John Mozeliak has tough decisions looming regarding veterans at the deadline
Allow me to preface this article with a statement: the veteran acquisitions that John Mozeliak made this offseason have paid dividends already. The intangibles that players like Matt Carpenter, Brandon Crawford, and Lance Lynn have provided in the clubhouse are immeasurable.
However, these three could very soon create a roster crunch for the Cardinals that the front office and coaching staff may not want to handle.
Offseason moves should be based on team needs at the time; a general manager shouldn’t hold back on making a move because he or she could patch that hole during the season at the trade deadline.
John Mozeliak filled all of the holes this offseason. Lance Lynn was one of three new starters on the staff, Brandon Crawford was backfill after it became clear that Tommy Edman would be out for a while, and Matt Carpenter would be a guiding voice in the clubhouse.
The issue is that Carpenter and Crawford have been non-factors offensively and Lance Lynn is probably the team’s 5th-best starting pitcher this year — though Miles Mikolas will give him a run for his money. Let’s say the Cardinals acquire a starting pitcher this deadline like they’re rumored to be interested in doing. Does Oli Marmol have the gumption to tell Lance Lynn, a 13-year fiery vet that he’s been relegated to the bullpen?
If Lance Lynn doesn’t like the demotion, what happens next? What if he is even worse as a reliever than he has been as a starting pitcher? Would John Mozeliak consider biting the bullet and designating Lance Lynn for assignment?
The team is also in need of a right-handed bench bat, particularly one who can play in the outfield and dabble in center. Does this new acquisition — whether it be via trade, the return of Tommy Edman, or the promotion of a player like Luken Baker, Ivan Herrera, Thomas Saggese, or even Jordan Walker — displace Matt Carpenter or Brandon Crawford?
The simple answer here is a trade of outfielder Dylan Carlson. He’s the team’s 5th outfielder, and few players in baseball are in need of a greater change of scenery than Carlson. That subtraction will allow the remaining players to shift appropriately. If Carlson is used in a package to acquire a pitcher, all the better.
Andre Pallante is the likeliest starter to be relegated to the bullpen following a pitcher acquisition (something that may not be wise considering he’s been the team’s best starter since he was placed in that spot), but that then requires a subsequent move. Is Chris Roycroft demoted? Does Giovanny Gallegos get designated for assignment? This issue becomes even more pressing if Mozeliak trades for a starter and a reliever at the deadline.
Vibes in a clubhouse are nearly impossible to quantify. The removal of any one of Lance Lynn, Matt Carpenter, or Brandon Crawford could upset the balance that John Mozeliak worked so hard to achieve this offseason. However, these are the tough but essential moves that great organizations are willing to make.
