We have 4 good hitters. Looking to next year, what do we need to have a great offense?

[Nadam23]

Our best 4 hitters:

Herrera .284/.371/.829
Contreras .257/.344/.791
Burleson .281/.333/.784
Donovan .283/.351/.760

So basically four .800 OPS guys. What do we need next season to have a great lineup? We know Winn and Pages/Crooks will be in the lineup. Winn should be in the .700-.750 OPS range. Pages/Crooks in the .650 - .700 range. Scott will probably also be in center. I would hope he can get in the .650-.700 range as well next year and get around 50 stolen bases.

So we need 2 more guys for the lineup and they need to be studs. 1 Infielder and 1 outfielder. I don't think Arenado, Gorman, Walker, or Nootbaar are the answer. I think to have a great lineup we just need these two players: Whetherholt and a free agent star (or trade for a star).

Whetherholt I think will be in the .800-.850 OPS range in his first year. The free agent star needs to be an outfielder with an .850 OPS or higher and be a 30+ HR hitter. Good luck finding that. There are only 6 players in MLB with an OPS over .900 this year and 20 over .850. Not a lot of options and also Bloom probably won't be adding a big contract in his first year and a with strike on the way.

So besides Whetherholt, how are we going to get that .850+ star player that can turn our lineup into a great one?

[rockondlouie]

Donny could be C. Bloom's #1 trade chip, I'd look for him to be dealt.

The team is lacking a couple of true MOTO thumpers needed to be an elite offense.

We both know those are hard to find in the draft, costly prospect wise via trades (think JJW and/or Doyle) and way too expensive ($35+M AAV's and Up) for BDWJr's taste.

Unless N. Gorman figures it out over the winter and I. Hererra can stay healthy for 600 PA's, then we likely won't have a 30 HR bopper in 2026 either.

Unless BDWJr opens the pocketbook after 2026 we're up a creek unless Bloom can pull a rabbit out of his hat via a trade w/o giving up too much.

JMO

[Nadam23]

Donny could be C. Bloom's #1 trade chip, I'd look for him to be dealt.

The team is lacking a couple of true MOTO thumpers needed to be an elite offense.

We both know those are hard to find in the draft, costly prospect wise via trades (think JJW and/or Doyle) and way too expensive ($35+M AAV's and Up) for BDWJr's taste.

Unless N. Gorman figures it out over the winter and I. Hererra can stay healthy for 600 PA's, then we likely won't have a 30 HR bopper in 2026 either.

Unless BDWJr opens the pocketbook after 2026 we're up a creek unless Bloom can pull a rabbit out of his hat via a trade w/o giving up too much.

JMO

Yeah I think this is a good take. Let's hope that rabbit out of the hat trade happens!

[rockondlouie]

Donny could be C. Bloom's #1 trade chip, I'd look for him to be dealt.

The team is lacking a couple of true MOTO thumpers needed to be an elite offense.

We both know those are hard to find in the draft, costly prospect wise via trades (think JJW and/or Doyle) and way too expensive ($35+M AAV's and Up) for BDWJr's taste.

Unless N. Gorman figures it out over the winter and I. Hererra can stay healthy for 600 PA's, then we likely won't have a 30 HR bopper in 2026 either.

Unless BDWJr opens the pocketbook after 2026 we're up a creek unless Bloom can pull a rabbit out of his hat via a trade w/o giving up too much.

JMO

Yeah I think this is a good take. Let's hope that rabbit out of the hat trade happens!

[3dender]

I'd expect the lineup to look a lot like:

Donovan 2B/3B
Herrera LF/DH
Burleson DH/RF
Contreras 1B
Gorman DH/3B
Wetherholt 2B/3B
Winn SS
Pages/Crooks C
Scott CF

(Noot gets traded and Walker starts the year in AAA)

You can hope Wetherholt does well enough to move into the #2 slot at some point, shifting everyone else down. But expecting .800+ OPS from JJ his rookie year is setting the kid up for failure.

