Dicktar2023 wrote: ↑10 Nov 2025 19:39 pm
Reading the tea leaves, I think Bloom is dreaming of Walker and Gorman getting a makeover from his new team of minor league geniuses.
How long that takes and who plays on the ML roster is anyone's guess. But I don't think there is any chance they give up on Walker this winter.
Gorman is pretty much set in stone as the 2026 3B for STL - unless Bloom gets an offer he can't refuse.
Walker is not a FA until after the 2029 season, meaning any acquiring team still has plenty of time to be patient with him.
Walker's challenge is that - unlike Gorman who is LH, plays 2 infield spots, and has massive power upside - he has no compelling argument for STL to keep him.
Yes, he has elite exit velocity at times - but he is a poor defender in RF which is the 2nd least important defensive assignment, does not hit well enough to be a 1B, and is RH.
In other words, easily replaced.
His highest value is that other teams would value the 4 years of control and be willing to "hope" to get lucky in his development.
Several low payroll teams would be glad to make that bet.
That is precisely why the CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION is to trade him.
Nah. I think Walker's trade value can only improve from its current point. And if the tears of St. Bloom don't cure him next summer, someone will gamble on the kid with 3 years left next winter.
I think Gorman is going to spend some time in Memphis next year, and I think that's already the plan. This is one reason I'm not certain Arenado is going anywhere.
rage-STL wrote: ↑10 Nov 2025 20:05 pm
He'll continue to get better defensively the more he plays outfield, I just hope he finds himself at the plate. With Mo's admission that the organization needed to immediately course correct due to developmental malpractice in their farm system, it's hard not to immediately think of Jordan Walker.
I wonder what Walker would look like today if they didn't knee-jerk switch his position to OF because there was an need at the big league level? Promote him to AAA in 2023; playing 3B while getting reps at 1B with a plan for him to eventually take over at 1B after Pujols and Goldy were done. That's neither here nor there because he an OF now, just a thought.
I'm still very much pulling for him. Baez - Scott - Walker would be a fun group to watch reach their potential.
Dicktar2023 wrote: ↑10 Nov 2025 19:39 pm
Reading the tea leaves, I think Bloom is dreaming of Walker and Gorman getting a makeover from his new team of minor league geniuses.
How long that takes and who plays on the ML roster is anyone's guess. But I don't think there is any chance they give up on Walker this winter.
Gorman is pretty much set in stone as the 2026 3B for STL - unless Bloom gets an offer he can't refuse.
Walker is not a FA until after the 2029 season, meaning any acquiring team still has plenty of time to be patient with him.
Walker's challenge is that - unlike Gorman who is LH, plays 2 infield spots, and has massive power upside - he has no compelling argument for STL to keep him.
Yes, he has elite exit velocity at times - but he is a poor defender in RF which is the 2nd least important defensive assignment, does not hit well enough to be a 1B, and is RH.
In other words, easily replaced.
His highest value is that other teams would value the 4 years of control and be willing to "hope" to get lucky in his development.
Several low payroll teams would be glad to make that bet.
That is precisely why the CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION is to trade him.
Nah. I think Walker's trade value can only improve from its current point. And if the tears of St. Bloom don't cure him next summer, someone will gamble on the kid with 3 years left next winter.
I think Gorman is going to spend some time in Memphis next year, and I think that's already the plan. This is one reason I'm not certain Arenado is going anywhere.
Bloom made it clear he wants N/A gone.
And made it equally clear N/A realized the enormous blunder he made (exactly as I predicted he would) and is now eager to leave.
Good question. I'd like to think Bloom will have a new approach to player development and if so he will probably hold onto some of the underperforming players with potential. Therefore I think Walker will be retained to see if he can get back to his rookie season numbers.
Not unless he tears the cover off the ball all ST while looking like a true outfielder on defense. So in other words, he probably starts 2026 in the minors.
Walker showed too much promise in the minors to give up on. But he has also shown too much failure in the majors to give him a position. He needs to earn it now with showing in spring. The ceiling is still high so if he can't earn a starting role in spring I would send him to AAA to play every day.
redbirdfan51 wrote: ↑11 Nov 2025 13:37 pm
I don't think the Cards should count on him , but create competition for his position. He will need to earn it or he goes to Triple A.
For me, he can't win it, or be gifted it, in Spring Training. Been there, done that
When Jordan Walker turns it on this team is going to get exciting.
He should be a lock for Right field. There’s too much potential. He was a top 5 major league prospect. Bloom said they’ve asked him to do too much and they need to leave him alone. They have focused on recognizing spin on pitches. When he improves on pitch recognition his bat is going to become elite. Not being patient with him in a year like 2026 is foolish.
Gorman is a tougher decision because if you keep Donavan you can slide Donavan to third and put JJ at short. Gorman is easier to trade if you get the right offer.
rage-STL wrote: ↑10 Nov 2025 20:05 pm
He'll continue to get better defensively the more he plays outfield, I just hope he finds himself at the plate. With Mo's admission that the organization needed to immediately course correct due to developmental malpractice in their farm system, it's hard not to immediately think of Jordan Walker.
I wonder what Walker would look like today if they didn't knee-jerk switch his position to OF because there was an need at the big league level? Promote him to AAA in 2023; playing 3B while getting reps at 1B with a plan for him to eventually take over at 1B after Pujols and Goldy were done. That's neither here nor there because he an OF now, just a thought.
I'm still very much pulling for him. Baez - Scott - Walker would be a fun group to watch reach their potential.
And then they decided to [fork] with his swing...he's like a slightly less tragic version of Miguel Andujar, who finally got his game back after what 5-6 years? Are we gonna wait 4-5 years with Walker? He barely slug'd his weight, Ks all the time now, and still sucks in the field. I think this is penance for Pujols, getting one of the top players to ever play the game we can't have nice things for awhile.
