Very good pitching is stil the way to go

[Decker57]

Having at least 2 very good starters and decent 3 and 4 starters (which they already have) along with a good setup guy and closer is the quickest way to be a real contender.
I don't see DeWitt spending for a couple upper tier starters but a team like the cardinals could be transformed quickly into a honest contender with them.

[Youboughtit]

Having at least 2 very good starters and decent 3 and 4 starters (which they already have) along with a good setup guy and closer is the quickest way to be a real contender.
I don't see DeWitt spending for a couple upper tier starters but a team like the cardinals could be transformed quickly into a honest contender with them.

How’s it working for the Pirates? A top 10 offense is also needed. Specifically Slug. Cardinals were last in MLB

[jcgmoi]

Bats for the season, arms for the playoffs.

[2ninr]

It would only work if you transpose your 1 and 1 1/2 tool players into 2 and 3 tool players and get rid of your no tool players. That means all the everyday players except Winn, Donovan, and Contreras.

[Cusecards]

Having at least 2 very good starters and decent 3 and 4 starters (which they already have) along with a good setup guy and closer is the quickest way to be a real contender.
I don't see DeWitt spending for a couple upper tier starters but a team like the cardinals could be transformed quickly into a honest contender with them.

Agree that upgrading the rotation is the best path back to real contention.
However....I don’t see this realistically happening in 2026.
Maybe 2027?
This year Libby stepped up. Hopefully he has arrived as a solid starter?
McGreevy was solid in the 2nd half.
If Gray stays he’s very solid for 2026 but how much beyond that??
For the start of 2026 that leaves 2 spots open.
And I also agree with you on not spending big $$ on FA’s this offseason.
Is Mathews ready to step up in ST?
Leahy(who I like) could be in the mix?
I do like the potential for later in 2026/2027(Doyle, Henderson , etc) so fingers crossed.
Taking a flyer on a veteran one year deal could also be in the mix?
I think we have to be patient in 2026.

[alw80]

You want to be well balanced.

[CorneliusWolfe]

Bats for the season, arms for the playoffs.

I hadn’t really heard it put that way, and I can’t say I don’t buy into the premise, but wouldn’t the good arms have to already be around for the regular season?

Unless you’re talking about being very aggressive at the deadline in adding arms, but no guarantees you’ll get your guys.

[Carp4Cy]

Having at least 2 very good starters and decent 3 and 4 starters (which they already have) along with a good setup guy and closer is the quickest way to be a real contender.
I don't see DeWitt spending for a couple upper tier starters but a team like the cardinals could be transformed quickly into a honest contender with them.

Still need a top 10-15 offense.

[C-Unit]

You want to be well balanced.

I think most teams generate slightly more of their Team WAR from the position player side. I'd put the most emphasis on having a deep lineup that doesn't strikeout much and has options from the bench too. Seems there is more than one way to make the pitching work. We've seen teams make it with one bulldog that can come through in all the key starts. I like the way the Blue Jays and Mariners set up their staff, where it seems like they have at least 3 or 4 SP that you can call a #3 starter or better.

[jcgmoi]

wouldn’t the good arms have to already be around for the regular season?

Sure but the post-season plays out at a more leisurely pace than the pennant season. Fewer games and more travel means more rest days. Suddenly the starting rotation becomes the top 2 plus what have you for #3 while the rest of the rotation becomes long men or even closers. Shorter series and more days off makes staffs effectively deeper.

[mattmitchl44]

I don't see DeWitt spending for a couple upper tier starters but a team like the cardinals could be transformed quickly into a honest contender with them.

Let's look at how teams signing upper tier starters have fared the past few offseasons:

2025

Arizona - C. Burnes (6/$210M) - 64 IP, 0.7 fWAR (bad return; $50M per fWAR)
Dodgers - B. Snell (5/$182M) - 61.3 IP, 1.9 fWAR (bad return; $19M per fWAR)
Yankees - M. Fried (8/$218M) - 195.3 IP, 4.8 fWAR (good return; $5.6M per fWAR)
Texas - N. Eovaldi (3/$75M) - 130 IP, 3.7 fWAR (good return; $6.8M per fWAR)

2024

Giants - B. Snell (2/$62M)* - 104 IP, 3.1 fWAR over 1 season (OK return; $10M per fWAR)
Dodgers - Y. Yamamoto (12/$325M) - 263.6 IP, 7.9 fWAR (good return; $6.9M per fWAR)
Cardinals - S. Gray - (3/$75M) - 347 IP, 7.4 fWAR (good return; $6.8M per fWAR)
Phillies - A. Nola - (7/$172M) - 293.6 IP, 4.0 fWAR (bad return); $12.3M per fWAR)

2023

Mets - J. Verlander (3/$121.7M) - 404.6 IP, 6.3 fWAR (bad return; $19M per fWAR)
Texas - J. deGrom (5/$185M) - 213.6 IP, 5.3 fWAR (bad return; $21M per fWAR)
Yankees - C. Rodon (6/$162M) - 434.6 IP, 4.7 fWAR (bad return; $17M per fWAR)

Four hits, one OK, and six misses.

So the odds say that if you do sign two upper tier SP, you are still only going to hit on one of them.

[sikeston bulldog2]

Bats for the season, arms for the playoffs.

I hadn’t really heard it put that way, and I can’t say I don’t buy into the premise, but wouldn’t the good arms have to already be around for the regular season?

Unless you’re talking about being very aggressive at the deadline in adding arms, but no guarantees you’ll get your guys.

It’s is another way of saying that pitching will eventually outplay hitting. I say- offense wins games, defense wins championships. Same theory.

[2ninr]

Bats for the season, arms for the playoffs.

I hadn’t really heard it put that way, and I can’t say I don’t buy into the premise, but wouldn’t the good arms have to already be around for the regular season?

Unless you’re talking about being very aggressive at the deadline in adding arms, but no guarantees you’ll get your guys.

It’s is another way of saying that pitching will eventually outplay hitting. I say- offense wins games, defense wins championships. Same theory.

Playoff baseball is a different game. Hot hitting involves the baseball Gods. They're really hard to beat. But if they're off doing something else, good pitching and defense seems to win.

[AtillaTheBlue1]

Cardinals showed how to win, w/o having to break the bank.

Brewers took that and ran with it, Cardinals lost their way.

[Midrange Jay]

Clearly we HAVE to trade Gray. Player development and eye for the future.

[swatski]

Aren’t you forgetting someone, Palllante? Lol