By the time Tommy Edman reached the Los Angeles Dodgers and completed his rehab assignment with a new team, he had already played all over the field for the Cardinals, even helped inspire a new Gold Glove Award while doing so, and still the Dodgers found a new position for him.
Cleanup.
The switch-hitting, utility infielder and former Cardinal had 11 hits and 11 RBIs in six games of the National League Championship Series to help lift the star-studded Dodgers to the pennant. He joined a small but notable club of former Cardinals while doing so. He is the latest of the players the Cardinals traded away to win a championship series MVP.
But Randy Arozarena was not the first.
Stretch all the way back to 2002, when another infielder won the ALCS MVP just two years after being traded by the Cardinals.
Adam Kennedy, traded as a prospect to the Angels in the package that brought Jim Edmonds to St. 不良研究所导航网址, won the ALCS MVP for the title-bound Anaheim club. Six years later, Placido Polanco won the 2006 ALCS MVP award with Detroit, though he became a free agent and signed with the Tigers after the Cardinals dealt him to Philadelphia for Scott Rolen.
That list has been joined more loudly in the social-media era by Arozarena, traded 2020 and ALCS MVP in 2020; Adolis Garcia, purchased by the Rangers from the Cardinals in 2019 and ALCS MVP in 2023; and now Edman, traded in a three-team deal to Dodgers in July and NLCS MPV in October.
You undoubtedly have questions, concerns, criticism.
I've got a keyboard and let's see if it can conjure up some answers.
As always, a real-time transcript of this chat is available below, under the winter. Scroll down outside of the window and you'll find the chat recreated just as if it was an article on . Questions and comments from chatters are not edited for spelling or grammar.
They are ignored if vulgar or violent.
And away we go.
Cardsfan: Congratulations to Tommy Edmond, but Donavon at his age and salary is a better choice for the Cardinals future, your thoughts.
DG: To me, the question isn't about Donovan. Edman was dealt from an area of depth, that not only includes Donovan, but also now includes Thomas Saggese and has to somewhere include Nolan Gorman, Victor Scott II, or Michael Siani, depending on the day or who is offering an opinion. Masyn Winn is the starting shortstop. Walk through the various positions that Edman plays, and there is an alternative that the Cardinals have -- and, at least at shortstop, there is a better option. Donovan, while not a switch-hitter, is very comparable, and has the OBP upside that adds to his playing time. Either Donovan or Gorman is at second, and that means that where Edman would fit well with the Cardinals is as their starting center fielder in 2025. That becomes the crux of the conversation. Would you -- or the Cardinals -- rather have Edman out there in center on the eve of free agency, or would turning the position over to a younger player the way to go?
Matt: BD3 mentioned during the end of the year press conference the org would be looking at ways to improve the experience at the ballpark. Has he expounded on that comment since? I鈥檓 thinking lowering food prices. Adult run the bases days.
DG: The Cardinals do need to offer more details, for sure, but some of the ideas being considered were discussed even before the press conference. They want to consider expanding the gathering areas, similar to what they did in right field, and then build out on that concept to other views on the ballpark. Late in the year, the did test-drive a few things with the scoreboard and different audio/visual updates to that part of the stadium experience. You should see an improvement there. (Is now a good time to talk about the Cardinals' need for a Win Song?) I have not heard about adult run the bases, but that's an excellent idea. Would that move tickets? Perhaps. You're going to see them look at some of the most popular theme nights and expand on those. I don't think there's going to be a lowering of food prices (thought we did see some closeout prices at a few places during the final home stand), but what the Cardinals are fond of doing is value-added tickets. Part of the Cardinals' research into what to do with their game broadcast has been how to merge whatever direct-to-consumer product they create with ticket sales, and maybe there's an overlap there. That wouldn't improve the at-game experience, per se, but it would be a value-added element to purchasing a ticket. Expect more on this as they settle on things.
Do you expect the Cards to: Do expect the Cardinals to try and move vets like Contreras, Arenado, Matz, Gray, et al?
DG: Some of them yes. The Cardinals will receive interest in Matz, especially as teams see his salary and contribution as either a starter or reliever. And he does not have the no-trade protection of the other players you mention by plane. The Cardinals are going to explore conversations for those players with other teams. Deals must involve the player. In the case of Arenado and Gray, specifically, they will take the cues from the players themselves. That is a conversation that the Mozeliak said he needed to have with the players and their agents as November arrives, so that when the GM meetings start and the hot stove begins to warm the Cardinals know what they're seeking and if Gray and Arenado want to go elsewhere.
Bryan C: Has Bill or Mo said when they will tell the fans what the payroll will be for the 2025 Cardinals?
DG: This is a key question for the team, for the fans, and for the offseason, and we're nearing when there will be some clarity on it. There is a significant hearing in the Diamond Sports bankruptcy case set for mid-November. As of today, Bally Sports Midwest is no longer. It has been rebranded as FanDuel Sports Network Midwest. That was the most recent step for the parent company in court -- to get approval for selling the rights to the network. In November, a much larger plan is at stake, one that Diamond is presenting to emerge from bankruptcy. If it is not accepted, the company may have the liquefy. That would be a huge development for the Cardinals, whose deal with Diamond Sports is not part of bankruptcy hearings. At the same time, however, Diamond has approached the Cardinals about renegotiating for the upcoming season. That could be a severe decline in the rights fee with the upside of regaining their rights at the end of it, or a clear path for the direct-to-consumer streaming product in the near future. So, we're getting closer to when the Cardinals will have a sense of their revenue from the broadcast rights, and whether it's going to be around the $78 million expected for 2025 or less, and then they can build out their budget from there. The team is expecting a shrink in ticket sales, and will budget accordingly.
Bkburk515: Saw your Xwitter post noting the rebrand of the RSN. Do we really know yet the impact this has on the Cardinals? Just curious if their payments will continue, and that may mean an offseason looking slightly different than what the anticipation was?
DG: As detailed above, the Cardinals are awaiting that same clarity.
(And, by being involved in negotiations with their broadcast partner outside of the court room, they are being active to seek that clarity. There are just many moving parts, and as you can imagine there is also leverage trying to be applied by the broadcast partner when it comes to stating it may drop teams entirely.)
bo: interesting to compare edman to Donovan or Gorman - not sure either of those players has Edman's actual track record and certainly there is no reason to suggest Sagesse or Gorman are anywhere near as good as edman - when do we start actually loooking at the numbers these young guys are actually putting up instead of hoping they will put up -seems as though that my be a problem for this front office
DG: For some of the players you mentioned, the comparison began and ended with the position they played.
Andrew W: "Is now a good time to talk about the Cardinals' need for a Win Song?" Sure. For this Gen-X fan, the song that is forever associated with the Cardinals and winning is "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang from the team's television ads for the 1982 season. (FWIW, the 1985 song was "The Heat is On" which hopefully applies to ownership and the FO.)
DG: That would work, for sure. It's got to be something that invites crowd participation. That is what is lacking -- and while it's not the same as a pennant or a championship or winning baseball, it would add to the vibe -- as the kids say -- at the ballpark.
Mike: Good Morning Derrick. I know the Cardinals want to go young, but every team still needs veterans on the team for leadership if nothing else, even ones that aren't trying to win a championship. Do you think the Cards will really try and trade off all of their veterans like Contreras and Arenado?
