Tag Archives: Off-season

Cardinals Address Shortstop Issue by Signing Jhonny Peralta

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The biggest need for the St. Louis Cardinals for the 2014 season has now been solved with the signing of free agent shortstop Jhonny Peralta. According to Jim Bowden of ESPN.com, the deal is for four years and $52 million.

PeraltaFrom Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

Peralta, 31, will be a clear offensive upgrade at the position the Cardinals have targeted this winter for improvement from outside the organization. The righthanded-hitting Peralta batted .303 with a .457 slugging percentage and 11 home runs in 107 games for the Tigers this past season.

He was an All-Star for a second time, but he finished the regular season with a 50-game suspension from his connection with Biogenesis, the anti-aging clinic in Florida alleged to have provided players with performance-enhancing drugs. He accepted his suspension without appeal.

A few stats on Peralta, all from Mark Tomasik (@RetroSimba) on Twitter:

  • In 2013, hit .352 (44-for-125) vs. left-handers and .344 with runners in scoring position (33-for-96).
  • Is fifth among active MLB shortstops in career fielding percentage (.980), ahead of Stephen Drew, Brendan Ryan.
  • Career batting average vs. these left-handed pitcher: Francisco Liriano (.351), Jon Lester (.333), Scott Kazmier (.421), Mark Buehrle (.298).
  • Ranked second in fielding percentage among American League shortstops in both 2011 and 2012. It was .988 both years.

One plus to signing Peralta: the Cardinals upgraded at the position via a free agent who didn’t cost them a draft pick by signing, plus it wasn’t via trade so trading no prospects was necessary.

Yet there also is Twitter reaction from some regarding the Cardinals signing him because of the PED suspension — especially because of this subsequent payday as a result.

Thoughts on the signing?

Catch Up With The Cards — And Vote!

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Ah, the weekend! Yes, sadly, our second weekend without baseball is here but with every day that passes, we’re one step closer to the 2014 season. You are no doubt keeping up with the major news of the Cardinals, so you’re already well aware of awards received and finalists named and every single rumor being floated around out there. So, instead, a look at some things you perhaps haven’t yet read about the Cardinals yet.

Matt AdamsFall weekends are great for parades, right? And that’s exactly what’s happening in Matt Adams’ hometown this morning — a parade just for him, in his hometown of Philipsburg, Pa.

Matt is the first Philipsburg native and first Philipsburg-Osceola graduate to play in the World Series, according to the Altoona Mirror, which also said:

The talk of the town and the subject of many Facebook statuses and tweets on Twitter, Adams will be celebrated and honored on Saturday with a parade. It’s being called P-O Proud Day Featuring Matt Adams, and will include his parents, Jamie and Lisa. The community is encouraged to hang red and white ribbons in support of Adams, and people can line the parade route.

Hopefully Matt has improved his parade wave since that curtain call in the picture above. Anyway, pretty cool honor — especially in the middle of Pirates country.

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