Where do the Cardinals turn after losing Jason Heyward to Cubs?
Coming off their first 100-win season since.2005, the St. Louis Cardinals seemed primed for a huge winter. With money to spend thanks to a new television deal and several prime targets lined up that they believed were worth the investment, it was considered a foregone conclusion they would land an impact free agent.
So far though, they’ve been a bridesmaid several times but never a bride despite throwing around massive contract offers. As a result, the frustration is clearly growing within the fanbase.
[Related: Cardinals fans aren’t too happy that Jason Heyward picked the Cubs]
The most recent to turn down St. Louis was one of their own. After being acquired from the Atlanta Braves last winter, Jason Heyward was a key cog in the Cardinals’ success in 2015. But that will only prove to be a one-year relationship. Heyward reportedly turned down a contract at or above $200 million from St. Louis to take $184 guaranteed from the rival Chicago Cubs.
They have been others too. John Lackey also turned down a return to St. Louis to join the Cubs. And then there’s David Price, the prize of free agency, who at one time reportedly had his heart set on St. Louis but ultimately signed a seven-year, $217 million contract with the Boston Red Sox.
If the Cardinals were scripting an offseason plan, it surely looked nothing like this. Though it’s unlikely they would have gone over the top to sign multiple top free agents, they had to envision having a Heyward or Price type locked up by now, which would allow them to turn their attention to the underneath market. Now that’s where they might be forced to go anyway, only without a big name in place.
If there’s a silver lining though, it’s that this free-agent class is deep and several good options remain. The Cardinals aren’t in a terrible spot by any means. In fact, they’re in a position similar to the Cubs before they splurged on Ben Zobrist and Jason Heyward. They still have plenty of the money to spend, and can be creative in how they spread it around. Perhaps they’ll even end up getting more bang for their buck with multiple cost efficient signings.
Before fans panic too much or become even more unreasonable to deal with, that’s something they need to consider.
As for the priorities of general manager John Mozeliak, he’ll need to address the lineup before the dust settles. The outfield market can still play out in his favor with a handful of impact talents remaining. The Cardinals could make big plays for Justin Upton or Yoenis Cespedes. They don’t offer the youth or long-tern upside of Heyward, but they would provide an immediately more powerful presence in the lineup. As would first baseman Chris Davis, who’s reportedly seeking a $200 million deal.
Perhaps the most intriguing possibility would be targeting a less expensive hitter like Alex Gordon or Dexter Fowler and teaming him with a less expensive pitcher like Kenta Maeda or Wei-Yin Chen. Given how quickly markets change that may prove to be difficult as well. Gordon, for example, has seen his market grow this week and may end up doing pretty well. But something along those lines is at least plausible right now.
[Related: Baltimore restaurant offers Chris Davis free crab cakes for life]
The key thing to remember right now is there’s still a long way to go in this offseason and a lot of moves left to be made. The only thing anybody can confidently predict is that a lot of unpredictable things will still happen that will change the course of several markets. That means there’s no time for any one team to get too comfortable or too desperate.
If the unpredictability makes a team or fanbase nervous or uncomfortable, that much is understandable. But a team with a successful track record like St. Louis should be trusted to get on track and arrive to spring training with a team ready to compete. With an ace Adam Wainwright already in place, a good bullpen and several above average hitters in place, it’s not as if they’re too far away despite their misses.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
