The Cardinals may still be mathematically in the playoff race, but GM John Mozeliak is wasting no time as he begins to make plans for the 2012 season. According to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Cardinals would like to explore a new contract with Rafael Furcal within the next month. “When you look at our club since he came to our team, he’s just really changed the look of it. To try to find a way to get him back makes sense. But we have a lot of balls in the air. To try to balance it out financially and make it work is a challenge. But based on how he’s played, and the type person he is and the energy’s he brought to the club, there are a lot of positives.”

Though Furcal has done a lot of positives for the Cardinals, he is only hitting .228 in 134 plate appearances for St. Louis. Furcal was acquired from the Dodgers at the trade deadline in exchange for Double-A outfielder Alex Castellanos who has been exceptional for the Dodgers Double-A team.

Furcal does have a $12mm team option for next season with a $1.3mm buyout (option would have vested if he had reached 600 plate appearances, currently at 286). Ryan Theriot the Cardinals opening day shortstop earned $3.3mm this season and has one more year of arbitration left.

Image taken by SD Dirk and used under the Creative Commons License Agreement.