Fools Gold - Stay The Course

[Basil Shabazz]

I am appreciative of the run this team is on and I enjoy winning baseball as much as anybody, but I still see this as an 81 to 84 win team.

I hope they continue with the retool/rebuild mindset and are actively shopping and listening to offers on Helsley, Nado, Fedde, Mikolas, Burleson, and even Nootbaar. Between our young p-layers, the draft, next years free agency and the return on trades we can continue the retool/rebuild and begin competing w/ a legitimate shot of winning divisions and advancing further than a round in the playoffs. Keep using this year to see what you have or do not have in Gorman and Walker as well.

Don't buy into this team doing what they have done over the past month.

[ecleme22]

You’re fun.

[ClassicO]

I am appreciative of the run this team is on and I enjoy winning baseball as much as anybody, but I still see this as an 81 to 84 win team.

I hope they continue with the retool/rebuild mindset and are actively shopping and listening to offers on Helsley, Nado, Fedde, Mikolas, Burleson, and even Nootbaar. Between our young p-layers, the draft, next years free agency and the return on trades we can continue the retool/rebuild and begin competing w/ a legitimate shot of winning divisions and advancing further than a round in the playoffs. Keep using this year to see what you have or do not have in Gorman and Walker as well.

Don't buy into this team doing what they have done over the past month.

I agree. I say (likely too often) that, if you're not going to win the World Series in any given year, have a plan for the next few years where that is the sole objective. I like the team this year, but it's not going to go far, so they need to reset with winning a WS is the goal. I don't get people who think a Wild Card is that rewarding -- or memorable.

[kyace]

We still have two months to see how things play out. However if a very good offer comes for Fedde or Matz I think you take it at that point. Helsley is different as he would be harder to replace.

[cardinalsfever44]

We still have two months to see how things play out. However if a very good offer comes for Fedde or Matz I think you take it at that point. Helsley is different as he would be harder to replace.

I have to disagree. Of Fedde, Matz, and Helsley, Helsley has been the least important to the success of the team so far in 2025.

[imyourhuckleberry]

I think "fools gold" is a little harsh.

They're 12-10 vs. over .500 teams. They're very good at home and improving on the road. Isn't the expectation of a division winner to be good at home and .500 in the road? To be good against bad teams and .500 against good teams?

I'm more inclined to think their complete inability to win on the road for the first month was the aberration. They weren't that bad, just as they probably aren't quite as good as they are right now. Overall, they're probably a .500 road team once we get past the streaky road play we've seen this far.

With the idiotic ghost runner rule, extras inning games are basically a coin flip. You gotta figure that luck has to even out a bit. Maybe not, but likely it will.

As with all teams, the remaining 120ish games will heavily rely on health, and mostly pitching health. So far, they've been more than reasonably healthy at the major league level. That will be the difference between a 90-win and 80-win team or worse.

Still a lot of baseball to play before decisions have to be made. But, if they're 10 or more above .500 a couple weeks before the deadline, I'll be disappointed if they don't add. Sure, the Matz's and Mikolas's go be off-loaded but if they have a chance to make a run, they gotta go for it.

[Carp4Cy]

I am appreciative of the run this team is on and I enjoy winning baseball as much as anybody, but I still see this as an 81 to 84 win team.

I hope they continue with the retool/rebuild mindset and are actively shopping and listening to offers on Helsley, Nado, Fedde, Mikolas, Burleson, and even Nootbaar. Between our young p-layers, the draft, next years free agency and the return on trades we can continue the retool/rebuild and begin competing w/ a legitimate shot of winning divisions and advancing further than a round in the playoffs. Keep using this year to see what you have or do not have in Gorman and Walker as well.

Don't buy into this team doing what they have done over the past month.

I agree. I say (likely too often) that, if you're not going to win the World Series in any given year, have a plan for the next few years where that is the sole objective. I like the team this year, but it's not going to go far, so they need to reset with winning a WS is the goal. I don't get people who think a Wild Card is that rewarding -- or memorable.

