THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Assuming the Cardinals cannot get Matt Holliday re-signed and that Jason Bay stays with Boston, who are some other options out there that you think the Cardinals should pursue to man left field?

JOE STRAUSS
First, it is premature to assume either premise. Holliday’s market may not be as firm as some insist, especially if Bay returns to Boston and the New York Yankees remain on the periphery. But playing along, the leading free agent outfielders remain Bobby Abreu, a Type A who can steal bases but is also a very limited defender who has suffered a significant ebb in power. The Cardinals literally return to where they started if Holliday leaves, becoming a Pujols-centric attack almost forced to put Ryan Ludwick into the cleanup role.

If the club is serious about giving David Freese a chance to win the third base job, its best options become a trade for an outfielder. John Mozeliak acquired Troy Glaus under duress before the ’08 season. It is feasible that the Washington Nationals make Adam Dunn available this winter before he enters the walk year of his deal. Dunn is owed $10 million next season, a relative bargain in comparison to a 6-8 year deal for Holliday or a 4-year splurge on Bay. Bay, however, represents an extremely good fit in St. Louis should talks with the Red Sox stall.

DERRICK GOOLD
One of the reasons the Cardinals’ push for Matt Holliday is so pivotal to their 2010 roster is there is a steep plummet from the class of Holliday and Jason Bay to the other free agents out there this winter. Not one of them is an obvious candidate to hit cleanup behind Albert Pujols like either of those top-shelf left fielders would be. Bobby Abreu or Vlad Guerrero may have the name recognition to do so, but they don’t have that everyday, NL look at this point in their careers.

A name in that second or third tier of free agents that intrigues is Xavier Nady, one year removed from a 97-RBI turn with Pittsburgh and the New York Yankees. He lost 2009 to injury, but had back-to-back 20-homer seasons before that. Nady would be an interesting instant-scratch ticket. Some low-risk options could be found in the secondary market — the players non-tendered by teams. According to reports, the Florida Marlins are likely to non-tender Jeremy Hermida, a lapsed top prospect, and former Brave outfielder Jeff Francoeur could be set free by the New York Mets. Not the big-splash, big bat the Cardinals crave for the middle of the lineup. But if they whiff on Holliday it may be where the Cardinals have to go to supplement the in-house candidates and hope lightning strikes left field.

RICK HUMMEL
Give Allen Craig, one of the top power hitters in Class AAA at Memphis, a glove and work him out in left field all spring. His bat may be good enough but possibly not his defense. Otherwise, sign DeRosa, if his wrist is deemed all right, and make him more or less a full-time outfielder.

JEFF GORDON
I would keep Mark DeRosa and play him in the outfield, if it is determined Skip Schumaker is the long-haul solution at 2B. I’m not sure you can find somebody else with solid 20-homer, 80-RBI potential in free agency. This could also open the door for somebody like Allen Craig to get some OF at bats when De Rosa takes some starts at 3B to spell Freese or 2B when Skip gets a break against lefties.

There isn’t much to deal for, say, a Josh Willingham-type. A guy like Xavier Nady could be interesting to rehab.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: You hear much talk among Cardinal fans about players taking a “hometown discount” to play here in St. Louis. Matt Holliday is the centerpiece of “hometown discount” talk right now. In your professional opinion, how much weight do professional ballplayers give to being in a certain town, playing for a certain manager or having a certain kind of locker room chemistry? At the end of the day, doesn’t money do the talking in almost all cases of free agency?

RICK HUMMEL

Rarely does a player not follow the money, and I think you find that true even more in football than in baseball. I think this especially is true in the early stages of a player’s career, when he first can become a free agent, and his agent is hell-bent on getting the best offer. Near the end of that career, if a player hasn’t won before or is comfortable where he is, his attitude may change.

BRYAN BURWELL

Money is going to ultimately decide everything when it comes to any business. But who can blame them, when they have an opportunity to secure the financial future for their family for decades? The hometown discount is a myth. Players want to win and get paid. If they can win and get paid, they will take a little less money. But if they can’t win but they can get paid? Cha-ching.

JEFF GORDON

Every player is different. Some need to find a comfort zone to succeed in. Others, like Reggie Sanders, can move from team to team and do very well at every stop. This can be especially important to pitchers, who live or die with confidence. St. Louis developed a nice pitching atmosphere, which makes it easier to retain key free-agent pitchers. I think St. Louis is a good fit for Albert Pujols, who reigns as king of the clubhouse. As for Matt Holliday, he didn’t choose to come to St. Louis in that deal from Oakland. He seemed like a good fit here, but it’s not like he fell in love with the place. I would be surprised if he didn’t go to the highest bidder.

