Josh Baez

[StlMike1969]

Noot will be activated and Scott will get sent down. They have to. He is just not ready. All the other guys unless injuries happen except Torres will be after the trade deadline call ups. I think they want Baez tearing up AAA and not messing with his MLB rookie status before making hard decisions. The best thing that can happen for Nootbar is he comes up and hits well enough to build value for a deadline trade. I think Bloom is not done looking for pitching diamonds in the rough. Nootbar with his injury history is going to be hard to keep and to trade but he is the most likely.

[bccardsfan]

I'm in on the Baez train, but it seems logical to keep him progressing in AAA for a little while longer. Nootbar is coming back and will be the one that forces Scott II back down, IMO.
Noot has played 850+ innings at CF and can platoon nicely with Church, Fermin, Walker in the OF. He can play all 3 spots, and at an above average clip.

If I were to move anyone, perhaps it would be Sagesse for Torres (or Prieto). Torres is a super utility guy and has earned it. Sagesse is doing awful at the MLB level, but is still a good prospect. The move could help Sagesse get more ABs and Torres get his chance to help the MLB club.

I agree the Baez should spend some more time in AAA. He just started adjusting there and hitting well. Give him another couple of months. If I am making out the lineup card, Noot is in LF with Church is in CF whenever both are playing. If Church can get his OBP up a bit and cut down on the K's, he will be the CFer. Outstanding defensively, and a very good arm. Plenty of speed for CF. Hit hitting has improved and if he can just keep improving a bit more he will be just fine as the CFer. Scott has a LONG way to go at the plate. Doesn't mean he will never hit, but he looks totally lost right now. Eventually Noot is traded as I don't think they are going to sign him long-term. Baez, Church, and Walker is a nice trio out there. They have enough guys in the system for a 4th OFer. My 2 Cents....

[Cardinals1964]

7HR 20RBI 6 SB .245 .325 .825

Baez
Church
Walker

Get it done

That will happen some day. It will be an exciting outfield.

Tomorrow would be nice. Why are we carrying a MLB OF with a sub .200 BA and OBP not much better?

Obviously I don't know, but I have a theory on this. This front office is in their first season calling the shots and I think you will see 3 things different from them (at least in this stage of building the team):

1) They will put more effort (and time) into helping each player get better.
2) While they may let them play longer than you would like, they will thoroughly answer whatever questions they have and in the end will be quicker to cut bait with a player. There won't be anymore 3 year runway projects and we still don't know the answers about them.
3) A lower incidence of trading or releasing a player and watching them go elsewhere to find success.

VS2 should be in the minors trying to get better.

Yea along with Jordan Walker

Jordan Walker is doing great. What’s your point? If he wasn’t doing great people like you would be screaming for him to be in the Minors.
Walker had been sent down twice before.

You are screaming for Scott to be sent down. Lots of people were screaming for Walker to be sent down. Get it now? Bloom said clearly there was nothing to gain by sending Walker to aaa If he couldn't learn to play in the majors. There is nothing to be gained by sending Scott down. If he can't learn here they likely just move on. Just like they would have had Jordan not started getting it. And " people like me " listen to what the boss is saying. I never once said send Walker down. They aren't playing that Mo game.

You don’t know what would have happened if Walker continued to hit like he did this Spring. They would likely not have kept him here if he continued to K every AB. Plus Jordan and VS2 can’t be compared. One has major Talent potential. One can’t Throw or hit.
VS2 doesn’t belong here.

[Goldfan]

Seems a lot of double standards here
It appears fine to “destroy” talent like Church and Scott by bringing them to MLB, letting them play….they might succeed or not…
But it’s a stone cold certainty to NOT bring a Baez up and let him give it a try….??

Isn’t that the excuse for not calling up Baez….if he struggles he’ll be ruined and sending him back to AAA just isn’t a possibility.
But its fine to keep “ruining” Scott here……

.167, 27K’s, .237OBP

[2ninr]

7HR 20RBI 6 SB .245 .325 .825

Baez
Church
Walker

Get it done

That will happen some day. It will be an exciting outfield.

Tomorrow would be nice. Why are we carrying a MLB OF with a sub .200 BA and OBP not much better?

