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Imperial Capitalist wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 19:36 pm

Cranny wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 18:52 pm

Youboughtit wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 18:41 pm

sp25 wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 17:02 pm Not all Wild Cards teams are created equal.

The Reds have no chance, but the Yankees do, e.g.

Difference is payroll. Take notice Dewitt

Thue Cardinals payroll as a middle market team will never approach the Yankees' payroll.

Really?

Is water also wet? I've heard that before.

Nobody here is advocating attempting to outspend Steinbrenner, but any time posters even dare to suggest we spend to our historical norm (10/11), right on cue you trot out this foolishness. Each. And. Every. Time.

Cranny wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 12:43 pm

Youboughtit wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 10:51 am The final question answer Dewitt said the Cardinals team goal is always “to get into the playoffs.” That answer is exactly the problem. The Cardinals team goal MUST be to win a WS. It’s too easy to be the last WC.

Correction. The first goal should be to win the Central Division.

Cranny wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 21:18 pm

Imperial Capitalist wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 19:36 pm

Cranny wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 18:52 pm

Youboughtit wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 18:41 pm

sp25 wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 17:02 pm Not all Wild Cards teams are created equal.

The Reds have no chance, but the Yankees do, e.g.

Difference is payroll. Take notice Dewitt

Thue Cardinals payroll as a middle market team will never approach the Yankees' payroll.

Really?

Is water also wet? I've heard that before.

Nobody here is advocating attempting to outspend Steinbrenner, but any time posters even dare to suggest we spend to our historical norm (10/11), right on cue you trot out this foolishness. Each. And. Every. Time.

Guess you’ve never owned or run a business.
Expenses have to be at or below the revenue level.

Cranny wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 21:18 pm

Imperial Capitalist wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 19:36 pm

Cranny wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 18:52 pm

Youboughtit wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 18:41 pm

sp25 wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 17:02 pm Not all Wild Cards teams are created equal.

The Reds have no chance, but the Yankees do, e.g.

Difference is payroll. Take notice Dewitt

Thue Cardinals payroll as a middle market team will never approach the Yankees' payroll.

Really?

Is water also wet? I've heard that before.

Nobody here is advocating attempting to outspend Steinbrenner, but any time posters even dare to suggest we spend to our historical norm (10/11), right on cue you trot out this foolishness. Each. And. Every. Time.

Guess you’ve never owned or run a business.
Expenses have to be at or below the revenue level.

casey1024 wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 11:16 am FYI......looked it up and 8 wild card teams have won it all since 1997! That's one every 3.5 years.

Hazelwood72 wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 22:43 pm

casey1024 wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 11:16 am FYI......looked it up and 8 wild card teams have won it all since 1997! That's one every 3.5 years.

When there was only 1 Wild Card in the AL and NL, and they played a best of 5 playoff round, your statement makes some sense and wild cards did fairly well.

However, starting in 2012 when they added a SECOND wildcard and the two wildcards played a 1 game “loser go home” playoff, and then after 2022, when they added a THIRD wildcard to each league, and they played a short best of 3 series, the amount of wild card success dwindled.

ESPECIALLY the wild cards who barely made it into the playoffs. Since 2012, there has been only ONE team to win the World Series with 88 wins that’s the SF Giants in 2014. Nobody else with under 90 wins has won the World Series since there being 2 or more wild cards in each league. The AZ Diamondbacks were a unicorn in 2023, going to the WS and losing with only 84 wins.

So, the moral of the story is that the DeWitt-Mozeliak model of sneaking barely into the playoffs is a prescription for being embarrassingly bounced out early. It’s a false hope that Mozo the Clown kept trying to sell to Cardinal fans.

Red Bird Classic wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 23:00 pm

Hazelwood72 wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 22:43 pm

casey1024 wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 11:16 am FYI......looked it up and 8 wild card teams have won it all since 1997! That's one every 3.5 years.

When there was only 1 Wild Card in the AL and NL, and they played a best of 5 playoff round, your statement makes some sense and wild cards did fairly well.

However, starting in 2012 when they added a SECOND wildcard and the two wildcards played a 1 game “loser go home” playoff, and then after 2022, when they added a THIRD wildcard to each league, and they played a short best of 3 series, the amount of wild card success dwindled.

