Bernie Miklasz of ESPN 1380 St. Louis radio is reporting that the Cardinals have signed Juan Encarnacion to a 3-year, $15 million contract.

 

Why the f***balls didn't they just re-sign Reggie Sanders? He got 2-years, $10 million from the Royals.

 

The Cubs and Cardinals must be trying to compete for the worst offseason in baseball.

Edited December 23, 200520 yr by SSH2005

Not saying he's great, but he is almost a decade younger. It counts for something -- especially for a team that was as snakebit as the Cards were last year. Sanders only gave them half a season, after all. But you're right, it's still pretty underwhelming.

Not saying he's great, but he is almost a decade younger.  It counts for something -- especially for a team that was as snakebit as the Cards were last year.  Sanders only gave them half a season, after all.  But you're right, it's still pretty underwhelming.

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Encarnacion is pretty horrible. Don't just look at his numbers from last season.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/stats/ml...3845&statType=1

 

He's pretty much a fourth outfielder. This is a worse signing than Jock Jones.

Edited December 23, 200520 yr by SSH2005

I'm not. I don't like Encarnacion, and I'd be pissed if I were a Card fan. But Reggie gives you 500 abs, tops. And that's questionable. Encarnacion likely gives you a full season. For a team that had to use 29 ofers (hyperbole...) last year, it's understandable.

LOL, So this adds to the Ponson signing and the news on the cardinal homepage that Gregg Jeffries is on the HOF ballot. When thats your headlines you know you are having a bad off-season.

LOL,  So this adds to the Ponson signing  and the news on the cardinal homepage that Gregg Jeffries is on the HOF ballot. When thats your headlines you know you are having a bad off-season.

HAHA, I had forgotten that Gregg Jeffries ever played!!!

Best of luck to him on his Hall balloting!!!

Encarnacion is pretty horrible.  Don't just look at his numbers from last season.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/stats/ml...3845&statType=1

 

He's pretty much a fourth outfielder.  This is a worse signing than Jock Jones.

Those numbers aren't that bad. He plays a good outfield, and his power should go up being away from Pro Player stadium.

Juan Encarnacion is horrible, he had one or two OK seasons, other than that, he had been borderline Minor leagues. 724 Ks to 240 BBs lifetime. More K's than RBIs or Runs. Ouch! No wonder he has been on 6 teams in 6 years. So this equals an upgrade for all the other NL Central teams.

While the Cards are still going to be the favorites in that division they definitely aren't going to run away with it this year, their pen is thin, while losing Morris isn't a big loss imo they replaced him with Ponson, they're going to have either Luna or Miles at 2nd it looks like. That being said they still have that Pujols guy and they'll be fine.

While the Cards are still going to be the favorites in that division they definitely aren't going to run away with it this year, their pen is thin, while losing Morris isn't a big loss imo they replaced him with Ponson, they're going to have either Luna or Miles at 2nd it looks like.  That being said they still have that Pujols guy and they'll be fine.

 

Down in St. Louis now, news says they are on the verge of adding Junior Spivey to play 2B.

Odd how Cardinals fans are stoked about Ponson. I mention Millwood and they are like, "Who?"

Whenever I see Encarnacion's name, I have to smile. We have a guy in our cut-throat fantasy baseball league that drafts him in the sixth or seventh round year-in-and-year-out. By now, he's just the on-going joke of the league. We always give him s*** for drafting him and waiting for a "sleeper, break-out season."

 

For that, I applaude Juan Encarnacion. Look to grab him in the seventh round, gang, he's about to put it all together.

Looks like this horrible signing is official...

 

http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/NASApp/ml...t=.jsp&c_id=stl

ST. LOUIS -- Continuing a recent tradition, the Cardinals waited until the last minute to do their Christmas shopping. The Cards have agreed to terms with free-agent outfielder Juan Encarnacion on a three-year contract worth a reported $15 million, filling their vacancy in right field.

 

Encarnacion's agent, Eric Goldschmidt, confirmed the deal on Friday morning, though a physical is still pending. Club officials were unavailable for comment.

Encarnacion isn't near as bad as some of you say he is. He'll probably hit 15-20 Hr's, hit .270, and he can play all 3 outfield positions.

Encarnacion isn't near as bad as some of you say he is.  He'll probably hit 15-20 Hr's, hit .270, and he can play all 3 outfield positions.

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He could just as easily have a bad season. Look at the various inconsistent seasons he has put up.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/stats/ml...3845&statType=1

 

Encarnacion's career #'s

.268 AVG

.316 OPS

.440 SLG

.756 OPS

 

A .756 career OPS from a starting right fielder is pretty bad and that's where the Cardinals will be playing him. Last year was the best season of his career (.796 OPS). He isn't a good option as a starting right fielder and the fact that he will be earning $15 million over 3 years makes it even worse.

