The Cardinals will be the bottom feeders in the NL Central for the remainder of this decade

[zuck698]

I think there is an elephant in the room that would need to be addressed before coming to any conclusion either way. Bill is not getting younger and how many here are convinced that Sonny has any desire to compete like a baseball man when he takes the reins? I have not felt the passion for winning whenever Bill number 3 has spoken in the past. His father used to have it but not so sure that passion has carried over to the son? Just something else to consider when figuring out how the rest of the decade plays out. IMHO

[Ronnie Dobbs]

I think there is an elephant in the room that would need to be addressed before coming to any conclusion either way. Bill is not getting younger and how many here are convinced that Sonny has any desire to compete like a baseball man when he takes the reins? I have not felt the passion for winning whenever Bill number 3 has spoken in the past. His father used to have it but not so sure that passion has carried over to the son? Just something else to consider when figuring out how the rest of the decade plays out. IMHO

I think BDWIII see seems like he has passion for the game. You see him at games at home a lot. He’s involved in a lot of aspects of the organization. I do have concerns about his ability to be a good owner, though. Just like I would not be a fan of having a king and his kid just gets to take over because his dad, who was a good king, dies and the kid has some kind of royal blood, I don’t know how healthy it is for the kid of an owner just coming in and being as successful as his dad. I’m thinking of the Davis doofus with the Raiders, but I’m sure there’s countless examples of kids [fork]ing up their dad’s business.

I have no opinion on BDWIII either way, to be honest. Maybe he’ll suck, maybe he’ll be good. I definitely think it’s fair to worry about the future of the franchise after Jr. dies, though. I guess we’ll find out before too long.

[11WSChamps]

I guess 4th place isn't considered bottom feeding here.

Standards have gone to pot here.

[Talkin' Baseball]

I guess 4th place isn't considered bottom feeding here.

Standards have gone to pot here.

It's where we are- not where we plan to live.

[11WSChamps]

I guess 4th place isn't considered bottom feeding here.

Standards have gone to pot here.

It's where we are- not where we plan to live.

Very few teams do.

This franchise should never be in this dire of a situation.

Unless Bloom is Houdini this is going to take a lot longer than you think.

[Talkin' Baseball]

I guess 4th place isn't considered bottom feeding here.

Standards have gone to pot here.

It's where we are- not where we plan to live.

Very few teams do.

This franchise should never be in this dire of a situation.

Unless Bloom is Houdini this is going to take a lot longer than you think.

You're right. It shouldn't have happened. But, it did. We have some cleaning up to do, and it seems like that will happen. This doesn't have to be a 5 year process.

[Spock]

Good Day — I predict the Cardinals will be ready to Spend in 2027 to improve and Spend even more in 2028 — SpockOut

[sikeston bulldog2]

I guess 4th place isn't considered bottom feeding here.

Standards have gone to pot here.

It's where we are- not where we plan to live.

Very few teams do.

This franchise should never be in this dire of a situation.

Unless Bloom is Houdini this is going to take a lot longer than you think.

You're right. It shouldn't have happened. But, it did. We have some cleaning up to do, and it seems like that will happen. This doesn't have to be a 5 year process.

This is the entire problem now. It’s one thing to get behind the power curve. It’s another to be buried by it.

In the past, we had stars so replacing a fallen star with another was a thing. We lost that edge.

Once you get to where you can’t lure stars n, you’ve reach a new low. One that teams just don’t crawl out of.

A place we haven’t been in 40 years. A place the pirates and white Sox dwell.

There’s a reason the bottom feeders stay low, it ain’t players, it’s the long climb back to mediocrity. Takes too long for a mgame del to sustain.

[AZ_Cardsfan]

Another 5 years? Maybe. Maybe not. Depends on how prospects emerge and when/if ownership begins spending more again. Predictions are all based on too many unknowns to take seriously.

[Bomber1]

I guess 4th place isn't considered bottom feeding here.

Standards have gone to pot here.

It's where we are- not where we plan to live.

Very few teams do.

This franchise should never be in this dire of a situation.

Unless Bloom is Houdini this is going to take a lot longer than you think.

I think 2028 or 2029.

Mozeliak really hosed this organization.

[casey1024]

Who says differently?
The Brewers and Cubs are clearly better.
The Reds have better talent and management.
The Pirates are on the rise with their farm system and current CY winner.
The only way the Cards can overcome this prediction is to spend.
They don't seem willing to do that.
Heck, they've even managed to brainwash some of the people on CT that they shouldn't spend.

