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If winning a world series is the only definition of success then that is one way to look at it I suppose. Pretty high bar though. I mean the Yankees of all teams haven’t won a world series since 2009. The Mets haven’t done it since 1988. It is hard to do.
If you look at win % since 2011 the top 10 are:
1. Dodgers .598
2. Yankees .567
3. Cardinals .539
4. Braves .538
5. Rays .537
6. Brewers .536
7. Guardians .536
8. Red Sox .527
9. Astros .519
10. Cubs .509There are several large market teams like the Mets, Phillies, Giants, Angels, and Blue Jays not on that list.
I am glad to see the Rays make the trade for Peralta. They are going for it. Good for them. Both the Rays and Brewers have excellent farm systems. They should use that farm as trade capital from time to time.
Jnevel, I hope the world series is between the Brewers and Rays also. That way we can finally put to bed all of this discussion about the Dodgers ruining baseball, which I think is a false narrative. The fact that the Brewers and Rays have consistently been better than than big market teams like the Mets, Angels, and Giants for the last several years means that small market teams can compete.
Of course then people say that yes the small market teams can compete in the regular season but they can’t compete in the postseason. I would argue they can. The Rays have been to the world series twice. They didn’t win but they got to the world series which isn’t easy. The Rays and Guardians have both been to the world series since the Cardinals last made an appearance.
And willie makes a good point about the Brewers. They should have been all over Skubal this deadline. I’m sure they tried but they didn’t try hard enough. They had plenty of draft capital to do that trade. You are correct in that it is a bigger risk for them to deplete their farm than it is the Dodgers but flags fly forever. This was their big chance. The Dodgers did not want to face Misiorowski and Skubal in a playoff series.
The Dodgers can trade away all their prospects and have it not matter because they can always just buy whoever they want in free agency. Prospects for them are trade capital.
Why don’t the Mets or Yankees or Red Sox or Cubs or Angels or Phillies have all of this trade capital? Are the Dodgers truly the only team wealthy enough to have a smart enough front office to have a loaded farm system? I really find that hard to believe.
There is nothing preventing the Pirates from being the Brewers except lots of great decisions over time and a little luck. But they cannot become the Dodgers – at least not in the next 10 or 20 years – no matter what. It would take a huge population shift.
There is nothing stopping the Mets or Yankees or a couple of other teams from becoming the Dodgers except they just don’t have the capability to make the right decisions often enough. I don’t care how much money the Dodgers get from TV. They are still not wealthier than the Mets. They just aren’t.
The Cardinals don’t have a financial incentive to give up on Victor Scott. Why not see if he can turn things around while he is making the leage minimum? There is a direct correlation in the level of patience with the level of salary.
I would ask the Pirates writer what is preventing the Pirates from being the Brewers? You know, the team that wins the NLC almost every year. Is it that Milwaukee has such huge financial advantages over Pittsburgh?
The next time I hear someone complain about how the Mets are ruining baseball with their massive spending and financial advantages will be the first time. You know why no one complains? Because they DON’T WIN! It isn’t the Dodgers’ spending that irritates people it is all of their winning and if you think it is all about money then we will just have to disagree.
You remember when people used to moan about the Patriots winning the Super Bowl every year? Then it was the Chiefs winning it all of the time. I don’t recall people complaining about the huge financial advantages those two teams had. They couldn’t because the NFL has a salary cap!! You know the thing that is going to bring peace, harmony, and 10 different teams winning championships in 10 different years. Yeah right.
I agree that there should be some changes in the MLB system but the bottom line is that well ran organizations are going to succeed and poorly ran organizations are going to fail. That is life.
If MLB and the MLBPA were on the same page about a salary cap and floor and signed an agreement tomorrow implementing one I would be fine with that. I don’t think it would prevent dynasties but I would be fine with it because I think having a work stoppage is stupid. Instead Manfred and the owners are going to march head first into a buzzsaw kamikaze style. A shutdown will ruin the sport more than what the Dodgers are doing.
Most likely we will end up with an enhanced CBT with tougher penalites which is what they should be negotiating in the first place.
This article is spot on. Keep in mind that Manfred and Company desperately want the Dodgers to win another championship because they believe it will help them peddle their ill-fated attempt for a salary cap. A Brewers-Rays World Series would be horrific for the owners because it would bust their narrative to pieces.
Revenue disparity is an issue but there other ways to address it than a kamikaze attempt at a salary cap which will only shut the league down and destroy any momentum built up recently from popular items like the pitch clock and ABS. The reality is that this is about trying to drive up team values.
Tarik Skubal addition takes anti-Dodger hysteria to new heights as MLB lockout looms. Column, unlocked and free to read: https://t.co/nX8RTt6tFK
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) August 2, 2026
I’ll say it again…….is Tommy John surgery looming for Skenes?
