The Cardinals have already gotten a jump on their offseason business, and with some money likely available to be spent, some major upgrades could be made to the 2022 roster.
Guaranteed Contracts
- Nolan Arenado, 3B: $164MM through 2027 (Arenado has declined to use his opt-out clause following the season; he can opt out of contract following 2022 season)
- Paul Goldschmidt, 1B: $77MM through 2024
- Miles Mikolas, SP: $33.5MM through 2023
- Adam Wainwright, SP: $17.5MM through 2022
- Paul DeJong, SS: $17MM through 2023 (includes $2MM buyout of $12.5MM club option for 2024)(Cardinals also have $15MM club option for 2025 season, with a $1MM buyout)
- Yadier Molina, C: $10MM through 2022
Arbitration-Eligible Players (projected 2022 salaries via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)
- Alex Reyes – $3.3MM
- Harrison Bader – $3.7MM
- Jack Flaherty – $5.1MM
- Jordan Hicks – $1.0MM
- Giovanny Gallegos – $2.8MM
- Dakota Hudson – $1.7MM
- Tyler O’Neill – $3.5MM
Option Decisions
- Matt Carpenter, IF: $18.5MM club option for 2022 ($2MM buyout)
- Carlos Martinez, SP: $17MM club option for 2022 ($500K buyout)(Cardinals also have $18M club option for 2023 season, with a $500K buyout)
Free Agents
While the Cardinals’ club-record 17-game winning streak was a nice twist for this year’s squad, the late-season surge has almost become routine in St. Louis. Over the last six years, the Cards are 239-238 in the first halves of seasons, and then a whopping 229-162 in the second half.
As fun as these late charges are, St. Louis fans probably wouldn’t mind a team that can actually bank a few more wins earlier in the year, since the Cardinals have only one division title in those six seasons. A few more wins in October also wouldn’t hurt; the Cards fell short in the playoffs for the third straight year, losing to the Dodgers in the NL Wild Card game.
Despite another early postseason exit, it was assumed that manager Mike Shildt’s job was perfectly safe, which is why his firing on Oct. 14 caught many in baseball by surprise. In the phrasing of president of baseball operations John Mozeliak, there were simply too many “philosophical differences” between Shildt and the front office for the relationship to continue, and thus bench coach Oliver Marmol was promoted to the top job in the dugout after the team held a relatively brief managerial search.
The 35-year-old Marmol is baseball’s youngest manager, though he has long been considered a future managerial candidate and (with his entire 15-year professional spent in the St. Louis organization) is no stranger to “The Cardinal Way.” He won’t have the benefit of a learning curve, however, as Cards fans are getting impatient after eight seasons without a World Series appearance.
Despite the deflating ending, there are plenty of positives to be found from the Cards’ season. Nolan Arenado came as advertised, Edmundo Sosa emerged as a nice surprise in the middle infield, and the Cardinals’ outfield went from a question mark to a major strength. Tyler O’Neill had a breakout year, Dylan Carlson had a strong showing in his first full MLB season, and Harrison Bader made a case for himself as a regular by hitting well against both left-handed and right-handed pitching. Considering that all three also displayed standout defense in addition to their strong hitting, the Cards suddenly had one of baseball’s top all-around outfield trios.
With the three outfielders all blossoming at once, 2021 had some vague feeling of a changing of the guard in St. Louis, and yet how different could things really be with Adam Wainwright still throwing to Yadier Molina? After the two franchise icons were re-signed relatively late last offseason, the Cardinals wasted no time in arranging reunions for 2022, signing Molina to a one-year extension in August and then inking Wainwright to another one-year pact in September.
Molina has announced that 2022 will be his final season, so the catcher will finally be hanging up the cleats after 19 years in the majors. Even in his age-38 season, Molina was still delivering quality defense and roughly average offensive production for a catcher, and his game-calling skills and clubhouse leadership are valued almost beyond measure in St. Louis.
