OT: Lets Go Birds! (All Baseball Talk Here)

[President Skroob]

If the Cardinals make no other moves, I can not see myself watching many games outside of Flaherty starts. This looks like a very boring team.

 

[TheGoldenGod]

Doooont stop...Belieeeevin

 

[Vladys Gumption]

I think Edman is due for some regression.

*Runs out of room.*

I don’t think that’s an outrageous statement at all. The question I think really is how much regression. If he can at least be a league average hitter, he’ll be a useful player given his flexibility.

 

[President Skroob]

Doooont stop...Belieeeevin

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Arenado would, Cardinals FO...not so much.

 

[Spear]

Arenado would, Cardinals FO...not so much.

I have a feeling that Arenado will not give up his option to op-out of the contract in 2 years. And for the Cards it's a requirement that he does. So this isn't going to go anywhere.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I have a feeling that Arenado will not give up his option to op-out of the contract in 2 years. And for the Cards it's a requirement that he does. So this isn't going to go anywhere.

We were fine with taking Heyward, Ozuna, Goldschmidt, so I imagine that won't be that much of an issue. It'll just come down to prospect cost and actual $.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Currently, yeah that’s about who he is, but he’s shown power potential and walks at a decent rate. He can be a league average hitter to go along with platinum glove level defense. That’s an extremely valuable player. You can sacrifice offense for defense at critical defensive positions(catcher, shortstop, centerfield). I’d much rather have good defenders at those positions than average hitters with average defense. Defense is consistent and provides value almost every game. Even the best hitters go on multi-week slumps where they’re effectively a wasted lineup spot until they get it back together at the plate. Bader will provide value to the team nearly every game by making a catch an average defender wouldn’t.

Bader isn't far off from being a Kiermaier. Hopefully he gets a better approach to the plate and just be a consistently decent batter.

 

[David Dennison]

I have a feeling that Arenado will not give up his option to op-out of the contract in 2 years. And for the Cards it's a requirement that he does. So this isn't going to go anywhere.

I doubt it's a requirement for the Cardinals, it's far from certain opting out in two years would make sense for Arenado. What if he gets injured? What if he doesn't hit like he did in Coors? No guarantee he would get a better offer than $164/5 years as a 31 year old.

 

[David Dennison]

Cinci adds Castellanos.

I'm not one who shits on Mo and DeWitt for every single thing they do or don't do, but this has been a frustrating offseason. Central division is up for grabs but they have only taken a step back this offseason. It just feels like we don't have a strategy, you hear they wanted to compete during Yadis last few years, but then we don't do a thing this offseason

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

Cinci adds Castellanos.

I'm not one who ****s on Mo and DeWitt for every single thing they do or don't do, but this has been a frustrating offseason. Central division is up for grabs but they have only taken a step back this offseason. It just feels like we don't have a strategy, you hear they wanted to compete during Yadis last few years, but then we don't do a thing this offseason

Honestly not surprised in the least

 

[bleedblue1223]

With Castellanos' defense, I'm fine with not going after him. I'm also happy that it looks like Carlson could have a clear path to getting time, instead of being blocked.

 

[TheGoldenGod]

Our year to year sense of urgency is not going to change until we have a complete stinker of a season....I know it sucks but I personally think the FO could use a little kick in the pants so I'd rather see a complete dumpster fire this season than the same above average mediocrity. Not sorry.

 

[bleedblue1223]

They are just very methodical and will wait for what they believe is the right move. They've made some big moves in recent years, and more often than not, they didn't bring good results.

 

[542365]

They are just very methodical and will wait for what they believe is the right move. They've made some big moves in recent years, and more often than not, they didn't bring good results.

This is exactly why they aren't able(or at least willing) to do anything this offseason. They have so much money tied up in Fowler, Miller, Carp's extension, Cecil, Mikolas extension(which I still don't hate, honestly), etc. that they aren't willing to spend big on someone else.

I don't really know what to expect this season. I can see them finishing just ahead of Pittsburgh in the bottom of the Central if things go bad, and I can see them winning the division by 10 games if all goes right. Goldschmidt, Martinez, Mikolas are the three biggest keys to the season to me. If they're all going well we actually have a pretty good team if everyone else performing as expected. We would have a great 1-2-3 punch with Flaherty-Martinez-Mikolas at the top of the rotation, and then we'd have the big bat in the middle of the order. Still not enough to win a World Series by any means, but we can definitely still win this terrible division.

 

[David Dennison]

Our year to year sense of urgency is not going to change until we have a complete stinker of a season....I know it sucks but I personally think the FO could use a little kick in the pants so I'd rather see a complete dumpster fire this season than the same above average mediocrity. Not sorry.

It's tough because half of the league isn't trying to win, like you really have to try to be bad in this league. Even if everything goes wrong that could go wrong this season, we would still probably finish with a better record than 1/3 of the league.

I could live with above average mediocrity, but this offense is trending towards bad. Are we gonna have an outfielder who hits .250? We are now counting on Carlson to come in and produce right away.

 

[TheDizee]

MLB


last place! woo!

 

[David Dennison]

And I bitch about doing nothing, but also, do we stand a chance of beating the Dodgers/Yanks/Trash-can-bangas? I would still take my chances, not much otherwise in the way of us getting to the NLCS. We would certainly need a lot of luck, but the Cardinals probably weren't the most talented team in 06 or 11.

 

[The Note]

I've never really been one to pull the "DeWallet" card or get on them for spending. I think they will spend money. The bigger issue, for the past few years, is how they spend. Having big money tied up in Cecil, Fowler, Carpenter (and not to mention paying some of Leake's salary) is why they are hamstrung now. They preach drafting and development --which is smart and definitely important--and they are great at developing young pitchers. But their insistence on locking up older players that they perceive as less risky and, alternatively, their inability to evaluate and develop OF's are the biggest concerns. They have little elite talent on the team. They won't pay for it in FA. They haven't been able to develop elite position players. Maybe Carlson is that guy, I sure hope so. But a disaster of a season forces some drastic changes and I don't think they will completely bottom out. 85-90 wins. Win a weak division or get in the WC. Get smoked by a contender. Last year was the ceiling for this group.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Yeah, we spend more than enough money, that money is currently just being spent on under-performing players. If Fowler, Carpenter, Mikolas, Cecil, Miller, etc. performed to or close to their salaries, we'd be in great shape right now.

 

[Zizzle]

Out of the large list of non roster invitees who do you all think has the best change of making the roster?

 

[bluesfan94]

And I ***** about doing nothing, but also, do we stand a chance of beating the Dodgers/Yanks/Trash-can-bangas?

I mean, I wouldn't have said the Nationals did going into last year either. Hell, going into the playoffs I wouldn't have said they did

 

[David Dennison]

I mean, I wouldn't have said the Nationals did going into last year either. Hell, going into the playoffs I wouldn't have said they did

The Nationals had Rendon and Soto, and even Turner had a better OPS than anyone on the Birds last season. We aren't even close to the team who wasn't even close to the stacked teams, and we have only lost our 2nd best hitter.

 

[The Note]

Dodgers trade for Mookie Betts. Their lineup is stacked.

 

[SwivelSchwartz]

Should've done a mini retool like the blues did a couple years ago. They have no real chance to win it all. Make another Liberatore type trade and go for it in 2/3 years.

 

[Zizzle]

Trade Carp and Fowler for a few prospects or picks. Then Carlson and Gorman play. Can they really be much worse? I would hope that both Carp and Fowler will be on a short lease this year..
I know this might be easier said than done but with the shift that they always seem to put on carp should learn to just bunt down the line. Might make teams think twice?