In what would have to be considered a minor surprise, on Wednesday the
St. Louis Cardinals offered arbitration to only one free-agent eligible player,
starting pitcher Matt Morris. Julian Tavarez, Reggie Sanders, Mark
Grudzielanek and Einar Diaz were not offered, apparently sealing their 2006 employment
elsewhere. Reliever Al Reyes was also not offered, but is injured and still
could come back later.
Matt Morris in demand
This decision by the Cardinals to offer arbitration leaves Morris in the
position to have to declare his intentions by December 19. Either he can accept
the Cardinals offer of arbitration, or if he declines, he and the Cardinals can
still negotiate until January 8. However, if Morris does not re-sign with the
team by that date, he could not rejoin the Cardinals until May 1 or
later.
Morris’ critics might argue that the worst that could happen to the
Cardinals is that he and the team go to arbitration and as a result, the team is
bound to accept the arbitrator’s ruling on the amount of a one-year deal to
pitch for the team in 2006. This is possible, but less likely.
The higher-odds scenario is that the Cardinals made Wednesday’s move to
protect themselves. Morris is in high demand from other clubs in a year with a
shallow free agent crop. If Morris signs with another team, the Cardinals are
eligible to receive a first-round draft pick from that other club in
compensation. This is because Morris’ stats over the last two years qualify him
in the top 30% of players at his position, otherwise called a “Type A” free
agent.
The Cardinals are not assured of a first-round pick, however. If a team
in the lower half of last year’s aggregate standings signs Morris, the Cards’
compensatory pick would be a second-rounder along with another pick between the
first and second rounds.
But, the greatest surprise was the team not offering arbitration to any
of their other eligible players – Julian Tavarez, Reggie Sanders and to a lesser
extent, Al Reyes. The Grudzielanek and Diaz decisions were expected.
Julian Tavarez’ Cardinals career
over
Tavarez, represented by agent Scott Boras, is coming off a two-year, $4.6
million contract and is also a Type A free agent. With the high values relievers
are fetching this off-season, I had expected the Cardinals to offer Julian
arbitration – not as much because they wanted him, but more for his compensation
value.
Based on the aftershock of his beaning of Mike Piazza during the 2005
season and his pine-tarred cap incident and phone-punching in 2004, I questioned
whether Tavarez was truly a part of the Cardinals’ future plans. This seemed to
be confirmed over the weekend, when team officials were quoted as saying that
Tavarez was wanted back, but not in his right-handed set up role, rather in
long relief.
Considering the market conditions, that was as good as saying politely
that the Cardinals were wishing Tavarez well with his new team. Wednesday’s move
of forfeiting two draft picks just to ensure that Tavarez does not return via
arbitration, despite its seemingly low odds of happening, shows how much they
want to be rid of him.
While I understand that, it is a relatively high price to pay to cut
ones’ losses. But, the deed is done and as a result, we’ll have less to write
about next season with the volatile Tavarez in a different uniform.
Injured Al Reyes' future cloudy
The decision with Al Reyes is a bit easier to understand, but still not
what I would have done, with the facts that I have. However, the team surely has
more information about Reyes’ physical condition as well as his personal
inclinations.
Reyes, who came off the scrap heap to become one of the most important
Cardinal relievers in 2005 before blowing out his elbow at season’s end, will
not be able to pitch for months. Therefore, I assume the Cardinals do not want
to risk being bound by an arbiter’s decision on Reyes’ salary for next season
when he cannot pitch.
The team may still want to keep Reyes under contract while he
rehabilitates, like they have done with Mike Lincoln last year. However, by not
being offered, Reyes now has been given the right to seek employment elsewhere if he so chooses, and cannot re-sign with the Cardinals until May 1.
If that were to happen and Reyes returned to form for another club in
2007, for the Cardinals, it would not only be the loss of the two Type A picks,
but also the loss of a valuable, but replaceable player. More realistically, had the Cardinals offered, no other team would take a chance on him now, given his cost in compensation.
I asked a Cardinals executive about Reyes and the answer was not very encouraging. "At this point, he is gone," was the succinct reply. I guess the team doesn't want to pay a player who was severely-injured to sit. At the time of Reyes' elbow surgery, Dr. George Paletta called the injury one of the worst he had seen, in comparison to over 200 others upon whom he had operated.
Looks like Reyes is on his own now.
Sanders’ won’t return
Even with Wednesday’s trade with Colorado for outfielder Larry Bigbie, the decision not to offer arbitration to outfielder Reggie Sanders is
another call that did not go the way I expected.
Sanders, 38, is a Type B free agent, meaning his compensation could be as
high as a first round pick if his new team is in the first half of the draft.
Otherwise, the Cardinals would have been assured at least a second-rounder if
Sanders signs elsewhere.
Sanders’ name has been linked with a number of teams as he seeks a
two-year deal. Rumors are that the Cardinals were offering a one-year deal with
an option. However, it must have been a real low-ball bid.
Wednesday’s decision not to offer Sanders arbitration clearly signals
that the Cardinals do not want Sanders back for even one more season – at least
at what they fear would be the salary that an arbitrator would award Reggie. $4
million to $5 million would not have been a surprising amount.
As a result, the odds of Sanders returning to the Cardinals is not zero,
but it is close enough that we should assume that. He cannot re-sign with the
team until May 1 or later.
Given his age and injury history, I understand the decision. But, I still
would have liked to see the Cardinals receive a draft pick for him.
As expected, Grudz a
goner
Mark Grudzielanek is another Cardinal who will be playing elsewhere in
2006. The second baseman’s 2005 contract had a stipulation that the Cardinals
could not offer him arbitration. Since Grudz did not sign with the team by
Wednesday night’s deadline, he is in the same situation as the others – he could
not return until after May 1. Color him gone, too.
His interest is understood. Grudz is nearing the end of his career and
has one last chance to get a nice multi-year contract elsewhere. I have no
problem with him going for it and I have no major problem with the Cardinals
moving on without him.
Perhaps the timing of Wednesday night’s trade with
Colorado for outfielder Larry
Bigbie and second baseman Aaron Miles is simply coincidental. However, at least
this one writer wonders if it might have been announced to help mitigate concern
about the team deciding to let two popular players leave - Sanders and
Grudzielanek.
Einar Diaz' departure confirmed
2005 backup catcher Einar Diaz has already been replaced by the signings of Gary Bennett and Michel Hernandez. So, the decision not to offer Diaz was expected.
Bottom line
Wednesday’s decisions demonstrate the Cardinals’ clear intent. They took
the safe route with these arbitration decisions, wanting to ensure they did not
get stuck with players next season they no longer want. When I say “no longer
want”, it could very well be due to market conditions, not the character of the
men. This is all about business.
They forfeited at least three early draft picks as a result – two from Tavarez and
one from Sanders. That is the part I dislike.
The Cardinals want to get younger and perhaps pay less for a couple of
right-handed relievers, a left fielder and a second baseman in 2006. The also
want to keep the door open with Morris, either for his return, or at least to be
compensated for his departure.
Looking ahead
Before we draw final conclusions about any of this, however, we will have
to see what other actions the team undertakes this off-season to fill their
gaps. For example, if a starting pitcher still needs to be traded to get more
offense, then Morris may re-enter the picture.
We’re learning more each week about the makeup of the 2006 Cardinals.
Wednesday’s decisions ensured we’ll see more new players wearing red come
March.
Brian Walton can be reached via email at brwalton@earthlink.net.