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The on-field product could get ugly if one focuses solely on Ws/Ls. Overall I’m encouraged by the investments in the player development infrastructure. If the Cards can build a MIL/TB/CLE type pipeline and buttress it with a little more FA spending than they do it could be their path back to consistent contention.
And as a side note the only obligation they have after this season is a 500k buyout to May. Everyone else is a FA or arb/pre-arb. I can’t think of another team with cleaner books heading into an uncertain world with a new CBA looming.
At this point with the viable contenders gone let Fermín be the RH bat. This season is not about contending anyway.
Hi Brian, I don’t know of lost comments but the engine seems sluggish. On my browser the front page often doesn’t reflect the latest post on a thread. Even inside a thread I often have to refresh to see the latest comment. Maybe it’s just my browser but I thought I’d toss it out there in case others see the same. Thanks for the site as always, good stuff.
OK, this updated estimate is an 18-20mm loss. That plus a lower gate and BPV cut might keep the DeWitts in house. It’s a stark new game when the only non-arb or pre-arb ’27 commitment is a 500k buyout for May. Not complaining as I believe it’s two years overdue.
And with the estimated 40mm haircut they took going from FanDuel to MLB the DeWitts may prefer not spending on a bench player.
Hays or Andujar would have been a good fit but those ships have sailed. At this point I wouldn’t mind if they stayed in house for the RH bat.
Shildt helped clean up the team’s fundamentals which had become sloppy at the end of Matheny’s run. The seventeen game win streak four years ago was incredible. He’s too intense for managing, He should do well back in an instructional role.
I hate being Debbie Downer but Utility GG/Silver Slugger awards are a bridge too far for me. Burleson and Donovan had good but not great years at the plate. If one of them win the SS award will be cheapened, IMO. Cronenworth is even more of a stretch.
https://x.com/JonHeyman/status/1980680791312007294
Scratch the Angels opening as they are going with Kurt Suzuki.
Edit: I didn’t see 1982 Willie’s post until after mine.
I’ll bump this one. Not because I have anything insightful to say about it, but it’s today’s game. And it’s Gray’s last start this year. I think he bows out with 6IP, 1ER.
The oddsmakers and bettors seem to agree with your Mikolas assessment as Seattle are whopping -235 favorites. I’m not a big gambler but that seems a little steep.
The forecast for the game is 72°, and it’s a holiday. They can sell 30,000 tickets for this one, right? The DeWitts better hope as Tuesday and Wednesday will likely slide toward 20,000 sold.
It’s another lovely 100+° heat index day in Tampa Bay. Let’s hope Gray has worked out his hot weather grip.
Donovan is a scratch due to his foot. That and his groin injury earlier this week hopefully get him on the 10-day to heal.
Andrew Kittredge threw his first immaculate inning in the seventh inning of the Cubs 6-1 win against the Reds yesterday.
I think the most significant signing this offseason will be another Maton-type deal. There’s reduced revenue from television. Attendance is poor, and that also cuts into Ballpark Village revenue. The CBA expires after next year which is another reason they will be cautious. If the rotation looks too lean they may do a one year deal with an inning eater. Otherwise there should be plenty of opportunity for their young guys to seize.
Just ride it out with Mikolas and remember the hard lessons learned with him and Carpenter about handing out extensions like those in desperation. Someone will need to eat innings anyway if they do trade Fedde, Matz, Maton, and/or Helsley.
Thanks, Mike! And I assure you the Gage family would never have resorted to the ungentlemanly act of baseball doctoring. We played the game with utmost honesty. My late, great father wouldn’t even allow us to throw curve balls because he considered them a form of lying.
Bloom was instrumental in developing Tampa’s player development system, particularly pitching. It’s the kind of org that can lose a Wander Franco then be back in contention 1.5 seasons later. He got a lot of blame for the Betts trade in Boston. However the ownership was kind of squirrelly so he doesn’t deserve all the blame. I’m looking forward to him returning us to a top-notch player development org. I’d love to see us return to cranking out starters like Garcia, Lynn, Wacha, Martinez, even Miller, with regularity.
I’m optimistic with Bloom taking over. I also think there could be 2-3 lean years as he ramps up the player development system. After that I hope we become a Tampa/Milwaukee, plus a little more payroll for a couple key FAs. Since they can’t spend with the large market teams they need to be ruthless in their payroll efficiency. I think with the shifting media environment, dwindling attendance, and upcoming CBA we shouldn’t expect a big FA signing soon.
The emergence of Liberatore has been my favorite part of this season. IIRC it was Bloom who lobbied hard for him to be a starter. That said it’s time to lean harder into the reset, rebuild, whatever it is. Aggressively shop Fedde and Helsley, as they should have done this past offseason. A reliever like Matz who can face 4-6 batters would appeal to almost any contender. Listen to offers on any big league position player outside of Winn and Herrera. If they believe Donovan is a keeper make an offer to buy out his last two arb years and keep him through his age 32 or 33 season. If not, see what he might return.
I’ve never liked when the team on the winning end of a blowout uses a position player to pitch. Anyway they are a team lacking high end offensive production and high end rotation performance. I’m not a big Oli fan but to his credit this team was better than the sum of its parts for the first half. But the water is now pouring through the cracks in the dam. I just hope any doubts this team should be sellers has been erased.
Mikolas has 68 pitches. Let him roll around in his own mess until he reaches ~100 pitches to keep from taxing the bullpen too much. Unless if they believe this pea shooter offense devoid of a .800 OPS hitter can mount a six run comeback.