In other news.....the sky is falling and we're all gonna die

[Carp4Cy]

So what. The cardinals have been bad. They are going to stay bad, to get good.

It doesn’t work like that. It’s a fantasy.

[Cusecards]

Who says differently?
The Brewers and Cubs are clearly better.
The Reds have better talent and management.
The Pirates are on the rise with their farm system and current CY winner.
The only way the Cards can overcome this prediction is to spend.
They don't seem willing to do that.
Heck, they've even managed to brainwash some of the people on CT that they shouldn't spend.

Do we need to call the Waaaambulance for Bully?

Maybe??
I think the Germans just bombed Pearl Harbor again????

[Carp4Cy]

Me too, since you asked.
2026 Re-shape roster
2027 Compete for wildcard
2028 Compete for division title, or better
This my expectation, and that's not bottom feeding. I'm prepared to live with what happens until the 27 season AS LONG AS they actively work on re-shaping the roster in the meantime. It's a journey friends.

That's about where I am at too. I might be a bit optimistic with us being competitive in 2027, but I also don't think we are as bad as other teams that have rebuilt. A lot of that depends on this year.

But I also don't want to use this rebuild as excuse for DeWitt to drop the payroll $50 million or more the next 5 years. So, I think we need to cut them some slack for this coming year, and possibly next year, depending on how things work out this year, but also stay on them to spend money when the time comes. They have money to maintain a top third to top ten payroll. They need to get back there soon.

Good observations……with the key words being “when the time comes”

Add that free agent when they can be a difference maker….

Meanwhile a lot of us won’t buy many/any tickets to watch the team struggle. And retaining Oli just reinforces that there’s little reason to be excited yet.

Dewitt has some years of pain to endure with this strategy. Have to hope there’s something left to invest with when/if they decide it’s time.

[45s]

Me too, since you asked.
2026 Re-shape roster
2027 Compete for wildcard
2028 Compete for division title, or better
This my expectation, and that's not bottom feeding. I'm prepared to live with what happens until the 27 season AS LONG AS they actively work on re-shaping the roster in the meantime. It's a journey friends.

That's about where I am at too. I might be a bit optimistic with us being competitive in 2027, but I also don't think we are as bad as other teams that have rebuilt. A lot of that depends on this year.

But I also don't want to use this rebuild as excuse for DeWitt to drop the payroll $50 million or more the next 5 years. So, I think we need to cut them some slack for this coming year, and possibly next year, depending on how things work out this year, but also stay on them to spend money when the time comes. They have money to maintain a top third to top ten payroll. They need to get back there soon.

Good observations……with the key words being “when the time comes”

Add that free agent when they can be a difference maker….

Meanwhile a lot of us won’t buy many/any tickets to watch the team struggle. And retaining Oli just reinforces that there’s little reason to be excited yet.

Dewitt has some years of pain to endure with this strategy. Have to hope there’s something left to invest with when/if they decide it’s time.

Not buying tickets is the wisest choice one can make….and, frankly, the only leverage customers have…

[Talkin' Baseball]

Me too, since you asked.
2026 Re-shape roster
2027 Compete for wildcard
2028 Compete for division title, or better
This my expectation, and that's not bottom feeding. I'm prepared to live with what happens until the 27 season AS LONG AS they actively work on re-shaping the roster in the meantime. It's a journey friends.

That's about where I am at too. I might be a bit optimistic with us being competitive in 2027, but I also don't think we are as bad as other teams that have rebuilt. A lot of that depends on this year.

But I also don't want to use this rebuild as excuse for DeWitt to drop the payroll $50 million or more the next 5 years. So, I think we need to cut them some slack for this coming year, and possibly next year, depending on how things work out this year, but also stay on them to spend money when the time comes. They have money to maintain a top third to top ten payroll. They need to get back there soon.

Good observations……with the key words being “when the time comes”

Add that free agent when they can be a difference maker….

Meanwhile a lot of us won’t buy many/any tickets to watch the team struggle. And retaining Oli just reinforces that there’s little reason to be excited yet.

Dewitt has some years of pain to endure with this strategy. Have to hope there’s something left to invest with when/if they decide it’s time.

Not buying tickets is the wisest choice one can make….and, frankly, the only leverage customers have…

No way to know until later, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say Cardinal attendance will improve this season. (I should probably wait and see what moves they make, but I'm feeling bold)