Anyone concerned the Cardinals are morphing into a Small Market Team?

[Bully4you]

I mean, look at the attendance.
Then look at the unwillingness to spend.
Then look at the low TV revenues.
Then look at the number of Free Agents that decided "no way".
Then look at the dwindling city and surrounding areas.

Man, they used to be a powerhouse.
What the hell happened?
A few losing seasons doesn't explain everything.
How long before they could turn into the Indians or Brewers?

I find it hard to believe that the dEwitts would want it this way.
Because I'd think there'd be a correlation of team market value to perception/performance.

[Melville]

They have made the current decision to define themselves as a small market team.
Will that change?
Maybe.
Maybe not.
It will be very, very difficult to persuade the current ownership group to spend 200M a year simply to step up to a mid-market range.

[45s]

stl is becoming a small market...

but it's not the club's fault

[Bully4you]

They have made the current decision to define themselves as a small market team.
Will that change?
Maybe.
Maybe not.
It will be very, very difficult to persuade the current ownership group to spend 200M a year simply to step up to a mid-market range.

I agree.
Spending money makes them grind the old dentures.
However, do they then risk having the value of the team drastically lowered?
I'm not sure they can attain the level of appreciation to bolster the old net worth.
Who knows, but the past 3-4 seasons it's been getting worse and worse.

[Bully4you]

stl is becoming a small market...

but it's not the club's fault

Yes, there are outside considerations too.
Owners sure aren't helping matters.

[bccardsfan]

Last time I checked, the Brewers were consistently fielding decent ball clubs with far fewer resources. If this organization was run by people who were competent the future would not be that bleak. Let's hope Bloom et al. do far better and don't squander resources like MO did in recent history.

[JDW]

stl is becoming a small market...

but it's not the club's fault

Yep, the STL area is not in a growth area like Atlanta or the Coastal regions as a couple examples.

[Jatalk]

I mean, look at the attendance.
Then look at the unwillingness to spend.
Then look at the low TV revenues.
Then look at the number of Free Agents that decided "no way".
Then look at the dwindling city and surrounding areas.

Man, they used to be a powerhouse.
What the hell happened?
A few losing seasons doesn't explain everything.
How long before they could turn into the Indians or Brewers?

I find it hard to believe that the dEwitts would want it this way.
Because I'd think there'd be a correlation of team market value to perception/performance.

No the Dewitt’s would not want this to happen. There have just been some very poor decisions made combined with some bad luck.

Payroll is lower but in the past several years payroll levels have been good enough. It’s not how much you spend but how you spend it. Honestly most of the free agent acquisitions have not been poor decisions but some big money has been spent on players that underperformed.

However it has been a very poor decision to not spend more on player development and it shows. The Cardinal way of player development has been diminished.

Moving Mo out is the first big step. Hopefully Bloom is the answer. I think the Dewitt’s will spend with the right plan in place.

[moose-and-squirrel]

natural regression.. just like the 70's and early 90's.. this too shall pass

good thing this place didn't exist in the 70's... yeesh

[moose-and-squirrel]

I mean, look at the attendance.
Then look at the unwillingness to spend.
Then look at the low TV revenues.
Then look at the number of Free Agents that decided "no way".
Then look at the dwindling city and surrounding areas.

Man, they used to be a powerhouse.
What the hell happened?
A few losing seasons doesn't explain everything.
How long before they could turn into the Indians or Brewers?

I find it hard to believe that the dEwitts would want it this way.
Because I'd think there'd be a correlation of team market value to perception/performance.

No the Dewitt’s would not want this to happen. There have just been some very poor decisions made combined with some bad luck.

Payroll is lower but in the past several years payroll levels have been good enough. It’s not how much you spend but how you spend it. Honestly most of the free agent acquisitions have not been poor decisions but some big money has been spent on players that underperformed.

However it has been a very poor decision to not spend more on player development and it shows. The Cardinal way of player development has been diminished.

Moving Mo out is the first big step. Hopefully Bloom is the answer. I think the Dewitt’s will spend with the right plan in place.

who was the old guy that used to roam the minor leagues teaching 'the cardinal way'?

hasn't been the same since he passed

[45s]

stl is becoming a small market...

but it's not the club's fault

Yes, there are outside considerations too.
Owners sure aren't helping matters.

not at all defending the organization......it is the definition of dysfunctional

but there are societal changes beyond their control....

[Jatalk]

I mean, look at the attendance.
Then look at the unwillingness to spend.
Then look at the low TV revenues.
Then look at the number of Free Agents that decided "no way".
Then look at the dwindling city and surrounding areas.

Man, they used to be a powerhouse.
What the hell happened?
A few losing seasons doesn't explain everything.
How long before they could turn into the Indians or Brewers?

I find it hard to believe that the dEwitts would want it this way.
Because I'd think there'd be a correlation of team market value to perception/performance.

No the Dewitt’s would not want this to happen. There have just been some very poor decisions made combined with some bad luck.

