With LaRussa Clearly in Charge, the Cardinals Bring Back Aaron Miles

Sweat mother of god, what is this team’s fascination with Aaron Miles?!

The Cardinals toyed with the idea of bringing Aaron Miles back to the fold earlier this season but couldn’t find a way to wedge the utility infielder into the organization.

That changed with Felipe Lopez’s right elbow injury.

With Lopez on the 15-day disabled list with a strained ligament, the Cardinals signed Miles to a minor-league deal. Miles isn’t earmarked for the majors or even pegged to replace Lopez. But the Cardinals have found him playing time.

Wow. What a get! Thank god we signed him when we did. I hear Miles was thinking about spending the summer scratching himself playing multiple positions poorly but working in a big hit once a month to stay afloat in a co-ed softball league.

Since his last at-bat with the Cardinals in 2008, Miles has been with three different teams while still on the original two-year, $2.9 million deal he signed with the Chicago Cubs. After hitting .185 last year for the Cubs, Miles was traded twice this winter, first to Oakland and then on to Cincinnati.

This quote from the Globe Democrat was really a great one from Tony “I’ll Blindly Get You On This Team and Push Down a Rookie Because You Had Spunk 2 Years Ago” LaRussa:

“That’s really what he has to show – what’s his skill level like right now?” manager Tony La Russa said before the Cardinals played the Atlanta Braves Tuesday night.

Ya didn’t think to check in to that before you signed him? Sure he’s coming cheap with the Cubs paying all but the league minimum salary this year, but I’m pretty sure he was giving it all he had the last year when he was batting below the Mendoza line. Who the hell hires a guy and then says: “So, you can still do this job right?”

Here’s hoping Pujols told all the new guys to pay attention if you are on deck during a Miles at bat. We can’t have Miles sending Matt Holiday’s career out to _eye-patch_ture like he did with Juan Encarnacion.

via STLToday and the Globe Democrat