Obviously I don't know, but I have a theory on this. This front office is in their first season calling the shots and I think you will see 3 things different from them (at least in this stage of building the team):

1) They will put more effort (and time) into helping each player get better.
2) While they may let them play longer than you would like, they will thoroughly answer whatever questions they have and in the end will be quicker to cut bait with a player. There won't be anymore 3 year runway projects and we still don't know the answers about them.
3) A lower incidence of trading or releasing a player and watching them go elsewhere to find success.

VS2 should be in the minors trying to get better.

Yea along with Jordan Walker

Jordan Walker is doing great. What’s your point? If he wasn’t doing great people like you would be screaming for him to be in the Minors.
Walker had been sent down twice before.

You are screaming for Scott to be sent down. Lots of people were screaming for Walker to be sent down. Get it now? Bloom said clearly there was nothing to gain by sending Walker to aaa If he couldn't learn to play in the majors. There is nothing to be gained by sending Scott down. If he can't learn here they likely just move on. Just like they would have had Jordan not started getting it. And " people like me " listen to what the boss is saying. I never once said send Walker down. They aren't playing that Mo game.

You don’t know what would have happened if Walker continued to hit like he did this Spring. They would likely not have kept him here if he continued to K every AB. Plus Jordan and VS2 can’t be compared. One has major Talent potential. One can’t Throw or hit.
VS2 doesn’t belong here.

don’t know what would have happened if Walker continued to hit like he did this Spring. They would likely not have kept him here if he continued to K every AB.

Read better. That's exactly what I said. If he hadn't improved his hitting at the ml level , they likely move on from him.


Plus Jordan and VS2 can’t be compared. One has major Talent potential. One can’t Throw or hit.

And Jordan could hit and field before he made major improvement ? And Scott has/had major talent potential. That's why they've given him the runway they have. Read this part real slow. When Noot gets back, if there hasn't been some miraculous improvement, Scott's runway is likely done. But they aren't going to send him to aaa to learn how to hit and throw. Probably 4th outfielder or traded

[renostl]

Baez could use more time in AAA. However, aren't the hitting coaches in StL considered better than those in AAA, and aren't the hitting practice facilities better in StL?

That’s what we keep hearing, along with Oli’s greatest strength being developing young players. Oli’s not going down so bring Baez up to him.

I agree he could benefit from more time in AAA, but if he’s one of the best 4 outfielders in the organization, he deserves to be here. Victor Scott needs more minor league development too but he’s up in the bigs nonetheless.

Torres probably makes the most sense. He has put in his time and his insanely high OBP proves there is nothing left for him to learn in AAA.

Victor Scott is Billy Hamilton 2.0….maybe worse.

Unless Baez can be a part of a dynamic playing mix with fairly regular playing time
he needs to be more than the 4th best outfielded, imo.

Church and Walker both need as much time as possible. Nootbaar will be added. I would not like
seeing Baez in the role of Fermin, Saggese, or soon to be Scott who will essentially be a defensive replacement
for outfielders who don't really need to be replaced defensively if LN, NC, JW are the starters.
Fermin can do that and provide an occasional pinch hit.

[ICCFIM2]

7HR 20RBI 6 SB .245 .325 .825

Baez
Church
Walker

Get it done

That will happen some day. It will be an exciting outfield.

Tomorrow would be nice. Why are we carrying a MLB OF with a sub .200 BA and OBP not much better?

Obviously I don't know, but I have a theory on this. This front office is in their first season calling the shots and I think you will see 3 things different from them (at least in this stage of building the team):

1) They will put more effort (and time) into helping each player get better.
2) While they may let them play longer than you would like, they will thoroughly answer whatever questions they have and in the end will be quicker to cut bait with a player. There won't be anymore 3 year runway projects and we still don't know the answers about them.
3) A lower incidence of trading or releasing a player and watching them go elsewhere to find success.

VS2 should be in the minors trying to get better.

After last year, no one would have said Nathan Church would ever pan out. A lot of us were mad when Church made the team and Velasquez was sent down. Turns out the team was right, not the fans. Scott will get more runway until Nootbar returns. Then the Cards need to make a decision. The path of least resistance would be to install Church as the starting CF, Nootbar in LF and then send either Scott or Sagesse to Memphis. That is what I expect they will do.

