The St. Louis Cardinals have made their first move of the deadline weekend, trading for 33 year-old Rafael Furcal previously of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Furcal, twice an All-Star, and the National League Rookie of the Year in 2000, is batting just .197/.272/.248 this year in 37 games for the Dodgers, but will add veteran value to a team that has struggled with finding consistency out of Ryan Theriot.

A lifetime .283/.349/.407 hitter, St. Louis in banking on Furcal having something left in the tank to help a team that is six games above .500 at the moment. The switch-hitter has battled injuries this season, twice appearing on the disabled list but as Derrick Goold points out at stltoday.com, Fucal has seven hit is his last 18 at-bats.

Furcal will earn about $4 million the rest of this season and is on the books with a $12 million option for next season. The Dodgers are obviously in a financially troubling situation right now and needing to rid themselves of payroll.

Furcal had to approve of the trade to St. Louis.

In return the Dodgers are receiving 24-year old AA outfielder Alex Castellanos. With Springfield, Castellanos is batting .319/.379/.562 with nineteen home runs and 62 RBI. He is a bit of an older prospect in AA, but seems to be a solid return for Furcal.