Blooms lineup bets on the existing "core" in the near term

[rockondlouie]

Yep

I've been saying for some time now this re-build was just a ruse by BDWJr to slash payroll prior to the CBA expiring in 2026.

If the team was solid I don't think he would do the rebuild like they are. But it is awfully convenient that 2025 is when the heavy lifting of reducing payroll happens.

IMO they might have done less slashing if the CBA wasn't coming due but here we are. Not sure it matters since the CBA is gonna screw things up and if they do the rebuild right it will also be a good year to add free agents late if there is a holdout/stoppage.

He started this payroll slashing program after the 2024 season:

Goldy/$26M
Gibson/$12M
Lynn/$10M
Middleton/$5M
Kitt/$2.27M

MINUS $55.27M

And the only addition to the 2025 roster was Maton at $2M.

[ClassicO]

Gorman - if simply allowed consistent playing time - will hit 25+ HR and drive in 80 or more runs.

Are you even remotely aware that defense and baserunning are integral parts of the game of baseball??!
I'm hopeful Gorman can find his stride, but he's a slow-footed DH. (And the Cards have other DH candidates, e.g., Burly.)
When will you realize this and stop spewing out these unrealistic projections?

[ClassicO]

Yep

I've been saying for some time now this re-build was just a ruse by BDWJr to slash payroll prior to the CBA expiring in 2026.

If the team was solid I don't think he would do the rebuild like they are. But it is awfully convenient that 2025 is when the heavy lifting of reducing payroll happens.

IMO they might have done less slashing if the CBA wasn't coming due but here we are. Not sure it matters since the CBA is gonna screw things up and if they do the rebuild right it will also be a good year to add free agents late if there is a holdout/stoppage.

He started this payroll slashing program after the 2024 season:

Goldy/$26M
Gibson/$12M
Lynn/$10M
Middleton/$5M
Kitt/$2.27M

MINUS $55.27M

And the only addition to the 2025 roster was Maton at $2M.

I know everyone hates the payroll slashing, but of those players above and the ones already shipped out this offseason, are there any you guys would not have traded for prospects? For me, it's maybe Willy C, but I understand the trade. I wouldn't have kept any of them when the team had no chance of winning the WS.

[rockondlouie]

Yep

I've been saying for some time now this re-build was just a ruse by BDWJr to slash payroll prior to the CBA expiring in 2026.

If the team was solid I don't think he would do the rebuild like they are. But it is awfully convenient that 2025 is when the heavy lifting of reducing payroll happens.

IMO they might have done less slashing if the CBA wasn't coming due but here we are. Not sure it matters since the CBA is gonna screw things up and if they do the rebuild right it will also be a good year to add free agents late if there is a holdout/stoppage.

He started this payroll slashing program after the 2024 season:

Goldy/$26M
Gibson/$12M
Lynn/$10M
Middleton/$5M
Kitt/$2.27M

MINUS $55.27M

And the only addition to the 2025 roster was Maton at $2M.

I know everyone hates the payroll slashing, but of those players above and the ones already shipped out this offseason, are there any you guys would not have traded for prospects? For me, it's maybe Willy C, but I understand the trade. I wouldn't have kept any of them when the team had no chance of winning the WS.

For sure and I considered that CO.

BUT here's the difference between what BDWJr did after that 2024 season and continued after 2025..............

HE DIDN'T RE-INVEST those off-the-books contract into major league players!

I've been tracking Dewitt's payroll spending habits now for over a decade and he's almost always done two things:

1 - Let Mo re-invest most, if not all of the off-the-books payroll (retirements, trades, ect...) into new major league players

2 - Tied Payroll size to attendance

It's #2 that led to the payroll slashing......as attendance started to wane and w/the CBA expiring after the 2026 season I think Dewitt (a brilliant businessman) made the decision to slash payroll, sell the fan base on the "re-build" (WHICH I AGREE WITH BTW) and only re-invest a small amount (Re: P. Maton and this season D. May).

But make no mistake, even though the re-build is the right thing to do Dewitt wanted his payroll as low as possible going into the CBA negotations.