[scoutyjones2]

Our best 4 hitters:

Herrera .284/.371/.829
Contreras .257/.344/.791
Burleson .281/.333/.784
Donovan .283/.351/.760

So basically four .800 OPS guys. What do we need next season to have a great lineup? We know Winn and Pages/Crooks will be in the lineup. Winn should be in the .700-.750 OPS range. Pages/Crooks in the .650 - .700 range. Scott will probably also be in center. I would hope he can get in the .650-.700 range as well next year and get around 50 stolen bases.

So we need 2 more guys for the lineup and they need to be studs. 1 Infielder and 1 outfielder. I don't think Arenado, Gorman, Walker, or Nootbaar are the answer. I think to have a great lineup we just need these two players: Whetherholt and a free agent star (or trade for a star).

Whetherholt I think will be in the .800-.850 OPS range in his first year. The free agent star needs to be an outfielder with an .850 OPS or higher and be a 30+ HR hitter. Good luck finding that. There are only 6 players in MLB with an OPS over .900 this year and 20 over .850. Not a lot of options and also Bloom probably won't be adding a big contract in his first year and a with strike on the way.

So besides Whetherholt, how are we going to get that .850+ star player that can turn our lineup into a great one?

I see only two proven 800 OPS hitters

The other 2 have never hit 800.

[Ozziesfan41]

I'd expect the lineup to look a lot like:

Donovan 2B/3B
Herrera LF/DH
Burleson DH/RF
Contreras 1B
Gorman DH/3B
Wetherholt 2B/3B
Winn SS
Pages/Crooks C
Scott CF

(Noot gets traded and Walker starts the year in AAA)

You can hope Wetherholt does well enough to move into the #2 slot at some point, shifting everyone else down. But expecting .800+ OPS from JJ his rookie year is setting the kid up for failure.

I hope there isn’t another year of watching Gorman suck at the plate and in the field. He’s sucking just as bad this season as last season. This is turning into another Dylan Carlson situation where they are clinging to the foolish hope he turns it around another season of him every day is dumb

[JuanAgosto]

I'd expect the lineup to look a lot like:

Donovan 2B/3B
Herrera LF/DH
Burleson DH/RF
Contreras 1B
Gorman DH/3B
Wetherholt 2B/3B
Winn SS
Pages/Crooks C
Scott CF

(Noot gets traded and Walker starts the year in AAA)

You can hope Wetherholt does well enough to move into the #2 slot at some point, shifting everyone else down. But expecting .800+ OPS from JJ his rookie year is setting the kid up for failure.

Where is Arenado? Good luck trading him. More likely Donovan is dealt.

[3dender]

I'd expect the lineup to look a lot like:

Donovan 2B/3B
Herrera LF/DH
Burleson DH/RF
Contreras 1B
Gorman DH/3B
Wetherholt 2B/3B
Winn SS
Pages/Crooks C
Scott CF

(Noot gets traded and Walker starts the year in AAA)

You can hope Wetherholt does well enough to move into the #2 slot at some point, shifting everyone else down. But expecting .800+ OPS from JJ his rookie year is setting the kid up for failure.

I hope there isn’t another year of watching Gorman suck at the plate and in the field. He’s sucking just as bad this season as last season. This is turning into another Dylan Carlson situation where they are clinging to the foolish hope he turns it around another season of him every day is dumb

Yeah I think that spot will most likely be between Walker and Gorman, so Gorman keeps it warm until/if Walker shows well enough in AAA.

[scoutyjones2]

I'd expect the lineup to look a lot like:

Donovan 2B/3B
Herrera LF/DH
Burleson DH/RF
Contreras 1B
Gorman DH/3B
Wetherholt 2B/3B
Winn SS
Pages/Crooks C
Scott CF

(Noot gets traded and Walker starts the year in AAA)

You can hope Wetherholt does well enough to move into the #2 slot at some point, shifting everyone else down. But expecting .800+ OPS from JJ his rookie year is setting the kid up for failure.

I hope there isn’t another year of watching Gorman suck at the plate and in the field. He’s sucking just as bad this season as last season. This is turning into another Dylan Carlson situation where they are clinging to the foolish hope he turns it around another season of him every day is dumb

Costs them nothing

[3dender]

I'd expect the lineup to look a lot like:

Donovan 2B/3B
Herrera LF/DH
Burleson DH/RF
Contreras 1B
Gorman DH/3B
Wetherholt 2B/3B
Winn SS
Pages/Crooks C
Scott CF

(Noot gets traded and Walker starts the year in AAA)

You can hope Wetherholt does well enough to move into the #2 slot at some point, shifting everyone else down. But expecting .800+ OPS from JJ his rookie year is setting the kid up for failure.