DG: It entirely comes down to how much money they feel they need to cut, how much they're willing to cover, and whether or not those players want out, want to go elsewhere, want to see if the Cardinals can find another spot for them to go out and contend. Leadership is a great notion, and certainly the Cardinals have fed into the value of that by pitching the additions of players over the past 12 months to that trait. But, it sure seems like they're going more boardroom bottom line at the moment than clubhouse atmosphere.
I am eager to see/hear/ask if their actions send different signals.
MS Bird Brain: Thanks a lot for what you do DG. Specifically thanks for the many things you do beyond those expected with your paycheck. "Know" is too hard. When will we have strong indication on the path for the Cardinals? I think, based on past history, we fans are probably over-reading the comments from the DeWitts. They said they planned to get younger/cheaper and put the savings into player development. Mo said they would talk to their existing vets about their plans. Many comments I heard (not PD) translated that into "tear it down and tank like the Cubs and KC". I would point out that simply utilizing the expiring contracts would buy a LOT or tech and hire a LOT of coaches. I frankly have not given up on watching Contreras and Arenado playing behind Gray in the wild card round next season.
DG: Thank you for the kind words. The GM Meetings, in early November, will be the first real clear signal for the team on its direction. It will be about the time that some meetings and conversations with agents and other teams take place in person. The agents being a particularly interesting group of folks for the Cardinals to meet with and map out their direction. This has happened in years past. A year ago, the Cardinals accelerated their pursuit of pitching at the GM Meetings (they had a call with Aaron Nola around that time, pushed toward deals with Gibson, Gray, and Lynn, you know the history ...), and it was during the GM Meetings that they met with Matz or that they began to see the reality of trading for Goldschmidt. It fits their M-O, and it fits the timing of what they've discussed, with the one issue ahead behind that it could come before they have payroll clarity re: broadcasts. Still, it is that week when we're going to see more indications of their actions, and thus their direction.
They also expect to have some hires finalized in or around that time as well as Chaim Bloom's presence at the GM meetings, so it will be the gathering of the group for the first time in the offseason.
Duffy: If Tommy, at $9 million a year, was languishing on the IR, trading him for Pham and Fedde makes sense. Do you hear any underwent from the FO of sellers remorse?
DG: No. But it's only Monday.
Evil Calvin: The new streaming deal for whatever the new service is called, won't matter. No one will be watching anyway.....especially if it's a cable-only subscription like Bally's has been.
DG: That is not the idea that I've heard discussed, nor is in it the description that the Cardinals continue to use which is "direct to consumer." Those words are key for what they want to create.
Jim S Shields: Do you believe that its best for the Cardinals to do a rebuild, or to try and compete each year?
DG: Compete every year. That's the brand, right? That's living up to their history.
Bryan C: With the Cardinals not trying to win a Championship next year, want the fall in attendance hurt the Ball Park Village and other of Bill's buisnesses down town?
DG: Entirely possible. April and May, the Cardinals recognize, is going to be a key month for them. What style of play and how successful does the team look in April -- and can its performance or its youth or its messaging capture the fan base in a way that makes them a draw, something that people will invest their entertainment dollar in. The early months are really important when it comes to generating ticket sales and interest. The question for fans is whether it's a simple litmus test for support: Do they need to win? Or is it more nuanced, and maybe it's also about the style of play, the team's personality if you will. They've won at times. But it's been since 2022 that the team really captured the imagination of the fan base.
Jock Ewing: Derrick - Odd question, but...how might the Cardinals honor Mo at the end of the 2025 season? Brief pregame ceremony before a game on the final weekend?
DG: Do not know yet. There will be some discussion of that in the ownership box, for sure, and they may have to read the room on that. They could do something at the end of the season, wait and consider when/how to present him a red jacket, and so on. It's not an odd question at all. It's just one that ownership is asking and will have to answer.
Cam: We know that the FO intends to spend more on internal development/MiLB, but has there been any indication on what they specially what to improve first? Hiring more coaches/analysts, investing in pitching/hitting lab, a new development model, etc?
DG: It's going to be multi-tasking. Expanding the staff is on the front burner, but all of the burners are likely going to some degree -- including the build-out of tech use and the expansion of what the Cardinals did pitching wise in the majors. The Cardinals have an assistant general manager position to hire to oversee the farm system, and that position will be atop the addition of other hires for the farm system. If they don't fill the jobs immediately, they'll at least signal how many they're aiming to hire. At the same time, some of the things that Bloom suggested are already being enacted. In the coming weeks, I hope to offer more details on those. That is going to be a part of this offseason coverage, for sure.
St 不良研究所导航网址 Browns 764: This season the Cardinals honored the 2004 National League Champions and the 1964 World Championship teams. Why was there no mention of the 1944 Cardinals WS win over the St. 不良研究所导航网址 Browns? The Post-Dispatch has not run any stories on the "Streetcar Series". It was the only series for the A.L. Pennant winning Browns, and the only WS where the two teams shared the stadium. Why has everyone forgotten this series?
DG: It has not been forgotten. I found one story in the Post-Dispatch. Just last week in the chat I answered a question about it, and it may have even been yours. I do not have a great answer for why there aren't more. It should be noted that the Cardinals mentioned how they were honoring members of those teams, and they brought back several of the living players from those championship teams. That was not a slight to the '44 team, just an emphasis on bringing in players to be honored.
Miss Playoffs: I am curious of your thoughts and evaluation of the Cardinals international scouting department. I can't think of a single prospect that they have signed in the international market in the recent past that has played a significannt role with the big league team? I am specifically talking about Latin America region Thanks.
DG: They've traded some significant international signings from that pool of players. Alcantara is, of course, the headliner, but they also swapper Johan Oviedo a few years ago to get Quintana and he was the Game 1 starter for the playoffs in 2022. That's two. And that still too few, you're right in running through the details. So, let's dive into some of the reasons.
Top international amateurs from Latin America can sign at 16. And they'll be 17 by the next year. A talent signed in 2017 would be in his early 20s, say 23 or 24 right now -- and that is about the time you see impact beginning or arriving in the majors right? This takes us back to the trouble the Cardinals have had due to not having a top pick in the 2017 draft. They also had limited spending in the 2017 international market. Despite having one of the largest total purses for spending, they had limits because of previous overspending, and they could not offer a bonus greater than $300,000. That gave them an excess of money to spend and an inability to compete for the highest bonuses out there. They were obviously aware of this, and they traded international spending money to get something in return for the space they had.
(Aside: This is how they got Lane Thomas from Toronto. They sent the Blue Jays international spending money.)
By just their age and usual development curve, that group will be contributing about now, and it was thinned by the limits.
The Cardinals do have Bernal rising, and he is atop a group of about 6-8 international prospects that rank in the Cardinals top 30, depending on who is doing the ranking, and you'll notice something right away that they have in common. The bonuses are mostly $300,000 and higher.
When the Cardinals had another reduction in spending here recently because they signed Willson Contreras, they still had a couple of the higher bonuses of the recent era. They signed pitcher Branneli Franco to a $800,000 bonus, and they landed shortstop Yairo Padilla for $760,000. Those are two names to note, players to watch, and could be part of the next wave, it's just that they're 17. Higher up in the organization, the Cardinals have Darlin Saladin ($200,000 signing in 2019), who had a strong season, and then there's Jonathan Mejia, who received a $2 million bonus in 2022 and is a top-20 prospect for the Cardinals, per MLB Pipeline. Seems like he has been that for awhile, right, and he's still not 20 years ago.
