Live Chats

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.

3rd & 7 37yd

With Mizzou Arena turning into a true home court advantage finally, how good of a chance does Mizzou have against Alabama?

by Ted 1/20/2023 8:03:17 PM
Right now the Crimson Tide is a notch or two over everybody in the SEC. The Tigers would have to shoot lights-out from 3-point range and force a LOT of turnovers to pull the upset. Even when teams shoot poorly against the Tigers, they can get second, third and fourth chances on the offensive boards.

by Jeff Gordon 1/20/2023 8:05:21 PM
Did Danny Mac's problem just resurface or was it a on going problem. If it was a on going problem Bally or the Cards should of stepped in. Let Mo make the trades Goldy and Arenado are working out.

by Ed 1/20/2023 8:11:13 PM
I don't believe Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt spend a lot of time working on trades, They have their hands full getting ready for the season.

by Jeff Gordon 1/20/2023 8:12:37 PM
I meant give credit to Mo for making the trades for Goldy and Arenado. He can do okay without the help of us chatters

by Ed 1/20/2023 8:18:21 PM
Gotcha. Some of the other chatters would disagree about Mozeliak needing help. They come in with criticism, constructive or otherwise, every week.

by Jeff Gordon 1/20/2023 8:19:01 PM
Is Illinois the most schizophrenic basketball team in memory, Bobo? Four times this year they've been at least 25 points worse than the Vegas spread. And on the other hand they have four or five tremendously impressive victories. It's gonna be a roller coaster all season, isn't it? (Because no conventional point guard/leadership, in my opinion.)

by Dr. Ifo Suspense 1/20/2023 8:23:00 PM
When a team lacks veteran playmakers running the point, these ups and downs can be more pronounced. And there is the X-factor guys, Matt Mayer and Coleman Hawkins. Sometimes Mayer catches fire and sometimes he disappears. And Hawkins . . . I'm not sure what to make of him. There is tons of potential there, especially with how the game is played today. But he has long stretches of ineffective play.

by Jeff Gordon 1/20/2023 8:26:24 PM
Let's watch how the Lopez trade works out. The Twins gave up a lot for 2 years of control.

by Joe 1/20/2023 8:26:26 PM
Luis Arraez is an outlier. He doesn't drive the ball, which makes the analytics crowd frown, but he sprays hits all over the field. I'm old school and I see value in that.

by Jeff Gordon 1/20/2023 8:27:34 PM
I did not understand why the Cards waited until the deadline to move Walker to the OF. It was readily apparent much earlier in the season that this move was inventible. Any insight as to why they waited?

by Walt M 1/20/2023 8:28:25 PM
Nolan Arenado had a contract opt-out, so for a while that likely helped Jordan Walker stay at third base. Also, he liked playing third base. But it became more and more apparent that the outfield was the best spot for Walker as he began to mature physically. The Cardinals moved him in time to get ample work in the pasture and set up his spring work.

by Jeff Gordon 1/20/2023 8:30:59 PM
If you want to lessen the Blues cap hit go ahead and trade Parayko along with O'Reilly and Tarasenko. Parayko is not worth the money. He's at best, a good defenseman, not great. But he's making "great" money. Do we really need a $6m goalie as well? When Binner was stinking up the joint you said in one of the chats that he had little or no value. Well now he does. Time to sell high and give Hofer a shot. Even if we make the playoffs, it's one and done.

by timothy mark 1/20/2023 8:31:22 PM
Jordan Binnington is reestablishing value for sure. And Joel Hofer stock is rising. So, yes, as the Blues get deeper into their retooling we could see a goaltender trade if Binnington keeps tracking upward. As for Colton Parayko, fans are eager to give all of those hard minutes killing penalties and matching up against top lines to another player. But who?
As for Parayko's contract, his $6.5 million cap ties him for 29th on defense with four others, including Justin Faulk and Torey Krug. Going forward that AAV will sink further into the pack as the salary cap rises and other defensemen sign new deals.

by Jeff Gordon 1/20/2023 8:39:14 PM
Mo has done very, very well over the past 3-4 years. And he was as good as any GM in the business from 2008 until the Fowler signing. That's what's so incredibly weird, Gordo. From the end of the 2015 season until the Goldy trade, he was *maybe* major league baseball's *worst* GM -- at least in terms of trades and free agent signings. People should probably get off his back now, though, as the ship has been back on course for awhile.

