No Power. Do Cards play small ball.

[sikeston bulldog2]

Good morning.

A thread takes note of our lack of power.1982 ish low. Ok. There will be nothing that we can do about that. We have who we have.

On the other hand, strategy must be our best ally. Being this is a rebuild season, new ideas seem paramount.

Do we relearn and employ more small ball concepts, not so much to win games, although the goal, but to rebuild the entire ideology. Build a perfect beast. Bottom up.

Summary- no power. Runs will be of a premium. Why not master the other arts of the game, enroute to acquiring the necessary parts in the next couple years.

Seems like a Target of Opportunity to me.

[OldRed]

Good morning.

A thread takes note of our lack of power.1982 ish low. Ok. There will be nothing that we can do about that. We have who we have.

On the other hand, strategy must be our best ally. Being this is a rebuild season, new ideas seem paramount.

Do we relearn and employ more small ball concepts, not so much to win games, although the goal, but to rebuild the entire ideology. Build a perfect beast. Bottom up.

Summary- no power. Runs will be of a premium. Why not master the other arts of the game, enroute to acquiring the necessary parts in the next couple years.

Seems like a Target of Opportunity to me.

The very reason I said a few weeks ago defensive will be important.

[sikeston bulldog2]

Good morning.

A thread takes note of our lack of power.1982 ish low. Ok. There will be nothing that we can do about that. We have who we have.

On the other hand, strategy must be our best ally. Being this is a rebuild season, new ideas seem paramount.

Do we relearn and employ more small ball concepts, not so much to win games, although the goal, but to rebuild the entire ideology. Build a perfect beast. Bottom up.

Summary- no power. Runs will be of a premium. Why not master the other arts of the game, enroute to acquiring the necessary parts in the next couple years.

Seems like a Target of Opportunity to me.

The very reason I said a few weeks ago defensive will be important.

Defense is a very important part. It generally keeps you in game. Then anything can happen.

The fear- get behind early often. Once you do that these things managers- pitchers suffer, you abandon the strategy of small ball in an attempt to hit your way back in, attitude- here we go again, losing.

No matter the plan, handling losing attitude in this scenario is critical.

[rockondlouie]

If VSII can get to a .320+ OB%, then he and JJW could let you play some small ball (forget M. Winn who's been an awful base stealer since he reached MLB (career 22 SB's vs 11 CS) Noot's not much better (career 28 SB's vs 11 CS).

I. Hererra has been very success (career 13 SB's vs 2 CS) but not sure we want him running much given his injury history.

J. Walker (18 SB's vs 7 CS) isn't a candidate either, and then you have the Clydesdales.

The real problem with this idea BDog lies w/the Manager.

Oli is one of the least creative Managers we've ever seen here so its debatable if he'd even employ a "small ball" strategy.

He should let VSII run wild, he doesn't......same w/JJW when he gets up here.

He also needs to employ more Hit & Runs, squeeze plays, ect...............he doesn't.

Until Oli's gone I don't think we'll see much "small ball" BDog.

What we really need is more POWER HITTERS (Re: HOME RUNS)!

Hopefully we have some along the way (Re: Baez and R.R.) to join Hererra.

JMO

[sikeston bulldog2]

If VSII can get to a .320+ OB%, then he and JJW could let you play some small ball (forget M. Winn who's been an awful base stealer since he reached MLB (career 22 SB's vs 11 CS) Noot's not much better (career 28 SB's vs 11 CS).

I. Hererra has been very success (career 13 SB's vs 2 CS) but not sure we want him running much given his injury history.

J. Walker (18 SB's vs 7 CS) isn't a candidate either, and then you have the Clydesdales.

The real problem with this idea BDog lies w/the Manager.

Oli is one of the least creative Managers we've ever seen here so its debatable if he'd even employ a "small ball" strategy.

He should let VSII run wild, he doesn't......same w/JJW when he gets up here.

He also needs to employ more Hit & Runs, squeeze plays, ect...............he doesn't.

Until Oli's gone I don't think we'll see much "small ball" BDog.

What we really need is more POWER HITTERS (Re: HOME RUNS)!

Hopefully we have some along the way (Re: Baez and R.R.) to join Hererra.

JMO

Good write. My point is- this year, this year only, given as a “lost “ year, why not take the rebuild to its roots, and relearn the game for future success.

I know this is primarily a managers game plan. Running.

Question. Is there a difference between a strike out, or a throw them out. Both are outs, but….

