Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - CROSSOVER: Brendan Donovan HEADLINES Wild Three-Team MLB Trade with St. Louis, Seattle and Tampa!

Starting point is 00:00:00 The St. Louis Cardinals pulled off a massive three-team trade that involved Brendan Donovan going to Seattle and the Cardinals receiving five different assets in return. In this crossover episode, we take a look at all the different angles about this trade, along with Colby from Lockedon Mariners and Sully, the host of Locked on MLB. You are Locked on MLB crossover, part of the Locked on podcast network. Your team every day. Hello, baseball fans, and welcome to a locked-on MLB, locked-on Mariners, locked-on Cardinals crossover. This is the podcast. We talk about either all of Major League Baseball

Starting point is 00:00:48 or your 2026 World Series champion Seattle Mariners or your 2038 World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals. I'm your host, Paul Francis Sullivan. Please call me Sully. And thanks so much for making the Lockdown Podcast Network, the number one sports podcast network. And by the way, today's episode is brought to you by our good friends over at Fanduil. It's the last call for football on Fanduil.

Starting point is 00:01:11 If your new customer, just bet five bucks and get 200 tomatoes and bonus bets if you win and follows it locked on MLB pods on Twitter or whatever it's called now. And on Instagram, I'm your pal Salaim and Salaide Baseball podcast on Instagram. But you know what? Let's get this going here. We have ourselves, not one, but two guests to talk about the big trade that just happened coming all the way. coming all the way from the Midwest to talk about the greatest fans in baseball. Just ask them. They'll tell you it's J.D.

Starting point is 00:01:43 Halfron of Lockdown Cardinals. Good to see you again, buddy. You too. And Colby Padnaud is coming in from the Pacific Northwest from Lockdown Mariners. I am looking right now at my diploma that I received from Washington State University. go coogues, although I'm wearing my Cal State Fullerton Titans because I have a couple. I have two master's degrees. What do you want to say?

Starting point is 00:02:11 And despite me having two master's degrees, I feel like a dumbbell when it comes to this trade. Especially it's a three-team deal trying to untangle all this spaghetti. So let me see. And by the way, you two are going to be doing the majority of the talking on this one, because I got to see how it affects you. But this is according to the MLB trade rumors, the second greatest website in the history of the planet earth, the greatest being baseball reference.com.

Starting point is 00:02:40 The Seattle Mariners, who were one George Springer home run away from going to their first ever world series, they sent Ben Williamson to the Rays. And the Rays sent Colton Ledbetter to the Cardinals. Oh, that's, wait a bit, that's kind of easy right there. the Mariners got Brendan Donovan, a tremendous all-round second baseman,

Starting point is 00:03:05 which is exactly what the team sort of needed. The Cardinals received Ty Pete and another player whose name will never make it through spell check. And I'm now going to ask one of you two to, I know how to pronounce it, obviously, but I'd like to hear how one of you guys. pronounce it.

Starting point is 00:03:29 I'm going to take it. Actually, let me take a stab at it. Bill Smith. I think that's a, am I pronouncing that right? Bill Smith. Oh, okay. Take it away, J.D., he's all yours now. Well, yeah, since Colby had him,

Starting point is 00:03:45 I just make sure I get it right. Yorangelo Sanjou, correct? Yes, that is correct. Nailed it, Tully. Do you like that? If you type either one of his names in a wordle, you'll get the little shaky shake. You'll never see it.

Starting point is 00:04:00 It doesn't make any sense. A squeakly red line. Yep. I've just automatically doesn't make any sense whatsoever. But he's a picture that doesn't make a lot of sense because Sully throws with both arms. That's right. That's the Pat Vletti? Who was the

Starting point is 00:04:15 picture who was for the A's? Who was Bein' Dead? Yeah. It was Pat Vee. He pitched for the A's and I watched him. I went to an Oakland game and I watched him warm up in the in the bullpen and I believe he was involved in a minor league game where he was facing a switch hitter and every pitch the two switch sides like he kept getting in his other glow and it was

Starting point is 00:04:40 just a it was a nightmare okay um so yeah that that's what happened in it um you know first and foremost the mariners are obviously trying to win now they obviously want to get four more outs and they also i'm sorry i don't call me the mariners one of my favorite teams and i've i've i've i've I've had the softball in my heart for the Mariners. Even before I saw Kangraffi Jr. play for the San Bernardino Spirit against the San Jose Giants in 1988, which I got his autograph at the game. Oh, oh. He was like, it must have been 18 years old.