Wainwright will return with a hefty raise, going from $8MM in 2021 to $17.5MM next season thanks to an outstanding year that could net him some down-ballot Cy Young Award votes. Though it seemed Wainwright’s career was winding down after a pair of injury-plagued and generally lackluster seasons in 2017-18, the veteran right-hander has found a second wind, and he has quietly been one of baseball’s better starters over the last two years.
Re-signing Molina and Wainwright for a collective $10.5MM increase on their 2021 salaries might have been a little unexpected for the St. Louis front office, yet it is certainly a price the team is comfortable paying, particularly since a lot of other money is coming off the books. Longtime Cardinals Matt Carpenter and Carlos Martinez have multiple seasons of struggles now under their belts, and the Cards are sure to decline expensive club options on both players.
Andrew Miller’s free agency opens up another $12MM in salary, and the Cardinals will also be entirely free of Dexter Fowler’s contract. That puts the payroll for 2022 at roughly $137.22MM, per Roster Resource. Since the Cardinals’ payroll approached $174MM at the end of the 2019 season, there would seem to be room for Mozeliak to add at least one more big contract.
Between Arenado, Molina, O’Neill, Carlson, Bader, and the ever-dangerous Paul Goldschmidt, the Cardinals already have a lot of their position player mix settled. There is much to be decided with the middle infield, however, and the possibility of the DH coming to the National League in the next collective bargaining agreement means that more offense could be required. Ideally, that offense would come from a left-handed bat or two, in order to balance out a largely right-handed Cardinals lineup. Adding some left-handed thump would give the Cards some flexibility to sign another right-handed bench bat…like, for instance, Albert Pujols in what might be the St. Louis legend’s final Major League season.
Turning back to the middle infield, Sosa, Paul DeJong, and Tommy Edman are all fantastic defenders, so they all bring something to the table even if they’re not hitting. That said, DeJong and Edman have both been below-average hitters for each of the last two seasons. And, as fun as Sosa’s 2021 was, there isn’t much in his minor league resume or in his brief MLB career to suggest that he can now be counted on as a reliable bat.
DeJong is by far the most expensive of the trio, so he’d be the most difficult to move if the Cardinals did decide to make a middle infield change. However, the $17MM remaining on DeJong’s contract isn’t an onerous sum, especially since he at least offers elite defense and some decent home run pop. As MLBTR’s Anthony Franco recently illustrated, a team that isn’t willing or able to spend at the top of this year’s free agent shortstop market could turn to a DeJong trade as a backup plan, or perhaps a team that loses its star shortstop (e.g. the Rockies or Astros) could see DeJong as a something of a short-term replacement.
Could the Cardinals themselves land one of the names from that star-studded shortstop class? The rumors of Trevor Story eventually joining his friend Arenado in St. Louis have percolated practically since Arenado was acquired. A big left-handed bat like Corey Seager would be a perfect fit for the Cards’ needs. Or, maybe the Cardinals’ play would be to keep DeJong and Sosa at shortstop, move Edman around the diamond as a utilityman, and acquire a new everyday second baseman. Marcus Semien, Chris Taylor, or Eduardo Escobar are all options on this front depending on how much of a financial splash St. Louis is willing to make. That trio can all play multiple positions, and Taylor could also figure into the outfield mix, just to guard against any regression from the starting trio.
It is also possible the Cardinals have a left-handed hitting middle infield solution already on deck. Top prospect Nolan Gorman has been showing some promise as a second baseman, and his power bat looks ready enough for an MLB debut in 2022. The Cardinals could give Gorman a look at the keystone and instead save their money for a big addition to the rotation.
As tremendous as Wainwright has been, going into a season counting on a 40-year-old to be the ace of a staff is an obvious risk. The next three pitchers penciled into next year’s rotation (Jack Flaherty, Miles Mikolas, Dakota Hudson) combined for 131 2/3 innings in 2021 due to injuries and, in the case of Hudson’s Tommy John rehab, recovery from past injuries. If Wainwright keeps fighting off Father Time and any or all of Flaherty, Mikolas, and Hudson return to their 2019 form, the front of the Cardinals’ rotation looks quite strong.
