What are you the most hopeful for this season?

Welcome to STLtoday.com's forum for fans of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Moderators: STLtoday Forum Moderators, Cards Talk Moderators

Alex Reyes Cy Young
Forum User
Posts: 3553
Joined: 25 May 2024 06:20 am

What are you the most hopeful for this season?

Post by Alex Reyes Cy Young »

I've brought this up before but for me personally it's seeing how this development staff works with the active roster and minor league players. Obviously, the minors are harder to keep track of, for most of us.

As far as the 26 man I am interested in seeing AT LEAST one of these players develop into something we haven't seen before. Even then you won't know right out the gates, it could be attributed to time, but if we see a couple of these players start to play better baseball (whether that means high WAR, an individual statistic, etc..) it could mean good things to come.

That's what I am hopeful for.

I believe in Flores and that arm of the team. A lot of players that staff drafted have been traded off and have been successful, some more than others. Pair that with an outstanding development arm (TBD), the need for FA signings will diminish.
TXCardsFanX
Forum User
Posts: 229
Joined: 23 May 2024 22:43 pm

Re: What are you the most hopeful for this season?

Post by TXCardsFanX »

Same - I am excited to see young players develop and break through.
We don't know exactly what we have in young arms such as McGreevy, Fitts, Dobbins. Will Whetherholt have an outstanding rookie year and be a face of the franchise? How about Jordan Walker; will Walker finally start hitting like we all expected?
There is a lot of hope for and it will be interesting to see what happens.
I'd say this, if the majority of the roster is horrible, Marmol shouldn't be back. You can argue he's not the problem, but I'd argue back that he's not the solution either.
Jatalk
Forum User
Posts: 2164
Joined: 05 Apr 2024 08:33 am

Re: What are you the most hopeful for this season?

Post by Jatalk »

I don’t want to say hopeful, I’m not. I would like to see one of the outfielders develop into a reliable bat.
Hoosier59
Forum User
Posts: 1553
Joined: 16 Dec 2022 12:03 pm

Re: What are you the most hopeful for this season?

Post by Hoosier59 »

I think Walker and Gorman, both know, that this season is it for them. Either they show improvement, or their time in St. Louis is over. Will this be enough that they finally listen to instruction, or just continue down the road they’ve been going down? Both can be instrumental parts of the team, but will they?
Carp4Cy
Forum User
Posts: 3587
Joined: 23 May 2024 14:38 pm

Re: What are you the most hopeful for this season?

Post by Carp4Cy »

I’m most excited for JJW, as he hopefully can finish top two in rookie of year and gave us an extra draft pick.

After that, I’m excited for a few remaining young players to finally prove their uselessness and finally get cut from the roster. It seems like we’re forced to sort through these nobodies before we can seek real upgrades.
Jobu's Rum
Forum User
Posts: 691
Joined: 26 May 2024 10:10 am

Re: What are you the most hopeful for this season?

Post by Jobu's Rum »

I want to see my sleeper pick from day 1 after he was drafted take the next step offensively and become an all star SS...Winn of course
VegasVinny
Forum User
Posts: 309
Joined: 23 May 2024 14:47 pm

Re: What are you the most hopeful for this season?

Post by VegasVinny »

1) One of Gorman or Walker to experience serious improvement and emerge as a middle of the order bat
2) Liberatore to take the next step and be a sure-fire #2 or #3 moving forward
3) JJ Wetherholt to avoid the fate of previous highly-heralded prospects like Dylan Carlson, Jordan Walker (to date), etc.
11WSChamps
Forum User
Posts: 4578
Joined: 23 May 2024 13:35 pm

Re: What are you the most hopeful for this season?

Post by 11WSChamps »

I want to see solid fundamental play and stop with the cavalier attitude of accepting losing like changing your socks every morning.

That's a start.
Strummer Jones
Forum User
Posts: 1824
Joined: 23 May 2024 13:55 pm

Re: What are you the most hopeful for this season?

Post by Strummer Jones »

Growth and the gelling of a new core.

I'm not particularly optimistic on either of these guys...but I would like to see Walker or Gorman become a part of that core.

With a young team, though, I want to be able to point at specific plays/games/etc. in April, May, June, and then point to games in August in September and be able to see "That's why we lost that game in the first half, and because of that, we won THIS game in August/September."

Maybe it's because I am a teacher, but seeing and watching growth is a part of the fun.
rockondlouie
Forum User
Posts: 14865
Joined: 23 May 2024 12:41 pm

Re: What are you the most hopeful for this season?