Starting point is 00:05:14 Yeah. And could not have been to San Jose Stadium. It's still this old, it's still the same stadium. It's this old rickety park built in World War II. And the players leave the same exit as the fans. so you're walking out with players and I came up to Griffey. I had him sign my copy of Baseball America

Starting point is 00:05:32 and he was really cool and very funny. I was a teenager, he was a teenager. And as he got on the bus, I said, hey, the Mariners need you. And he just looked back at me and said, I know. And a year later, he was in the major leagues. But I love me, the Mariners.

Starting point is 00:05:48 The Mariners are one of my favorite teams. But they need, they're going for it. And I like this. So, and we are going to break it down piece by piece, but the Mariners had been linked to other big infielders this offseason. Just first thought, best thought, Colby, what's your first impression when you saw the trade finally go through this afternoon? Yeah, it's excitement.

Starting point is 00:06:18 The Mariners have been after Donovan for the last two winters, and this was the guy that they had kind of circled as the one they wanted. You know, they were linked to Cotel Marte early. I don't think that really ever got going. So it's just kind of one of those things where Donovan was the guy they wanted. He was the guy they pursued all winter. They let a lot of other opportunities, you know, slip by them because they wanted Donovan. And they played this risky game.

Starting point is 00:06:43 And it ended up working out very well for them because they get the guy they want. They have their new leadoff hitter. And they have a guy who, you know, really, it was really important to them, a guy who can move around a little bit so that they don't block the up-and-coming prospects like Colt Emerson, Cole Young. Donovan can play third. He can play second. He can play in the outfield. So there's plenty of that bats for those other guys to go around as well. So Donovan was who they wanted, and that's who they went out and they got. Took a long time. Like I said, they've been after him for a couple years here. Jerry Depoto is nothing, if not persistent. And he went out and he got the

Starting point is 00:07:18 guy he wanted and who was number one on their board. And he got him at a price that I think they're very happy with. Yeah, I mean, they did give up some young players, but they didn't give up their top, any one of their top three or four prospects for it, which is a positive thing. If I know anything about the raise, and we're going to be, in the second segment,

Starting point is 00:07:38 we're really going to dig deep a little more into the Mariners and their needs. But I'll just give this, before we run to the break, I'll just say that the, the raise acquired Ben Williamson in the deal, as it was clear. When you bring in another, team in a trade like this, it's clear that the Cardinals want another

Starting point is 00:07:55 prospect, and so they wound up getting Colton led better. If I know anything about the race, Ben Williamson, who was on the Major League roster for a good chunk of this year in Seattle, he's going to be a all-star this year, because that's just somehow always happens when the rays make a deal, they don't know who this guy they got, and next to you know, wow, what an amazing story. And he goes to Tropicana field and and whatnot. But tell you what, when we come back,

Starting point is 00:08:26 we're going to talk a little bit about, or we've got to answer the trivia question, I forgot to do that. But we're also going to talk about how this fits the Mariners, well, overall plan to finally get to the World Series. Sorry to keep bringing that up, Colby. But this shows, once again, when the iron's hot, the Seattle Mariners are trying to take care of it,

Starting point is 00:08:47 especially in a division where it might be theirs to win. I hope so. But the biggest news in Seattle sports this weekend is the acquisition of Brenda Donovan. But the second biggest piece of news in Seattle this weekend is it's the big game coming up. It's the last call for football on Fandul one final Sunday, the Seattle Seahawks, right? See how Seahawks are taking on the New England Patriots. And here we go. The final chance to get on the action before the NFL season is here.

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Starting point is 00:10:16 Watch baseball? That's what I'm going to be doing. Let's call for football. Fanduil, the official sports book partner, doing it live, folks, of Super Bowl 60. Visit fanduel.com to get started. Hey, thanks so much for making locked on MLB or maybe locked on Mariners or maybe locked on Cardinals, your first list of the day. And thanks for making us the number one sports podcast network.