If not, the Cards run the risk of repeating this past summer, when injuries so badly frayed the team’s depth. Shopping at the top of the market for a frontline ace immediately removes some of the questions from the pitching mix, as the Cardinals could then be more confident that they have enough arms to not only withstand injury, but perhaps to help bolster the bullpen, or even to dangle as trade chips at the deadline.
St. Louis native Max Scherzer has long been coveted by Cardinals fans, and perhaps the veteran would like to cap off his outstanding career by trying to bring another title back to The Gateway City. Or, Marcus Stroman’s grounder-heavy approach could be even more effective if he was pitching in front of the Cards’ terrific defense. Kevin Gausman and Robbie Ray also stand out on the free agent market, or if Mozeliak prefers to swing another trade, he could check in with a team like the Athletics, as Sean Manaea and Chris Bassitt are two members of Oakland’s large and increasingly pricey arbitration class.
Trade deadline additions Jon Lester and J.A. Happ bailed the Cards out by tossing some quality innings, and a reunion with either free agent isn’t out of the question. The same goes for Kwang Hyun Kim. While Kim has also had his share of injury concerns and his peripheral numbers aren’t anything special, the southpaw has posted a 2.97 ERA over his 145 2/3 innings in Major League Baseball.
Turning to the in-house names, Jake Woodford is available to start or perhaps work as a swingman, Johan Oviedo gained more experience in 2021, top prospect Matthew Liberatore is knocking on the door, and the Cardinals are hopeful that at least one of Jordan Hicks or Alex Reyes can be healthy enough to be stretched out as starters. Hicks made a pair of Arizona Fall League starts, and the Cards will at least take a look at him in a starting role next spring (Twitter link via The Athletic’s Katie Woo).
Any of these pitchers could also be used in the bullpen, and the relief corps (like basically every other aspect of the team) rounded itself into a strength for the late-season surge. Giovanny Gallegos pitched well all season and stepped up as the first-choice closer down the stretch. St. Louis will probably add an external veteran or two to the pen, so the team could get someone with some closing experience to act as a safety net. Hicks or Reyes could also again factor into save situations, depending on what ends up happening with their rotation chances.
The Cardinals’ penchant for late comebacks has tended to alleviate some of the pressure on Mozeliak, but the Shildt firing might have removed whatever slack the fanbase has been willing to grant. Marmol is now the third manager hired by Mozeliak, so the pressure will only increase on the longtime executive to get the Cards back over the playoff hump. Could another big swing be in the works? Time will tell, but the Cardinals have the payroll space and perhaps some increased urgency to make a splash.
Hire Sam Holbrook!
The Cardinals should start by re-signing T.J. McFarland once the offseason starts.
Agreed. Garcia as well, the guy throws hard and throws accurately
Agree. They were solid and affordable.
I’m pretty sure the next step is pope
100 % positive carpenters club option is declined
Not with Mo in charge
Commenting as a non Cardinal’s fan.
Is this the view of most Card fans on Edman? I guess I hadn’t thought of his bat as a liability. Him at SS, and Gorman at 2B seems like it rounds out the IF.
IMO, they are a stud SP (Scherzer) away from contending again, maybe the the LH bat at DH as well.
The Cards are not one Max away from contention. They played in an objectively worst division in baseball (maybe 2nd behind AL Central). The Cards will be better off allocating their budget towards multiple positions rather than on an aging veteran.
Lol
I think the NL Least would be the poorest division t play in. The Cubs decided to retool and rebuild, but Milwaukee is not going anywhere and may still be the team to catch moving forward. And do not discount the Reds who didn’t have enough to hang on but who got a whiff of what it is like win for some time last year.
