IndCard75 wrote: ↑10 Aug 2025 19:49 pm
Whatashame wrote: ↑10 Aug 2025 12:05 pm
I have been on this bandwagon for a while now. IF Gorman has a spot on this team, it’s as a 1B/DH. Gorman isn’t a good 2B and his instincts at 3B seem to have fallen off.
We are now and have been LH heavy for some time now. Our need for at least one and probably 2 RH bats is a necessity. Hopefully, Walker continues to improve as a RH hitting right fielder. We need another RH bat in that outfield.
When you look at the Cardinals I see a team that needs more athleticism and a need for RH bats. 2026 lineup
C Crooks/Herrera
1B Contreras/Gorman
2B Wetherholt
SS Winn
3B Donovan
LF Burleson
CF Scott/Church
RF Walker
We have one DH spot and possibly 3-4 guys who are probably DHs (Gorman, Burleson, Herrera, Contreras). It’s because of this that I could see trades involving Burleson, Gorman, and Donovan over the winter. To break the LH hitting logjam and to improve the athleticism of the Cardinals. A RH hitting 3B like Arenado used to be, is a solution. A RH hitting outfielder to play LF/CF is a solution.
When Bloom takes over and starts the shakeup, I fully expect RH hitting additions in these areas which makes guys like Burleson, Donovan and Gorman vulnerable.
They gave up on Herrera as a C and I can see Crooks being included in a trade for SP. Bernal is who I expect to be the C of the future.
My proposal Gorman and Crooks to Miami for Alcantara.
Arenado is going to be very difficult to trade so I expect him to still be at 3B unfortunately.
C Pages till Bernal is ready
1B WC with Herrera going to 1B when WC is gone
2B Wetherholt
SS Winn
3B Arenado
RF Walker
CF Scott
LF Donovan
DH Herrera
Pozo
Sagesse
Burly
Noot
This does little to help this team. Pages doesn’t catch for me anymore on a regular basis. Bernal won’t be here next year but Crooks has earned a look. If baseball imposes a lockout after next season is over, you might not see a Bernal until 2028. Unfortunate sure but a real possibility.
Arenado shouldn’t see 3B after this year. We need a replacement there and trade, release, whatever is needed to move on from NA.
Our issue is what to do with all of the DH material we have. Gorman may well be traded during the offseason but if he isn’t, 1B is the only position for him to play. He’s not a 2B and his skills have diminished as a 3B. How the Cardinals deal with the DH situation will define a lot for next year. Gorman, Burleson, Herrera and even Contreras are all DH material but only 1-2 can be used there. We need 2 RH bats, one for the outfield for sure and possibly one for the infield.
A team next year that includes Pages and Arenado in the starting lineup is destined to fail and delay development of other players. As I mentioned in my original post, I think that Burleson, Gorman, Donovan and Herrera are all in play as trade candidates over the winter.