The theory is not illogical: If the Cardinals were willing to take on Giancarlo Stanton’s contract last offseason, they should be ready to spend $300 million-plus on Bryce Harper as a free agent.



Their fans are clamoring for such a move. Some in the media are as well. But the Cardinals, according to major-league sources, are not as interested in Harper as those on the outside want them to be. At least not at the moment.



The standard caveats apply — clubs frequently mask their intentions in the offseason, and shifting markets often change a team’s plans. The Cardinals, though, currently are more focused on a corner infielder than an outfielder, and also want to bolster their left-handed relief, sources said.



The infielder might be either a first baseman or a third baseman, with Matt Carpenter capable of playing either position. Manny Machado is not believed to be a free-agent target, but either Josh Donaldson or Mike Moustakas might be. A...