JMO

[Cranny]

Yep

I've been saying for some time now this re-build was just a ruse by BDWJr to slash payroll prior to the CBA expiring in 2026.

If the team was solid I don't think he would do the rebuild like they are. But it is awfully convenient that 2025 is when the heavy lifting of reducing payroll happens.

IMO they might have done less slashing if the CBA wasn't coming due but here we are. Not sure it matters since the CBA is gonna screw things up and if they do the rebuild right it will also be a good year to add free agents late if there is a holdout/stoppage.

He started this payroll slashing program after the 2024 season:

Goldy/$26M
Gibson/$12M
Lynn/$10M
Middleton/$5M
Kitt/$2.27M

MINUS $55.27M

And the only addition to the 2025 roster was Maton at $2M.

I know everyone hates the payroll slashing, but of those players above and the ones already shipped out this offseason, are there any you guys would not have traded for prospects? For me, it's maybe Willy C, but I understand the trade. I wouldn't have kept any of them when the team had no chance of winning the WS.

For sure and I considered that CO.

BUT here's the difference between what BDWJr did after that 2024 season and continued after 2025..............

HE DIDN'T RE-INVEST those off-the-books contract into major league players!

I've been tracking Dewitt's payroll spending habits now for over a decade and he's almost always done two things:

1 - Let Mo re-invest most, if not all of the off-the-books payroll (retirements, trades, ect...) into new major league players

2 - Tied Payroll size to attendance

It's #2 that led to the payroll slashing......as attendance started to wane and w/the CBA expiring after the 2026 season I think Dewitt (a brilliant businessman) made the decision to slash payroll, sell the fan base on the "re-build" (WHICH I AGREE WITH BTW) and only re-invest a small amount (Re: P. Maton and this season D. May).

But make no mistake, even though the re-build is the right thing to do Dewitt wanted his payroll as low as possible going into the CBA negotations.

JMO

True.

[rockondlouie]

Yep

I've been saying for some time now this re-build was just a ruse by BDWJr to slash payroll prior to the CBA expiring in 2026.

If the team was solid I don't think he would do the rebuild like they are. But it is awfully convenient that 2025 is when the heavy lifting of reducing payroll happens.

IMO they might have done less slashing if the CBA wasn't coming due but here we are. Not sure it matters since the CBA is gonna screw things up and if they do the rebuild right it will also be a good year to add free agents late if there is a holdout/stoppage.

He started this payroll slashing program after the 2024 season:

Goldy/$26M
Gibson/$12M
Lynn/$10M
Middleton/$5M
Kitt/$2.27M

MINUS $55.27M

And the only addition to the 2025 roster was Maton at $2M.

I know everyone hates the payroll slashing, but of those players above and the ones already shipped out this offseason, are there any you guys would not have traded for prospects? For me, it's maybe Willy C, but I understand the trade. I wouldn't have kept any of them when the team had no chance of winning the WS.

For sure and I considered that CO.

BUT here's the difference between what BDWJr did after that 2024 season and continued after 2025..............

HE DIDN'T RE-INVEST those off-the-books contract into major league players!

I've been tracking Dewitt's payroll spending habits now for over a decade and he's almost always done two things:

1 - Let Mo re-invest most, if not all of the off-the-books payroll (retirements, trades, ect...) into new major league players

2 - Tied Payroll size to attendance

It's #2 that led to the payroll slashing......as attendance started to wane and w/the CBA expiring after the 2026 season I think Dewitt (a brilliant businessman) made the decision to slash payroll, sell the fan base on the "re-build" (WHICH I AGREE WITH BTW) and only re-invest a small amount (Re: P. Maton and this season D. May).

But make no mistake, even though the re-build is the right thing to do Dewitt wanted his payroll as low as possible going into the CBA negotations.

JMO

True.

Yikes

That may be the first time you've ever agreed w/me

Happy New Year cranny!

[AZ_Cardsfan]

For sure and I considered that CO.

BUT here's the difference between what BDWJr did after that 2024 season and continued after 2025..............

