Juan ain't Gone No More

Post #1 » by **mizzoupacers** » Mon Feb 4, 2008 11:02 pm

Wow, this is the "WTF?" move of the offseason so far, although the Miles re-signing is a close second.

I'm betting that Juan is Gone again by March 15 at the latest. Come on now, he's been out of the game for years.

And why are the Cardinals doing this when they have about ten outfielders to sort through already? Hell, if they're going to bring in old farts from the Caribbean, they should bring in Joaquin Andujar. Joaquin has entertainment value, and he's probably still better today than most of the Cardinals' alleged starting pitchers.

stro4swift · Post #2 » by **stro4swift** » Tue Feb 5, 2008 1:41 am

Ridiculous.

I loved Gonzo back then but wow, this is crazy! :lol:

Good luck to him though.

StlFan21 · Post #3 » by **StlFan21** » Tue Feb 5, 2008 10:33 pm

I actually don't mind this move at all, no one is expecting him to do anything special so anything he shows will be a bonus. When you have your star player (pujols) and respected coach (oquendo) pushing for it, it is pretty hard to say no for something so cheap. In my opinion the risk is so minimal that he can only help the cardinals.

BuckFan25226 · Post #4 » by **BuckFan25226** » Thu Feb 7, 2008 11:14 pm

This will be entertaining to say the least.

Mizzou, why would re-signing Miles be a WTF? type move? I've never minded him as a bench player who can occasionally fill in at 2nd or short.

Post #5 » by **mizzoupacers** » Fri Feb 8, 2008 4:03 pm

I'd be OK with Miles getting paid a bench player's salary (which he is), if not for the opportunity cost. Miles will take a roster spot that could have gone to Brendan Ryan, who most likely will get sent to Memphis now that Miles is re-signed. That just doesn't make much sense to me, given that the Cardinals should be looking to the future. Let's see what Ryan can do in the big leagues.

I have the same concern about Juan Gonzalez, although it's a pretty mild concern since I honestly don't think he is going to make the team. The money the Cards are paying him is no big deal, but most likely it would be going to a 38-year-old pinch-hitter who is costing a roster spot that could have gone to a younger player who might actually be a part of the team's future. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but I could envision the Cardinals doing something like cutting Barton and giving him back to the Indians, all so that Gonzalez can play a few games in a Cardinals uniform. That would suck.

Post #6 » by **mizzoupacers** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 4:01 am

Didn't take espn.com long to discover Gonzalez is in Cards' camp.

link

I can tolerate those ugly steroids rumors, but hanging out with Dubya...that just embarrasses me as a fan of the Cardinals.

Lex2007 · Post #7 » by **Lex2007** » Sat Mar 1, 2008 2:03 am

I know we're talking about 2 games but .500 Avg, a HR against Santana and 4 RBI's, he looks healthy, pretty good so far.

StlFan21 · Post #8 » by **StlFan21** » Sat Mar 1, 2008 5:56 pm

So far I have been impressed with the man, I wouldn't mind seeing him in a cardinals uniform come opening day... but that is still a long way away...

bigboy1234 · Post #9 » by **bigboy1234** » Sat Mar 1, 2008 9:02 pm

This really isn't good for the Cardinals, if Juan Gone makes the team, Brian Barton has almost no shot, and gets sent back to the Indians. I hate to say it, but I'm kind of rooting against Juan, just so Barton makes the team. BA released its top 100 prospects about a week ago, and while Barton didn't make it he was one of the many honorable mentions, and last year he did make their top 100. Juan is 38 years old, he has little value to what should be a rebuilding team. Also, as hitters Juan and Ankiel are kind alike in that both have a lot of power, but neither draw walks.

StlFan21 · Post #10 » by **StlFan21** » Sun Mar 2, 2008 7:54 pm

I agree with you on Barton, I believe that he could be a very good player and it would be hard to justify bringing in a player who is 38 over him. My only question is why couldn't we keep both?

The Cardinals will probably keep 5 outfielders on the roster from a list that inlcudes.. Ankiel, Duncan, Rasmus, Schumaker, Ludwick, Barton, and Juan Gone

Ankiel and Duncan are locks. I bet that Rasmus will start at AAA. If the cardinals don't take one of ludwick or schumaker then there will be a spot available for both Juan and Barton.

The only problem that I see with my thought process is when Rasmus gets called up (because he almost certainly will) how will that play out, but that is a long way away and with injuries it may not even be an issue

Basically I'm just thinking out loud... Let me know what you guys think...

Post #11 » by **mizzoupacers** » Mon Mar 3, 2008 2:51 am

Let Juan Gone have his monster spring. Then trade him for pitching.

I want to see the Cardinals give Barton a real opportunity. We could use a leadoff hitter, and a guy who can play left field a little better than Duncan can. Who knows if Barton is that guy, but I'm not sure one spring training is enough to go by. He needs to be on our roster this year.

bigboy1234 · Post #12 » by **bigboy1234** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 6:32 pm

The Cardinals will probably keep 5 outfielders on the roster from a list that inlcudes.. Ankiel, Duncan, Rasmus, Schumaker, Ludwick, Barton, and Juan Gone

Ankiel and Duncan are locks. I bet that Rasmus will start at AAA. If the cardinals don't take one of ludwick or schumaker then there will be a spot available for both Juan and Barton.

I believe Ankiel, Ludwick, and Schumaker are all out of options.

I think Rasmus will start in AAA also, and he better.

Matthew Leach who works for stlcardinals.com took a guess at what he thinks will be the outfielders and he guessed Ankiel, Duncan, Ludwick, Schumaker, and Gonzalez.

Post #13 » by **mizzoupacers** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 3:23 pm

bigboy1234 wrote:Matthew Leach who works for stlcardinals.com took a guess at what he thinks will be the outfielders and he guessed Ankiel, Duncan, Ludwick, Schumaker, and Gonzalez.

That's what I'm afraid of...those last three guys just don't have much chance of being significant parts of the Cardinals' future IMO.

I'm hopeful that Barton has looked good enough this spring that either LaRussa or Mozeliak or both have decided there's no way they are letting him get away. I'd like to see the Cardinals platoon Barton and Schumaker in center field, and I rather see them either send Gonzalez to Memphis until someone in St. Louis goes on the DL, or trade Ludwick for somebody, than lose Barton back to the Indians.

StlFan21 · Post #14 » by **StlFan21** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 10:43 pm

I am actually down here right now and just watched the last three games

I am guessing Barton is in and Juan Gone will be gone once again. Barton played in all three games that I watched and Juan didn't get any playing time at all (at least that I noticed).

I saw every outfielder out there playing fairly regularly except for Juan Gone and being this late in spring training I would think that they would play the guys that they thought would be on the team.

Just my views let me know what you guys make of this...

Post #15 » by **mizzoupacers** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 3:29 pm

StlFan21 wrote:I am actually down here right now

You piss me off. :lol:

The Post-Dispatch is saying that Gonzalez has a strained muscle or something and that's why he hasn't played lately.

He's hit well enough that I actually wouldn't mind if they put him on the DL, started him off in Memphis on a rehab assignment, something like that. They can bring him up as soon as one of the other outfielders has to go on the DL, which is bound to happen at some point. Gonzalez is not a bad insurance policy, and a fairly cheap one too.

He just shouldn't cost Barton a spot on our team.