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What are the odds Baez supplants Walker?
Based on Walker’s last two years and his age (23) I truly do not understand why they don’t park him in AAA for the entire year with all the new enhancements to the minor league player support systems.
Baez is only 23 as well so there is that but each player is different and some youngsters are ready for prime time
It doesn’t be necessarily have to be either Walker or Baez – for 2026 they can just put a body out there if no youngster is ready.
I would expect Baez to be in AAA, since he’s never played above AA, and be playing LF mostly. If he can continue to progress and they are able to find a trade partner for Nootbaar at some point in the season it would open LF for Baez. Then going forward he could move to RF if needed. But they are going to use the next 2 seasons to figure out who to build around and keep loading up prospects and have options available as they go forward.
In thinking about Baez, we should remember something about Adolis Garcia. The Cardinals not only missed on his bat, they missed on his fielding too, and if they had known he could handle CF in MLB, he quite likely would not have left, and certainly not given away. He played over 1100 MLB innings in CF after he left the Cardinals. Not a mistake to be made twice. I notice that Baez played a lot of CF in Springfield last year. More CF than he ever had previously. That’s good. This is the point in his development when they need to find out what he can and can’t do at a high level. We shouldn’t assume we already know, especially if our perception of Baez is skewed because we are in love with Scott.
Even if Walker bursts into flames, they are not going to beam Baez up from AA. Later in the year if the falloff from AA to AAA is not too problematic. Meanwhile, the OF could be a mess until some things shake out. Will Noot establish health/value, will Walker morph into somebody else, will Scott get on base enough to be a party starter?
Why all the agonizing about Noot (who I like due to his decent OBP) being ready for opening day? Our goal this season is develop young players, and finish one or more games above whoever is in the cellar.
If Noot isn’t ready, they can give one of these other guys some MLB game experience. I was big on the Scott and Walker koolaid drinking binge, same as everybody else, but I would like to give other guys an equal shot. I am confident that someone will emerge, but neither I nor Bloom have a clue who it is.
Outside of Nootbar don’t we need three guys to emerge? Scott, Walker, Church, Baez, and ??.
If Nootbar stays hurt and / or gets traded are those our choices to man the outfield? That might not even be a good AAA outfield.
Hopefully they would have sense enough to stick anybody else out there rather than skip Baez over AAA altogether.
Oli is giving PA’s to Valazquez and Davis too, on par with Baez, Scott and Walker. With Saggese and Torres playing elsewhere, those ST “looks” are easier to get.
There are plenty of IFers that can be OFers also. Saggesse, Torres, etc
I don’t have a clue why Torres doesn’t get more love?…. .441 obp
Torres chose to leave the team to play in the WBC. How can you make an impression if you aren’t there?
I like baez but i would rather seehow he handles triple A pitching before throwing him against majors. Better to make a mistake in being too patient than to hurry him up. That being said, if he keeps on performing at the triple A level, they shouldnt drag their feet either
Baez needs to get some AAA time in. I don’t want them rushing him as there is no need to worry about contending and there is only risk to bringing him up. If he has some AAA experience I would be okay with it, but Baez is only a season removed from looking like a flop. He needs to get consistent PAs against the more talented AAA pitchers, learn to adjust to their ability to locate better, and show that 25 wasn’t a fluke.
C27, Velazquez? Might as well at least try and see if they can find lightning in a bottle.
It will probably be Church though. I’d prefer Torres leading off and getting the spot. Even take .070 off his 2025 OBP and he’d still be toward the top of the Cardinals from 2025.Probably Church. Possibly Velasquez gets added to the 40-man and gets a timeshare there. Fermin could also see time there, especially if Velasquez isn’t added. So Church + Velasquez or Church + Fermin. I would have liked to see Saggese out there some, but with him playing on Team Italy, I think it’s very unlikely.
Our outfield may be pretty terrible offensively. Church/Scott/Walker could vie for worst offensive outfielders in the league. They won’t be worst overall simply because of the defensive side. Even with the defensive and speed components, we’re almost guaranteed to be bottom third at least until Nootbaar returns – probably bottom 5.
Fermin has a 40man spot and is out of options. I know the orgs scholarships in the OF will play, but if you don’t list Fermin atop the OF depth chart, who is it? (minus Noot). Play em’ all, let the players decide.
Maybe at the deadline? That’s Mo’s outfield at ST now. I can’t point at any Bloom footprint there yet.
In case I haven’t mentioned it lately I really loathe the WBC. Seeing countries play against each other does absolutely nothing for me. All this silly tournamanet accomplishes is to mess up spring training or get players hurt.
I second that GS. I would like to see more of Torres, he’s an unknown to me, just like Baez, Valasquez, Davis etc.
In case I haven’t mentioned it lately I really loathe the WBC. Seeing countries play against each other does absolutely nothing for me. All this silly tournamanet accomplishes is to mess up spring training or get players hurt.
I really don’t care one way or another. It’s fun to watch at times. But at the same time when you have players like Torres who could be battling for a MLB roster spot, but instead is playing for Puerto Rico in the WBC it doesn’t make sense. Same could be said for Graceffo and Saggese playing for team Italy. I don’t mind as much Levenson or Mendlinger playing because they weren’t going to make the MLB team, but they sure could leave an impression with some people deciding their career future. I think the WBC means more to the Dominican countries and the Asian countries than it does to most American’s though.
A friend and I were talking the other night and we both agreed, why don’t they do it after the season, for multiple reasons.
First it doesn’t screw up their spring training when they’re supposed to be getting ready for the actual baseball season and two they have to be somewhat out of shape and could really use the time preparing with their teams, trainers, etc.
Also, that way if they tweak/pull something or whatever it might be, then they’re not going to lose some actual major league time if they play after the season.The main issue with doing it after the season is the weather and football. It would be held in November when the weather is awful and they would be competing with College and NFL football and we all know for the majority of Americans football wins those fights.
The current WBS games are being held mostly in Miami and Houston. No weather concerns there in November.
Basically down to 14 guys left competing for 13 spots on the big league roster as a position player. 12 who are on the 40-man roster now plus Wetherholt and Velasquez.
Options are (assuming Wetherholt is in, which he will be):
1) Leave Velasquez off. Easiest option that saves a 40-man spot.
2) Leave one of Saggese, Pozo, or Church off. I feel like Church is almost surely in. The other 2 are possible, but Saggese is probably most likely.
3) Leave Fermin off by cutting him and losing him altogether as a DFA because he is out of options. Also unlikely.
Right now, I’d guess it’s close between Saggese and Velasquez as to who is on and who is starting in the Minors. Velasquez has had pretty good Spring results and Saggese is off playing for Italy so that could be a deciding aspect.
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