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GC, I don’t think you are going to be happy with the results of this offseason because I have a feeling that you and Bloom are going to have a very different strategy.
I doubt Bloom will trade top prospects, so he will be trading from where there is surplus on the ML roster. That is 1B/DH, 2B, C. Who goes depends on who a trading partner wants and how bad Bloom wants what would come back. Almost no one is safe. Sacred cow is on the menu.
I doubt Bloom will trade top prospects, so he will be trading from where there is surplus on the ML roster. That is 1B/DH, 2B, C.
I agree, he has to declutter 1B/DH, 2B & C. I do think Crooks might be the one traded, because he needs more time in AAA and we will have five catchers on the 40 man.
Crooks might be the one traded,
I don’t think it matters much what catcher they trade, to be honest. I don’t see a difference making catcher of the future anywhere in sight. Who goes will depend what we can get coming back.
If they aren’t even going to pretend to try and win in 2026, then Crooks needs to go while his value is high. By 2027 Bernal can be the guy, and Herrera can be in LF or 1B.
Related side note, hoping Rainiel just goes to Springfield vs Peoria, it’s awful and it smells worse. Beautiful park though, just a hitters living hell.
The Mariners need a 1B, 3B, LHRP, and a backup catcher. Three of those positions, the Cardinals have a surplus on the roster. The other, they have a pitcher in his final year of control.
If we are trading a catcher then Crooks makes the most sense to me because he is LH.
I read an article this morning that mentioned the Cardinals have 7 potential OF’s on the 40 man who hit LH. (Donovan, Burly, Noot, Scott, Church, Koperniak, Torres) And that is just outfielders!
DO Not trade Crooks, Donovan or Burly.
I know Tommy Edman has had some heroics in his career. But here’s his slash line for 2025….
.225/.274/.382/.655(Just messing with you, GC.)
When you have 2 catchers, a shortstop, 3B and RF; all manned by rhb’s who couldn’t manage a .700 ops, that half of the lineup just can’t hit.
Teams threw lefties at us to attack our strength, because only two productive rhb’s scares no-one off.
I read an article this morning that mentioned the Cardinals have 7 potential OF’s on the 40 man who hit LH. (Donovan, Burly, Noot, Scott, Church, Koperniak, Torres)
So, Donovan and Burleson are bad at fielding in the outfield.
So far, Scott & Church are terrible at hitting.
Koperniak and Torres are even bigger questions about hitting than Scott & Church.
I wouldn’t mind the Cardinals trading with the Angels for Taylor Ward or Jo Adell, or the Red Sox for Jarred Duran or Wilyer Abreu. Boston can use a 1B and 3B, the Angels would like a 3B.
My point was that this lineup needs more balance. Our only RH thump is Contreras and Herrera. Winn is still a work in progress with the bat. Pages is glove only. Arenado is now a weak hitter and is about to be traded. Walker should be in Memphis.
Agreed. We need more balance.
Mozeliak created a mess with the roster by being unwilling to make trades to balance it, and Flores refuses to draft right-handers.
Hopefully, Bloom will be more willing to make trades to fix roster issues.
Leo Bernal as a switch hitter had a line of
.307/.360/.488/.848 in 2025.Joshua Baez had a line of .271/.374/.509/.883 as a RH batter in 2025.
Ivan Herrera had a line of .284/.373/.464/.837 as a 24-25 year old batting RH in 2025. I’d like to see him as a starter at 1B because I get the feeling that Contreras has lost much of his competitive edge although his veteran presence does have value overall.
RH batting Winn should be considerably improved as a batter after his surgery and rehab during the offseason plus the improvement that experience usually brings.
I am looking forward to Bernal And Josh Baez arriving at MLB. Hopefully, they both meet expectations.
And the still somewhat unknown but highly regarded, and possible future third baseman, Jesus Baez bats RH.
Bernal and Baez haven’t hit above AA yet, so lets keep our pants on. Its a long way from The Texas League to MLB, and it is a big risk factor. Sometimes it is smart to cash in and let somebody else absorb the risk.
Over the last two seasons, Willson has averaged 460 PA’s, Herrera 355 PA’s.
Righty bats need upgraded, but it won’t matter until we can pitch. Sell.I’m wondering if Noot will need consistent DH reps to avoid the outfield, when he’s ready. CB may want re-established health, and then Bill can call him a deadline chip. This winter doesn’t appear to be a good sell point on Noot. It could turn out Burly floats positions again due to his availability.
I heard Boston is looking for high end starting pitching and possibly a shortstop. What are the chances Bloom still has connections there and can pull off a trade involving Gray and Donovan? I have no idea what Boston has in their farm system, but this trade has a potential to bring back several talented players. Any ideas of who could come our way in a trade like this?
Bernal and Baez haven’t hit above AA yet
I’m thinking that since Bernal has had steady, almost predictable improvement over his years with the Cardinals, there’s a very good chance that his progress through the system will continue. Baez’ showing in 2025 was like a gift from out of the blue. If he can do it again in 2026, that will be two years in a row that he has impressed, and he could very possibly rank in the top 2 or 3 of TCN community ranking next year. I’m guessing that neither of them will make it to St. Louis in 2026 because of the CBA uncertainty of 2027. Bernal is only 21 years old and Josh Baez is only 22 years old.
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