I am super excited about Baez. I don't want to see him fail. Letting Nootbar play LF this year makes a lot of sense. If Baez is hitting the ccover off the ball in AAA by July then I am all for perhaps seeing him here later this summer. But if he comes up, he is going to play. If the team is still winning and in playoff contention come end of July, putting him in the line-up full time is going to be a hard decision.

[CorneliusWolfe]

Baez could use more time in AAA. However, aren't the hitting coaches in StL considered better than those in AAA, and aren't the hitting practice facilities better in StL?

That’s what we keep hearing, along with Oli’s greatest strength being developing young players. Oli’s not going down so bring Baez up to him.

I agree he could benefit from more time in AAA, but if he’s one of the best 4 outfielders in the organization, he deserves to be here. Victor Scott needs more minor league development too but he’s up in the bigs nonetheless.

Torres probably makes the most sense. He has put in his time and his insanely high OBP proves there is nothing left for him to learn in AAA.

Victor Scott is Billy Hamilton 2.0….maybe worse.

Unless Baez can be a part of a dynamic playing mix with fairly regular playing time
he needs to be more than the 4th best outfielded, imo.

Church and Walker both need as much time as possible. Nootbaar will be added. I would not like
seeing Baez in the role of Fermin, Saggese, or soon to be Scott who will essentially be a defensive replacement
for outfielders who don't really need to be replaced defensively if LN, NC, JW are the starters.
Fermin can do that and provide an occasional pinch hit.

Agree, if Baez or Torres, they should be more than a 4th OFer.

Never trust Noot. He can get injured from blinking. He’ll come in cold for a few weeks then as soon as he heats up it’s back to IL. Worse than Tyler O’Neil.

[renostl]

Seems a lot of double standards here
It appears fine to “destroy” talent like Church and Scott by bringing them to MLB, letting them play….they might succeed or not…
But it’s a stone cold certainty to NOT bring a Baez up and let him give it a try….??

Isn’t that the excuse for not calling up Baez….if he struggles he’ll be ruined and sending him back to AAA just isn’t a possibility.
But its fine to keep “ruining” Scott here……

.167, 27K’s, .237OBP

Players usually don't get ruined.
They may fail to overcome the challenges of MLB.

Mostly though, If you were on the sidelines and looking at Scott and at Baez
who's upside would you be more protective of?

[imetsatchelpaige]

7HR 20RBI 6 SB .245 .325 .825

Baez
Church
Walker

Get it done

Broken record.

[Cardinals1964]

7HR 20RBI 6 SB .245 .325 .825

Baez
Church
Walker

Get it done

That will happen some day. It will be an exciting outfield.

Tomorrow would be nice. Why are we carrying a MLB OF with a sub .200 BA and OBP not much better?

Obviously I don't know, but I have a theory on this. This front office is in their first season calling the shots and I think you will see 3 things different from them (at least in this stage of building the team):

1) They will put more effort (and time) into helping each player get better.
2) While they may let them play longer than you would like, they will thoroughly answer whatever questions they have and in the end will be quicker to cut bait with a player. There won't be anymore 3 year runway projects and we still don't know the answers about them.
3) A lower incidence of trading or releasing a player and watching them go elsewhere to find success.

VS2 should be in the minors trying to get better.

Yea along with Jordan Walker

Jordan Walker is doing great. What’s your point? If he wasn’t doing great people like you would be screaming for him to be in the Minors.
Walker had been sent down twice before.

You are screaming for Scott to be sent down. Lots of people were screaming for Walker to be sent down. Get it now? Bloom said clearly there was nothing to gain by sending Walker to aaa If he couldn't learn to play in the majors. There is nothing to be gained by sending Scott down. If he can't learn here they likely just move on. Just like they would have had Jordan not started getting it. And " people like me " listen to what the boss is saying. I never once said send Walker down. They aren't playing that Mo game.

You don’t know what would have happened if Walker continued to hit like he did this Spring. They would likely not have kept him here if he continued to K every AB. Plus Jordan and VS2 can’t be compared. One has major Talent potential. One can’t Throw or hit.
VS2 doesn’t belong here.

don’t know what would have happened if Walker continued to hit like he did this Spring. They would likely not have kept him here if he continued to K every AB.

Read better. That's exactly what I said. If he hadn't improved his hitting at the ml level , they likely move on from him.


Plus Jordan and VS2 can’t be compared. One has major Talent potential. One can’t Throw or hit.

