3-6 home stand signals…

[smilinjoefission]

The Cards were a sub .500 club that had a decent little winning streak, then reverted back to being a sub .500 club...this is who they are.

[BrockFloodMaris]

Maybe the Cards are just reverting to their mean (.500). Today's lineup only had one hitter with an OPS over .800. Lib appears to have a bit of a mid-season dead arm. Nothing shocking, just a mediocre team returning to a mediocre record. We should not expect too many career seasons out of this bunch.

[hmoss859]

When your closer blows 3 saves on homestand it kinda snowballs, ya know

Pitching getting pummeled

[imadangman]

We may be returning to an all too familiar quandry. There is a certain level of contention that would satisfy us, as far as what we accept for a contending season. There's a level below that of the team being just good enough to keep you from selling the pieces you need to sell. There's another level, what's the minimum record that leaves you "encouraged" about the next season. You might accomplish that while still selling. Maybe it's for the best that they level off now, prompting the front office to start fielding offers on Helsley, Fedde, etc.

[butsir01]

We may be returning to an all too familiar quandry. There is a certain level of contention that would satisfy us, as far as what we accept for a contending season. There's a level below that of the team being just good enough to keep you from selling the pieces you need to sell. There's another level, what's the minimum record that leaves you "encouraged" about the next season. You might accomplish that while still selling. Maybe it's for the best that they level off now, prompting the front office to start fielding offers on Helsley, Fedde, etc.

^^^This.

[imadangman]

We may be returning to an all too familiar quandry. There is a certain level of contention that would satisfy us, as far as what we accept for a contending season. There's a level below that of the team being just good enough to keep you from selling the pieces you need to sell. There's another level, what's the minimum record that leaves you "encouraged" about the next season. You might accomplish that while still selling. Maybe it's for the best that they level off now, prompting the front office to start fielding offers on Helsley, Fedde, etc.

^^^This.

I want to add this and I'll put it this way. If they play .500 ball the rest of the way, would you look at what you saw in May as enough "encouragement" to take into next season? For me, this stretch was more "encouraging" than any stretch of play we had in 2023 or 24. But to be completely convinced that we are on an uptrend from one season to the next, I'd want to see some more stretches of +.500 ball and not just this two steps forward two steps back stuff. I think 87 wins is what it will take for me to be significantly encouraged, or at least what i would accept as a contending effort. However I think about 84 wins is enough to surpass most folks preseason expectation.

I guess my point is if you're telling me we win 84 games and we held onto Fedde and Helsley I'd say that's pretty much a failure. If we win 87-90 games while holding them I'd say well, they made a good run. You know from watching this sport there may never be a chance as good as the one you have infront of you.

[Adam2]

We may be returning to an all too familiar quandry. There is a certain level of contention that would satisfy us, as far as what we accept for a contending season. There's a level below that of the team being just good enough to keep you from selling the pieces you need to sell. There's another level, what's the minimum record that leaves you "encouraged" about the next season. You might accomplish that while still selling. Maybe it's for the best that they level off now, prompting the front office to start fielding offers on Helsley, Fedde, etc.

^^^This.

I want to add this and I'll put it this way. If they play .500 ball the rest of the way, would you look at what you saw in May as enough "encouragement" to take into next season? For me, this stretch was more "encouraging" than any stretch of play we had in 2023 or 24. But to be completely convinced that we are on an uptrend from one season to the next, I'd want to see some more stretches of +.500 ball and not just this two steps forward two steps back stuff. I think 87 wins is what it will take for me to be significantly encouraged, or at least what i would accept as a contending effort. However I think about 84 wins is enough to surpass most folks preseason expectation.

I guess my point is if you're telling me we win 84 games and we held onto Fedde and Helsley I'd say that's pretty much a failure. If we win 87-90 games while holding them I'd say well, they made a good run. You know from watching this sport there may never be a chance as good as the one you have infront of you.

I would agree with your point. If come trade deadline time this looks like an 80-84 win team you really need to listen to all offers on Helsley and Fedde. If it looks like 87 plus wins as you said, then i would be fine with them hanging onto them and seeing what happens

[Talkin' Baseball]

We may be returning to an all too familiar quandry. There is a certain level of contention that would satisfy us, as far as what we accept for a contending season. There's a level below that of the team being just good enough to keep you from selling the pieces you need to sell. There's another level, what's the minimum record that leaves you "encouraged" about the next season. You might accomplish that while still selling. Maybe it's for the best that they level off now, prompting the front office to start fielding offers on Helsley, Fedde, etc.

^^^This.

I want to add this and I'll put it this way. If they play .500 ball the rest of the way, would you look at what you saw in May as enough "encouragement" to take into next season? For me, this stretch was more "encouraging" than any stretch of play we had in 2023 or 24. But to be completely convinced that we are on an uptrend from one season to the next, I'd want to see some more stretches of +.500 ball and not just this two steps forward two steps back stuff. I think 87 wins is what it will take for me to be significantly encouraged, or at least what i would accept as a contending effort. However I think about 84 wins is enough to surpass most folks preseason expectation.

I guess my point is if you're telling me we win 84 games and we held onto Fedde and Helsley I'd say that's pretty much a failure. If we win 87-90 games while holding them I'd say well, they made a good run. You know from watching this sport there may never be a chance as good as the one you have infront of you.

