Not excited about spring training

[Strummer Jones]

I'm excited. I'm not particularly optimistic about the season, but I'm excited for it.

Ready to what these young guys do with their opportunity. I expect to see some stretches of inspired, great, baseball. I also expect to see stretches of baseball where nothing goes right. It's much more exciting to me to see younger players struggle and overcome than watch a lot of old and expensive warhorse has beens/never weres not answer the bell.

I'm bullish on some of the newer and younger talent coming through this year:
-I think JJ is going to hold his own. Not dominate, but show that he belongs and that he will be the gold standard at 2B for major league baseball.
-I think the bullpen will remain a strength.
-I think at least one of the new pitchers from Boston will prove to be a stabilizing force in the rotation. Not a top guy, but a glue guy for the rotation. Kind of like Lohse in '08 or '11.

I’ll take a Danny Cox or Darryl Kile type.

I'm thinking '08 Todd Wellemeyer or '09 Joel Pineiro. Maybe J.A. Happ type numbers. Maybe not style, but ERA's in the high-3's or low 4's. People forget how big of dawgs Cox and Kile were. If Fitts or Dobbins become Cox or Kile, we'll be in REALLY good shape.

[alw80]

First time in 70+ years I am not excited about spring training or the start of the season. Baseball Heaven has gone to Hell.

Were you excited by last years ST?

[sikeston bulldog2]

I'm excited. I'm not particularly optimistic about the season, but I'm excited for it.

Ready to what these young guys do with their opportunity. I expect to see some stretches of inspired, great, baseball. I also expect to see stretches of baseball where nothing goes right. It's much more exciting to me to see younger players struggle and overcome than watch a lot of old and expensive warhorse has beens/never weres not answer the bell.

I'm bullish on some of the newer and younger talent coming through this year:
-I think JJ is going to hold his own. Not dominate, but show that he belongs and that he will be the gold standard at 2B for major league baseball.
-I think the bullpen will remain a strength.
-I think at least one of the new pitchers from Boston will prove to be a stabilizing force in the rotation. Not a top guy, but a glue guy for the rotation. Kind of like Lohse in '08 or '11.

I’ll take a Danny Cox or Darryl Kile type.

I'm thinking '08 Todd Wellemeyer or '09 Joel Pineiro. Maybe J.A. Happ type numbers. Maybe not style, but ERA's in the high-3's or low 4's. People forget how big of dawgs Cox and Kile were. If Fitts or Dobbins become Cox or Kile, we'll be in REALLY good shape.

Really good shape is right. Would love a Cox type.

[11WSChamps]

Spring training camps and strippers.

If you've seen one you've seen them all.

[Hoosier59]

I’m going to Spring Training for the first time this year. II’ve coached High School ball for the last 30 years and couldn’t attend games there.
I retired from coaching the High School team and now I am able to get away to go.
My hope is that there will be fair and open competition for positions, other than Shortstop, which should be Winn’s!
I’d like to see Torres, Crooks, Fermin, Baez, Church, and any other player be given equal opportunity to win a position. Enough of guys simply being handed a spot, if it’s not duly earned!
On the pitching side, if Mathews, Mautz, Henderson, etc… are ready and look to be the best, keep them and let them pitch!

[12xu]

I am looking forward to seeing JJ Wetherholt shine in his debut season. Excited to see if Winn, Herrera, and Scott II can have breakout seasons. I have high hopes for May, Liberatore, and McGreevy in the starting rotation, and O'Brien, Stanek, and Svanson in the pen. Will once again be hopeful that Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman can somehow put together a strong season.

[Melville]

First time in 70+ years I am not excited about spring training or the start of the season. Baseball Heaven has gone to Hell.

The Cardinals have enough talent on the roster to produce a winning record.
Whether there is enough intelligence among the manager and staff to get them there in another question entirely.

No they don't.

I teach success for a living.
My analysis is always built on a bias free analysis of what is attainable and what is not.
I am paid to help leaders and organizations understand how to set and achieve performance goals.
Baseball is no different.
This roster can achieve a winning record.
Can leadership get them there?
THAT, not the roster, is the applicable question.

I notice you always leave yourself an out.

Uh its the same group leading in the dugout this season minus Gray, Contreras and Donovan.

There's no thoroughbred in the corral.

72-90.

I never "leave myself an out".
This team has enough talent to produce a winning record.
Period.
If it fails to do so, it will be due to debilitating injuries (unlikely) or an incompetent manager and staff.
Unequivocally correct.

I got you pegged bud.

There's always a caveat.

How is the same incompetent manager and staff from last season going to all of a sudden become baseball savants?

I don't expect them to.
But they do have more talent on the roster.
If the team fails to produce a winning record it will be because the manager and staff repeat their prior incompetence.

Can't agree with you on manager Melville. Oli was in a lame duck situation last year. He had to try and win with the hand he was dealt. Do you really think even the best manager in the sport could have made that rotation better? And even the best manager in the game doesn't teach hitting. We'll never know, but i hope Chaim let's Oli actually manage from the dugout. I dont think he had that freedom last year.

