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Fans will pay to see winning ball.
Well, it has to be entertaining as well.
Technically, the Cardinals played winning ball in 2024. But they were not entertaining.
Well…they were entertaining comic relief, if you count the front office woes. They just weren’t entertaining playing baseball.
The Cardinals seem to have forgotten that it is better to trade a player 1 year too early than 1 year too late. When you throw a poor development system on top, you get a poor team.
Technically, the Cardinals played winning ball in 2024. But they were not entertaining.
Its hard for me to think of it as a winning season, and yes, not exciting. I think its mostly because they never made a run at the top all year. It was like driving across the country behind a truck on cruise control and never attempting to pass the whole way. There were no impact players impacting, no middle of the order thumpers thumping, no sign of leadership on the field, in the clubhouse or on the top step. The hollowest 83 wins ever.
Re: confines of the expense budget
Our ranking of 11th was during a period where the FO claims they overspent on the 26man, while robbing funds from PD.
This week, we review all 10 ranked #stlcards prospects eligible for the December Rule 5 Draft with special focus on the four added to the 40-man roster for protection from the draft – Tink Hence, Tekoah Roby, Matt Koperniak and Matt Svanson. (free) https://t.co/qm8DpIrNGz pic.twitter.com/iHGekQ344d
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) November 20, 2024
And here's the link: https://t.co/5RmB36i8hN https://t.co/i9OaUWCOEJ
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) November 27, 2024
Good edition. I like Hansen a little better than
some do. Nice junior season at U. of Texas in 2022 and then at PB in 2023. Not great at Peoria this season but might have been working on some things.In this week's pod, @bt_newberry and I review new signing Ryan Vilade, the first #stlcards Director of Pitching, Matt Pierpont, and the results of several dozen players competing in winter ball, including Matt Koperniak, Luis Gastelum (p) and Brian Torres. https://t.co/RRl6xwnuSA pic.twitter.com/j6BL44Ng8G
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) December 4, 2024
.@bt_newberry and I just recorded our Wednesday podcast with the focus on today's Rule 5 Draft and the 11 #STLCards players new and former, who were involved. Dig in with us on video and read even more at The Cardinal Nation! https://t.co/gwLIYQ0iEV pic.twitter.com/aKjHKf3AKf
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) December 12, 2024
This week’s podcast focus is on The Cardinal Nation’s #stlcards Top 50 Prospects no. 35 to no. 16. Discussed are newly drafted Ps Dutkanych and Holiday, 2023 drafted OFs Honeyman, Levenson plus Cho, A-ball starters Henderson, Salas (p) and Saladin, and others!… pic.twitter.com/aAodq204Pt
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) December 18, 2024
In this week's podcast, @bt_newberry and I unpack Monday’s minors coordinator announcements. We then focus on #stlcards prospects from no. 16 to no. 7, including pitchers Showalter, Bedell, Graceffo, Lin, Robberse, McGreevy and Hjerpe and hitters Scott, Davis and Bernal.… pic.twitter.com/wCxZTuBGRB
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) December 25, 2024
I’ve said it before……the frigid cold winds up here in the frozen tundra blow less cold with Brian & Newberry’s weekly Pods. There’s nothing quite like nestling down under the fireplace with a good book, cup of hot cocoa and B & N’s pods airing in the background. Thanks gentlemen!
In @bt_newberry's final podcast, he and I discuss the top six prospects on The Cardinal Nation’s #stlcards Top 50 Prospect List. Covered are pitchers Tekoah Roby, Tink Hence and Quinn Mathews. Position players are Jimmy Crooks, Thomas Saggese and JJ Wetherholt (p).… pic.twitter.com/RmsVyyXsr4
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) January 1, 2025
Once again best wishes to Blake as he undertakes his new role as a TCN lurker. And in his other pursuits. Seriously, good luck to him.
I am just going thru the podcast now and right off the bat am surprised that Blake has Herrera as the starting catcher, talking about at some point Crooks edging out Pages behind Herrera and to challenge Herrera. Really? I guess we can see if Herrera improved his throwing over the winter, but it is hard to imagine improving it enough to matter, it was so bad. I had him relieving Pages as needed, if he is still here at all in 2025.
I guess since Crooks is supposedly close, it doesn’t matter too much.
Also, I agree with Brian’s point about ML pitching being able to figure out Saggase and his pull-centric approach.
Herrera and Pages have 2025 to work on their deficiencies. If Crooks continues on his path, one of the two may fall by the wayside by 2026. If I had to bet, I’d guess Herrera as the survivor, too, as he has more to work with.
Really good content this week. I still need to cucke back to the prior weeks. Completely understand Blake’s points in Roby as he does still have very high upside.
After having looked into Wetherholt’s statcast data and hearing Blake go through his swing decisions, I am really excited about Wetherholt. I could see him being a top 5 prospect in baseball by the end of the year and being a future regular All Star. His profile will be very valuable with amount of walks he will draw and I expect a decent amount of HRs from him with a lot of doubles. Most TCN fans will fall in love with him I think as he is a line drive focused hitter with great swing decisions who looks to be the ideal #2 hitter in a lineup.
Maybe addressed in another episode, but will the weekly podcasts be on hikd with Blake leaving or will there be guest rotation? I really enjoy them and very much appreciate the content.
I also do again want to say a big thank you to Blake for the work he has done in TCN. His scouting reports and discussions in the Wednesday podcasts have fantastic and his more analytics based commentary has been great to see / hear. Best of luck to you on all endeavors Blake and I hope we see you on some future podcasts and lurking around the site as time permits for you.
ATM, thank you for listening and for your kind words. As of now, I am thinking of rotating guests as I don’t have a long term plan. I don’t know how Blake can be replaced, honestly.
I wish that Roby’s 19 inch run and arm trouble did not go hand in hand, so that we could have one without the other. If I perceived any reason to think that was the case, I would also have him top 5.
This week on Wednesday With Walton, guest analyst @KareemSSN covers nine #stlcards minor leaguers he especially likes, including both familiar and less familiar names. Join us! https://t.co/Q9mtFqtYtm pic.twitter.com/hWCx8GzmPp
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) January 8, 2025
It was great to have Kareem. I’ve enjoyed listening to and reading his stuff in the past. He unfolds a different layer of the onion with his deep dive analysis. Who’s next? Do you plan to replace Blake’s position?
Who’s next? Do you plan to replace Blake’s position?
Our very own Bobby Reed would be a dream replacement. Make this happen, Brian.
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