nextdayair: Gordo,

I appreciate your continued insightfulness. You continue to provide information that is both informative and entertaining.

With that being said, I was disappointed with the content of your article regarding a potential trade involving Jake Peavy of the Padres. I realize he provides quality pitching. I also believe K. Greene would be a nice fit with the Cardinals.

1) After the bad experiences the Cardinals have had with pitchers and the short career spans (which you have indicated when you reference injuries, like Mark Mulder), how could you sell the franchise by taking a chance on a currently 'hot' pitcher by dealing the future in Colby Rasmus?

2) In my opinion, Rasmus and Wainwright are keepers. Period. If I was Colby Rasmus, I might want this trade because right now, I'm not feeling appreciated. I realize it's a business, but if there are people that have me out of town before I arrive, what good is that?

3) If there is really a trade to be made, look at Ryan Ludwick. Here is a guy with a break out season, an All-Star year after many 'average' years. Isn't this a time to move a player, when their stock is at its highest? And get some quality pitching in return? I like Ludwick, but it's a business, right?

4) Also, could you help me with this? There are 2 more teams in the American League than the National League. Wouldn't it be an easy fix to move the Milwaukee Brewers, who were an American League team, back to the AL Central and move the Kansas City Royals to the AL West, where there are currently only four teams?

5) Additionally, would the Blues take on the moniker of the "Baby Blues"? (maybe they already have) With so many young players, it looks like a good marketing strategy. I would enjoy seeing their success widespread; there are many fans like myself who have waited a long time for this.

6) Finally, any movement on the Jericho Scott signing?

Thanks

Jeff Gordon: Has Scott turned 10 yet? If so, perhaps it's time to each the Little League flamethrower how to throw a splitter. (Just kidding).

The Peavy case is interesting. San Diego wants a blue-chip pitching prospect to plug into the rotation right away. The only Cardinal who fits that category is Kyle McClellan, since the Padres aren't getting Wainwright.

San Diego would want another top prospect, like a Rasmus, plus an impact young player. The suggested Braves deal would include either Johnson or Escobar, but the Cards would have to offer an outfielder instead.

Would the Cards do all that for Peavy and take on that huge deal? Probably not, given the money already going to Carpenter and the uncertainly surrounding Carpenter's future. But it's fun to talk about and a deal really could be there.

Ludwick ought to have limited trade value, for the reasons you mention. Any GM could have had him for zilch two years ago. Don't expect any of them to pay a premium for him after his one big year.

As for the Royals, I said at the time that they made more sense for the NL that the Brewers. But Selig wanted his team to be in the NL and the Royals clung to their "rivalry" with AL teams, none of them close by.

Michael Kent: Jeff ...

Your colleague Derrick Goold gives a good case on why the Cards don't have what the Padres need to land Jake Peavy. However, one of the readers who responded brought up an interesting proposition ... what about a three-way trade?

OK, let me see if I can get you to wear your thinking cap and tell us who you think could be potential third parties in a three-way trade with the Padres. That team would have to have what the Padres want (i.e., young starting pitching) and need what the Cards have to offer (i.e., Bryan Anderson, Colby Rasmus/other outfielder, David Freese/Allen Craig, right-handed reliever).

Or, what about a different three-way trade to address the Cards' other needs (i.e., left-handed bullpen help, middle infielder with pop). In that scenario, the Cards would be be shipping to a team needing pieces of the aforemetioned Redbird package while that team sends a package to a third team that, in turn, sends the Cards left-handed relief help and an impact-bat middle infielder.

Thank you for your thoughtful consideration.

Jeff Gordon: It's fun to construct such deals, but they are hard to pull off. Give Ned Colletti credit for engineering the elaborate Manny Ramirez deal under duress, but he had already done much groundwork on the Pirates before that occurred.

The Cards do have a lot of trade assets, thanks to the rapid rise of Freese and Wallace (creating the 3B surplus), the development of Perez and Motte in the bullpen, the surge by Jones in the outfield and the fast climb by Todd. So the Cards an assemble a nice package including everything BUT a kid like Hanson in the Braves organization.

9elbirdos: Gordo,

Since Cano signed that huge contract. Would it not be better to trade for Brian Roberts or sign Orlando Hudson? What would it take player wise to get Roberts? what would it take money wise to get Hudson? Which of the 2 would be better suited for the Cardinal's?

Jeff Gordon: The D-Backs seem certain to let Hudson go, since he made $6.25 million and will want a pay bump AND multiple years. He could at least ask for four years and $30 million, as a .282 career hitter. Robert is a pure leadoff guy with decent pop, so the O's could ask for a lot -- starting outfielder, young pitcher and another prospect. Given the Cards OF surplus, turning one of those guys into an infielder would make all the sense in the world.

Tim: Why are the Cards doing another wait and see on Carpinter? I look at it like this. The Cards dont get Peavy they dont have Carpinter ready for the start of the season then you reallly have only Wainwright you can depend on in your rotation not to rip on Lohse and Wellemeyer but do you think they will be able to repeat what they did last year. Last year was really the only season where they both were effective in their carrer. Then you have piniero who was spotty at best. And who knows if Carpinter will ever regain his old form, they guy has been injured 2 years and has hardly pitched. I really dont get why you would not pull the trigger and trade a prospect(Rasmus) who had a subpar AAA season last year for a 27 year old cy young ace. To me thats just plain stupid. With the past track record of the Cards can we really buy the fact that the Cards are going to be aggresive this offseason and make substantial moves to this team or do we have another frusturating season where dewitt puts his wallet in a steel vault surrounded by navy seals and we scrape the bottom of the bucket for players AGAIN?

Jeff Gordon: Rasmus alone doesn't get that deal done. And the Cards may not have the pitching needed to make that deal. As for DeWitt, the Cards will spend in excess of $100 million on their payroll again next season, one way or another. There are a lot of ways to get there. Trading for Peavy is just one of them.

Mozeliak traded for Glaus last winter, which is hardly scraping the bucket. Signing Lohse was a solid move as well. Expect more of the same this winter.

Ran: Two Questions and One comment.

Question1: I read fans comment weekly how Bulger is scared and needs to be replaced. What is your take on this? I feel he's better than most QB's, although his paycheck should warrant a top performance.

Question2: Whether or not you believe Marc should be replaced, is there really any chance he would be?
He has such a large contract that I can't ever see that happening ( I for one really like Bulger and think fans are just nut-jobs)

Comment:
Since the Post gives out grades on the players and coaches. I'm giving a grade of "D" to the Post Sports staff when compared to the "A" that I give the Boston sports staff. StlToday gives a couple of stories and that's it. I got more coverage, info, interviews, video and quotes (from Rams players) from this one page than I did the entire StlToday staff.
http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/
C'mon StlToday, Man-Up and give us starving fans some real sports coverage. Right now you're being like the Scott Linehan of Sports Coverage. Please Gordo, be the Hasslet of the sports staff and demand change.

Jeff Gordon: After the game, we gave fans a chance to comment on a live game blog, I responded to 17 pages of comments and questions after the game, I wrote a quick recap column, Jim Thomas wrote a game story and a notebook, Burwell wrote a column, Coats wrote a couple of stories and blogged a report card, the site offered a slideshow and audio recap . . . it's not Boston.com, but it's better than a lot of newspaper web sites do with a road game.

Bulger's contract won't keep in the starting job if he's not up to it. He wasn't as good as he needed to be in this game, but his last three gaems overall have been a marked improvement from his first three starts.