Article:Trade of Third Basemen: Rolen and Glaus Switch Teams

First reported by foxsports.com, the St. Louis Cardinals have sent third baseman Scott Rolen to the Toronto Blue Jays for their third baseman Troy Glaus. The deal is apparently contingent on both players passing their physicals, as they are both coming off of surgery. Rolen has three years and $33 million left on his contract, which according to espn.com will be entirely paid up by Toronto, and Glaus’s option for 2009 was picked up before the Cardinals signed off on the trade, making the Cardinals on the hook for $24.5 million the next two years. Because both players were unhappy with their current situations, their respective no-trade clauses were gladly waived.

While Rolen has had several injury-marred seasons in St. Louis, especially in the past few years, this is not a good trade for the Cardinals. If there is any truth to the fact that Rolen is supposed to be 100% this spring, then Toronto is getting a really good deal. Despite his down offensive years, Rolen still has a good defensive prowess with his seven Gold Gloves, his recent one earned in 2006, as his injured shoulder is not his throwing one. The only major difference between the two players’ stats last year is Glaus’s 20 home runs compared to Rolen’s eight. However, Scott Rolen is has a lifetime average of .283, while Glaus has not hit over .262 except once in 2000. Rolen at his best hits for both power and average, not to mention his good defense, while Glaus is all power, which is not what the Cardinals need right now with their watered-down lineup. If the Cardinals are re-building their system, at least save some money and get some prospects. Troy Glaus is neither of those. For the Blue Jays, this will definitely improve their team, especially on the left side of the infield, where Rolen will be reunited with former teammate David Eckstein. This may not be enough to catch Boston or New York, but it’s another step in the right direction for them.

Homer comment: good job John Mozeiak. Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds, two of St. Louis’s favorite players, for Troy Glaus and AA third-baseman David Freese? Really?