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There is a rumor going around the web that the St. Louis Cardinals are interested in acquiring Lucas Harrell, Bud Norris and a shortstop from the Houston Astros.
Cards are asking about a SS as well as P. Interested in Lucas Harrell and Bud Norris of Astros
— Peter Gammons (@pgammo) March 16, 2013
If you can remember, I wrote an article a couple days ago and the Cardinals were in that article as a team that could use Norris. I have also been on the record saying I don’t believe Harrell will be traded. I still don’t.
I think what Peter Gammons’ tweet was saying is that the Cardinals want a shortstop and Harrell or Norris, not both. If the Cardinals do get both Harrell and Norris, I believe they will lose a ton of prospects. I mean, just look at Astros GM Jeff Luhnow and his recent trades. He has always gotten a nice return for the Astros, and he will continue to get nice returns.
If the Astros do end up making this trade, I believe they will either trade Harrell or Norris and a shortstop. I am a little stumped on the shortstop bit, because I am not sure the Astros have a shortstop that the Cardinals would want.
I could see the Astros trading shortstop prospect Jonathan Villar, but I have always thought he would come up and hold the position down until Carlos Correa, last year’s number one draft pick, was ready to play at the Major League level.
The Astros do also have Marwin Gonzalez and Tyler Greene. However, since the Astros acquired Greene last year from the Cardinals, I do not think he is the shortstop the Cardinals will be looking. I think the shortstop comes down the Gonzalez and Villar. I believe the latter will bring back a better package for the Astros, but I have a feeling the Astros will want to keep him.
If the Astros do indeed look further into this potential deal, I believe Luhnow will get a good haul of young prospects in return for whoever he trades. I do, however, believe that if Luhnow does trade any of these guys, it will be Norris and Villar.
Lee White is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, ”Like” him on Facebook and add him to your network on Google.
