This is a five part series on players I’d try to acquire via trade to boost our team for next year.
These will likely be short posts. I try not to be too verbose and mainly focus on just getting my point across.
One of the biggest concerns the Cardinals have going forward is preserving the health of Yadier Molina. My next acquisition deals with that.
The guy I’m talking about is Carlos Santana. Here’s his stats for the last three years.
|
Year |
Batting Average |
On Base Percentage |
Slugging Percentage |
Home Runs |
|
2012 |
.252 | .366 | .420 | 18 |
|
2013 |
.268 | .377 | .455 |
20 |
|
2014 |
.231 | .363 | .427 |
27 |
And he led the league in walks this year, at 113(!) Which explains how you get a .360 OBP with a .230 batting average.
If you haven’t clicked on the link to his baseball reference site already and checked him out, I’ll tell you where he can play: Catcher, First Base, and Third Base. (Left Field too, but some how I doubt there’ll be any starts there for him.)
His presence will allow Yadi days off as well as allow him to platoon consistently at first base with Matt Adams.
That’s 60 to 70 games right there, plus his ability to play third base might net him another 10 games or so. Add in piuch hitting duties, and you got a guy who can get 300+ plate appearances. In fact, in that pinch hitting vein, Santana adds a strategy element to our team: Imagine if a lefty is brought in to face Adams…well then you just send in Santana to PH as he hits lefties better. Then when we’re done batting you keep him in to play first base.
A couple of problems though…
1) He won’t come cheap. We have a ton of talent in our system, and it might take a bucket load (or even a ten gallon drum load) of that talent to get him.
2) He’s currently a full time player. He’d be a part time player here, even if it’s a pretty active part time gig. Nobody knows how he’d handle that “demotion.” Plus, at 21 Million a year, he’s a pretty expensive part timer. We’re not exactly the Yankees, so I doubt we’d spend the money when there’s cheaper alternatives for a Yadi backup out there. Still, this guy makes the OBP junkie in me drool. a guy who had a down year, hitting .230 and *still* got on base at a .360 clip? Gimme!
As always, thanks for reading.
