Could we sell but still compete this year?

[billybaseball]

The likelihood is slim but what could it look like?

Say we continue with trading Donovan, Arenado, Nootbaar, and Pages

Trade Donovan to the Dodgers for Sheehan. Sheehan is a top of the rotation pitcher

Nootbaar, Arenado and Pages to the Phillies for little return if Phillies take all or most of Arenado's contract. If we retain could get a top 10 pick.


Sign Michael King for 3/75m with opt outs. Front load it with 30m in the first year. If he pitches well and opts out the Cards get the draft pick back and a higher pick too. If he doesn't opt out we can keep him or trade him but the aav will be lower.

Sign Bo Bichette 7/200m. Play him at 2nd base. He had a major bounce back season and there are really no red flags to suggest it was a fluke.

Our payroll would still be well below what Dewitt normally spends even if we have to retain some on Arenado. Giving up two picks hurts but we have an extra CB pick coming this year.

Rotation

King
Sheehan
Liberatore
McGreevy
Fitts/Leahy

Very solid rotation and one of the best in baseball if King puts up 2024 like numbers.

BP
Swanson(cl)
Romero
O'Brien
Pallante
Graceffo
Blewitt
Raquet
Fitts/Leahy

Iffy BP but the Cardinals always seem to have a good BP somehow


Bichette
Wetherholt
Contreras
Burleson
Herrera
Gorman(DH)
Walker
Winn
Scott

The bottom four is weak but could improve but that top 5 would be all .800+OPS guys. Very good lineup.

[craviduce]

we're actively trying to not to compete. But that doesn't stop the team you put on the field from winning it's fair share of games. If they win, then that's great....but stay the course. Set yourself up with a plethora of prospects so you can put together a sustainable competitor starting maybe in 2027, but definitely in 2028.

[rockondlouie]

I've said for a while now and will stick with it, I think the 2026 team will be a lot better than the 2025 team.

Will they win 90 games? Doubtful

But with some smart trades (one down, Donny, JoJo and NADO to go), low cost free agent signings and the infusion of JJW etal from AA/AAA I think they can stay competitive (above .500) for most of the season.

That said, Bloom has made it clear he's not conceding anything in 2026 but also isn't taking his eye off the ball and the L-T plan.

[sikeston bulldog2]

You go as far as the pitching takes you. Next question.

[Melville]

Absolutely possible and should be the goal.
Compete for W/C in 2026 while building a stronger long term foundation.
I have been correctly advising that for a long time.
Fortunately, Bloom appears to understand that as well.

[alw80]

Compete like we have the last few years in that we are technically in the WC hunt up until the last couple of weeks in the season, yes we could.

[mattmitchl44]

You want to go commit $200 million to Bichette before you find out if 2B is the best place for Wetherholt?

[Ozziesfan41]

Compete like we have the last few years in that we are technically in the WC hunt up until the last couple of weeks in the season, yes we could.

+1

[Imperial Capitalist]

"Not conceding anything for 2026" - it's the sort of thing you want your GM/POBO to say, but if you accept the team is serious about the rebuild, it would be wise not to foolishly invest hope that we'll be pushing the Cubs and Brewers around this coming year.

For the first time in a long time, let's trust the process.

[mattmitchl44]

"Not conceding anything for 2026" - it's the sort of thing you want your GM/POBO to say, but if you accept the team is serious about the rebuild, it would be wise not to foolishly invest hope that we'll be pushing the Cubs and Brewers around this coming year.

For the first time in a long time, let's trust the process.

There is a long way between "not conceding" and actually "competing." You can "not concede" by signing a few cheap veterans on short deals, which I what I expect them to do.

[Cranny]

You want to go commit $200 million to Bichette before you find out if 2B is the best place for Wetherholt?

Flatly stated - the Cardinals will not do $200 million contracts. Especially right now.

[billybaseball]

You want to go commit $200 million to Bichette before you find out if 2B is the best place for Wetherholt?

Wetherholt can play any position. He plays an above average SS and looked good in limited 3B appearances. He has the speed and awareness to play CF if it comes to it. Bichette could try 3B or LF. You're signing Bichette for the bat. Plenty of options.

[45s]

Sign Bichette?

So…you think a guy who is used to playing on a really good team…..with really good players…who just went to the seventh game of the World Series

is going to sign with a bad team, in a small market, that is beginning a rebuild..?

Sure he is….it’s kismet…

[mattmitchl44]

You want to go commit $200 million to Bichette before you find out if 2B is the best place for Wetherholt?

Wetherholt can play any position. He plays an above average SS and looked good in limited 3B appearances. He has the speed and awareness to play CF if it comes to it. Bichette could try 3B or LF. You're signing Bichette for the bat. Plenty of options.

Respectfully, if you are going to commit almost $30 million a year to Bichette, you ought to have an idea of where you can put him to get some positive defensive value out of him.

[CorneliusWolfe]

"Not conceding anything for 2026" - it's the sort of thing you want your GM/POBO to say, but if you accept the team is serious about the rebuild, it would be wise not to foolishly invest hope that we'll be pushing the Cubs and Brewers around this coming year.

For the first time in a long time, let's trust the process.

There is a long way between "not conceding" and actually "competing." You can "not concede" by signing a few cheap veterans on short deals, which I what I expect them to do.

Good accurate delineation. You’re probably right about what you expect them to do, but I’d add they don’t necessarily HAVE to be cheap.

There could be a few candidates that are out to prove themselves to get the long-term deal they’re after with a 1-2 year deal, or the recently more common large-scale deal with multiple opt outs or team/player options.

Or if the team can compete in two years like you think, and there is a younger vet looking for a 5-7 year deal and is a good fit, those types should be considered too. Sometimes a turnaround can happen a little faster.

[BrockFloodMaris]

The likelihood is slim but what could it look like?

Say we continue with trading Donovan, Arenado, Nootbaar, and Pages

Trade Donovan to the Dodgers for Sheehan. Sheehan is a top of the rotation pitcher

Nootbaar, Arenado and Pages to the Phillies for little return if Phillies take all or most of Arenado's contract. If we retain could get a top 10 pick.


Sign Michael King for 3/75m with opt outs. Front load it with 30m in the first year. If he pitches well and opts out the Cards get the draft pick back and a higher pick too. If he doesn't opt out we can keep him or trade him but the aav will be lower.

Sign Bo Bichette 7/200m. Play him at 2nd base. He had a major bounce back season and there are really no red flags to suggest it was a fluke.

Our payroll would still be well below what Dewitt normally spends even if we have to retain some on Arenado. Giving up two picks hurts but we have an extra CB pick coming this year.

Rotation

King
Sheehan
Liberatore
McGreevy
Fitts/Leahy

Very solid rotation and one of the best in baseball if King puts up 2024 like numbers.

BP
Swanson(cl)
Romero
O'Brien
Pallante
Graceffo
Blewitt
Raquet
Fitts/Leahy

Iffy BP but the Cardinals always seem to have a good BP somehow


Bichette
Wetherholt
Contreras
Burleson
Herrera
Gorman(DH)
Walker
Winn
Scott

The bottom four is weak but could improve but that top 5 would be all .800+OPS guys. Very good lineup.

Yes, we could compete this year, and it would be expensive, and we would probably lurk near the wild card and have a middle of the pack draft slot and not want to trade MLB assets to stock the farm, and we’d be stuck in the middle again.