He's signed through 2026 on a five year deal that cost Miami just $56 million. That's a steal. Not sure why they would trade him.
If they're not going to pay the contracts for elite free agents in the prime of their careers, and they're not going to give up the prospect pool required to trade for elite players in the prime of their careers before free agency arrives, why not take the same lean in free agency -- add elite, proven but older players -- that they have had success in trading for, like with Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado? Signing Max Scherzer would have been the free-agent mirror of that approach to trades. I think it was a mistake not to bring him home, and it was absolutely within reach.
This is how teams love for fans to think.
I'm guessing he is hoping the Cardinals work is not done.
Nothing wrong with a little meditation. Sometimes I give my eyes a rest during the chat. It helps me produce better takes.
This is the kind of pivot the Cardinals should make.
Yes. He gets a more preferred destination, and the Soto deal goes through.
Well said. Modern athletes could learn a lot from Russell about walking the walk, not just tweeting to tweet.
Say it ain't so, Vin. Thanks for stopping by. You're on the board.
Sometimes a change of scenery works wonders. He could not get the help he needed here, or was not open to it, or some kind of combination. I don't think it had much to do with a lack of interest in trying to snap out of a spiral that ended his Cardinals career. Sometimes being out from beneath a contract like that can be a catalyst, too.
Matthew, because he would have never left. More chances.
I said they let their team down. I didn't condemn them as people. That's not enough for some, and too much for others. Can't win on that topic. Can say I'm good with where I landed.
They shouldn't be. Which is why trading the best performer there (23-year-old Dylan Carlson) didn't make a ton of sense to me.
I would trade O'Neill for starting pitching help today if it got me a high-level starter or helped get me there. He's productive when locked in and healthy, but he's too often hurt or not locked in. Teams will always be intrigued by his tools, giving him value. He's a Scott Boras client and contract negotiations, based on this past arbitration, will be difficult at best. I'd move him for the right pitcher, or in the package that got me there.
Time to get to ballpark. More coverage coming today and tonight and tomorrow. Keep it locked at STLToday. Thanks, and hang in.
Fans & writers might be disappointed by the Cards lack of a major deal, but let's be realistic... The Cards don't make big deadline deals because they (over)value their prospects and the yearly competitive model they have based their decisions on...