Looks like a quite a nice extension with the two team option years.

in today's market, that's stealing money. He could have got a boatload of money in 3 years. Now the Cardinals can control him through 2023. And just pay a $1 million bonus at any time in the deal if he's traded. Seems to be a very friendly team deal.

Martinez, the son of a drug addicted prostitute, just got guaranteed generational changing money for his family in the DR. I'm sure that's why he signed the deal.


He's now our Ace.

“I respect (Wainwright). But I want (to start the first game),” Martinez said.

“Great answer,” said general manager John Mozeliak. “He’s a talented guy. We’re not sitting here today doing this kind of contract if he’s not.”

Slightly team friendly. I'm a little surprised that he and his agent decided to opt for the same salary in his first 2 free agent years that he'll make in his arb years. That seems like a failure on their part.

If he has two years like his last two, the Cardinals will earn back their $$. It's extremely team-friendly.

If Baseball Prospectus is correct, you can expect lots of Cardinals tears this year.

BP released its annual PECOTA projections on Tuesday, predicting the 2017 Cardinals will finish with their worst record since 2007 and win fewer than 77 games this season.

Based on BP’s Player Empirical Comparison and Optimization Test Algorithm, the Cardinals are expected to finish tied for third in the National League Central with a 76-86 record. If that projection is correct, they'll finish tied for the fourth worst record in the NL.

PECOTA projects that the Cardinals will score 708 runs and give up 756 with a .253 batting average, .317 on-base percentage and .411 slugging percentage.

Pecota's wrong.

It says that Carlos Martinez will take a large step backwards based on...well nothing really. It also says that Matt Carpenter will be a roughly 2.5 win player and that Diaz will be worth 2.

Mostly it seems to have thrown darts at the wall. The Cards aren't a good team, but they aren't a genuinely bad one either. Probably an 83-87 win squad.

It seems it's going to take alot of big jumps from young guys for this team to actually be good.

Piscotty, Grichuk, Wong, etc.

Yuck.

I have no faith in Wong at all, he still thinks of himself as a 30 HR guy. If he can't start hitting line drives he won't ever be more productive.

Grichuk still doesn't understand the strike zone. I doubt he ever will.

Piscotty has a real shot to be a very solid career player but he doesn't scare anybody. Diaz is the only Cardinal with a genuine shot to be a force in the middle of the lineup.

They'll play around .500 all year and probably win about 85 games

What's the overall age of the current Cards starting lineup?

I still hate Mike Leake

Freese is back....in Imo commercials. Seriously ROFL ROFL

thanks for the draft picks.

1/2 are young. 1/2 are old.

Astros still suck.

Eh, depends on starting pitching. Batting lineup looks great.