Roster Decisions made...according to KatieWoo

[82birds]

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.

Oli's loyalty to a fringe major leaguer (of course great glove but no bat) is baffling.

yup
rather have Koperniak as 4th outfielder

[Wattage]

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.

Gray cant be traded. He has a no trade clause and said he wanted to stay when management asked if he wanted to search for trades during rebuild.

Fedde is in a weird spot. If he can replicate last year his value will probably be much higher at deadline than it is right now.

[82birds]

at least they didn''t come out and say, our starting five will be led by ace Gray.

Gray is NO ACE on his best day. Even before his bad ST

[Clubmaker2]

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.

its not like the starting shortstop has a bad back that they like to sit him out certain times to keep it in check....oh wait...

[Slip Kid]

The opening day roster is not permanent, I don’t agree with a couple spots but it’s not worth getting too worked up about it.

[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.

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

Oli's loyalty to a fringe major leaguer (of course great glove but no bat) is baffling.

yup
rather have Koperniak as 4th outfielder

Same

Heck I'd even keep Fermin (probably sent out to keep duce from getting the exterminator after him )

[82birds]

I feel for McGreevy, he deserved a shot in the rotation.

I hope Liberatore breaks out and becomes a big part of the rotation though, still have hope for him. IF he did and you still then have McGreevy, Mathews, and Hence it could really improve our chances in the near future.

agree with all ^

[Melville]

Once again, the team does not make roster decisions based on honest competition to identify the best players.
Instead, players are anointed by the front office well in advance and gifted jobs.
TOXIC CULTURE continues.

[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.

Backup ss is donovan they said. If scott was sent down they could recall siani anyway. He has option years.

Barrero hasnt shown any intrigue with bat in majors or even minors last year. Fermin hit way better in minors last year and fermin is a year younger than barrero. Evidently barrero was once a higher prospect, but he isnt on the 40man and require dfaing someone. If he hits well in memphis, maybe he forces that issue.

Good enough explanation. Now what does this all mean as far as playing time for Walker and Gorman.

[Cusecards]

Once again, the team does not make roster decisions based on honest competition to identify the best players.
Instead, players are anointed by the front office well in advance and gifted jobs.
TOXIC CULTURE continues.

Ok

[82birds]

Once again, the team does not make roster decisions based on honest competition to identify the best players.
Instead, players are anointed by the front office well in advance and gifted jobs.
TOXIC CULTURE continues.

agree

[cardsfaninla]

I don't get all the fuss. So the last man on the roster is a defensive replacement...? Siani is already on the roster. He plays great d. He won't play that much.

Let the other two play in Memphis and get reps.

As for the kinda 6man rotation.... meh ... so a bigger list of guys will get losses and no decisions ...

I am sticking with my low bar. Go Cards

[Cusecards]

The opening day roster is not permanent, I don’t agree with a couple spots but it’s not worth getting too worked up about it.

Thank you

[reson8]

I thought Mo the genius backloaded Gray's contract and he is owed something like $65m between this year and next. Do I remember that correctly? If so he's untradeable even if he agreed to waive the NTC. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[Melville]

Once again, the team does not make roster decisions based on honest competition to identify the best players.
Instead, players are anointed by the front office well in advance and gifted jobs.
TOXIC CULTURE continues.

agree

Makes no sense for the team to open with no backup SS given how Winn has struggled - and how the lack of a backup at that spot severely limits the ability to make specific late game decisions.
It further makes no sense to construct an outfield with 5 LH hitting options (Scott, Siani, Mootbaar, Donovan, Burleson) and just one RH bat (Walker), particularly since that one RH bat may well be the biggest question on the team currently.
I am not endorsing Fermin as being anything more than a bench player, but the fact is he had a vastly superior spring compared to Siani, has more defensive flexibility which is strategically important, and is a RH hitter with a team overloaded from the left side.
On the pitching side, it is inexcusable for Super Slo Mo to have failed to make the roster adjustments needed over the past 6 months to ensure roles were available to young pitchers such as McGreevy who have earned an opportunity and who have the potential to improve the team.
Pre-selected, anointed, bubble wrapped veteran players (regardless of the basis on which that was gifted) who remain on the roster are nothing less than a message to all players and staff at every level of the organization that performance does not matter, true competition does not exist, and winning in not the priority.
TOXIC CULTURE.

[Melville]

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.

Oli's loyalty to a fringe major leaguer (of course great glove but no bat) is baffling.

yup
rather have Koperniak as 4th outfielder

There was never a competition.
He could have hit .500 with 10 HR in ST and still would have had less than zero chance of making the roster.