Roster Decisions made...according to KatieWoo

[craviduce]

we have 3 choices for 1B/DH....stupid...I'm sorry, I know they believe in some moronic version of loyalty, but that's ridiculous

[cardinalsfan27]

Katie Woo
@katiejwoo
The Cardinals will use Siani as a 4th OF/defensive replacement. They do not have a back up SS, Oli Marmol acknowledged. Donovan can fill in when needed.

Six-man rotation starts on 4/16 because of scheduling/off days. The Cardinals plan to keep Libby in the rotation regardless.

So is Matz the 6th starter then?

[rockondlouie]

Katie Woo
@katiejwoo
The Cardinals will use Siani as a 4th OF/defensive replacement. They do not have a back up SS, Oli Marmol acknowledged. Donovan can fill in when needed.

Six-man rotation starts on 4/16 because of scheduling/off days. The Cardinals plan to keep Libby in the rotation regardless.

So is Matz the 6th starter then?

Yes

He'll start as the schedule allows for a 6th starter

[wkycards]

John Denton
@JohnDenton555
·
3m
LHP Matthew Liberatore will start the season in a modified six-man rotation, manager Oli Marmol said. LHP Steven Matz will start out of the bullpen and join the rotation on April 16, Marmol said.


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yep, McGreevy out...unless I'm missing something?

SIani makes the roster....most asinine thing I've ever seen....

So, they're keeping Scott AND Siani. What, no Baker?

Baker made it too.

Yeah, I was assuming that Fermin story was true from the other day. But I see he is going to Memphis.

[craviduce]

Katie Woo
@katiejwoo
The Cardinals will use Siani as a 4th OF/defensive replacement. They do not have a back up SS, Oli Marmol acknowledged. Donovan can fill in when needed.

Six-man rotation starts on 4/16 because of scheduling/off days. The Cardinals plan to keep Libby in the rotation regardless.

So is Matz the 6th starter then?

yep, that's the announced plan....Matz enters the 6 man rotation on 4/16

McGreevy EARNED the 5 man rotation spot....

[imadangman]

So what's the point of this season? Is it just to make more impulse decisions? Or is there an objective to all this.

What's the plan with Walker? Are they going to keep Donovan at 2B and allow an everyday outfield of Nootbaar-Scott-Walker? And then Gorman can ride the bench and get in where he can.

I was pushing for Barrero. I wonder who the backup SS will be. With Scott II inline for centerfield there is NO benefit having Siani here especially over Barrero who can play several infield/outfield positions and at least has a little bit of intrigue with the bat.

Only reason I see for keeping Siani around is if they are planning for incase they have to send Scott back down. And that goes back to my opening statement about impulse decisions. I've been asking all along what difference it makes for Scott's overall development to have him on the opening day roster.

[Whatashame]

If you decide to keep Scott on the 26 man, isn’t Siani just redundant. This makes him our 5th outfielder and he can’t hit. What kind of pictures does he have on upper management?

Scott, Nootbaar, Walker, Donovan, even Burleson can man the outfield. What does Siani, a LH bat who can’t hit, bring to the table. The last thing this team needs is a LH bench bat who can’t hit.

[rockondlouie]

Ok.............deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep breathe

1)
MCG got screwed but I'd rather have him starting at Memphis than I would the "old way" yo-yoing from the pen' to the rotation up here.

And kudos for getting it right w/VSII.

2)
I wonder if C. Bloom, who was w/Tampa when they drafted Libby, see's the obvious fact that he has way more value as a starter and feels he's now ready for that role?

Matz has been ver good out of the pen' and using him there and as that 6th spot starter could keep him off the IL.

3)
W T F is M. Sinai doing on this roster? No true backup SS, keeping one over him would've been the right call.

4)
Bullpen looks good, strength of the team!

[mattmitchl44]

Barring an injury, Winn should make 155+ starts at SS, so a backup SS is probably not a big concern right now.