[rockondlouie]

If VSII can get to a .320+ OB%, then he and JJW could let you play some small ball (forget M. Winn who's been an awful base stealer since he reached MLB (career 22 SB's vs 11 CS) Noot's not much better (career 28 SB's vs 11 CS).

I. Hererra has been very success (career 13 SB's vs 2 CS) but not sure we want him running much given his injury history.

J. Walker (18 SB's vs 7 CS) isn't a candidate either, and then you have the Clydesdales.

The real problem with this idea BDog lies w/the Manager.

Oli is one of the least creative Managers we've ever seen here so its debatable if he'd even employ a "small ball" strategy.

He should let VSII run wild, he doesn't......same w/JJW when he gets up here.

He also needs to employ more Hit & Runs, squeeze plays, ect...............he doesn't.

Until Oli's gone I don't think we'll see much "small ball" BDog.

What we really need is more POWER HITTERS (Re: HOME RUNS)!

Hopefully we have some along the way (Re: Baez and R.R.) to join Hererra.

JMO

Good write. My point is- this year, this year only, given as a “lost “ year, why not take the rebuild to its roots, and relearn the game for future success.

I know this is primarily a managers game plan. Running.

Question. Is there a difference between a strike out, or a throw them out. Both are outs, but….

Agree 100%..............for this year only.

But Oli won't do it, he's shown it's not in his DNA to be creative when it comes to the offense.

[sikeston bulldog2]

If VSII can get to a .320+ OB%, then he and JJW could let you play some small ball (forget M. Winn who's been an awful base stealer since he reached MLB (career 22 SB's vs 11 CS) Noot's not much better (career 28 SB's vs 11 CS).

I. Hererra has been very success (career 13 SB's vs 2 CS) but not sure we want him running much given his injury history.

J. Walker (18 SB's vs 7 CS) isn't a candidate either, and then you have the Clydesdales.

The real problem with this idea BDog lies w/the Manager.

Oli is one of the least creative Managers we've ever seen here so its debatable if he'd even employ a "small ball" strategy.

He should let VSII run wild, he doesn't......same w/JJW when he gets up here.

He also needs to employ more Hit & Runs, squeeze plays, ect...............he doesn't.

Until Oli's gone I don't think we'll see much "small ball" BDog.

What we really need is more POWER HITTERS (Re: HOME RUNS)!

Hopefully we have some along the way (Re: Baez and R.R.) to join Hererra.

JMO

Good write. My point is- this year, this year only, given as a “lost “ year, why not take the rebuild to its roots, and relearn the game for future success.

I know this is primarily a managers game plan. Running.

Question. Is there a difference between a strike out, or a throw them out. Both are outs, but….

Agree 100%..............for this year only.

But Oli won't do it, he's shown it's not in his DNA to be creative when it comes to the offense.

I hear ya. He won’t do it.

That will lead to, with no power, many early get behinds, many not able to come from behind, stunt our young pitchers growth based on fewer innings, losing attitude and of course, many early lost games.

Heres the other thing- then when if we rebuild, by not reestablishing the basics, we have a group of hitters, but no basics.

[CorneliusWolfe]

Good morning.

A thread takes note of our lack of power.1982 ish low. Ok. There will be nothing that we can do about that. We have who we have.

On the other hand, strategy must be our best ally. Being this is a rebuild season, new ideas seem paramount.

Do we relearn and employ more small ball concepts, not so much to win games, although the goal, but to rebuild the entire ideology. Build a perfect beast. Bottom up.

Summary- no power. Runs will be of a premium. Why not master the other arts of the game, enroute to acquiring the necessary parts in the next couple years.

Seems like a Target of Opportunity to me.

I love the idea in general, but do we have enough team speed and OBP to make it work?

Whitey’s first order of business was to target those types of players before he could implement.

[rockondlouie]

If VSII can get to a .320+ OB%, then he and JJW could let you play some small ball (forget M. Winn who's been an awful base stealer since he reached MLB (career 22 SB's vs 11 CS) Noot's not much better (career 28 SB's vs 11 CS).

I. Hererra has been very success (career 13 SB's vs 2 CS) but not sure we want him running much given his injury history.

J. Walker (18 SB's vs 7 CS) isn't a candidate either, and then you have the Clydesdales.

The real problem with this idea BDog lies w/the Manager.

Oli is one of the least creative Managers we've ever seen here so its debatable if he'd even employ a "small ball" strategy.

He should let VSII run wild, he doesn't......same w/JJW when he gets up here.