Edited December 23, 200520 yr by SSH2005

He could just as easily have a bad season.  Look at the various inconsistent seasons he has put up.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/stats/ml...3845&statType=1

 

Encarnacion's career #'s

.268 AVG

.316 OPS

.440 SLG

.756 OPS

 

A .756 career OPS from a starting right fielder is pretty bad and that's where the Cardinals will be playing him.  Last year was the best season of his career (.796 OPS).  He isn't a good option as a starting right fielder and the fact that he will be earning $15 million over 3 years makes it even worse.

The fact is that unlike Reggie Sanders, he can play all 3 outfield positions and he can play them well. The Cards saw all those injuries last year and in Encarnacion he can kind of play all over the place. I should add I think Reggie Sanders is over-rated and I've never been much of a fan at all of his.

 

This will be the 1st time in his career that he isn't in an extreme pitchers park (LA, Florida, and Comerica used to be a big time pitchers park before they adjusted the fences and before that he played in old tigers stadium).

 

I'm just saying I'd probably take him over Reggie Sanders. I think he's more likely to hold up for 3 years and be decent as opposed to Sanders who I think will stink and fall apart and not be healthy for a good chunk of the year.

The fact is that unlike Reggie Sanders, he can play all 3 outfield positions and he can play them well.  The Cards saw all those injuries last year and in Encarnacion he can kind of play all over the place.  I should add I think Reggie Sanders is over-rated and I've never been much of a fan at all of his. 

 

This will be the 1st time in his career that he isn't in an extreme pitchers park (LA, Florida, and Comerica used to be a big time pitchers park before they adjusted the fences and before that he played in old tigers stadium). 

 

I'm just saying I'd probably take him over Reggie Sanders.  I think he's more likely to hold up for 3 years and be decent as opposed to Sanders who I think will stink and fall apart and not be healthy for a good chunk of the year.

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Well, Jacque Jones can play all 3 outfield positions, is a better hitter than Encarnacion, and signed for 3-years, $16 million. That's a better deal than Encarnacion for 3-years, $15 million even though both signings are really bad, IMO.

While the Cards are still going to be the favorites in that division they definitely aren't going to run away with it this year, their pen is thin, while losing Morris isn't a big loss imo they replaced him with Ponson, they're going to have either Luna or Miles at 2nd it looks like.  That being said they still have that Pujols guy and they'll be fine.

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No matter what,the Cardinals will still run away in the NL Central.No matter what the Cubs are doing this winter.

No matter what,the Cardinals will still run away in the NL Central.No matter what the Cubs are doing this winter.

Pujols.

 

That's all you need to say to explain why.

 

Pujols.

Pujols.

 

That's all you need to say to explain why.

 

Pujols.

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Yup.One word and that's Pujols.

When he has consistant AB's, I see a guy who's eerily similar to future HOF Aaron Rowand.

Encarnacion isn't near as bad as some of you say he is.  He'll probably hit 15-20 Hr's, hit .270, and he can play all 3 outfield positions.

 

No, he really does suck. This guy likes to flop around in the outfield all the time. He is like eric byrnes - catching the ball. He was equivalent to timo perez to the marlins fans. They use to have a couple threads a day about how they wanted him hung by his testicles. His arm also sucks balls and is very unaccurate.

 

This guy is basically a carl everett type of hitter... and carl everett's suck.

 

I would definitely not be surprised if sanders out produces this scrub a dub.

Edited December 23, 200520 yr by qwerty

Cardinals agreed to terms with outfielder Juan Encarnacion, who had been with the Marlins, to a three-year, $15 million contract.

If GM Walt Jocketty had the money to go this far on Encarnacion, couldn't he have signed Reggie Sanders for $10 million over two years? Encarnacion will probably fade back to his 2002-03 level of .270/.320/.450, which wouldn't make him a quality corner outfielder. The Cardinals appear to be looking at a lineup of: SS David Eckstein, 2B Junior Spivey, 1B Albert Pujols, CF Jim Edmonds, 3B Scott Rolen, RF Encarnacion, LF Larry Bigbie/So Taguchi and C Yadier Molina.

SS David Eckstein, 2B Junior Spivey, 1B Albert Pujols, CF Jim Edmonds, 3B Scott Rolen, RF Encarnacion, LF Larry Bigbie/So Taguchi and C Yadier Molina.

That's still either the best or the 2nd best lineup in the NL depending on Rolen and Edmonds's health (the Mets being the other obvious competitor)

That's still either the best or the 2nd best lineup in the NL depending on Rolen and Edmonds's health (the Mets being the other obvious competitor)

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Probably. Pujols, Rolen, and Edmonds make up for those two horribly weak corner outfielders.

Edited December 23, 200520 yr by SSH2005