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Two things we are certain the St. Louis Cardinals have: A bad bullpen and an intense love of broken-down pitchers who could be turned around with a taste of the Dave Duncan religion. Put those together and you get a ready-made MLB trade rumor, built in this case around itinerant left-handed ex-closer Brian Fuentes. Daily Dish has a summary: Fuentes was recently designated for assignment by the Oakland Athletics, who are presumably highly motivated sellers, in the Craigslist argot.
Fuentes, who led the majors back in 2009, has probably earned his last save, at this point. His strikeout rate has fallen from more than 10, at his peak, to less than seven, and his never-sterling control has been joined this year by a sudden affliction of gopherballs.
He makes sense for the Cardinals, who currently have Marc Rzepczynski and minor league Rule 5 pickup Barret Browning in the pen, as a glorified waiver-wire pickup, but John Mozeliak will be wary of giving up much of value for him, no matter how good the 36-year-old once was.