Piss and moan

Ah yes the off-season. Time again for John Q. Fan to piss and moan about what the Cardinals management is doing. Nothing bothers me more this time of year than people that complain and then offer no solution for what they are bitching about. I really wouldn't have a problem with criticism if a reasonable alternative was presented. The blanket statements "Spend more Money!" get old fast when the same people cannot answer the question "on who?" ( or is it whom?)

I personally like when one person that was calling out ownership for being cheap was pressed for what he would do. He said sign Aaron Rowand. For how much? "Rowand 7 million base...3 million Incentives per year for 3 years " Nice try - he signed a $60 million-5 year contract.

Next are the people that cry about every move that is made. Aaron Miles was non-tendered and all of the sudden he became a Cardinal legend. He was a backup infielder! That move makes very little difference. I was a Miles supporter while he was here and he took alot of abuse. "AAAron" was a nickname given by some. Now that the Cards didn't bring him back, it is the end of civilization?

Cards sign D'Angelo Jimenez to a minor league deal and management gets blasted for that. If he makes the team he will give the Cards pretty much exactly what Miles would have for about half the price. It seems to me that these moves make sense.

Now the Eckstien situation seems murky to me. Cards say Eck wanted a 4 year deal. Eck says there was never an offer from STL. He signed for 1 year in Toronto. There must have been some miss communication on that one. I'm still baffled that he wasn't offered arbitration.

Instead the Cards sign Cesear Izturis. I actually like the signing. He isn't a world beater, but he has a nice glove and some speed. Many people are killing him because of how he hit in Chicago last year. Guess what. With the weather in Chicago at the beginning of the year, not many people were hitting outside of Micheal Barrett and Derrek Lee . If memory serves me right, Jason Marquis' ERA was under 3.50 at the end of June and Soriano only had 4 HR in Wrigley at the end June. So I'll put more weight on the .276 avg Izturis had with the Pirates.

Which now brings me to Jim Edmonds. I love Edmonds, he has been a favorite of mine ever since he made the best catch I have ever seen. I admit that when I heard of the trade, I thought we would have gotten more. But teams don't pay for sentimental value. We have outfielders, so I don't think it will have a vast negative impact on the field. Maybe we will get to see Colby Rasmus earlier than we thought, but I think we will see more of Schumaker and Barton. We need a leadoff hitter and they both fit the bill. Anyway, I will miss Jim Edmonds.