Future Redbirds

It’s reasons like this that I don’t like the Ryan Franklin signing. Why I don’t understand the club’s unwillingness to move Troy Percival at the deadline. There’s not a whole lot of analysis needed here. A reliever hit the market today that has better pure stuff than anyone in the Cardinals pen. He’s fared well throughout the minors with a fantastic strikeout rate. He’s not going to get groundballs but he has what could be called “closer type stuff” if not closer type results. Meet Fernando Cabrera, released today by the Indians.

It’s easy to see why the Indians got frustrated with him: his command has gone to hell and he’s allowing too many HR. But look at those K rates. This isn’t Dave Duncan’s type of pitcher in that he doesn’t have groundball tendencies but this is the type of pitcher the Cardinals should be looking to take a flyer on. He’s been released by the Indians meaning that all that’s required is a MINOR LEAGUE CONTRACT.

In 2005, he was putting up BP stuff scores of 20+ which is excellent. His BABIP is .369 this season — he’s allowing more flyballs than typical (and they’re not infield flies) but that’s a BABIP which is bound to regress. Dave Duncan’s mantra is throw strikes and throw low in the zone. If he could teach that to Cabrera, you could have a cost controlled reliever whose pitch velocity and movement lends itself to being dominant.

There’s nothing but upside here. Please Walt, get in touch with Cabrera’s agent.

(Stats from Firstinning)