So Mo makes a "trade deadline move" for the Cardinals after all?

Actually, it was more the Dodgers who made the move.

I figured Jedd Gyorko was moved from the 10-day to 60-day IL for trade reasons when the Birds signed LOOGY reliever Adalberto Mejia after he was cut by the Angels.

And the Birds got who in return?

Tony Cingrani, also on the 60-day IL, but for actual injury reasons. He's out for the year with shoulder surgery. And, by OPS+, with the exception of half of 2017, he's been a sub-.500 pitcher for half a decade. Beyond that, he's a free agent after this year. And, high-rookies minor leaguer Jeffry Abreu, who probably should not ever be expected to make the majors.

In other words, nothing that will help them win the NL Central. Feel free to hit up the poll at right.

So, my post of earlier today calling out John Mozeliak and Mike Girsch for not making a move still stands. And, paid commenters in the bi-state area are calling out Mo, too. (Many are wondering if Girsch has wanted to do stuff but Mo has his balls in his pocket.) Of course, folks like Rick Hummel at the Post-Dispatch keep fellating Mo.

Actually, that might not be harsh enough.

What this move is, is a salary dump. And not much of that. I guess Cingrani's salary was taken back as the equivalent of the Birds paying part of Gyorko's salary. Well, MLB Trade Rumors says the Cards are sending money back, too. Oy.

Let's look just at this year's remaining salaries. Taking away the $5M covered by the Padres, the Cards owed Gyorko $8M for year. One third of that is $2.66M. One-third of Cingrani's salary is about $900K. So, that's $1.76M left. How much of that are the Cards eating?

Actually, the Cubs come out ahead in another way, it seems. Not only are the Cards eating part of Gyorko's salary AND taking Cingrani's dead money for the rest of this year back? They're also giving the Dodgers some of that valued international player spending money.

So, a $1 million salary dump for a prospect who almost certainly will never wear a Cards uniform? Wow.

Compare that to the Brewers making a mutual improvement swap with the Rays, with the Brew Crew getting another arm in Jake Faria and giving away Jesus Aguilar, who may have already peaked.

Or the Cubs solidifying their lineup with Nicholas Castellanos as a rental, deepening their bullpen with David Phelps, and perhaps finding a starting second baseman in Tony Kemp.

Addison Russell has not really lit it up since returning from suspension and Daniel Descalso remains injured, so not a bad move. And, while Kemp is older and doesn't grade out as well defensively, he does have two more years of team control than does Russell. At a minimum, if he learns shortstop in the offseason, it gives them a full blown replacement for Ben Zobriest, who surely won't be resigned. That's a Cubs $12.5M salary dump for the future, as much as the Cards made with Gyorko.

Can't wait to see how the fellators at the Post-Dispatch play this one.

And, play it they have, with a junior writer being the lead-off fellator before any columnists jump in.