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5 Players the St. Louis Cardinals Should Send Packing In 2015-16 MLB Offseason

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5 Players the St. Louis Cardinals Should Send Packing This Offseason

Jon Jay St. Louis Cardinals
Jared Wickerham-Getty Images

The St. Louis Cardinals won 100 games during the 2015 regular season, but the Chicago Cubs knocked them out of the playoffs in Game 4 of the Division Series.

With their offseason starting earlier than it has for awhile, here are five players the Cardinals should send packing this winter.

5. RP Jordan Walden

Jordan Walden Cardinals
Jeff Curry-Getty Images

5. RP Jordan Walden

Jordan Walden Cardinals
Jeff Curry-Getty Images

Walden only appeared in 12 games for St. Louis this season, due to a shoulder and biceps issue that eventually shut him down for the season in early September. The Cardinals should have a deep enough bullpen to do without Walden in 2016.

4. C Tony Cruz

Tony Cruz Cardinals
Mike McGinnis-Getty Images

4. C Tony Cruz

Tony Cruz Cardinals
Mike McGinnis-Getty Images

With Yadier Molina's age (33) and increasing durability concerns, the Cardinals need to start finding a succession plan behind the plate. Cruz does not do enough offensively (.204/.235/.310, two home runs and 11 RBI this year), even in limited action (151 plate appearances), to be around heading into next season.

3. OF Peter Bourjos

Peter Bourjos Cardinals
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3. OF Peter Bourjos

Peter Bourjos Cardinals
Dilip Vishwanat-Getty Images

Speed means little if you can't get on-base regularly (.290 on-base percentage this season) and your success rate as a base stealer leaves a lot of be desired (five stolen bases in 13 attempts). Bourjos is a highly replaceable player, and Tommy Pham can surely take his place as an extra outfielder for the Cardinals.

2. SP Jaime Garcia

Jaime Garcia Cardinals
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2. SP Jaime Garcia

Jaime Garcia Cardinals
Dilip Vishwanat-Getty Images

When he's healthy Garcia can be very good (2.43 ERA over 20 starts this season), but he has not made more than 20 starts in a season since 2011. The Cardinals have an $11.5 million team option on the 29-year old left-hander for 2016, but that money can be spent much more wisely this offseason.

1. OF Jon Jay

Jon Jay Cardinals
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

1. OF Jon Jay

Jon Jay Cardinals
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Jay missed a big chunk of the season with a left wrist issue, and he was not productive (.210/.306/.257, one home run, 10 RBI, zero stolen bases) when he was in the lineup. Randal Grichuk should be St. Louis' Opening Day center fielder next year, so if the team is willing to eat some portion of Jay's base salary for 2016 ($6.2 million) he should be traded this offseason.

Brad Berreman is a writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter and like him on Facebook.
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