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We sometimes forget that it’s certainly possible to add a bounce back or somewhat injured bat that can play all three of positions via trade.
Yes we are lefty dominant but most of the leagues starting pitching is righty dominant. I mean we’re allegedly going through this reset. People pretty much don’t think highly of Pages but our pitchers. We already kicked 3 bullpen guys to the curb and after this season 2 starters with Fedde already gone and the bus warning for Mikolas. Let see if we can get some good old competition between Bernal and Crooks for a job on the 26 on next year’s team.
Yes we are lefty dominant but most of the leagues starting pitching is righty dominant.
Other teams have figured out to set up their rotation to have lefties go against the Cards if possible.
858 said:
Let see if we can get some good old competition between Bernal and Crooks for a job on the 26 on next year’s team.
Do you really want Bernal with StL in the spring despite him having never played in Triple-A? Didn’t work so well for Walker…
I think Realmuto would be an excellent free agent pickup.
He’s still an above-average catcher defensively, although his bat has dipped to below-average. He’s gonna be 35 so it would be a short-term deal, maybe 2yr/$36-40M?
That allows us to give Bernal some runway so Crooks/Pages/Pozo can be the backup in 2026, then re-evaluate in 2027 with Bernal in the mix.
Danny Jansen would be another similar, lower-quality, addition.
He’s gonna be 35 so it would be a short-term deal, maybe 2yr/$36-40M?
That is way out of the Cardinals budget for 2026.
Do you really want Bernal with StL in the spring despite him having never played in Triple-A?
Catcher derangement is incurable, Brian.
LACardFan
That is way out of the Cardinals budget for 2026.
I don’t know if you are being sarcastic, but this honestly sounds like brainwashing or propaganda. The payroll was $40M higher in 2024 than 2025 and 2026 will be another $30M lower as we currently stand.
That’s a $70M drop.
Agreed, Pads. I occasionally fall into that sort of thinking as well, but I can’t imagine they drop payroll to below $100M. They will sign someone this off season for $10M or more; they almost have to. Of course I don’t think they will be playing at the top of the market, either. They seem to like to have some of those middle salary guys around and there’s no Mikolas or Waino in that slot now.
Do you really want Bernal with StL in the spring despite him having never played in Triple-A? Didn’t work so well for Walker…
No I don’t but it seems people are already saying crooks can’t hack it and idk if they’ll just go out and get a catcher via FA when you have 2 cost controlled backstops who can be easily let loose if either Crooks or Bernal just have nowhere else to go . You also appear to have a log jam at the position. So in order for Bernal to get looks in AAA you either move Crooks to the main or you figure a timeshare where they both C-DH in Memphis next season.
I don’t know if you are being sarcastic, but this honestly sounds like brainwashing or propaganda. The payroll was $40M higher in 2024 than 2025 and 2026 will be another $30M lower as we currently stand.
That’s a $70M drop.
Derrick Goold, the Cardinals PR man, recently indicated the Cardinals are not planning to be spenders in free agency.
And yes, Goold is the PR man of the organization, so call it what you want.
I dont even bother knowing who will be available anymore. We arent getting them unless it’s a one year dumpster dive deal for an innings eater.
They at least have some Organizational depth at Catcher with Crooks, Bernal and Rodriguez….they don’t have much MLB depth right now as Pages is more of a backup. The good thing with Crooks is he is a left-handed hitter.
They have some serious holes in the rotation and the corner OF spots that really need to be addressed or they need to get real creative in how they use Herrera and Burleson for 1 spot and maybe a platoon of Walker/Nootbar for the other spot if they are claiming they are broke… bullpen is a mystery as well.
I also wonder if Arrenado would be more flexible in his no trade stance if say Donovan beats him out next year for 3rd base….you would not get much and would have to probably eat a good portion of his salary but I assume he still wants to start and that would clear a spot.
The top free agent for 2026 though has to be a new Manager.
The Cubs have, reportedly, the highest paid manager in the game, and a payroll of 210M$ and they’re 4 games out of first place. The Padres have phenom manager Mike Shildt, BLM t-shirts and all, plus a 215M$ payroll, and they’re 3 games out of first place.
BTW, until the Cubs finally won the World Series in 2016, they had not won a World Series since before WWI (108 years).
Liberatore is going toe to toe with none other than Shohei Otani. If Otani is making 70M$, then Liberatore ought to be knocking down at least 35M$. Anything less than that is just not fair.
Jordan Walker just hit another single. Good for him. Good for the fans. Those strikeouts wer4e demoralizing. Now if he could teach hmself to lay off of that low and outside pitch that is a foot off the lower edge of the plate.
The Dodgers must have the dumbest front office in the game. Sure. They throw big, big money around like its yesterday’s garbage, and they hire the best scouts that money can buy, and they buy any free agent they want at will. But to pay a player 70M$ a year for 10 years and then play him both ways, is just plain nuts.
Uh-oh. Home run to Otani followed by a double by Betts. Can Liberatore keep his knees form wobbling?
LACardFan
Derrick Goold, the Cardinals PR man, recently indicated the Cardinals are not planning to be spenders in free agency.
And yes, Goold is the PR man of the organization, so call it what you want.
That really bums me out. What a joke.
858booyah
No I don’t but it seems people are already saying crooks can’t hack it and idk if they’ll just go out and get a catcher via FA when you have 2 cost controlled backstops who can be easily let loose if either Crooks or Bernal just have nowhere else to go . You also appear to have a log jam at the position. So in order for Bernal to get looks in AAA you either move Crooks to the main or you figure a timeshare where they both C-DH in Memphis next season.
Crooks and Bernal need more time to develop. It’s more like he likely won’t be able to ‘hack it’ in 2026 if that makes sense.
If the Cardinals bring back most of their arb players plus add the league minimum guys then they are already around $105M for next year. Assuming their budget is around $140M at the most then that won’t buy many FA’s. Their budget might end up being only $120M.
Derrick Goold, the Cardinals PR man, recently indicated the Cardinals are not planning to be spenders in free agency.
Who would have thought otherwise?
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