There is very little to write about unfortunately and sometimes, even the best of analysts can reach a little bit to create content.
Such was the case for ESPN.com writer Jim Bowden on Thursday. Bowden wrote that the St. Louis Cardinals should consider a swap with the Colorado Rockies and acquire smooth-swinging outfielder Carlos Gonzalez in exchange for Trevor Rosenthal, Shelby Miller, and Jon Jay.
Hold up cowboy, that is quite a third-party trade proposal. In fact, it may be downright crazy.
Trust me, I'd like to see Carlos Gonzalez roaming the outfield of Busch Stadium, but lets not get carried away. Giving up pitching prospects like Rosenthal and Miller in the same deal would be worst than trading gold for copper.
Never-mind CarGo's salary versus how cheap Rosenthal and Miller will be for years to come, here are three different reasons why Bowden's idea is nuts.
1. You do not trade two top-flight, MLB-ready pitching prospects for anybody. Period. End of story.
Pitching is premium in baseball. Just look at the ridiculous contracts being earned given to Zack Greinke, Edwin Jackson, and Joe Blanton this offseason. These guys are earning enormous amounts of money, way over what they should, because you have to pay up for pitching.
Trading both Rosenthal and Miller, two prospects on the bring of becoming low-cost contributors and possible stars, could cripple the Cardinals franchise for years to come.
2. Oscar Taveras is almost ready.
Taveras is ripping the cover off the ball in the Dominican League this winter and has done nothing but hit since joining the Cardinals organization. The Cardinals top prospect looks to be ready to serve as possibly the team's 4th outfielder in 2013 and begin his reign in right field after Carlos Beltran departs.
With Taveras in the fold and Matt Holliday entrenched in left field, where would CarGo play? Taveras could be a serviceable center fielder, and for that matter CarGo was once a center fielder himself. But St. Louis fans should know that defense is a priority too.
3. Gonzalez would give the Cardinals too many left-handed bats.
Gonzalez is left-handed swinger. A very good left-handed swinger who join a host of other lefties in the Cardinals lineup.
Sure Holliday, Allen Craig, David Freese, and Yadier Molina anchor the Cardinals lineup from the right side, but the Cardinals also have plenty of left-handed hitting options in the lineup too.
The previously mentioned Taveras is a left-handed swinger. So is fellow second base prospect Kolten Wong, along with infielders Daniel Descalso, Matt Carpenter, and Matt Adams.
Carlos Gonzalez would be nice to have. He is outstanding player and has many great seasons left in him.
But trading the likes of Rosenthal and Miller to have CarGo clog the outfield for Taveras just does not seem like a smart move.
