That was a Benjamin Hochman joint, but I will pass along your compliment to him.
I'd argue -- and always have -- that the Cardinals care (and should) more about real-life results than Internet angst. That's for any business. Strong restaurants get bashed on Yelp occasionally. If the paying customers are sending their orders back because they're not satisfied, or not coming in, that's a different scenario. A more important problem. That doesn't mean the restaurant doesn't look at, adapt to or read the Yelp feedback. But one certainly means more than the other.
Not sure who the finalists are but have heard his name mentioned as possibility, yes.
Build some interest back and fire up some fans after brutally cutting ties with beloved players. Trade away pieces for prospects and young guys at the deadline if there's not a chance of making the postseason. That's what I see at the moment. They're not actively trying to lose any more. Trying to get it going again. But more curious than frightening at the moment.
That's, um, more negative than I would word it, but as someone who has hollered about the Cardinals needing to stop paying for middle-shelf guys who are quickly replaceable, I'm not going to holler about them not loading down the roster with Corey Dickersons, just to say they did something. High end help should be the goal. They got it in Contreras. Could they have used it in the rotation. Yes. But what they did not do is go get another depth guy, and I'm good with that, because depth doesn't seem to be their problem.
Come on now. Joe Buck came out swinging against Stan Kroenke whenever he got the chance. He defended STL every chance he got. And he's even been known to nudge the Cardinals to do more, publicly, to get back to winning big. He's an advocate for all things STL on the airwaves.
Still a free agent as far as I know
The Cardinals had no extension talks going with anyone as of Winter Warm-Up. Mikolas said he is open to that and loves it here; maybe something stirs at spring training there. The Cardinals admit they have a big pool of money. They admit the market changed their view on what was responsible spending this time around. Sure, they could use that money to invest early in young players, like the Braves. Seeing how some respond to any or a little more time in the majors would be wise. I wouldn't consider extending O'Neill unless he has another fully healthy and productive season. Said the same thing last season, when The Chat was demanding a mutli-year deal for him and claiming he was an MVP contender.
Holy smokes, folks. Tommy Edman is the starting shortstop. I feel like I'm yelling it into a well.
That's not great logic? See what he does. If you want to extend him, beat free agency with your offer and see if he accepts. If not, thank him for what you hope was a great final season and turn the page. This is the prove-it season for Flaherty. Everyone knows it. Time to see.
I actually think the interviews were pretty good this year. Some spice. Some barbs. Some fair points made on both sides. I learned a lot. I hope fans did, too.
I think the story is still being written. There was a lot of preseason hype about SLU. I bought in. Then they derailed. And the talk migrated to Ford and job security in season seven. It's going to be a topic at the end of the year again, but here is SLU having won three games in a row for the first time since the season opener. You let it play out, see if magic happens, and then look at where things sit. I don't want to dodge your question, but I don't think there's any way SLU or AD Chris May or even Ford has that answer yet. How the season goes forward and ends determines it.
Lopez has been linked to the Cardinals for a while as a potential guy who could help them and a potential guy who would like to pitch for them. He's a good to great right-handed starter who is entering his age-27 season and has two more years of contract control left. He has started to show he can handle bulk innings and shoulder a big workload. He's more of a strikeout getter than what the Cardinals had last season, at least what they had healthy. He'd be a good fit, a toward-the-top of the rotation starter. Better than just depth. Is he Sandy Alcantara? No. But the Cardinals can't get Alcantara back, I imagine. If they could, that would be epic. Mozeliak has said trading away Alcantara in the Ozuna deal will be the deal he regrets most, knowing what he knows now. Full disclosure: I thought that trade was a good one. Not going to be a phony now. But if Mozeliak could somehow reverse time and get Alcantara back? That would be one heck of a story. Sorry to get distracted. Lopez would help this rotation. Cardinals have been linked to him in the past. Dodgers and Yankees too.
If you find a way to stop the first two, please share with the group.
Depends on the guy, honestly. Arenado likes hitting cleanup. He feels most comfortable there. If the team asks him to do something else, he will, but he's honest about his preference. Goldy can go anywhere, no problem.
Sure. But teams in bigger markets make more money, too. Can be argued both ways.
He's skating and practicing some. Sounds ahead of schedule, and he can come back whenever cleared. O'Reilly is set to evaluated again early February.
I think you can certainly make a case for Drinkwitz pursuing more QB talent for the room. If he doesn't, I don't know that it's a shot season. And a .500 season in year four would be a shot season. Sam Horn was supposed to be an impact player. Time to see it. Should have played more last season, I think. Young guys are making splashes all over CFB. Brady Cook, the returning starter until proven otherwise, now played in 20 SEC games and gone a full season as a starter. His passer rating was 10th in the SEC, and a bunch of the older guys ahead of him on that list are gone now to chase their NFL hopes. QB is most important position on the field. No debate there. Offensive play calling and offensive line play is going to be pretty dang important for this team next season, too. Cook has to get his shoulder right. If that happens the experience he's gained should help him.
