I only advocate re-signing Derosa if the Cardinals can’t land any of the other left field bats. I just wouldn’t be comfortable going into the year with the Cardinals planning to give 500 at bats to both Freese and Craig.

I also agree on bringing back Smoltz, he would be a one year deal and that’s the types of moves I think Mozeliak should make rather than give a guy like Pineiro big money.

Sign Holliday. Then look at Freese or someone off the FA market to play 3b. I wouldn’t be surprised, though not advocating it, if the Cards sign Glaus again.

I wouldn’t sign DeRosa due to his age and declining skills probably due to the wrist injury. Look for other alternatives at a less advanced age.

The only other FA signing would be Smoltz if the Price is Right and pencil him in 2 spots depending on where needed.

Otherwise, low hanging fruit to be harvested, again.

Let’s not pay Piniero for his next 3 years. Let someone else do that like they did for Suppan.

You raise a lot of good points. I was not necessarly advocating bringing back Derosa, but have just pointed out the possibility of his return. Obviously plan A this offseason is Holliday, but if other backup plans fail I’d rather see Derosa out in left than Allen Craig. I don’t think you can give two starting spots to rookies next year(Craig and Freese) and not have a fallback.

I believe alot of Derosa’s struggles this year with St. Louis had to do with his wrist, which doctors have said is now repaired and Derosa will be ready by spring training. Derosa very well may be bad again in 2010, but theres no real way of knowing that until the front office can see how his wrist is progressing. This is another reason why I stated in my article that Mozeliak should be patient when it comes to Derosa and not rush to sign him now.

I agree that the organization has possibly maxed out its ability to do deadline rentals, but I also am not comfortable handed two guys with a combined 34 big league plate appearances every day jobs. A left fielder will need to be brought in from outside the organization, and theres a possibility Derosa could be that guy.

Please look at his Ankiel like stats. He his a few solo homeruns, big deal! His rate of rbi per at bat with us was one of the worst in the league. Everyone accepts the reason as being his injured wrist, well let’s consider that shall we.

Here’s a 35 year old on the down side of his career just coming off of wrist surgery, which I read was similar to what David Ortiz had. Ortiz for a good portion of the year couldn’t hit a beachball and we all know how much better of a hitter he is than DeRosa, plus he’s younger. Translation: Mark will be just as bad in 2010 as he was in 2009 with us.

So why the heck would you run out and waste big money on a huge question mark? (No pun intended). Let him go back to the Cubbies where he can alternate on the DL with Milton Bradley.

We need to sign someone healthy that MO isn’t going to have to replace at the trade deadline. We just don’t have enough top prospects left for MO to throw away on rentals.