After Albert Pujols decided to leave St. Louis in favor of a lucrative 10 year, $254 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Cardinals fans immediately speculated on where owner Bill DeWitt Jr. and general manager John Mozeliak might spend some of the extra cash they had laying around.
On Saturday, it looks as though Cardinals fans got part of their answer.
The Cardinals look to have solved their gaping hole at shortstop by signing Rafael Furcal to a two year, $14 million contract, according to multiple reports.
Last season's dramatic post-season run started with a Mozeliak trade that brought Furcal to St. Louis, shoring up the team's shaky defense at the shortstop position. Furcal was an anchor behind a Cardinals pitching staff and bullpen that was solid throughout September and post-season play and his value with the glove was clearly on display throughout September and October.
Furcal, who is 34 years old and will be starting his 12th major league season, struggled a bit with the bat as a member of the Cardinals. The .282 career hitter hit just .231 during the regular season and a putrid .195 during post season play with the Cardinals last season.
The Cardinals recently had been keen to the idea of giving in-house, organizational prospect Tyler Greene a shot at every day time at shortstop, but with the addition of Furcal for the next two seasons you would have to think that Greene may be in the running either as an every day second baseman or as a super utility player.
The signing of Furcal fills two important key holes for the Cardinals, who needed a defensive minded shortstop up and the middle and somebody to fill the leadoff spot in an batting lineup that now no longer features Albert Pujols.
Sources:
On Saturday, it looks as though Cardinals fans got part of their answer.
The Cardinals look to have solved their gaping hole at shortstop by signing Rafael Furcal to a two year, $14 million contract, according to multiple reports.
Last season's dramatic post-season run started with a Mozeliak trade that brought Furcal to St. Louis, shoring up the team's shaky defense at the shortstop position. Furcal was an anchor behind a Cardinals pitching staff and bullpen that was solid throughout September and post-season play and his value with the glove was clearly on display throughout September and October.
Furcal, who is 34 years old and will be starting his 12th major league season, struggled a bit with the bat as a member of the Cardinals. The .282 career hitter hit just .231 during the regular season and a putrid .195 during post season play with the Cardinals last season.
The Cardinals recently had been keen to the idea of giving in-house, organizational prospect Tyler Greene a shot at every day time at shortstop, but with the addition of Furcal for the next two seasons you would have to think that Greene may be in the running either as an every day second baseman or as a super utility player.
The signing of Furcal fills two important key holes for the Cardinals, who needed a defensive minded shortstop up and the middle and somebody to fill the leadoff spot in an batting lineup that now no longer features Albert Pujols.
Sources:
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