UCB Roundtable November 1st

On Friday, October 29th, the team here at PH8 had an opportunity to fire off a question for the United Cardinal Blogger roundtable, and I gave it my best shot.  I went for a really nasty 12-6 curveball, but I hung it over the middle of the plate, instead.  Naturally, the UCB participants drilled it, and I have the quotes to prove it.  And here’s the pitch….

Let’s all suspend disbelief for just a few moments and pretend that the Cardinals have $200M to spend on payroll for just 2011 in a last ditch effort to win it all and convince Pujols to stay.  Which free agents do you acquire to complete your “dream team” for just a one year run?  The only assumption made is that each free agent is willing to accept a large pile of cash in exchange for one year in a Cardinals uniform on a team giving it all to win it all.

Daniel Shoptaw – C70 At The Bat says:  The free agent market is pretty slim, but I think that having Carl Crawford at the top of the lineup would make for a solid offense.  We already are pretty certain (barring injury) that the pitching will be OK, but having Pujols, Holliday, Rasmus and Crawford in a lineup would be pretty spectacular.

Tom Knuppel wrote:  Might as well get Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford since we are dreaming

Chris Reed of bird-brained.mlblogs.com said:  Great question! I’m not going to list out 22 free agents + Pujols, Wainwright, and Carpenter because I still think the Cardinals have quite a few solid guys. So if we also assume health, and options are not exercised, here’s who I would add to what the Cards already have:
 
2B/SS – Juan Uribe
3B – Adrian Beltre
OF – Carl Crawford
 
SP – Cliff Lee
SP – Jon Garland
 
RHP – Kerry Wood
RHP – John Rauch
LHP – Arthur Rhodes
 
I think the other roles on the team are pretty set. Yes, there are better hitters out there than Brendan Ryan and Yadier Molina. But there aren’t many defenders that are better, and I think those two add something to the clubhouse persona that shouldn’t be changed. I’m also not saying Ryan Franklin should definitely be replaced by one of the relievers above (or by Mitchell Boggs or Jason Motte) but at least the Cards would have multiple closer options should the need arise. 

Nick at Pitchers Hit Eighth writes:  Close as I can figure, a Pujols deal would push the Cards to about the $110mm range already, leaves me about $90mm to play with.
 
Hrmm…
 
Leaving those players with options out of this discussion, here’s my list.
 
IF Juan Uribe
2B Orlando Hudson
3B Brandon Inge
 
OF Carl Crawford
 
SP Cliff Lee
 
RP Arthur Rhodes
RP Mariano Rivera
RP Rafael Soriano
 
I reckon that crew should sneak in just under $90mm for 2011.

DJ McClure says:  

If the criteria is strictly free agents I’ll go with Carl Crawford, Cliff Lee and Juan Uribe. As long as Tony agrees to move Colby to a corner outfield position and play him everyday. Yes, even against left handed pitching Tony.

I’d still like to add a trade for Dan Uggla in somehow. If Uggla’s in then Uribe’s out and Skip’s the utility guy with Jon Jay being the 4th outfielder.

JHadleyConrad of CDD writes:  

Oh if only this were true! Even better if we had a stronger class of FA.

SP Cliff Lee

2B/SS Juan Uribe
3B Adrian Beltre
OF Carl Crawford

RHP Kerry Wood

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Cardinals fan since I could hold a fishing pole steady. Accidental blogger. Opinionated. I could care less about what you think of me. Constantly confounded, bemused, and confuzzled (ie I'm a pc and a mac). I'm an IT infrastructure analyst with a penchant for breaking tech toys. I ate a sabermetric primer for breakfast. I love playing "All-powerful GM of MLB". The 2010 Cardinals represented a good, practical definition "cognitive dissonance". The 2011 version got by on duct tape and a prayer, and I'm fine with that. They just need new tape for #12 in 12.

Dennis

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