Cardinals get Westbrook; Ludwick to Padres

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July 31, 2010

Trade Talk
Which team got the better of the Westbrook and Ludwick deal?
: Cardinals
: Indians
: Padres

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By B.J. Rains
FOXSportsMidwest.com
July 31, 2010

ST. LOUIS - The Cardinals pulled off a blockbuster three-team trade late Saturday morning, sending outfielder Ryan Ludwick to the San Diego Padres in exchange for pitcher Jake Westbrook of the Cleveland Indians.

The Cardinals also received Minor League left-handed pitcher Nick Greenwood from the Padres and cash from the Indians to help offset Westbrook's remaining salary this season. The Indians received prospect Corey Kluber from the Padres to complete the deal.

�We�ve been looking for a quality starting pitcher to add to our rotation for some time,� Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said in a release. �Westbrook is someone we�ve had our eyes on for a good period of time. We also want to wish Ryan Ludwick all the best with the Padres. He did an outstanding job for us over the past three and a half seasons.�

Westbrook, who was scheduled to start Saturday for the Indians, is 6-7 with a 4.65 ERA this season. The right-hander has won 14 games three times in his career and made the All-Star team in 2004. Westbrook is in the final year of a three-year, $33 million contract he signed prior to the 2008 season.

Ludwick was hitting .281 with the Cardinals this year and had 11 home runs and 43 RBIs. He made $5.45 million this season and was likely due a large raise in arbitration this winter. Ludwick missed a month with a strained calf but returned on July 24 and is hitting .412 (7-for-17) in six games since.

The 2008 All-Star became expendable with the emergence of rookie Jon Jay, who went 3-for-4 Friday night and is hitting .396 (44-for-111) in 48 games with the Cardinals this season. The left-handed hitting Jay could form a platoon with the right-handed hitting Allen Craig, currently at Memphis, either later this year or next in right-field for the Cardinals.

Westbrook had Tommy John surgery in June of 2008 and missed the rest of the season and all of the 2009 campaign. He returned to the Indians rotation this year in Spring Training after making just five starts in the first two years of his contract.

To help the trade get done, Westbrook reportedly agreed to lower a $2 million bonus due to him if he were traded. As the right-hander continues to work off the rust, his 1.154 WHIP (walks and hits per inning) is the lowest of his career.

Westbrook will slide into the Cardinals rotation as the No. 4 starter. Injured hurler Kyle Lohse likely will need just two more rehab starts before he rejoins the rotation as well, giving the Cardinals potentially the best starting rotation in baseball heading down the stretch.

Greenwood, 22, was 4-4 with a 4.15 ERA at Low-A. He will report to the Cardinals Low-A Quad Cities affiliate. He had a 1.63 ERA in 20 games last summer after being drafted in the 14th round of the 2009 draft by San Diego.

FOXSportsMidwest.com will have more on the trade later this afternoon from Busch Stadium, including comments from manager Tony La Russa and general manager John Mozeliak and reaction from inside the Cardinals clubhouse.

Tags: st. louis cardinals, Jake Westbrook, B.J. Rains, Ryan Ludwick

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