I’ve never worked in sports, so I’m just guessing, but I’d be surprised if successful organizations typically clean house and tell the new guy to start over. I could see why a really bad franchise would clean house and let the new boss fill every desk with his own peeps. But the Cards aren’t that bad. (I think we all agree on that.)

Plus, it’s hard to imagine a guy like Luhnow, who’s still a relative newbie in baseball, getting so territorial that he’d undermine the new GM. I don’t know the man, but I think anybody in his position would welcome a boss who understands and appreciates what he’s trying to do. It must’ve been hell knowing he was in no-man’s land between the owner and the boss.

I’m going to have to disagree with you about the guys with quirky deliveries. There are quite a few sidearmers in the big leagues right now, virtually all of whom succeed with deception, rather than great stuff. Hell, Chris Young of the Padres is making it as a starter based on control of average stuff and great deception. Cla Meredith, also of the Padres, has been an extremely valuable reliever. Mike Myers has been throwing 75 mph junk by hitters for more years than I can count. And just for the record, Worrell has very good stuff. His fastball gets up to 91-92, his slider is above average, and his changeup is good, if inconsistent. He should have no problem carving up right handed hitters as a middle reliever.

It’s tough to make it as a starter on deception, when hitters have a chance to see your delivery a couple of times. Out of the bullpen, though, with only one shot at a guy with a funky arm angle, hitters don’t have a chance to figure out a release point, and even average stuff often proves too much to handle.

In my experience, people decide whether they’re committed to the organization or loyal to an outgoing boss. If it’s the latter, they either get sacked along with the boss (like Bruce Manno), or they get marginalized by the new management and find their own way out the door.

But a lot of people will stick around and work enthusiastically with the new boss, either because they love the business, love their jobs, or buy into the new guy’s program and philosophy.

I know my experiences in publishing aren’t exactly analogous, but people are people. You can’t assume people who worked for Jocketty or have their own little fiefdoms within the org won’t do a good job for the new boss.

I don’t know that Worrell becomes a big leaguer - maybe for one year. I guess we’ll see.

Miles is terrible at SS and barely adequate at 2B. Hoffpauir really isn’t a significant downgrade defensively.

I don’t think there is any chance that Worrell is better than Springer at this point.

Springer was excellent last year . . . and it was totally aberrant with the last 3 years of his career. The odds of him posting another sub-4 FIP aren’t very good. Again, the huge strides in his FIP came, in large part, from the very low HR/FB %. Relievers aren’t subject to the same kind of norms as starters in this category but I’d bet that Springer is closer to 10% than 3% next year. Given their respective age and cost, I don’t have a problem saying that Worrell is as likely to be equably valuable in the bullpen next year as Springer. Worrell is dominant facing right-handers thanks to his quirky sidearm delivery. I wouldn’t let him face a left ever but he could be a useful part of the major league bullpen as early as next year and Springer could turn into a pumpkin in a flash.

I don’t think there is any chance that Worrell is better than Springer at this point. Perez has a chance to be, but he’s not there either. Next year he should be, and he might be by mid-season next year (or even early on if he gets things figured out in the off-season and has a good spring training) but he isn’t a better option right now.

No argument about jimenez.