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Join baseball writer Daniel Guerrero for his live Cardinals chat at 11 a.m. Monday

Bring your Cards questions and comments to Monday’s 11 a.m. live chat.

3rd & 7 37yd

I do not remember Las Nootbaar as a big prospect. More a 4th 5th outfielder. Did he have a season that was not expected? If so why not trade high on him?

by Bryan C. 1/9/2023 7:28:55 PM
To go from a backup outfielder on opening day to the Cardinals' leadoff hitter and starting right fielder in game 1 of the NL Wild Cards series is a nice character arc for Nootbaar.
The Cardinals are high on the strides Nootbar made offensively. And he's done enough defensively to be in consideration for the starting center fielder job this upcoming season. That's why they've held on to him.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 7:33:29 PM
When it comes to position players, it is fair to say the Cardinals have some solid answers going to ST. For example 1st, 3rd, and primary catcher are set. Of the several "questions" would you agree that one of the first ones Marmol will have on his list is:

"Will the real Tyler O'Neill and Dylan Carlson please stand up?"

by MS Bird Brain 1/9/2023 7:33:59 PM
I'd say that's fair. Some of the bigger questions on the position player side are how the outfield will shape up. We saw how injuries and inconsistencies prevent both O'Neill and Carlson from reaching their full potential.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 7:39:43 PM
Do you think a trade for a starting pitcher is still a possibility before the season starts? Or is that more likely to come at the trading deadline? I know Pablo Lopez name has been thrown around...

by Greg 1/9/2023 7:45:19 PM
Trades are always a possibility at any point before the trade deadline.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 7:46:53 PM
Given the team’s limited activity in the off-season, is the team as it stands now better than, equal to, or worse than the one bounced in Oct? Given the limited off-season activity and the almost certain regression of Goldschmidt and Arenado, it would appear to be worse.

by Jack 1/9/2023 7:47:44 PM
I would say it is a lot of the same that got eliminated from the playoff by the Phillies.
Willson Contreras fills the role of catcher left behind by the retiring Yadier Molina and the spot in the order left by the retiring Albert Pujols. It feels like the Cardinals are banking on some of the younger guys like Lars Nootbaar and Brendan Donovan to continue building off what they did last year in lieu of big free agent spending.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 7:55:45 PM
Are you surprised that Wilson Contreras is the only move the Cards have made to date? Were you expecting more activity from the Cards at this point?

by Greg 1/9/2023 7:57:28 PM
I am a little. Although, I didn't expect them to spend like the other National League teams have this winter.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 7:59:13 PM
did the cardinals get any competitive balance picks this year from being a small market? not sure i saw that come through

by porky 1/9/2023 8:08:53 PM
They did not get a competitive balance pick this year.
Remember that MLB has a formula that factors in market size and revenue to determine who gets those picks.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 8:12:20 PM
Are our young prospects as good as the Hype?

by Ed 1/9/2023 8:14:19 PM
This might not be the answer you're looking for, but we don't know how good someone really is until we see them actually perform in the majors.
It is true that sometimes hype can overshadow a few things like the level of competition they're playing against. I will say that some guys like Jordan Walker get that hype not only because of talent and the numbers that he puts up but also because of what he's done consistently against players older and more experienced than him. For guys like Walker, that adds to the hype.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 8:20:07 PM
I really liked what you said about Liberatore. It seems the hidden "tool" that determines the success of most big league pitchers is commanding their fastball. Stuff isn't worth much unless you know where it's going.

Could you apply that thought process to Dakota Hudson please? I find him especially intriguing because, even though he pitched last year, this is the year for him that a pitcher would typically make it all the way back from TJ surgery. Hudson, with fastball command, could be elite. He sure didn't consistently have it in '22.

What is your thought on Hudson and do you know what the Cardinals expectations are on him getting it together for this coming year?

by MS Bird Brain 1/9/2023 8:23:35 PM
Cards manage Oli Marmol said someone like Dakota Hudson will have a chance to compete for a rotation spot this spring. Getting better command to limit walks and getting back a few ticks on his fastball could help him.
What I'm interested in seeing from Hudson is how he adapts to pitching with the pitch clock. Hudson is known as a slow worker. The pitch clock will push him to adapt, as it will for many pitchers across baseball.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 8:38:52 PM
Enough pre-season prospect questions. What are some of the better locations to catch a Cards road minor league team?