No,
Braves > Brewers
Phils > Cards
Mets > Reds
Marlins > Cubs
Nats > Pirates
Was the NL East the most underperforming division? 1000x Yes!
Now this is based on this season and considering roster construction pre and post all-star break
You’re hilarious lol. I love the logic…. very creative you are!
There are zero realities where the Phillies pitching staff allows them to be a better team than the Cardinals.
The Phillies are worse than the Cardinals lol
Multiple positions? DeJong could bounce back or they could sign an upgrade. If Gorman is ready then Edman goes back to super utility type. Add a starting pitcher and maybe call it a day. I’m ok with DeJong/Sosa at SS if Gorman is ready. Spend on pitching and we’re good
@SSMAD
Haven’t you been telling us all season that the Braves are the most hopeless, least competent organization in baseball? Ya, you have. And now that the Braves have reached the World Series, you’re going to start thumping your chest and making condescending evaluations of other teams? Why would anyone take you seriously? You and Metsfan22 deserve each other.
Wouldn’t playing in an “objectively worse” division give them an advantage? I am unclear as to how playing in a bad division makes you less of a contender.
Agreed. A team like the Yankees would probably take on most of DeJong’s contract as well. Giving them more money to allocate towards the pitching staff and another OF. Chances are one of their young OF regresses a bit and having another starting caliber player as their 4th would be a good idea. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them chase Scherzer and a reunion with Lester. Then sign a high end BP arm or 2. Yankees have several good cheap BP arms so an interesting trade with them on DeJong would make sense. They will be fun to watch this offseason.
Edman;s OBP was brutal (.308), especially for a lead-off man. But he did hit ..262 with 11 HRs and 30 SBs, so there’s offensive value there.
Yeah I could see the OBP being a concern, especially for a leadoff hitter. He was just a hair under the league average, and the Cardinal’s overall OBP for that matter. I’m not arguing with anyone on what his worth is, I was just curious was Cardinal fans thought of him.
But batting 8th or 9th maybe it fits better.
Preferably I’d bat him lower. Maybe in the 7 range. He’s still young and can improve his OBP. I like him better as a super utility. Hopefully Gorman is ready. Just makes the team better. If he’s not, I’m more than OK with Edman at 2B until he is
Edman did have a poor OBP, but he was also one shy of the MLB lead in doubles and had 30 SB which meant when he was on base, he was always in scoring position, which is pretty valuable in front of guys like goldy and arenado. I like edman and I think he will do better with getting on base in the future. he’s still young.
Exactly. Not to mention GG defense. He is only Wong away from the honor. I would like to see stolen bases rewarded in an offensive stat. Subtract when thrown out but added to an OPS++. Then Edman’s doubles totals would be doubled giving a more accurate indication of his offensive contributions.
I think edman has proven plenty capable of being the everyday 2B, At least until Nolan Gorman arrives. Cardinals either need to Upgrade big at SS and piece together a pitching staff, or flip flop and go big on pitching and make a modest move at SS. I think the cards are probably looking for guys like story or semien that might not cost as much as seager or correa. But if we signed story and Nolan Gorman came on strong that infield would be scary good.
Edman also had 41 doubles, second in the NL. And with Goldschmidt, O’Neill and Arenado.batting 2-3-4, the leadoff man won’t get walked very often. Edman is also very clutch. See wild card game.
Edman fine defense, his speed and switch hitting ability make him an all around keeper. That 262 ave when compared with Carp’s 190 average while being paid 54 MM makes Edman look like a steal. I see him as a Card for a long time. He fits right in with their style of play.
Yeah, Tommy Edman’s bat is not a liability. Not sure what stats he’s looking at.
OBP is low but Edman is a naturally aggressive hitter. I’d have to look, but I’ll bet there are only three or four other players in the majors that had at least 40 doubles and 30 steals which is what Edman had. Plus he’s a line drive hitter that doesn’t strike out much. That type of player usually excels in the postseason.
