Miller Time: St. Louis Cardinals Sign Andrew Miller

One of the goals in the offseason for the 2019 season the St. Louis Cardinals wanted to do was find a left handed reliever for their bullpen. The Cardinals bullpen last season had trouble getting left handed hitters out. That may have changed on Friday with the Cardinals signing LHP Andrew Miller to a two-year contract worth $25 million with a vesting option for 2021. The option vests if Miller makes 110 appearances combined in 2019-2020. Miller's option is worth $12 million and it includes a buyout for $2.5 million. The contract includes a full no-trade clause.

Miller, 33, spent the last three seasons playing for the Cleveland Indians. He helped the Indians reach the 2016 World Series after being acquired from the New York Yankees. Miller struck-out a career high 123 batters. Miller was an All-Star in 2016, and 2017. In 2015, Miller served as the Yankees closer getting 36 saves in 61.2 innings with 100 strikeouts, and 20 walks. He'd later win AL Reliver of the Year for 2015. Miller didn't pitch in the playoffs in 2013 because he was injured but he won a World Series with the Red Sox.

Miller has played 13 seasons in the MLB. Over those 13 seasons his career stats are: 49-48, 3.98 era, 483 games, 66 starts, 53 saves, 725.1 innings, 853 strikeouts, 335 walks, and a whip of 1.34. Miller ranks among the MLB's top 10 in reliver era (2.00 - 4th), opponent batting average (.170 - 7th), strikeouts (263 - tied for 9th), strikeout/walk ratio (5.72 - 7th), holds (63 - 7th), and whip (0.88 - 4th) all over all the past three seasons.

Miller was injured for some of the 2018 season, but he still was able to get left handed batters out. They hit .227 against Miller last season. That's an upgrade compared to any lefty the Cardinals had last season. If healthy Miller should be fine for the Cardinals in 2019. The Cardinals even did more background work on Miller to make sure he was healthy. Andrew Miller, Alex Reyes, and Jordan Hicks could be a nice back end of the bullpen for the Cardinals. Will the Cardinals find another arm or two for the bullpen? They need a backup catcher for Yadier Molina at some point. The Cardinals are having one of their best off-seasons in awhile getting both Paul Goldschmidt and now Andrew Miller.

To make room for Andrew Miller on the 40-man roster the Cardinals have designated RHP Ryan Meisinger for assignment.

St. Louis Blues Sign Robert Bortuzzo To Extension

The St. Louis Blues have signed defense Robert Bortuzzo to a three-year contract worth $1.375 million per year. Bortuzzo, 29, is currently in his fifth season with the Blues since being acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins in a trade that sent defenseman Ian Cole. Bortuzzo is one of the Blues most consistent defenseman and is one of their best defenders.

He seems to get hate for whatever reason, my guess is because he isn't a big name compared to other players. Bortuzzo can get physical in front of the net and tends to do a good job overall.

Bortuzzo had a career high 13 points last season, and played in a career high 72 games. Overall Bortuzzo has played 8 seasons in the NHL. He's played 288 games, with 13 goals, 32 assists, 45 points, plus 13, and has 310 penalty minutes.

Bortuzzo's new contract will be until he's 33. The contract is team friendly and should work for both sides.

Cardinals Make Big Splash; Acquire Paul Goldschmidt

On Wednesday evening the St. Louis Cardinals made their first big move of the offseason. The Cardinals traded for first baseman Paul Goldschmidt of the Arizona Diamondbacks. In return the Diamondbacks get catcher Carson Kelly, starting pitcher Luke Weaver, prospect 2B Andy Young, and a 2019 Competitive Balance Round B 2019 draft pick. Goldschmidt 31, joins a Cardinals team that is looking to make the postseason in 2019 for their first time since 2015. Goldschmidt developed into a franchise player while playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Goldschmidt had made the All-Star team six times, all of them since 2013. If that isn't good enough he's won the Silver Slugger Award four times (2013, 2015, 2017, 2018). He's also won three Gold Glove Awards (2013, 2015, 2017), NL RBI leader in 2013 with 125, NL home run leader in 2013 with 36, and has also won the NL Hank Aaron Award which was in 2013. He has a pretty good track record coming to the Cardinals. He's played eight seasons in the MLB all of them were with the Diamondbacks. Over those seasons, his career stats are: 1,092 games, 709 runs, 1,182 hits, 267 doubles, 19 triples, 209 home runs, 710 rbi's, 124 stolen bases, 695 walks, and a .297 batting average. He also likes hitting Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers pitching

Against the Brewers in Goldschmidt's career he hits .366 with 10 home runs and 32 rbi's. He hits .420 in Miller Park. Against the Cubs he hits .353 with 14 home runs and 39 rbi's. At Wrigley Field he hits .337.

What do the Diamondbacks get in Carson Kelly, Luke Weaver, and Andy Young? Kelly, 24, is a catcher who use to play third base. He's still young and has the potential to be a good player if he gets playing time. Playing time is hard for any catcher behind Yaider Molina. Kelly saw some playing time with the Cardinals, but he didn't show much of anything when he got chances. He's played in 63 games with 10 rbi's, an a .154 batting average. Kelly has won a Gold Glove before in the minors so he can play good defense.

Weaver, 25, has shown flashes that he could be good. He needs to work on developing a breaking ball. In 2017, he went 7-2 with an era of 3.88 in 60.1 innings. For whatever reason in 2018, he seemed up and down. He went 7-11 with an era of 4.95 in 136.1 innings. Was it because it was his first full season in the MLB? Time will tell. The good thing for both Kelly and Weaver is that they are still young enough to develop into better players than they currently are.

Any Young, 25, seems like an intriguing player. He has power, hitting 41 home runs so far in the minor league career. Last season combined he hit 21 home runs with 58 rbi's, and hit .289. The season before he hit 17 home runs with 59 rbi's. Overall he hits .281 in his career in the minors.

On paper the Cardinals seem to win this trade, but you never know who the Diamondbacks will draft with their pick and if that player will end up good. You also don't know if Kelly or Weaver or both will improve. The Cardinals will need to keep Paul Goldschmidt beyond 2019. If they are able to keep him it becomes a big steal for the Cardinals. They have a good track record at keeping players who are rentals. The players tend to fall in love with St. Louis and want to stay. Past players who ended up staying after being traded to the Cardinals were Mark McGwire, Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen, and Matt Holliday. Jason Heyward broke that trend, but still that's a pretty good track record with players coming to St. Louis and staying put.

The Diamondbacks could have gotten a lot more for Goldschmidt. Maybe not allowing the Cardinals to talk to him about a contract extension hurt his trade value. The word is the Diamondbacks asked him where he wanted to be traded. Goldschmidt chose St. Louis. The Cardinals didn't even need to give up Dakota Hudson, Austin Gomber, or even Alex Reyes. That's a big win for the Cardinals not needing to give up either of those prospects. Having Andrew Knizner made Carson Kelly expendable. Knizner is said to be the Cardinals future catcher whenever Molina retires. It should be interesting to see what the Cardinals do next. The Cardinals getting Goldschmidt could be a big message for the rest of the NL Central.