$ to apend

[ScotchMIrish]

So if the Cardinals are able to trade Gray and Arenado they should have cleared $40-$50m from payroll depending on how much they eat. If they don’t reinvest that plus some of the $50m they removed last year into the payroll ownership is giving the middle finger to the fans. With all this youth the need for elite superstar high end talent to make fans want to buy tickets should be the number 1 priority. I am thinking Murakami and Valdez would be my targets.

Combined they make $67 million in 2026. Who knows what will happen but I think they will clear less than your estimate.

Gray and Nado have $57m combined. I think clearing $40m and eating $17m sounds fair.

I was going from memory and was wrong about the amount. Still I don't see anybody wanting Arenado with his numbers unless we pay all but maybe $5 million. Probably at least half of Gray's contract also.

[rockondlouie]

So if the Cardinals are able to trade Gray and Arenado they should have cleared $40-$50m from payroll depending on how much they eat. If they don’t reinvest that plus some of the $50m they removed last year into the payroll ownership is giving the middle finger to the fans. With all this youth the need for elite superstar high end talent to make fans want to buy tickets should be the number 1 priority. I am thinking Murakami and Valdez would be my targets.

I'd assume BDWJr eats:

-$20-25M of NADO's deal for a couple of lotto tickets

-$15-20M of S. Gray's for a solid return

(WIllyC stays)

That should save him that $40+M you mentioned.

I could see BDWJr giving a portion of that to add player salary either via trades or thru FA.

I'm expecting a $110-125M payroll in 2026.

It’s currently at $75m obligated before arb and that’s with NA and Gray being takking $57m of that. So it $40m is taken away that is $35m in contracts before arb. No reason one elite superstar could not be added for fans to be excited about

Yea

Fangraphs est. them at $107M in 2026 which still includes NADO, Gray and WillyC while est. ARB's/Rookie salaries.

And I agree, I showed yesterday in another thread about F. Tatis, Jr that they could easily afford him (or another high salaried YOUNG PLAYER) who fits the re-build mold:

Re: Fernando Tatis Jr
Post by rockondlouie » 12 Nov 2025 14:17 pm

Per fangraphs

Cardinals est. on-the-books payroll:

2027
$38.5M (This includes NADO) + ARBS + Pre-ARBS + Rookies
(ARB 3/4 Donny-Noot-Pallante-King could all be gone via trades and DFA leaving only a few ARB 2's,ARB 1's and Pre's)

2028
$5M (WillyC's buyout) + ARBS + Pre-ARBS + Rookies

2029-------------Virtually nothing!

JJW + Tatis = BUTTS in the seats watching these two!

[rbirules]

So if the Cardinals are able to trade Gray and Arenado they should have cleared $40-$50m from payroll depending on how much they eat. If they don’t reinvest that plus some of the $50m they removed last year into the payroll ownership is giving the middle finger to the fans. With all this youth the need for elite superstar high end talent to make fans want to buy tickets should be the number 1 priority. I am thinking Murakami and Valdez would be my targets.

And how are you going to convince elite, superstar talent to come to Stl?

By making the best offer. That’s how other teams including the Dodgers do it. It’s time for the owner to decide to spend revenue % like the big markets. Cardinals used 40% of team revenue (gate and TV only) last year. The Dodgers Yankees etc were all near 80%

There is no way the Yankees or Dodgers are spending 80% of their revenue on payroll (maybe 80% of the Cardinals revenue).

It's been reported the Dodgers broke $1B, billion with a B, in revenue in 2025, they aren't spending $800M in payroll, they are spending $350M or so.

They get $334M a year in local TV money (25 years $8.35B deal). In 2024 they got $4.29M per home game in gate revenue, that's $347M per season, and they raised prices in 2025 coming off a world series title. So either the local TV deal or attendance alone can pay for their payroll. Then they still have the other $330-350M plus national TV money, sponsorship revenue, etc. All teams get around $90M from national TV revenue.

So Dodgers revenue just from gate and TV is around $770M not even accounting for increase in ticket prices for 2025. An 8-9% increase would give them a $30M increase in ticket revenue and put them close to $800M in revenue (just tv and gate) for 2025. $350M is 44% of $800M and 45% of $770M.

[Youboughtit]

So if the Cardinals are able to trade Gray and Arenado they should have cleared $40-$50m from payroll depending on how much they eat. If they don’t reinvest that plus some of the $50m they removed last year into the payroll ownership is giving the middle finger to the fans. With all this youth the need for elite superstar high end talent to make fans want to buy tickets should be the number 1 priority. I am thinking Murakami and Valdez would be my targets.

