11WSChamps wrote: ↑19 Mar 2026 09:38 am
Long season and lots of games to square away the rotation for 2027 and beyond.
Fitts is just another guy on that list of unanswered questions.
At some point this season he'll get his shot in the rotation unless something untoward happens to him in Memphis.
Same can likely be said for Dobbins and hopefully Mathews.
Precisely!
The rotation figures to be fluid and could look very different at season’s end?
Your mention of Fitts/Dobbins/Mathews is spot on!
Doyle and others will be in the mix(hopefully) as season winds down.
My guess? Pallante is temporary and winds up in BP.
Pallante pitched well in the spring and the Cardinals may be giving a little longer leash as he took numerous beatings last season for the sake of the BP and frankly he had the stamina to eat a lot of innings and can still have value as a 4,5 type starter.
11WSChamps wrote: ↑19 Mar 2026 09:38 am
Long season and lots of games to square away the rotation for 2027 and beyond.
Fitts is just another guy on that list of unanswered questions.
At some point this season he'll get his shot in the rotation unless something untoward happens to him in Memphis.
Same can likely be said for Dobbins and hopefully Mathews.
Precisely!
The rotation figures to be fluid and could look very different at season’s end?
Your mention of Fitts/Dobbins/Mathews is spot on!
Doyle and others will be in the mix(hopefully) as season winds down.
My guess? Pallante is temporary and winds up in BP.
Pallante pitched well in the spring and the Cardinals may be giving a little longer leash as he took numerous beatings last season for the sake of the BP and frankly he had the stamina to eat a lot of innings and can still have value as a 4,5 type starter.
My question is how much rope do they give him?
I don’t think it’s as much a question of “rope” as other arms will be making a push(Fitts/Mathews/Dobbins) prior to the AS Break.
Pallante figures long term in the BP if he isn’t traded.
And while I’m not here to promote Pallante....his 2024 was pretty good.
He’s not a bum just that they need to do better.
11WSChamps wrote: ↑19 Mar 2026 09:38 am
Long season and lots of games to square away the rotation for 2027 and beyond.
Fitts is just another guy on that list of unanswered questions.
At some point this season he'll get his shot in the rotation unless something untoward happens to him in Memphis.
Same can likely be said for Dobbins and hopefully Mathews.
Precisely!
The rotation figures to be fluid and could look very different at season’s end?
Your mention of Fitts/Dobbins/Mathews is spot on!
Doyle and others will be in the mix(hopefully) as season winds down.
My guess? Pallante is temporary and winds up in BP.
Pallante pitched well in the spring and the Cardinals may be giving a little longer leash as he took numerous beatings last season for the sake of the BP and frankly he had the stamina to eat a lot of innings and can still have value as a 4,5 type starter.
My question is how much rope do they give him?
I don’t think it’s as much a question of “rope” as other arms will be making a push(Fitts/Mathews/Dobbins) prior to the AS Break.
Pallante figures long term in the BP if he isn’t traded.
And while I’m not here to promote Pallante....his 2024 was pretty good.
He’s not a bum just that they need to do better.
Yep. League average-ish guys like AP should not be entrenched in our rotation. They should be given spot starts, in the BP, on the MEM shuttle, or traded for higher upside prospects. The three you mention--Mathews, Fitts and Dobbins, will surely pass AP on the depth chart, probably during the first half of the season.
ecleme22 wrote: ↑19 Mar 2026 12:30 pm
I don’t really think it’s a big deal.
AP may the open opening day starting rotation. Big whoop. It’s not like they gave him a three-year extension.
There’s gonna be a lot of shuffling with the roster this season. This isn’t the season to read too far into the opening day roster decisions.
So why is he there if he isn’t part of this rebuild? He’s not very good……other young SP could be slotted there.
The attitude that nothing mattes isn’t an answer.
To showcase……see Fedde….Miles
ecleme22 wrote: ↑19 Mar 2026 12:30 pm
I don’t really think it’s a big deal.
AP may the open opening day starting rotation. Big whoop. It’s not like they gave him a three-year extension.
There’s gonna be a lot of shuffling with the roster this season. This isn’t the season to read too far into the opening day roster decisions.
