The Cardinals decided not to tender contracts for 2009 to either Randy Flores or Tyler Johnson. Flores pitched in 43 games (0 starts) for the Cards last season and he was 1-0 with 1 save, a 5.26 ERA and a 2.10 WHIP. He has now pitched in 265 games (3 starts) in his major league career and he is 9-4 with 4 saves, a 4.78 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP. Johnson didn’t pitch last season due to injury. He has pitched in 116 games (0 starts) in his major league career and he is 3-5 with a 4.32 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. The Cardinals won’t miss either of these guys as they should both thank God that they are left handed.

The Cardinals did not tender a contract for 2009 to 32-year old switch hitting infielder Aaron Miles making him a free agent. He played in 134 games for the Cardinals last season and he was 120 for 379 (.317 avg, .753 OPS) with 49 runs scored, 4 homers and 31 RBIs. He has now played in 643 games in his major league career and he is 600 for 2,077 (.289 avg, .693 OPS) with 267 runs scored, 16 homers, 170 RBIs and 23 stolen bases. Miles should have no problem finding a new job and the Cardinals might have trouble finding a bench player as effective as Miles has been for them.

The Cardinals have signed 28-year old righty swinging catcher Justin Knoedler to a minor league contract. Knoedler played in 66 games in AAA ball last season and he was 38 for 217 (.175 avg, .616 OPS) with 34 runs scored, 10 homers and 34 RBIs. He has also played in 14 games in his major league career in which he was 2 for 18 (.111 avg, .269 OPS). His signing was just a move to give the Cardinals some organizational depth at the catcher position.

The Cardinals have acquired 29-year old righty swinging shortstop Khalil Greene from the Padres for righty reliever Mark Worrell and a player to be named later. Greene played in 105 games for the Padres last season and he was 83 for 389 (.213 avg, .599 OPS) with 30 runs scored, 10 homers and 35 RBIs. He also whiffed 100 times but the Cards will put up with the whiffs he if provides good power and defense. Greene has now played in 659 games in his major league career and he is 594 for 2,397 (.248 avg, .731 OPS) with 301 runs scored, 84 homers and 328 RBIs. 25-year old righty reliever Mark Worrell has never lived up to his promise to this point in his career. He pitched in 4 games (0 starts) for the Cardinals last season and he was 0-1 with a 7.94 ERA and a 2.12 WHIP. Worrell also pitched in 53 games (0 starts) last season in AAA ball and he was 3-2 with 5 saves, a 2.15 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. This was a good trade for the Cardinals as Greene should benefit greatly from playing in a much smaller home ball park in 2009.