He also needs to employ more Hit & Runs, squeeze plays, ect...............he doesn't.

Until Oli's gone I don't think we'll see much "small ball" BDog.

What we really need is more POWER HITTERS (Re: HOME RUNS)!

Hopefully we have some along the way (Re: Baez and R.R.) to join Hererra.

JMO

Good write. My point is- this year, this year only, given as a “lost “ year, why not take the rebuild to its roots, and relearn the game for future success.

I know this is primarily a managers game plan. Running.

Question. Is there a difference between a strike out, or a throw them out. Both are outs, but….

Agree 100%..............for this year only.

But Oli won't do it, he's shown it's not in his DNA to be creative when it comes to the offense.

I hear ya. He won’t do it.

That will lead to, with no power, many early get behinds, many not able to come from behind, stunt our young pitchers growth based on fewer innings, losing attitude and of course, many early lost games.

Heres the other thing- then when if we rebuild, by not reestablishing the basics, we have a group of hitters, but no basics.

PITCHING will be the key to 2026, I think it's exponentially better than the 2025 rotation.

And fingers crossed C. Bloom can find us a better Manager after 2026, they'll never win anything until they hire a great Manager.

[sikeston bulldog2]

If VSII can get to a .320+ OB%, then he and JJW could let you play some small ball (forget M. Winn who's been an awful base stealer since he reached MLB (career 22 SB's vs 11 CS) Noot's not much better (career 28 SB's vs 11 CS).

I. Hererra has been very success (career 13 SB's vs 2 CS) but not sure we want him running much given his injury history.

J. Walker (18 SB's vs 7 CS) isn't a candidate either, and then you have the Clydesdales.

The real problem with this idea BDog lies w/the Manager.

Oli is one of the least creative Managers we've ever seen here so its debatable if he'd even employ a "small ball" strategy.

He should let VSII run wild, he doesn't......same w/JJW when he gets up here.

He also needs to employ more Hit & Runs, squeeze plays, ect...............he doesn't.

Until Oli's gone I don't think we'll see much "small ball" BDog.

What we really need is more POWER HITTERS (Re: HOME RUNS)!

Hopefully we have some along the way (Re: Baez and R.R.) to join Hererra.

JMO

Good write. My point is- this year, this year only, given as a “lost “ year, why not take the rebuild to its roots, and relearn the game for future success.

I know this is primarily a managers game plan. Running.

Question. Is there a difference between a strike out, or a throw them out. Both are outs, but….

Agree 100%..............for this year only.

But Oli won't do it, he's shown it's not in his DNA to be creative when it comes to the offense.

I hear ya. He won’t do it.

That will lead to, with no power, many early get behinds, many not able to come from behind, stunt our young pitchers growth based on fewer innings, losing attitude and of course, many early lost games.

Heres the other thing- then when if we rebuild, by not reestablishing the basics, we have a group of hitters, but no basics.

PITCHING will be the key to 2026, I think it's exponentially better than the 2025 rotation.

And fingers crossed C. Bloom can find us a better Manager after 2026, they'll never win anything until they hire a great Manager.

Win anything- can be done on a lucky year. So he could luck into a win. Unlikely.

I’m so exhausted with the manager talk.

[An Old Friend]

Good morning.

A thread takes note of our lack of power.1982 ish low. Ok. There will be nothing that we can do about that. We have who we have.

On the other hand, strategy must be our best ally. Being this is a rebuild season, new ideas seem paramount.

Do we relearn and employ more small ball concepts, not so much to win games, although the goal, but to rebuild the entire ideology. Build a perfect beast. Bottom up.

Summary- no power. Runs will be of a premium. Why not master the other arts of the game, enroute to acquiring the necessary parts in the next couple years.

Seems like a Target of Opportunity to me.

JMO - they should lean in heavy on high contact guys... they're filled with them. Herrera and Burleson are likely you're 3-4 hitters... with sub-20% strikeout rates.

Numbers in AAA:
Wetherholt - 15% K-rate, .415 OBP
Fermin - 9% K-rate, .425 OBP
Church - 10% K-rate, .400 OBP
Torres - 14% K-rate, .440 OBP

I still expect Donovan to get moved, but if he doesn't... you could potentially have7 guys out there who are really tough to strike out, so go with the high contact guys on bases approach. I won't be shocked if they start Walker at AAA which would give Church and Torres some runway, he has an option remaining. They're going to need one of Gorman or Walker to take a step forward.

This is where I'd like to see them go in 2026. I hope Fermin and one of Church or Torres gets a legitimate shot at regular playing time.

