December 7, 2004
Free Agent Signings
By Ray Mileur
A look at the 24 free agents who have signed, with name, position, former club if different, and contract. The contract information was obtained by The Associated Press from player and management sources.
We take a look at what deals the Cardinals could of or should of have made or at least considered.
The ones that already got away.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
BOSTON (1) -- Re-signed Doug Mirabelli, c, to a $3 million, two-year contract.
CLEVELAND (1) -- Re-signed Bob Wickman, rhp, to a $2.75 million, one-year contract.
DETROIT (1) -- Signed Troy Percival, rhp, Anaheim, to a $12 million, two-year contract.
MINNESOTA (2) -- Signed Juan Castro, 3b, Cincinnati, to a $2.05 million, two-year contract; signed Mike Redmond, c, Florida, to a $1.8 million, two-year contract.
NEW YORK (1) -- Re-signed John Flaherty, c, to an $800,000, one-year contract.
TEXAS (1) -- Re-signed Doug Brocail, rhp, to a $1 million, one-year contract.
TORONTO (1) -- Re-signed Greg Myers, c, to a minor league contract ($700,000). Here is a potential decent veteran back up catcher that could prove valuable if Matheny isn't signed. I'm not as high on
Cody McKay as a back up as the Cardinals organization.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
CHICAGO (1) -- Re-signed Glendon Rusch, lhp, to a $4 million, two-year contract. Rusch was my pick for the "Best Bang for the Buck" in the Free Agent market this season. Last season I gave that yet to be prestigious award to Jeff Suppan before he signed with the Cardinals.
CINCINNATI (1) -- Re-signed Paul Wilson, rhp, to an $8.2 million, two-year contract.
FLORIDA (1) -- Re-signed Damion Easley, 2b, to a $750,000, one-year contract.
HOUSTON (1) -- Re-signed Jose Vizcaino, ss, to a $1.25 million, one-year contract. A decent potential bench player, that the Cardinals could have considered. Personally I'm a little concerned about Hector Luna as our primary reserve infielder/shortstop. He's not having a great winter ball season and I think there is a very good chance he'll be sent to the minors this season. An option that wasn't available to the Cardinals last season because of the Rule 5 - rules.
LOS ANGELES (1) -- Signed Ricky Ledee, of, San Francisco, to a $2.5 million, two-year contract.
MILWAUKEE (1) -- Signed Damian Miller, c, Oakland, to an $8.5 million, three-year contract.
MONTREAL (2) -- Signed Cristian Guzman, ss, Minnesota, to a $16.8 million, four-year contract; signed Vinny Castilla, 3b, Colorado, to a $6.2 million, two-year contract.
NEW YORK (1) -- Re-signed Kris Benson, rhp, to a $22.5 million, three-year contract. Benson has been the subject of trade rumors that included the Cardinals being in the hunt for this former Pirate & Met hurler. All things considered, I think this is a good deal for the mets and could have been a good deal for the Cardinals.
PHILADELPHIA (2) -- Re-signed Cory Lidle, rhp, to a $6.3 million, two-year contract; signed Todd Pratt, c, to a $750,000, one-year contract.
SAN DIEGO (2) -- Signed Rudy Seanez, rhp, Florida, to a $550,000, one-year contract; signed Dennys Reyes, lhp, Kansas City, to a $550,000, one-year contract.
SAN FRANCISCO (2) -- Signed Omar Vizquel, ss, Cleveland, to a $12.25 million, three-year contract; signed Armando Benitez, rhp, Florida, to a $21.5 million, three-year contract. If the Cardinals end up not signing Renteria, Vizquel was one of those players on the market that I thought would fit in with St. Louis and with the money we would have saved by going with Vizuel instead of Renteria could have went a long way to getting that staff ace that the Cardinals indicate that they want and need.
JAPANESE CENTRAL LEAGUE
YOMIURI (1) -- Signed Gabe Kapler, of, Boston, to a one-year contract
