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I just found this on mlb.com. This guy agrees with you on the position players jnevel.
https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/cardinals-projected-2026-opening-day-roster
Would Oli and his coaches be so impressed that they move the WBC players ahead of others in camp? Since they already sent Torres out, that seems to answer the question.
So no guys who have been sent out can play in mlb ST games? Can’t answer for them, but “sent out” still plays right?
How does that matter?Sent out can still play in ST. But the fact that Torres was already optioned makes him an unlikely candidate to make the team. Saggese conversely has not been optioned.
I think the WBC means more to the Dominican countries and the Asian countries than it does to most American’s though.
Well really its about the players participation than the fans. I’m sure the almost 39K in attendance for USA games would disagree.I did see Korea-Chinese Taipei play before a mostly packed Tokyo Dome. I can’t speak for the Italians. I doubt many were up late in Milan for upsetting the US.
MLB will never agree to this for the Olympics. This is what we get and I think it’s great.
J, there were 10 of our position players in yesterdays ST box score whose names I don’t recognize. How many have already been sent down?
If both Saggese and Torres were still in camp they could be competing in games too, but they chose not to. “Why” is up to them.
Maybe Torres saw the writing on the wall and he chose the WBC over travel team duties? Or, maybe his WBC commitment led to an early “sent down”? Outsiders can only guess.
Long term? Embrace the OF churn until we have one. 😉
Well really its about the players participation than the fans. I’m sure the almost 39K in attendance for USA games would disagree.
I don’t know about the Italy game but from what I read a large majority of the fans attending the USA-Mexico game were rooting for Mexico.
One thing I’m getting really curious about is roster space. Today, the roster is full at 40. Wetherholt will almost surely be added. There are also 2 additional players making strong cases to be added. That’s Nelson Velasquez and Packy Naughton. I think there’s a really good chance Velasquez gets added because the team only really has 3 outfielders – and that’s with counting Walker as an outfielder, which some of you do not. Plus, Velasquez is right handed and that’s a good complement to Church or Scott. Naughton has longer odds of being added simply because of roster space issues, but he does look like the next best lefty bullpen option behind JoJo.
If all 3 are added, how do they make room? Nootbaar may go to the 60-day IL. That’s one spot. I could see them trying to pass Raquet through waivers or maybe just releasing Bruhil. The other one I have my eye on is our rule 5 pick Matt Pushard. Early results to me have been concerning as he is getting hit hard. It would not be a surprise to me to see him returned as we have plenty of relief depth already.
I think you are spot on jnevel. I am almost ready to put Velasquez as a lock for the opening day roster. He has had a really good spring and it makes sense to pair him with Church in LF.
Naughton also could very well make it. It appears that the final LH bullpen spot will be between him and Bruihl. That could go either way.
Someone like Raquet, Soriano, Pushard, or Roycroft could also be on the chopping block.
Thanks J, that helps update me.
Should JJ taking Prieto’s roster spot be on the table?2B depth: JJ, Saggese and Fermin could all make the 26man. Lets not forget Pages plays a little 2B too!
Velazquez for Noot is the least disruptive but who knows on Noot.
The pitching has a lot of ways it could go.
Velasquez is really shining! I have him IN as of 3/12. Church out. The OF/IF combo is either Fermin or Saggese. 3 positions 4 players vying for it.
Abe – IMO Church is 100% in. He’s the only other reasonable candidate to backfill CF if Scott were to be taken out or have an off day. Without Nootbaar available, no one else has even 1 day of real game CF experience (Fermin has 1 Spring training game).
If it’s a competition, I’m rewarding Church with the early season starts, he’s earned it. Both Church and Scott, is a necessity.
I mentioned earlier about it being a competition basically between Pozo, Velasquez, and Saggese for the final 2 spots. Well, I have made my decision. They are all 3 in. I’m instead leaving out the player who I have zero question about as being the least qualified for the big leagues right now out of those 14 position players vying for 13 spots. It’s Jordan Walker. It has to be. It needs to be. Jordan is lost. It’s not just his swing. It’s his swing decisions. Every one looks like he’s guessing . . . And guessing really poorly. He has to be optioned at this point. It’s the only decision the Cardinals can make.
He has to be optioned at this point
Walker should be sent back to AA. He needs to find a position he can play decently at a high level, or face reality and just work up as a DH. Then start over with hitting, this time keeping in mind he won’t be seeing a steady diet of AA mistakes when he gets to the higher levels. If he gets it together, move him up to AAA. I personally do not think he has the talent to play in MLB, but I agree he is entitled to a chance, which Mo’s buffoons cheated him out of.
I think they do have the guts to make that call GScottar. They seem a lot more gutsy and principled focus than the last regime.
I was certain Walker would be the starting right fielder coming into camp based on the dialogue. But after watching what is happening with him, it’s obvious to me something is majorly wrong. Surely that’s obvious to them too. I had hoped he would be significantly better. I thought he would at least be somewhat better. After watching him, I believe he’s actually somewhat worse. There are some areas of improvement in his swing, but other areas look worse. I’m not concerned about the defense. It is mostly fine these days. It’s all about the offense, which is nonexistent. Hard hit ground balls on occasion with a modest chance of getting through the infield isn’t going to cut it especially if he’s striking out 3 times a game. AA may indeed be the best answer, but I doubt they go that far.
Sending Walker to AA would probably crush his soul. AAA seems reasonable where he can continue to work on his issues without dragging the big league team down.
They need to handle his psyche very carefully as whatever they do with him has the chance to ruin him. Keep him in StL? He’s overmatched and can’t perform. Park him in Memphis? Major disappointment and what if he can’t hit there either? He’s never really torn up AAA in previous stints there.
Walker may be at a point with the Cardinals that he just needs a fresh start somewhere else. If things don’t turn around for him this year maybe Bloom can orchestrate a ‘bust for bust’ trade?
I may be in the minority, but I’m ok with letting Walker start the season with StL and see what he does. It isn’t like he is blocking anybody who deserves to start ahead of him. When Noot comes back, there will be another decision point. We will also know more about Velazquez by then. We have to be careful not to base too much off small sample spring training stats.
To be fair, Walker has been one of the the worst major league players for the past two years and ST just seems to be a continuation of that.
But – he is said to be working very hard.
I don’t know that there is a clear cut right answer here. It’s true that he isn’t blocking anyone at this moment but would he start for or even make any other big league roster?
If he does make the opening day roster is he happy, relieved, looking over his shoulder, or all three?
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