[rockondlouie]

If VSII can get to a .320+ OB%, then he and JJW could let you play some small ball (forget M. Winn who's been an awful base stealer since he reached MLB (career 22 SB's vs 11 CS) Noot's not much better (career 28 SB's vs 11 CS).

I. Hererra has been very success (career 13 SB's vs 2 CS) but not sure we want him running much given his injury history.

J. Walker (18 SB's vs 7 CS) isn't a candidate either, and then you have the Clydesdales.

The real problem with this idea BDog lies w/the Manager.

Oli is one of the least creative Managers we've ever seen here so its debatable if he'd even employ a "small ball" strategy.

He should let VSII run wild, he doesn't......same w/JJW when he gets up here.

He also needs to employ more Hit & Runs, squeeze plays, ect...............he doesn't.

Until Oli's gone I don't think we'll see much "small ball" BDog.

What we really need is more POWER HITTERS (Re: HOME RUNS)!

Hopefully we have some along the way (Re: Baez and R.R.) to join Hererra.

JMO

Good write. My point is- this year, this year only, given as a “lost “ year, why not take the rebuild to its roots, and relearn the game for future success.

I know this is primarily a managers game plan. Running.

Question. Is there a difference between a strike out, or a throw them out. Both are outs, but….

Agree 100%..............for this year only.

But Oli won't do it, he's shown it's not in his DNA to be creative when it comes to the offense.

I hear ya. He won’t do it.

That will lead to, with no power, many early get behinds, many not able to come from behind, stunt our young pitchers growth based on fewer innings, losing attitude and of course, many early lost games.

Heres the other thing- then when if we rebuild, by not reestablishing the basics, we have a group of hitters, but no basics.

PITCHING will be the key to 2026, I think it's exponentially better than the 2025 rotation.

And fingers crossed C. Bloom can find us a better Manager after 2026, they'll never win anything until they hire a great Manager.

Win anything- can be done on a lucky year. So he could luck into a win. Unlikely.

I’m so exhausted with the manager talk.

I'm sick of this manager

[pitchingandefense]

There is a lot of talk that the Cardinals need to copy Milwaukee and Tampa moving forward. Those two teams just so happened to finish first and second in team stolen bases last season. In terms of advanced metrics, those two teams also finished 1-2 in BsR (Base Running Runs Above Average). This metric measures stolen bases, caught stealing, extra bases taken, outs on the bases, and avoiding double plays.

The Cardinals should absolutely run more, and the metrics bear out that aggressive teams on the base paths are scoring more runs. It would also make them a more interesting team from an entertainment perspective (potential gains in attendance and TV viewership).

Winn is the one who should be running a lot more. As Rocko points out, his success rate has not been great yet, but the sprint speed and skills are there for him to develop.

I’m of the belief that Gorman and Walker will be given a lot of time as starters. While I hope they do well, my confidence is low. I also think Donny and Noot will soon be dealt, and that Baez will be ready in 2026 after 200 plate appearances at AAA. By midseason you could see a low K, good base running lineup that also plays good defense. They just won’t hit a lot of homers.

2B Torres
3B Wetherholt
DH Herrera
1B Burleson
RF Baez
LF Church
SS Winn
C Crooks
CF Scott

[scoutyjones2]

Good morning.

A thread takes note of our lack of power.1982 ish low. Ok. There will be nothing that we can do about that. We have who we have.

On the other hand, strategy must be our best ally. Being this is a rebuild season, new ideas seem paramount.

Do we relearn and employ more small ball concepts, not so much to win games, although the goal, but to rebuild the entire ideology. Build a perfect beast. Bottom up.

Summary- no power. Runs will be of a premium. Why not master the other arts of the game, enroute to acquiring the necessary parts in the next couple years.

Seems like a Target of Opportunity to me.

No hitters...nobody steals but Argo...so no

[TheFantasyStud]

New manager is on my #1 wish list too!

Leaning into the high contact hitters is tempting but I do think Walker and Gorman start to reach their potential this year. If they each come close to 30 homers will be glad we increased the runway for them. If we let them go and they become the Arozarena(s) of the future the cards would take a long time to recover.

[Mort Gage]

If 5'10", 235 lb Josh Naylor can steal 30 bases there's room for other Cardinals to step up. Walker was second on the team with ten and Winn somehow had only nine. This is the season for the Cardinals to reinforce fundamentals and small ball if they want to be even somewhat competitive. I guess we'll find out how adaptable Marmol is.