Not sure I’d want Scherzer with his age although if he’s willing to take a two or three year deal for more annually I would consider it. I’d love to get Story and then either Stroman or Ray for the staff.
Edman’s bat is fine,Leave him at at second base and he will be fine!
I’m a big fan of Tommy Edman too. He has an ability to get on base, steal,and is a very smart, if not elite base runner. He can walk, steal his way into scoring position. He has elite Glove, and may win a Gold Glove. Certainly he has taken away much of the sting out of a bad decision to let Kolton Wong walk in FA last year. My ONLY question about Edman is what occurs when Nolan Gorman and his BIG, BOOMING bat arrives in the bigs in 2021 to take his place in the bigs at 2B. The Cardinals will not promote him to 2B as a defensive liability; but word is that his conversion to 2B, from 3B, is a big success. Consequently, our infield has but a single question mark going forward. IF Paul DeJong can find his bat again; problem solved! Can Edman be an effective SS, AND improve his hitting? That could be a Godsend!
Now, LHP Robby Ray checks A LOT of boses in our rotation; but he won’t be cheap!
Edman at .262 is absolutely great; the best middle infielder in MLB. Or you could look at the postseason, at .600 with a whopping sample size of 1 game! Build your team around this superstar!
A .262 batting average while not great, is solid. He also had 40 plus doubles and 30 steals, Plus, he doesn’t strike out much which is always a good thing.
Really good numbers for his first full season. Oh and he’s a plus defender.
No one is saying he’s a superstar but he does have a nice skill set.
Edman is a classy player with a lot of positives. He’s excellent on defense, he covers a lot of ground and is a smart and quick base runner and he is a reliable switch hitter. 262 is quite acceptable for a 2nd baseman with those skills. Don’t forget his 300 batting average in 2019. I’d guess he will improve on that 262.
I agree give Gorman and Libatore a chance
A mediocre team with no shot at a championship. Tough spot….
Great description of the Mets
MetsFan22- You’re funny. How is your team doing no general manager and no manager. Who wants to work for the Mets. Are you okay? Can you name at least the three most successful teams in the national league? I bet the Mets are not on the list, lol.
@Francys01 I’m afraid those questions may be way over his simpleton homer head as his knowledge of baseball outside of one team is vastly limited.
@YBC, if he honestly thinks the Mets are that good, I question his knowledge of even that team.
I think that parts of your take are – quite likely – lliteral @YBC. I’ve quit “arguing” with/at him because I think none of us should be proud of zinging him or whatever.
Hoping you are reading between the lines here.
But things are not how they are with most of us. Ya know?
@Ducky Noted. He distastefully posted in the Charlie Morton thread. Par for the course.
I get it.
That stuff sets me on edge too, man. Sure sign of someone who never strapped ’em on & buckled ’em up. Which also goes to my “point”.
But, actually read his posts. Word for word. Perhaps the Midwest has overly softened my NYC upbringing. But I just can’t feel right about “winning” an argument with him anymore.
You gotta be rooting Braves too, uh?
Haha… That’s how I felt about whyhayzee but he’s turned a corner aside from the BMI stuff.
Nuttier than squirrel crap that dude.
But he is well spoken or whatever the internet posting equivalent is. Completely different imo. Our friends posts are not similar at all. Yes, both are oftentimes ill spirited.
But whyhazee “just” trolls. However, he’s a – ya know – “regular” person. The other really seems to be working with a lot less…regularness. If you will.
(24.83. Does that mean I can play?)
Yet that “mediocre team” won 13 more games then the Mets and made it to the playoffs. So what does that make the Mets???
Hey @MetsFan22: would you trade McNeil for Edman straight up? Just wondering……
“Mediocre team?” YOU’RE either insane, blind to reality, or a Cubs fan! Quite possibly all three!
I see the Met “fans” weighing in with their wisdom and logic. Same as it ever was.
What he said was right, and the Mets have a better chance to make it to the World Series than St Louis.
