Join baseball writer Derrick Goold for his live Cardinals chat at 11 a.m. Monday
Bring your Cards questions and comments to Monday’s 11 a.m. live chat.
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There is a growing sense that, yes, he would benefit from an opportunity with another team, one that would allow him to start. But, that said, he's also getting attention from new pitching coach Dusty Blake this winter and the goal is to have him flourish in a way that does absolutely establish him and a role in the majors. -
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Has nobody asked about Correa yet? I think Boras played the Mets into a hole by having Cohen publicly comment about him before the physical was completed. However, if he no longer is a viable option for them, do the years he can demand lessen...and is that the market returning to the Cardinals (I highly doubt it, but Correa has been an EXCELLENT player for some years now).
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Steve Cohen has made a lot of money and is an adult. He knows what a public comment can do. I don't think Scott Boras played them for anything other than a really good offer. Kudos to him for acting on behalf of his client, and fast.That market wouldn't be returning to the Cardinals who were never there, it would be finding them at a place even they didn't expect. To the best of my knowledge and answers from sources I trust, the Cardinals did not pursue Correa. Correa is an excellent player. There is obvious a lot of concern about his leg following a late-season event this year, according to reporting galore by beat writers in Minnesota and New York.
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Thanks DG for taking the time. I always enjoy these chats.
If the season started today, what do you see as the likely rotation? To me, it appears both Monty and Hudson are the odd men out. I would prefer Monty over Matz, but does Matz contract nearly guarantee him a starting spot? -
John Mozeliak talks about Jordan Montgomery as if he has the potential to be the leader of the rotation, so he is not out at all. The rotation at the moment is ...WainwrightMikolasMontgomeryMatzFlahertyAnd that could be in any order, really. Hudson is the one pitching to reclaim a spot.
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Who would you say is the number one starter ? If Flaherty, how is he seen any different than Sale ? Three years of injury and even less overall production. I get the cost difference, but how do you justify counting on one guy as your number one and not give the other guy a chance.
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Miles Mikolas or Adam Wainwright would be, right? Based on the past season of performance. Mikolas if you go with what he was doing most recently.How is Jack Flaherty different than Chris Sale? Let me count the millions of ways. Start with he already on the roster and doesn't cost any prospects/players to acquire. Then continue with the salary, dollar investment, etc. Those are significant differences.
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DG, I know that some of this is semantics. Sorry. The infielders are as good as any team in MLB. TE has earned the starting role. PDJ has lost his and is nearing the end of a contract. Paul's role may turn out to be him being the RH replacement to the LH 2b men we have. My view has TE better defensively at ss and a better arm, why not have Paul stay true to his role and TE true to his and give PDJ work where he has played before at 2B? Thank you, you are my link to information as a out of towner.
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That's what they're going to do -- or likely will. This is going to evolve over spring training. One Cardinals official made the point to me that DeJong has to hit to have a role, so whether he can play second base or third base (and he can) is secondary to his real focus of the offseason and spring, and that is getting the bat going again so that he can contribute on offense in some role, at some times, and let the performance dictate. That's where this is headed. Tommy Edman is the starter at shortstop for the reasons you illustrated. Edman going off to the WBC frees up playing time there for DeJong and for Winn, and that will happen. But you shouldn't be surprised if DeJong also sees time at other positions and at DH just to continue to get the at-bats because the Cardinals intend to make a decision on his place with the team in March.
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I don't get the obsession with Arenado's decision to stay with the Cardinals. To sound completely corny, based on what he says, who he is, maybe it's simply "For Love of the Game." The best fans in baseball year after year return to support a pretty damned good team the Cards organization puts on the field. As a bonus, we get rich history/tradition, a kick-ass ballpark and PLAYERS that will pass up a pile of money to play for a legacy-rich, historical organization AND in front of knowledgeable, mostly supportive (not fair weather) fans. Seems a no-brainer to me.
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Where’s the draft and development impact on the starting rotation? There is no one adjacent to being impactful at the major league level. Their last major prospect was Flaherty and he’s gone after this season. Hudson hangs around because he is cheap and not awful, but certainly not a future staple.
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Where indeed. That is a question right up there with how they knew Yadier Molina's retirement was coming, had years to prepare, and still had to go shopping for his heir. Now that question is off the frontburner for fans, this one should be: Where are the impact, homegrown starters, or the ones who have earned the extension?Where have you gone Jaime Garcia?
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Happy New Year, Derrick! If Carlos Correa’s deal with the Mets falls through, would the Cards be interested in him on a short-term deal? I realize that a lot of things have to happen before he or Boras would be interested in a shorter deal, but you always said the Cards kept their eye on free agents who might fall into their comfort zone. Very jealous you got to spend Christmas in London! Good for you,
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I do think every team with an opening at third or shortstop would be interested in Correa on a short-term, no worries deal. Minnesota, for example, seems to be a team that's already expressed an interest in being there for that move. The Cardinals would have a lot of competition, and while you could see where that would be their sweet spot, it's not clear they would stand out from the other suitors. They just haven't been in the mix for Correa.
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To continue the Nolan Gorman conversation, I guess I don’t really understand the willingness to move off him for Donovan after such a quick sample size. It’s fair to expect adjustments at the big league level. We seem to always seek a left handed bat, so why not give him all the chances he needs? Was his availability in trade proposals just overblown by twitter or do we see him as the most likely big asset to move?
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There is room in the lineup for both of them, so I would contend the Cardinals have not moved away from Gorman in favor of Donovan. They did during the season because of the performance. And while that performance informs decisions for the coming year, it is not the only factor. Gorman has left-handed power potential, and that plays in the postseason and the Cardinals need that in their lineup. Donovan has high OBP performance, and the Cardinals need that in their lineup, too. The DH means they can both play. Donovan's versatility means they can both play. It's not about moving on from either of them. It is possible that a Cardinals team has plenty of at-bats for both.
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You do a great job giving us an insider view of the long range business model for the Cards and how they try to contend every year with their mid-market status.
Do you know anybody, or have any evidence of such a model existing for either the Cubs or the Pirates? It sure isn't obvious to me what they are trying to do. -
Their actions suggest there is not. The Cubs have not had success drafting the necessary pitching to keep them there, though that has started to change, it just needs to pay off. The Pirates, to date, have not been able to keep the talent they do get to draft, though Hayes' deal is noteworthy -- just as Reynolds inevitable departure is Groundhog Day for the fans of Pittsburgh.
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I don't care how much the Cardinals spend or don't spend; I do care if they are spending it wisely as should all the fans. The Padres, Mets and Yankee's aren't getting true value for their money, nor do they always look at how that player will fit in the clubhouse which is paramount today. It appears to me that the Cardinals management is spending and waiting for the right fits financially and clubhouse.
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"But I've often been told I make too big of deal about innings."
By whom? Cardinals front office?
Innings are where it's at...and Cards have a lot of question marks on innings! One need only to look back to the past several years when we didn't get innings from the starters and look how poorly that affected our bullpen by June! -
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