DAN O’NEILL

There is overwhelming evidence that money is the bottom line. Jeff Weaver is a recent case that underlines that - comes to the Cardinals, has the most success he’s had in years, but takes more money to go elsewhere the following winter. Ultimately you have to hold the players responsible for that, because their names go on the contracts. And I don’t necessarily blame them for that. The loyalty aspect, or lack thereof, works both ways. But most players rely heavily on advice from their agents, so I think a lot depends on the agent. The Cardinals will find out because they are not going to sign either Holliday or Mark DeRosa before they enter the market.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Cardinals have scuffled to find wins this past week. Is this just a market correction after the sizzling month of August or do you see some tangible areas of concern for this team moving forward?

BERNIE MIKLASZ

The Cardinals struggle against good pitching, lefthanded pitching, and no-name pitchers. All teams don’t hit as well against the first-tier pitchers, of course. With the lefthanders, the problems are basically this: (1) the Cardinals are a fastball-hitting team, and the lefties throw more breaking and offspeed stuff; (2) guys who are supposed to be hitting the lefties aren’t getting it done. Mark DeRosa is batting .214 vs. LH since coming over from Cleveland. Julio Lugo, who starts at 2B much of the time when a LH is starting, is only batting .226 against the lefties since joining the Cardinals. And in CF, Rick Ankiel (.242) and Colby Rasmus (.147) are often overmatched against lefties. About the no-name pitchers: there’s a flaw in the system. The Cardinals rely on video scouting, which doesn’t really prepare them for actual competition against a pitcher for the first time. October should be interesting, because the Cardinals figure to see plenty of quality pitchers, plenty of LH pitchers.

JEFF GORDON

Any time a team’s closer struggles right before the playoffs, that is a huge reason for concern. Also, when a team doesn’t have an effective fourth starter heading into the playoffs, that is a concern, too. And this offense takes whole nights off for whatever reason. So, yes, Tony La Russa does have serious concerns.

RICK HUMMEL

Much of the Cardinals’ August success was achieved against bottom feeders Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, San Diego, Washington and pitching-starved Milwaukee. Now they’re playing contending clubs with top starting staffs and bullpens. The hits are harder to come by.

GERRY FRALEY

The quality of competition must be considered when looking at the Cardinals. They went 20-6 during August by doing what contenders must do: pound the bad teams. Of the seven clubs the Cardinals faced in August, only one has a winning record: the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the last week, the Cardinals have played clubs more typical of what they will face in the post-season: Atlanta and Florida. That does not mean they are doomed to an early exit, but it is a reminder there are no tomato-can opponents in the post-season as there were in August.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: On this date last year the Cardinals were 12 games above .500 at 70-58, yet they already trailed the Chicago Cubs by 11.5 games in the National League Central. Fast forward one year and the Cardinals are 15 games above .500 and lead the Cubs by six games. The Cubs are struggling to keep their record above .500 while the Cards seem to be picking up steam. What do you see as the main reasons for the disparity in records of the two clubs between this season and last?

DERRICK GOOLD
The Karma of Mark DeRosa. Things started to go bad for the Cubs when they traded DeRosa to Cleveland in order to clear salary and roster space that was eventually used to sign the human volcano, Milton Bradley. Things started to go right for the Cardinals once DeRosa returned from his wrist injury and heralded a parade of newcomers that have elevated the Cardinals from a division challenger to a pennant contender. So, it’s DeRosa. Well, it’s at least figuratively DeRosa.

One of the biggest tangible reasons is the ninth inning. The Cardinals would have won the division last year if games ended after the sixth inning, but instead they stumbled to more than 30 blown saves and were, as mentioned in the question, light years away from running down the Cubs. This year, the Cubs have 17 blown saves in 46 opportunities. Six of those belong to unsteady closer Kevin Gregg, and the only NL teams with more relief losses than the Cubs all have losing records.

It’s as simple as DeRosa is symbolic: Own the ninth, stay in the hunt.

RICK HUMMEL
The bullpen is one big difference. The Cardinals have had a strong closer in Ryan Franklin. The Cubs haven’t. The Cubs’ best player, Aramis Ramirez, was out for more than two months with injury. The Cardinals’ best player, Albert Pujols, has been there from the start. He is the league’s best player. The Cardinals clearly are the better team now, with Holliday, DeRosa and Lugo on board. But don’t give up on the Cubs yet. They easily could be the wild-card team if they don’t run down the Cardinals.