LOL and then you wake up
Waiting for Carlos Martinez to turn into Pedro seems a Cardinals’ pastime.
That’s a true statement. Not sure why they stuck with him for this long.
He’s definitely one of the bigger disappointments over the years with the stuff he has. Thankfully the marriage is over.
He’s the second coming of JD Drew. All the talent in the world, but zero desire to put in any hard work or swallow his own pride. Can’t do that after the raw talent isn’t as fresh as it was at 24.
Glad the waiting is over.
Hiring a Senior Cloud Engineer
Cards fans – If Arenado had foolishly opted out, what would be his next contract offer, if any?
Arenado would get 200M plus
Arenado would probably fetch 5/$125M to 5/$150M on the open market had he chosen to opt out of his deal. While his offense has slipped a little bit from his prime, his defense is still top notch and he still hits for power too. He also played in Colorado so perhaps his offense has just been adjusted for park differences. A lot of teams would highly value these traits, but I don’t think teams would go much beyond 5 years for him which would be his age 36 year.
Arenado’s stats weren’t that far off his career averages. I would bet next season is even better. Much like Goldschmidt improving after some time to adjust to a new park. He just turned 30 during the season.
From his prime? He’s only 30. I’d hope he bounces back to a 290 or better BA. his BA this year was poor compared to his career states. I hope he and Goldy bounce back and get off to hot starts next season. They are our core and best shot at successful seasons. With Goldy at 35 we won’t be seeing him at his best for much longer which is why it’s aggravating to see the owner not going after the other key players (pitchers) we need to be competitive while we have Arenado and Goldy still playing well.
How cool would it be to bring Pujols back as a DH, sign Scherzer, sign Story, bring skip Schumacher back as bench coach….. and a few other miscellaneous pieces added in here or there?
What’s next for the Cardinals? Probably finishing third in the division and still acting like they’re the second coming of the 1927 Yankees
Could be worse, they could be the Angels.
The Giants may peek at some interesting free agent choices here, or someone off arbitration.
I’ve always liked Bassitt, ever since he came up with the White Sox. Big-time movement on his pitches. I’m glad that he learned how to command them (and also that he’s ok after that liner from Goodwin. Scary moment, that one). I think he’d be a good get for the Cards that would help that staff hang with the likes of the Brewers.
No doubt the Brewers will be in the mix for the Nl central crown with their pitching, but a Sherzer addition would sure elevate the Cards’ chances. I understand the Pujols thing, but the Cards are too right-handed a team as it is. I just don’t think a different SS should be priority number one. Seager is the only lefty SS, but his defense in the postseason is a concern going forward. Maybe hope for a DeJong bounce back. A lot depends on the DH decision. Let it play out.
I’m on the fence with the Cards. Part of me thinks they should rebuild, but the other part tells me they should go for it. They remind me of the White Sox from 2019, just more successful. They have pieces, but not a whole puzzle. They don’t have a proven right fielder. Shortstop is superbly weak on the offensive side. Sosa probably starts over Dejong at this point, but who plays second base? Do they call up Gorman? Do they play Sosa at second? Do they have anyone good in the bullpen besides Gallegos and 1st Half Alex Reyes? Do they have enough in the rotation, especially because injuries commonly happen? I just don’t know. I have more belief in a team like the Reds or Phils than I have in this team because I know what I’m getting at a minimum, and how they can improve. I don’t know what this team’s minimum production truly is.
Rebuild? Arenado, Goldschmidt, Wainwright and Molina beg to differ.
The Cardinals have no reason to rebuild. They have a solid core in place (including pitching) and a nice set of prospects ready to take the next step up to the majors. The health of their existing pitching staff is the #1 concern. Can they count on their 4 pitchers to stay healthy for a full season (other than some minor 10-day IL stints)? If they do stay healthy, the Cards could compete for the NL Central title right now without making any additions. If they add another quality starter, a couple of bullpen arms and one more offensively gifted player, they could very well become the favorites to win the NL Central as we all know that Milwaukee won’t be signing any of the top FA’s this year. Even if St. Louis were to add a Scherzer or Gausman type, Milwaukee would still have the better pitching, top to bottom, but Milwaukee’s offense is a real problem and I’m not confident Stearns can fix all of their issues this offseason. St. Louis should feel confident about their team as is and with the right additions, they could be contenders in 2022.
