Mark Mulder to the Cards!

[cloakedarbiter]

check this out

is this trade real as reported by Gammons?

[ATL22]

It's real and it's a heck of a trade for the Cards. The bullpen is a little bit thinner now but the rotation looks a lot more solid. All St. Louis is lacking now is a shortstop. But after the Mulder trade, if Jocketty gets Cabrera I think Cardinal fans will be saying "Edgar who?" Very good move to strengthen the rotation and put some excitement back into a team that so far had only watched big players leave town.

[cardinals03]

Now this is more like it!!! Now let's go get Carbera and call it an offseason. I do have to say that the A's are going in reverse now with Mulder and Hudson gone. I wouldn't be surprise if they dumped Zito now.....



By Jim Banks / MLB.com

After months of trying, the St. Louis Cardinals landed their big left-handed ace. No, not that one, a younger one with a better career winning percentage than Randy Johnson.
On Saturday, the Redbirds announced that they had acquired Mark Mulder from the Oakland A's in exchange for right-handers Danny Haren and Kiko Calero and catching prospect Daric Barton.

The Cardinals won 105 games last season and reached the World Series on the strength of a starting rotation that had solid No. 2 and 3 type pitchers throughout. But the lack of an "ace" was felt in the postseason and Mulder, who has posted a 2-2 record with a 2.25 ERA in four October starts, will fill that bill.

"We are extremely excited to have obtained a pitcher of Mark's caliber," Cardinals GM Walt Jocketty said. "He is the top of the rotation type pitcher that we've been working hard to obtain this offseason. It was difficult to part with the three players that we traded, but to acquire someone like Mulder, we felt that this deal made sense for us in several ways."

Mulder, 27, went 17-8 with a 4.43 ERA in 33 starts for the A's in 2004 and has a career record of 81-42 with a 3.92 ERA. He becomes the second of Oakland's Big Three to be dealt in the past three days. On Thursday, right-hander Tim Hudson was traded to Atlanta.

Mulder is signed through 2005 with a club option for 2006. He has battled hip and other injuries the past three seasons, but made at least 26 starts each season.

He will be joined in the Cardinals rotation by Chris Carpenter, who posted a strong season in 2004 after rebounding from shoulder surgery. He was 15-5 with a 3.46 ERA but was unable to pitch in the postseason due to nerve irritation in his bicep. When healthy, he and Mulder would be a formidable one-two punch atop the rotation.

Also returning to the rotation is former ace Matt Morris, who had surgery this offseason to repair some fraying of his rotator cuff and hopes to be back to his old self in 2005. Battling it all season, he nevertheless went 15-10 with a 4.72 ERA. Jason Marquis (15-7, 3.71) and Jeff Suppan (16-9, 4.16) round out a rotation that is on par with any in baseball.

The bullpen is still solid despite the losses of Haren and Calero. Right-handed setup men Cal Eldred and Julian Tavarez return, as does left-hander Ray King. Jason Isringhausen will be the closer.

The Cardinals are hopeful that left-hander Rick Ankiel, who has been outstanding in the Winter Leagues, can return to the big club and perform as a second left-hander and perhaps long-man in the bullpen. Veteran right-handers Mike Lincoln and Al Reyes will battle for spots in the pen as well and there is still time to add a veteran reliever.

Haren, 24, is a promising young right-hander who performed well in the postseason, allowing two runs in 8 1/2 innings. During the regular season, he went 3-3 with a 4.50 ERA in 14 games, including five starts. Calero, 29, emerged as a dependable setup man (3-1, 2.78, two saves) who could get strikeouts when needed.

Barton was one of the best catching prospects in baseball. The left-handed hitter was an offensive force at Class A Peoria, hitting .313 with 13 home runs and 77 RBIs. He also walked 69 times while striking out only 44, making him desireable to GM Billy Beane, who values on-base and slugging percentage above all else.

[Designated Fielder]

I like the trade as we have now have a potential ace. I hated to give up Haren and Kiko, but you have to give up something to get something. Mulder is a lefty, and we didn't have a starting lefthander last year. We will have two next year as Ankiel will receive more starts than many of the right handers.

I expect Ankiel to have a better year than Suppan and maybe Marquis.

[nightal]

I like the trade as we have now have a potential ace. I hated to give up Haren and Kiko, but you have to give up something to get something. Mulder is a lefty, and we didn't have a starting lefthander last year. We will have two next year as Ankiel will receive more starts than many of the right handers.

I expect Ankiel to have a better year than Suppan and maybe Marquis.

We gave up too much! :grouchy :grouchy :grouchy

[HDH]

Remember this trade? Its turned out to be a stinker for the Cards. I wonder what they will give up for Mike Maroth?

[Bothrops Atrox]

Remember this trade? Its turned out to be a stinker for the Cards. I wonder what they will give up for Mike Maroth?

The Cardinals will give up next-to-nothing for Moroth. Trust me, nobody in the Cards organization or greater St.louis region is under the impression that Maroth is or ever will ever be anything more than a below- average lefty who will give you some innings. He was a band-aid to cover a severed limb. Nobody in the front office expects him-or wants him back next year, therefore there is no way on earth they gave up anything valuable.

[BaylorDan]

Nobody in the front office expects him-or wants him back next year...

How do you know this?

[anna]

It looks like Mark Mulder will pitch for the Cards again at the end of August!
I wish him all the best!
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/spo...7?OpenDocument QUOTE:
PITTSBURGH — The Cardinals got encouraging news on several pitching fronts Tuesday, suggesting Mark Mulder and Todd Wellemeyer might pitch again for the Cards by month's end.

Mulder resumed his rehabilitation at the Cardinals' spring training headquarters in Jupiter, Fla., and faced hitters for the first time since undergoing rotator cuff surgery Sept. 12.

Mulder will repeat Tuesday's routine three or four times before the club considers placing him in competition. The team has not set a time frame for the lefthander's return to St. Louis. However, his progress has been steady enough for general manager Walt Jocketty to predict Tuesday, "I think we'll definitely see him some time this year."

[Stray Cat]

Nothing but bad luck for Mark since he left Oakland, hope he can come back
and pitch as well as before.

[HDH]

The Cardinals will give up next-to-nothing for Moroth. Trust me, nobody in the Cards organization or greater St.louis region is under the impression that Maroth is or ever will ever be anything more than a below- average lefty who will give you some innings. He was a band-aid to cover a severed limb. Nobody in the front office expects him-or wants him back next year, therefore there is no way on earth they gave up anything valuable.

We'll see. But, I think you are incorrect about everything you said.

[anna]

I'll be keeping an eye on Mark Mulder's comeback! Next week if all goes well!

http://www.dailyjournalonline.com/articles/2007/09/02/sports/doc46d8f1b4e1455430929786.txt