Team was in control of a W/C in July of 24 and again in July of 25.
Fell apart down the stretch both times
That is 100% a reflection of failed leadership.
The team will never succeed in reaching its potential and perform as it should also long as he is around.
Absolutely terrible leader in so many ways.
And that is not entirely his fault: by design, he was hired to be a follower

[renostl]

I’m going to Spring Training for the first time this year. II’ve coached High School ball for the last 30 years and couldn’t attend games there.
I retired from coaching the High School team and now I am able to get away to go.
My hope is that there will be fair and open competition for positions, other than Shortstop, which should be Winn’s!
I’d like to see Torres, Crooks, Fermin, Baez, Church, and any other player be given equal opportunity to win a position. Enough of guys simply being handed a spot, if it’s not duly earned!
On the pitching side, if Mathews, Mautz, Henderson, etc… are ready and look to be the best, keep them and let them pitch!

Allow for a great time.
ST's are some of my best trips both FL and AZ.

[Melville]

First time in 70+ years I am not excited about spring training or the start of the season. Baseball Heaven has gone to Hell.

The Cardinals have enough talent on the roster to produce a winning record.
Whether there is enough intelligence among the manager and staff to get them there in another question entirely.

just stop with this nonsense - Oli was the manager last year too so it is an apples to apples comparison - just go on the record if you think we will be better or worse than last year!

Should be.
More talent than a year ago.

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Don't lecture me on dignity. I had season tickets in the 70's, at least they had a team that wanted to win, they just didn't have the talent, but they were fun to watch. I can't get excited about what they will be putting on the field this year. Hopefully, I'm wrong and can again enjoy Cardinal baseball. It would be wonderful to see a few of the younger players have a terrific year.

I hope you know I think you’re a good guy and a good fan, but are you sure they wanted to win back then? I think you are rewriting history here. Let’s look at the late 80s, early 90s before DeWitt resurrected this franchise. Didn’t Whitey Herzog quit in 1990 because he didn’t think that the organization was committed to winning after Gussie Busch died? I’ve heard lots of people here defend him quitting on the team for that very reason.

I don’t see how this is surprising to anyone. A new guy is taking over after the last one put the team in a big hole, so he’s moving out the old guy’s players and starting over. That’s the way it works. Obviously they want to win, but you have to have the base in place first.

[Melville]

First time in 70+ years I am not excited about spring training or the start of the season. Baseball Heaven has gone to Hell.

The Cardinals have enough talent on the roster to produce a winning record.
Whether there is enough intelligence among the manager and staff to get them there in another question entirely.

No they don't.

I teach success for a living.
My analysis is always built on a bias free analysis of what is attainable and what is not.
I am paid to help leaders and organizations understand how to set and achieve performance goals.
Baseball is no different.
This roster can achieve a winning record.
Can leadership get them there?
THAT, not the roster, is the applicable question.

I notice you always leave yourself an out.

Uh its the same group leading in the dugout this season minus Gray, Contreras and Donovan.

There's no thoroughbred in the corral.

72-90.

I never "leave myself an out".
This team has enough talent to produce a winning record.
Period.
If it fails to do so, it will be due to debilitating injuries (unlikely) or an incompetent manager and staff.
Unequivocally correct.

I got you pegged bud.

There's always a caveat.

How is the same incompetent manager and staff from last season going to all of a sudden become baseball savants?

I don't expect them to.
But they do have more talent on the roster.
If the team fails to produce a winning record it will be because the manager and staff repeat their prior incompetence.

More talent where?

And please don't mention the rotation. Its dotted with injury histories, inexperience and guys who have yet to prove anything sustainable.

Closer by committee? When does that ever work?

The team's most productive hitter (for lack of a better term) Contreras is gone not to mention Donovan.

I'm not saying the team shouldn't have let them go I'm saying as of today the team is not "more talented".

Yes, it is.
The infield will outperform that from last year.
The rotation has more talent and is deeper than a year ago.
Catcher spot is better.
Bullpen should be as good - though not as deep so injuries could be a concern.
Outfield is bad just as it was last year - how could it possibly be worse?
Now, the manager is still incompetent - and that is the biggest risk factor.

[Melville]

I’m going to Spring Training for the first time this year. II’ve coached High School ball for the last 30 years and couldn’t attend games there.
I retired from coaching the High School team and now I am able to get away to go.
My hope is that there will be fair and open competition for positions, other than Shortstop, which should be Winn’s!
I’d like to see Torres, Crooks, Fermin, Baez, Church, and any other player be given equal opportunity to win a position. Enough of guys simply being handed a spot, if it’s not duly earned!
On the pitching side, if Mathews, Mautz, Henderson, etc… are ready and look to be the best, keep them and let them pitch!

Allow for a great time.
ST's are some of my best trips both FL and AZ.

Other than STL being in FL, which of the 2 do you prefer?

