Join columnist Ben Frederickson for a live STL sports chat at 11 a.m. Tuesday
Ben Frederickson answers your Cardinals, Blues, St. Louis City, Mizzou and SLU questions in Tuesday's 11 a.m. live chat.
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P-D teammate Derrick Goold had Winn all the way up at No. 4 on his preseason list of Cardinals prospects, with a projected debut date of 2025. He just turned 20. Could he expedite that timetable? Sure. But we still don't know if his major league future is at shortstop, or pitcher. Some of that depends on how he hits. He's off to a very encouraging start at the plate for Peoria, and will be emphasized as a shortstop again this season. I think the Cardinals are excited about him, for good reason, but I don't think they can base major league shortstop moves around him just yet. -
Hello Ben:
Regardless of what happens in the playoffs, Jordan Binnington will be on the Blues next year, even if as a highly paid back up. His contract is too onerous to move without giving up extra assets and Doug Armstrong would need to add significant dollars, draft picks, and/or other players to entice another team to take him.
I do not see him doing this given the volatility of the position and the possibility that JB rebounds from a poor year.
Then, if he fails to rebound, after next year the team would consider a buy-out. At that point, the buy-out would be much less of a cap hit than it would be if they did so after this year.
If I’m wrong, please tell me a team that would be willing to take on Binnington’s contract. Thanks! -
I haven't said Binnington won't be back.I think that's what the Blues want right now.What I said is that if Husso takes over down the stretch, and if the Blues go deep after that happens, things get interesting.This team should be good for a while. Armstrong isn't someone who gets backed into a corner he doesn't want to go into -- see the Tarasenko trade situation. Assuming you know what he's going to do is something I no longer do. You can, if you like.
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Ben, my sense is that this organization really likes Edman and will eventually move him to shortstop next year, thus, the reason no upgrade last off-season. If Gorman is the hotshot most believe, he takes over second base. Until then, look for him to supplant Dickerson in the shared DH role with Pujols later this summer. Sosa hangs around through next season to back up both positions in case one falters. Do you see it some other way?
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It does seem the Cardinals just seeing the Brewers up close and in person this past weekend are only gaining confidence that recapturing the division crown this season is very realistic. Does this positive feeling make the task of positioning for a possible deep post season run all that more crucial, i.e. both identifying a short list of quality pitchers to be had via trade that figure to be available mid-season and also exceptionally eager to pulling the trigger on one of them too?
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I saw a split series between two teams that will likely compete for the division, not sign the Cardinals are on easy street to winning the division. Yes, they're going to need to make some improvements -- or find them from within as the season goes along -- in order to go deep. They'll likely need to do that to beat the Brewers. The Brewers as of late have done a very good job of improving their team on the fly.
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Other than the late start and rushed timeline, it felt like back to normal. The ballpark feels more than back to normal, due to Pujols-palooza. Fans are showing up, and they are fired up. After the home-opener every season, there is often a bit of a lull. Not this year.
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Hey Ben, do you have a top candidate among each of the Cards' recent classes to *stick* with the big-league team first (e.g. Pallante's here now, but it's too soon to say he's up for good)?
Looks like we've got Whitley for '17, then it could be Nootbaar from '18 or maybe he still has some rides left on the shuttle and Donovan arrives for good, and right now the favorites for '19, '20, and '21 seem to be Pallante or Thompson, Burleson, and maybe Graceffo? -
Fun game. What does up for good mean, though? Never sent back to the minors? A Cardinal from start to finish? I ask because Gorman was in that 2018 class. He's probably the best and safest bet to stick, and outlast most of the others. And he should be here this season at some point.
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Ryan's assumption that Flaherty will not sign here long-term is probably correct. Quotes are not required to fill in the blanks around a player's likely course of action--especially when the whole proposal is entirely speculative. It could be said the other way as well: "Where are the quotes of Flaherty saying he wants to stay?" The answer is, none of those exist as well. Thus, Ryan's assumption.
If Ryan's assumption is correct (and it is his assumption, not yours), what is your opinion of the fictitious deal? If you were the GM and the deal was presented to you, would you make the trade? I personally don't think it has a chance of happening. Nobody wants to be the guy who traded a Jeff Bagwell for a Larry Anderson. The front office is pretty risk-averse, and that deal would be risky. -
Assumption. I get that. Speaking it as fast? Not so fast. A lot can change in a hurry when discussing long-term contracts and life-changing money. Those who assume Flaherty's fate is decided are doing just that, assuming. What happened at spring training regarding the dustup about how his shoulder injury was described was another sign in how the two rarely seem to be on the same page, then all of a sudden the two sides agreed on his salary for 2022, reversing a trend of not being able to agree without arbitration. These things are not as predictable as some assume.No, I would not trade Jack Flaherty away at his all-time low. I think that would be a good way to get burned. If I didn't have plans to sign him long term, I would let him build his value back up and then decide what to do, and I might decide the best route is to let him pitch as well as he can for me before he cashes in his free-agent chips, if he decides to do that and commands that kind of market.
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He took the job last season, and could again, sure. Having lost his job last season, DeJong won't have to struggle as much this season to lose it again. And Sosa is going to keep pushing for his chance. He's handled his spot great. That said I don't think the Cardinals said it's DeJong's job to lose with plans of benching him outright on May 1. It would happen gradually, again, if so, until we look up and Sosa is getting most of the reps. There's also Gorman to consider. He's tearing it up in Memphis. He can play second now. Edman can play shortstop. Sosa can play second, too. It's not just a Dejong-or-Sosa conversation anymore.
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