# The Cardinals Won’t Make a Big Splash – A Deadline Retrospective

- Link: https://www.nyrdcast.com/the-cardinals-wont-make-a-big-splash-a-deadline-retrospective/
- Published: 2021-07-28T13:17:13-05:00
- Author: Eugene Tierney

It’s hard to tell right now if the Cardinals will be buyers or sellers over the 
next couple of days; the team sits at .500 while they are currently playing, but
they are 7-3 in their last 10. They have some big holes on this roster, and adding
a rental or 2 might not make them a World Series contender.

Judging by the history of the team, it doesn’t appear they would make a splash anyway.
Here are all of the deadline deals that John Mozeliak has made:

 * 2008: Traded [Anthony Reyes](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=reyesan01,reyes-004ant&search=Anthony+Reyes&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
   to Indians for [Luis Perdomo](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=perdolu02,perdolu01&search=Luis+Perdomo&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
 * 2009: Traded [Chris Perez](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/perezch01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
   [Jess Todd](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/toddje01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
   to Indians for [Mark DeRosa](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/derosma01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
 * 2009: Traded [Chris Duncan](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=duncach01,duncan003chr&search=Chris+Duncan&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
   to Red Sox for [Julio Lugo](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lugoju01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
 * 2009: Traded [Brett Wallace](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wallabr01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
   [Shane Peterson](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/petersh01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
   [Clayton Mortensen](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mortecl01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
   to Athletics for [Matt Holliday](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hollima01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
 * 2010: Traded [Ryan Ludwick](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/ludwiry01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
   to Padres for [Jake Westbrook](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/westbja01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)(
   Indians), [](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/greenni02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
   [Nick Green](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=greenni01,green-003nic&search=Nick+Green&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
   wood (Padres)
 * 2011: Traded [Colby Rasmus](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rasmuco01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
   [Trever Miller](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/milletr02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
   [Brian Tallet](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/tallebr01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
   [P.J. Walters](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/waltepj01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
   to Blue Jays for [Octavio Dotel](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/doteloc01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
   [Edwin Jackson](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jacksed01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
   [Marc Rzepczynski](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rzepcma01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
   [Corey Patterson](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/patteco01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
 * 2011: Traded [Alex Castellanos](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/casteal01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
   to Dodgers for [Rafael Furcal](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/furcara02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
 * 2012: Traded Zack Cox to Marlins for [Edward Mujica](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mujiced01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
 * 2013: Traded Rzepczynski to Indians for [Juan Herrera](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=herrer008jua,herrer009jua&search=Juan+Herrera&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
 * 2014: Traded James Ramsey to Indians for [Justin Masterson](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/masteju01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
 * 2014: Traded [Allen Craig](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/craigal01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
   [Joe Kelly](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=kellyjo05,kellyjo04,kellyjo03&search=Joe+Kelly&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
   to Red Sox for [John Lackey](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lackejo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
   Corey Littrell, Cash
 * 2015: Traded [Kyle Barraclough](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/barraky01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
   to Marlins for [Steve Cishek](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cishest01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
 * 2015: Traded [Rob Kaminsky](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kaminro01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
   to Indians for [Brandon Moss](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mossbr01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
 * 2015: Traded Malik Collymore to Brewers for [Jonathan Broxton](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/broxtjo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
   Cash
 * 2016: Traded [Charlie Tilson](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/tilsoch01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
   to White Sox for [](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dukeza01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
   [Zach Duke](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dukeza01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
 * 2017: Traded [Marco Gonzales](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=gonzama02,gonzal020mar&search=Marco+Gonzales&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
   to Mariners for [Tyler O’Neill](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/oneilty01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
 * 2018: Traded [Sam Tuivailala](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/tuivasa01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
   to Mariners for [Seth Elledge](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/e/elledse01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
 * 2018: Traded [Luke Voit](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/voitlu01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
   Intl Slot $ to Yankees for [Giovanny Gallegos](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gallegi01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
   [Chasen Shreve](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/shrevch01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
 * 2018: Traded [Oscar Mercado](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mercaos01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
   to Indians for [Conner Capel](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=capel-000con&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
   [Jhon Torres](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=torres002jho&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
 * 2018: Traded [Tommy Pham](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/phamth01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
   Intl Slot $ to Rays for [Genesis Cabrera](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cabrege01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
   [Roel Ramirez](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/ramirro02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
   [Justin Williams](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=williju02,willia007jus,willia006jus,willia003jus&search=Justin+Williams&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
 * 2019: Traded [Jedd Gyorko](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gyorkje01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
   Intl Slot $, Cash to Dodgers for [Tony Cingrani](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cingrto01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
   Jeffry Abreu

