[SEE UPDATES BELOW. Original post follows.]
I can’t speak to the veracity of this just yet, but given the story, I wanted to share with you the report that’s out there:
Have confirmed with @Cardinals that Dexter Fowler will take a physical here tomorrow in St. Louis. @KSDKSports
— Frank Cusumano (@Frank_Cusumano) December 9, 2016
[adinserter block=”1″]
The implication there is that Dexter Fowler has agreed to a deal with the Cardinals, and is coming to St. Louis for the physical to finalize the deal. It’s a bit of an odd way for a story like this to break, so that gives me a moment’s pause. It’s also possible that he could come for a pre-agreement physical, but as I understand it, that’s not typical.
We know that the Cardinals have been interested in Fowler for a long time, and were an obvious fit for his services. Previous reports had them offering four years and $60 million. With Jon Jay in the fold for the Cubs, the long-shot Fowler return became an even longer shot, and if Fowler got the right offer, nobody could criticize him for not wanting to wait around again for a Spring Training surprise.
In Fowler, the Cardinals would get a fantastic leadoff hitter and a new center fielder, which would allow them to move Randal Grichuk and Stephen Piscotty to the corners more permanently. In short, Fowler would be a very, very good addition for the Cardinals, who’ll look to make things a little more competitive in the NL Central in 2017.
[adinserter block=”2″]
If Fowler does ultimately sign with the Cardinals, the Cubs would get a compensatory draft pick after the first round, and the Cardinals would lose their first round pick (18th overall). So it’s not all bad news.
We’ll keep following this.
UPDATE: And Bob Nightengale adds the more traditional kind of report:
The #Stlcards moving close to deal with Dexter Fowler, hoping to finalize soon
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 9, 2016
That doesn’t mean a deal is done, of course, but it does lend credence to the original report. And it certainly means the Cardinals, at a minimum, remain very serious about trying to land Fowler.
[adinserter block=”3″]
UPDATE 2: And now a local report. This very well could be happening, folks:
Sources say #Cardinals made over-the-top offer to Dexter Fowler, to be sure to land CF. @Frank_Cusumano reports he's en route for physical.
— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) December 9, 2016
I like the sound of that “over-the-top offer” thing. If Fowler is going to wind up with the Cardinals, I at least hope he gets PAAAAAID. And I’ll still wish him well personally, and think fondly of his two years in Chicago. He just seemed like a genuinely good guy, in addition to be a fantastic part of two of the best Cubs seasons in recent member, and a key driver in the Cubs’ run to the World Series.
UPDATE 3: Another local report, confirming not only the physical, but the fact that this is probably happening:
Can confirm @Frank_Cusumano report that Dexter Fowler is en route to STL for physical. If all goes as expected, the #STLCards land their CF.
— Jenifer Langosch (@LangoschMLB) December 9, 2016
[adinserter block=”4″]
UPDATE 4: And there it is, a deal:
Dexter Fowler has a deal with #STLCards. Expected to be big.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 9, 2016
So the assumption then, as implied way back in the original tweet, is that Fowler’s headed to St. Louis to take and pass his physical, and then the deal will be final.
Fowler was reportedly looking for five years and around $18 million annually, if my memory still functions properly from a week of feverish, rapid-fire rumors. Offers were reportedly in the four-year, $15 million AAV range. Maybe he got that fifth year added? Or got the AAV up closer to $18 million?
It’s a weird spot to be in right now, rooting for the contract to be enormous – because you know that, in addition to wanting Fowler to GET PAID, there’s a part of you that also wants the Cardinals to be burdened by the deal financially. But that happens only if Fowler doesn’t perform up to his deal … which I don’t really want to root for. Even though, well, it’s not like I want to see the Cardinals do well. Feelings.
UPDATE 5: Yup, the rumored deal is five years and a better AAV than $15 million:
Fowler's deal expected to be big with stl, as @dgoold said. Unconfirmed, but word is 5 yrs, at least 16M/yr. 80/9M is rumor
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 9, 2016
[adinserter block=”5″]
UPDATE 6: He’s gonna put on the jersey tomorrow …
The #Stlcards have tentative press conference Friday morning at Busch Stadium to introduce Dexter Fowler; deal is done, pending physical
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 9, 2016