Cards Payroll last 20 years--Will they be lower than 2005 in 2026?

[Rojo Johnson]

Why does anyone care what the Cardinals payroll is this year?

* The team is rebuilding. I don't care what they call it.
* They have essentially no chance of winning the WS: (.02%)
* It would take a near miracle for the team to be .500.

The coming season is about cutting old, over-the-hill and expensive contracts, acquiring young talent, and evaluating what they already have and can acquire in the offseason.

Any new money spent this season should be foundational--laying the groundwork for 2027 and beyond. The process will take several years.

A smart team will prune the payroll as much as possible--no point in paying steak prices for hamburger.

Would a smart team raise ticket prices after seeing (the lack of) attendance last year, pruning payroll as much as possible this year and trying to trade what few stars they have left? This isn’t a smart team. Their ability to rebuild is highly suspect.

[45s]

It is unbelievable what Bill is doing to the fans of this franchise. On top of this reversion to ancient payroll numbers, he raises ticket prices! If this doesn’t say “screw you” to the people who have supported him quite handsomely over the past 30 odd years, I don’t know what would. So, I say screw you back, Billy boy. Not that it matters to him, but I will never forgive him for this and that will translate into dollars and cents. He deserves all the negative things he gets from disgruntled fans.

Dewitt is not doing anything to the fans that they don’t allow him to do..

[PadsFS07]

Why does anyone care what the Cardinals payroll is this year?

* The team is rebuilding. I don't care what they call it.
* They have essentially no chance of winning the WS: (.02%)
* It would take a near miracle for the team to be .500.

The coming season is about cutting old, over-the-hill and expensive contracts, acquiring young talent, and evaluating what they already have and can acquire in the offseason.

Any new money spent this season should be foundational--laying the groundwork for 2027 and beyond. The process will take several years.

A smart team will prune the payroll as much as possible--no point in paying steak prices for hamburger.

How does cutting old, over the hill, expensive contracts just for the sake of saving money, help the rebuild?

Especially if you are eating the salary anyway (so the money is still on the books), AND not getting prospects back, AND you don’t have anyone to fill the void?

[45s]

Why does anyone care what the Cardinals payroll is this year?

* The team is rebuilding. I don't care what they call it.
* They have essentially no chance of winning the WS: (.02%)
* It would take a near miracle for the team to be .500.

The coming season is about cutting old, over-the-hill and expensive contracts, acquiring young talent, and evaluating what they already have and can acquire in the offseason.

Any new money spent this season should be foundational--laying the groundwork for 2027 and beyond. The process will take several years.

A smart team will prune the payroll as much as possible--no point in paying steak prices for hamburger.

How does cutting old, over the hill, expensive contracts just for the sake of saving money, help the rebuild?

Especially if you are eating the salary anyway (so the money is still on the books), AND not getting prospects back, AND you don’t have anyone to fill the void?

The team is failing….getting rid of guys who are contributing to that failure seems wise…

As to the rebuild….the first step in building a new home is tearing down the old one…

[rockondlouie]

I'd say no.

If they deal NADO, Gray and Donny I think Dewitt will give Bloom somewhere in the $110-130M range.

Anything lower would be a slap in the face to Cardinals Nation, likely resulting in 12-15,000 per game attendance if the team is under .500.

Who would they add to the team that would put butts in the stands?? They need stars and they need to win and I don’t think you’re getting that for 110-130.

Most likely not a "big" name this offseason but hopefully some under the radar players who perform and keeps the team in the race until late summer or longer.

But if he pays off, then fans will want to see JJW.........the kid seems to have some charisma and could put "butts in the seats".

Hopefully payroll takes a big leap ($180-200M) after the new CBA is in place and then Bloom is allowed to either sign or trade for more "stars".

[Red Bird Classic]

Why does anyone care what the Cardinals payroll is this year?

Some insist on equating spending with trying and will be offended if the Cardinals don't try enough.

Hiring the odd free agent, trading for name-brand players, holding on to fading, overpriced stars has led to a decade without a whiff of the World Series. So these people want more of that?

It's the definition of insanity.

[Red Bird Classic]

Why does anyone care what the Cardinals payroll is this year?

* The team is rebuilding. I don't care what they call it.
* They have essentially no chance of winning the WS: (.02%)
* It would take a near miracle for the team to be .500.

The coming season is about cutting old, over-the-hill and expensive contracts, acquiring young talent, and evaluating what they already have and can acquire in the offseason.

Any new money spent this season should be foundational--laying the groundwork for 2027 and beyond. The process will take several years.

A smart team will prune the payroll as much as possible--no point in paying steak prices for hamburger.

Would a smart team raise ticket prices after seeing (the lack of) attendance last year, pruning payroll as much as possible this year and trying to trade what few stars they have left? This isn’t a smart team. Their ability to rebuild is highly suspect.

But their inability to win the World Series following the -- hire some free agents and pepper the roster with name brand players strategy-- is proven.

Time to rebuild. Prune away the dead wood. Any effort at new growth is better than what they've been doing because at the very least it signals that the recognize the need to change.

[Red7]

Let’s hope it’s better than Smoldering Jordan

[Red Bird Classic]

Why does anyone care what the Cardinals payroll is this year?

* The team is rebuilding. I don't care what they call it.
* They have essentially no chance of winning the WS: (.02%)
* It would take a near miracle for the team to be .500.

The coming season is about cutting old, over-the-hill and expensive contracts, acquiring young talent, and evaluating what they already have and can acquire in the offseason.

Any new money spent this season should be foundational--laying the groundwork for 2027 and beyond. The process will take several years.

