I've always liked Reyes, although I'm willing to admit it may be because of a one-hitter he pitched against the White Sox in '06. He totally shut them down, but lost 1-0 (the one hit was a Thome homer). This was after the White Sox scored 33 runs in the first two games of the series. The Cards were swept by the White Sox, then by Detroit, and then lost 2 of 3 to Cleveland and 2 of 3 to KC. But finished the year on a high note, obviously.

Why wasn't Shapiro making moves like this in the off-season?

Anthony Reyes for a 24 year old relief pitcher in AA? WTF?

This Perdomo kid probably steps into the STL closer's role immediately.

This is a disappointing return, but it may be worth it finally just to unload Reyes. TLR hates him enough that Reyes was never going to have a career in STL, so I'm glad to see him get a chance in another organization. This Perdomo guy looks ok, but he's an AA reliever, and Duncan's track record with young pitchers is not exactly stellar. Still, Reyes' trade value was low, and his value to the Cards was 0.

Wow, this seems liking giving Reyes away. Why was he so hated by LaRussa?

Why was he so hated by LaRussa?

TLR has some mystery formula for whether or not he hates a particular young player - veterans, he's usually ok with.

LOVES: Wainwright, McClellan
HATES: Reyes, Ryan, Perez

It doesn't make any sense.

It doesn't make any sense.

And why was his trade value so low? He wasn't doing bad in AAA. Everyone needs SP, you' think they could have gotten a better RP for him.

And why was his trade value so low?

Given his not-great numbers, Duncan/LaRussa's comments about Reyes over the past few seasons, and the fact he's been yanked back and forth for several seasons now... these things don't do wonders for trade value.

Question - can you get the rights to a Rule 5er in a trade? I wonder why Mozeliak didn't get Shapiro to kick in Barton's, so the Cards can stick him in AAA where he belongs.

Question - can you get the rights to a Rule 5er in a trade? I wonder why Mozeliak didn't get Shapiro to kick in Barton's, so the Cards can stick him in AAA where he belongs.

Yes, you can, IIRC.

From the looks of that list, La Russa hates short names.

Barton would still have to pass through waivers to get un-Rule-5d. He's only got a month to go, and it's not like Joe Mather is the next Ryan Ludwick.

I think everybody and his mother was expecting the Cardinals to release Reyes at some point between now and 4/1/2009.

TLR has some mystery formula for whether or not he hates a particular young player - veterans, he's usually ok with.
LOVES: Wainwright, McClellan
HATES: Reyes, Ryan, Perez

Mystery formula!?
Heres one possibility of what the mystery formula might be
LOVES: 147, 125
HATES: 82, 77, 101

Those numbers are just the career OPS+/ERA+ of the guys he loves/hates for "mystery" reasons.
Now, you could argue he needs to give the youngsters he doesn't like more of a chance but its kind of silly to make it out to be some mystery why LaRussa does or doesn't like a guy when it seems to just boil down to performance. It isn't that complicated to think if you play well a manager will like you and if you don't he won't.

And I really don't know why not liking Brendan Ryan is a big deal. He is what he is. A 27yo utility IF who has hit like a UT IF as an MLBer and hit like one as a minor leauger.
Big whoop if LaRussa doesn't like him.

As for Perez/Reyes, you do need to give young pitching a chance but I think folks underestimate how hard it is to do, as a manager, to balance a chance to win a division and try to let young arms work through their struggles. Perez has nice stuff but its hard to trust a young reliever when he walks every other batter and its hard to trust Reyes when he gets shelled so often.

TLR trusts Villone/Franklin/Flores, all whom have been shelled or ineffective far too often. If you're a young pitcher without the control of Bud Smith or Adam Wainwright, you're not going to be a TLR favorite.

Wasn't the issue with Reyes that Duncan wanted him to emphasize a sinker and Reyes stubbornly clung to the high four seamer? LaRussa generally don't like no backtalk.

From the looks of that list, La Russa hates short names.

My theory for a while has been that La Russa hates players whose last names begin with "R": Reyes, Ryan, Rolen, John Rodriguez, Kerry Robinson...but Ivan is correct that that was the generally stated reason for La Russa and Duncan's problems with Reyes.

Yes, you can, IIRC.

You certainly used to be able to so I assume still can. This "explains" one of the poorer Cub trades of recent years -- Eric Hinske for Miguel Cairo back in 2001. It was actually Hinske for Cairo and the rights to Scott Chiasson. The Cubs had grabbed Chiasson in the rule 5 and liked him but didn't have room for him on the 25-man roster (well, they probably did, they are the Cubs after all). Granted, that still ended up being a bad trade but a bit more sensible.

Barton would still have to pass through waivers to get un-Rule-5d.

I don't think that's correct ... but maybe it is if the guy's already on your 25-man roster (which Chiasson wasn't).

Reyes has stuff but just has to throw too many pitches, hence he can't get far into games.

But I think the the larger issue is that LaRussa thinks Reyes is a jinx. Or jinxed.

He lost six games by shutout last season. To hear LaRussa discuss you would have thought Reyes had stabbed the Pope and that was his penance.

I don't think that's correct ... but maybe it is if the guy's already on your 25-man roster (which Chiasson wasn't).

No, it is. When a Rule 5 guy is removed from the 25-man roster, he has to get through waivers to get back to his original team. The other teams get a crack at claiming up first, and keeping the player on their 25-man roster.

Until he clears waivers, the Rule 5 guy wouldn't be property of his original team at that point.

So he couldn't be traded until he cleared and was a member of the organization once more. Can't trade a player that's not yours.