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This morning while I was thinking about the state of the Cards, I got to wondering about the talent within the system. Is it truly as bad as some (ahem, bling) believe? Is it as great as some (insert Bob Reed sunshine) are positing?
One thing we do know is that every team has to have an All Star participant every year. Beyond that there’s really no limit as to how many great players a team could have at one time. Some of our recently past great teams have included 3 or even 4 future Hall of Famers in the lineup at once. Even our 2022 club had 5 All Stars. But for the most part, the late Mozeliak years have been devoid of All Star talent. Since 2015, the Cards have had 17 All Stars in 9 years (no game the COVID year), including one All Star in 2019, 2023 and 2024 and only two All Stars in 2016, 17 and 18.
So the question is…what players that the Cardinals have in the majors or minors will be the All Star representatives for the Cardinals in future years? This isn’t intended to be a prediction, so much, but rather, who do you think will have the sort of star season to merit a spot in the mid season exhibition? Someone has to, after all…
I’ll start by saying that I think the cupboard isn’t bare by any means, but that the All Stars may be more of the steady performer variety than the star talent variety.
I think Masyn Winn makes some teams, probably the upcoming one sort of by default. Great defense and a solid bat will play, and he may already be our best player.
I think Jordan Walker will figure something out with his bat and make at least one team.
I’ll also say that Quinn Mathews will be good enough to make a team.
Finally, JJ Wetherholt makes an All Star team at some point.
Helsley will possibly make one but not with us. Goldy and Arenado probably won’t anymore, although I could see Nolan getting one away from here with a little resurgence. McGreevy and Hence have a shot but it’s hard to guess on a pitching prospect. I would love to see them be that good, though.
Making an AS team is mostly about having a good year. We have players and prospects capable of that.
Donovan seems like the kind of guy who would have had a better shot to make the All Star team in the past. He’s bound to be hitting .300 one of these Julys. Unfortunately, it may be with 7-8 homers at that point, which usually won’t make a team.
Does Pallante have any shot? He was arguably our best starter this season in his first full season doing it.
Winn feels like the most likely choice of anyone.
Herrera is another name that has an interesting outside chance.
My surprise pick for this category is Hjerpe. Yes, I know he doesn’t seem anywhere close right now. But this is a question about the future and I feel confident he gets there.
Pallante has been a guy who’s gotten results, especially late in the year. Can he do it over the right part of the year? You’d think he might have a shot, if Mikolas could do it. But he doesn’t have a huge margin for error.
Hjerpe is an interesting choice. Do you think it’ll be as a starter or reliever, Jnevel?
Making an AS team is mostly about having a good year. We have players and prospects capable of that.
It is really about having a good April, May, and June.
Then some guys get votes based on their past but I think fans are getting better about that.
Winn is the only guy we currently have who screams All Star to me but there are usually some surprises. Sonny Gray is still AS caliber if he sticks around.
Sadly, the Cardinals have no all stars. There are a couple or three slightly above average guys who perhaps one day could become all stars and a couple of has-beens who have lost their stars. But as of today, the all-star outlook is grim. But we love ’em anyway.
It is really about having a good April, May, and June.
Then some guys get votes based on their past but I think fans are getting better about that.
It has long been an all stats game rather than an all star game. To make the cut, a player does not have to be among the stars of the game, he just had to have a good three months. I have practically no interest in that.
If Donny were an everyday 2bman, I think he can make a team. He’s dragging that utility role tag along with him.
I know we have two well liked 2B farmhands, but I like Donny there, Gorman to 3B. Gorman & Burly got sat alot vs lefties, and I’d prefer everyday players at SS-2B.
In regards to All Stars, I recently saw a list of players with the most AS game appearances. I was already aware that Aaron, Mays and Musial were the top three players on that list and although all of the 25 names on the list are of the the household variety, the descending order of the names surprised me.
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