#StlCards and Mo's cheap trades — Ozuna biting them back

Marcell Ozuna, another
less than perfect trade by
John Mozeliak?

I said in my season preview that I don't think the Cards did enough upgrading in the starting rotation plus position players. Marcell Ozuna is nice, but he's had a high variability level. I said at the time I preferred Christian Yelich. The Brewers found a way to acquire him. Mo and Girsch have never indicated that he was unavailable at the time they got Ozuna. (More on that later.)

And now, we find out that Ozuna's shoulder problem, per the second slide on this Derrick Goold quick hits, was known to the Cards last year. We also, again, find Goold playing PR for the team.

If the team knew, did they consider backing off? Did they get Miami to take less than the Marlins first wanted?

Let's look at what the Cardinals paid for Ozuna and the Brewers for Yelich.

The Cards gave Miami Sandy Alcantara, Magneuris Sierra, Zac Gallen and Daniel Castano. The Brewers, for Yelich, gave the Mariners Lewis Brinson, Monte Harrison, Isan Diaz and Jordan Yamamoto.

If you're the Birds, do you throw in, say Jose Martinez instead of Sierra? Jordan Hicks instead of Gallen or Castano that they did send? And, that's your initial offer for Yelich instead of Ozuna? And, if necessary, both Martinez plus Hicks? Or, say Harrison Bader instead of Sierra, and Hicks? I do, or whatever reasonable gets the Yelich trade done.

And, if Mo and Girsch for whatever reason, wanted Ozuna first? Yeah, the Cards lineup didn't have huge power last year. But, Paul DeJong does. Gedd Gyorko is decent himself. So is Tommy Pham.

Due to better cost control, more stability in his career to date and more? I take Yelich over Ozuna and said that repeatedly. That was before finding out the Cards knew about his shoulder.