Lance Lynn’s surgery (and subsequent year long placement on the DL) so early in the off-season is having a ripple effect that starts with the Cardinals starting rotation and extends throughout Major League Baseball.
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The shortest distance between two points is a straight line.
Lance Lynn is a starting pitcher. He is injured and will not play in 2016. There are really good pitchers that are waiting to sign new contracts. The Cardinals should sign one of these really good pitchers.
Right?
USA Toady’s Bob Nightengale made this (fairly obvious) connection:
Hello David Price?: Lance Lynn undergoes Tommy John surgery and out for #Stlcards 2016 season.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) November 10, 2015
Makes sense, insomuch as David Price pitches a baseball and so did Lance Lynn before he couldn’t. But the reality of the situation is much more complex.
- How much money does Price want?
- How many seasons will Price commit to?
- Does signing Price come at the expense of signing Jason Heyward?
- What does that 5.12 career postseason ERA (63 IP) actually mean?
- Does Price block a real chance for a younger pitching talent long term?
You get the point. But I guess the biggest question is does David Price have any interest in the Cardinals?
USA Today Baseball Columnist Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) tells @KMOX that David Price would like to play for the #STLCards
— KMOX Sports (@KMOXSports) November 12, 2015
According to Mr. Nightengale – he does!
https://twitter.com/12in16/status/664822416095518720
Heck, this is almost a done deal!
Except it probably isn’t.
There are many, many things that need to happen before Mr. Price dons the Birds on the Bat. And something tells me that the Cardinals front office – working hard on trying to figure out a way to keep Heyward – isn’t too pleased that the rumor mill is working overtime to put Price on the payroll.
In fact, instead of tamping down expectations for 2016, the Lance Lynn injury has had the opposite effect. It’s now raised expectations that the Cardinals not only re-sign Heyward, but also add another top-tier free agent – like David Price – by his side.
And there’s a real possibility the Cardinals come away with neither.
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As we stand now, the fulcrum of free-agency is St. Louis. The moves they make (or don’t) will have a large impact on what other teams do to improve their chances next season.
The hot stove is heating.
Photo: MLB
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