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billybaseball wrote: ↑31 Jul 2025 06:23 am He crushes LHP. He was destroying AA when called up with a OPS over 1. He is adjusting to the AAA level but is still putting up an OPS over .800. He's also younger than Wetherholt so it's not like he's a older prospect. 1.104 OPS with RISP on the year! He's a natural hitter who is trying real hard to not be the swing and miss liability that he was branded with as an amateur. Improvements to pitch selection will unlock more power if he can figure it out.

Sounds like he’s worked on being less of a free swinger this year. And to only have a 10% K% in his first taste of AAA ball at 22 years old, while also putting up a SLG% of .480 is pretty dang good.

The fact that we ended up getting anything from Matz, no matter how good he was this year (and he was not very good for about 2 months), is a win.

But according to Goold, the Cardinals really liked Jordan in the draft, and Chaim Bloom actually drafted him, so there must be something that a lot of people in this organization like about him. He was an elite power guy coming out of high school, but that never really developed. He had a down year last year in AA, so a lot of players passed him over in the prospect rankings, but he did nothing but hit this year between AA and AAA. He has killed LHP throughout his career in the minors, so we could use that.

He's 22. I'm hoping we're getting a case of a high school player finally reaching the potential that people thought he had when he was drafted. Or at the least the people in our system can unlock something and maybe that power will finally come. But at the least it looks like we have a reverse Burleson.

I like it.

ecleme22 wrote: ↑31 Jul 2025 05:47 am

alw80 wrote: ↑31 Jul 2025 05:43 am Sounds like a AAAA guy.

Maybe.

Maybe he's nothing but another Luken Baker. Or maybe he's a rich man's Baker. And he plays 3B too.

Bloom knows him, so that's a plus.

I think there’s near zero chance that he plays anything close to a serviceable 3B in the majors, ever.

At the plate… JMO… could be a right handed version of a guy like Josh Naylor

It does seem to be a very good return for Matz. Really like the low K rate paired with the power.

His EVs on some of these home runs this season are way up there:
https://youtu.be/3_1st9CfL1c?si=a5jFSgraoviLrDb0

ecleme22 wrote: ↑31 Jul 2025 05:12 am (Other than his name), One of the things I really like about Blaze Jordan? HE'S IN AAA

Other things I like: His power. His age (22 1/2), his numbers in the minors, the fact that this was probably a Bloom deal. Reminds me of Epstein grabbing Rizzo.

But I love that he's in AAA and in play for making the MLB roster Opening Day, '26.

More of this, please. I want to trade everybody, even Donovan. But I don't want to trade BD for some player we won't see until 2029.

Agree on AAA. It seems like the return on Helsley is so far away from mlb caliber. They won’t impact the roster for several years it appears.

He's closer to the big leagues than Jesus Baez. That guy is a long way off, maybe 3 years from making the bigs. That's almost a lottery ticket at that point.

Gonna end up with a lot of DH/1B and slow corner OF type guys to sort out. Maybe it's easier to deal one this coming off-season.

If the Red Sox are paying Matz salary this the old "addition by subtraction".

OldRed wrote: ↑31 Jul 2025 07:56 am If the Red Sox are paying Matz salary this the old "addition by subtraction".

That isn't what that means.

That concept implies that your team got better by removing the player. You're suggesting that Matz was holding the unit back.

The Cardinals bullpen is worse without Matz... so definitely NOT "addition by subtraction"

An Old Friend wrote: ↑31 Jul 2025 07:59 am

OldRed wrote: ↑31 Jul 2025 07:56 am If the Red Sox are paying Matz salary this the old "addition by subtraction".

That isn't what that means.

That concept implies that your team got better by removing the player. You're suggesting that Matz was holding the unit back.

The Cardinals bullpen is worse without Matz... so definitely NOT "addition by subtraction"

.500 team going nowhere. YES it is "addition by subtraction" if Boston pays his contract. I wouldn't e surprised if Matz isn't injured in his first outing for the Red Sox.

I like his bat, primarily his power from the right side. So now the Cardinals have an abundance of corner infielders and DH types - Arenado, Contreras, Burleson, Gorman, and Blaze Jordan. There has also been discussion on this forum about moving Walker back to corner IF since he has been suspect in RF. There is also a glut of middle IF with Winn, Wetherholt, Donovan, Saggese, and Gorman. Add to both 2b, ss, and 3b the recently acquired Jesus Baez.

Seems like some of these assets need to be traded.

imadangman wrote: ↑31 Jul 2025 07:40 am Gonna end up with a lot of DH/1B and slow corner OF type guys to sort out. Maybe it's easier to deal one this coming off-season.

Maybe just me, but kinda makes you wonder if they'll try to get Contreras to agree to being traded this offseason.

12xu wrote: ↑31 Jul 2025 08:04 am I like his bat, primarily his power from the right side. So now the Cardinals have an abundance of corner infielders and DH types - Arenado, Contreras, Burleson, Gorman, and Blaze Jordan. There has also been discussion on this forum about moving Walker back to corner IF since he has been suspect in RF. There is also a glut of middle IF with Winn, Wetherholt, Donovan, Saggese, and Gorman. Add to both 2b, ss, and 3b the recently acquired Jesus Baez.

Seems like some of these assets need to be traded.

In my opinion, both of these trades were about unloading Matz salary and getting anything they could for Helsley before he becomes a free agent. Both trades had nothing to do with improving the Major League team at this time.

OldRed wrote: ↑31 Jul 2025 08:07 am

12xu wrote: ↑31 Jul 2025 08:04 am I like his bat, primarily his power from the right side. So now the Cardinals have an abundance of corner infielders and DH types - Arenado, Contreras, Burleson, Gorman, and Blaze Jordan. There has also been discussion on this forum about moving Walker back to corner IF since he has been suspect in RF. There is also a glut of middle IF with Winn, Wetherholt, Donovan, Saggese, and Gorman. Add to both 2b, ss, and 3b the recently acquired Jesus Baez.

Seems like some of these assets need to be traded.

In my opinion, both of these trades were about unloading Matz salary and getting anything they could for Helsley before he becomes a free agent. Both trades had nothing to do with improving the Major League team at this time.

Wise man Red….Wise man

ecleme22 wrote: ↑31 Jul 2025 05:47 am

alw80 wrote: ↑31 Jul 2025 05:43 am Sounds like a AAAA guy.

Maybe.

Maybe he's nothing but another Luken Baker. Or maybe he's a rich man's Baker. And he plays 3B too.

Bloom knows him, so that's a plus.

If Moe knew him, would you consider that a plus?

OldRed wrote: ↑31 Jul 2025 08:07 am

12xu wrote: ↑31 Jul 2025 08:04 am I like his bat, primarily his power from the right side. So now the Cardinals have an abundance of corner infielders and DH types - Arenado, Contreras, Burleson, Gorman, and Blaze Jordan. There has also been discussion on this forum about moving Walker back to corner IF since he has been suspect in RF. There is also a glut of middle IF with Winn, Wetherholt, Donovan, Saggese, and Gorman. Add to both 2b, ss, and 3b the recently acquired Jesus Baez.

Seems like some of these assets need to be traded.

In my opinion, both of these trades were about unloading Matz salary and getting anything they could for Helsley before he becomes a free agent. Both trades had nothing to do with improving the Major League team at this time.

Of course, I agree.