Your 2026 Cardinals Bold Predictions/Hot Takes

[grgmck]

1. No player hits 280 or higher
2. No pitcher wins more than 10 games
3. Team finishes 68-94 and last place in the division
Bonus. Actual attendence falls well short of 2 million.

[sikeston bulldog2]

1. No player hits 280 or higher
2. No pitcher wins more than 10 games
3. Team finishes 68-94 and last place in the division
Bonus. Actual attendence falls well short of 2 million.

At least they didn’t lose 100.

[45s]

attendance falls well under 2 mil as the fibs finally..

WISE UP

[Melville]

1. Burleson/Wetherholt/Winn/Gorman will be a top 4 NL infield if The Marmot, and health, allows each of them to start 125 games or more.
2. Walker will lose the starting RF job within the first 100 games.
3. Crooks will start more games in the final 80 games than any of the other catchers.

I could see 1 & 3. I have trouble seeing the #2- but maybe???

And now 3 on the pitching side.
1. May leads the team in strikeouts on July 1, but not after game 162.
2. Svanson takes over the closer ole.
3. Hence finally makes his MLB debut this season - and it will be as a reliever - and avoids the DL.

Number 3 certainly is bold with his history.

Point being, it will not happen unless he is moved to the bullpen - as I have correctly advised for the past 4 years.

[scoutyjones2]

Fermin ends up with a starting position

[Melville]

1. Burleson/Wetherholt/Winn/Gorman will be a top 4 NL infield if The Marmot, and health, allows each of them to start 125 games or more.
2. Walker will lose the starting RF job within the first 100 games.
3. Crooks will start more games in the final 80 games than any of the other catchers.

1 is not possible if Gorman is at 3b.

All depends on health and The Marmot.
Unless his stupidity gets in the way yet again and he prevents any of this group from starting 125 or more games, there is a 100% probability that my analysis will be proven correct.
It is more certain than sunrise.

[11WSChamps]

Ok, here goes:

1.) JJW will be an All-Star and win a GG this year.

2.) Herrera will lock down the C position and be an All-Star.

3.) McGreevy has double digit wins by the AS Break.

If those happen we should be buyers not sellers.

If those happen I'm going to buy some Powerball tickets.

[alw80]

1. Burleson/Wetherholt/Winn/Gorman will be a top 4 NL infield if The Marmot, and health, allows each of them to start 125 games or more.
2. Walker will lose the starting RF job within the first 100 games.
3. Crooks will start more games in the final 80 games than any of the other catchers.

1 is not possible if Gorman is at 3b.

All depends on health and The Marmot.
Unless his stupidity gets in the way yet again and he prevents any of this group from starting 125 or more games, there is a 100% probability that my analysis will be proven correct.
It is more certain than sunrise.

Gorman can't throw the ball from 3rd to 1st, he alone will sink the infield. JJ needs to be at 2b everyday when he comes up. Gorman is a DH only.

[Melville]

1. Burleson/Wetherholt/Winn/Gorman will be a top 4 NL infield if The Marmot, and health, allows each of them to start 125 games or more.
2. Walker will lose the starting RF job within the first 100 games.
3. Crooks will start more games in the final 80 games than any of the other catchers.

1 is not possible if Gorman is at 3b.

All depends on health and The Marmot.
Unless his stupidity gets in the way yet again and he prevents any of this group from starting 125 or more games, there is a 100% probability that my analysis will be proven correct.
It is more certain than sunrise.

Gorman can't throw the ball from 3rd to 1st, he alone will sink the infield. JJ needs to be at 2b everyday when he comes up. Gorman is a DH only.

There is a 100% probability that my analysis will be proven correct.
It is more certain than sunrise.

[sikeston bulldog2]

1. Burleson/Wetherholt/Winn/Gorman will be a top 4 NL infield if The Marmot, and health, allows each of them to start 125 games or more.
2. Walker will lose the starting RF job within the first 100 games.
3. Crooks will start more games in the final 80 games than any of the other catchers.

1 is not possible if Gorman is at 3b.

All depends on health and The Marmot.
Unless his stupidity gets in the way yet again and he prevents any of this group from starting 125 or more games, there is a 100% probability that my analysis will be proven correct.
It is more certain than sunrise.

Gorman can't throw the ball from 3rd to 1st, he alone will sink the infield. JJ needs to be at 2b everyday when he comes up. Gorman is a DH only.

There is a 100% probability that my analysis will be proven correct.
It is more certain than sunrise.

Sunrise. And a new days breaking thru. Searching. Thru another day without you- Uriah Heep.

[Adam2]

1. Burleson/Wetherholt/Winn/Gorman will be a top 4 NL infield if The Marmot, and health, allows each of them to start 125 games or more.
2. Walker will lose the starting RF job within the first 100 games.
3. Crooks will start more games in the final 80 games than any of the other catchers.