The biggest deal they made was for Holliday. The most recent “big deal” would probably
be the Craig/Kelly for Lackey deal. The “win now” deal would be Dotel/Jackson from
2011 that led to a World Series Championship.

More recently, the team has been “shifting assets”. They got rid of Pham because
he was a “cancer”, Voit because they had just extended Carpenter (and would end 
up with [Paul Goldschmidt](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/goldspa01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)),
and Mercado because they had a glut of outfielders and needed to clear a 40-man 
spot (which would also happen to [Adolis Garcia](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/garciad02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
and [Randy Arozarena](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/arozara01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
down the line). At least these deal did bring back decent players that are impacting
the roster now – Gallegos, Cabrera, J Williams.

The most recent deal was sending out Gyorko’s contract while taking on an injured
player and a low level minor leaguer.

I think we’ll see more of these types of moves in the next few days. The Cardinals
won’t want to give up [Nolan Gorman](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=gorman000nol&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
[Matthew Liberatore](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=libera000mat&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
or [Ivan Herrera](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=herrer002iva&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
for a rental. They also don’t have the depth to get a guy under club control. We’ll
see them pick up some more low hanging fruit, like an inning eater for the rotation(
a la Masterson) and a bullpen arm or 2 (a la Duke and Broxton). These are needs 
and will allow the team to say they did something.

They won’t get a [Trevor Story](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/storytr01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
a [Max Scherzer](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/scherma01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
or a [Craig Kimbrel](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kimbrcr01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-).
I can’t say that I blame them either; the team would need all 3 to be a true contender.
Unfortunately the weakening farm system would be wiped bare and the guys that are
close to making an impact are worth too much in the next 2 years to waste on guys
that could walk after the season.

The best course of action is to wait until the off-season; they’ll have a lot of
money coming off the books and players like Story and Scherzer will be available
as free agents.

### Share this:

 * [  Facebook ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/the-cardinals-wont-make-a-big-splash-a-deadline-retrospective/?share=facebook)
 * [  X ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/the-cardinals-wont-make-a-big-splash-a-deadline-retrospective/?share=x)
 * [  Email ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/the-cardinals-wont-make-a-big-splash-a-deadline-retrospective/?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20The%20Cardinals%20Won%27t%20Make%20a%20Big%20Splash%20-%20A%20Deadline%20Retrospective&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nyrdcast.com%2Fthe-cardinals-wont-make-a-big-splash-a-deadline-retrospective%2F&share=email)
 * [  LinkedIn ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/the-cardinals-wont-make-a-big-splash-a-deadline-retrospective/?share=linkedin)
 * [  Mastodon ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/the-cardinals-wont-make-a-big-splash-a-deadline-retrospective/?share=mastodon)
 * [  Nextdoor ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/the-cardinals-wont-make-a-big-splash-a-deadline-retrospective/?share=nextdoor)
 * [  Pinterest ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/the-cardinals-wont-make-a-big-splash-a-deadline-retrospective/?share=pinterest)
 * [  Reddit ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/the-cardinals-wont-make-a-big-splash-a-deadline-retrospective/?share=reddit)
 * [  Tumblr ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/the-cardinals-wont-make-a-big-splash-a-deadline-retrospective/?share=tumblr)

### Like this:

Like Loading…

### _Related_