So why is he there if he isn’t part of this rebuild? He’s not very good……other young SP could be slotted there.
The attitude that nothing mattes isn’t an answer.
To showcase……see Fedde….Miles
Starting pitching isn't always a 100% youth movement for 100% of the season.
Innings need to be covered, maybe some guys need extended work in AAA.
11WSChamps wrote: ↑19 Mar 2026 09:38 am
Long season and lots of games to square away the rotation for 2027 and beyond.
Fitts is just another guy on that list of unanswered questions.
At some point this season he'll get his shot in the rotation unless something untoward happens to him in Memphis.
Same can likely be said for Dobbins and hopefully Mathews.
Precisely!
The rotation figures to be fluid and could look very different at season’s end?
Your mention of Fitts/Dobbins/Mathews is spot on!
Doyle and others will be in the mix(hopefully) as season winds down.
My guess? Pallante is temporary and winds up in BP.
Pallante pitched well in the spring and the Cardinals may be giving a little longer leash as he took numerous beatings last season for the sake of the BP and frankly he had the stamina to eat a lot of innings and can still have value as a 4,5 type starter.
My question is how much rope do they give him?
I don’t think it’s as much a question of “rope” as other arms will be making a push(Fitts/Mathews/Dobbins) prior to the AS Break.
Pallante figures long term in the BP if he isn’t traded.
And while I’m not here to promote Pallante....his 2024 was pretty good.
He’s not a bum just that they need to do better.
Yep. League average-ish guys like AP should not be entrenched in our rotation. They should be given spot starts, in the BP, on the MEM shuttle, or traded for higher upside prospects. The three you mention--Mathews, Fitts and Dobbins, will surely pass AP on the depth chart, probably during the first half of the season.
ecleme22 wrote: ↑19 Mar 2026 12:30 pm
I don’t really think it’s a big deal.
AP may the open opening day starting rotation. Big whoop. It’s not like they gave him a three-year extension.
There’s gonna be a lot of shuffling with the roster this season. This isn’t the season to read too far into the opening day roster decisions.
So why is he there if he isn’t part of this rebuild? He’s not very good……other young SP could be slotted there.
The attitude that nothing mattes isn’t an answer.
To showcase……see Fedde….Miles
Starting pitching isn't always a 100% youth movement for 100% of the season.
Innings need to be covered, maybe some guys need extended work in AAA.
ecleme22 wrote: ↑19 Mar 2026 12:30 pm
I don’t really think it’s a big deal.
AP may the open opening day starting rotation. Big whoop. It’s not like they gave him a three-year extension.
There’s gonna be a lot of shuffling with the roster this season. This isn’t the season to read too far into the opening day roster decisions.
So why is he there if he isn’t part of this rebuild? He’s not very good……other young SP could be slotted there.
The attitude that nothing mattes isn’t an answer.
To showcase……see Fedde….Miles
Starting pitching isn't always a 100% youth movement for 100% of the season.
Innings need to be covered, maybe some guys need extended work in AAA.
Exactly, innings need to be covered, AP should be able to do that over 90-100 games easy. Once/If he faulters moving on....
ecleme22 wrote: ↑19 Mar 2026 12:30 pm
I don’t really think it’s a big deal.
AP may the open opening day starting rotation. Big whoop. It’s not like they gave him a three-year extension.
There’s gonna be a lot of shuffling with the roster this season. This isn’t the season to read too far into the opening day roster decisions.
So why is he there if he isn’t part of this rebuild? He’s not very good……other young SP could be slotted there.
The attitude that nothing mattes isn’t an answer.
To showcase……see Fedde….Miles
Starting pitching isn't always a 100% youth movement for 100% of the season.
Innings need to be covered, maybe some guys need extended work in AAA.
Exactly, innings need to be covered, AP should be able to do that over 90-100 games easy. Once/If he faulters moving on....
Right.
This OD roster, there are a certain number of “for nows.”
AP is in the rotation OD. That doesn’t mean that’s the rotation through June or even mid May
ecleme22 wrote: ↑19 Mar 2026 12:30 pm
I don’t really think it’s a big deal.