This past year, assistant general manager Moises Rodriguez had a more daily presence in the international arena. He ran the scouting there for the Cardinals before a promotion. A departure from the international staff/front office left that position open and unfilled this season, so Rodriguez's familiarity and success meant he filled in.
He, of course, got assistance from some of the scouts who have helped the Cardinals in the larger, global international market, too.
Gibby45: The Edman trade is going down as one of the worst trades the Cardinals have ever made. A NLCS MVP, a gold glove player who can play many postitions and bat almost anywhere in the lineup and we get a 1-5 pitcher who at the very best is a number 5 in the rotation. Yet you keep a 40% strikeout player in Gorman. This is total mismanagement,
DG: I'm not so sure it will. But I appreciate that you offered details to support your argument.
Happy in St Charles: What happens if Arenado, Gray, and Contreras say they do not want to move. Does that change the direction?
DG: Away from going young where they can? Not likely. The Cardinals have advertised the direction they intend to go in 2025, and it's going young, and it's reducing payroll. The sentiment of several players is not going to veto the direction advertised by ownership.
Bryan C: Are the Cardinals going to start letting their minor league starting pitchers and big league starting pitchers pitch into the7th, 8th, and 9th innings?
DG: That's the idea. Discussed first here in the Post-Dispatch, in detail.
Mike: Does "Hot Stove League" need to be updated for the 21st Century? Maybe "Forced Hot Air Furnace League?"y
DG: Hot Air Season, seems about right.
Chris: When I look at the playoff teams this year, it's the top 5 payrolls ($230M or more), the representatives of the AL/NL Central, and two teams that are now reaping the benefits of prolonged rebuilds (Padres/Orioles). It feels like there is a lack of economic parity that is going to relegate us to the land of the "have nots" for quite a while. Is there anything you can say to make me feel a little better about our future chances?
DG: Not really. In many ways, this is the World Series that MLB wants for TV ratings, but not for the industry. Two teams that could sign players the largest contracts ever and then also trade for some of the best players produced by other teams are meeting for the championship. At the same time, the gap between the big spenders and the middle-class clubs has increased, and that's just on payroll. Let's not even get started on staffing, tech, facilities, etc. The gap is wide there, and it could get wider with the salaries (size, sheer number) the big-spending clubs can offer coaches. I don't see the Padres as one of the prolonged-rebuild teams -- if anything maybe it takes a wild-card approach like they have (not playoff wild-card, but strategy wild-card) to jolt a middle-class club into the ranks. Think of all the edges that low-spending or mid-spending clubs have used in recent years -- Moneyball (identifying talent), development (nurturing talent), tech (amplifying talent) -- and how each of those is part of the Dodgers' approach, oh, and they can afford to sign a player for $700 million. The gravitational pull of these larger teams is only going to grow, and I don't have much comfort to offer -- nor is it really my place to do so -- other than baseball. It still takes a lot to go right to be a championship team, and a lot and still go wrong in a game that hinges on failure and probability.
But spending like we're seeing from certain clubs, is shrinking their probability of something going wrong, and shifting it to the other clubs. It's an issue.
TominUtah: We need to look at history. The Cards have won the most world series of any national team. Ever. And I would venture to say have never had the highest payroll.
DG: I'm not so sure. A few of those titles were definitely because they had the biggest farm system, right? That cost money. It's also worth noting that the Cardinals have 11 World Series titles since they joined the National League.
Eight came in the 50 years before free agency.
Three in the 50 years since.
Yankees: 20 before, 7 since.
Dodgers: 4 before, 3 since.
Greg: Wouldn't surprise me if the Cards were in the playoffs next year .... with the "youth movement". Turn them loose!
DG: That was a sentiment shared by chatters in last week's chat. The corresponding headline received the predictable scorn. They'll find out, and it could be interesting as they do.
GSW: Hi, Derrick - thanks for all you do, it is much appreciated. I noticed the transcript that usually follows the live updated Q&A screen is missing today. Is this a glitch, or a new development? (I was a fan, it made catching up when you join in the middle much easier.)
DG: I just double- and triple-checked. It's there for me. Might need to refresh the browser? Not sure. But it's there when I checked, and it's been updated recently.
Tim in NJ: DG, Thanks for the chat. If Gray and Arenado want to stay put and the RSN outcome is a losing proposition, would the money saved in salary from Goldy, Lynn and Gibson be enough to get the player development dept back on track and pay salary increases?
DG: That would be a sizable amount of money for sure. Let's do the math real quick.
A quick look at the money shifting around just in the example you game, and Gray is set to see a $20m increase in salary, and Arenado drops down $3m for 2025. So that's a net gain of $17m. The money dropping off from Goldschmidt, Lynn, and Gibson is $46m, less the two $1m buyouts for the pitchers, so a total drop of $44m. When you're talking about the spending on infrastructure and farm system -- just to give some context here -- that is a huge sum. Cardinals are advertising a 8%-12% increase in development spending, and while that's not a small amount of money, it is when it compared to free-agent contracts for major-league talent. A cut that deep into the payroll would reflect how much the Cardinals expect to lose off their rights fee revenue more than it would a shifting of those dollars directly into development.
Dan: You may have discussed this over the last couple chats, but do you see a scenario where they hold onto most of their high-priced contracts and just play with a familiar team, but also letting some of the youth in, like an internal first basemen and younger pitching? The payroll would be much lower with losing Goldy, Gibson, Lynn, trade Helsley for some great prospects, etc. As Mo has stated in the past with payroll going up, that could mean $2M and he's not lying. So it wouldn't surprise me that they go down this path, keeps his word of lowering payroll, but still has a very competitive team out there.
DG: Any and all speculation of this nature is fair until the Cardinals settle on that spending and start showing actions to back their words. Sure this scenario exists. They've not called it a fire sale, not even when given the chance. They've not called it a tank, not even when given the chance. But their actions will speak much louder. The Gibson option is a litmus test. Are they going to make a decision that is purely to shed payroll -- or are they going to keep him because of what he adds to the rotation, what he adds to the clubhouse, and what he could command at the trade deadline if the Cardinals are sellers? We will find out.
I'll do my best to stay away from speculation while encouraging you to sort through such things. I don't want to add to the confusion when it should be my job to cut through it with explanations.
Max: Hi Derrick - thanks for being here to chat, this and the podcast are my two way to consume Cards coverage. My question today revolves around the mental aspect of the game. Having played at a decent level and now having watched sports seriously for the past 25 years, I'm convinced that the mental side of the game is what separates good from great. That look Soto had the other night before he hit the home run was just otherworldly. He wanted to be in that spot - he relished the opportunity to make an impact play. You could just see it on his face. Do the Cardinals employ meditation or mental coaches for the players? Or do they talk about breathing techniques where players can calm their nerves in big situations. Just curious if you've ever noticed anything along those lines that might be a little outside of the box? Thanks!