Starting point is 00:10:48 If you haven't already check out the new Everydayer Club, get ad-free. audio like of lockdown and b and all shows similar to apple podcast of spotify and you get the access to the everyday or club discord which i'm on there a lot and interact with some fans check us out locked on mlb supercast.com locked on mariners supercast.com locked on cardinal supercast.com wow hey before we get going a little deeper on the mariners let's go over the tribute question which we did when we were talking about the reds in the last episode um when the reds won the world series in 1975 and 76, who was their only starting pitcher to finish in the top five of the Sy Young Award. And Big John 08865 got it correct. Don Gullet of the Reds. In those two huge

Starting point is 00:11:34 years of the Big Red Machine, only one pitcher got any Sy Young consideration. Don Gullet finished fifth one of those years. Rale Eastwick, their reliever, also getting votes. Hey, those of you who listened to the show, I don't remember. Did I answer the question? question of why did William McGee wind up winning the nationally batting title even though Eddie Murray finished the year with a higher average? I can't remember if I answered that. Well,

Starting point is 00:12:01 Sammy Boy Smith said William McGee had his batting average frozen when he was traded to Oakland when he was hitting 333. So he actually overall had a lower batting average than Eddie Murray, but his National League only average was higher than Eddie Murray.

Starting point is 00:12:19 Life is weird. And life is weird because the Mariners are a real pen contender. And so Colby, Donovan is in there. Obviously, you have Raleigh. Obviously, you have Rodriguez. You have a lot of pieces on this team to put together a solid offense. And going into this year, I think, at least for the A.L. West, I don't think there's a better pitching staff in the AOL West right now. especially for Amber Val does, once again, no one wants them. But you have Wu, you have Gilbert, you have a bunch of good young pitchers on the squad. How do you think the offense now lines up with everything moving forward?

Starting point is 00:13:07 Yeah, I think it lines up pretty well, especially the one through five. I assume Donovan will hit lead off against right-handed pitching at least. And then the way they had it last year, Cal is going to hit two, Julio's going to hit three. and those obviously Cal, the runner up in the MVP voting, and I believe Julio finished sixth. So it's a really good, you know, one, two, three punch. And then you back it up with Josh Naylor, who was, you know, incredible for the Mariners last year.

Starting point is 00:13:32 And then pushes Randy, Rosarain, all the way down to five. That's a really good one through five. The six through nine, you know, we'll see how it goes. J.P. Crawford is an underrated hitter at the very least defense, not too great. And then we'll kind of see how it goes. Canzone had a really nice year last year. only about 250 plate appearances. We're not sure if that'll repeat.

Starting point is 00:13:55 And then Robles and Rayleigh got hurt last year. So their season's kind of hard to judge. And then it comes down to Colt Emerson, probably, more than likely, maybe Cole Young. And we just don't know with the rookies. So 1 through 5, you feel really great about it. Six through 9, they've got some options there that can really raise the floor. Ref Snyder is going to be, you know, really nice to have against lefties. But there's still some questions there.

Starting point is 00:14:18 certainly fewer questions in the rotation. But the Mariners do have a solid lineup. They lost Jorge Polanco this winter. They lost Aeuvneal Suarez. But getting Donovan certainly helps stem the tide there a little bit. And it does give the Mariners a rather formidable one through five. And then we'll see, there's certainly a lot of talent. There has been some production.

Starting point is 00:14:38 Luke Rayleigh, very good hitter the last two years and then got hurt in 25. And, you know, so it goes sometimes. So there's definitely potential there to be a one. through nine that is formidable. And they were last year. And that's kind of the sneaky way they got to, you know, game seven is the starting pitching was pretty solid, but they were banged up throughout the year. I don't think they had all five of their starters in the rotation at the same time, but for like two weeks. And then, you know, the rotation wasn't all that great in the playoffs, frankly. It was it was the defense. Bryce Miller was your worst pitcher in the regular season. He was your

Starting point is 00:15:13 best pitcher in the postseason. So I think that that happens sometimes. I mean, I mean, Greg Bannock's was one of the greatest features I ever saw, but he was not their most reliable one in the postseason. He lost a bunch of big games and Smoltz was the big guy in postseason. Sometimes that's the way things line up. And also you take a look at, you know, they started, Seattle started the offseason with the nailer signing almost right away to basically say, okay, we're not breaking this up.

Starting point is 00:15:47 we're going to we're in like i thought that sent a nice message to the team in the fan base to say okay we're we're we're building on this but um jd i want to throw it to you a little bit tell i mean donovan is now heading over to uh Seattle um tell us a little bit about his biggest strengths and why he was such a good cardinal all these years uh the first thing that you'll notice about Donovan, which Colby kind of alluded to is the versatility that he brings you. He is a guy that no matter where you put him on the field, he doesn't hurt you. Has one of gold glove as a utility guy before. Can play second.