And Misiorowski…. All of those 105mph pitches will catch up with him eventually.
No big surprise the Dodgers got Skubal. It doesn’t really have that much to do with money though. Skubal is owed about $10M so a lot of teams could have afforded that but the Dodgers also have one of the best farm systems in MLB. Must be nice to have the most money and the best minor league system.
Hey I am just glad the Cubs didn’t get him…ha ha
This team is a lot like 2025. Breezes through the Spring and early Summer looking like a playoff team then wilting on the vine as the Summer heat progresses only to limp along to the finish line with barely a whimper.
It was a fun first half but it looks like we might have a chance at a fairly good slot in the 2027 draft, assuming Manfred and his maniacs allow us to have one.
Yes Gorman could be non-tendered but the end result would probably be the same, which is he would end up with a different organization.
That physical description could have been how someone would have described what Lance Lynn looked like but he turned out ok. It’s all about expectations.
I never believed they would make the playoffs, but this kind of collapse is more than I expected.
Seems very similar to last year to me.
I did a google search for “What percentage of MLB players have had their salaries decreased in arbitration?”
The result was:
An exact percentage of MLB players who have had their salaries decreased in arbitration is not tracked, but the occurrence is vanishingly rare—representing a fraction of one percent of all arbitration cases. While MLB rules permit a maximum salary cut of up to 20% in arbitration, panels almost always award a raise or a flat rate over the previous year.
Would Gorman’s salary go up for sure? Is it possible that an arbiter might decrease his pay based on performance?
No they would not decrease it.
According to the Cot’s CBT payroll numbers the Cardinals have $53.5M on the books for 2027 but that only includes money owed to Wetherholt, Contreras, Arenado, and player benefits. Still 25 other roster spots to fill.
If he’s reluctant to a position change then he should be moved. Hopefully we don’t have another Devers situation.
Move him to what position? 1B is occupied and I don’t think I want to see him in LF.
A section of this article mention the Cardinals and their options at catcher.
What we’re hearing, unlocked and free to read. With @WillSammon and @katiejwoo. https://t.co/o3WZ8mo4qS
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 31, 2026
Cardinals armed with catching depth
As they look to sell off players on expiring deals, including right-handed starter Dustin May and reliever Ryne Stanek, the St. Louis Cardinals can capitalize on the industry-wide scarcity of catchers if they choose.
The Cardinals are carrying three catchers: All-Star Ivan Herrera, reserve Pedro Pagés and rookie Jimmy Crooks. But their long-term backstop likely resides in the minor leagues, with Leo Bernal in Triple A and top prospect Rainiel Rodriguez in Double A. The Cardinals have identified late 2027 or early 2028 as their next competitive window. The projected arrival of both catchers aligns with that timeline.
So, could St. Louis deal from their major-league depth? According to rival executives speaking anonymously to speak freely, the Cardinals’ asking prices are high, and there are concerns Herrera might not be a catcher long-term.
Herrera’s arm has always been a weakness, and he has thrown out just one of 29 attempted base stealers this year. That the Cardinals would prefer he catches no more than twice a week is also a telling sign that they don’t see Herrera as their long-term solution at the position.
The Cardinals, though, are exceptionally high on his bat, and don’t feel particularly inclined to move him, those executives say. The Cardinals are also high on Pagés as a backup, citing his preparedness, game-planning and strong relationship with pitchers. Thus, the catcher the Cardinals would be most open to moving is Crooks, a 25-year-old left-handed hitter who won’t be eligible for arbitration until 2029.
President of baseball operations Chaim Bloom will listen on all three players if the right prospect package is involved, but as he prepares for his first deadline at the helm of the Cardinals, he is under no pressure to make a deal.
Gorman is probably done with the organization because he is on an arbitration salary that will only continue to escalate.
Scott doesn’t reach arbitration until 2028 so I think he stays.
My guess is that Libby stays in the rotation and Mathews takes May’s spot.
Or they could bring Dobbins back up for the rotation and put Libby in the pen.
Is Mathews about to get called up?
Notable change in Memphis Redbirds’ pitching plans. Quinn Mathews was originally scheduled to start today for Redbirds. That isn’t the case, officially. #stlcards were still finalizing Toronto series plans today. Have discussed Mathews as an option for MLB start at some point. pic.twitter.com/TXl1u7IOS9
— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) July 30, 2026
Assad has always been tough against the Cardinals or at least that is my impression. Hopefully we can get to him today.
DH or 1B.
I am not a fan of him catching since the last time he threw out a runner at second was September 1, 2024 but the Cardinals seem enamored with it. Actually what they are enamored with are his 2025 offensive numbers being slotted into the catcher’s spot. Supposedly that increases his value. The problem is that his 2025 numbers are not showing up this year. Even after last night’s heroics is OPS is almost 100 points lower than last year.