GERRY FRALEY
The Cubs many problems can be encapsuled in three players: Mark DeRosa, Aramis Ramirez and Geovanny Soto.

A year ago, the trio combined for 71 homers and 284 RBIs with the Cubs. This season, they have 18 homers and 63 RBIs entering Wednesday night’s play. The Cubs traded DeRosa to Cleveland in the off-season to clear payroll space for the left-handed bat that manager Lou Piniella wanted. That was Milton Bradley, and he has been an expensive bust and a disruptive presence in the clubhouse.
Ramirez missed about two months because of a dislocated left shoulder, and the offense withered about him.

Soto looks more and more like a one-year wonder.

With these three players hot last season, the Cubs led the National League with 5.31 runs per game. They are down to 10th with 4.44 runs per game this season. This will not be the year for the Cubs.

JEFF GORDON
Last year injuries destroyed the Cardinals. Adam Wainwright went down and Chris Carpenter didn’t make it back. Jason Isringhausen broke down and the Cards never found a reliable closer. This year the Cards have Wainwright, Carpenter and a reliable closer, Ryan Franklin. So this team was contending for the NL Central crown before adding all the offense. The Cubs, meanwhile, suffered every imaginable injury setback this year. And unlike the Cards, they lack a reliable closer.

DAN O’NEILL
The Cubs are a mess, with problems in the bullpen and the starting rotation. The Cardinals have added Matt Holliday, Mark DeRosa and discovered Ryan Franklin is a dependable closer. Last, but certainly not least, they have a healthy Chris Carpenter. End of story.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Cardinals have many pending free agents, not to mention a clock ticking on Albert Pujols’ current deal. Keeping in mind money will have to be set aside for Albert, how many of the pending free agents do you think this team can realistically re-sign? And how might you prioritize those signings?

RICK HUMMEL
The Cardinals probably can sign as many of the free agents as they want, but they would have to move salary elsewhere, perhaps a Ryan Ludwick, who will be due another big raise as an arbitration-eligible player. The pecking order:
1. Matt Holliday
2. Joel Pineiro
3. Mark DeRosa
4. Trever Miller
5. Rick Ankiel
6. Jason LaRue
7. Todd Wellemeyer

No chance category: Troy Glaus and Khalil Greene

BERNIE MIKLASZ
If they go “all in” on Matt Holliday, that’ll be it. There won’t be enough money (realistically) to deal with Mark DeRosa or Joel Pineiro, unless the players are willing to stay here at a steep discount. I’m wondering if the Cardinals will regret the contract they gave Kyle Lohse after last season.

DERRICK GOOLD
How many they sign depends mostly on who they sign. The priority has to be re-signing Matt Holliday. The Cardinals gave up a lot to get him, and they did so with the intention of keeping him beyond this season as the long-term heavy to hit behind Albert Pujols. A successful pursuit of Holliday will not only limit who else the Cardinals can go out and sign — or go out and keep — but also how they then approach Pujols about an extension. Holliday will limit the budget for other signings and help set the internal market for Pujols’ next deal. Signing both Holliday and Mark DeRosa isn’t unreasonable, and it may be necessary for the Cardinals to bring back DeRosa as an option at third base and second base. After that, the Cardinals usually move quickly to sign their backup catcher (Jason LaRue has done nothing to change his status) and will need to find a lefty specialist (will Trever Miller return?). The rest, including Joel Pineiro, are on the backburner or not in the conversation either because of the price tag, need or 2009 performance.

