Cardinal Nation didn't go to bed Tuesday night thinking Mike Leake would be spending his final day in St. Louis, but that's how the game of baseball works--in mysterious ways, at all times. You could be in line for an All Star selection in May and looking at apartments in Seattle three months later. That is what Leake will be doing this week, as the Cardinals traded him to the Mariners for a 21 year old shortstop, cash, and international money.
The move was unexpected-but sets the Cardinals up nicely for 2018 and beyond. If this is how Michael Girsch is going to operate, the apple didn't fall far from the tree when it comes to following in the footsteps of his mentor, John Mozeliak. Once again, the Cardinals have cut loose another bad contract and reloaded their upcoming season in a positive motion. 2017 may end up being a failure in many ways, but remember the Cards cut Jonathan Broxton, Jhonny Peralta, and Leake loose before the end bell.
Here are five quick reactions/thoughts to the Leake trade-
*The 2017 rotation just got a lot better. Whether it's John Gant or the young Jack Flaherty covering Leake's innings, the outcome is a plus. When you are cheering for a pitcher after allowing four runs in a start, the light has dimmed considerably. Per Jose Jesus Ortiz of the Post Dispatch, the Cards had been trying to trade Leake for quite some time and started him Saturday to keep his stock up. A fine move that paid off in a trade today. The Cards can still catch the Cubs for first place and now an ailing Adam Wainwright and batting practice tossing Leake are out. Next up, Mr. Wacha?
*The 2018-2020 rotation got better looking. Like a beautiful woman doing her hair and putting on a red dress, the future is glowing in the rotation. When you looked ahead at 2018 and saw 36 million going to Wainwright and Leake, the feeling was similar to one you get when a Bloody Mary is delivered to your table with only two olives. Flaherty, Dakota Hudson, Austin Gomber, and Alex Reyes all have a clean shot at the rotation in 2018-19 with Leake's eye sore contract gone.
*Again, the Cards traded a pitcher having one of the worst second halfs in baseball. While Leake was serviceable last year and pitched mercilessly in April and May of this season, he was trending downward fast. The earned run average was 1.35 in April and grew every month, hitting 4.86 this month. Something had to be done. There were thoughts on the health of his right arm, which is always a knee jerk reaction to a moderately aged pitcher suddenly stinking up pitching mounds. It turns out the guy who won 34 games with Cincinnati from 2013-15 had broken down into a punch drunk version of Jeff Suppan. Leake was hittable and hurting the Cardinals every fifth day.
*The Cardinals will send 17 million (of the 55 million owed) to the Mariners for Leake's contract, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. That's reasonable for an American League taking on a battered pitcher turning 30 years old in November. If you don't do that, Leake makes his start this week for the Cardinals and possibly three more times in September.
*Does this mean the Cardinals go after Justin Verlander and/or re-sign Lance Lynn this offseason? While it would be quite appetizing for the team's chances this summer to acquire the red hot Verlander, Mozeliak's comments push the team away from such movements. According to Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com, Mozeliak and the Cardinals made this deal in order for the rotation to get younger in 2018. Bringing back a 30 year old Lynn or a soon to be 35 year old Verlander wouldn't fit into those plans. I'd say negative on the veteran pitcher front and yes possibly to the lineup upgrade happening.
Extra bit #1: Does this mean Wainwright moves to bullpen in 2018, so rotation gets younger? Hard to say, but let me spin it this way: the Cardinals can't expect to compete for the division in 2018 with Wainwright and Wacha in rotation.
Extra bit #2: Girsch and Mozeliak hit a double to the gap with this move, helping the present day alignment of the team along with the future. Instead of wondering how in the world Wainwright, Wacha, and Leake make 25-30 starts in 2018, the Cardinals have eliminated one option. If they move that money to a strong push for Giancarlo Stanton, the stroke of genius stands taller. No matter what occurs this winter, the team made a smart cut in trading Leake.
Isn't it funny how 2/5 of the Mariners current rotation is now comprised of Ex-Cards? Seattle must be the new Cleveland.
Bottom line: Mike Leake going to Seattle sets the Cardinals up very well for a playoff run and a 2018 reload in the rotation. Leake won 16 games with a 4.46 ERA in 56 starts for the Cardinals. It's not what they bargained for, but he is no longer their problem.
Seattle, enjoy the hair. We'll take the younger flow.