Where is Arenado? Good luck trading him. More likely Donovan is dealt.

If they eat enough money they can move him, and I think they'll be highly motivated to move him.

[2ninr]

I would be surprised if we still have Contreras and Donovan. They just aren't going to spend $ to compete in 26 and 27. Contreras would of course have to agree to a trade. I don't know at this point about Arenado. Not only does he have to waive the ntc, but I can't imagine them getting any return. Plus they would have to eat most of the contract. Thanks to Gormans failure, he may be here again next year.

[ramfandan]

To answer the OP’s question in headline…
Yes, we have 4 good hitters , to make the offense elite they need 4 more and to do that in one year highly unlikely.

[BrockFloodMaris]

To answer the OP’s question in headline…
Yes, we have 4 good hitters , to make the offense elite they need 4 more and to do that in one year highly unlikely.

Several posters on CT, including me, have stated that Mo overvalued many of the Cards MiLB players, many of whom are on the MLB roster now. We will see what sort of value these young players can bring back in a trade. If Bloom trades none or very few of them, then we know that they just aren't worth very much to other teams. If they bring back good value, then I will shine Mo's shoes and buy him a milk shake. I think I'm pretty safe.

[Goldfan]

Our best 4 hitters:

Herrera .284/.371/.829
Contreras .257/.344/.791
Burleson .281/.333/.784
Donovan .283/.351/.760

So basically four .800 OPS guys. What do we need next season to have a great lineup? We know Winn and Pages/Crooks will be in the lineup. Winn should be in the .700-.750 OPS range. Pages/Crooks in the .650 - .700 range. Scott will probably also be in center. I would hope he can get in the .650-.700 range as well next year and get around 50 stolen bases.

So we need 2 more guys for the lineup and they need to be studs. 1 Infielder and 1 outfielder. I don't think Arenado, Gorman, Walker, or Nootbaar are the answer. I think to have a great lineup we just need these two players: Whetherholt and a free agent star (or trade for a star).

Whetherholt I think will be in the .800-.850 OPS range in his first year. The free agent star needs to be an outfielder with an .850 OPS or higher and be a 30+ HR hitter. Good luck finding that. There are only 6 players in MLB with an OPS over .900 this year and 20 over .850. Not a lot of options and also Bloom probably won't be adding a big contract in his first year and a with strike on the way.

So besides Whetherholt, how are we going to get that .850+ star player that can turn our lineup into a great one?

Agree, if FO goes another year with NA, Gorman, Walker, and Noot…..they are as clueless as Mo crew

[Jatalk]

Our best 4 hitters:

Herrera .284/.371/.829
Contreras .257/.344/.791
Burleson .281/.333/.784
Donovan .283/.351/.760

So basically four .800 OPS guys. What do we need next season to have a great lineup? We know Winn and Pages/Crooks will be in the lineup. Winn should be in the .700-.750 OPS range. Pages/Crooks in the .650 - .700 range. Scott will probably also be in center. I would hope he can get in the .650-.700 range as well next year and get around 50 stolen bases.

So we need 2 more guys for the lineup and they need to be studs. 1 Infielder and 1 outfielder. I don't think Arenado, Gorman, Walker, or Nootbaar are the answer. I think to have a great lineup we just need these two players: Whetherholt and a free agent star (or trade for a star).

Whetherholt I think will be in the .800-.850 OPS range in his first year. The free agent star needs to be an outfielder with an .850 OPS or higher and be a 30+ HR hitter. Good luck finding that. There are only 6 players in MLB with an OPS over .900 this year and 20 over .850. Not a lot of options and also Bloom probably won't be adding a big contract in his first year and a with strike on the way.

So besides Whetherholt, how are we going to get that .850+ star player that can turn our lineup into a great one?

You are not going to fix this team top to bottom by just adding one player from outside organization. You are going to have to wheel and deal. So many of the players you mention are probably traded over next season and the following. A consistent, high level, competing team has a lot of new faces.