ESPECIALLY the wild cards who barely made it into the playoffs. Since 2012, there has been only ONE team to win the World Series with 88 wins that’s the SF Giants in 2014. Nobody else with under 90 wins has won the World Series since there being 2 or more wild cards in each league. The AZ Diamondbacks were a unicorn in 2023, going to the WS and losing with only 84 wins.

So, the moral of the story is that the DeWitt-Mozeliak model of sneaking barely into the playoffs is a prescription for being embarrassingly bounced out early. It’s a false hope that Mozo the Clown kept trying to sell to Cardinal fans.

This.

Dewitt is selling nonsense. Disappointing but nothing has changed.

People who think the last WC team has a good chance don't understand statistics.

Youboughtit wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 10:51 am The final question answer Dewitt said the Cardinals team goal is always “to get into the playoffs.” That answer is exactly the problem. The Cardinals team goal MUST be to win a WS. It’s too easy to be the last WC.

CraigPaquette wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 12:04 pm

Youboughtit wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 11:52 am

CraigPaquette wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 11:44 am

Youboughtit wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 11:29 am

casey1024 wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 11:14 am With all due respect......DeWitt is correct. If you make the playoffs.......you have a fantastic chance to win a World Series. Look at all the underdogs and wild card teams that have won. Just off the top of my head.....the Cards in '11 were the last wild card team and the Royals in '14 came within a run of winning it all with the last wild card. I believe(not sure) that both the Marlins wins were as a wild card. If you get to post season and you have a good starting 3 in your rotation.....you are as good as anyone.

1 team in last 30 years and that was before the big markets payroll push. Will be a 1-50 year plan moving forward

You can see DeWitt is accomplishing his goal by how many fans believe it is realistic a team of this caliber can do "anything" if they just reach the playoffs. People that compare this team with the ones from the past fail to realize there have been about 3 more wildcard slots that have been created since then. You are now being rewarded for being mediocre or worse.

The Cardinals were ranked 22 in final power rankings and almost made the playoffs. To think this roster would win a WS is absurd.

It's very sad to see how so many fans have fallen under the DeWitt spell. Fans in the past had high standards but are now content with being around or under .500, as long as they get into the playoffs. Just strange.

casey1024 wrote: ↑01 Oct 2025 10:44 am

CraigPaquette wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 12:04 pm

Youboughtit wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 11:52 am

CraigPaquette wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 11:44 am

Youboughtit wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 11:29 am

casey1024 wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 11:14 am With all due respect......DeWitt is correct. If you make the playoffs.......you have a fantastic chance to win a World Series. Look at all the underdogs and wild card teams that have won. Just off the top of my head.....the Cards in '11 were the last wild card team and the Royals in '14 came within a run of winning it all with the last wild card. I believe(not sure) that both the Marlins wins were as a wild card. If you get to post season and you have a good starting 3 in your rotation.....you are as good as anyone.

1 team in last 30 years and that was before the big markets payroll push. Will be a 1-50 year plan moving forward

You can see DeWitt is accomplishing his goal by how many fans believe it is realistic a team of this caliber can do "anything" if they just reach the playoffs. People that compare this team with the ones from the past fail to realize there have been about 3 more wildcard slots that have been created since then. You are now being rewarded for being mediocre or worse.

The Cardinals were ranked 22 in final power rankings and almost made the playoffs. To think this roster would win a WS is absurd.

It's very sad to see how so many fans have fallen under the DeWitt spell. Fans in the past had high standards but are now content with being around or under .500, as long as they get into the playoffs. Just strange.

Sorry to know that you think I've fallen under a spell or have low standards. With all due respect.....you are shooting the messenger. I don't make the rules.....I just live by them. To have a team win 100 or more games, you most usually have to have a great starting 5 rotation. Once you make the playoffs.....teams with a great starting 3....and not so good 4 and 5s, suddenly are your equals. Why? Because there are so many off days in the playoffs that you do not really need your 4th or 5th starter. That is why once you make it........you have a much better shot. I understand your frustration......everyone wants to win.....including the other 29 teams. It's not as easy as we sometimes tend to make it sound. Just being honest and realistic. Sorry I blew up.