My question: to your knowledge, could the Marlins' pitcher being pursued by the Cards be someone other than Pablo Lopez? I strongly prefer four years of Luzardo to two of Lopez. Thanks for the chat, Bobo!

by Dr. Ifo Suspense 1/20/2023 8:39:52 PM
I'm sure the Cardinals have taken a look at all the pitchers Miami put on the block, but as Derrick Goold has noted it doesn't appear the team has gotten too deep into trade talks. It seems like a lot of teams, the Marlins like Lars Nootbaar.

by Jeff Gordon 1/20/2023 8:41:12 PM
How is it that Chapman got a pass for his domestic abuse situation and Trevor Baur is practically tared and feathered?

by timothy mark 1/20/2023 8:42:55 PM
Chapman served a 30-game suspension, so he did not get a pass. Neither did Marcell Ozuna, who got a 20-game ban. But the circumstances in each case were different.

by Jeff Gordon 1/20/2023 8:52:08 PM
Now that Lopez is gone to Min, should the Cards refocus on Lazardo or what other young power pitchers should they target?

I would not trade any of the OFs except Yepez (all bat, no glove, lots of swing & miss (the bad kind) no OBP) when you are trading at low value point. All these Cards fans that want to trade Gorman should be reminded that he's young - first full year was last year - and he's the LH pop that everyone has been asking for for years...

by Saytreykid 1/20/2023 8:52:32 PM
Of the young hitters, Yepez, hitting from the right side with clear fielding limitations, seems like the guy most likely to land as the odd man out. Of course, all that could change if the team lets all the hitters battle it out.

by Jeff Gordon 1/20/2023 8:54:09 PM
If Flaherty is looking good at the break, do they make a serious long term offer to lock him up.?

by Ted 1/20/2023 8:54:11 PM
Sure. The P-D has reported that the Cardinals would definitely seek extensions with their pitchers with expiring deals. But I've always seen Flaherty as the most likely to play out his contract and try free agency. He strikes me as a guy willing to bet on himself.

by Jeff Gordon 1/20/2023 8:56:14 PM
If the Marlins are fixating on Nootbaar, that's fine. We'll take Jesus Luzardo and Eury Perez. Done deal.

But seriously, Gordo, who do you like in the A.L. Central this year? I kind of think the White Sox moves for Benintendi and Clevinger were astute. Get's a steady player into the outfield rotation, freeing Eloy Luzinski -- er, I mean, Jimenez, for designated hitter duty. And Clevinger, head case though he may be, was excellent every season from 2017-2020 prior to injury. So some very real upside; I like the Sox to take the Junior Circuit Central.

by Dr. Ifo Suspense 1/20/2023 8:56:39 PM
And dare we say the White Sox will move on cheerfully from Tony La Russa? Injuries killed the Pale Hose last season, but from a distance it looked like the team welcomed fresh blood in the manager's seat.

by Jeff Gordon 1/20/2023 8:57:46 PM
I was very impressed with Tyler Tucker last night. Looks like a diamond in the rough. I hope chief continues to play him and give him significant ice time. He reminds me of a young Nikita Zadarov. As far as your comment about who to give the penalty minutes to if not Parayko, how about Tucker? There are four other players on the ice for penalty kills and nobody stays out there for the entire two minutes so I think that is a weak point. The goal the Preds scored on the Blues bad change, go back and look at the tape and see who was lollygagging off the ice. I'm just saying that if the Blues are really going to have cap issues, then Parayko is a good way to save money and get a player of equal or greater value for half the money. Between Barbashev, Tarasenko, O'Reilly and Parayko there are a lot of first round draft picks that could come back in return along with good young affordable talent that could also be parlayed into trades in the off season.

