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The scenario Pugs mentioned is we’re buyers because we’re in it and what do we have to trade? In that case, you don’t want to close a hole by creating another. Rather, you trade excess to plug the hole. I don’t think May or Romero would be excess. Who would replace May for a stretch run? Who would replace Romero? Pitching is not an area of excess. I can’t see that we have anything of substantial value that we wouldn’t need for a stretch run, assuming top level prospects are off the table.
If anything, we have catchers trade but – let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet.
The season could still go either way.
On the glass half full side, if Noot comes back 100% and you replace Scott in the lineup AND Walker keeps it up AND there are no major injuries then – this surely has to be a playoff team.
You always, always, always need more pitching. Do we have any at AAA pushing for a call up?
Mark me down as flat-out surprised we have the W-L record we do with one-fourth of the season gone. I would never have put money down that we’d be above .500 at nearly any point after the season began, much less 8 games above. That’s probably why I don’t bet on things unless I’m sure I’m right. When Donovan got his transfer papers, that took what was left of my confidence in a decent showing for this team away for this year.
So mark me down as Mr. Wrong-O. Wetherholt has played so well, it is almost like Donny never left.If we are 4-5 games above .500 by mid July, I say we gotta go for it, if for nothing else to bolster the “we’re back!” mentality for the city of St. Louis.
I say if this turns out to be the case we can be a buyer at that point, not a seller. You can always sell over the winter. I’d be hard pressed to let anybody go at the trade deadline that has improved themselves substantially over the previous year and has truly helped the team, but if the proper man became available that filled a long term need here (I’m thinking pitching or a bona fide power hitting outfielder that hits both lefties and righties), I’d be OK with getting him using other means. It appears we have plenty of goods in the pipeline on the way up, save maybe starting pitching, that we could vend.Great post Pinballer! Until you brought up Donovan, I had not even thought of him for weeks…..and I loved him as a Cardinal. I’m sure when Donny was dealt, he was relieved to be jumping off a fledgling ship and onto one that was full speed ahead.
For this team to really make a run at things, either a starting pitcher from the farm is going to have to emerge to the big club and not be average or slightly above average, but superb. Or one needs to be acquired in trade. If this were to occur, I think we can say goodbye to someone we all have sky-high hopes for…….would Raniel Rodriguez please stand up. Who in their right mind would have ever imagined in their wildest dreams that coming into this season that the 2026 St. Louis Cardinals would prove to be buyers at the deadline?
Trading Rainiel I feel pretty confident is not on the list of things that will happen this summer even if they are in contention. Getting potential middle of the order bats is very hard and I would firmly say he is on the no trade list.
If they want to trade for a pitcher, I would look at one of Crooks/Bernal. Even if we aren’t in contention 1 of the 2 may be traded anyway. I would like to see the Cards and Rays try to line up on an upper minors 1 for 1 trade. The Rays need catchers and the Cards could use on of their uppers minors pitchers. I would look at a 1 for 1 trade of Jimmy Crooks for Brody Hopkins.
I would exercise caution when thinking about buying at the trade deadline. I’d love to see us do well, but our stats dont support it. We are 21st in runs scored, 12th in batting average, 13th in obp. The pitching stats are worse, 17th in era, 21st in whip, 29th in strikeouts, 22nd in bullpen. I’m just thinking we’re improving, but we have a long ways to go. Walker, Wetherholt, McGreevy have terrific, but Gorman, Scott, Stanek, Svanson, Pallante need to improve or be replaced.
Rodriguez should in no way be traded. With Wetherholt graduated, Rodriguez is now are top prospect, although Doyle has been really good the last 2 starts. As far as help from the minors, maybe Dobbins, Mautz or Mathews could have impact.
I think we need a third baseman, an outfielder or 2, 2-3 starting pitchers and relievers. There are many holes on this team.
Crooks is the most likely to be traded of the catchers. He’s ready now for the most part and the tandem we have today is doing just fine. We can afford to wait a year on Bernal and get a better idea of what we have in Raniel by then.
My guess would be if the team is in contention at the deadline, then the main thing they do is not trade away May, Romero, and Stanek. That, and they see what they can get for Crooks plus someone else (Leahy or Pallante maybe) for a starting pitcher who might fit longer term (not a 1/2 season rental). They may also get a veteran bullpen guy for a lower prospect, but I don’t think they will need that with the arms that could come from Memphis.
I don’t see Pallante being worth much, although I would like to see Mautz, Mathews, or Dobbins replacing Pallante in the rotation.
I agree with jnevel in that if the Cards are still in contention in mid-July they will probably stand pat. If they fall out of contention then they will obviously sell. I can’t envision a scenario in which they do much buying unless they see what they can get for Crooks. I think they will pretty much stick to the rebuild blueprint.
While I am very pleased and surprised at the results thus far one word of caution I would offer is that so far we have had almost no injuries at the big league level. Not one starter has missed a start and almost no position players have missed much except for Noot. Winn and Urias have missed a few games but not much. Is this really sustainable? We know that we don’t have a lot of proven big league depth right now so a few injuries to the wrong people could send us in a tailspin.
If the cardinals trade raniel, i would stop being a fan that very day. Doesnt matter what they got for him.
If Cards really want to improve and grab a playoff spot…I think it’s imperative they bring up Crooks & Blaze. How much better could they be with these two in the lineup against lefty’s? How much deeper would our starting 9 be with them in the offense?
I think we all know what we have with guys like Pages, Scott, and Saggese.
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