The '23 DBAcks won a pennant after barely sneaking into the WC. I don't buy that its impossible for a playoff team to get to the WS - that's just defeatism talking. If we make the right moves, anything could happen. Remember 2011 - Furcal, Jackson, Scrabble, and Dotel (RIP) jolted us and took us all the way?

[DewittDaman11]

I know this is a bit of comparing apples to oranges, but, I don't think anyone thought the Cardinals would do anything in 2011, either, and look what happened. I definitely understand the position of continually trying to improve the club. However, trying to figure out what team is good enough to win it all is nothing but pure speculation, with evidence weighted in favor of certain clubs based on talent and current performance. It's true that there are many a (bleep) team that would not have a chance in hell to win the WS, but, the Cardinals have proven before that all they need is an average team with a lot of heart to win it all. And, honestly, I really don't see the lower spending Cardinals ever having much of an above average team, other than by sucking for a long time and hitting on high draft picks. Point being, even though I know it's a front office favorite saying that "all you have to do is get in", and, I know that they managed to mess that up lately, but, in the end, that may be our only route to the WS. I say as long as the Cardinals are still a winning team, and, are in the playoffs come the trade deadline, they should roll the dice with the squad they have(maybe plus a BP arm, and maybe minus one of Gorman, Walker or Burleson, or, whomever else can get a good BP arm), and let this club find it's own destiny.

[Carp4Cy]

We still have two months to see how things play out. However if a very good offer comes for Fedde or Matz I think you take it at that point. Helsley is different as he would be harder to replace.

See - Mikolas I would trade, but none of those 3 guys you mention is pushing 40, and all are actually doing well the past several weeks. If they keep that up, I don't see why at least of couple of them shouldn't be part of the team's potential playoff success for the next several years. We don't need our payroll to dwindle to 0 and we don't need an entire roster of under 26's. Nobody actually wins that way. Matz is one of the best lefty relievers out there, and probably has more value to us than he has TV. Fedde should be an extension candidate based on the past 1.5 years (assuming he continues). Helsley has a ceiling of the best closer in baseball. These are guys we shouldn't be in a hurry to get rid of for some unspecified jag prospect just to not miss out on getting some return.

Reopen the wallet and build/maintain for the immediate future.

[Basil Shabazz]

I know this is a bit of comparing apples to oranges, but, I don't think anyone thought the Cardinals would do anything in 2011, either, and look what happened. I definitely understand the position of continually trying to improve the club. However, trying to figure out what team is good enough to win it all is nothing but pure speculation, with evidence weighted in favor of certain clubs based on talent and current performance. It's true that there are many a (bleep) team that would not have a chance in hell to win the WS, but, the Cardinals have proven before that all they need is an average team with a lot of heart to win it all. And, honestly, I really don't see the lower spending Cardinals ever having much of an above average team, other than by sucking for a long time and hitting on high draft picks. Point being, even though I know it's a front office favorite saying that "all you have to do is get in", and, I know that they managed to mess that up lately, but, in the end, that may be our only route to the WS. I say as long as the Cardinals are still a winning team, and, are in the playoffs come the trade deadline, they should roll the dice with the squad they have(maybe plus a BP arm, and maybe minus one of Gorman, Walker or Burleson, or, whomever else can get a good BP arm), and let this club find it's own destiny.

A foundation of Pujols, Yadi, Berkman, Holliday, and Carp makes a difference in the expected outcome in my opinion. 2011 unit had real veteran leadership to steer the ship.

This version has Nado who doesn't want to lead.

The only real 2 foundational veteran leadership/performance pieces this team has is Gray and Contreras.

[renostl]

I am appreciative of the run this team is on and I enjoy winning baseball as much as anybody, but I still see this as an 81 to 84 win team.