I'd assume BDWJr eats:

-$20-25M of NADO's deal for a couple of lotto tickets

-$15-20M of S. Gray's for a solid return

(WIllyC stays)

That should save him that $40+M you mentioned.

I could see BDWJr giving a portion of that to add player salary either via trades or thru FA.

I'm expecting a $110-125M payroll in 2026.

It’s currently at $75m obligated before arb and that’s with NA and Gray being takking $57m of that. So it $40m is taken away that is $35m in contracts before arb. No reason one elite superstar could not be added for fans to be excited about

let is know when there is an elite superstar ...who could sign anywhere......who would come to stl....

a small market club in disarray and in the initial stages of a rebuild......

Then pay more. It’s always about the high bidder. Boone gets discounts. Even the Dodgers have to overpay. Stop defending a tight owner

[Youboughtit]

So if the Cardinals are able to trade Gray and Arenado they should have cleared $40-$50m from payroll depending on how much they eat. If they don’t reinvest that plus some of the $50m they removed last year into the payroll ownership is giving the middle finger to the fans. With all this youth the need for elite superstar high end talent to make fans want to buy tickets should be the number 1 priority. I am thinking Murakami and Valdez would be my targets.

And how are you going to convince elite, superstar talent to come to Stl?

By making the best offer. That’s how other teams including the Dodgers do it. It’s time for the owner to decide to spend revenue % like the big markets. Cardinals used 40% of team revenue (gate and TV only) last year. The Dodgers Yankees etc were all near 80%

There is no way the Yankees or Dodgers are spending 80% of their revenue on payroll (maybe 80% of the Cardinals revenue).

It's been reported the Dodgers broke $1B, billion with a B, in revenue in 2025, they aren't spending $800M in payroll, they are spending $350M or so.

They get $334M a year in local TV money (25 years $8.35B deal). In 2024 they got $4.29M per home game in gate revenue, that's $347M per season, and they raised prices in 2025 coming off a world series title. So either the local TV deal or attendance alone can pay for their payroll. Then they still have the other $330-350M plus national TV money, sponsorship revenue, etc. All teams get around $90M from national TV revenue.

So Dodgers revenue just from gate and TV is around $770M not even accounting for increase in ticket prices for 2025. An 8-9% increase would give them a $30M increase in ticket revenue and put them close to $800M in revenue (just tv and gate) for 2025. $350M is 44% of $800M and 45% of $770M.

https://twinstrivia.com/2025/04/05/mlb- ... s-payroll/

[Youboughtit]

So if the Cardinals are able to trade Gray and Arenado they should have cleared $40-$50m from payroll depending on how much they eat. If they don’t reinvest that plus some of the $50m they removed last year into the payroll ownership is giving the middle finger to the fans. With all this youth the need for elite superstar high end talent to make fans want to buy tickets should be the number 1 priority. I am thinking Murakami and Valdez would be my targets.

I'd assume BDWJr eats:

-$20-25M of NADO's deal for a couple of lotto tickets

-$15-20M of S. Gray's for a solid return

(WIllyC stays)

That should save him that $40+M you mentioned.

I could see BDWJr giving a portion of that to add player salary either via trades or thru FA.

I'm expecting a $110-125M payroll in 2026.

It’s currently at $75m obligated before arb and that’s with NA and Gray being takking $57m of that. So it $40m is taken away that is $35m in contracts before arb. No reason one elite superstar could not be added for fans to be excited about

Yea

Fangraphs est. them at $107M in 2026 which still includes NADO, Gray and WillyC while est. ARB's/Rookie salaries.

And I agree, I showed yesterday in another thread about F. Tatis, Jr that they could easily afford him (or another high salaried YOUNG PLAYER) who fits the re-build mold:

Re: Fernando Tatis Jr
Post by rockondlouie » 12 Nov 2025 14:17 pm

Per fangraphs

Cardinals est. on-the-books payroll:

2027
$38.5M (This includes NADO) + ARBS + Pre-ARBS + Rookies
(ARB 3/4 Donny-Noot-Pallante-King could all be gone via trades and DFA leaving only a few ARB 2's,ARB 1's and Pre's)

2028
$5M (WillyC's buyout) + ARBS + Pre-ARBS + Rookies

2029-------------Virtually nothing!

JJW + Tatis = BUTTS in the seats watching these two!