JEFF GORDON
Having Julio Lugo for free next season helps the budget. Also, David Freese appears back on track to replace Troy Glaus at third base. That helps as well. I would try to extend Mark DeRosa ASAP for a moderate raise over his current deal. He is a classic Cardinal. Surely he wants to stay, right? If the Cards have DeRosa in hand, preferably before the end of the season, that allows the team to remain patient on the Matt Holliday front. The team will be assured of having a solid offense next year. If Holliday wants to stay, the Cards could give him a nice contract, turn the page on Ankiel and Pineiro and lean on younger starting pitching. If Holliday decides to explore the market and chase the top dollar, then the Cards could spend money on Ankiel, Pineiro and/or other pitching and hitting. This could go a lot of ways, but I would lock in DeRosa early to simplify the equation.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
They should be able to sign the two or three they really need in addition to leaving room for Albert’s contract down the road without too much difficulty. The three I’d recommend focusing on are Matt Holliday, Joel Pineiro and Mark DeRosa, in that order. Holliday is the presence you need behind Albert. Pineiro has become a reliable starter and they have no apparent in-house replacement for him. DeRosa is an incredibly valuable, versatile player with leadership ability and a solid bat. As long as their demands — in terms of dollars and years — aren’t totally out of whack the team should be able to afford them and leave room for Albert’s new deal here in a couple of years. Minus their current obligations on Adam Kennedy, Troy Glaus, Khalil Greene and Todd Wellemeyer, the Cardinals save $27 million and that should give them some wiggle room to work with.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Joel Pineiro will take the mound vs. the Mets tomorrow night sporting a 2.84 ERA on the season. Pineiro has far exceeded expectations this season with a renewed emphasis on the sinker. As he will hit free agency at the end of this season, and given the many other Cardinals players also reaching free agency, what do you think the chances are that the team will be able to lock up Pineiro to a new contract?

JOE STRAUSS
The Cardinals gave Kyle Lohse $41 million over four years last September. Based on numbers other than win percentage, Pineiro is enjoying a better season. It’s hard to imagine Pineiro taking a significant lower Annual Average Value than Lohse, who did agree to backload his deal. A baseline of 3 years/$27 million may be discussed. Length of contract may be more an obstacle than AAV. It’s a matter of priorities, which underscores the organization’s need to read the Matt Holliday situation. If Holliday is extended, the club may have to scrimp on starting pitcher or delay talks of an extension with Albert Pujols. It already appears a mortal lock that next year’s No. 5 starter will come from within the organization (Garcia, Walter, Boggs, Hawksworth, McClellan). Look for any deal(s) to be weighted heavily after 2011, when several deals now on the books expire.

RICK HUMMEL
They’ll have a much better chance if they lock him in as they did Kyle Lohse last year, i.e. before he goes out on the open market. Believe it or not, Pineiro, because of his outstanding control and ability to keep the ball in the ball park, will be one of the most sought-after pitching free agents.

DERRICK GOOLD
Today, those chances seem minimal. Joel Pineiro has the look of a pitcher who will follow Jeff Suppan, Jason Marquis, heck, even Jeff Weaver, and so many other reanimated pitchers on the path out of town. His reinvention as a sinkerball pitcher has been well-timed and mutually beneficial — the Cardinals are getting his performance in a division-title race and he’ll get the benefit of recasting his career in a contract year. The one catch is this: Are the Cardinals convinced they have a pitcher ready to move into that spot? Are they willing to turn two spots in the rotation over to a competition of Todd Wellemeyer and minor leaguers like P.J. Walters, Blake Hawksworth, Mitchell Boggs, etc.? If Pineiro is gone — and most likely he is — the Cardinals better be content with who’s coming up or be willing to pay to replace him.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
If the Cardinals act early, it will improve their chances. Pineiro has reinvented himself this year; his ground-ball rate of 73.3 is the best in the majors to this point. I think Pineiro is smart enough to realize he has a great pitching coach and a terrific situation here. That said, we’ve seen jumpy MLB teams give insane contracts to pitchers, so if Pineiro hits the open market, he could be very attractive to some bigger-market teams that need a 4th or 5th starter.

GERRY FRALEY
Pineiro’s agent, Adam Katz, is a realist, and that bodes well for the Cardinals.

The coming free-agent market could be flush with top starting pitchers. Righthanders Josh Beckett, Rich Harden and John Lackey and lefthanders Cliff Lee and Jarrod Washburn could all be available this fall.

Pineiro has pitched well this season, but he still runs the risk of being squeezed on the free-agent market and forced to take a leftover of an offer. If the Cardinals make a fair offer, Pineiro and Katz would be wise to take the sure thing.

The alternative is to become the next Jeff Weaver. He has had a rocky ride since his standout performance for the Cardinals in their 2006 run to the World Series title. Weaver jumped to Seattle in 2007, and did not make it through the season. He spent all of last season and part of this year in the minors before making it back with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a long reliever-spot starter.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
I’d call it 60-40 in favor of Pineiro being kept around. Both he and Wellemeyer are up after the season and the Cards don’t appear to have two Major League ready kids to take those spots heading into 2010, nor does it seem likely that Welly is brought back. In that case you almost have to re-sign Pineiro unless his demands are outrageous.