CCard wrote: ↑01 Oct 2025 09:10 am

Youboughtit wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 10:51 am The final question answer Dewitt said the Cardinals team goal is always “to get into the playoffs.” That answer is exactly the problem. The Cardinals team goal MUST be to win a WS. It’s too easy to be the last WC.

Here's the problem. I can't remember when the Central was this strong. 3 playoff teams? Now, you have to somehow leapfrog at least one of them. That's going to take talent.

Youboughtit wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 16:41 pm

renostl wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 13:45 pm

Youboughtit wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 10:51 am The final question answer Dewitt said the Cardinals team goal is always “to get into the playoffs.” That answer is exactly the problem. The Cardinals team goal MUST be to win a WS. It’s too easy to be the last WC.

To sustain always getting into the playoffs is a pretty high standard.
I don't think anything was said about what the ultimate goal is.
The ultimate goal is to win the WS.

Semantics come into play, and we hear what we chose to hear.
I don't think the team will stop playing as soon as the playoff threshold get met.
WS championships are very rare.

No but it affects player acquisitions. If the “goal” is to make the playoffs second tier players may do that. To win a WS elite superstars are needed

Cranny wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 18:52 pm Thue Cardinals payroll as a middle market team will never approach the Yankees' payroll.

renostl wrote: ↑01 Oct 2025 11:44 am

Youboughtit wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 16:41 pm

renostl wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 13:45 pm

Youboughtit wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 10:51 am The final question answer Dewitt said the Cardinals team goal is always “to get into the playoffs.” That answer is exactly the problem. The Cardinals team goal MUST be to win a WS. It’s too easy to be the last WC.

To sustain always getting into the playoffs is a pretty high standard.
I don't think anything was said about what the ultimate goal is.
The ultimate goal is to win the WS.

Semantics come into play, and we hear what we chose to hear.
I don't think the team will stop playing as soon as the playoff threshold get met.
WS championships are very rare.

No but it affects player acquisitions. If the “goal” is to make the playoffs second tier players may do that. To win a WS elite superstars are needed

The second-tier player is a part of almost if not all rosters.
They become part of the roster for several legitimate reasons. Bench, role players,
waiting or hoping for progression, and budget.

All-stars at 26 positions don't happen. You never said that so NOT a counterpoint just an attempt
to show rosters are a mix. A team with a few stars will eventually have those few stars remove
funds for the other players. The progression of the home-grown talent that is kept.

As "Casey1024" is attempting to suggest there are 2 distinction MLB seasons. The 162 and the PO.
The 162 requires depth. IF the farm doesn't supply that, then it costs. The top markets can do that.
I don't see the Cardinals ever going into the luxury tax status. A couple/few stars, a couple SP's and a superior
BP can go toe to toe with any team come playoff season. JMO.

We can become sensitive and skeptical of speech. Especially after thinking we got taken for in the recent past.
We can dissect every word in a sentence. JMO, Bill said nothing wrong. Replace the word goal with step, or
ultimate goal which was never stated and Bill may agree with us of the ultimate goal.

I'd like the Cards to be playing today.
Only 4 PO teams got a bye. Of those 4, Toronto, Seattle, Philly, and Milwaukee I don't see them as being
WS absolutes over some of the teams playing today. Philly vs the Reds aside.
The Cards are in deep competition in the NLC. Teams are progressing.

Youboughtit wrote: ↑01 Oct 2025 11:34 am

CCard wrote: ↑01 Oct 2025 09:10 am

Youboughtit wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 10:51 am The final question answer Dewitt said the Cardinals team goal is always “to get into the playoffs.” That answer is exactly the problem. The Cardinals team goal MUST be to win a WS. It’s too easy to be the last WC.

Here's the problem. I can't remember when the Central was this strong. 3 playoff teams? Now, you have to somehow leapfrog at least one of them. That's going to take talent.

And the recipe everyone wants…..elite SP is exactly what the Pirates have. I agree 3 TOR SP are needed but so is Power and a great offense.

casey1024 wrote: ↑30 Sep 2025 11:16 am FYI......looked it up and 8 wild card teams have won it all since 1997! That's one every 3.5 years.