The trade deadline, and an update in our prospect rankings...

The trade deadline is tomorrow night. Will the Cardinals make a move? Will that move include a member of the current major league roster? Rumors are swirling that Lohse may be traded, or that maybe we'll give up Ludwick to try to get a "plus bat" in the middle of the order. I think both moves are HORRIBLE IDEAS, and doubt either would happen. So if the Cardinals make a move it is going to involve the minor league system. Here are some of the prime candidates:

1) Catcher - We have the best defensive catcher in baseball, he is hitting over .300 this year, and he is young. Yes folks, Yadi appears to be getting better every year. He isn't going anywhere. We have Brian Anderson at AAA, a decent defensive catcher who is a good left handed bat. He isn't going to hit for power, but he can hit .300 in the major leagues the scouts say. He has value, and I think he would bring something decent in a trade.

2) Pick an outfielder, any outfielder (except Rasmus) - The Cardinals have an abundance of talent in the outfield at all levels of the minor leagues. Several of these players would be very attractive in a trade, most notably Jon Jay. Jay, who plays CF, was hitting .306 with 11 HR at AA Springfield, and was just promoted to AAA Memphis. He was a second round draft pick (University of Miami) in 2006, is young, and is on the rise. It is hard to see him making the big league club with Rasmus, Ankiel, Ludwick, Schumaker, Barton, Mather, etc. ahead of him. Another guy that is skyrocketing through the system is Daryl Jones. Jones, who plays LF, hit .326 with 11 doubles, 11 triples, 7 home runs and 18 stolen bases in only 87 games of A Ball. He was recently promoted to AA Springfield, where he is hitting .273 with a homer through his first 6 games. Jones was drafted in the 3rd round (as a high school player) of the 2005 player draft. He is seen as a guy with a high ceiling, and is really coming into his own right now. The GM might not be as quick to part with him.

The other obvious candidates would be Mather, Stavinhova, and (in my opinion) Schumaker. Mather has spent the season back and forth between AAA and the big leagues. He has obvious value to the Cardinals, but with a suprlus of outfielders, you never know. Stavinhova has really showed he can hit at AAA, and had a brief callup with the big club in mid season, but it is just crowded in that outfield. I think this guy will be a solid, not great, type of pro (ala Skip Schumaker). I just don't see room for him. Schumaker is having a great year, and I doubt the Cards move him, but you never know. It is crowded and I doubt he is in the long term plans of the organization. Moving on....

3) Middle Infield/Shortstop - Brian Barden is our AAA starting shortstop, he was named to the US Olympic team, he has a great glove (major league ready) and hits .300 with decent pop. But apparently, the Cardinals have more highly regarded prospects in Pete Kozma (2007 first round pick) and Tyler Greene (2005 first round pick). With Brendan Ryan already in the majors, it appears the Cardinals have a surplus of guys who aren't the answer for the next year or two. Ryan hasn't shown he is the guy, Barden obviously hasn't either or he would've been called up by now. Greene has struggled, but is finally starting to hit. Kozma, drafted out of high school, looks to be a couple years away from the big leagues.

4) Pitching, pitching, pitching - You've got the obvious candidates in Parisi, Boggs, and Garcia. All have started games this year as rookies, with varrying degrees of success. Clayton Mortenson (2006 first round pick) and Jess Todd (2007 second round pick) both appear to have potential to hold down the middle of a starting rotation soon. Then you have the relievers, Motte (100 mph fastball), Worrell, and Chris Perez, who is the top pitching prospect in the organization.

Next year we will have a healthy Carpenter, Wainwright, and McClellan will go into the rotation. I think they will resign Lohse. Where do you put all these young guys? We have decisions to make with Looper (probably will be let go in free agency), Pinero (another year left), Wellemeyer (club option to resign), Matt Clement (will he be healthy?), and Brad Thompson (he was squeezed out this year). I think one of our young guys, probably Garcia or Mortenson, will occupy the fifth starting spot. I think the organization is willing to part with either Garcia, Mortenson, or Todd, but the price will be steep for any of those guys.

The bullpen will also see the addition of Tyler Johnson and Josh Kinney next year, both coming back after missing the entire 2008 season. Izzy will be gone in free agency or signed at a really, really reduced price. The question the Cards front office has to ask: Is Chris Perez our closer? If they aren't going to give this kid a shot next year, then I think you trade him right now to somebody that will give him that shot. His value is high, but with all the bullpen troubles the Cardinals have had I don't see them giving the ball to a rookie next year. Whoever we sign as our closer will be a 4-5 year commitment, so hanging on to Perez seems pointless in that scenario. Jason Motte, and his 100 mph fastball, have dominated AAA Memphis this year. His problem, he only has the fastball right now. He would have some value to somebody though. Worrell is highly regarded, even if he doesn't have the power stuff that Motte and Perez has.

So here are my trade proposals:

BLOCKBUSTER (not likely) - Trade Ludwick, Tyler Greene (SS), and Jess Todd (P) for Matt Holliday of the Rockies. The Cards now have a big bat to protect Albert, and they would no doubt resign him for next year (this would have to be agreed on prior to the trade). Next year the outfield looks like this: LF Holliday, CF Rasmus, RF Ankiel. I hate to give up Ludwick, but this would be a major upgrade. Holliday is one of the best hitters in baseball.

MIDDLE OF THE ROAD (more likely) - Trade Tyler Greene (SS), Bryan Anderson (C), and Mitchell Boggs (P) to the Pirates for Jack Wilson (SS). Wilson is a good defensive player, he can hit better than any SS option the Cards have, and he is a "Cardinals type of player." He hustles, he gets dirty, and we'd love him. In the process we give up a couple expendible prospects and a potential starting pitcher.

We'll see what the Cards do. They may stand pat. I know everybody wants to hold onto this talent, but you can only have 25 on the Major League roster! There isn't room for Ankiel, Rasmus, and Jon Jay. There is no room for Tyler Greene, Brendan Ryan, and Pete Kozma. If we can add a bat or some relief help, I'd like to see us make a move. Just don't trade Rasmus, Perez, McClellan, and a few others. We'll see how it plays out!