Not counting the contracts of Matt Holliday and Mark DeRosa (because they came in later in the season) the Cards will have roughly $40 million freed up after the season, though that includes Pineiro’s money and the contracts of Rick Ankiel and Ryan Ludwick. Keeping Holliday would knock $15-18 million off that right off the top, leaving $22-25 million for Pineiro, DeRosa, Ludwick and any other potential free agents they’d like to retain (Ankiel, Jason LaRue, Trever Miller, etc.). Things could be tight unless payroll goes back up to the 2008 level next year.

If Pineiro isn’t looking for a Kyle Lohse contract of 4 years and $41 million (which is what I’d be asking for if I were his agent) then his chances of staying will be better. If he is seeking that big deal the Cards will be facing some difficult decisions.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Cardinals made a long-awaited move this weekend in acquiring Mark DeRosa from the Cleveland Indians. With this team still hovering near the top of the NL Central and with a chance to win the division, do you think they are done dealing, or do you think there is still a chance they make a run at someone like Matt Holliday to fortify this lineup?

JOE STRAUSS
The Cardinals are not done exploring other deals but they may have bought some time. GM John Mozeliak said Sunday he will take the next couple weeks to assess DeRosa’s effect on the club and act accordingly. Five weeks remain until the trade deadline. The club may believe its greatest need is a pitcher. Should Troy Glaus go on a rehab within the next couple weeks, there will be additional willingness to wait. The benefit of acquiring DeRosa now is first his production, but also assessing where he fits best on the club. He appears slotted as the everyday third baseman with Khalil Greene returning to the DL. But should Glaus progress, DeRosa also becomes an OF option, freeing up chips to acquire a starter or set-up man. Holliday will apparently remain on the market for awhile given Oakland’s heavy asking price.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Another move is possible, but Matt Holliday is probably too big of a fish to reel in next month. I wouldn’t be surprised if they pursued a starting pitcher to fill Todd Wellemeyer’s spot in the rotation.

DERRICK GOOLD
Adding DeRosa is clearly the move the Cardinals had to make — and make as soon as possible — because it keeps them in contention. It isn’t, however, the only move needed to cinch their intent to contend for a title. What they have done by adding DeRosa is put themselves in position to make a deadline deal with an eye on being better in August, September and then, in a Larry Walker-esque way, October. That includes — but isn’t exclusive to — monitoring the market for Matt Hollliday and seeing if the cost of doing business with Billy Beane drops as the clock ticks toward August 1. Pitching should also be on their radar. DeRosa fills a need. Now the Cardinals can look to augment. The bottom line is the, well, bottom line. Swallowing the remainder of DeRosa’s $5.5 million contract is palatable enough for the Cardinals that they still maintain that “payroll flexibility” to offer any trade-deadline fruit that hangs low enough some dry powder to land in.

GERRY FRALEY
Mark DeRosa batted cleanup on Sunday in his debut with the Cardinals. If that does not say the lineup needs one more bat, nothing does. DeRosa is a solid hitter, but he does not belong in the cleanup spot. He is an ideal No. 6 hitter, maybe with some time in the fifth spot. Given righthander Todd Wellemeyer’s struggles, the Cardinals are going to be in the market for another starter soon, if not already. Wellemeyer is 3-5 with a 6.32 ERA in his last 10 starts and has drained the bullpen by going five innings or fewer in six of his 16 starts overall. That does not fit with a contender.

JEFF GORDON
This team still needs more. If Ryan Ludwick, Rick Ankiel and Chris Duncan continue to struggle with run production, this team won’t have enough offense to make a serious playoff run. Perhaps DeRosa will take some heat off those guys and spur better production. We’re seeing a lot of poor at-bats in critical situations. It’s shocking, really, how badly some of these guys are hitting.

DAN O’NEILL
I would think the Cardinals are done dealing. The Matt Holliday trade never has made sense to me, especially if it includes Ryan Ludwick. Seems to me you’re trading very similar players, trading your only righthanded-hitting outfielder to get a righthanded-hitting outfielder. I think if the Cardinals get Lohse back, they are set with their club for a while, if not for the duration.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Cardinals need a third baseman and they also just need a bat. Scouring the league and players that could be moved, who would you think might be a nice fit for this Cardinals team … someone that could truly be attainable?