DG: They do indeed employ multiple people who are available to the Cardinals for mental approach, and players are also encouraged to see out a voice that helps them in that regard. You may recall that Nolan Gorman did that earlier this season. Part of Andre Pallante's daily prep on his start days was to re-read passages of "The Mental Game of Baseball," by Dorfman, a name some longtime Cardinals' fans and Post-Dispatch readers may recognize. And there are other examples as well. The Cardinals had a mental skills coach there in San Francisco with the club during the final series of the season. And, yes, they talk about breathing techniques, if players are interested.
Ryan: If they don鈥檛 keep a few stars, they鈥檒l have no leverage in a renegotiated deal with the networks. That doesn鈥檛 make sense. Actually a lot of this hooey doesn鈥檛 make sense from a brand perspective. Sad. The elephant in the room. Pujols put alot of lipstick on a lot folks careers around there. The days of saying 鈥 we told you so 鈥 are over. Dewitt鈥檚 are going to have earn this paycheck. Not an easy sell anymore.
DG: I don't think those are related, at all.
The network wants to renegotiate with the Cardinals. The Cardinals would be happy to keep the current deal with its $1.1-billion payout and the big jackpot of the years ahead on that deal. They'd love that. But it seems unlikely. So, they'll entertain the conversation on renegotiating to see if they can speed up the inevitable evolution of the model. Star or not stars, that's happening. And I don't really think they need stars to sell it -- anymore than they need the wins that stars should provide to sell it more.
Johnny Mo: Looks like Skip won't have a prime managerial spot to land. Think he finds up in the Cardinals new, expanded FO?
DG: I do not, unless his interests have shifted to that side of baseball operations since I last spoke to him and others close to him. I'm guessing you're referencing the Yankees and Dodgers positions. Those aren't the only "prime" jobs out there. And we'll see how this all plays out. If anything, Cardinals fans should know how quickly things can change. Today's extension is tomorrow's irreparable differences.
Tim in NJ: Earlier in the chat you responded to the question about the fan experience at the ballpark. I still enjoy watching the game in person but I hope baseball does not over do it to the point that the game takes a back seat to the "experience." I'm not talking about Savannah Bananas type of game and atmosphere. Since everyone has a cell phone so much could be done on your phone to enhance the game day experience that the game itself sort of just plays in the background. Please tell me I won't be the lucky fan (of an in game contest) on game day who gets to talk into the earpiece of my favorite player on my cell phone while he plays his position. It just could happen some day.
DG: I have often thought about whether the next evolution of the chat is just a bluetooth-like implant that makes the chat perpetual and on your timetable. On demand chat, if you will. Maybe AI will do that? I shouldn't put that into the air. Forget I said anything.
Marpdagn2: Good article about trading Contreras in the PD today. Makes a ton of sense. The type of move we should be making. Get a prospect or two, shed his and Arenado's salary, and let the kids play.
DG: That article was by my colleague Benjamin Hochman.
You can read it here.
Marpdagn2: Think Luken will be given a decent shot next year to be the starting 1b?
DG: At the moment -- with the current roster -- he is set to compete for that role. There is a real discussion to be had by the Cardinals about the value of defense at that position, and who best has the glove that makes the most of an infield that has Masyn Winn at shortstop, just to name one GG-caliber fielder in that group. The Cardinals know what can happen when there isn't a strong defense at that spot.
Of the options -- Baker, Burleson, Gorman (?) -- what priority will defense get.
Marpdagn2: If we are going with youth next year, then VS II has to start in center. I believe we have pretty much seen siani's ceiling. Let's give Victor a shot to see what he can do.
DG: That argument has supports within the Cardinals' "decision tree," if that's the term that best describes the group.
Brian: Hi Derrick, at one point the Cardinals were receiving competitive balance picks, but they have not the past few drafts. What's the reason? I was under the belief that we qualified due to market size.
DG: They qualify for a chance, but they still have the buck the odds against that and be drawn for the limited spots. The success they've had in the standings until recently has meant they were a longshot for the pick. They got lucky a few times with one, but the odds are stacked against them doing it over and over and over again, unless they string together another losing season or two.
Ken: Hi Derrick . Speaking of the game experience. With all the help from mlb rule changes as often as possible what changes can we look forward to next year and in the future 鈥. Maybe only right handed relievers on night games etc ?
DG: I don't believe handedness limitations have been discussed.
Missouri Kevin: Derrick, I'm curious what the Dewitt's can expect of owning their own streaming service considering the ratings for Bally's the last couple of years? Considering the costs of creating their own service and likely downturn of subscriptions from a few years ago could it be that they keep the Fan Duel Network and a guaranteed pay day? P.S. Hate the idea of gambling being involved with MLB.
DG: Why not both?
The Cardinals need to have a multi-faceted broadcast plan that develops and grows revenue over the coming years. This isn't going to be solved or even finalized in the next evolution. They are being yanked into the future, and that can be a good thing because they needed to get there eventually. All teams did. But, also, all teams want the guaranteed money and the riches promised from the outdated, vanishing model, that the Cardinals signed their current deal under. Ratings are beside the point. They may play a bigger role later, and that's fine, but it's really all about the subscribers. The cable model was based on you paying a subscription whether you wanted the channel or not. The streaming model is you pay for the content/channel you want. By definition, that's going to shrink the subscriptions because no longer are people who only want cable news or Turner Classic Movies also paying for the sports channel they may never turn on. That's why both would be preferred by teams. Give them access to fans that want their product "direct" and give them a revenue stream where they are included elsewhere. To make this happen, blackouts have to be erased, and for years the DeWitts have agreed with that. And then they have to launch. The good thing about streaming is the distribution is there -- direct to the consumer. No longer are there issues that the Dodgers and Cubs ran into about getting a platform for distribution via cable. It's direct. So it can happen faster.
Missouri Kevin: Does MLB see the contradiction on Bally's/Fan Duel being involved with the league and someone like Pete Rose being banned? Do they see that the fans have more reasons than ever to side with the players on any disagreement?
DG: To your first question, yes.
To your second question ... hasn't that usually been the case?
Jojo Disco: I look at 2025 season like I look at a bad golfer, it鈥檚 fine if you aren鈥檛 good just don鈥檛 also be slow I.e. if you are going young, be exciting too. Steal bases, hit and run, etc. Don鈥檛 roll out a rotation of 38 year olds.
DG: Maybe we'll get a chance to see if a style of baseball can bring in the fans. I'd welcome the chance to try and capture that story -- and write with the same verve as the team plays.
Millo Miller: Derrick, I was informed that the Cardinals have posted several job openings relating to the Analytical Dept. Is that true? If so did they basically clean house in the department? Thank you?
DG: It is true. It is not unusual. It's happened before. They also have expanded the analytics department steadily over the past several years.
JB: How valuable was Mikolas to the Cardinals this season where he covered 171.2 innings but had the second highest ERA among qualified starters?
DG: I like this question. It's challenging. It takes something we've talked about in this chat for many years -- and I've really argued on behalf of for longer than that -- the underrated value of just bulk innings and providing them. And it asks at want point are those innings not quality enough to be worth the quantity. Where it actually backfires.
What we know is that the ERA indicator for when quantity of innings start to lose value because of their quality is after the league average. It's somewhere beyond it, worse than it. But can we get to a better number to directly answer your question.
