The St. Louis Cardinals continue to make noise after trading away David Freese on Friday. The Cardinals seem to be working out their outfield, but their infield could use some polishing, which is why rumors of their interest on Jhonny Peralta, shorstop, have intensified as the hours go by. What can Peralta bring to the table? Power, defense and postseason experience.
The Cardinals are a postseason bet year after year. For Peralta, the postseason has been a familiar place. Not only has Peralta been to plenty of playoff games, but he has performed well in them. However, before jumping to October, what can Peralta offer the Cardinals every day from April until September?
Had Peralta not been suspended for his use of PED's, he would have played at least 157 games in 2013. He has racked up 1,383 career games in 11 years playing professional ball. On average, that is about 125 games a year, but he has played at least 141, since 2005, excluding the 2013 season. Peralta has pop, finishing with double-digit home run totals in every season since 2005 when he became an everyday player way back when with the Cleveland Indians. His career high came that same year when he smacked 24. His highest RBI total was 89 in 2008, right before being traded to Detroit.
As far as fielding, Peralta is greatly underrated. In 2009, he had 15 errors, the following year, he committed only three at shortstop in 46 games played with the Tigers. The following year, in 145 games and 608 chances, Peralta only committed seven errors. In 2012, he repeated another great performance, totalling seven errors in 149 games and only got better in 2013, committing four errors, although he only played in 106 games.
The Cardinals have Pete Kozma as their shortstop. He has shown he can handle his bat, at times, but he is nothing special. Peralta could provide some pop in the lineup, an area Kozma needs to develop some more. With the expected departure of Carlos Beltran, the Cardinals could have a veteran bat in the middle of their lineup that can protect Allen Craig and Yadier Molina.
Craig does not hit for power, but he takes advantage of base runners. Molina is not a power hitter either, but he has racked up seasons with great batting averages. Adding Peralta would only make the lineup even more dynamic and tougher for pitchers to work around. Of course, Peralta would also help Matt Holliday in the home run department, giving the Cardinals at least four solid bats in their lineup.
Peralta is a free agent, 31 years of age and could probably seek a five-year deal. The Cardinals are wise when dealing with acquisitions. Peralta's use of performance enhancements should not make the Cardinals weary, but they should protect themselves and pack Peralta's contract with incentives.