Post by rockondlouie »

You know what I'm most hopeful for?

-I hope we see a team that play's TLR's "hard nine"!

-I hope we see a team that bust their a s s e s on the basepaths and in the field!

-I hope we see a team that is fundamentally sound both in the field and on the bases!

-I hope we see a team having fun, using the "us against the world" mantra to shove it down the throat of all the naysayers!


If they do that, then they'll win back some fans as St. Louis supports a team that plays the game the right way fundamentally and gives it all they've got.
An Old Friend
Forum User
Posts: 13688
Joined: 20 Nov 2018 23:31 pm

Re: What are you the most hopeful for this season?

Post by An Old Friend »

Alex Reyes Cy Young wrote: 20 Feb 2026 08:10 am I've brought this up before but for me personally it's seeing how this development staff works with the active roster and minor league players. Obviously, the minors are harder to keep track of, for most of us.

As far as the 26 man I am interested in seeing AT LEAST one of these players develop into something we haven't seen before. Even then you won't know right out the gates, it could be attributed to time, but if we see a couple of these players start to play better baseball (whether that means high WAR, an individual statistic, etc..) it could mean good things to come.

That's what I am hopeful for.

I believe in Flores and that arm of the team. A lot of players that staff drafted have been traded off and have been successful, some more than others. Pair that with an outstanding development arm (TBD), the need for FA signings will diminish.
Nolan Gorman to find his footing and become dangerous bat in the 5-6 spot

JJ Wetherholt to look the part of a top of the order franchise cornerstone
3dender
Forum User
Posts: 1696
Joined: 23 May 2024 12:57 pm

Re: What are you the most hopeful for this season?

Post by 3dender »

-JJ settle in quickly and put up at least a 110 wRC+ season
-Winn 2nd gold glove and push for platinum
-Herrera 30 homeruns
-Winn step forward offensively
-Lib and McGreevy estabish themselves as at least dependable #3s
-Scott have a .320+ OBP
-Dustin May have a healthy season and put up #2 type performance
-At least one of Fitts/Leahy/Dobbins establish themself as legit mid-rotation pitcher
-Noot get back and look like his 2022-23 version
-One of Mathews/Doyle to debut and not embarrass themselves.
-Hjerpe back on track and injury-free

I have no real hopes when it comes to Walker, Gorman and Burleson. The first two because I think it's unlikely they put it together with this team, and Burly just because I think he reached his ceiling last year (which to be clear I think is decent, just not world-stopping). Would be happy to be wrong about any of them though!
82birds
Forum User
Posts: 17768
Joined: 23 May 2024 18:17 pm

Re: What are you the most hopeful for this season?

Post by 82birds »

VegasVinny wrote: 20 Feb 2026 10:21 am 1) One of Gorman or Walker to experience serious improvement and emerge as a middle of the order bat
2) Liberatore to take the next step and be a sure-fire #2 or #3 moving forward
3) JJ Wetherholt to avoid the fate of previous highly-heralded prospects like Dylan Carlson, Jordan Walker (to date), etc.
1) good luck with that
2) yes, please
3) yes, please
ilcubuffs
Forum User
Posts: 965
Joined: 30 May 2024 16:48 pm

Re: What are you the most hopeful for this season?

Post by ilcubuffs »

"-I hope we see a team that play's TLR's "hard nine"!

-I hope we see a team that bust their a s s e s on the basepaths and in the field!

-I hope we see a team that is fundamentally sound both in the field and on the bases!

-I hope we see a team having fun, using the "us against the world" mantra to shove it down the throat of all the naysayers!"

Roc is spot on. BUT with Marmot as manager I seriously doubt this could ever transpire. He has never experienced it and cannot teach it.

Scott - learns to bunt and hit balls into the gaps

McGreevy - continues to progress and become a "pitcher" the Cards desperately need

JJ - Just do NOT break the young man - do not fix what is not yet to be determined broken. Let his talent come forth and learn.

Gorman - gone

Walker - uses all parts of field to get hits. His defense becomes a strength.

Catcher position is sorted out early. Excess is traded for non-injured MLB ready players.

25% of Rocs comment comes to fruition.
45s
Forum User
Posts: 17804
Joined: 01 Mar 2022 20:15 pm

Re: What are you the most hopeful for this season?

Post by 45s »

Brad Thompson develops chronic laryngitis…
fullswing
Forum User
Posts: 255
Joined: 23 May 2024 13:50 pm

Re: What are you the most hopeful for this season?

Post by fullswing »

I hope I can watch the Cardinals games on a streaming service that I already pay for.
Post Reply