Baseball America on Clarke & Fitts ( post trade article )

[zuck698]

This is exactly what kind of trade the Cardinals need to make.
Sonny Gray was not going to help them accomplish anything this year and carried a huge price tag.
They weren’t going to get much back for Gray, so they might as well take risks on high potential pitching.
Of course they both have histories of injury. You don’t get high potential arms without flaws when you’re not giving up much.

yep
+1000000000

It's a new day....but I love the potential/upside with Clarke. Tanner Franklin and Clarke...from different sides of the Rubber/Mound.

Duce do you think Clarke starts in AA this year?

we have so many Minor League pitchers that need starter innings, Zuck. I really don't know. I can't see holding Henderson, Mautz and Hansen back in AA for another season...so there's room. But what do you do with Hjerpe when ready for rehab, Lin, Rincon, Winquest, Saladin, Molina, Dohm, Davis, Brandt, Franklin, Doyle, etc....too many Passengers, only 1 Aisle of Seats

Great point. There is going to have to be some thinning of the herd at some point, but it is a great problem to have vs not having enough quality. Things are looking up down on the farm for sure.

[Cusecards]

All trades(without the benefit of a crystal ball) are gambles.
That being said.....while I expect Gray to pitch well in 2026 it would not figure to put the Cards over the top.
Couple that with his age and his Option NOT being picked up in 2027 and it is worth a flyer.
Hopefully Bloom’s knowledge of the Sox organization pays off?

[craviduce]

This is exactly what kind of trade the Cardinals need to make.
Sonny Gray was not going to help them accomplish anything this year and carried a huge price tag.
They weren’t going to get much back for Gray, so they might as well take risks on high potential pitching.
Of course they both have histories of injury. You don’t get high potential arms without flaws when you’re not giving up much.

yep
+1000000000

It's a new day....but I love the potential/upside with Clarke. Tanner Franklin and Clarke...from different sides of the Rubber/Mound.

Duce do you think Clarke starts in AA this year?

we have so many Minor League pitchers that need starter innings, Zuck. I really don't know. I can't see holding Henderson, Mautz and Hansen back in AA for another season...so there's room. But what do you do with Hjerpe when ready for rehab, Lin, Rincon, Winquest, Saladin, Molina, Dohm, Davis, Brandt, Franklin, Doyle, etc....too many Passengers, only 1 Aisle of Seats

Great point. There is going to have to be some thinning of the herd at some point, but it is a great problem to have vs not having enough quality. Things are looking up down on the farm for sure.

I think the R5 Draft in 2 weeks will help us on that front....I hate to lose any of these guys for nothing, but that's the nature of the business. Chances are pretty decent that we lose 1 or 2 of Saladin, Winquest, Rincon, Hansen.

[Carp4Cy]

This is exactly what kind of trade the Cardinals need to make.
Sonny Gray was not going to help them accomplish anything this year and carried a huge price tag.
They weren’t going to get much back for Gray, so they might as well take risks on high potential pitching.
Of course they both have histories of injury. You don’t get high potential arms without flaws when you’re not giving up much.

Yeah, I don't see the upside except a giant middle finger to the paying fans that like Sonny and Savings for DeWallet. Which is the opposite of what fans should want.

They still need to sell tickets and pitch innings for 2026. The calendar matters. Wake me up when $20M AAV is reinvested in something better than Gray.

[Carp4Cy]

This is exactly what kind of trade the Cardinals need to make.
Sonny Gray was not going to help them accomplish anything this year and carried a huge price tag.
They weren’t going to get much back for Gray, so they might as well take risks on high potential pitching.
Of course they both have histories of injury. You don’t get high potential arms without flaws when you’re not giving up much.

Bingo

High Risk/High Reward Potential

Meaning a 25% chance Clarke becomes a slower throwing Helsley with worse control, and 75% chance he's never healthy enough to stick in the majors?

Its a very long shot. I'm not excited.

[TraveledLessRoad]

This is exactly what kind of trade the Cardinals need to make.
Sonny Gray was not going to help them accomplish anything this year and carried a huge price tag.
They weren’t going to get much back for Gray, so they might as well take risks on high potential pitching.
Of course they both have histories of injury. You don’t get high potential arms without flaws when you’re not giving up much.

yep
+1000000000

It's a new day....but I love the potential/upside with Clarke. Tanner Franklin and Clarke...from different sides of the Rubber/Mound.

Duce do you think Clarke starts in AA this year?

we have so many Minor League pitchers that need starter innings, Zuck. I really don't know. I can't see holding Henderson, Mautz and Hansen back in AA for another season...so there's room. But what do you do with Hjerpe when ready for rehab, Lin, Rincon, Winquest, Saladin, Molina, Dohm, Davis, Brandt, Franklin, Doyle, etc....too many Passengers, only 1 Aisle of Seats

Great point. There is going to have to be some thinning of the herd at some point, but it is a great problem to have vs not having enough quality. Things are looking up down on the farm for sure.

I think the R5 Draft in 2 weeks will help us on that front....I hate to lose any of these guys for nothing, but that's the nature of the business. Chances are pretty decent that we lose 1 or 2 of Saladin, Winquest, Rincon, Hansen.

From the prospect write-up Walton and Kyle Reis did on Mason Molina, he seems like the poster child for J.A.G.

