Dear Cardinals, In Moves We Trust

Many times I feel compelled to vent my frustration and decide it would be better to wait and see as baseball has the longest season of any of the professional sports. This campaign has started not unlike many in recent years, but the waiting game in St. Louis has expired. If the Cardinals are content with putting a mediocre product on the field, something tells me it will be an extremely long summer under the Arch.

Two things can change this opinion in a hurry and luckily, both happen to be close enough to Colorado to help this weekend before things truly get out of hand. The easiest ‘fix’ for an offense that is scuffling involves bringing someone up to provide a jolt much in the way that Sierra did the last road trip. Memphis, as luck would have it, also is playing on the West Coast this week which provides something of a built-in save approach.

Before I get ahead of myself, the headline was done for a reason, and there might not be a bigger fan of the job Mo has done the last decade. In Mo We Trust still rings true, but much of that good currency is in danger of suffering fatigue much in the same way we value prospects. The time is now to shake things up and not wait to see how the standings look at the All-Star break. It would be different had the Dodgers not exposed all of the fatal flaws, but the Rockies must be confident going into tonight.

Any number of Redbirds could step in and make a difference, but the one who makes the most sense is a younger version of the only consistent hitter currently in the St. Louis lineup. It is time to see if two Jedd’s are better than one and give Paul DeJong a long look at a number of different positions. Time off next month will be at a premium with so few days off, and DeJong can play all over the infield. There has not been a need for the extra pitcher and to be fair, a couple of the arms in the bullpen probably are not long for the Cards roster.

Use the open roster spots now instead of waiting for the perfect storm to happen, as the Cubs are getting hot at the worst time possible. Peralta should be retained unless Mo gets an offer for his services or until the offense stops turning every pitcher into Cy Young. DeJong also would provide a no-lose option given he can be sent back to continue dominating the PCL at any time. On the other hand, Mo may look to literally shake things up the same way he did with the Lackey deal. If that is the chosen path, one avenue is to call up the Marlins who are positioned for another fire sale.

If Miami is not ready to part with one of their starting outfielders, Destin Hood would be the under-the-radar move that costs very little in terms of prospects. Hood has been on fire for New Orleans and you guessed it, he is currently on the road enjoying the hitting conditions in Colorado. With four home runs in three games and six over his last ten, the Cardinals could definitely use the thump from left field. He is also already using a spot on the Marlins’ 40-man roster, so a trip to Memphis once he cools off won’t hurt the overall depth.

I realize that St. Louis is not hurting for outfield depth, but no one projects to provide instant offense the way Hood has shown over his career. It is time to catch lightning in a bottle and see what the Birds on the Bat are made of before it is too late.

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