by Cherokee 1/9/2023 8:38:59 PM
I was only able to make it to Springfield and Memphis last year.
Both Springfield and Memphis are great places. Memphis' ballpark is downtown with plenty of good food choices within walking distance.
A wild card location to watch Cardinals minor leaguers is on the back fields at spring training in Jupiter, Florida. It's more informal since they're all practice games, but offers a unique, up-close look at prospects.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 8:43:42 PM
What type of pitcher do you think will be impacted most by the lack of the shift in 2023?

by jb 1/9/2023 8:43:48 PM
I expect it to be the ground ball pitchers that will be the most impacted. High strikeout guys might not have to worry about that much about where their defense is behind since they're bread and butter is making guys swing and miss.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 8:45:23 PM
Daniel, Other than the ballpark, what are some of the favorite places you’ve discovered in St Louis since moving here?

by JuniorGM 1/9/2023 8:50:10 PM
Good question. I've become a fan of Forest Park and have gotten the chance to experience a few different neighborhoods. Cherokee Street, Soulard, and The Hill have become places with some nice spots to get some food.
I'm hoping to get to know more of the city this year. Suggestions can be DM'd to me!

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 8:54:13 PM
What can you tell us about Jose Fermin and Kramer Robertson? They are both on the 40 man roster as infielders but I have never heard of them.

by Fermin Robertson 1/9/2023 8:54:17 PM
Both provide some infield depth with Memphis.
We saw Roberston briefly in the majors last year before he bounced around the minors sharing time with the Cardinals, Mets, and Braves organizations before getting claimed on waiver by the Cardinals in August. Fermin hasn't appeared in the majors after spending six years in Cleveland's system.
With Masyn Winn likely spending time as Memphis' starting next year, those two provide some depth around the infield given their ability to play multiple positions.
EDIT: Forgot to mention that Robertson is not on the 40-man anymore. Fermin is.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 9:00:49 PM
Who are some of the best Left Handed pitching prospects that the Cards have in the system -- outside of Liberatore?

by bmw 1/9/2023 9:04:53 PM
Outside of Liberatore, there's Cooper Hjerpe and behind him, the next in line is probably Brycen Mautz.
The two are college products and were the Cardinals' top two picks in the 2022 draft, with Hjerpe being the first-round selection. Neither pitched in a minor league game after the draft.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 9:07:25 PM
What does Nolan Gorman specifically need to do in becoming / earning a more regular spot in the Cardinals starting line up come opening day?

by Nick N 1/9/2023 9:08:36 PM
Cut down on the swing-and-miss that led to his return to the minors at the end of the 2022 MLB regular season. He had a 34.5% whiff rate and struck out 103 times in 283 big league at-bats. We saw he had trouble laying off fastballs up in the zone.
Figuring out how to layoff chase pitches will be big for him.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 9:15:49 PM
Daniel, you mentioned earlier that Jose Fermin hasn't appeared in the majors after spending six years in Cleveland's system. I'm sure you've met your share of career minor leaguers. Do most of these guys still believe they have a chance to make it to the majors or are they resigned to spending their career in the minors?

by Andy 1/9/2023 9:18:44 PM
They still do have those dreams of playing in the big leagues. We saw that last year with some guys like Jame Naile and Ben DeLuzio. Guys who spent more than five years in the minors still working towards reaching the majors.
From some of those types of guys that I've talked to, that dream is what keeps them going.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 9:21:40 PM
Looks like the Cardinals have a lot of good young outfielders. If O'Neil is healthy he starts. IF Nootbarr hits in spring training he starts, same with Carlson. Which of Burleson, Gomez, Walker can play centerfield? Or would they move O'Neil to center and everyone else would play Left, Right and DH?

by Mad Man from Tennessee 1/9/2023 9:26:13 PM
Both Walker and Gomez got some playing time in center field, but more seem more suited for right field. Burleson has never played center field and is still working to improve on his overall outfield defense. He doesn't seem like an option to play center and maybe fits the mold of being that left-handed DH the Cardinals have an opening for with the current roster.
Shifting O'Neill to center could be an option, but not likely if Nootbaar or Carlson perform as the Cardinals hope they do.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 9:33:09 PM
Do you have any clue or information on who the new Cardinals announcer will be?

by Chico 1/9/2023 9:34:36 PM
I don't.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 9:34:40 PM
Every bench coach is unique in a good kind of way-yet have complimentary expertises in overall baseball acumen as well. What in newness intrigues you about Matt Holiday arriving on the scene?