And Jordan could hit and field before he made major improvement ? And Scott has/had major talent potential. That's why they've given him the runway they have. Read this part real slow. When Noot gets back, if there hasn't been some miraculous improvement, Scott's runway is likely done. But they aren't going to send him to aaa to learn how to hit and throw. Probably 4th outfielder or traded

Where in the last year have you seen VS2 improve at all?

[JDW]

Baez could use more time in AAA. However, aren't the hitting coaches in StL considered better than those in AAA, and aren't the hitting practice facilities better in StL?

That’s what we keep hearing, along with Oli’s greatest strength being developing young players. Oli’s not going down so bring Baez up to him.

I agree he could benefit from more time in AAA, but if he’s one of the best 4 outfielders in the organization, he deserves to be here. Victor Scott needs more minor league development too but he’s up in the bigs nonetheless.

Torres probably makes the most sense. He has put in his time and his insanely high OBP proves there is nothing left for him to learn in AAA.

Victor Scott is Billy Hamilton 2.0….maybe worse.

Unless Baez can be a part of a dynamic playing mix with fairly regular playing time
he needs to be more than the 4th best outfielded, imo.

Church and Walker both need as much time as possible. Nootbaar will be added. I would not like
seeing Baez in the role of Fermin, Saggese, or soon to be Scott who will essentially be a defensive replacement
for outfielders who don't really need to be replaced defensively if LN, NC, JW are the starters.
Fermin can do that and provide an occasional pinch hit.

Yep, Baez doesn't need to be sitting on the bench at the Lou. A pathway for Baez into the starting OF role will likely open up at some point fairly soon. Don't force it, unless Baez forces it with great play at Memphis.
Be kind of a cool problem to have, IF Walker, Church and Noot were all playing great with Baez tearing it up at Memphis an injury free, but reality and fantasy aren't usually that closely aligned.

[Cardinals1964]

Not a small sample size on VS2.
People can talk about double standards with wanting to bring up other players that might not be ready. I’m not comparing them to other players. VS2 will never be ready. I’m comparing him to one of the worst hitters in the league, which would be himself. Anybody that could defend this performance as their head in the sand.
Games223
AB 717
Plate O 627
Runs 78
Hits 126
2B 25
3B 1
Hr 8
RBI 52
SB 44
CS 7
Walk 55
K 180
Avg .201
OBP .277
Slug .282
OPS .559
OPs+ 61

[renostl]

Baez could use more time in AAA. However, aren't the hitting coaches in StL considered better than those in AAA, and aren't the hitting practice facilities better in StL?

That’s what we keep hearing, along with Oli’s greatest strength being developing young players. Oli’s not going down so bring Baez up to him.

I agree he could benefit from more time in AAA, but if he’s one of the best 4 outfielders in the organization, he deserves to be here. Victor Scott needs more minor league development too but he’s up in the bigs nonetheless.

Torres probably makes the most sense. He has put in his time and his insanely high OBP proves there is nothing left for him to learn in AAA.

Victor Scott is Billy Hamilton 2.0….maybe worse.

Unless Baez can be a part of a dynamic playing mix with fairly regular playing time
he needs to be more than the 4th best outfielded, imo.

Church and Walker both need as much time as possible. Nootbaar will be added. I would not like
seeing Baez in the role of Fermin, Saggese, or soon to be Scott who will essentially be a defensive replacement
for outfielders who don't really need to be replaced defensively if LN, NC, JW are the starters.
Fermin can do that and provide an occasional pinch hit.

Yep, Baez doesn't need to be sitting on the bench at the Lou. A pathway for Baez into the starting OF role will likely open up at some point fairly soon. Don't force it, unless Baez forces it with great play at Memphis.
Be kind of a cool problem to have, IF Walker, Church and Noot were all playing great with Baez tearing it up at Memphis an injury free, but reality and fantasy aren't usually that closely aligned.

He is likely Nootbaars replacement when the time arrives either by his next injury or trade.

[Ozziesfan41]

I think they will handle him the way they handled JJ with no call up this season but he makes the team out of sprint training next season

[renostl]

I think they will handle him the way they handled JJ with no call up this season but he makes the team out of sprint training next season

Ideally.

Things could happen in the trade and/or injury world though.
What if Noot were traded at the deadline and then an injury happens.