An Old Friend wrote: ↑24 Dec 2025 11:49 am
You can’t time the market for front line pitching. And signing Cease now would’ve actually made this team competitive in the Central which they’ve stated as a goal.
They could have and should have taken a swing, just like they should have when guys like Wheeler and Gausman hit the market.
Nah, horrible idea.
You’re right, teams don’t need top of the rotation pitching. Good call.
No, you’re right. Cease will be the last TOR starter available in baseball history.
The perfect time and market doesn’t exist.
Cease doesn’t miss starts. The Cardinals have had innings questions for years. They don’t have an alpha. They could use a veteran leader at the top.
He checked all the boxes and your argument is we’ll just find another guy like that in whatever year we arbitrarily decide is the year we can make a run at it.
It’s folly. You’ll always talk yourself out of it.
When did I say “perfect time?”
Either way, now is not the time to sign Cease where his best years will take place during the Cards’ rebuild…
<sigh>
They’re not rebuilding.
You sound like NLCards when he bashed the Rangers for spending on Semien and Seager, claiming it wouldn’t help them contend.
Okay, you said the Cards aren’t rebuilding, and should’ve signed Cease to a 7 year deal.
Correct.
Has Bloom made any inclination that he’s going to try to sign any players for more than 1-2 years? They are in some level of a rebuild, like it or not.
No, he has not, because ownership is moving them to a small market model. It's not a rebuild. It's a reset. The sooner you accept that, the better.
And in 2027, 2028, etc, who knows what the Cards will need?
They'll need top of the rotation pitching.
No, it’s a rebuild.
So you're calling them all liars? Why are you choosing not to accept that it's EXACTLY what they've been trying to tell you - that they're resetting their model to that of a small market team?
It's a reset, a brand new model for them.
They haven't said they are re-setting their mode to that of a small market team. Those are your words. We could go round and round, to no avail. Time will tell.
It's kind of been obvious that that's been what they are doing. They days of top 10 in payroll are over. They are acting as if their TV/cable/streaming revenue will not bounce back and as if 3.2+ M in attendance is are in the rear view.
BDW3 all but said it when he says they need strong fan support to support spending.
You’re right, teams don’t need top of the rotation pitching. Good call.
No, you’re right. Cease will be the last TOR starter available in baseball history.
The perfect time and market doesn’t exist.
Cease doesn’t miss starts. The Cardinals have had innings questions for years. They don’t have an alpha. They could use a veteran leader at the top.
He checked all the boxes and your argument is we’ll just find another guy like that in whatever year we arbitrarily decide is the year we can make a run at it.
It’s folly. You’ll always talk yourself out of it.
When did I say “perfect time?”
Either way, now is not the time to sign Cease where his best years will take place during the Cards’ rebuild…
<sigh>
They’re not rebuilding.
You sound like NLCards when he bashed the Rangers for spending on Semien and Seager, claiming it wouldn’t help them contend.
Okay, you said the Cards aren’t rebuilding, and should’ve signed Cease to a 7 year deal.
Correct.
Has Bloom made any inclination that he’s going to try to sign any players for more than 1-2 years? They are in some level of a rebuild, like it or not.
No, he has not, because ownership is moving them to a small market model. It's not a rebuild. It's a reset. The sooner you accept that, the better.
And in 2027, 2028, etc, who knows what the Cards will need?
They'll need top of the rotation pitching.
No, it’s a rebuild.
So you're calling them all liars? Why are you choosing not to accept that it's EXACTLY what they've been trying to tell you - that they're resetting their model to that of a small market team?
It's a reset, a brand new model for them.
They haven't said they are re-setting their mode to that of a small market team. Those are your words. We could go round and round, to no avail. Time will tell.
It's kind of been obvious that that's been what they are doing. They days of top 10 in payroll are over. They are acting as if their TV/cable/streaming revenue will not bounce back and as if 3.2+ M in attendance is are in the rear view.
BDW3 all but said it when he says they need strong fan support to support spending.
No that’s completely backwards. Bill has to take the initiative and invest then the fans and tv revenue will follow, just like in every business.
If he’s not up for it, then he needs to sell the team to somebody who’s willing to take a risk and invest.
An Old Friend wrote: ↑24 Dec 2025 22:26 pm
I’ve been saying for over a year they were communicating this strategy, and that no one seems to want to accept it. Now their behaviors are supporting that “theory” to show that’s the new reality.
The Cards' behavior does support your theory.
I know. It’s been telegraphed. Glad you can acknowledge what’s playing out.
You’re right, teams don’t need top of the rotation pitching. Good call.
No, you’re right. Cease will be the last TOR starter available in baseball history.
The perfect time and market doesn’t exist.
Cease doesn’t miss starts. The Cardinals have had innings questions for years. They don’t have an alpha. They could use a veteran leader at the top.
He checked all the boxes and your argument is we’ll just find another guy like that in whatever year we arbitrarily decide is the year we can make a run at it.
It’s folly. You’ll always talk yourself out of it.
When did I say “perfect time?”
Either way, now is not the time to sign Cease where his best years will take place during the Cards’ rebuild…
<sigh>
They’re not rebuilding.
You sound like NLCards when he bashed the Rangers for spending on Semien and Seager, claiming it wouldn’t help them contend.
Okay, you said the Cards aren’t rebuilding, and should’ve signed Cease to a 7 year deal.
Correct.
Has Bloom made any inclination that he’s going to try to sign any players for more than 1-2 years? They are in some level of a rebuild, like it or not.
No, he has not, because ownership is moving them to a small market model. It's not a rebuild. It's a reset. The sooner you accept that, the better.
And in 2027, 2028, etc, who knows what the Cards will need?
They'll need top of the rotation pitching.
No, it’s a rebuild.
So you're calling them all liars? Why are you choosing not to accept that it's EXACTLY what they've been trying to tell you - that they're resetting their model to that of a small market team?
It's a reset, a brand new model for them.
They haven't said they are re-setting their mode to that of a small market team. Those are your words. We could go round and round, to no avail. Time will tell.
It's kind of been obvious that that's been what they are doing. They days of top 10 in payroll are over. They are acting as if their TV/cable/streaming revenue will not bounce back and as if 3.2+ M in attendance is are in the rear view.
BDW3 all but said it when he says they need strong fan support to support spending.
So many fans… with reality staring them directly in the face… are still in nearly full blown denial. It’s crazy.
An Old Friend wrote: ↑24 Dec 2025 22:26 pm
I’ve been saying for over a year they were communicating this strategy, and that no one seems to want to accept it. Now their behaviors are supporting that “theory” to show that’s the new reality.
The Cards' behavior does support your theory.
I know. It’s been telegraphed. Glad you can acknowledge what’s playing out.
Merry Christmas
That’s really weird how you would cherry pick that. Like, really weird…
What Old Friend originally said:
I’ve been saying for over a year they were communicating this strategy, and that no one seems to want to accept it. Now their behaviors are supporting that “theory” to show that’s the new reality.
how I originally replied:
You saying something for over a year doesn't make it a 'fact.'
The Cards' behavior does support your theory. It also supports a theory of a team in a rebuild. So in that rationale, your opinion holds no water.
When the 2012-2013 Cubs drastically lowered their payroll, I could've also said it's because they were now becoming a smaller market team. In reality, they were rebuilding.