Starting point is 00:16:29 He can even play short if you really need him to. Hopefully you don't need him to because the range isn't, you know, quite what we want there. But he can play second. He's played some first base if you need him to. He can do the corner outfields. Haven't seen him in center field or catcher before, but it doesn't mean he can't do it if you need him to. He's just one of those guys. It's like, sure, I'll put him on.

Starting point is 00:16:46 That's fine. I'll put on the equipment. But he's a guy that was never expected to be here. You know, it wasn't like he was a top prospect when he got drafted. He grinded and worked his way up and made himself a better ball player. Great clubhouse guy, great guy in the community. He's one of those dudes that should just root for. And he was certainly a guy that this is going to be,

Starting point is 00:17:09 this is an emotional trade for Cardinals fans who have seen some big names leave. Aronado and Contreras and Sunny Gray, but they didn't come up as cardinals. You know, those were guys that they either traded for or picked up at free agency, where Donnie has always been a cardinal. And there are still fans that are going to be upset about this trade that think that Brennan Donovan is one of the guys that they should have extended and built around him as the veteran presence in the clubhouse instead of trading him away. But when you see what you got in return, when you're able to get five assets,

Starting point is 00:17:43 that spack for what Brin and Donovan is for the next two years for Seattle. And where the Cardinals are right now, as far as rebuilding this whole thing, it just made sense. You know, they're trying to get their hands on as many bodies that they can, as many pitching prospects as they can. And you've seen Heim Bloom really turn a lot of these veterans around into something to build upon. Again, when you get prospects, who knows if they're going to pan out,

Starting point is 00:18:13 not, but I can tell you this much. I don't know how exciting Colby is or a tie or any of the other guys in Seattle, how excited they were about Brennan Donovan because he's not, you know, one of those guys that jumps off the page, you know, he's not a boisterous person. He's not Julio Rodriguez out there on the field that commands your attention, but he's that dude that goes out there and does his job each and every day to the best of his ability. He'll give you everything he's got. And he's a pretty darn good ball player and a very good person as well. And I think you guys are going to love them. And it just, it was a, it was a good fit.

Starting point is 00:18:47 I thought for Seattle, I thought all along that they were the ones that made the most sense, that they could really utilize what Brennan and Donovan is the most. And they're, you know, being that close to the World Series. If you're that close and you just need one more piece of the puzzle to get you across that finish line, then it makes sense to go out and get it. And I think it's a great fit for both sides. And before we go to break, I just got to say he's versatile. Obviously, he can play.

Starting point is 00:19:13 all around the infield. I don't think they're not going to need him at shortstop. You know, so, you know, for the Mariners, it's basically, you know, I think he's probably best suited at second base, but if they need to move him to third, I mean, he, he has that Tony Phillips quality. He has that Ben Zobras quality. If you put them all anywhere around there, you, it's not going to be a hole.

Starting point is 00:19:36 And, you know, every year there's an injury. Every year there's, for every team, there's a, oh, boy, we didn't count on this injury. And Donovan, who has been, you know, he's been, he played 180. He didn't play a full season last year. But, you know, he played 153 the year before. And he's, you know, he's a solid player. He gives them what they need. I'll tell you another thing, a bit of versatility has.

Starting point is 00:19:57 For those of us who play the, what's it called? The Immaculate Grid on baseball reference, he was born in Wordsburg, Germany. So sometimes the category they have is not born, you know, born outside of the United states. And you never pick someone from Cuba or Dominican Republic or Venezuela. And technically you can put Puerto Rico because it's not, you know, it's the 50 states or D.C. So Puerto Rico falls out. But if you want to get a lower score, throw in Brendan Donovan. And boom, by the way, do it for Bruce Bochie as well. He was born in France. But when we come back from our break, J.D., you're on and Colby, if you know of any of these

Starting point is 00:20:40 young players who are going to be part of the next great cardinal. team. Now is the time to learn their names. All right. Speaking of learning their names and unusual names. Another name that is going to be great in the Immaculate Grid once he makes it to the major leagues is say it again. Your Angelo Sanja. Nice. Couldn't set it better myself. We've had a decent amount of practice. Colby knows this because we've been talking about him being a part of a trade for Donovan for quite a quite a few months now. So I've gotten the practice in. And this is a kid that, you know, comes from college with somebody who's a little bit closer to Major League ready than it would be a high school guy. We mentioned that he throws