Not trying to argue, but Scherzer, Flaherty, Wainwright, Hudson and Mikolas could be a better rotation than MIL top to bottom. Emphasis on could. I only fear Burnes and Woodruff. They might have an advantage at the top, but STL could be deeper in this best case scenario.
The Cards don’t need a complete rebuild but they do need some new pieces to make them competitive in the post season. Our rotation is quite weak, our bullpen needs a good closer assuming Hicks doesn’t come back strong. We need another hitter with pop like the Jays Marcus Semien (46 HRs in 21). We also have a team salary that is low and could be lower assuming we dump non performers Carp and CMart, we should also let Mikolas go after 3 seasons of injuries since his lush extension. Happ, Lester and another of our pitchers has opted for FA. It looks like our payroll could be under 100MM down from $165MM. We have plenty to spend …if the own wants a competitive team in the post season.
Did you watch any of their young outfielders play? Not to mention their solid core veteran players. Pitching has Flaherty and Hudson who are both young
1) Carlson proved that he is an MLB regular in right field this year, he will finish as a finalist in the rookie of the year conversation
2) Tommy Edman clearly plays second base. He was at the top of the league in doubles and stole 30 bases, that equals runs in front of Arenado, Goldy, and O’Neill
3) Cabrera, Garcia, McFarland, and Whitley were all very good out of the bullpen
One thing about the Cardinals…they never have to pay moving expenses for their new managers.
I don’t understand how they didn’t do anything more than the Arenado deal last offseason.
Were waiting for all the money to come off the books this season.
No chance they sign a second baseman unless it’s a lefty, DH bat like Brad Miller who just happens to play a little second base. Nolan Gorman will be the starter.
You’re hilarious lol. I love the logic…. very creative you are!
I love Tommy Edman at 2nd base and as leadoff. He’s young, a switch hitter, steals bases. If anything, I’d put Tommy at SS, bring Gorman in at 2nd, trade DeJong. I’d definitely hang on to Sosa. Don’t think I’d even mess with Pujols. The DH will be coming soon. They need to get a left handed bat that can hit. Last of all Max Scherzer, sign him to a 3 year contract.
Cardinals are the best fans in BASEBALL. There is no better team then the St Louis Cardinals. God has chosen the cardinals as HIS team and SCHILDT is obviously a petofile if he was fired by GODS” team.
first, the cardinals are players, second, it than, not then, third, God doesn’t have a team. fourth, you misspelled shildt, fifth, you misspelled pedophile and sixth, shildt is probably a Christian.
just put the best players out there. don’t worry about which batters box they stand in
The Birds on the Bat Will Spend Money, ie.Arenado, Goldschmidt, Wainwright, Miller, etc. Etc.
BUT THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A FRUGAL ORGANIZATION, and have made some good deals, & DISATERS, ie. Fowler, and the name escapes me, but that Left Handed Reliever They Signed As A Free Agent From Toronto 5-6 Years Ago.
If They Trade DeLong, And Sign Story, that Pretty Much Puts Them Out Of The Running For Any Free Agent #1 or #2 guy.
The Cardinals Will Spend Money, But Sometimes They Leave Me smh With The Way That They Do.
Brett Cecil was the 30 million dollar man from Toronto.
Cards had two or three years where all of their FA signings were bad:
Mike Leake, Brett Cecil, Dexter Fowler, Greg Holland, Andrew Miller to an extent…
Thankfully all of those mistakes are in the past, and their recent acquisitions (namely Goldschmidt and Arenado) have performed much better.