FanGraphs attempts to make this point by calculating what the player's performance on the open market could command. An example: Shohei Ohtani's 50-50 season for the Dodgers would be worth $72.6-million on the open market, which makes sense. Ryan Helsley's record-setting year for Cardinals is worth $18.3 million on open market. Using that same metric, Mikolas had a season worth $15.8 million on the open market. A lot of that, of course, is the innings. He also had a plus-WAR according to FanGraphs, which puts him ahead of replacement player, per FG's formula. (Baseball-Reference had him at a negative-0.2 WAR, so slightly worse than replacement level, but still above average.)
How do innings play into this?
Mikolas and Angels' Griffin Canning had the same amount of innings, at 171 2/3. Mikolas had a the 5.35 ERA and Canning was 5.19, and yet FanGraphs had Mikolas as worth 2 wins above replacement and nearly two more than Canning's 0.2 WAR. What's the difference? A few. Mikolas had a run-better ERA when you delete the events that need fielders. So his Fielding Independent Pitching was 4.24 to Canning's 5.26, and that gap over the big number of innings would contribute to the difference in WAR, too. Mikolas was helped by providing innings.
StevieTheSaint: Why does there continue to be fan sentiment to bring back players like Pujols or Molina, when neither of those past stars have any interest in putting in the time or the work that it takes to be a good bench manager?
DG: Albert Pujols is spending the winter as a manager in Dominican's winter league, and he is quite literally putting in the time and work to improve as a manager, and also to learn if that's what he wants in his future, that kind of time commitment. He is, as I type this, doing the early steps of the job. Yadier Molina managed Team Puerto and also had a winter in Venezuela as a manager. So he too started putting in the time.
You've hit on two things -- the time commitment is a real challenge and concern for former players (as Matt Holliday realized after his hiring, as spring neared) and there does seem to be a default assumption that the best players make the best coaches, best managers, etc. That is not always the case. If you're interested, check out what Larry Walker had to say through the years about being a hitting coach.
In short, he would joke, it doesn't do a lot of good to tell a young player, "Um, do what I did?" Some of the best hitting coaches weren't the best hitters in the majors, just as some great players don't turn out to be grand managers.
MO: Do you have any idea where the the team views Jordan Walker in the field long term?
DG: Outfield, when they're asked. That's been the answer for more than a few years now.
wondering: Really hard as a baseball fan to root for either one of these teams in the W.S. yanks are hated by Cards fans and the Dodgers bought they way into the series.
DG: Don't have to root to enjoy. Welcome to being a baseball writer, right? There's no cheering in the press box, but there is an appreciation for a good game.
Tom S.: Good stuff, as always Derrick. Thanks for the chat. Are the Cardinals aware that this "reset" is a tough sell. By all accounts they are a very profitable franchise, and the notion that they have to cut payroll to pay for a competitive development system is ridiculous. I have defended BDIII, but this is last straw. I'd love to have an owner that truly cares about winning. Important to note that of the last 4 teams standing in October, that 3 of them had the 1st, 2nd, and 5th highest payrolls in baseball AND good development systems. At what point do all of the investments (ie BP Village) that have been the reasons for middling payroll pay off? Maybe the team should consider lower earnings since the franchise value has grown exponentially. Fans should expect better!
DG: They're aware. And you covered one element of where the messaging is getting muddled. Whether that's the media's fault or the club's fault is a fair and honest question. So, here's a member of the media attempting to cut through the confusion.
Part of why they're cutting payroll is the broadcast chaos and the uncertainty of the rights fees. It's not all about shifting spending to the player development. It's about preparing for there being less to spend because of softening ticket sales and the broadcast deal.
Jim: Has there been any discussion of Herrera learning first base?
DG: By the team? Some. He's worked there. It's not a new concept for him to get his drills in there, etc. There's probably been more talk about it outside of the team -- in the social media air. To which, I would caution that a certain level of offense is required from that position. An above average catcher at the plate is different than an above average hitter from first base.
DCG: So, just joining the chat and after reading through the first several posts, I can tell that Edman is about to become the new Arozorena. I'll just remind everyone that during regular season, Edman hit .237, and hit only .181 vs. RHP, in other words, the same same problems persisted. He has hit out of his mind vs LHP, beyond his past success, well past sustainable. So, I don't see any cause for seller's remorse. Let's find a different avenue to grouse about.
DG: There are others to choose from, for sure.
wondering: Ted Williams comes to mind who was a good mgr. but a great player he couldn't understand why the players he managed won't/couldn't be as good/great as he was.
DG: There are others, I'm sure.
piggej: I live in Kansas (from so. Illinois) and a subscriber for many years of MLB with Directv. What do you see as possible for me, and others, who do not live in proximity to The Lou? What do the DeWitts have in mind for my options to see every Cardinals game---which I have for all these years.
DG: A streaming option. That's the goal. MLB would love a universal streaming option -- where you buy a league pass with no blackouts and access galore, or that you could buy the access, blackout free, to a specific team. That is what they want. Choose your streaming example. It would be Netflix, but baseball.
Joliet Dave: Now that it is fan dual, does it change who will be cards tv on air people, will I still pay to MLB for my Cards streaming, or? I have asked you some of this b4, but there is some clarity now, I think?
DG: It's just a name change. As of this moment, nothing else has changed about the situation or the broadcast for the Cardinals. This is just a name change.
Ed AuBuchon: When can we expect news on Oli's coaching staff?
DG: They have a hitting coach to hire, and at last check that process was ongoing. They are closing in on finalizing some of the other hires. Once the chat is through, I've got the usual round of check ins to do today.
U R ON THE INTERNET BUDDY: Good afternoon, Derrick. Thanks for all your work this season. Which current Cardinal player could make a career in politics?
DG: Interesting question, and I hope that I take this in the spirit it's intended. From a service aspect and community aspect of politics, Brendan Donovan would fit those. He has a deep appreciation for the military due to his father and his family, and he has in the past year or two gotten involved in areas of the community where he can quietly provide support. One thing about baseball -- whether you're a fan or a writer or an executive or a teammate -- you meet a player when they're a young man, just finding their footing, and you see that grow, in their priorities and in their interests, in their role with peers and in their support of charities. I think some of the things that Donovan has discussed with reporters about his interests and his actions would fit in a role tangential to politics, if not like elected office stuff.
It's an interesting question because I would imagine a decade plus ago there was a more obvious discussion of this. Had Mike Matheny not gone into baseball or business, he could have been an answer for this, come to think of it.
Todd: Currently, there is some revenue sharing between the teams for merchandise sales, I believe. Has there ever been much traction for revenue sharing of broadcast rights/revenue for the individual teams? How many teams would have to vote for such an agreement for it to pass?
DG: Merch is mostly shared revenue. If we really want to get into the weeds, we can discuss how the profit is slightly better for teams when they sell stuff at a pro shop they own, but for the most part it is shared revenue. The Cardinals get a cut of the Ohtani jersey sales. There are shared broadcast revenues. The national deals and the playoff deals are shared with teams. But when it comes to local rights, those mostly go in the pocket of the team, and that is one of the major hurdles ahead for MLB.
The commissioner's office would love to have all 30 teams to bundle and sell as a streaming service -- either on their own or to a streaming outlet, as Amazon was recently lurking, you might recall. But, to date, MLB does not have that options. Teams like the Cardinals own their own rights, and would have to be compensated to be convinced to be included. And then there are the teams that have huge deals with their own networks who see high revenues as a result: Dodgers, Yankees, and now Cubs. Their motivation for joining the other teams is limited by the revenue they might give up with those rights. So you can see this will have to be navigated by MLB. It's really one of the more confusing parts -- and I get that -- when Amazon is talking about offered MLB games, but only from select teams. This is why.