AP may the open opening day starting rotation. Big whoop. It’s not like they gave him a three-year extension.
There’s gonna be a lot of shuffling with the roster this season. This isn’t the season to read too far into the opening day roster decisions.
So why is he there if he isn’t part of this rebuild? He’s not very good……other young SP could be slotted there.
The attitude that nothing mattes isn’t an answer.
To showcase……see Fedde….Miles
Starting pitching isn't always a 100% youth movement for 100% of the season.
Innings need to be covered, maybe some guys need extended work in AAA.
Exactly, innings need to be covered, AP should be able to do that over 90-100 games easy. Once/If he faulters moving on....
Right.
This OD roster, there are a certain number of “for nows.”
AP is in the rotation OD. That doesn’t mean that’s the rotation through June or even mid May
Dobbins is injured, not ready yet
Fitts was having control problems
Mathews looked good his last start.
If they go to a 6th starter and I think they will at times this year. Mathews will probably be the first one used at this point. Will May.go.all season not injured, we all hope he does. He probably gets moved at the dead line. We will need more starts from someone this season
ecleme22 wrote: ↑19 Mar 2026 12:30 pm
I don’t really think it’s a big deal.
AP may the open opening day starting rotation. Big whoop. It’s not like they gave him a three-year extension.
There’s gonna be a lot of shuffling with the roster this season. This isn’t the season to read too far into the opening day roster decisions.
So why is he there if he isn’t part of this rebuild? He’s not very good……other young SP could be slotted there.
The attitude that nothing mattes isn’t an answer.
To showcase……see Fedde….Miles
Starting pitching isn't always a 100% youth movement for 100% of the season.
Innings need to be covered, maybe some guys need extended work in AAA.
Exactly, innings need to be covered, AP should be able to do that over 90-100 games easy. Once/If he faulters moving on....
Right.
This OD roster, there are a certain number of “for nows.”
AP is in the rotation OD. That doesn’t mean that’s the rotation through June or even mid May
I like it TBH. He is a really good pitcher until he isn't, meaning when he starts to rack up the innings he seems to start to faulter. Which is fine... But for 10 - 15 starts he can be a really good pitcher, someone who is in 3 ERA, stranding runners, etc... Eventually he loses his breaking ball and that's when he starts to really become ineffective. at least thats my perspective.
That's when you can bring Fitts or Dobbins (if healthy) and they don't have the full season to go through since Pallante shouldered (just for the sake of the convo 1/2 the season). Then these younger guys come up presumably healthy and can let it rip the rest of the season and their innings shouldn't be higher than 100 or so... That too me is a win - win.
11WSChamps wrote: ↑19 Mar 2026 09:38 am
Long season and lots of games to square away the rotation for 2027 and beyond.
Fitts is just another guy on that list of unanswered questions.
At some point this season he'll get his shot in the rotation unless something untoward happens to him in Memphis.
Same can likely be said for Dobbins and hopefully Mathews.
Precisely!
The rotation figures to be fluid and could look very different at season’s end?
Your mention of Fitts/Dobbins/Mathews is spot on!
Doyle and others will be in the mix(hopefully) as season winds down.
My guess? Pallante is temporary and winds up in BP.
Pallante pitched well in the spring and the Cardinals may be giving a little longer leash as he took numerous beatings last season for the sake of the BP and frankly he had the stamina to eat a lot of innings and can still have value as a 4,5 type starter.
My question is how much rope do they give him?
They say that Pallante worked on 3 pitches over the off season - a tighter, faster curve ball, a deceptive changeup, and a “carry” fastball. Maybe he’s an improved pitcher who could surprise. He’s sure looked better in ST than he did last regular season.
Charles King wrote: ↑21 Mar 2026 02:22 am
Dobbins is injured, not ready yet
Fitts was having control problems
Mathews looked good his last start.
If they go to a 6th starter and I think they will at times this year. Mathews will probably be the first one used at this point. Will May.go.all season not injured, we all hope he does. He probably gets moved at the dead line. We will need more starts from someone this season
Excellent points/questions!
Why not direct them to GF who clearly has his fingers on the pulse of the team with the view from his living room????
