By Chris Brown / STL Baseball Today | @cbrown_STLBBT | Dec. 1, 2015, 10:30 am CT, updated 12/2
As the calendar flips to December, a handful of news/notes/reads on the redbirds, who made their first sizable move of the offseason on Monday, signing veteran catcher Brayan Pena to a two-year, $5 million deal to serve as Yadier Molina’s new backup behind the plate:
UPDATE 12/2:
– Cardinals trade catcher Tony Cruz to Royals for minor league infielder
– Phillies claim Peter Bourjos off waivers from Cardinals
– Cardinals keep Moss, non-tender Cishek and Stanley
POTENTIAL NON-TENDERS:
As I pointed out in Monday’s article on the signing of Pena, the move comes at a key time, as the deadline for teams to tender contracts to their arbitration-eligible players is Wednesday at 11 pm CT. Tony Cruz, who has served as Molina’s understudy since 2011, is now unlikely to be tendered a contract if the team is unable to trade him, something GM John Mozeliak said they would attempt to do. The 29-year-old is projected by MLB Trade Rumors to earn $1 million in salary arbitration.
Cruz isn’t the only Cardinal eligible for arbitration, as the team will also have to make decisions on Brandon Moss, Peter Bourjos, Matt Adams, Steve Cishek, Trevor Rosenthal, and Seth Maness. Coming off a season in which he made $6.65 million, Cishek, who was acquired in a trade deadline deal with Miami, is certainly a candidate to be non-tendered, which would make him a free agent. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported a few weeks ago that the redbirds were planning on non-tendering the right-hander since “he’s been paid at a closer rate and is no longer a closer.”
While Rosenthal, Adams, and Maness figure to be tendered contracts, Moss and Bourjos both represent non-tender candidates. As Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes, the Cardinals could elect to keep Bourjos and try to trade him later this offseason. Moss’ future with the redbirds is more unclear, though it seems likely the team will tender him a contract.
Below is MLB Trade Rumors’ projections for each of the Cardinals’ arbitration-eligible players:
- Brandon Moss – $7.9MM
- Peter Bourjos – $1.8MM
- Steve Cishek – $7.1MM
- Tony Cruz – $1.0MM
- Trevor Rosenthal – $6.5MM
- Matt Adams – $1.5MM
- Seth Maness – $1.2MM
RECOMMENDED READ:
As SB Nation’s Viva El Birdos pointed out on Twitter Monday, this 2013 article from the Detroit Free Press offers an amazing insight into (new Cardinals catcher Brayan) Pena’s defection from Cuba and is more than worth a read.
[Related: Cards sign veteran catcher Pena to back up Molina, team now looking to trade Cruz]
File: Randal Grichuk during a 2015 Spring Training game
GRICHUK UPDATE:
During a radio appearance on CBS Sports 920 AM last week, outfielder Randal Grichuk told Brian Stull that he’s feeling strong, but has yet to begin throwing.
Grichuk missed time late in the season with a right elbow injury, but said he does expect to begin throwing in late December and should be fully healthy for Spring Training. The 24-year-old, who’s projected to serve as the Cardinals starting center fielder in 2016, is coming off a very impressive rookie season in which he hit .276 with 17 home runs and 47 RBI in 103 games.
POSTSEASON SHARES:
Major League Baseball announced on Monday that a full postseason share for the Cardinals is $34,223.65, while a full share for the World Series Champion Kansas City Royals is $370,069.03. Read more in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Rick Hummel.
STARTER SOONER THAN LATER?
Just before Thanksgiving, Mozeliak told Jim Hayes of Fox Sports Midwest that the Cardinals are looking to add a starting pitcher from outside the organization and hopes to acquire one in the next couple of weeks. With the annual Winter Meetings coming up from December 7-10, Cardinals fans could have an answer sooner than later.
MORE RECENT NEWS:
Cards reportedly finish second in bidding for Price, who agrees to historic deal with Boston
Report: Chris Davis not top priority for Cardinals, team’s interest in him “overblown”
Cards sign veteran catcher Pena to back up Molina, team now looking to trade Cruz
Former redbird Xavier Scruggs signs minors deal with Marlins, thanks Cardinals & fans
Feature image used under Creative Commons by user Delaywaves. No changes made. Image license.