TheCamp: Am I the only person that thinks that DeWitt is ready to cash in on his investment, and will continue spend 'small' on players until a true Cardinal fan, with deep pockets, buys him out?
DG: I'm curious if spending is the measure of a "true" Cardinals fan. What would merit a "true" Cardinals fans and differentiate that owner in your opinion from the other owners in MLB.
Mark: Sounds like we're in a death spiral... You mentioned above that part of the lower payroll is due to paying for development, and the other part is lower ticket sales. But won't lower payroll contribute to lower success on the field, thus lower fan support? And on and on...
DG: That is where the team has to provide results that change the trend or provide a pitch that sells the fans on the product. Also -- as I've tried to repeat several times here in the chat, do not discount the major factor broadcast rights revenue share in this.
SE Steve: Derrick I see the Cardinals rebuild as they must get that complex in Jupiter Fld. going before the system really gets traction.
DG: The facility will help, for sure. No doubt. But a facility is only as good as the philosophy that it houses.
Changes there don't need to wait for construction to start. They can make some groundbreaking moves before a wall goes up.
Andrew W: I miss your weekly radio hits with Bernie Miklasz. They were not only good conversations to listen to but timely and informative. So I really enjoyed his appearance on the PBIB. I have also enjoyed your guest appearances on Foul Territory. Is there a chance that you will be doing regular hits in the future?
DG: There's always a chance. I appreciate the kind words. A new season sometimes brings new opportunities, and I know that the year ahead is an important one for the Post-Dispatch and improving its coverage and reaching more fans.
pugger: A Steve Cohen Cardinal fan who can handle the financial responsibility of paying for a keen and robust development department to bring in the right young players and help them blossom. But also be an owner that says "If these 2, 3 players are going to put this current team over the top, and we have a legit shot at getting to the world series with them, I am going to flex the financial muscle to go get those players." That's what the Cardinals need. And please don't say the Dewitts got this, that player. They have made smart trades (last one Arenado, Goldschmidt). But they haven't been open, or been able to afford, to go get that free agent (or 2 or 3) for 30 million to put the team over the top.. The \Cardinals are a marquee franchise, they deserve that kind of owner.. Where they are smart, put draft/development at #1 priority.. But if they need to go for it, go get that big name free agent, they do it..
DG: How did all that spending work out for Steve Cohen? Didn't his team get better when the spending got smarter -- not more?
I guess he's active on Xwitter. That is one thing that maybe stands out.
As a difference from other owners.
Gregs: This is kind of an old topic but what are your thoughts on how they handled Walker? I thought that it was a huge mistake when they sent him down again last season. He had already proved that he could play at this level and sending him down again for a second consecutive season doesn't show much faith in him. Let him work through his struggles and figure it out at the mlb level.
DG: You've captured a bit of the bind the Cardinals found themselves in, and we'll see if this pivot to youth takes them out of it, or just creates a new one.
It's a familiar one for readers here.
The Cardinals made that move because increasingly it wasn't just about Walker working his way through the struggles and "figuring it out at the MLB level." It was about him doing that in the lineup was costing others playing time and the Cardinals were struggling to win. No decision with a young player and how much playing time he needs has been made over the past few years without the context of the standings, with the exception of Masyn Winn at the end of the 2023 losing season, and that's because of just that -- a losing season. He was going to play. He was in there. He would work his way through the struggles because his development (and others) was the priority not contending. But when contending is the goal and the losses are mounting and the struggles are real, the young players are going to be the ones moved, sometimes even if they're not part of the struggles. A contender just doesn't have the patience. The Orioles faced that dilemma this season. The Cardinals have faced it many times in the past 10, 12 seasons, and that impatience has led to decisions that they're not questioned for -- whether it's players lost who thrive elsewhere or the scenario you're describing. For me, the more confusing move was the demotion in 2023, not 2024. That was handled awkwardly and poorly -- and even then Walker was better for the time he spent in Memphis. This year, the urgency was real, was palpable, and the struggles significant. If anything, it was a bit unusual that Gorman wasn't set back earlier, and he likely would have been if Edman was healthy sooner. And then who knows what would have happened ...
DCG: An earlier chatter said that the Cardinals' reset will be a "tough sell" with fans. Do you believe that's true. I would think a fan base that likes to tout itself as BFIB would prefer this direction to the annual patching together a team that is not elite but just hoping to get in the playoffs, especially since the direction was no longer working. Given that the chat often bends negatives, it's interesting to me that the reset seems to be welcome in the this group.
DG: I believe that, indeed, could be true. We've yet to hear the Cardinals entire messaging on this, and maybe they come through with a way to pitch this to fans. I think it will be a tough sell given the decades of branding and history that they've had as a tailwind that now they want to turn into.
SE Steve: I was a big Tommy Edman fan, I also was ok with trade. Tommy was awesome time.
DG: Noted. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Wally: Hi Derrick, do you believe the only reason that Oli Marmol comes back next year is that MO is still in control?
DG: No, I do not. Ownership has a heavy say, as you know.
Jim: My question about Herrera was more thinking through is there a path to keep three "catchers"
DG: There is a path to keeping three catchers. It involves Contreras playing DH. And keep in mind that the Cardinals did have 50 games each from the three of them, and while Contreras' injuries were the biggest reason for that, it would be a time share if you had Contreras had DH. They've got to figure it out in some way because Herrera is out of options.
Dave: Hi Derrick, do you think the NIL rules will have any impact on the MLB draft? Will players prefer to go to college for NIL money as opposed to taking possibly less to play A ball? Or is there just not enough NIL money in college baseball for it to cause big changes?
DG: Sure. And also increased scholarships are coming to NCAA baseball. That's not a small thing -- and it could help really increase the draw of playing ball in college for some of the best HS players.
pugger: That's why I said that a new owner should prioritize draft/develop as the '#1 Priority' but have the financial muscle to go get players when needed... Cohen would not be a good comp when he first bought the Mets, spending like crazy.. But, he has changed his direction, Stearns came in, to build from the ground up... But, my point was, it's good to have both options from your owner.. I think we are in agreement big guy.. :)
DG: That model you mention, sure sounds like what the Cardinals sought to create from 2004-2015 and benefited from.
A team that spent above its market size because of the support of the fans, and a team that had a player development machine that cranked out talent despite picking lower in the draft. That was the model DeWitt wanted -- made changes in leadership to make it happen, and also invested in the structure/analytics to create that. So, they've been there, been an industry leader. And they've been surpassed.
***
After an exchange of punts, we resume the chat already in progress. My apologies. By now you have a sense of what had me stepping away so often from the chat throughout the morning -- and then for a long stretch this evening. Cardinals are pursuing and finalizing hires, and pinning down what's been done and what is about to be done and also what they want to get done was a large part of the day. Thanks for your patience.
wondering: Refresh my memory but who did the Cards get in return for Edman?
DG: Erick Fedde and Tommy Pham were the return in that three-team trade.
Millo Miller: Derrick, wouldn't Walker be best served in the outfield playing left field? Kingman, Luzinski were not great defensively but survived in left.
