Buying The Cardinals Way Back To The WS

Cranny · Post by **Cranny** » 10 Jul 2025 12:38 pm

Many posters have suggested that the Cards should get back to the $175-180 million spending level. Let’s see what that would do.

Dodgers - $337.8 million
Mets - $331.3 million
Yanks - $290.3 million
Phillies - $279.4 million
Jays - $245.9 million
Astros - $221.3 million
Rangers - $218.7 million
Braves - $211.7 million
Padres - $209.0 million
Cubs - $195.4 million
Giants - $195.3 million
Angels - $193.9 million
Red Sox - $190.8 million
Diamondbacks - $188.9 million
Cardinals - 175-180 million

Maybe just throwing money at it won’t do the trick.
The strength will have to come mainly through the system. Draft well. Develop well. Trade as necessary to fill holes.

Cardinals4Life · Post by **Cardinals4Life** » 10 Jul 2025 12:44 pm

They are going to have to get to the 200M level AND continue to develop. It is 2025!!!!! It isn't 2000 anymore or even 2015....
BOTTOM LINE is they have to develop well internally AND be able to spend money on the needed remaining pieces. Nobody is saying spend like the Dodgers. But trying to field a team completely full of homegrown talent isn't going to work. That's the reality of the game today.

CorneliusWolfe · Post by **CorneliusWolfe** » 10 Jul 2025 12:45 pm

Hope you’re ready for five more years of ineptitude. I don’t mind a middle payroll but bottom tier with a bad farm is going a little too cheap.

If their cheap strategy eventually starts paying off then fine. I don’t care about BDW saving money nor think he should spend unnecessarily either just to achieve a high payroll. But there should be a cost of bad drafting and developing, and the price shouldn’t be fielding a non-competitive team either.

Ozziesfan41 · Post by **Ozziesfan41** » 10 Jul 2025 12:51 pm

The rays have probably the best scouting and development program in baseball and haven’t won anything. If they had money to supplement and fix any holes they do have they would be a monster of a team but they don’t. Cardinals won’t win anything unless they develop well and spend money. And above. All they need a good GM and POBO not ones who are incompetent and make bad signings overpaying for mediocre players

StlMike1969 · Post by **StlMike1969** » 10 Jul 2025 13:09 pm

As long as bankers are in charge of signing the checks they will most likely stay in the $125m to $140m range. I honestly cannot say I blame them either. The player salaries have gotten out of hand. When a team is made up of 26 players. Dedicating 75% of that payroll to 3 to 5 of those players just seems insane. I am someone that believes there should be a salary cap with structured bonuses personally. Max yearly against the budget is 25mill. You want more then earn it. Meet goals as laid out in the contract. Hit 40 HRs get a mill bonus. Hit 50 get 2 mill etc. Put the onus on the players to produce. Nothing beats down a team like watching your 35 mill a year player hit .220 and 30 HR's when you pay him to hit .300 and 50. Just my 2 cents.

BDMcGee · Post by **BDMcGee** » 10 Jul 2025 13:14 pm

I think ownership knows that the current landscape of baseball salaries is unsustainable and they know that it will have to change on the next CBA or risk baseball dying. I suspect that they will try to limp to the finish line of the current agreement and then reset financially under a new agreement that might be more reasonable. Just a guess.

hotrivets · Post by **hotrivets** » 10 Jul 2025 13:18 pm

The salary cap seems to work in the NHL with smaller market teams able to compete. If changing the player agreement leads to a strike lets get it over with. Salaries are obscene and showing no signs of reaching a cap.

imadangman · Post by **imadangman** » 10 Jul 2025 14:11 pm

They have a good core that will be in place of Wetherholt, Baez, Herrera, Winn, Donovan, Gorman and Burleson. At least a few years of cheap good production but it won't be cheap forever. If they are serious about maintaining payroll in the 175-180M range then there should be deals available in our price/length range that can put us over the top for the division, if that's what the front office wants.

rockondlouie · Post by **rockondlouie** » 10 Jul 2025 14:16 pm

Keep it up Toady Front Office Footstool.

cranny = king of all sycophants

C. Bloom/R.Cerfolio can only do so much via the draft & development route.

If they find one FOTR #1 starter and one all-star position player in the next five years via the draft & development route, then they've done more than Mo and his gang have for years.

But that won't be even close to enough to make them WS contenders.

Unless BDWJr takes the payroll back to $180+M, this team is destined for years of mediocre baseball.

Poor take cranny.........as usual

Cranny · Post by **Cranny** » 10 Jul 2025 14:33 pm

So what’s your solution, Rock?

desertrat23 · Post by **desertrat23** » 10 Jul 2025 14:33 pm

$200M, or top 10. Stop rooting for Bill DeWitt and start rooting for the Cardinals.

rockondlouie · Post by **rockondlouie** » 10 Jul 2025 14:50 pm

BDWjr has done a good thing removing Mo and replacing him w/two smart young baseball execs.

Next would be removing Oli at seasons end and replacing him w/an experience major league Manager.

Finally, he has to give Bloom "some" money (+$35-40M above this season payroll would be a good start) to fill in the holes on this roster (starting pitcher, MOTO hitter).

Nothing crazy (re: NOT K. Tucker) but definitely an upgrade.

Ozziesfan41 · Post by **Ozziesfan41** » 10 Jul 2025 14:53 pm

Well said

CCard · Post by **CCard** » 10 Jul 2025 15:01 pm

No, no. Many have suggested (as I have) that they're true payroll should be around $200 million or a tad more even. When you have drawn 3 million fans for decades, it's time to pony up. They should be a top ten payroll at the least. But sure, make excuses for billionaires, there's a lot of that going on now days. It's truly disgusting. Just wait until tax payers get to fund a new stadium. They've already conceded tax payer money for the Chiefs and Royals. Meanwhile, in the real world, let's cut important things for these crying billionaires. LOL

Cranny · Post by **Cranny** » 10 Jul 2025 15:09 pm

I doubt if $200M buys you deep into October vs.
the big spenders.

renostl · Post by **renostl** » 10 Jul 2025 15:13 pm

Which is how they have done for many years.

They can get there cheaper. Teams do become good spending cheap. Its infrequent and
more importantly IMO not sustainable.

The difference is multifold. IF you want more than a single shot at it the payroll needs to have flexibility.
The top 10 teams that you listed contain the Astros, Braves and Cubs. Teams that basically tanked, rebuilt and in order
to stay in contention spent to a higher level that the Cardinals need to except. They each kept some stars and
let some walk. Atlanta may be in that spot again. Chicago will be pressed to keep what they have.

As you mentioned. It takes more than money. WS are rare. The Cards only have 11.
Doing it without spending make WS even more rare.

Buying The Cardinals Way Back To The WS

Buying The Cardinals Way Back To The WS

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