Cardinals trying to trade for Heath Bell

[Vottomatic]

Cardinals trying to bolster their bullpen.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/0...eath-bell.html

I bet this happens. And it will show which organization is in it to win it.

[AintlifeGrande]

We can only hope not.

[jwmann2]

One of the benefits of having a large market team. Fans attend games in St. Louis! They have money to spend. Personally, I think Cordero is a much better closer than Bell. He isn't the highest paid on the team for no reason.

[Wonderful Monds]

It will make them better which is unfortunate, but on paper our bullpen should still be much better, IMO. This doesn't worry me that much.

[Razzle]

I hope this doesn't happen. The Cardinals have solid right handed arms already with Boggs, Sanchez, Salas, and Motte. Bell would obviously be an upgrade to that, but why bolster what is already pretty good when there are holes elsewhere especially when it'll likely cost a top end prospect to make happen?

[Maker_84]

Originally Posted by Vottomatic

Cardinals trying to bolster their bullpen.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/0...eath-bell.html

I bet this happens. And it will show which organization is in it to win it.

Cardinals are an aggressive franchise and we are not which is why we are 5 games back

[Todd Gack]

Originally Posted by Maker_84

Cardinals are an aggressive franchise and we are not which is why we are 5 games back

Please explain.

[Maker_84]

Originally Posted by Todd Gack

Please explain.

well they did get Lance Berkman in the offseason and i think that helped some. They also got Matt Holliday the season b4 that

[Todd Gack]

Originally Posted by Maker_84

well they did get Lance Berkman in the offseason and i think that helped some. They also got Matt Holliday the season b4 that

They also have 30 million more in payroll. That helps a little bit.

[cbowen2112]

Originally Posted by Todd Gack

They also have 30 million more in payroll. That helps a little bit.

This X 30,000,000...

There is no way we can compete payroll wise, but we do have a better farm and are in it for the future. How long will Berkman play after this year? Holliday? Pujols? We are set up to be better longer.

[Vottomatic]

Originally Posted by cbowen2112

This X 30,000,000...

There is no way we can compete payroll wise, but we do have a better farm and are in it for the future. How long will Berkman play after this year? Holliday? Pujols? We are set up to be better longer.

Yeah, it's a ton of fun watching the Reds compete, maybe make the playoffs, almost get there...........and even more fun watching the Cardinals win it in 2006 (?) and going for it this year.

I'm having a blast.

Everyone talks about how the Reds are built to last. But the last time I checked, the Cards have been competitive for awhile now. How is that? For years and years and years they seem to compete for first place in our division.

But I feel comforted knowing we're built to compete for a few years because we can keep bringing up young guys when we can't afford our guys heading into their prime. Very comforting to know.

[Maker_84]

Originally Posted by Vottomatic

Yeah, it's a ton of fun watching the Reds compete, maybe make the playoffs, almost get there...........and even more fun watching the Cardinals win it in 2006 (?) and going for it this year.

I'm having a blast.

Everyone talks about how the Reds are built to last. But the last time I checked, the Cards have been competitive for awhile now. How is that? For years and years and years they seem to compete for first place in our division.

But I feel comforted knowing we're built to compete for a few years because we can keep bringing up young guys when we can't afford our guys heading into their prime. Very comforting to know.

+100000000

[mroby85]

I'll bet they wish they had Heath Bell right now, lol.

[gedred69]

In the 3 game sweep earlier this season, the Reds exploited both Card deficiencies. Defense, (watching Berkman fumble around in the OF), and later in a game, how pathetic the Card Bullpen is. In short Heath Bell would make StL a much better team. He can be scary......

[The DARK]

Originally Posted by Vottomatic

Yeah, it's a ton of fun watching the Reds compete, maybe make the playoffs, almost get there...........and even more fun watching the Cardinals win it in 2006 (?) and going for it this year.

I'm having a blast.

Everyone talks about how the Reds are built to last. But the last time I checked, the Cards have been competitive for awhile now. How is that? For years and years and years they seem to compete for first place in our division.

But I feel comforted knowing we're built to compete for a few years because we can keep bringing up young guys when we can't afford our guys heading into their prime. Very comforting to know.

Understandable that you feel that way, but there's not a whole lot to be done. $30,000,000 million more in payroll would change the entire development philosophy of this club; the kinds of players we draft and target, the way we can spend to fill holes without having to sacrifice players heading into free agency, how quickly players are brought up through the system, etc. That's not to say we can't field winning teams consistently, but it makes it a lot harder.

How valuable our franchise is isn't determined by one group of people; it depends on the fans who buy tickets and merchandise to show interest, the managers to field an effective and winning team, the general manager and owner to spend wisely and in the right places, the farm to help young players bring real value to a franchise, and, of course, the players to live up to their potential. The Cardinals have had rough years as well in the past, but they've had all their pieces in place recently to hold onto their players as time passes. And suffice to say, their payroll still isn't infinite either (Just like Cincinnati, St. Louis isn't inherently a huge market); Pujols, Berkman, and Carpenter all have contract situations coming up, and 1, 2, or perhaps all 3 of them will be gone after this season.

Anyway, to the question at hand, Bell may be effective now, but he turns 34 later this year. He may be able to help the Cards for the stretch run this year (as much as half a season of a reliever can), but if he gets signed to a 4 or 5 year contract like Coco did, he could turn out to be just as big of a monetary albatross as he was. He's a power pitcher, so if he loses his "out" pitch like Coco did last year, that production may fly out the window as well. One man does not a bullpen make, and apart from Salas, theirs is absolutely too terrible for one man to fix.