November 14, 2007
Rolling Out Rolen
The St. Louis Cardinals are willing to make a deal for Scott Rolen:
General manager John Mozeliak confirmed Tuesday meeting with Rolen's agents and discussing the Gold Glove third baseman's availability for trade during last week's GM meetings in Orlando, Fla.
Numerous industry sources had spoken of the Cardinals' apparent willingness to deal Rolen in the week since the meetings concluded, but the club had downplayed the combustible issue while readying itself for Tuesday's opening of the free-agent market. With no thaw predicted in the famously frosty relationship between Rolen and manager Tony La Russa, Mozeliak on Tuesday conceded willingness by all parties to at least explore "other options."
Third base is the most interesting position of the off season. Teams that are looking to acquire a player for the position have numerous options, from great glove men like Crede to superstar players like A-Rod. That tends to drive prices down. Alex Rodriguez and Mike Lowell might not get the deals they are hoping for, simply because there are other options, like Rolen and Cabrera and Blalock. I assume the Red Sox will offer Mike Lowell arbitration, as the Yankees did A-Rod. One or both might accept that, play for one year and try to get more money in a possibly tighter post-2008 market.
Posted by David Pinto at
12:15 PM
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