HE DIDN'T RE-INVEST those off-the-books contract into major league players!

I've been tracking Dewitt's payroll spending habits now for over a decade and he's almost always done two things:

1 - Let Mo re-invest most, if not all of the off-the-books payroll (retirements, trades, ect...) into new major league players

2 - Tied Payroll size to attendance

It's #2 that led to the payroll slashing......as attendance started to wane and w/the CBA expiring after the 2026 season I think Dewitt (a brilliant businessman) made the decision to slash payroll, sell the fan base on the "re-build" (WHICH I AGREE WITH BTW) and only re-invest a small amount (Re: P. Maton and this season D. May).

But make no mistake, even though the re-build is the right thing to do Dewitt wanted his payroll as low as possible going into the CBA negotations.

JMO

I am hoping they re-invested in upgrading every aspect of the farm. Scouting, coaching, equipment and everything associated with developing and finding talent. No idea if it happened or now much was spent.

[rockondlouie]

For sure and I considered that CO.

BUT here's the difference between what BDWJr did after that 2024 season and continued after 2025..............

HE DIDN'T RE-INVEST those off-the-books contract into major league players!

I've been tracking Dewitt's payroll spending habits now for over a decade and he's almost always done two things:

1 - Let Mo re-invest most, if not all of the off-the-books payroll (retirements, trades, ect...) into new major league players

2 - Tied Payroll size to attendance

It's #2 that led to the payroll slashing......as attendance started to wane and w/the CBA expiring after the 2026 season I think Dewitt (a brilliant businessman) made the decision to slash payroll, sell the fan base on the "re-build" (WHICH I AGREE WITH BTW) and only re-invest a small amount (Re: P. Maton and this season D. May).

But make no mistake, even though the re-build is the right thing to do Dewitt wanted his payroll as low as possible going into the CBA negotations.

JMO

I am hoping they re-invested in upgrading every aspect of the farm. Scouting, coaching, equipment and everything associated with developing and finding talent. No idea if it happened or now much was spent.

That's been done AZC!

Bloom modernized the player development system with new tech, analytics, and staff (and he's adding even more staff including major league scouts).

But doing so only required a small fraction of the -$80-90M that's been shaved off the payroll since 2024 w/more to come when they deal Donny, Jojo, Noot (likely mid season) and even a few million NADO.

[Carp4Cy]

For sure and I considered that CO.

BUT here's the difference between what BDWJr did after that 2024 season and continued after 2025..............

HE DIDN'T RE-INVEST those off-the-books contract into major league players!

I've been tracking Dewitt's payroll spending habits now for over a decade and he's almost always done two things:

1 - Let Mo re-invest most, if not all of the off-the-books payroll (retirements, trades, ect...) into new major league players

2 - Tied Payroll size to attendance

It's #2 that led to the payroll slashing......as attendance started to wane and w/the CBA expiring after the 2026 season I think Dewitt (a brilliant businessman) made the decision to slash payroll, sell the fan base on the "re-build" (WHICH I AGREE WITH BTW) and only re-invest a small amount (Re: P. Maton and this season D. May).

But make no mistake, even though the re-build is the right thing to do Dewitt wanted his payroll as low as possible going into the CBA negotations.

JMO

I am hoping they re-invested in upgrading every aspect of the farm. Scouting, coaching, equipment and everything associated with developing and finding talent. No idea if it happened or now much was spent.

There's no economic reason they couldn't have done this at a high level back in 2022 and before when our payroll was at record levels. MILB coaches and scouts don't really cost that much. They earn less than a lot of us here who work in professional fields. Its just incompetence and shortsightedness that Mo couldn't have the organization focus on both the minors and the MLB talent at the same time.

[AZ_Cardsfan]

For sure and I considered that CO.

BUT here's the difference between what BDWJr did after that 2024 season and continued after 2025..............

HE DIDN'T RE-INVEST those off-the-books contract into major league players!

