After a slow start to the baseball offseason things picked up in recent days and continued today when it was reported that the Angels would send skilled center fielder Peter Bourjos to the Cardinals for third baseman David Freese.
The news was first reported by Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports while MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez reports reported that the former World Series hero for the Cards would be going the other way in the deal.
Source: #Angels trade Bourjos to #STLCards. Freese presumably going to Anaheim. That part presently unconfirmed.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 22, 2013
In addition to the two centerpiece players in the deal, outfield prospect Randal Grichuk will also head to the Cardinals from the Angels organization while right-hander Fernando Salas will go to the Halos.
Bourjos, who will be 27 by the time the regular season starts owns a career slash line of .251/.306/.398. He went 274/.333/.377 last season in an injury shortened year when he was hit in the wrist by a pitch that ended up requiring surgery.
Meanwhile the 30-year old Freese went 262/.340/.381 with just nine homers in 2013 which was undoubtedly a down year for the third baseman. This is especially the case after he went .293/.372/.467 in 144 games with 20 homers in 2012. Freese’s less than stellar year however could be attributed to a back strain that forced him to start the season on the DL possibly affecting his usually sound defensive work in the field as well.
Freese however should rebound in 2014 and fills a big need for the Angels at third after the team traded Alberto Callaspo to the A’s last season.