I hope they continue with the retool/rebuild mindset and are actively shopping and listening to offers on Helsley, Nado, Fedde, Mikolas, Burleson, and even Nootbaar. Between our young p-layers, the draft, next years free agency and the return on trades we can continue the retool/rebuild and begin competing w/ a legitimate shot of winning divisions and advancing further than a round in the playoffs. Keep using this year to see what you have or do not have in Gorman and Walker as well.

Don't buy into this team doing what they have done over the past month.

When that big jump that you want to see happen occurs
do you expect them to jump from a 80 win team to a 95 win team?

There's little depth, why toss aside cost controlled with upside? What does Noot or Donovan
cost on the open market and at this time who are their replacements? Guys who are a part of the
starting 9, top of the lineup will need replaced and I don't readily see it. It's how teams stay in rebuild forever.

I think that I'm misunderstanding the position.

[Strummer Jones]

I don't know if we're fools gold or not, it's not that simple. But as things stand, I wouldn't mortgage the future for what we have now. I think we're a good team. We're holding our own. We're not true contenders yet, but it's not as asinine of a statement as it would've been 2 months ago. This might be one of the trickiest deadlines we've had in a while.

[sikeston bulldog2]

Stay the course. When you see the Southern Cross for the first time; you’ll understand now why you came this way.

[blackinkbiz]

How miserable life must be if you only find joy in absolutes and preconceived fallacies of your own mind.

Enjoy your misery, you blind fools. Apparently, you deserve it.

[Futuregm2]

I know this is a bit of comparing apples to oranges, but, I don't think anyone thought the Cardinals would do anything in 2011, either, and look what happened. I definitely understand the position of continually trying to improve the club. However, trying to figure out what team is good enough to win it all is nothing but pure speculation, with evidence weighted in favor of certain clubs based on talent and current performance. It's true that there are many a (bleep) team that would not have a chance in hell to win the WS, but, the Cardinals have proven before that all they need is an average team with a lot of heart to win it all. And, honestly, I really don't see the lower spending Cardinals ever having much of an above average team, other than by sucking for a long time and hitting on high draft picks. Point being, even though I know it's a front office favorite saying that "all you have to do is get in", and, I know that they managed to mess that up lately, but, in the end, that may be our only route to the WS. I say as long as the Cardinals are still a winning team, and, are in the playoffs come the trade deadline, they should roll the dice with the squad they have(maybe plus a BP arm, and maybe minus one of Gorman, Walker or Burleson, or, whomever else can get a good BP arm), and let this club find it's own destiny.

A foundation of Pujols, Yadi, Berkman, Holliday, and Carp makes a difference in the expected outcome in my opinion. 2011 unit had real veteran leadership to steer the ship.

This version has Nado who doesn't want to lead.

The only real 2 foundational veteran leadership/performance pieces this team has is Gray and Contreras.

They have a healthy Nootbaar, a Donovan that looks a bit better than other years, an emerging star in Masyn Winn, just got back Ivan Herrera from the IL who has shown he can flat out hit, and a Matthew Liberatore that is breaking out finally and has outdueled two of the premier pitchers in baseball (Wheeler/Skenes). Will they maintain it? We'll find out. But the younger players are giving hope and a peak of what they are capable of.

[rockondlouie]

I am appreciative of the run this team is on and I enjoy winning baseball as much as anybody, but I still see this as an 81 to 84 win team.

I hope they continue with the retool/rebuild mindset and are actively shopping and listening to offers on Helsley, Nado, Fedde, Mikolas, Burleson, and even Nootbaar. Between our young p-layers, the draft, next years free agency and the return on trades we can continue the retool/rebuild and begin competing w/ a legitimate shot of winning divisions and advancing further than a round in the playoffs. Keep using this year to see what you have or do not have in Gorman and Walker as well.

Don't buy into this team doing what they have done over the past month.

Noot ($2.9M)?

No thanks basil and no need to deal him whatsoever as he's the best lead-off man we've had since MCarps prime.

I buyout he and Donovan's remaining ARB years plus first couple years of FA w/extensions this winter and then build around them.

JMO