Cardinals talking with reps for closer Brian Fuentes
LAS VEGAS — Representatives for free-agent pitcher Brian Fuentes, a lefthander the St. Louis Cardinals pursued at the trade deadline this past season, and the Cardinals have engaged in conversation about the closer as a possible fit for the Cardinals’ openings — and their wishes.
The closer market has heated up in the first couple days of the Baseball Winter Meetings here at the Bellagio, what with reports of the New York Mets negotiating a deal with Francisco Rodriguez and, as mentioned in the previous blog, an MLB.com report that the Cleveland Indians are close to a deal for Kerry Wood. Fuentes, mostly recently the closer for Colorado, is in that top tier of available free agents and was additionally attractive to the Cardinals because he is lefthanded.
Colleague Joe Strauss confirmed that representatives for Fuentes and the Cardinals have met.
Initially the Cardinals had seen his price and the length of contract needed to land Fuentes as prohibitive. As recently as Monday, Cardinals general John Mozeliak downplayed rekindling a match between his bullpen vacancy and the lefty.
The market has created an opportunity.
With Rodriguez’s deal reportedly in the neighborhood of slightly more than $12 million in annual value, the structure for a deal with the other closer has offered the possibility of a two-year deal that could be the Cardinals liking at a salary they have recently said they could handle. Mozeliak came to the meetings with a desire to add a pitcher — either a starter or someone for the ninth inning — and he acknowledged the possibility that the money the Cardinals had remaining in the budget could be concentrated on one free agent.
Fuentes. 32, reclaimed the closer role in Colorado last season with 30 saves and a 2.73 ERA. The Cardinals looked at him at the trade deadline as an option to close with the added benefit of being able to face and negate imposing lefthanded hitters.
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Derrick Goold said he was going to Mizzou for capital-J journalism, but after growing up in the Time Zone Baseball Forgot he was really drawn to MU sitting between two major-league cities. Goold joined the Post-Dispatch in 2001 after working for The Times-Picayune and Rocky Mountain News, covering sports from LSU to NHL and every level of baseball in between. 
Every year, it the same old thing. The Cardinals float some information that they are in the running for big time free agents. It nevers comes to be and the Cardinals say they are practicing fiscal responsibility. In essence, they want the fans to think they are willing to spend the money, when they actually are not.
NO! Type A free agent.
What were the Rox asking for Fuentes in the trade deadline?
Mozeliak flat-out denied this on Bernie’s show this afternoon.
I don’t recall what the trade deadline offer was– but it seems to me that Colorado was insisting on Rasmus + other talent. If they have to give up a first rounder, I seriously doubt he’ll be equal in talent (or as close to the Majors) as Colby. I say: if it’s for two years, pull the trigger. After that, he’s still a “type A FA” when (if) he walks after two years.
Mozeliak denied this during his interview with Bernie.
I’m very glad Mo denied it. The Cards already *have* a closer, a guy they drafted expressly to be a closer. Chris Perez was drafted high, paid big $$ to sign, then whizzed through the minors with high strikeout totals, low ERA’s, and bunches of saves.
Perez has both the high-octane talent & the temperament to close for the Cardinals if given the chance. Oh, wait a sec…he already *did* have a chance to close last year, and did just fine. Or did nobody notice? (Anyway, even if Perez flops or gets hurt, you still have Jason Motte–who might be better than Perez!)
The Cards need another bullpen lefty, but they do NOT need an expensive closer.
Let either C. Perez or J. Motte battle for this role. This money MUST BE SPENT ON STARTING PITCHING!
Starting pitching isn’t the Cards biggest need. Finding a closer should be Priority #1 with this team. With just an average closer last-year the Cards win the wild-card. Heck, Todd Jones would have gotten them into the playoffs last-year. Sign Fuentes if you can get him! Then this team would have a better closer, a better shortstop and hopefully a better rotation with Carp (hopefully) all compared to last-year. Sounds good to me and hold on to some of that outfield depth until the trading deadline and add whatever they need. Love it!
I can’t believe I am saying this, but the Cardinals need to go for lower hanging fruit or risk blocking Perez. I’d offer Izzy an incentive contract to teach this kid and to get his 7 saves and spend my bucks for a stud starting pitcher, not another closer. If the Cards sign Fuentes, they might as well get rid of Perez or Motte. Don’t need ‘em both. Also, I have never been clear on why Fuentes lost his closer spot for awhile. Anyone know?
It would be an excellent sign. Who says that a left handed reliever cant be your best reliever instead of some swill bag that comes in for 5 pitches a nite.