Joe Strauss does a good Q&A every Wednesday, and he got a question about why the Cardinals traded Brett Wallace. Here's the response:
Wallace did not project with this club. That's why he was traded. My information is that Mo' challenged the drafting of Wallace before it happened in '08. Mo' wanted assurances that Wallace could play third base. The room was mixed but Jeff Luhnow sided with those who thought that, yes, Wallace could play 3B in the NL. That opinion quickly fell into disfavor, especially with the field staff. Interesting that the Oakland A's and Toronto Blue Jays quickly judged Wallace a first baseman, where he remains with the Houston Astros. Problem is, Wallace doesn't project the power typically associated with the position. Those who say Matt Holliday is now with the Cardinals because of Wallace are misguided. Holliday is with the Cardinals because they are paying him $120 million for seven years. Wallace was one of several reasons why the Cardinals landed Holliday as a rental in 2009. Despite what revisionists insist, it was a misguided pick.
We all need to pray to the Espiritu Bagwellio that the Cardinals are just stupid.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