35 year season ticket holder here. Haven’t been to a game in 3 years. I would go to 5 games to see Doyle Tatis and Wetherholt it’s all about superstars

[rockondlouie]

So if the Cardinals are able to trade Gray and Arenado they should have cleared $40-$50m from payroll depending on how much they eat. If they don’t reinvest that plus some of the $50m they removed last year into the payroll ownership is giving the middle finger to the fans. With all this youth the need for elite superstar high end talent to make fans want to buy tickets should be the number 1 priority. I am thinking Murakami and Valdez would be my targets.

I'd assume BDWJr eats:

-$20-25M of NADO's deal for a couple of lotto tickets

-$15-20M of S. Gray's for a solid return

(WIllyC stays)

That should save him that $40+M you mentioned.

I could see BDWJr giving a portion of that to add player salary either via trades or thru FA.

I'm expecting a $110-125M payroll in 2026.

It’s currently at $75m obligated before arb and that’s with NA and Gray being takking $57m of that. So it $40m is taken away that is $35m in contracts before arb. No reason one elite superstar could not be added for fans to be excited about

Yea

Fangraphs est. them at $107M in 2026 which still includes NADO, Gray and WillyC while est. ARB's/Rookie salaries.

And I agree, I showed yesterday in another thread about F. Tatis, Jr that they could easily afford him (or another high salaried YOUNG PLAYER) who fits the re-build mold:

Re: Fernando Tatis Jr
Post by rockondlouie » 12 Nov 2025 14:17 pm

Per fangraphs

Cardinals est. on-the-books payroll:

2027
$38.5M (This includes NADO) + ARBS + Pre-ARBS + Rookies
(ARB 3/4 Donny-Noot-Pallante-King could all be gone via trades and DFA leaving only a few ARB 2's,ARB 1's and Pre's)

2028
$5M (WillyC's buyout) + ARBS + Pre-ARBS + Rookies

2029-------------Virtually nothing!

JJW + Tatis = BUTTS in the seats watching these two!

35 year season ticket holder here. Haven’t been to a game in 3 years. I would go to 5 games to see Doyle Tatis and Wetherholt it’s all about superstars

Over a decade here and counting (but cut down from four to two given the lack of demand last season from my customers).

From what I've been told BDWJr does want "star" power again, let's hope C. Bloom can talk him into paying for it.

[Youboughtit]

So if the Cardinals are able to trade Gray and Arenado they should have cleared $40-$50m from payroll depending on how much they eat. If they don’t reinvest that plus some of the $50m they removed last year into the payroll ownership is giving the middle finger to the fans. With all this youth the need for elite superstar high end talent to make fans want to buy tickets should be the number 1 priority. I am thinking Murakami and Valdez would be my targets.

I'd assume BDWJr eats:

-$20-25M of NADO's deal for a couple of lotto tickets

-$15-20M of S. Gray's for a solid return

(WIllyC stays)

That should save him that $40+M you mentioned.

I could see BDWJr giving a portion of that to add player salary either via trades or thru FA.

I'm expecting a $110-125M payroll in 2026.

It’s currently at $75m obligated before arb and that’s with NA and Gray being takking $57m of that. So it $40m is taken away that is $35m in contracts before arb. No reason one elite superstar could not be added for fans to be excited about

Yea

Fangraphs est. them at $107M in 2026 which still includes NADO, Gray and WillyC while est. ARB's/Rookie salaries.

And I agree, I showed yesterday in another thread about F. Tatis, Jr that they could easily afford him (or another high salaried YOUNG PLAYER) who fits the re-build mold:

Re: Fernando Tatis Jr
Post by rockondlouie » 12 Nov 2025 14:17 pm

Per fangraphs

Cardinals est. on-the-books payroll:

2027
$38.5M (This includes NADO) + ARBS + Pre-ARBS + Rookies
(ARB 3/4 Donny-Noot-Pallante-King could all be gone via trades and DFA leaving only a few ARB 2's,ARB 1's and Pre's)

2028
$5M (WillyC's buyout) + ARBS + Pre-ARBS + Rookies

2029-------------Virtually nothing!

JJW + Tatis = BUTTS in the seats watching these two!

35 year season ticket holder here. Haven’t been to a game in 3 years. I would go to 5 games to see Doyle Tatis and Wetherholt it’s all about superstars

Over a decade here and counting (but cut down from four to two given the lack of demand last season from my customers).

From what I've been told BDWJr does want "star" power again, let's hope C. Bloom can talk him into paying for it.

Star power and superstar are vague. To me fans crave a future HOF caliber player they want to buy a jersey of. A perineal all star.