Starting point is 00:21:34 with both arms, although it was announced yesterday, well, depending on when you're listening to this, was announced on Sunday that he was going to focus on throwing just right-handed and do some bullpins with the left arm. People I've talked to that follow him think that he should just go with the right arm and not even worry about throwing left-handed anymore. Colby, can you enlighten us on that? Is that something you agree with? Yeah. If you, I don't have the numbers in front of me, but if you look at just the numbers, the splits versus what he did as a left-handed pitcher last year and what he did as a righty in the minors, it's night and day. He's just not a quality left-handed pitcher. the idea that he could be frustrated my co-host so much that he started to referring to him as the side show.

Starting point is 00:22:21 So it's lucky got me on here because Ty's not a huge fan of Sanja. I am. And yeah, he's definitely a right-handed starter. And the left-handed thing, I don't know, maybe he brings it out on occasion. But no, he's going to make his money. He's going to make his value from the right side. He's much better there. Okay.

Starting point is 00:22:40 We got to unpack a couple of things here, though, about Sanja here. because he was born in the Netherlands, so again, use him in your Immaculate Grid. I'm here on his baseball reference page here. Say his first name again. Gerangelo. Gerangelo.

Starting point is 00:22:57 Full name, Gene Michael Sinjay. Something wrong with Gene Michael? I guess, oh, I guess, you know what? They don't want to get them confused with former Yankee great Gene Stick Michael. So I guess maybe that's why. and maybe stick in Dutch is Herangelo.

Starting point is 00:23:20 There you go. He was a first round pick by the Seattle Mariners out of Mississippi State. And so when you take a look at, you know, there are very few Nick Kurtz was in that same draft, but it was draft way ahead of him. Trey Yosevic was also in that same draft. But for the Cardinals in some ways, And you alluded to this before JD.

Starting point is 00:23:45 For the Cardinals, this is a little bit of, if we're going to rebuild, we've got to rebuild and let's get as we got to get quality prospects. So this is like they had another draft pick in 2024, but also you got to get quantity. When you saw the the cubbies in the early 2010s were terrible, as were the Houston Astros. And those two teams traded everything that wasn't nailed down. And even, you know, players like, oh, wait, you're not going to build around. Nope, no, we're not going to build around them. And I understood why Cardinal fans might say, hey, let's at least keep Brandon.

Starting point is 00:24:19 We're trying everyone else away. Nope, but if you're going to rebuild, rebuild. And if we're going to see, if we're going to see if Bloom is, this is on him. This is now his team. And kind of like how Theo Epstein, some people, you know, didn't criticize,

Starting point is 00:24:37 but like he took over a team that was already rebuilt with the Red Sox. and he kind of put the final pieces in. But that Cubs team that won in 2016 was his. He built that from the ground up. So we're going to see what Bloom can do from the ground up. And for Cardinal fans, I mean, look, I'm not saying they should be cheering for the fact that it's probably going to be a rough year for them. But if they're trying to build something from the ground up and there could be a flood of good young new faces, which probably not in 2026, but by 20,

Starting point is 00:25:11 You could look up and go, wait a minute, we got ourselves, we could be good pretty soon, provided baseball exists after the scorched earth lockout that is inevitable right now. Yeah, and that's kind of what we're looking at here. And it's a, you know, it's a bitter pill to swallow for Cardinals fans who have been so good for so long. But, you know, eventually you got to kind of restart things and rebuild things. and under the Moe-Zalak regime the last few years, they didn't really take care of their farm system very well. And throughout the years when the Cardinals were pretty good, they were doing it by building a nice farm system,

Starting point is 00:25:52 having good pieces to come up. I mean, obviously you get a poo-holes and a Molina and you trade for a Wainwright, and that's great. But you've got to have other pieces to go around it, and they were trading farm system guys, go get the Matt holidays and the Larry Walker's. with the scout rollins and that's how they would continuously be good and they would also focus on pitching and they would have a lot of pitchers to be able to trade away and get those big guys

