How to get Elite Talent on the Cardinals

[mattmitchl44]

The "cake" of this is always going to be drafting, international prospect signings, and player development. Those things both generate talent for you directly and give you the trade chips to trade for talent.

Outright signing of expensive talent can only be the thin "icing" on the cake.

And you have to have your cake before you can ice it.

So let’s be clear. When the team spends, it won’t be top name. Is that correct.

As for the cake, they are building that. So far, a group of young pitchers, who through attrition and herd mentality, may produce a gem.

It depends.

If you believe, like I do, that they will bounce back at some point to a $170, $180, etc. million payroll, then I think there will be room for like 2 or 3 star/superstar level signings, but they will be rare.

I wouldn't label 2-3 Goldy and Gray types as rare. I'd call them core. 2 or 3 of those is not nothing or "rare". It would be a massive uplift to any roster.

I wasn't calling the players rare. I was saying that the Cardinals signing of such expensive players will be rare - possibly more rare than previously if their cost rises faster than the Cardinals payroll.

[Carp4Cy]

The "cake" of this is always going to be drafting, international prospect signings, and player development. Those things both generate talent for you directly and give you the trade chips to trade for talent.

Outright signing of expensive talent can only be the thin "icing" on the cake.

And you have to have your cake before you can ice it.

So let’s be clear. When the team spends, it won’t be top name. Is that correct.

As for the cake, they are building that. So far, a group of young pitchers, who through attrition and herd mentality, may produce a gem.

It depends.

If you believe, like I do, that they will bounce back at some point to a $170, $180, etc. million payroll, then I think there will be room for like 2 or 3 star/superstar level signings, but they will be rare.

I wouldn't label 2-3 Goldy and Gray types as rare. I'd call them core. 2 or 3 of those is not nothing or "rare". It would be a massive uplift to any roster.

I wasn't calling the players rare. I was saying that the Cardinals signing of such expensive players will be rare - possibly more rare than previously if their cost rises faster than the Cardinals payroll.

I hear what you are saying but if there is room for 2 or 3 of them, then there is room for 2-3 of them. Thats a LOT MORE than we have right now. I look at that as a HUGE improvement, not a barely there and so rare we don't notice the help kind of emphasis.

[CCard]

Good morning.

How do we get elite talent on our team. The three methods are draft, trade, or sign.

Once the rebuild enters its final phase, the outfield saturation will be the final stage.

But here is a problem. Not the farm. Not trading. But free agent signings.

Let’s assume we spend in off season 26. How do we convince players to come back to STL. Most here will say money. Money talks.

I think on the farm we are ok. As for trades, we are building a strong young base.

So it comes down to signings to complete the whole structure of acquisitions.

I think Blooms biggest challenge is restoring the franchise name. It’s been bruised.

Thoughts.

You start by not tanking. You get a reputation for tanking and what player wants to sign with you long term? They've lost some and gotten some high draft picks because of it. They've made some trades and who knows if they will pan out or not, but they haven't signed top tier talent. And worse they've not even attempted to sign any. Being consistent is restoring the franchise name, and they had that for nearly two decades and then they changed. Now they want to tank for whatever reason.

Because it’s the only realistic option they have

You mean for our billionaire owner to gut payroll and decide that the team will lose? That's an option I guess.

For this club to be competitive again without a rebuild, it would require the owner to massively overpay for free agents…..and not just one….they need at least three or four..

If….they could even convince top free agents to go to Stl…

This ownership is not going to do that…..he’s just not..

Perhaps you should just accept where the Stl franchise is in the realm of mlb…..

In my opinion, and it is MY opinion, they are sacrificing the season and probably more than one just to be cheap. They have plenty of resources and MLB teams accrue value at something like 10% a year from what I've read. So no, I'm not going to go with the prevailing winds. I'll call out wrongdoing as I see fit, if it hurts your feelings then feel free to ignore my posts. I believe it's a disgrace to go into a season planning to fail. If this team surprises and misses the playoffs by a game or two then the ownership and front office failed the team and the fans. I guarantee that the players want to win more than anyone and I'm sure they'd love to see the Cards acquire some top flight talent. And at the end of it all, they may be no better off after a year or two. On top of that they'll be faced with doing it all over again in 5to 7 years probably.

[mattmitchl44]

The "cake" of this is always going to be drafting, international prospect signings, and player development. Those things both generate talent for you directly and give you the trade chips to trade for talent.

Outright signing of expensive talent can only be the thin "icing" on the cake.