I've been tracking Dewitt's payroll spending habits now for over a decade and he's almost always done two things:

1 - Let Mo re-invest most, if not all of the off-the-books payroll (retirements, trades, ect...) into new major league players

2 - Tied Payroll size to attendance

It's #2 that led to the payroll slashing......as attendance started to wane and w/the CBA expiring after the 2026 season I think Dewitt (a brilliant businessman) made the decision to slash payroll, sell the fan base on the "re-build" (WHICH I AGREE WITH BTW) and only re-invest a small amount (Re: P. Maton and this season D. May).

But make no mistake, even though the re-build is the right thing to do Dewitt wanted his payroll as low as possible going into the CBA negotations.

JMO

I am hoping they re-invested in upgrading every aspect of the farm. Scouting, coaching, equipment and everything associated with developing and finding talent. No idea if it happened or now much was spent.

There's no economic reason they couldn't have done this at a high level back in 2022 and before when our payroll was at record levels. MILB coaches and scouts don't really cost that much. They earn less than a lot of us here who work in professional fields. Its just incompetence and shortsightedness that Mo couldn't have the organization focus on both the minors and the MLB talent at the same time.

I think the investment was more than a few coaches and scouts. And I think the good ones probably earn 6 figures. But also there was ancient tech and buildings that needed repair and replacement. But overall I agree. This stuff should not have been neglected in the first place and could have been kept state of the art all along. Seems like $20 mil should have been enough to get the farm updated and running.

I am heartened to see in the deals they are making they aren't above sending cash to get real prospects back along with unloading aging veterans. Like the Gray deal where they might have dealt him for near value and got no return. Instead they sent $20 mil with him to get something back. Same with Contreras. Probably could have kept the $8 mil and just sent him. Instead they got something back.

I'm not debating the odor that they are hunkering down for the upcoming CBA probably lockout. Strong sense that is a factor.

[Carp4Cy]

For sure and I considered that CO.

BUT here's the difference between what BDWJr did after that 2024 season and continued after 2025..............

HE DIDN'T RE-INVEST those off-the-books contract into major league players!

I've been tracking Dewitt's payroll spending habits now for over a decade and he's almost always done two things:

1 - Let Mo re-invest most, if not all of the off-the-books payroll (retirements, trades, ect...) into new major league players

2 - Tied Payroll size to attendance

It's #2 that led to the payroll slashing......as attendance started to wane and w/the CBA expiring after the 2026 season I think Dewitt (a brilliant businessman) made the decision to slash payroll, sell the fan base on the "re-build" (WHICH I AGREE WITH BTW) and only re-invest a small amount (Re: P. Maton and this season D. May).

But make no mistake, even though the re-build is the right thing to do Dewitt wanted his payroll as low as possible going into the CBA negotations.

JMO

I am hoping they re-invested in upgrading every aspect of the farm. Scouting, coaching, equipment and everything associated with developing and finding talent. No idea if it happened or now much was spent.

There's no economic reason they couldn't have done this at a high level back in 2022 and before when our payroll was at record levels. MILB coaches and scouts don't really cost that much. They earn less than a lot of us here who work in professional fields. Its just incompetence and shortsightedness that Mo couldn't have the organization focus on both the minors and the MLB talent at the same time.

I think the investment was more than a few coaches and scouts. And I think the good ones probably earn 6 figures. But also there was ancient tech and buildings that needed repair and replacement. But overall I agree. This stuff should not have been neglected in the first place and could have been kept state of the art all along. Seems like $20 mil should have been enough to get the farm updated and running.

I am heartened to see in the deals they are making they aren't above sending cash to get real prospects back along with unloading aging veterans. Like the Gray deal where they might have dealt him for near value and got no return. Instead they sent $20 mil with him to get something back. Same with Contreras. Probably could have kept the $8 mil and just sent him. Instead they got something back.

I'm not debating the odor that they are hunkering down for the upcoming CBA probably lockout. Strong sense that is a factor.

I guess we will see if Clarke and Fajardo/Dobbins are worth the $20M and the $8M. That's a lot more than the signing bonuses we've given to prospects like JJW and Doyle, for lower rated talents. Heck the $20M is a lot more than May is making this year, and he's probably going to be better than Fitts. I guess we will see.