JOE STRAUSS
The answer depends on availability, cost and potential upside. The Cardinals could trade for Colorado Rockies 3B Garrett Atkins today if they were willing to tolerate his .188 average, declining power and $7M salary. Given the Cardinals’ situation, however, Mark De Rosa is a better fit. He is versatile enough to play all over the field and hit anywhere from Nos. 2-7 in the lineup. His production is somewhat down this season, but the leftovers of a $5.5M salary aren’t crippling. Still, he’s projecting for 100 RBI. Those who worship at the Altar of the Walk won’t like his 18 bases on balls to 45 strikeouts, but DeRosa is a RH-hitting deterrent. That is specifically what the Cardinals sought but couldn’t find last winter. The likely cost of Mitchell Boggs or Chris Perez-plus will test the front office’s protectionism regarding home-grown talent. Doing nothing sends a worrisome tone.

RICK HUMMEL
Cleveland’s Mark DeRosa seems to be the best fit because he’s a productive righthanded batter who can play third base among five positions. But Cleveland wouldn’t seem eager, yet, to dispose of DeRosa because center fielder Grady Sizemore, their best player, is going to be out a long time and Travis Hafner also has been injured. They will need DeRosa’s offense. More available — but not as good — is Colorado third baseman Garrett Atkins, hitting under .200 with the Rockies, who are likely to make moves relatively soon because they’re 14 1/2 games out and Atkins is a free agent.

DERRICK GOOLD
So often the baseball rumor mill can read like a gossip column — hints and innuendoes, sourced reports and guesses. This one looks more like a Harmony.com profile, complete with what couldn’t be a more appealing coupling. Mark DeRosa and the Cardinals: Made for each other. Cleveland’s utility fielder DeRosa doesn’t have the imposing bat that the Cardinals have spent several years shopping for (who does?) but he fills so many other needs, and he could the spur offense by adding missing depth to the lineup. He did hit 20 homers last season and his doubles would fit well anywhere, No. 2 in the lineup or No. 6. Throw in the fact that he can play third now and later or second and the outfield if Troy Glaus returns and he’s … well, he’s a dream Tony La Russa player. A bat that talks. A glove that plays anywhere. Oh, and he’s also the glue that kept the Cubs chugging last year. (His absence and their struggles this year are related.)

The cost? Cleveland wants pitching, major-league pitching or major league-ready pitching. It could cost the Cardinals a righthander from their bullpen. But that was supposedly an area of depth. The connection is obvious, almost too obvious — which leaves one hunting for reasons it hasn’t happened yet.

GERRY FRALEY (Baseball writer for FOXsports.com, Sportingnews.com and USAToday)
The Cardinals are fortunate in that there is a glut of available third basemen. They should run from a few of them. Colorado’s Garrett Atkins is a poor defender and obsessed with his contract. San Diego would deal Kevin Kouzmanoff, but the Khalil Greene experience has shown why Padres GM Kevin Towers is called “sludge master.’’ Towers somehow always find a place to dump damaged merchandise.

Cleveland’s Mark DeRosa would be helpful. DeRosa is versatile — at least 125 career games at second, third, shortstop and right field — with power and is a superb clubhouse presence.

Seattle’s Adrian Beltre would be better. Beltre is a Gold Glove-level defender, and his offensive production has been stunted by playing at the airport that is Seattle’s Safeco Field. Since opening day 2007, Beltre has a .393 slugging percentage at Safeco and a .541 slugging percentage on the road. Beltre could have a more dramatic affect than DeRosa.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
The most common names tossed about are Mark DeRosa, Adrian Beltre and Garrett Atkins and while I prefer DeRosa over the other two in that group. But there is another guy I’d prefer to all three — Jhonny Peralta.

Peralta is a shortstop by trade but also plays third base, which is probably his better position at this point. He would give the Cards some lineup flexibility, especially if Troy Glaus does manage to make it back at some point, and he can hit. Peralta’s current numbers are uninspiring but he’s made up for a poor April (.211 AVG, .570 OPS) with a solid May (.316 AVG, .787 OPS) and he’s hit 20+ HR in three of the last four seasons. Also of note: Peralta (27) is seven years younger than Mark DeRosa (34), his 2009 contract is cheaper than DeRosa’s and he’s under contract for 2010 at the reasonable price of $4.6 million. If you have to give up a lot to get a player it’s a lot easier to do so when you’re going to get more than a few months of his services.

Would the Indians move Peralta, likely their long-term answer at third base? Not as readily as they would move DeRosa for sure, but the vibe coming from Cleveland is that they’re willing to shake things up quite a bit and they badly need relief pitching, something the Cardinals can certainly help them with. He’d be the guy I’d target first of all the players that would appear to be “available” here in ’09.