Payroll is lower but in the past several years payroll levels have been good enough. It’s not how much you spend but how you spend it. Honestly most of the free agent acquisitions have not been poor decisions but some big money has been spent on players that underperformed.

However it has been a very poor decision to not spend more on player development and it shows. The Cardinal way of player development has been diminished.

Moving Mo out is the first big step. Hopefully Bloom is the answer. I think the Dewitt’s will spend with the right plan in place.

who was the old guy that used to roam the minor leagues teaching 'the cardinal way'?

hasn't been the same since he passed

Not sure. Problem appears to be more on having enough personnel and not keeping up with technology and development trends. This smells like lack of spending. But they have said they will change this and it appears to be happening.

[bccardsfan]

I mean, look at the attendance.
Then look at the unwillingness to spend.
Then look at the low TV revenues.
Then look at the number of Free Agents that decided "no way".
Then look at the dwindling city and surrounding areas.

Man, they used to be a powerhouse.
What the hell happened?
A few losing seasons doesn't explain everything.
How long before they could turn into the Indians or Brewers?

I find it hard to believe that the dEwitts would want it this way.
Because I'd think there'd be a correlation of team market value to perception/performance.

No the Dewitt’s would not want this to happen. There have just been some very poor decisions made combined with some bad luck.

Payroll is lower but in the past several years payroll levels have been good enough. It’s not how much you spend but how you spend it. Honestly most of the free agent acquisitions have not been poor decisions but some big money has been spent on players that underperformed.

However it has been a very poor decision to not spend more on player development and it shows. The Cardinal way of player development has been diminished.

Moving Mo out is the first big step. Hopefully Bloom is the answer. I think the Dewitt’s will spend with the right plan in place.

who was the old guy that used to roam the minor leagues teaching 'the cardinal way'?

hasn't been the same since he passed

George Kissell? But he has been dead since 2008....

[Bully4you]

I mean, look at the attendance.
Then look at the unwillingness to spend.
Then look at the low TV revenues.
Then look at the number of Free Agents that decided "no way".
Then look at the dwindling city and surrounding areas.

Man, they used to be a powerhouse.
What the hell happened?
A few losing seasons doesn't explain everything.
How long before they could turn into the Indians or Brewers?

I find it hard to believe that the dEwitts would want it this way.
Because I'd think there'd be a correlation of team market value to perception/performance.

No the Dewitt’s would not want this to happen. There have just been some very poor decisions made combined with some bad luck.

Payroll is lower but in the past several years payroll levels have been good enough. It’s not how much you spend but how you spend it. Honestly most of the free agent acquisitions have not been poor decisions but some big money has been spent on players that underperformed.

However it has been a very poor decision to not spend more on player development and it shows. The Cardinal way of player development has been diminished.

Moving Mo out is the first big step. Hopefully Bloom is the answer. I think the Dewitt’s will spend with the right plan in place.

who was the old guy that used to roam the minor leagues teaching 'the cardinal way'?

hasn't been the same since he passed

Not sure. Problem appears to be more on having enough personnel and not keeping up with technology and development trends. This smells like lack of spending. But they have said they will change this and it appears to be happening.

He's talking about Albert Fred "Red" Schoendienst I think

[moose-and-squirrel]

I mean, look at the attendance.
Then look at the unwillingness to spend.
Then look at the low TV revenues.
Then look at the number of Free Agents that decided "no way".
Then look at the dwindling city and surrounding areas.

Man, they used to be a powerhouse.
What the hell happened?
A few losing seasons doesn't explain everything.
How long before they could turn into the Indians or Brewers?

I find it hard to believe that the dEwitts would want it this way.
Because I'd think there'd be a correlation of team market value to perception/performance.

No the Dewitt’s would not want this to happen. There have just been some very poor decisions made combined with some bad luck.

Payroll is lower but in the past several years payroll levels have been good enough. It’s not how much you spend but how you spend it. Honestly most of the free agent acquisitions have not been poor decisions but some big money has been spent on players that underperformed.

However it has been a very poor decision to not spend more on player development and it shows. The Cardinal way of player development has been diminished.

Moving Mo out is the first big step. Hopefully Bloom is the answer. I think the Dewitt’s will spend with the right plan in place.

who was the old guy that used to roam the minor leagues teaching 'the cardinal way'?

hasn't been the same since he passed

George Kissell? But he has been dead since 2008....

yup.. that's him. never replaced him, and it shows

[rockondlouie]

Mo/Oli gone should change things

Mo and his pitiful managers have brought us to this point.

BDWJr getting comfy drawing 3+M w/an outdated model was LAZY.

Now Dewitt has made a change, new smart blood to replace the stale, outdated thinking of Mo.

He's gone in a few months, Oli has to be too since he's got Mo Stank all over him.

The franchise and our fan base neeed a fresh start both in the FO (done) and managing the team (better be done).

Hopefully they've got the secret sauce and we aren't morphing into a small market team.