JohnnyMO wrote: ↑09 Feb 2026 14:38 pm
Melville wrote: ↑09 Feb 2026 13:36 pm
JohnnyMO wrote: ↑09 Feb 2026 13:25 pm
Melville wrote: ↑09 Feb 2026 13:13 pm
Depth filler.
Terrible return overall in the Donovan deal.
Not one position player included who will ever likely contribute on a MLB field.
What is this opinion based on other than the fact the predicting a lack of success is right the vast majority of the time with baseball prospects?
STL wanted a 2nd comp pick for Donovan.
Rays wanted Williamson.
Ledbetter was the throw away to help all 3 teams achieve their actual goals.
Depth filler, nothing more.
This doesn’t come close to answering my question and I’m sincerely curious. Why do you think the return was terrible and none of the prospects will contribute at the MLB level?
It was not clear what you were asking.
Why I correctly believe Ledbetter was a throw in depth filler to make the deal work 3 ways, or why I dislike the return for Donovan?
Appreciate you now clarifying that.
Happy to provide the answer - which I have done several times is various threads.
With the Gray/Contreras/May decisions Bloom was thinking short term and long term - and did so very effectively, particularly addressing the starting rotation with that dual track thinking.
With Donovan, he did no such thing - choosing instead to simply bet on an assembly of various long shots of whom none are realistically close to being a significant contribute anytime soon.
And there was zero reason to take that path.
Donovan, likely last opportunity to leverage a key trade piece this off-season, was MORE valuable than Gray or Contreras.
And since Bloom had done nothing to address position player needs, it was imperative that he do so by leveraging Donovan.
Bloom could have - and should have - addressed both long term and short-term question just as he had wisely done in the previous moves.
Inexplicably, he changed course.
Again, my fully informed and accurate assessment and objection is NOT about the specific pieces Bloom acquired (all of which are extreme high risks), but rather that he wasted an opportunity to add a needed position player with immediate opportunity to be part of the 2026 mix.
Strategically, an unforced blunder on Bloom part because he not only whiffed on that specific and necessary item in return - but actually made the situation far worse by making the weakest area of the team even more deficient.
Makes zero sense to add MLB ready pitchers in the prior deals - and then torpedo those moves by making the team behind them worse (outfield is worse, infield is worse, depth is worse.)
And for that he traded an all-star, a gold glove with 2 years of cheap control remaining and multiple future opportunities to deal him if needed?
Incredibly poor strategic thinking on Bloom's part.
Now, as I have stated, opening day is still several weeks away.
Bloom could very well have another move in the works that would change the equation of the Donovan deal.
But as of now, very unlikely this deal will benefit the Cardinals.