[Detroit Louie]

Gray was always going to be a salary dump. I'm encouraged that the Cards were willing (obviously they HAD to) pay down the 2026 salary in exchange for some promising prospects. Certainly, they are decent risks, but so are sure things (Jordan Walker, for example). I don't see this as a Mo trade.

Donovan is the one where they need to get a more certain prospect back. Arenado, again, is a salary dump and clear space for our upcoming players.

I certainly would not be discouraged by this trade, but it's not a fleecing of Boston either.

[1_12_1968]

This is exactly what kind of trade the Cardinals need to make.
Sonny Gray was not going to help them accomplish anything this year and carried a huge price tag.
They weren’t going to get much back for Gray, so they might as well take risks on high potential pitching.
Of course they both have histories of injury. You don’t get high potential arms without flaws when you’re not giving up much.

We picked up Carpenter like this. Not in a trade but in broken toys bin.

[dugoutrex]

This is exactly what kind of trade the Cardinals need to make.
Sonny Gray was not going to help them accomplish anything this year and carried a huge price tag.
They weren’t going to get much back for Gray, so they might as well take risks on high potential pitching.
Of course they both have histories of injury. You don’t get high potential arms without flaws when you’re not giving up much.

Bingo

High Risk/High Reward Potential

Toss in the $20M in payroll savings that hopefully Dewitt allows Bloom to reinvest and this trades a winner.

Now on to NADO..........Donny..........??? and we're not even close to the Winter Meetings!

I think were only paying Sonny 31 million this year so we are only saving 11 which will be needed for another pitcher

[ICCFIM2]

This is exactly what kind of trade the Cardinals need to make.
Sonny Gray was not going to help them accomplish anything this year and carried a huge price tag.
They weren’t going to get much back for Gray, so they might as well take risks on high potential pitching.
Of course they both have histories of injury. You don’t get high potential arms without flaws when you’re not giving up much.

Bingo

High Risk/High Reward Potential

Toss in the $20M in payroll savings that hopefully Dewitt allows Bloom to reinvest and this trades a winner.

Now on to NADO..........Donny..........??? and we're not even close to the Winter Meetings!

I think were only paying Sonny 31 million this year so we are only saving 11 which will be needed for another pitcher

Boston apparently changed his contract as part of this deal. It was $35M this year with a $5M option next year. The Cards probably look at this as a $15M savings with no impact next year. I would assume they will spend between $7.5-$10M of that in free agency, likely on a veteran SP. They will pocket the difference. If they trade Arenado and save X, I will assume they will spend 50-75% of the savings, not more. I also doubt they entangle themselves in any contracts over 2 years.

[zuck698]

This is exactly what kind of trade the Cardinals need to make.
Sonny Gray was not going to help them accomplish anything this year and carried a huge price tag.
They weren’t going to get much back for Gray, so they might as well take risks on high potential pitching.
Of course they both have histories of injury. You don’t get high potential arms without flaws when you’re not giving up much.

Bingo

High Risk/High Reward Potential

Toss in the $20M in payroll savings that hopefully Dewitt allows Bloom to reinvest and this trades a winner.

Now on to NADO..........Donny..........??? and we're not even close to the Winter Meetings!

I think were only paying Sonny 31 million this year so we are only saving 11 which will be needed for another pitcher

We owed Sonny 35mil this year. Boston readjusted his salary down to 31mil and added a 1 year 10Mil option. Where are you getting the $11 million. It is 20 mil in savings to the cards.

[cardstatman]

Originally, the Cards had Gray for $35M in 2026 and had a $30M option or $5M buyout for 2027. If the Cards picked up the option, Gray had an opt out for 2027.

The new agreement pays Gray $31M ($4M less) for 2026 and has a $30M mutual option or $10M buyout ($5M more) for 2027. Mutual options never happen so this is really a $41M / 1yr deal.

• Gray gets $1M more guaranteed and will be a FA next year.
• BOS gets one year of Gray for $21M but loses Fitts and Clarke.
• STL saves $15M in 2026 and $5M in 2027 and gets Fitts and Clarke but loses Gray.

I think everyone wins. Maybe some in Boston see an overpay but Gray is much better than Fitts.

[BrockFloodMaris]

Just a salary dump for two oft-injured pitchers. Mo 2.0 trade and all of the "hype" to go with it.

You might want to read a little bit more.

[Absolut]

I love the people screaming we should have kept a pitcher in the wrong side of 36 who was a homerun machine and had his worst season since 2018.

Hold on to him until the deadline and then get Pennies on the dollar.

That worked well for Mo. why deviate…

[hugeCardfan]

Two words: “When healthy”

When are those words not appropriate for a prospect pitcher?

[Ozziesfan41]

Just a salary dump for two oft-injured pitchers. Mo 2.0 trade and all of the "hype" to go with it.

for a 35 yr old pitcher the red sox are going to pay $21 million with the cards picking up the other $20 mil --- not sure how much more you think they were going to get.

+1000
Bloom is cleaning up Moe’s mess. Only so much he can do

No kidding and definitely not a mo move mo would have waited until the trade deadline when his value was next to nothing and the cardinals were in the fourth place or signed him to a stupid 3 or 4 year extension and then he would completely collapse and cards would be stuck paying him big money to be a terrible fifth starter