DG: This is a question I've asked, and maybe it's even come up in the chat here a few times. You could definitely make that argument, and there are examples galore that would support your point. There are a few other elements that go into the Cardinals decision. First, they insist that his comfort is part of the decision and that Walker has said he's more comfortable and confident in right. Second, there's a sense that there are few plays in right field. (Let's check, but oversimplifying. There were six right fielders with at least 1,000 innings and not one had more than 290 putouts. Left field had nine 1,000-inning fielders and three with more than 300 putouts, and of course center field had 11 with 1,000 innings and seven had more than 300, with at least one I saw that had 400 putouts.) Third, Walker's best defensive asset is his arm, and that plays in right field. At some point there is bound to be another conversation within the Cardinals about whether left or right is ultimately best for him, and then make that move if necessary.
Ken: Well Derrick we did survive a rather tough hurricane down here in Tampa Bay ( I wrote you just before it ). With no roof on the Tropicana field I hope we can see the Cards next season here. I鈥檓 pretty sure they visit next summer. Have you heard anything about where they will play ? I assume MLB has to agree also鈥
DG: Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times has been all over this story, and he's reported on a variety of options. One of the most obvious that he reported on was Miami. There are a few places that would be options, but they're not available or they've dropped out of consideration because the schedule is just too cluttered. Montreal, for example, is not an option. Places where they would draw for a Cardinals visit include any of the spring training complexes nearby and, of course, if they played games back at Disney, where Atlanta called home for spring for many years. They'll have come with a solution long before the Cardinals visit Aug. 22-24.
Cardinal Fan 1948-2024: In order for baseball to be a national sport, there needs to be parity so that any well managed team can afford to compete.
DG: I understand what you're saying and appreciate that you shared it. I'm not so sure I agree with you. There was a time when baseball was America's pastime and also the Yankees dominated. I think the notion of a national sport is somewhat limited these days just because we have instant, on-demand access to so many entertainment options. The options are manifold from when last baseball was the national sport, and that's OK. Baseball, I'd argue, is also limited by its omnipresence -- just it's there all the time. Missed it today? It'll be there tomorrow. From a sports perspective, football is more of the moment -- it's not there tomorrow. Miss a Cubs-Cardinals game, good chance they'll be playing tomorrow or a few weeks later. Miss the Packers-Bears game? Well, it won't be tomorrow, and it could be next year. Does that make sense? I think what works for baseball as a soundtrack to summer also works against it when it comes to being considered the national sport. Look, it has thousands of games and thousands of people attend a game somewhere every night of the summer. Every night. By that measure, we could argue it remains the national sport. And to remain that way -- I'm not so sure parity is the answer. It hasn't been in other sports.
Wally: Will ticket prices go up or down, or will this be decided by the broadcast agreement?
DG: With "dynamic" ticket pricing, you'll see them go down based on demand, and you definitely saw them drip in 2024.
Joliet Dave: Is Willie鈥檚 contract up, or sometime left on it?
DG: It is not. He, like most of the coaches, has at least another year remaining on his contract.
DCG: I have journalism questions for you. Given that you take seriously the responsibility of reporting only when you have adequate confirmation, 1) what constitutes your threshold for confirmation? 2) to what degree are you frustrated by the current "reporting" culture of getting things out quicky, often without much merit, often wrong; 3) do you have an example of news or a story you were sure was correct but didn't have enough confirmation to print and were "scooped" by other outlets?
DG: I welcome the chance to talk journalism, and I'll try to do this honestly and delicately. I do wish there were other forums for these discussions because I think you ask some marvelous questions, and that this discussion could leap beyond baseball writing. 1) Whatever standard is set by the media outlet and the editors for which you work. At places I've worked, that can range from having two sources on the record for a news story to a source with direct knowledge. In some cases, editors have required direct, official confirmation. It's always preferred to attribute and confirm as much as possible, and editors (like readers) expect the difference between reporting and speculation to be clear. The former is always preferred, and with some stories the latter is not permitted. 2) I trust that critical readers can see the difference. I do think it's worth discussing as an industry how the risk of being wrong has been blurred (or erased?) and social media often rewards the swift while the stone-cold accurate never catches up. 3) Yes. I would trust that every reporter has those. My editor has a great line for this: "Be right on the porch." It is possible to delete a tweet, or edit an online story. It is not possible to go and retrieve papers from every porch. Be right on the porch. That is a good phrase that does apply to being right in general, whether the porch is a Twitter feed or someone's mobile phone. Accuracy is paramount. Attribution is preferred. Accountability is real and permanent and should not be as fleeting as the next tweet.
CapePorpoise: The 43 year gap since the last Yankee/Dodger WS shows that top payrolls don鈥檛 necessarily mean top results. The presence of the lower payroll Guardians in the LCS also indicates that less money wisely spent can (with a smaller margin for error) still compete with the top spenders.
DG: Sure. But let's not selectively ignore how often the Yankees were in the World Series in that time -- and maybe it was the Dodgers lack of spending/direction that explains that, not the game. Again, I stand by what I said. Baseball -- as a game of failure and probability -- is always going to invite volatility, and for some of us that's why we love it. But bigger juggernauts the bigger spenders become the more they limit that probability, and it doesn't vanish, it just shifts to other teams that have to deal with more of it.
Marpdagn2: Sorry, next year's rotation: Fedde, Pallante, McGreevy, Mikolas and Gibson?
DG: Could be. That's one possibility.
At the moment, it would be a mistake not to include Gray in it. That will be clearer in the coming week or so.
Jay Lewis: Derrick, another fan that appreciates you and the rest of the sports dept. of the PD. RE the Cardinals having the highest payroll: I remember a national magazine ( Sports Illustrated?) cover picture of the '67 or 68' Cardinals having the first million dollar starting nine. Bob Gibson was the pitcher.
DG: Exactly. A famous cover, and one they recreated many decades later with Wainwright, Miller, and company. A good idea that SI had and executed well. Thanks for the compliment.
Max: It's going back a bit, but I'm curious if your reporting found any regret from Arenado for not opting out before the 2023 season? I can't imagine he was too thrilled with offseason moves the Cardinals made that year (it wasn't hard to see the innings deficit coming). Do you think it was more what Mo sold him during his visit to southern California or that he wouldn't have been able to match what was left on his contract? Coming off a near MVP season, you'd have to think the former rather than the latter.
DG: None. I would caution you against reading into ex post facto guessing. It's not like reporters haven't asked or explored that with Arenado and those close to him. I'm not sure how many more ways to say it or times to say it -- Nolan Arenado understood the complexity of the trade, the shared commitment he and the Cardinals were making to each other. You might recall that the added opt-out was not something the Cardinals or Arenado sought but was necessary to balance the current-day value of the deal given all the deferred money. Arenado worked to make a trade to the Cardinals possible because he did like the idea of being a Cardinal and being with a historic franchise. A lot of people who weren't present for the conversation want to apply hindsight to the conversation Arenado and Mozeliak had -- and it's worth noting that Arenado, those close to him, and others with knowledge of what they discussed have never said once that any promises or descriptions were made there that weren't kept. Not even after a losing season that left all parties frustrated. If anything, Arenado has been candid about how the Cardinals aren't going to spend like the Dodgers, for example. He and Goldschmidt both this past season were candid about their performance, taking on accountability for the team's record in ways that some fans aren't ready to put on them.
