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Danny, Al and “The Cat” were omnipresent on the TV broadcasts during the heyday of Cardinal success from about 2000 until 2011. Those were some really good times to be a Redbird fan.
Jim Hayes probably made some money so he got cut. Same reason Fandual cut John Kelly, the long time Blues announcer.
What I find interesting is that both Cerfolio and Bloom both recently addressed their expectations for the player to use the offseason as though they were still employees. I don’t think players are paid in the offseason.
Victor Scott in particular is interesting in this regard. Victor was quite public of his love of music and dedication of his time in the offseason to his art. I think the new leadership will provide direction, opportunity, and an expectation that each player use each hour to reach his personal goals that are monitored by the team. Work without accountability isn’t effective. I don’t regard the team as too demanding; I just hear a voice that is going to bring a higher degree of teamwork and support.
I truly hope we never see that overweight plodding version of Gorman again. Think about an improved version of the best we’ve seen of Walker and Gorman next year. This team is magically different under that supposition.So I guess this is the right thread
With Contreras joining Gray in Boston that opens up 1b full time for Burleson.
Can Bloom make a move that does not involve Boston? Time will tell.
I really, really hope the Cardinals do not have Walker pencilled in on the 2026 ML roster. He needs to go ahead and rent an apartment in Memphis.
The of and right handed bats are still a huge concern at moment. Surely they will not go into the season with what they have??
You have to figure Arenado and one of Donovan or Nootbar is gone.
Not listing Walker, who does that leave to play outfield?
Scott, Nootbar / Donovan, ??
Right handed bats: Herrera / Pages, Saggesse, Winn – that’s it (I refuse to list Walker).
If Pages is catching you could DH Herrera but he will need a few days off – so as it stands right now we’d only have 3 rh bats in the lineup. Seems like a pretty big problem.
We go LRLR through the first 9 as of now. If you take Donovan out (L), he’s likely replace with Gorman (L), and if you take Arenado (R) out, he’s replaced by Saggese (R) or Pages (R).
Donovan
Herrera
Burleson
Arenado
Nootbaar
Walker
Wetherholt
Winn
ScottNootbaar may start the year on the DL too, but likely is replaced by Church.
Without Donovan/Arenado:
Nootbaar/Church
Herrera
Burleson
Walker
Gorman
Saggese
Wetherholt
Winn
ScottAlso they may keep Wetherholt in the minors and Gorman just starts in the first place.
Without Donovan/Arenado:
Nootbaar/Church
Herrera
Burleson
Walker
Gorman
Saggese
Wetherholt
Winn
ScottCan anyone think of a worse lineup (with the bat) than this one? I think Herrera and Burleson will be at least a little above 100 OPS+, but otherwise you’ve got Noot and Wetherholt as the only hopes to be average hitters or above. Likely the 2nd worst offense in the league, after Colorado.
I get the frustration with Gorman and Walker but have you written off Winn and Scott, too, as not being able to improve?
I think both of them can improve, but I think at best you’re looking at them being average bats whose primary value is with the glove. I would say they both have less than a 10% chance of putting up a 110 OPS+ next year. Would you go higher than that? Maybe 20% chance to get to 100 OPS+. I’d think Herrera and Burly will be around 120, Noot around 110 and I’m not sure about Wetherholt. I’d like to say that he’ll transition flawlessly and be a 120-130 OPS+ guy, but will he be up early, and will be avoid the hiccups that have plagued all of our call ups for the last half a decade?
We know we are rebuilding and the W/L will suffer. When trading away proven and chasing potential, we will cull many of our own existing roster players going forward, it’s the process. Our young players will have no excuses if they get culled, the runways are being cleared.
Sink or swim boys, it’s your playing time.The dismay expressed was over the projected 2026 lineup. Even if get on base types are improved over 2025, they will have limited effect without some RBI lunkers, which we don’t and won’t have.
I
really, really hope the Cardinals do not have Walker pencilled in on the 2026 ML roster. He needs to go ahead and rent an apartment in Memphis.
You may be disappointed. There’s been multiple quotes by Bloom saying that he believes Walker will have success at the major league level and that going to aaa doesn’t help that happen.
You may be disappointed. There’s been multiple quotes by Bloom saying that he believes Walker will have success at the major league level and that going to aaa doesn’t help that happen.
Which is the same lunacy Mozeliak offered up.
At some point, somebody in the Cardinals organization is going to realize the bottom fell out of the organization when they decided they couldn’t spend $5-10 million on a right-fielder, and instead had to push Walker up from AA, despite knowing he couldn’t catch a ball.
The guy has cost the Cardinals tens of millions of dollars in lost revenue and millions in profits.
But keep repeating the same mistake over and over….
We could add another outfielder this winter but it wouldn’t affect Walkers playing time until Noot is available.
Donny is also likely gone from the OF mix and Burly goes to 1B? Even if Bloom added two outfielders, IL time keeps making starts for Walker available.
Existing outfielders have a huge runway today. Get them some competition. Manage them like a rebuild should. Let the players seperate themselves.
Winn was off to a decent first half, but played with a torn meniscus that had to affect his second half.
I predict the Cards will sign a veteran corner outfielder to cover in left for Nootbaar early. If Walker is still struggling when Lars is ready, the new guy could move to right.
Edit: This is basically what jj said just before me.
I don’t think Bloom will let Walker flounder indefinitely in 2026. But I expect him to get a lengthy runway. Maybe July. Continued failure probably means the end?
I am very happy that Burly is now the everyday 1B. It is best position and he might be there for years to come.
It appears that more moves are on the way. I think Nado, Donnie, and Jo Jo get moved and I will go out on a limb and say Noot gets moved as well. Boston also needs a 3B. If they whiff on Bregman they could make a move for their third Cardinal of the offseason by going after Donnie or Nado. I hope Walker is in Memphis but I’m sure the Cardinals will give him yet another chance.
1B- Burly
2B- Wetherholt
SS- Winn
3B- Gorman
LF- TBD
CF- Scott
RF- Walker
C- Pages
DH- HerreraAlthough it looks pretty grim for Cardinal fans the current ownership now has the genuine possibility of realizing a potential revenue windfall in the form of cash reciepts taken in from the lucrative and now legal organized gambling empire…Willie Jr. seems like a guy who really knows how to handicap his bets…Vito probably taught him. In any case, I expect the Cardinals to be big buyers on the FA market as soon as the skim is fully set into place and takes effect.
Pirates are actually spending money.
I really think we are in for a last place finish in 2026; 4th at best
Not playing baseball in 2027 would badly damage the development of our minor leaguers and some younger major leaguers.
I know what the team is trying to do but coupled with the broadcasting rights issue – I can’t ever remember feeling this bleak about Cardinal baseball.
Not playing baseball in 2027 would badly damage the development of our minor leaguers and some younger ma
I can understand the younger major leaguers. But it’s business as usual in the minors.
ESPN.com: MLB – Will a strike have an impact on minor leaguers? https://share.google/zLhobogPRLHtnUg6N
That’s good about the minor leagues. I had figured they would be shut down too.
I hope the CBA gets worked out ahead of any 2027 work stoppage though…
A clarification. All 40-man players are in the MLB Union so they could not play in a strike or lockout. For the Cards if it happened today, it would include bubble guys like Church, Prieto, Torres, Crooks, Granillo, Mautz, Hjerpe, Roby, Hence, Bernal, Joshua Baez, etc. And by then, a new group of Rule 5 guys will be added like Lin and others who emerge during 2026.
Many of these guys they’d want to have playing at Triple-A. So it would still hurt.
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