Brett Cecil sets the market. How does this affect us?

[Chico]

Cecil signs for a crazy 4/30 with the usually prudent Cardinals of all teams. I can't imagine what Chapman and Jensen are going to get. I had originally thought this might be a good year to get some vets in the pen to trade away in July, but I'm not sure that's going to be an option at these prices. We might still look for some rebound guys like Walden though. So do we look to capitalize with our depth or wait it out in ST?

The big 3 are JJ, Viz, and Cabrera. I feel safe calling them locks
Kroll is a lock as well for now as the only lefty
Winkler is a Rule 5 guy and looked great before the injury, so if healthy I think he'd be a lock
If Walden proves healthy he's on the team as well.

"if healthy" we're already at 6 and the 7th usually goes to a Gant/Whalen/Perez/Jenkins/Ellis type for long relief. Odds are we'd have a 2nd lefty like Paco. So theoretically we're already running out of room. We could also decide to keep two of these short reliever/long reliever options on the team.

Withrow, Chaz Roe, and Jose Ramirez are out of options. They'll have to make the team or be traded.

Shea Simmons is now healthy and deserves a spot. Although he could start out as the AAA closer ready to step in after the first inevitable injury. But Minter, Dirks, and Morris should all be in AAA waiting as well...especially Minter and Dirks who could surprise and prove ready in ST.

Johnson and Winkler/Walden are the only ones I cannot see traded this offseason. There is a definite logjam.

[clvclv]

It doesn't since we're not shopping. Gant and the others have options remaining. Walden is a pipe dream. Winkler won't be ready to start the season.

Pens always shake themselves out - everyone's not going to be healthy when camp breaks, and you can typically find a convenient phantom malady to tuck someone away early on.

[Horsehide Harry]

Cecil signs for a crazy 4/30 with the usually prudent Cardinals of all teams. I can't imagine what Chapman and Jensen are going to get. I had originally thought this might be a good year to get some vets in the pen to trade away in July, but I'm not sure that's going to be an option at these prices. We might still look for some rebound guys like Walden though. So do we look to capitalize with our depth or wait it out in ST?

The big 3 are JJ, Viz, and Cabrera. I feel safe calling them locks
Kroll is a lock as well for now as the only lefty
Winkler is a Rule 5 guy and looked great before the injury, so if healthy I think he'd be a lock
If Walden proves healthy he's on the team as well.

"if healthy" we're already at 6 and the 7th usually goes to a Gant/Whalen/Perez/Jenkins/Ellis type for long relief. Odds are we'd have a 2nd lefty like Paco. So theoretically we're already running out of room. We could also decide to keep two of these short reliever/long reliever options on the team.

Withrow, Chaz Roe, and Jose Ramirez are out of options. They'll have to make the team or be traded.

Shea Simmons is now healthy and deserves a spot. Although he could start out as the AAA closer ready to step in after the first inevitable injury. But Minter, Dirks, and Morris should all be in AAA waiting as well...especially Minter and Dirks who could surprise and prove ready in ST.

Johnson and Winkler/Walden are the only ones I cannot see traded this offseason. There is a definite logjam.

I think most here are selling Withrow a little short. He had a reasonably effective season last year in his first year back from TJ. I think he's definitely in. I think Winkler starts the season on the DL as does Walden. I think Gant/Whalen/Perez/Jenkins/Ellis all start in AAA.

I think there will be a trade, maybe in ST that sees 2-3 from the pen gone.

I think the season starts six from JJ, Viz, Cabrera, Krol, Withrow, Roe, Ramirez, Simmons, Lefty Signing. The ones I see as safe are JJ (closer), Krol (main lefty) and Simmons (needs to rebuild value). Walden and Winkler have no value until/if they return from injury.

[Chico]

It doesn't since we're not shopping. Gant and the others have options remaining. Walden is a pipe dream. Winkler won't be ready to start the season.

Pens always shake themselves out - everyone's not going to be healthy when camp breaks, and you can typically find a convenient phantom malady to tuck someone away early on.

Last I heard Winkler was supposed to be ready by Spring Training. Where did you hear that from?

[clvclv]

Last I heard Winkler was supposed to be ready by Spring Training. Where did you hear that from?

They've said they're not going to rush things. Everybody always uses the earliest available date when they talk about guys coming back, and it's ridiculous. Look at how long after Simmons was supposed to be "back" before we saw him at this level. If he feels even what he perceives as normal soreness, they'll pull the reigns back - he hasn't thrown many competitive pitches in two years, they're certainly not going to push him given the fact that we've apparently got more than enough other arms to have a strong pen without him.