Join columnist Jeff Gordon for his live St. Louis sports chat at 1 p.m. Friday
Bring your Cards, Blues, Mizzou, SLU and MLS questions and comments, and talk to columnist Jeff Gordon in his weekly live chat.
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St. Louis ranks somewhere between mid-sized and small-sized among MLB teams, based on market side, both in terms of metropolitan area population and TV audience size. It has outperformed its size by delivering a consistently good product over a decades-long period.As for the Cardinals playoff failure, if this team only deployed home-grown players and never traded home-grown assets for elite players (Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado), never paid elite player dollars (Goldschmidt, Arenado) and never traded home-grown assets to fill team needs (Jordan Montgomery, Jose Quintana), then you would have an argument.In fact, the Cardinals have used player development as the driving force to their perennial contention, but they have traded prospects, acquired star players and made nine-digit financial commitments.That the Cardinals got their superstar players via trade versus free agency sends some fans into a rage, but the end result is the same.This 2022 team could have made a deeper run had it played better. But the team went flat in September, with its top guys slumping, and that carried over. Management philosophy did not doom this team, high-paid, MVP-caliber players failing to hit doomed this team. -
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I am always surprised to see the name Graceffo come up so often in these trade proposals. He seems to have the physical make-up and repertoire to be the next ace, ala Alcantara. With four SP not under control after 2023, Graceffo would be one of my most untouchable prospects...Will the Cards give Thompson a chance to start in 2024? He was the guy that impressed me the most of the young guys that came up in 2022. I am hoping out of Graceffo, McGreevy, Thompson, Liberatore and Pallante 2 starters emerge in 2024. Even that might be optimistic...
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I agree on Graceffo. That is the pitcher other teams want, so that's the guy to keep. As for Thompson, he added a few ticks of velocity with a midseason mechanical adjustment and he was able to maintain that extra heat in relief. So I like him in that role. The same goes for Pallante.
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Thanks for the chat, Gordo!
Just to clarify for people: Masyn Winn did not commit a single error in the Arizona Fall League. And in Double-A his fielding percentage in more than 80 games there was uber-elite at .983. There is no objective reason to be concerned about his glovework; his "mechanics" are in some ways not classic, smooth, expected. But they work fine. It can happen with both batting styles and fielding styles.
My question, good scribe: Which of these arms is the club *most* inclined to surrender in trade, do you think? Liberatore, Graceffo, Hence, Pallante. In fact, could you order them from most tradeable to least? Thanks for your time, Bobo! -
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Why do some like to make Mizzou out to be the Washington Generals of the SEC? The football team is 41-49 since entering the conference. Would I like that record to be better? Yep, but it isn't non-competitive. Obviously, Mizzou's move to the SEC largely coincided with the basketball program's worst downturn in 50 years, but structurally I don't see why Mizzou can't compete with everyone in basketball over the long term except Kentucky.
As a Mizzou fan, I'd rather get the chance to take my shot at the best teams in the country every year than play in a hollowed out, watered down Big 12. -
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Hey, Gordo.
Fun trivia: Per Baseball-Reference, Tommy Edman has been worth 4.8 WAR per 600 plate appearances for his career. And Trea Turner? Also 4.8 WAR per 600 plate appearances.
My query: Do you know if star Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida has been officially posted by Orix? I was checking his numbers the other day, and I'd be happy if the Cards offered him up to $20M per year for as many as 5 or 6 seasons. I know that sounds irresponsible, but over the past three seasons he's *easily* been the hardest player in Japan to strike out, and is also second in slugging percentage! That's an almost impossible combination, as I'm sure you know. Plus, he hits lefty. Plus, he draws walks. -
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What is the argument against Don Coryell making it to Canton? No Super Bowl appearances? Lovie Smith, Jim Fassel. the previously mentioned Mike Martz and everybody's favorite Jeff Fisher coached in the big game. Don is deserving. If you ask Gibbs and Vermeil they would say the same.
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The posting of Yoshida has been widely expected, but I don't think it happened yet. The Cardinals have a good book on him and that could be interesting investment, given the weak market for outfielders. Trouble is, Seattle, a natural Pacific Rim fit, is just one of many teams eager to get in on that action.
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Jeff, isn't the Blues' biggest problem they lost two potential Hall of Fame defensemen in Pietrangelo and Bouwmeester and haven't come close to replacing them? I like Colton Parayko but he is not a No. 1, shutdown defenseman. I know defensemen like that are hard to fine but they often separate great teams from good or mediocre ones. The Blues have other issues but this the worst defense I've seen them have in a number of years. Thoughts?
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I've written often about the lack of good fits. That has continued with the recent use of seven defensemen. Nick Leddy has never been used in a defensive role until he came here, and that shows. Justin Faulk made the pairing with Torey Krug work to a degree, but that is a blending of two puck-movers. And playing Bortuzzo with Mikkola created a mobility/puck moving problem. So when Calle Rosen is you most efficient defenseman, admittedly in sheltered useage, that is a problem.
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The last stuff I saw on revenue was that the Cardinals were ranked 14 I would say that is mid market for sure. My real comment is I hope the Cardinals sign one of the free agent catchers. I do not want to see them give up Nootbar. He may not have as much upside as Carlson or O Neil but I think he is a sleeper. He had a very good post season very underrated
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Hi Jeff. See we need this type of guy: Started hitting in the instructional league and hasn't stopped. Uses the whole field and great strike zone discipline. Goes the other way well and should add power as he moves up. Hes still young but has the approach of a veteran. Hard to find a bat like this nowadays. Hard to believe it was 21 years ago when we saw him in Jupiter
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Let me send my congratulations to Tom on being the St. Louis City writer. He's a terrific soccer writer and a natural fit. He will do great work. Will miss him on hockey but great move by the folks at the P-D Jeff. I am really really looking forward to seeing St. Louis City.
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It seems like halfway through the season several reporters in the chats said they didn't see O'Neill as part of the outfield next year. Now it seems like everyone is all in on him being here what changed? Did Oneill do bad enough that the only option is to keep him and play him?
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O'Neill may not have a long-term future here. But in the near term, when compared to the current outfield marketplace he doesn't so bad. Does the team trade low on him and then bring in a replacement with an extensive injury history and/or less offensive upside? That seems to be the calculation.
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