[11WSChamps]

First time in 70+ years I am not excited about spring training or the start of the season. Baseball Heaven has gone to Hell.

The Cardinals have enough talent on the roster to produce a winning record.
Whether there is enough intelligence among the manager and staff to get them there in another question entirely.

No they don't.

I teach success for a living.
My analysis is always built on a bias free analysis of what is attainable and what is not.
I am paid to help leaders and organizations understand how to set and achieve performance goals.
Baseball is no different.
This roster can achieve a winning record.
Can leadership get them there?
THAT, not the roster, is the applicable question.

I notice you always leave yourself an out.

Uh its the same group leading in the dugout this season minus Gray, Contreras and Donovan.

There's no thoroughbred in the corral.

72-90.

I never "leave myself an out".
This team has enough talent to produce a winning record.
Period.
If it fails to do so, it will be due to debilitating injuries (unlikely) or an incompetent manager and staff.
Unequivocally correct.

I got you pegged bud.

There's always a caveat.

How is the same incompetent manager and staff from last season going to all of a sudden become baseball savants?

I don't expect them to.
But they do have more talent on the roster.
If the team fails to produce a winning record it will be because the manager and staff repeat their prior incompetence.

More talent where?

And please don't mention the rotation. Its dotted with injury histories, inexperience and guys who have yet to prove anything sustainable.

Closer by committee? When does that ever work?

The team's most productive hitter (for lack of a better term) Contreras is gone not to mention Donovan.

I'm not saying the team shouldn't have let them go I'm saying as of today the team is not "more talented".

Yes, it is.
The infield will outperform that from last year.
The rotation has more talent and is deeper than a year ago.
Catcher spot is better.
Bullpen should be as good - though not as deep so injuries could be a concern.
Outfield is bad just as it was last year - how could it possibly be worse?
Now, the manager is still incompetent - and that is the biggest risk factor.

You can lead a horse to water.......

How is the infield more productive?

And with Burleson not getting ABs in the OF that group could very easily be worse.

The rotation has no anchor and a host of unprovens. A few more numbers doesn't mean depth.

72-90.

[hugeCardfan]

First time in 70+ years I am not excited about spring training or the start of the season. Baseball Heaven has gone to Hell.

Dang, the whole point of spring training is to get all of these prospects on the field to see where the team stands for this year. Are some of these new players ready? Who makes the big team? What will the pitching look like? It is a time to watch some of the players we have heard about for years. I am really excited about spring training.

Exactly. ST may be more exciting than the regular season. My interest will be in seeing these players work hard to build momentum for the future. I will also be interested in how they play the second half. I'd love for some momentum for '27....

Sure, I want to win in '26, but to need it is folly. .500 and/or a few breakouts would be just fine. Expectations are low but to not have hope with so much talent on the farm, makes no sense to me.

Spring training has seldom been about breakout young players making the opening day roster. Remember even Pujols wouldn't have made it if not for a Bobby Bonilla injury. Teams usually know their starting lineups before a game is played in spring training. Spring training has always been for veterans getting at bats getting ready for the season.

Spring training is not an American Legion tryout.

ST was nothing more than an Albert Pujols breakout. Bonilla would have been an excuse to send AP back for a few weeks before promoting. He showed he was ready in ST and followed thru with a ROY year. Very few if any saw that coming. But, Albert was ready...despite only having one year in the minors.

[spfldan]

First time in 70+ years I am not excited about spring training or the start of the season. Baseball Heaven has gone to Hell.

You most not live in a cold climate Red. For me, spring training means the winter is coming to an end. For that, I am excited, Cardinal baseball, good or bad, is just part of it. Throw in March madness and even for an oldie like me, it's exciting. Come June, with my bracket long broken and the Cards about 10 under, I'll get back to being an old grouchy guy.

[Pura Vida]

First time in 70+ years I am not excited about spring training or the start of the season. Baseball Heaven has gone to Hell.

Dude. Winter is killing you. Ironically I’m more excited as I expect nothing for winning but expect a lot from assessment going forward.

Gotta start somewhere.

Good for you. I'm just not. I like to win.

We all want to win. What are you not seeing here. We are not supposed to win. We got in too deep. Takes time to recover. Get this- Time meaning years.

Not your ally.

You like so many others really bought into this. Really sad how they sold the fans on this.

Do you think that going “CCard” over the rebuild is going to change the fact that they are rebuilding?

They’ve made their decision as far as the direction in which they’re taking the team.

I for one am glad they’ve chosen the path they have.

You may think it’s sad; many others believe it should have happened several years ago.

The "rebuild" did begin TWO YEARS ago. Trading key players at the deadline, no free agent signing, Now trading all veteran players and keeping a proven loser management. Where have you been??

2 years ago they signed Gray, Gibson and Lynn and spent a ton of money to do it.
You think Mozeliak did that as part of a rebuild?

When Bloom came in 2024, it started! They traded key players at the deadline for the last two years.