by Nick N 1/9/2023 9:34:52 PM
Like Skip Schumaker, and other Cardinals coaches including Oli Marmol, Holliday's familiarity with the organization is intriguing. Holliday being a multi-time All-Star and World Series with the Cardinals adds to that baseball acumen you mentioned.
And also, Holliday's relationship with Marmol will be intriguing. The two are very close friends, so I'm sure that will add to the uniqueness of the two working together.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 9:42:13 PM
What skill(s) does Masyn Winn have to work on to move forward into the Bigs?

by bmw 1/9/2023 9:45:44 PM
It might just be with more consistency with his bat. He had a bounce-back year this past season after he struggled a bit in Class High-A Peoria. 2023 will offer him the opportunities and time to continue progressing.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 9:50:34 PM
Has their been talks of a potential extension for Mikolas? As it stands, the rotation could look drastically different in 2024...

by Greg 1/9/2023 9:52:36 PM
My Post-Dispatch colleague Derrick Goold reported back in December that the Cardinals planned to explore extensions for a pair of starters that were unsigned past 2023, and that Mikolas was a candidate for one.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 9:56:55 PM
Based on Willson's playing history, the back up C is going to get a ton of playing time. Are there talks about upgrading the back up C given that likelihood?

by Pete 1/9/2023 10:08:09 PM
Adding another catcher doesn't seem like that's in the plans for the Cardinals. They got their everyday catcher in Willson Contreras.
I understand the concern with Contreras since the most games he's caught in a season was 133 (started in 123 of those) during the 2018 season. As it stands, Andrew Knizner will be the back up to Contreras this season.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 10:17:18 PM
I saw the Yankees signed Delvin Perez to a minor league deal a few days ago. Do you feel from what you seen 1st hand he has the tools to eventually make it up to and stick in the Big Show?

by Nick N 1/9/2023 10:18:15 PM
I think he has some of those tools that can help him get to the majors. The arm. The defense. The speed on the base paths. The question of when his bat will come around still remains. He hasn't hit for power and doesn't walk that much to help lift his on-base percentage.
Maybe the change of scene and new organization help him fulfill that first-round potential.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 10:21:25 PM
Will Jake Walsh be ready to go for Spring Training, and given manager Marmol's desire for relievers with swing-and-miss stuff, does he have shot a breaking camp with the big club?

by Aaron Knopf 1/9/2023 10:31:06 PM
I'm not sure what his timeline is to be back from injury. I'll work on finding that out.
But when he is back, I think he does have a shot at breaking camp with the big league club. As you mentioned, he has that swing-and-miss stuff Oli Marmol likes.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 10:33:30 PM
Hello from the Wisconsin Northwoods. Not far from Paul DeJoung’s indoor batting cage being built. What is the thoughts on our new catchers split of DH time vs behind the plate time?

by Joliet Dave 1/9/2023 10:46:42 PM
I think he'll have an uptick in the number of games he catches this year compared to his past years with the Cubs although Contreras hasn't caught more than 115 games in two seasons over his seven-year career.
The Cardinals signed him to be their everyday catcher and he seems willing to get to that 120-140 range that the club is hoping Contreras can get to as their primary catcher. Keeping him in at DH on days he isn't behind the plate will benefit keeping his bat in the lineup.
I do support how teams find that split with a catcher getting DH time to give their knees some rest. That position takes a toll on a player over the course of a 162-game season and over the course of one's career.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 10:58:28 PM
Can you give us anything about Tommy Parsons? He seems like he has always found ways to win games. As a former catcher I like a pitcher that throws strikes when we have a lead. He may give up some runs but that type of pitcher generally does not give up big innings.

by CardFanInUmpqua 1/9/2023 10:58:54 PM
The one thing with Tommy Parsons and his 12-4 season is that we have to consider he was 6-0 as a reliever. I got the chance to speak with him in Memphis in September and he joked that he "snaked" some wins coming out of the bullpen.
As far as what he offers, he isn't a high-velocity guy or a strikeout guy, but he also doesn't walk too many batters. He had one of the lowest batting averages allowed in MiLB. His .202 average allowed was tied for the third-lowest in MiLB among pitches with 130 or more innings.
The player he tied with: Gordon Graceffo.

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 11:07:22 PM
Alright folks, I think we'll end the chat there. Thanks for all of your questions and comments. I hope you all have a great rest of your Monday and a wonderful week ahead.
Thank you for keeping up with all of our coverage at STL Today and in the Post-Dispatch.
- Daniel Guerrero

by DGuerrero 1/9/2023 11:23:05 PM