MLB Bullets Is Left Hanging

So it's a happy Monday for all of you. . .unless you work in the Cardinals front office.

• Former Cardinals scouting director Chris Correa plead guilty in federal court to hacking into the Astros database. He faces a prison term of up to five years.
• Here's a link to a story with the whole indictment and plea deal on it if you want to read all the details. Correa broke into the Astros database several times, including before the draft and the trade deadline.
• In his guilty plea, Correa claimed that he did find Cardinals proprietary information on the Astros servers. The Astros have vehemently denied that claim.
• The ball is now in commissioner Rob Manfred's court. Jeff Passan writes that the commissioner needs to bring the hammer down on the Cardinals or he is tacitly approving of the Cardinals actions. That punishment needs to include draft picks and international pool money, according to Passan, because a fine isn't much of a deterrent in baseball these days.
• Rant time. I know I'm not an unbiased observer here. I know I'm a Cubs fan. But the Cardinals have to get hammered for this, and Passan is the only one I've seen argue for this all weekend. Correa wasn't a low-level analyst. He reported directly to GM John Mozeliak and had a hand in all high-level discussions. Correa said he told the Cardinals about the proprietary information on the Astros servers. Correa isn't the most trustworthy witness here, but if true, and I'm sure Mozeliak will deny it, then the Cardinals GM approved of the hack by deed if not by words. Even if he didn't, the Cardinals benefitted from the information every time Correa offered his opinion. In the NBA, when the Minnesota Timberwolves got caught trying to circumvent the salary cap, they had to forfeit four first-round draft picks. The Cardinals punishment needs to be at least that severe.
• One bit of non-scandal related Cardinals news. They have signed Korean reliever Seung-Hwan Oh to a deal, pending a physical today.
• The Nationals traded Drew Storen to the Blue Jays for Ben Revere. Revere will replace Denard Span in the Nats lineup, which is just great for a guy like me who has gotten Span and Revere mixed up in the past.
• Eddie Matz thinks the Nats made a good deal in picking up Revere.
• Tracy Ringolsby also likes this trade for the Nationals. He also likes the trade for the Blue Jays. It's a win-win!
• With Storen dealt, the Nationals are likely to keep Jonathan Papelbon for 2016. Although that's mostly because no other team wants him.
• The Blue Jays have started contract extension discussions with Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion.
• Dayn Perry thinks that Marcus Stroman and Troy Tulowitzki are the keys to a successful 2016 for the Blue Jays.
• Jeff Sullivan thinks the Giants did not make a risky investment when the signed Denard Span.
• Jonathan Bernhardt thinks that the Dodgers deal with Kenta Maeda, with his heavy reliance on incentive clauses, is bad news for ballplayers who have traditionally had guaranteed contracts.
• Grant Brisbee finds the Dodgers rotation "fascinating" with the amount of risk that they're assuming.
• Kelly Johnson signed a one-year deal with the Braves at the urging of his six-year-old son.
• The Marlins may pursue free agent pitcher Wei-Yin Chen, despite their previous disagreements with Chen's agent Scott Boras.
• Marlins manager Don Mattingly and hitting coach Barry Bonds have urged the team's front office not to trade Marcell Ozuna.
• In his Sunday notes column, Nick Cafardo ponders whether the Red Sox should sign Justin Upton. Also discussion of Manny Ramirez's Hall of Fame chances.
• Teams have approached free agent shortstop Jimmy Rollins about playing second base. He says he's not opposed to playing second, but his preference is to stay at short.
• Cliff Corcoran gives the Phillies offseason high marks.
• Billy Beane is telling other teams that the Athletics don't intend to trade Sonny Gray.
• Bobby DeMuro offers some reasons why the Rockies haven't dealt an outfielder yet.
• Ken Griffey Jr.'s Hall of Fame career might not have happened as the superstar tried to commit suicide in 1988.
• And finally, here's a terrific aerial color photograph of the Polo Grounds from 1962 or 1963. It's hard to believe they played baseball there, but it is beautiful.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.