I could see 1 & 3. I have trouble seeing the #2- but maybe???

And now 3 on the pitching side.
1. May leads the team in strikeouts on July 1, but not after game 162.
2. Svanson takes over the closer ole.
3. Hence finally makes his MLB debut this season - and it will be as a reliever - and avoids the DL.

Number 3 certainly is bold with his history.

Point being, it will not happen unless he is moved to the bullpen - as I have correctly advised for the past 4 years.

I agree on that, I have posted many times in here over the years that his optimal place is the pen. He will never be able to handle the workload of a competent starter.

[rockondlouie]

2026 Team > 2025 Team

JJW wins NL ROY

VSII steals 50+ bases

Libby wins 15 games w/a sub 3.60 ERA

Cardinals trade Noot, JoJo, May and Burleson midseason

[Carp4Cy]

2026 Team > 2025 Team

JJW wins NL ROY

VSII steals 50+ bases

Libby wins 15 games w/a sub 3.60 ERA

Cardinals trade Noot, JoJo, May and Burleson midseason

certainly hoping for #2.

#5 is a curious decision, especially May and Burly. I can see trading Noot because he just never seems to give us quite what we need. But the eternal counterpoint is - if he doesn't give us value, what can we expect in return? So his trade becomes a nothing burger more/less.

The same goes for May and maybe Burleson, with a caveat. If they are inconsistent or hurt, then what value do we get back in the trade? If not needle moving, then that decreases the impetus. But if they improve and contribute at a significant level, then why not keep them and make them part of the future? Both have an option or control for next year and are young enough to extend for much much longer, IF they are the real deal.

It comes down to a broader question of, do we get addicted to eternally trading everyone at age 2x, in a greedy collection of uncertain prospects, or do we at some point decide to actually utilize those we have developed and try to add more to that and actually improve the ML team incrementally over a couple of years? The fact that we've already traded the guys who are 34, 36, and 34, and now the next batch we would consider trading are Significantly younger indicates that continuing to just trade away for prospects sake is now a different exercise, and could maybe lack the focus of eventually building a healthy core of 24-32 yo producers who can stay here a while still making a lot lot less than Ohtani and Tucker (affordable in realistic 2026 terms).

[rockondlouie]

2026 Team > 2025 Team

JJW wins NL ROY

VSII steals 50+ bases

Libby wins 15 games w/a sub 3.60 ERA

Cardinals trade Noot, JoJo, May and Burleson midseason

certainly hoping for #2.

#5 is a curious decision, especially May and Burly. I can see trading Noot because he just never seems to give us quite what we need. But the eternal counterpoint is - if he doesn't give us value, what can we expect in return? So his trade becomes a nothing burger more/less.

The same goes for May and maybe Burleson, with a caveat. If they are inconsistent or hurt, then what value do we get back in the trade? If not needle moving, then that decreases the impetus. But if they improve and contribute at a significant level, then why not keep them and make them part of the future? Both have an option or control for next year and are young enough to extend for much much longer, IF they are the real deal.

It comes down to a broader question of, do we get addicted to eternally trading everyone at age 2x, in a greedy collection of uncertain prospects, or do we at some point decide to actually utilize those we have developed and try to add more to that and actually improve the ML team incrementally over a couple of years? The fact that we've already traded the guys who are 34, 36, and 34, and now the next batch we would consider trading are Significantly younger indicates that continuing to just trade away for prospects sake is now a different exercise, and could maybe lack the focus of eventually building a healthy core of 24-32 yo producers who can stay here a while still making a lot lot less than Ohtani and Tucker (affordable in realistic 2026 terms).

May is essentially on a one year contract (mutual 2027 option he surely will opt out of) so he's definitely trade bait mid year if he's off to a good start, could bring back a solid return.

Burly (IMO) is another strong trade asset who can bring back a solid prospect.

The easy replacement would be to give I. Hererra a 1st baseman's mitt (he's not a catcher, no future behind the plate once Bernal and especially R.R. are ready) this spring and prep him to takeover once Burly is traded.

Of course both May and Burly have to not only be healthy but off to good first halves to maximize the return.

And no, I don't see us ever becoming the Pirates.

2026 should be the final season dealing away players who really don't fit, either because of their age or pending free agency status, into the L-T plan.

The players I listed should be the final tranche of players C. Bloom needs to deal before BDWJr starts to allow him to add via an increased payroll.

JMO

[scoutyjones2]

attendance falls well under 2 mil as the fibs finally..

WISE UP

fibs?

[Adam2]

2026 Team > 2025 Team

JJW wins NL ROY

VSII steals 50+ bases

Libby wins 15 games w/a sub 3.60 ERA

Cardinals trade Noot, JoJo, May and Burleson midseason

libby sub 3.60? bold indeed