Starting point is 00:26:16 they would need down the road they didn't have any of that over the last few years and it didn't kill them and they just don't didn't have anything in the cupboard waiting and so when heim was coming in there he was like look this is what's going to have to happen to get us back to where we want to be. So he's gone out and made all of these different trades and has brought in so many different names. We've now got six top 100 prospects. Sam was number 91. So now we got six, which is tied with Seattle now since you passed them along to us. So that's, I think, tied for first among everybody because I think weren't you guys in first with seven top 100 prospects? Yeah, I think so. By pipeline. Yeah. I think so. Yeah. I think so. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:27:03 Yeah, so that's something that the Cardinals were sorely lacking in. He's been able to go get a lot of different pitchers. I mean, you're talking about this opens a door for J.J. Weatherholt, obviously. That was kind of the question. He's like, all right, well, we want to bring J.J. up. But there's not a real great fit for him right now with Donovan still on this roster. So now you're looking at JJ being a part of that opening day roster. Liam Doyle's a big name.

Starting point is 00:27:26 Now you got St.ja. You've got Quinn Matthews. You've got Brandon Clark, who they brought in from Boston. Fahardo. they brought in. You know, the list goes on and on. Bringing in Tai Pete, who is a young guy, 20 years old from the Mariners farm system, 30 overall pick, I believe he was. And, you know, he's got a bright future. He's still 20. He's an A ball. A lot of swing and mess in his game right now. But again, he's 20. So we're hoping that he'll figure some things out. And then you also get the

Starting point is 00:27:55 guy from Tampa Bay, which is Ledbetter, who actually played with Sanja in Mississippi, date. So they already know each other. He was at double A this year and seems like a nice athletic outfielder, not expected to be anything special. He doesn't even crack the top 30 from MLB pipeline for the Cardinals now that the stuff says shift is. San Jo went in at number four, by the way. But they were able to get some pieces here to help as, you know, as much depth that you can possibly get capable bodies. And then you get two competitive balance picks as well, one from Seattle, one from Tampa Bay. You're getting five assets in return for Brennan Donovan, who gives Seattle a better shot at a title and gives them two years of control as well.

Starting point is 00:28:41 So Cardinals got what they needed. Seattle gets what they needed. And somehow Tampa Bay got in the middle of this to kind of help facilitate this whole thing. But it just seems like a good baseball trade all around for everybody, at least at this moment. Because on the Cardinal side, a lot of ceiling, but also you never know. You don't know those prospects are going to be any good or not. So you're taking a chance, but to get five chances at one of these guys being really,

Starting point is 00:29:09 really good for you seems worth it for Brennan Donovan and where he is in his career. And I'm glad you brought Weatherholt because I was going to bring him up, actually. First of all, that name sounds like he was one of the guys with Dan Aykroyd in trading places at the Heritage Club. But JJ Weatherholt, the Weatherholes. He was, his agents were Randolph and Mortimer Duke.

Starting point is 00:29:33 But the, yes, yes, another 80s movie reference. But some trades don't happen in vacuums and say, oh, we aren't going to have Brendan Donovan. But we have, it gives an opening for Weatherhole. If Weatherhole can come in and be a major league caliber second baseman, and then you get what the four players they wound up getting, that's the key to a rebuild. Yes, Cardinal fan is going to miss Brendan Donovan. Okay. I've detected a pattern over the years with the Cardinals. Every time Cardinal fans say, oh, man, we're going to miss this player.

Starting point is 00:30:05 Another player comes in and fills their shoes. And so he'll be a homegrown car. He was a first round pick as well. Colby. Now, the Mariners had a pretty good offseason. And the spring train is going to start in just, right around the corner. What else do you want to see the Mariners do going into this year or more to the point,

Starting point is 00:30:36 what is the biggest question mark you see on this team who sees that the window of opportunity to win a pennant is right now? Yeah. Right now, I think the big question is, you know, you have that back half of your lineup, which is filled with questions, but, you know, some proof of concept behind it. all their infielders are left-handed hitting, so I wouldn't mind them going out and getting a right-handed hitting utility infielder. I like the Ramon Ureus idea.

Starting point is 00:31:04 Pretty solid player should be pretty cheap. And, you know, I have heard that as a few weeks ago, and I got it reiterated to me today, the mares are still sniffing around the bullpen market, probably more of a seventh inning type of guy, more so than another high leverage guy. But if I had to guess, I would assume they're probably done adding offensive players, but I do think they get one more bullpen arm.

