A post for the hopeful-hearted amongst us. Can Holliday, DeRosa, and Smoltz all be retained for the speculated 30 million the Cards have to spend? Could they be retained for a pinch more, say 35 million? How about YES?!

Holliday - 18 million, DeRosa - 7, Smoltz - 5 : Seems plausible but light.
Holliday - 20 million, DeRosa - 9, Smoltz - 6 : Seems very plausible.

Understanding the Cardinals would have little to spend elsewhere (backup catcher, RHRP, etc...) and have to go in house for the rest at near league minimum salaries, the Cardinals could start next year with the starting lineup they ended 2009 with, with the farm (and BoSox) providing the bench & 5th starter...

Make it happen, please!

Please front office make it happen and am looking forward to next season 2010.

If every other open roster spot was filled for the league minimum, you are still increasing payroll by several million bones.

I don't think DeRosa will be back. I think they'll try hard to sign the other two, though.

never never will it happen.....dream on

Taken from your own post on a different thread...

C-Molina (4.25m)
1B-Pujols (13m)
2B-Schumaker (ARB)
3B-
SS-Ryan (450k)
LF-
CF-Rasmus (400k)
RF-Ludwick (ARB)

Bench-
SS-Lugo (X)

SP-
Carpenter (12.5m)
Wainwright (4.65m)
Lohse (8.88m)

CP-Franklin (3.25m)
RH-McClellan (500k), Hawksworth (400k), Motte (400k)
LH-Miller (2m), Reyes (2m)

Total - $52.68 million

Free Agent Eligible:
Wellemeyer
Pineiro (B)
Smoltz
LaRue
Glaus (A)
Greene
Ankiel
Holliday (A)
DeRosa (B)

Probable Promotions (400k):
Freese
Craig
Garcia

[...]

So we're looking at having about $60 million spent after we're done with Skip and Luddy's arbitration, and adding the 3 youngsters likely to break camp with the big team. In 2009 we started the season with a payroll of about $88.53 million. I'd imagine Mo would like to put a good team on the field for about the same money. Thus allowing him another opportunity to make a late season blockbuster move for the Pennant race.

.........

So adding 30 million to 60 million is 90 million, which is ~1.5 million more than your 88.53 million, which technically is several (i.e. more than 1) million bones, but a trite point to make. The more compelling and perhaps noteworthy point would be payraises in 2011, 2012 and beyond, which may force the organization to spend more than it wishes, due to the built-in pay raises of long term contracts, notably Waino, Pujols, Molina, and Carp. Rasmus and Lohse to some extent as well. But arguing the 2010 payroll doesn't have much merit.

"Holliday - 20 million, DeRosa - 9, Smoltz - 6 : Seems very plausible."

"So adding 30 million to 60 million is 90 million"

You added $35 million, and then filling out the roster with rookies would cost another $2.4 million.

As much as i don't want to I have to agree with Daddy Cool. If have always felt that the Cardinals must sign either Holliday or Derosa and unfortantley I don't think they will sign either. I keep remembering with MO said a month ago we did not make rent a player trade we want to lock them up well if that is the case then why announce Freese will get the first shot at third. I don't believe anything that guys says anymore. If we sign any of these players it will be Smoltz, say goodbye to Holliday and Derosa. If Holliday doesn't want to be here after all the support the fans have given him then Adios! Have fun with a NY team who will boo you

I provided 2 scenarios, I suppose I should have clarified, but given that I stated the 'speculated 30 million' and then added an extra five for the second scenario, it should implied that the team would be given a bit more financial freedom, given the recovering market and the team's 'overachievement' last season. By 'overachievement' I of course mean 'over attendance' as attendance was much higher than anticipated...
Also, it's not like the Cardinals haven't fielded a team that cost 95-100 million before (2008 estimated payroll: $99,624,449).

Either way, it doesn't seem totally out of the realm of possibility. The acquisitions may just leave little room for midseason acquisitions. Which, given the state of the Cardinals' farm system, were already longshots.

The major concern is if you give out the necessary contracts: DeRosa 2 years and Holliday 4, you'll be looking at a payroll of perhaps $110,000,000 in two years when the current core group of players gets their next payday... If you want to keep the core intact that is.

What's wrong with a platoon of DeRo, Skip, Lugo, Ryan and Freese on the infield, with Skip, DeRo, Holliday, Rasmus and Ludwick roaming the outfield? Given that LaRussa is returning and the lineup will be constantly shifting, the playing time is there for all.

I'm defending a dream here...

Matt Holiday is not at all worth 20 mil a year. If that is his asking price then the cards better say no. He will not get that from any team what so ever.

I agree. As much as I like DeRosa I can't see BOTH of them being signed. If it's Holliday then their OF is complete and Freese plays 3B.
DeRosa is a nice option if Holliday leaves. Unless of course they land a high priced FA(Bay, etc.) elsewhere.

I certainly like your thinking. However, I would think that 7 to 9 million for De Rosa is bit pricey, considering he will be comming off surgery. I would think perhaps a lower guaranteed amount, plus incentives, so if he's healthy, he can earn his 7 to 9 million by being productive, rather than just giving him 7 to 9 million and hoping he'll come through. If somebody else wants to give him that kind of money, then let him go.

As far as Smoltz is concerned, considering his age, I would think a lower guaranteed figure along with incentives makes more sense for him as well. 5 to 6 million guaranteed seems a bit risky.

In the case of Holliday, if the Cardinals can come in with 18 to 20 million per year, they should be a serious contender for his services. I don't think anybody knows where he wants to play, although, I think it's probably safe to say Colorado and Oakland are not on the short list. There is always the chance that the Yankees, for example, could come up with some absolutely ridiculous figure, and in that case, he'll be gone as well.

Another option is to simply try to put a team together that can stay close, until June, and then pick up a couple of impact players prior to the trading deadline. By that time, there will be good players available on teams that will be looking to dump salary.

Having Holliday, De Rosa and Smoltz back would be nice, but I think this team can compete if they go elsewhere.

"Matt Holiday is not at all worth 20 mil a year. If that is his asking price then the cards better say no. He will not get that from any team what so ever. "

You're right, he ISN'T worth that much. AT least not to me. To me, he's worth about 14-15, which is way under what he will ask. He will ask 17-20...and sorry, but yes someone will pay it.

14 to 15 is what I think his true value is as well. If someone pays him 20 mil they are nuts. Just look at the scrubies with Soriano.

i like it, except for dero. release his a$s and give freese a shot.

If there's salary room for DeRosa, why not? He provides great depth at many positions. And Freese will get his shot, but that doesn't mean DeRosa isn't playing considerable time at third, second (especially against lefties), playing in left with Holliday in right when Ludwick goes down for a week or two or when Ludwick is in center and Colby is taking a break, a game here and there for Pujols at 1b, etc...

I think all will be seen when the market shakes out, but I hope Holliday's price is close to the speculated contract (6 years at 96 million and I hope the last two years of that deal are options). DeRosa coming back on an incentive laden contract would be amazing and Smoltz coming back in any capacity would be amazing as well. You can't have too many future hall of famers on one team. Would also like to see the Cards pick up a nice rehab project (Bedard?), but I understand 4 FA signings in one offseason is unheard of in St. Louis, and I'm really stretching for that last one.