players may leave St. Louis before the 2014 season.

*All statistics are current as of November 2, 2013.*

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Position-by-Position Breakdown of St. Louis Cardinals’ Standout Prospects

The St. Louis Cardinals have great prospects, and it became clear at the 2013 trade deadline that they were with the team to stay—at least for this year. 

So as we analyze the current team and look for holes during its recent slump, which minor league players may step up and contribute? Now more than ever, it might be important to take a look at a position-by-position breakdown of the Cardinals‘ best prospects.

Per MLB.com‘s rankings, I’ve listed each position’s star, his 2013 season statistics and history with the team.

Read on to find out which are the future of St. Louis!

*All statistics are current on MiLB.com as of August 10, 2013*

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St. Louis Cardinals: 5 Questions with ESPN.com’s Anna McDonald

The trade deadline is approaching. Innings are racking up. The postseason is within sight. This is the state of the St. Louis Cardinals and Major League Baseball right now.

Fans of all teams are asking the tough questions, and I was lucky enough to have an expert on hand!

I recently had the opportunity to talk to ESPN.com writer Anna McDonald before this weekend’s series with the Atlanta Braves. Read on to find out what she thinks about potential trades, the Cardinals’ success thus far and what they can do to improve.

Note: All quotes were obtained firsthand, unless otherwise indicated.

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Hottest and Coldest St. Louis Cardinals Heading into the Season’s 2nd Half

The St. Louis Cardinals once again have the best record in baseball. If they can match that performance in the second half of the season, they’re looking at over 100 wins.

But in order to do so, some players may need to step up.

As is natural, not everyone within the club has been pulling their weight lately. I’ve taken a look at the three hottest and coldest players heading into the break, keeping in mind statistics, capabilities and their value to the team.

Read on to find out who’s hot and who’s not!

 

All statistics courtesy of baseball-reference.com.

 

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St. Louis Cardinals: Grades for Every Player in May

The Cardinals have had a pretty amazing May to say the least. In fact, they have had the best record in Major League Baseball for a while now. And they couldn’t have gotten there without the performances of each individual player.

By comparing each major player’s statistics from the past 28 days to their 2012 numbers, I’ve attempted to measure their success against what is expected of them. 

With the Reds and the Pirates hot on the Cardinals’ trail, the NL Central is shaping up to be quite the race. And if the Cards continue to do what they’ve done in May, there’s a good chance exciting things will come to them.

Read on to find a grade and explanation for each position player for the month of May. 

*All statistics are current on baseballreference.com as of June 1, 2013.*

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The 5 Most Underrated St. Louis Cardinals Players of All-Time

Baseball is a game with many faces. Pitchers, catchers, big bats, managers…There are so many intricate parts to a great team, and the St. Louis Cardinals are historically one of the greatest teams.

Making one’s mark as a player is not easy, and unfortunately some slip through the cracks, never truly getting the attention they deserve.

In no particular order, I’ve picked out 5 players from Cardinals history who I would consider underrated.

Each of these individuals has given 10 or more years to the Cardinals organization. None of them ever received any high honors, the exception being All-Star bids. And none of them are currently on the team. (Sorry, Allen Craig! We don’t know where your superstar status will be been you eventually retire.) Lastly, almost all of them were overshadowed by other players.

The definition of the word “underrated” implies a player who’s name doesn’t often come up in conversation, so there are so many more I have missed. Comment below with your favorites!

*All stats are current on baseball-reference.com as of April 26, 2013*

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Grades for Each St. Louis Cardinals Position Player After First 10 Games

The 2013 season is now in full swing.

After 10 games, the St. Louis Cardinals are in sole possession of first atop the NL Central with a 6-4 record. But how have they gotten there?

By comparing each major player’s current statistics to their 2012 numbers, I’ve attempted to measure their success against what is expected of them. 

We don’t know what the future has in store for the Cardinals, but if these grades have set a precedent, we may be seeing great things.

Read on to find a grade and explanation for each position player. 

*All statistics are from stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com and are current as of April 12, 2013.*

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