I would agree with your point. If come trade deadline time this looks like an 80-84 win team you really need to listen to all offers on Helsley and Fedde. If it looks like 87 plus wins as you said, then i would be fine with them hanging onto them and seeing what happens

Do I understand you to say that as few as 3 wins, and the possibility of a wildcard spot would change, or affect, a long-term decision?

[PadsFS07]

Regression to mean taking place, it’s 500 team, too many wasted roster spots on Triple A players

Looking back, it would have been nice to re-sign Goldschmidt and just suffer with the outfield defense of Burleson Nootbaar Donovan and the poor catching of Contreras and Herrera.

Or hit the jackpot with an FA starter like Evoladi

[PadsFS07]

Do I understand you to say that as few as 3 wins, and the possibility of a wildcard spot would change, or affect, a long-term decision?

You’re not going to get a large package for pending free agents. You might get lucky like we did with the Jordan Montgomery trade package of Saggese Roby King, but that’s about it.

[Adam2]

We may be returning to an all too familiar quandry. There is a certain level of contention that would satisfy us, as far as what we accept for a contending season. There's a level below that of the team being just good enough to keep you from selling the pieces you need to sell. There's another level, what's the minimum record that leaves you "encouraged" about the next season. You might accomplish that while still selling. Maybe it's for the best that they level off now, prompting the front office to start fielding offers on Helsley, Fedde, etc.

^^^This.

I want to add this and I'll put it this way. If they play .500 ball the rest of the way, would you look at what you saw in May as enough "encouragement" to take into next season? For me, this stretch was more "encouraging" than any stretch of play we had in 2023 or 24. But to be completely convinced that we are on an uptrend from one season to the next, I'd want to see some more stretches of +.500 ball and not just this two steps forward two steps back stuff. I think 87 wins is what it will take for me to be significantly encouraged, or at least what i would accept as a contending effort. However I think about 84 wins is enough to surpass most folks preseason expectation.

I guess my point is if you're telling me we win 84 games and we held onto Fedde and Helsley I'd say that's pretty much a failure. If we win 87-90 games while holding them I'd say well, they made a good run. You know from watching this sport there may never be a chance as good as the one you have infront of you.

I would agree with your point. If come trade deadline time this looks like an 80-84 win team you really need to listen to all offers on Helsley and Fedde. If it looks like 87 plus wins as you said, then i would be fine with them hanging onto them and seeing what happens

Do I understand you to say that as few as 3 wins, and the possibility of a wildcard spot would change, or affect, a long-term decision?

It's not really a long term decision. Neither Fedde nor Helsley will be here next year whether traded or not. Since they won't re-sign either it only affects the second half of this season

[nighthawk]

I remember when the 2011 team had a 3-6 homestand. I remember when the 2006 team had a 3-6 homestand. And remember when the 2004 team jumped out in April with a 5-9 homestand record for that month? As I recall, our season was over when they stumbled out of the gate losing three of four games at home against the Brewers.

[sikeston bulldog2]

Winnng the 7-2 lead Royals game would have greatly benefited the effort.

[rockondlouie]

I don't see it being a wheels off situation.

Plain & simple we saw some horrible pitching after those first two Dodgers games.

[Talkin' Baseball]

We may be returning to an all too familiar quandry. There is a certain level of contention that would satisfy us, as far as what we accept for a contending season. There's a level below that of the team being just good enough to keep you from selling the pieces you need to sell. There's another level, what's the minimum record that leaves you "encouraged" about the next season. You might accomplish that while still selling. Maybe it's for the best that they level off now, prompting the front office to start fielding offers on Helsley, Fedde, etc.

^^^This.

I want to add this and I'll put it this way. If they play .500 ball the rest of the way, would you look at what you saw in May as enough "encouragement" to take into next season? For me, this stretch was more "encouraging" than any stretch of play we had in 2023 or 24. But to be completely convinced that we are on an uptrend from one season to the next, I'd want to see some more stretches of +.500 ball and not just this two steps forward two steps back stuff. I think 87 wins is what it will take for me to be significantly encouraged, or at least what i would accept as a contending effort. However I think about 84 wins is enough to surpass most folks preseason expectation.

I guess my point is if you're telling me we win 84 games and we held onto Fedde and Helsley I'd say that's pretty much a failure. If we win 87-90 games while holding them I'd say well, they made a good run. You know from watching this sport there may never be a chance as good as the one you have infront of you.

I would agree with your point. If come trade deadline time this looks like an 80-84 win team you really need to listen to all offers on Helsley and Fedde. If it looks like 87 plus wins as you said, then i would be fine with them hanging onto them and seeing what happens

Do I understand you to say that as few as 3 wins, and the possibility of a wildcard spot would change, or affect, a long-term decision?

It's not really a long term decision. Neither Fedde nor Helsley will be here next year whether traded or not. Since they won't re-sign either it only affects the second half of this season

It is a long-term decision. You are deciding whether to go for a potential short-term reward or trade them and receive players that could be here for several seasons. What you decide definitely affects several seasons.

[imetsatchelpaige]

They are pretty much who we thought they were.
A little more fun, for sure, and great defense, but this is a circa .500 team that needs to stick to rebuild mode.

No fantasies permitted on “if we just get in anything can happen.” We probably won’t, and if we do, it will pass quickly. Move the vets at the break, and don’t obsess about the return. Open up the roster so we can see what we have.