And you have to have your cake before you can ice it.

So let’s be clear. When the team spends, it won’t be top name. Is that correct.

As for the cake, they are building that. So far, a group of young pitchers, who through attrition and herd mentality, may produce a gem.

It depends.

If you believe, like I do, that they will bounce back at some point to a $170, $180, etc. million payroll, then I think there will be room for like 2 or 3 star/superstar level signings, but they will be rare.

I wouldn't label 2-3 Goldy and Gray types as rare. I'd call them core. 2 or 3 of those is not nothing or "rare". It would be a massive uplift to any roster.

I wasn't calling the players rare. I was saying that the Cardinals signing of such expensive players will be rare - possibly more rare than previously if their cost rises faster than the Cardinals payroll.

I hear what you are saying but if there is room for 2 or 3 of them, then there is room for 2-3 of them. Thats a LOT MORE than we have right now. I look at that as a HUGE improvement, not a barely there and so rare we don't notice the help kind of emphasis.

But investing in 2-3 of them NOW is still pointless. It wouldn't make them competitive.

Build the base, and then spend to add to it smartly.

[renostl]

The "cake" of this is always going to be drafting, international prospect signings, and player development. Those things both generate talent for you directly and give you the trade chips to trade for talent.

Outright signing of expensive talent can only be the thin "icing" on the cake.

And you have to have your cake before you can ice it.

So let’s be clear. When the team spends, it won’t be top name. Is that correct.

As for the cake, they are building that. So far, a group of young pitchers, who through attrition and herd mentality, may produce a gem.

It depends.

If you believe, like I do, that they will bounce back at some point to a $170, $180, etc. million payroll, then I think there will be room for like 2 or 3 star/superstar level signings, but they will be rare.

I wouldn't label 2-3 Goldy and Gray types as rare. I'd call them core. 2 or 3 of those is not nothing or "rare". It would be a massive uplift to any roster.

I wasn't calling the players rare. I was saying that the Cardinals signing of such expensive players will be rare - possibly more rare than previously if their cost rises faster than the Cardinals payroll.

I hear what you are saying but if there is room for 2 or 3 of them, then there is room for 2-3 of them. Thats a LOT MORE than we have right now. I look at that as a HUGE improvement, not a barely there and so rare we don't notice the help kind of emphasis.

But investing in 2-3 of them NOW is still pointless. It wouldn't make them competitive.

Build the base, and then spend to add to it smartly.

I'm not sure that I share your optimism of $170-$180 happening anytime real soon.
Maybe though depends on many things.

That said, I agree with building a base. I also think identifying those 2 biggest needs
might be more accurately done in just a few months. IMO accuracy in where
to spend is as important as anything else. SP being the exception. I would have embraced
a Ranger Suarez contract. Ranger wouldn't have though.

[AZ_Cardsfan]

Despite some here who think because the team valuation shows massive profit for the owners the reality is revenue determines how much they can spend. So how do they get elite talent?

Draft - lets hope we got some. I think a lot of us are hoping JJ is that. But who knows. Gotta draft quantity and hit the international market.

Trade - I think gone are the days we can afford to trade away lots of young talent for an aging superstar. I do not expect "elite" talent will come that way again.e

Sign - yeah they have to sign some. I would submit my definition of elite costs well over $30 mil per year now. STL can afford about 2-3 players at that level of cost if the farm is producing. This assumes they are capable and willing to spend $200 mil per.

This is how they have to operate to contend for a title. Hoping they see it the same way, And they can't make mistakes with the elite talent they sign. They HAVE to get performance in the first half or more of the guys contract.

[ilcubuffs]

Focusing on the posters heading and NOT being influenced by:

Ownership financial greed
When and if CBA is finalized
etc etc etc

Sign - Chourio or Pages (Dodgers) type in the 26-29 years of age range.

Draft - Chourio or Pages (Dodgers) type .

NO more aging, declining skills, injured, etc players. The only exception might be the DH.

[butsir01]

Well it appears according to you all, that a league level stud will never come to STL. Through signing.

Farm raised. Trade.

The long, and winding road…

Thanks for The Beatles reference, Big Dog. Some great memories from that era, that song.

[sikeston bulldog2]

Well it appears according to you all, that a league level stud will never come to STL. Through signing.

Farm raised. Trade.

The long, and winding road…

Thanks for The Beatles reference, Big Dog. Some great memories from that era, that song.

Thanx. Hope you utubed it. Yes those were quite the days.