A smart team will prune the payroll as much as possible--no point in paying steak prices for hamburger.

How does cutting old, over the hill, expensive contracts just for the sake of saving money, help the rebuild?

Especially if you are eating the salary anyway (so the money is still on the books), AND not getting prospects back, AND you don’t have anyone to fill the void?

(Excuse me for sticking with the gardening analogy but I think it's apt here.)

You can't have new growth if the old plants are blocking the sun and taking all the nutrients from the soil.

In other words: We have to make room for young players.

Fans need to accept that the Cardinals have to play smart, manage the enterprise carefully. They're not the Dodgers or Yankees, the team can't afford to entertain you with name-brand losers while also building for the future.

[PadsFS07]

(Excuse me for sticking with the gardening analogy but I think it's apt here.)

You can't have new growth if the old plants are blocking the sun and taking all the nutrients from the soil.

In other words: We have to make room for young players.

Fans need to accept that the Cardinals have to play smart, manage the enterprise carefully. They're not the Dodgers or Yankees, the team can't afford to entertain you with name-brand losers while also building for the future.

I’m not against what you are saying, but we have two, maybe three starters, so trading Gray for instance doesn’t really do much except save DeWitt $20M

[brock118]

It will depend to some extent on how you count payroll.

If the Cardinals send $30, $40, $50, etc. million in 2026 money with Gray, Arenado, Contraras (of the ~$73 million they are due from the Cardinals in 2026) to trade them, are you going to count that $30, $40, $50, etc. million toward the 2026 payroll?

I would.

Our 26 man payroll is sitting at $96.3-$97.7 million after this trade. Not counting $4.6 million owed in deferrals to former players

[brock118]

(Excuse me for sticking with the gardening analogy but I think it's apt here.)

You can't have new growth if the old plants are blocking the sun and taking all the nutrients from the soil.

In other words: We have to make room for young players.

Fans need to accept that the Cardinals have to play smart, manage the enterprise carefully. They're not the Dodgers or Yankees, the team can't afford to entertain you with name-brand losers while also building for the future.

I’m not against what you are saying, but we have two, maybe three starters, so trading Gray for instance doesn’t really do much except save DeWitt $20M

The two players we got back from Boston were ranked 50 Future Value by Fangraphs before the 2025 season. For reference JJ Wetherholt is ranked a 50FV. Fitts will go into the rotation and Clarke will be in High A or AA.

[Red Bird Classic]

(Excuse me for sticking with the gardening analogy but I think it's apt here.)

You can't have new growth if the old plants are blocking the sun and taking all the nutrients from the soil.

In other words: We have to make room for young players.

Fans need to accept that the Cardinals have to play smart, manage the enterprise carefully. They're not the Dodgers or Yankees, the team can't afford to entertain you with name-brand losers while also building for the future.

I’m not against what you are saying, but we have two, maybe three starters, so trading Gray for instance doesn’t really do much except save DeWitt $20M

Why pay 20-million more for a 78-win team, when a 74-win team will still finish in 4th place?

DeWitt is in business. He wants to make money. Spending $35-million on Gray for an extra 3 or 4 wins won't make the team contenders, it won't help the rebuild, it won't even placate fans who can't stand the idea of a rebuild.

If I'm DeWitt, I'd take the money.

[mattmitchl44]

It will depend to some extent on how you count payroll.

If the Cardinals send $30, $40, $50, etc. million in 2026 money with Gray, Arenado, Contraras (of the ~$73 million they are due from the Cardinals in 2026) to trade them, are you going to count that $30, $40, $50, etc. million toward the 2026 payroll?

I would.

Yeah, you would have to count those monies.
Right now it's estimated at $122M before trading anyone.
I wasn't thinking about the money they'll have to pay to move players.
Surely it won't be that much.
If they move all three, then payroll is at $48M before including money for any trades.

IMO, if they are serious about going all-in on rebuilding, I would offer to pay their entire 2026 salaries if that meant getting better prospects back. So I wouldn't be opposed to dropping $50, $60, $70 million in 2026 money.

I doubt the commissioner would allow that but I do understand your idea.

So $20 million of my $XX million is now sent.

[Carp4Cy]

It will depend to some extent on how you count payroll.

If the Cardinals send $30, $40, $50, etc. million in 2026 money with Gray, Arenado, Contraras (of the ~$73 million they are due from the Cardinals in 2026) to trade them, are you going to count that $30, $40, $50, etc. million toward the 2026 payroll?

I would.

No - we need to count the cost we pay for the players on OUR roster. Cash flow and profitability are different metrics. As a fan, I care about how much is spent on the product I pay to watch.

[Carp4Cy]

(Excuse me for sticking with the gardening analogy but I think it's apt here.)

You can't have new growth if the old plants are blocking the sun and taking all the nutrients from the soil.

In other words: We have to make room for young players.

Fans need to accept that the Cardinals have to play smart, manage the enterprise carefully. They're not the Dodgers or Yankees, the team can't afford to entertain you with name-brand losers while also building for the future.

I’m not against what you are saying, but we have two, maybe three starters, so trading Gray for instance doesn’t really do much except save DeWitt $20M

Why pay 20-million more for a 78-win team, when a 74-win team will still finish in 4th place?

DeWitt is in business. He wants to make money. Spending $35-million on Gray for an extra 3 or 4 wins won't make the team contenders, it won't help the rebuild, it won't even placate fans who can't stand the idea of a rebuild.

If I'm DeWitt, I'd take the money.

I understand it from DeWitt's perspective, but as a fan, I hate it and am obligated to complain loudly.