[Cusecards]

Huh....a bit surprising so all I can gather is:
*This is the one FINAL chance for Liberatore to make the rotation? Up until now he has struggled with command as a starter but been very good in relief.
*Matz(and Mikolas) are on borrowed time. Ideally they will show enough to garner trade interest at the deadline. Doubtful either is back next season.
Unfortunately you can’t send them down and releasing them at the start of the season and eating up to $30M makes zero sense.
*McGreevy is the future(throw Mathews in there also). I would expect both to be in the rotation no later than the start of 2026.
So you have:
Gray- NTC. Under contract for 2026. Of course he could be dealt along the way if he consents.
Fedde- FA after 2025. So of course he could be dealt. Could go either way.
Pallante- Under team control so his cost is minimal. Might also have Options left??
Matz/Mikolas- Figure to be gone after 2025. Preferably sooner at the deadline.
McGreevy/Mathews- The future. I’m sure they’ve been told this. If their future starts in April 2025, July/September 2025, or ST 2026 what difference does it make as long as they continue to progress/impress???? Toss in Roby, Graceffo, Hence, etc etc to that list.

[rockondlouie]

Barring an injury, Winn should make 155+ starts at SS, so a backup SS is probably not a big concern right now.

It is if it means keeping a redundant M. Siani over a backup SS since I could say the same for VSII playing 155+ starts in CF.

[craviduce]

2)
I wonder if C. Bloom, who was w/Tampa when they drafted Libby, see's the obvious fact that he has way more value as a starter and feels he's now ready for that role?

Matz has been ver good out of the pen' and using him there and as that 6th spot starter could keep him off the IL.

Rock...Libby's value always relied on Spin Rate and Velocity of his fastball. Something he could NEVER maintain as a starter.

I know there's a lot of Libby fans out there....I'm not trying to trigger them. But this is the same old "Square Peg/Round Hole" nonsense this FO/Coaching staff has been trying to ram down our throats the last 5 seasons

[Talkin' Baseball]

Wow! I've been scathing in my criticism of the decision-makers the past couple months. They got more right, and were more adventurous than I thought they would be. Liberatore in the rotation and Scott in center represent bold moves for them. Even though they didn't change the roster in ways they probably should have over the winter, this definitely represents a different use of the roster they have. Kudos. Maybe with a little time they will reconsider the Mikolas, Siani, McGreevy portions of the roster. Now we go to the "time will tell" portion of the program. All in all, it's better than I had hoped for.

[An Old Friend]

Katie Woo
@katiejwoo
·
48s
Victor Scott II will be the Opening Day center fielder. Matthew Liberatore is the fifth starter. Steven Matz will be in long relief. Cardinals will go a six-man rotation beginning April 16.

https://x.com/katiejwoo/status/1903832183065706603

Holy shart they made good decisions! Liberatore / Matz is something I've droned about!

[craviduce]

Huh....a bit surprising so all I can gather is:
*This is the one FINAL chance for Liberatore to make the rotation? Up until now he has struggled with command as a starter but been very good in relief.
*Matz(and Mikolas) are on borrowed time. Ideally they will show enough to garner trade interest at the deadline. Doubtful either is back next season.
Unfortunately you can’t send them down and releasing them at the start of the season and eating up to $30M makes zero sense.
*McGreevy is the future(throw Mathews in there also). I would expect both to be in the rotation no later than the start of 2026.
So you have:
Gray- NTC. Under contract for 2026. Of course he could be dealt along the way if he consents.
Fedde- FA after 2025. So of course he could be dealt. Could go either way.
Pallante- Under team control so his cost is minimal. Might also have Options left??
Matz/Mikolas- Figure to be gone after 2025. Preferably sooner at the deadline.
McGreevy/Mathews- The future. I’m sure they’ve been told this. If their future starts in April 2025, July/September 2025, or ST 2026 what difference does it make as long as they continue to progress/impress???? Toss in Roby, Graceffo, Hence, etc etc to that list.

I don't mind Libby getting the chance...it makes sense. What I do mind is Mikolas, Matz taking up space. I mind 1 of Fedde or Gray not being traded.

What the hell?? McGreevy and Libby should be in the 5 man. Cut ties with Matz and Mikolas.

[mattmitchl44]

Barring an injury, Winn should make 155+ starts at SS, so a backup SS is probably not a big concern right now.

It is if it means keeping a redundant M. Siani over a backup SS since I could say the same for VSII playing 155+ starts in CF.

Yeah, that wasn't intended as any defense of Siani.