Cardinals - Signed Looper
St. Louis Cardinals - Signed P Braden Looper to a 3-year, $13.5 million contract.
You have a second base battle between Aaron Miles and Deivi Cruz the upcoming season, you cry about money, even though you’re awash in it, and you spend more than $4 million a year on an OK setup man? I normally like Jocketty, but the Cardinals have had quite the unproductive offseason. Interestingly enough, I was looking at game logs for closers last month and of all pitchers with 10 saves, Looper was saved the most by walkoff losses. By run expectancy, Looper’s ERA should have been 0.33 runs a game higher if he had to finish out his walkoff losses.
The STATS scouting report for Lupus is pretty funny after his 2005 season.
The Mets were pleased with the closing efforts Looper provided last year, with the reliever blowing just five saves in 34 opportunities. His services were acquired for little more than a song, and he remains a relative bargain for a solid closer.
Yup, they love the guy in New York now.
Looper should be the primary setup man for the Cardinals and taken out quickly against lefties. In all seriousness, he should pitch decently for the Cardinals - Looper’s a groundballer and the redbirds should have a nice defensive infield again.
2006 ZiPS Projection - Braden Looper
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W L G GS IP H ER HR BB SO ERA
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5 4 73 0 73 72 33 6 22 44 4.07
Dan Szymborski
Posted: December 16, 2005 at 06:17 AM |
9 comment(s)
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1. greenbackThis is just one of a series of moves. There will be another right-handed reliever added for LaRussa to mix and match between Flores, Johnson, and Rincon from the left and Isringhausen, Looper, and Rodriguez/Dotel/Nelson/etc from the right.
As for 2B, yes, Luna is the one they're looking to as a starter for the season. I have my doubts, but it's not out of the question that he can provide the same production as Grudzielanek and Womack did over the last couple of seasons.
One more good OF would be nice, but there's plenty of time.
1. He should never close again.
2. He never ever pitch against a lefty.
Follow these two simple rules (we all know LaRussa can do it) and he's a very solid reliever. This is where Willie went wrong.
I think Luna will be fine with the bat. I just don't hear much about his glove and with the GBers in the rotation, I'd hate to lose anything there.
Grudz and Eck were a great double play combination last year, those numbers will almost certainly come down in 2006. But having Rolen healthy all year should pick up the slack in IF defense. Now to shake loose a corner OF.
"...saved the most by walkoff losses."
This concept amuses me.
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