by timothy mark 1/20/2023 8:58:18 PM
Tyler Tucker is earning points for sure, but playing him 25 minutes a night with defensive zone starts, steady matchups against top lines and PK duty would be a lot. He has shouldered a bigger load on this recall, but its been more of a Zadorov load than a Parayko load.

by Jeff Gordon 1/20/2023 9:00:31 PM
Adios Lopez, Minn just traded with Fla for their second baseman. The Cards are apparently head over heels with their rotation so here we come dejavu 2023. Where am I wrong?

by Jack 1/20/2023 9:00:45 PM
Minnesota traded a batting champion for a mid-rotation starter. I liked Lopez a lot for the Cardinals, but the team does return six starting pitchers. Right now management does not seem motivated to trade for starting pitching.

by Jeff Gordon 1/20/2023 9:02:21 PM
You can put a player with a NTC on waivers with the agreement that X team claims him. So the Flyers claim Krug on waivers and the Blues get Provy a player Chief knows from his Philly days. Or you tell the player that and he then accepts the trade.

by Roy Hobbs 1/20/2023 9:03:10 PM
Now you are assuming that the Flyers, early in a painful rebuild, see Torey Krug as part of the new nucleus. That is a bold assumption.

by Jeff Gordon 1/20/2023 9:04:07 PM
Right now the Cards have good depth in pitching. Monty, Flaherty and Miles are pitching for big contracts, Waino for the HOF, Hudson and Matz have talent. Let's wait before be overpay in a trade.

by Ed 1/20/2023 9:04:14 PM
Well, tat's a sensible take. And you are known for those. Some of the less reasonable chatters have yet to weigh in this week.

by Jeff Gordon 1/20/2023 9:04:53 PM
Right Krug is not a rebuild piece. Army will figure this out. It does look like Mikkola is gone as well. Tucker can replace him cheaper on the left side third pairing. All the UFAs are gone Vladi, ROR , Barbie, Mikkola probably by the trade deadline.

by Roy Hobbs 1/20/2023 9:09:18 PM
Although Mikkola has struggled with his outlet passing, I could see him surviving as a third-pairing D-man because of the other elements he brings. I'm not sure he can expect premium pay based on his body of work.

by Jeff Gordon 1/20/2023 9:10:19 PM
Happy to weigh in on the rotation. Hudson is horrible, Wainwright is 40 and coming over a dreadful finish, Flaherty has a chronic shoulder injury that has kept him from pitching the past two seasons, Milkolas, Matz, and Montgomery are all good not great if they can stay healthy. See you back in the playoffs thanks to playing in baseball’s worst division. Then play DeWitt ball rolling the dice and hope the stars align .

by Patrick 1/20/2023 9:16:25 PM
Well, yes, the Cardinals are a good bet to return to postseason play. It's great to see optimism shining through today.

by Jeff Gordon 1/20/2023 9:17:09 PM
I don't see how the Blues trade anybody at the deadline. What contending team has the cap space to take on O'Reilly or Tarasenko's contract?

by Andy 1/20/2023 9:17:33 PM
Closer to the deadline, teams get quite creative while creating salary cap space. To get good long-term assets, the Blues could always take back expiring money, for instance. And another team can bury money on long-term injured reserve.

by Jeff Gordon 1/20/2023 9:20:11 PM
Trading for pitching is rolling the dice. I'm not smart enough to judge talent but I'm smart enough not to give DeGrom, Verlander or Scherzer an obscure contract..

by Ed 1/20/2023 9:21:31 PM
I assume you mean obscene contract. As we've seen, the payoff of such contacts can vary wildly. Such gambles are best made by big-market teams with massive resources.

by Jeff Gordon 1/20/2023 9:23:04 PM
OK, that's it for this week. See you next time!

by Jeff Gordon 1/20/2023 9:42:23 PM