Why Donovan Hasn’t Been Traded, And Why WC and Arenado Have

[Carp4Cy]

No there will be a smaller return at the deadline. Teams will use the it’s only two months of control for sure because of the looming lock out to drive the price down. There will be less control and that’s if its best case scenario and he doesn’t go on the IL at that time. Teams that are looking now could have prospects emerge at that time and not need one

BD should have been traded July 2025.

All-star season, years remaining.

Mo’s ceremonial year was the most idiotic thing imaginable.

Now that I agree with although I didn’t trust mo
To trade Donovan though I think he would have done a Fedde type trade for him. He should have traded edman for top tier minor leaguers but he was dumb and went for a trade for fedde and pray to squeak in to the post season and pray for miracles. If he had traded edman for top tier minor leaguers and traded helsley in the offseason instead of being dumb and waiting for the deadline the cardinals would be well of schedule in the rebuild

Fedde was good for us until he wasn’t.
Mo did the same kind of trade with Bader for Monty and Monty was good for us until then he flipped Monty for those coveted prospects, and how much good have they done??

Saggese will surprise you this year.
Hopefully Roby next year.

That’s a Really long lead time. There are easier and cheaper ways to acquire prospects that need another 4 years to start to produce.

[MrPostman01]

There is no urgency. No steal, no deal applies.

[Melville]

The type of player he is, the tier of player he is, would yield (by far) the biggest return in July.

I, of course, was first and best to understand and explain this long ago.
Bloom should attempt to extend Donovan sometime between now and June.
If Donovan refuses, he should be traded in July.
If Donovan is healthy and having another good season at that time, there is no question his value will be higher than it is currently.
There will be 20-22 teams who view themselves as "in the hunt" and every one of them will be looking for opportunities to strengthen themselves for the stretch drive and playoffs.
That sense of urgency will result in the final 60 games (and playoffs) placing more value on a player like Donovan than having him for the previous 100 games would.
And being under control for an added season would give him more value than a pending FA "rental".
Easy.
Obvious.
Correct.

Why extend them when you already control them for two years?
He has no future with this team. Like when we extended Carpenter at a time we didn’t need to?

Difference was MC has no usefulness.
Donovan does.
The team may surprise in 2026 and certainly will compete in 2027 and beyond.
Yes - if Donovan has interest in remaining, Bloom should immediately ensure to lock him up for the next 4 seasons.
He is the Tommy Herr of this generation - if the Cardinals allow it.

[Melville]

Saggese will surprise you this year.

Unlikely.
He has drawn a mere 18 walks in 347 PA's.
Pitchers know that he is extremely over-eager and will use that against him.
That is just one big red flag in his game.
I would like to see him succeed.
But he projects to be a journeyman bench player who will bounce from one team to another.

[Cardinals1964]

The type of player he is, the tier of player he is, would yield (by far) the biggest return in July.

I, of course, was first and best to understand and explain this long ago.
Bloom should attempt to extend Donovan sometime between now and June.
If Donovan refuses, he should be traded in July.
If Donovan is healthy and having another good season at that time, there is no question his value will be higher than it is currently.
There will be 20-22 teams who view themselves as "in the hunt" and every one of them will be looking for opportunities to strengthen themselves for the stretch drive and playoffs.
That sense of urgency will result in the final 60 games (and playoffs) placing more value on a player like Donovan than having him for the previous 100 games would.
And being under control for an added season would give him more value than a pending FA "rental".
Easy.
Obvious.
Correct.

Why extend them when you already control them for two years?
He has no future with this team. Like when we extended Carpenter at a time we didn’t need to?

Difference was MC has no usefulness.
Donovan does.
The team may surprise in 2026 and certainly will compete in 2027 and beyond.
Yes - if Donovan has interest in remaining, Bloom should immediately ensure to lock him up for the next 4 seasons.
He is the Tommy Herr of this generation - if the Cardinals allow it.

Donovan is overrated by the Cardinals fans. Matt Carpenter was useful at the time that they extended him. There’s no future for Donovan on this team. By the time they are relevant in three years, he will be an old man.

[Melville]

The type of player he is, the tier of player he is, would yield (by far) the biggest return in July.

I, of course, was first and best to understand and explain this long ago.
Bloom should attempt to extend Donovan sometime between now and June.
If Donovan refuses, he should be traded in July.
If Donovan is healthy and having another good season at that time, there is no question his value will be higher than it is currently.
There will be 20-22 teams who view themselves as "in the hunt" and every one of them will be looking for opportunities to strengthen themselves for the stretch drive and playoffs.
That sense of urgency will result in the final 60 games (and playoffs) placing more value on a player like Donovan than having him for the previous 100 games would.
And being under control for an added season would give him more value than a pending FA "rental".
Easy.
Obvious.
Correct.

Why extend them when you already control them for two years?
He has no future with this team. Like when we extended Carpenter at a time we didn’t need to?

Difference was MC has no usefulness.
Donovan does.
The team may surprise in 2026 and certainly will compete in 2027 and beyond.
Yes - if Donovan has interest in remaining, Bloom should immediately ensure to lock him up for the next 4 seasons.
He is the Tommy Herr of this generation - if the Cardinals allow it.

Donovan is no Tommy Herr. Donovan is overrated by the Cardinals fans.

I am free of bias and agenda in all things.
Never overrate or undervalue any player.
Herr and Donovan: very different players.
Herr, with a different skillset, being the better of the two.
But very similar in impact on the lineup and roster.

[Cardinals4Life]

Saggese will surprise you this year.

Unlikely.
He has drawn a mere 18 walks in 347 PA's.
Pitchers know that he is extremely over-eager and will use that against him.
That is just one big red flag in his game.
I would like to see him succeed.
But he projects to be a journeyman bench player who will bounce from one team to another.

We shall see, but disagree.
Saggese is a baseball rat. He has produced at every level of play, especially after an initial adjustment. I think with a little more opportunity, he will produce.

[TheSolution]

To touch on all the comments.

Donovan staying (for now) allows DeWitt to stop the floodgate of negatively of misinformed people thinking this is all about salary dumping and tanking.

Donovan on the roster at the start of the season gives a certain percentage of people a little better feeling about the season.

Without Donovan I feel this team will surprise and even sneak their way into WC contention.

With Donovan I think they keep him mostly in the OF unless injuries on the infield change things.

I feel Nootbarr and maybe Walker and Scott are the most affected by Donovan remaining as it takes up an OF spot everyday.

Gorman is going to get a lot of time at 3b. That is an asset worth every bit of investment to try to raise value. That’s a 30+ HR in his sleep with consistent, uninhibited playing time.

[Talkin' Baseball]

To touch on all the comments.

Donovan staying (for now) allows DeWitt to stop the floodgate of negatively of misinformed people thinking this is all about salary dumping and tanking.

Donovan on the roster at the start of the season gives a certain percentage of people a little better feeling about the season.

Without Donovan I feel this team will surprise and even sneak their way into WC contention.

With Donovan I think they keep him mostly in the OF unless injuries on the infield change things.

I feel Nootbarr and maybe Walker and Scott are the most affected by Donovan remaining as it takes up an OF spot everyday.

Gorman is going to get a lot of time at 3b. That is an asset worth every bit of investment to try to raise value. That’s a 30+ HR in his sleep with consistent, uninhibited playing time.

You can't stop the floodgates of negativity of misinformed people. They are perpetually negative and perpetually misinformed.


I'm glad that you are optimistic about Gorman. I do not share your optimism. It wouldn't surprise me if more playing time just meant more streaks- both hot and cold.