David Freese at 3rd Base?

[CrazyEights]

Last week it seemed like Joe Mather had 3rd Base locked up. Now it seems like that lock could be picked. Mather is in a slump, and David Freese is coming back from injury. This could get interesting folks.

03.20.2009 1:54 pm
By: Derrick Goold
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
JUPITER, Fla. — For the second consecutive game, Joe Mather is not at third base for the St. Louis Cardinals today and it’s possible he could alternate the position with others for awhile here as manager Tony La Russa explores others options at the position.

Contrast that with second where it’s been Skip Schumaker then, now and later.

Several factors have contributed to a suddenly re-opened competition at third base for the Cardinals. Mather is “struggling at the plate,” according to La Russa. The strapping hybrid fielder is hitless in his past 19 at-bats with seven strikeouts. He has not had a hit since his home run on March 12. Mather started in the outfield Thursday against Tampa Bay and he was not in the starting lineup today against Philadelphia. He’ll likely play tomorrow — but in the outfield. This change comes after weeks of Mather making every start possible at the corner position the Cardinals need to fill until incumbent Troy Glaus is healthy.

The other factor that’s come up is the factor that was supposed to be there from the start: David Freese.

Freese essentially missed the first month of spring training because of an Achilles strain. That limited his ability to hit, his ability to play the field and his ability to run. In short, it halted his ability to compete for the job. The original plan was to have Freese and Mather split the time at third base and wait to see who emerged with the fill-in job. Mather got the early start. Freese was assigned to minor-league camp.

But because Freese isn’t on the 40-man roster, he can return to the major-league camp at any time. And that appears to be in the near future, depending on how he looks in a minor-league game today. If he shows he’s healthy, the Cardinals may give him a two-week makeup at the position.

For today, Joe Thurston started at third.

And those aren’t the only three candidates. Brian Barden is arguably the best defensive third baseman of the group, and not one of those four mentioned has as much experience in the majors at the position as Brendan Ryan. La Russa said Tyler Greene is also a viable alternative at third. For a position that featured one player almost exclusively for the first three weeks of games, the carousel at the hot corner now includes as many as six with two weeks to go. Six.

And then there’s Allen Craig, who is hitting .444 this spring … and playing first base.

[love_that_reefer]

I like Freese over Mather. I like Barden over Mather. Mather was moved out of the infield for a reason.

[CrazyEights]

I like Mather a lot as an Outfielder. As far as 3rd base, I think he could be a good third baseman. Although, Freese could be much a much better player. Trading Edmonds for Freese could really pay off for us this year.

[realmofotalk]

Dumping Edmonds onto the Padres alone already paid off by opening the CF spot for Ankiel. Getting the morons to give up Freese is just gravy.

[love_that_reefer]

Agreed

[CrazyEights]

Dumping Edmonds onto the Padres alone already paid off by opening the CF spot for Ankiel. Getting the morons to give up Freese is just gravy.

John Mo has done a pretty good job of getting rid of those players that had attitudes and requested to be traded. Usually it is a lot harder to trade a player once the rest of the world knows that they want a trade, especially when that player has excess baggage. In Edmond's case, there was no room for him in the Outfield, so his time had come. He was over the hill, and didn't really seem to have much value. Why the Padres even wanted him is beyond me. Why they gave up on Freese is another question that I don't have an answer for. Mark Worrell is another disgruntled employee that the Padres took off the Cardinal's hands, and the return was the Cardinals new starting Shortstop. When Scott Rolen demanded a trade, his injury was a huge concern. Somehow, the Cards were able to flip him for fellow injured (not nearly as badly injured) Troy Glaus. Adam Kennedy? Well...you can only do so much. Outside of a miracle, there wouldn't have been much of a chance that anyone would even give up a marginal prospect for him. The Cardinals tried trading him all offseason, and nobody wanted him. So they released him.

[love_that_reefer]

Glaus's and Rolen's contracts were close and both were injured. Plus Glaus was just outed in the Mitchell Report. That's how it was easy to make that trade.

[CrazyEights]

Glaus's and Rolen's contracts were close and both were injured. Plus Glaus was just outed in the Mitchell Report. That's how it was easy to make that trade.

Rolen had an extra year on his contract worth almost $10Mil. That is pretty significant considering that he has had a huge decline due to his injury.

[love_that_reefer]

Cards sent $4 million to the Jays in that deal. Still an easy trade to make for both teams. Both waived their no trade clauses to do so as well.

[CrazyEights]

I just don't see it as an easy trade. Rolen was a shell of his former self. He hasn't been the same since his surgery, and he probably never will be. He was coming off a bad season, and there was no reason to think he would get any better. Glaus was injured, but his injury was much different. It was a foot injury that needed time to heal. Glaus had more trade value than Rolen. Especially since Roled demanded a trade.

[love_that_reefer]

I disagree, they were both hurt, both passed their physicals and the money wasn't that far apart. The Jays were tired of Glaus and were bitter by him admitting steroid use, Rolen hated Cards. It was a perfect fit! I am also willing to bet Rolen has a better year than Glaus this season.

[CrazyEights]

Just goes to show that Spring Training speculation doesn't always amount to much. Mathers is in the minors, Freese has been riding the bench a lot. Barden and Thurston have taken the attention away from Glaus being injured. They are both Infielers that can play 3B, and are off to a great start.