Sean Burnett rumors would mean an expensive patch on a pretty-good St. Louis Cardinals bullpen

Granted: The St. Louis Cardinals' bullpen is not perfect. The addition of Edward Mujica at midseason and Trevor Rosenthal in the postseason added much-needed depth behind Jason Motte and Mitchell Boggs, but it could still use a little work. And granted, we've already made it clear, at SB Nation St. Louis, that we don't really get the Cardinals' fascination with adding another reliever. For all that, though, it seems easy to wonder if the Cardinals' really need Sean Burnett, the Washington Nationals' left-handed set-up man (and the Pittsburgh Pirates' erstwhile left-handed starting prospect.)

Especially when he's looking for a multi-year contract. The Cardinals already have Jason Motte's future with the club to worry about, and since he's been the designated save-accumulator for a season-and-a-half now any extension of his tenure is going to be neither brief nor cheap.

Marc Rzepczynski's off year is probably worth worrying about, but the answer to that isn't an expensive free agent—it's Tom Gorzelanny, who was nontendered over the weekend, or any number of other left-handed relievers who'll be available on a one-year gamble. And then sign a shortstop, for goodness' sake.