Miss Playoffs: This is a results based business (MLB), and I am hoping for a shakeup of our international scouting department will be made under Bloom. Their are other MLB teams who have international signees in their starting lineup and certainly on their 40 man roster. We need results and not excuses in this department in order to succerde moving forward.
DG: I don't recall hearing a lot of excuses. Reasons, sure. Excuses, no.
Paul W.: You made a comment about this WS being the one MLB wanted for ratings, but not for the industry. It seems to me that TV is the true revenue source for MLB, and ultimately what is good for the ratings should be good for the industry, except that its risks leaving fans alienated. How does MLB reconcile this?
DG: What is good for the ratings could be lucrative for the industry. That does not always equate to good for the industry, and perhaps that's the difference right. If good is measured in revenue, then whatever adds to the revenue of teams is good -- even if it means some teams are not taking the revenue and not reinvesting it into the product. But that is bad for the industry overall. Teams investing in a competitive product is healthier for the game, healthier for the leagues, and yes healthier for more fan bases. I am hesitant, however, to use ratings as this metric from which to leap into your assertion that fans are alienated. High ratings do suggest that fans are engaged, by definition. To me, it's more about the competitive investment of all teams or whether think it's not worth it because the standings have become top heavy with spending.
Mike: How much money do we expect the team to invest in their new development initiative? Is payroll going to be a one-to-one reduction? Or are they going to cut payroll by 100% more than the new initiative cost? Basically I'm concerned they are using the development thing as an excuse to cut payroll... when the team is honestly close to contending. We did win 83 games. We aren't that far off. And I believe this organization has the wherewithal to walk and chew gum at the same time.
DG: Again, the payroll cut is not entirely related to the shift in investment toward player development. Part of the cut in payroll -- perhaps the biggest reason for how much it is cut -- is the broadcast uncertainty. It's a two-pronged factor. They want to go young, increase spending on player development, and at the same time they expect their revenue to be reduced by ticket sales and broadcast rights. I cannot state that enough in this chat: The shift in spending will be related to the player development. The size of the cut in the payroll will be reflective of their expected dip in revenue for the reasons mentioned above and above and above and above.
JB: Now that the Cardinals have traded away all of their righthanded hitting outfielders who can play center field, will they be shopping for one this offseason?
DG: Probably not. They've got Siani and Scott positioned to be the contenders for center.
Tom: Would you compare the Cardinals use of the word "reset" similar to that of college footballs use of the "Two Minute Timeout?" They can call it whatever they want but they aren't fooling the fanbase. We know it is the two minute warning.
DG: I am eager to see how accurate and how cutting this comparison becomes.
Millo Miller: Derrick, a long day for you and just wanted to thank you for the time given to us Cardinal fans. Have yourself a good evening and catch you next week.
DG: Wish there was a Game 7 or Game 6 on at the same time, as background music for the catch up.
GACardsFan: Re: fight song. Anything that is not about another part of the country (read NO "Country Roads" -- think Blues owners should offer a discount to anyone who promises not to sing that song.) I don't know much about Chaim Bloom except he is young and has already been in the FO of two teams. Any concerns about his commitment or why he's on to his third team at such a young age? Fedde and Gray are very solid pieces of a rotation. Add an even stronger starter and you can fill in fourth, fifth with Pallante, Lynn, or minor leaguer and have an extremely competitive starting rotation. Lastly, and I don't live in MO so don't have a feel for it, but how important to Cards revenue is the betting/gambling amendment in November?
DG: There is no concern about age and number of teams. There is understanding of how he went from Tampa Bay to a superb opportunity with the Red Sox, only for it not to be that at all, and then onto the Cardinals. Such a move for the rotation would suggest the Cardinals are making a play for the division title and contending that they say they're not going to make in the coming year. It would be a pivot from the advertised approach to the offseason. Yes, they believe it's important.
Amar S.: With the Cardinals trying to reduce cap cut, is a Roki Sasaki signing possible with the space?
DG: Baseball doesn't have a cap, so I'm unsure what you mean by this. Space is just what a team is willing to spend.
MS Bird Brain: Your opening comments imply that Card management tends to undervalue their young players on the trade market, but then at other times we probably overvalue them. Two players we as fans may be undervaluing are Siani and Herrerra. One the Cards got for essentially nothing, and the other has been an international sign and develop success. I bet they will get multiple calls on both this offseason. Love to hear your thoughts?
DG: They will get multiple calls on Herrera, yes. Teams will read the option situation and the talent and try to make a play. That could come in spring training too as rosters start to crystallize and teams read the direction the Cardinals are going with catching. There's always a team or two shopping for a catcher in March. I hope to only convey that most every team with one or two exceptions can be accused of overvaluing their prospects. It goes with the territory.
South City Steve: What happens when "compete every year" becomes a hollow slogan because the results don't support that messaging? I guess the team can say it thought it built a competitive roster (clearly there are no repercussions in the c-suite for being wrong), but I'm at a point where I don't know if they really believed that or if they just thought they could sell it to fans?
DG: They should have believed it. They did spend -- how much on pitching? They could had the same slogan and saved millions by not doing any of that. Salaries continue to be the biggest tell of them all for how good a team thinks it will be, and the Cardinals felt and spent like they had a roster with the additions to win the division. The expected offense vanished. Just wasn't there. They didn't have that team they expected. Pretty simple. If they just wanted to go with slogan over spending, they could have saved millions, said the same thing, and maybe ended up with the same results. Instead, they had the first $200m payroll in club history and did not reach the playoffs.
Millo Miller: Derrick, greetings this Monday. Good to see Tommy Edman have a good series on the big stage. It would be easy to bash Mo over this, but Tommy is in a perfect fit for him. Lots of protection and length in that lineup no matter where he hits. Tommy just has to be himself. Your thoughts and thank you.
DG: He's also healthy. Something he hasn't been in several years. He detailed how the wrist was bothering him while playing for the Cardinals in 2023 and before that, but he was playing through it to provide for the team. The surgery gave him health he had not had in a while.
TB: Thanks, as always, for the chat. Assuming the payroll goes down next year, do you have any indication whether this would be a one-year 鈥渞eset鈥 or a new normal that we should expect to carry forward from there? Everything seems to be pinned on the TV deal, but it seems to me that Diamond/whomever isn鈥檛 going to pay less in 2025 and then go back to previous levels. And that leaves me worrried as a fan. Hope that makes sense鈥
DG: You nailed it about the TV, and as that unfolds -- well, there aren't answers now, and I get the wish to have them now. Fans and the teams are in the same spot and what those answers sooner than later. Today if possible. (It's not.)
As far as the one-year downturn, here is what the Cardinals executives said when asked about that: They want to be in a spot where when the young group they're going to focus on is ready to contend with a fervor, as they imagine, that they have the financial power to outfit that team with additions, spending to push them further toward the front of the division, league. Mozeliak used the word "timing" for spending, and he did not dismiss the idea that it would be there for Bloom in Year 1 if the Cardinals are encouraged with the progress they make in 2025.
Alright, seems like a good place to stop. There's something else I need to get to before the evening starts turning into tomorrow.
Lively chat. Thanks for the questions, especially for the variety. I appreciated the chance to touch on a whole bunch of topics.
Let me once again stress the facture the rights fees are playing in this winter and what the Cardinals are looking at spending-wise.
There, got that out of my system.聽
Chat with next week.