Starting point is 00:31:25 As for who it is, I have no idea. I thought maybe today they would get Jojo Romero or, you know, Edwin Yuseda, I'd heard that they had interest in at the beginning. But obviously, you know, not enough assets going to get either of those guys. But yeah, I do think they need to add a bullpen piece. Their bullpen was very good last year, but it got pretty well, you know, abused by the end. They had three guys go almost 80 innings by the end of the year. And that's just a lot.

Starting point is 00:31:53 to ask. Brash was coming off of his Tommy John, so he wasn't quite back to where he needed to be in terms of, you know, workload. They added Ferrer, who's nice on paper, pretty good year last year, but there's another step he needs to take. So I'd be a little concerned about, you know, all the left-handed heavy infield and the bullpen a little bit. And then the rest of it is just health, you know, can you stay healthy? And that's not something you really have much control over. So maybe a utility infielder and kind of a seventh inning bullpen type of guy. And I think the Mariners would be pretty well set. Can I ask a question real quick, Sully?

Starting point is 00:32:30 Go ahead. We'll wrap it up with this. Okay. With the Swares signing with Cincinnati, did you think the Mariners were ever going to bring him back? Because I didn't think, I thought that would have him over at third base again, even though he's not a great defensive guy, but that gives you that right and a bat on the infield. I think that they, my, my instinct was, yes, I'm sure they would have liked to, but I, he would have to be a DH. I mean, he would not, you're not going to get him.

Starting point is 00:33:00 His glove is a liability. And I think getting Donovan who gives, who's not a liability anywhere he plays on the infield, probably not at shortstop, but they're going to have Crawford play there. I think they would rather have Donovan and hope that, uh, Julio Rodriguez, uh, has a better better year, which by the way, we're talking had a bit of a year. He was a 30-30 guy last year. I mean, so, you know, he was still, I mean, for people who had mentioned as if he, well, they could, he can have a better year. Well, he had a really good year. And certainly finished off pretty strong, too. So, um, I, I, I bet they would have if everything could

Starting point is 00:33:37 have fit. But I think that they had to make this trade after the Suarez signed with Cincinnati. And, and it was also clear. I'm, I think they probably were lusting after, uh, could tell Marte, but the Diamondbacks basically said, we're going to, we're going to try to win this year. We think there's a wild card spot for them to fit in. I think they're right. I mean, they, they narrow, they missed the playoffs by one game in 24, and they weren't that far off this year.

Starting point is 00:34:07 So I'm glad to see Arizona's not folding up tent. But I think this is a rare trade. Well, not rare, but I think it's a trade that makes sense for everyone involved. Cardinals are rebuilding. Mariners have to, uh, win now and the raised love fleecing people. By the way, thanks so much for making Locked on MLB or Locked on Marys or Locked on Cardinals,

Starting point is 00:34:26 your number one listen and making us the number one sports podcast network. I know later this week I'm going to be talking a little bit about I've been teasing this episode because of my back pocket about why Carlos Beltran's cheating is fine, but A-Rod's is not. And also talk a little bit about, well, my thoughts of, as we're in Black History Month,

Starting point is 00:34:48 my thoughts of some of the lost players and the fact that the only players we know about and seem to remember are the Hall of Famers. And where are the other players who could have been part of our baseball tapestry, the unsung heroes that we'll never know? If you don't want to ever, if you don't miss an episode, here's what you got to do during the everyday air club. And you can get Locktime Mariners, Lock on Cardinals, Locked on MLB, ad free plus members only discord access and more. head to locked on and it will be. supercast.com or locked on mariner's supercastle you get the general idea and follows first 24-7 locked on podcast network

Starting point is 00:35:28 YouTube channel and I'm going to quickly throw out the trivia question which is this how many cardinals were selected in the 1976 expansion draft by the Mariners and Blue Jays. In 1976 the Mariners of the Blue Jays had the expansion drafts. How many

Starting point is 00:35:47 cardinals were drafted by the Mariners and Blue Jays. Put your answers right down here on the YouTube channel or in Discord or wherever you're going on. We've got to wrap this up. We're running long talking about the great three-team trade between the Cardinals, the Mariners, and those sneaky rays. That is Colby Padnaud of Lockdown Mariners.

Starting point is 00:36:10 That's J.D. Haffron of Lockdown Cardinals. I am the host of Lockdown. I'm a B. My name is Paul Francis Sullivan. Got to wrap this up. You can please call me Sully.

Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - CROSSOVER: Brendan Donovan HEADLINES Wild Three-Team MLB Trade with St. Louis, Seattle and Tampa!

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