Go for it. Eff the retool

[Cranny]

Playoffs aren't guaranteed in the future. We are in great position, playing well, and fun to watch

Keep the vets
Make a trade for a starter at the deadline. Maybe some bench help
Need to do something with Gorman

What in the world is “eff the retool”?

Why do you feel behaving like a naive (bleep) is a viable conduit for righteous indignation?

He's a passive aggressive little troll.

Actually, 2ninr, trolls are guys who childishly disguise f bombs on a multigenerational forum.
And accuse those who take exception as being “little trolls”. You need to grow up, sir. Be a male.

Back to baseball. The mix of vets and developing young guys on this team is good. A successful formula for the future. If you made a trade for a veteran position player or signed one to a FA contract, where would you play him? Who would sit?

We can do better than Lars Nootbaar, for one.

Davis and Baez are coming.

[Melville]

If a respectable return presents itself, I’d still move Helsley regardless of the standings.

The CORRECT BASBEBALL DECISION is to extend Helsley for another 4 years sometime in the next 30 days.

20 years ago, I would've agreed with you. However, the number of closers who throw 100+ mph that enjoy long careers are becoming fewer and fewer. Reliever volatility is real and if the Cardinals can get close to a Chapman-like return for Helsley, they'd be crazy not to do it.

Offer 4 year extension.
17M a year, with 3M deferred annually and payable beginning in 2030.
5th year team option with 2M buyout.
Player opt out after year one and two.
He would sign it.
And it would be a smart move for STL.
Easy.
Obvious.
Correct.

[2ninr]

Playoffs aren't guaranteed in the future. We are in great position, playing well, and fun to watch

Keep the vets
Make a trade for a starter at the deadline. Maybe some bench help
Need to do something with Gorman

What in the world is “eff the retool”?

Why do you feel behaving like a naive (bleep) is a viable conduit for righteous indignation?

He's a passive aggressive little troll.

Actually, 2ninr, trolls are guys who childishly disguise f bombs on a multigenerational forum.
And accuse those who take exception as being “little trolls”. You need to grow up, sir. Be a male.

Back to baseball. The mix of vets and developing young guys on this team is good. A successful formula for the future. If you made a trade for a veteran position player or signed one to a FA contract, where would you play him? Who would sit?

Trollintrollintrollin!

[MIDMOBIRDTWO]

Need to move Fedde, Mikolas, and Helsley. Arenado would also be nice to shuffle off to another team.

[Talkin' Baseball]

Need to move Fedde, Mikolas, and Helsley. Arenado would also be nice to shuffle off to another team.

and Matz
and Maton
and a catcher
and a middle infielder
and our 27-28 year old "prospects" (Baker, Siani, Kopeniak, Prieto, etc)

[MIDMOBIRDTWO]

Need to move Fedde, Mikolas, and Helsley. Arenado would also be nice to shuffle off to another team.

and Matz
and Maton
and a catcher
and a middle infielder
and our 27-28 year old "prospects" (Baker, Siani, Kopeniak, Prieto, etc)

Yep, some combination of returns and some of those guys will have to replace the guys that get traded. Should get some talent for some of these guys.

[Cranny]

Playoffs aren't guaranteed in the future. We are in great position, playing well, and fun to watch

Keep the vets
Make a trade for a starter at the deadline. Maybe some bench help
Need to do something with Gorman

What in the world is “eff the retool”?

Why do you feel behaving like a naive (bleep) is a viable conduit for righteous indignation?

He's a passive aggressive little troll.

Actually, 2ninr, trolls are guys who childishly disguise f bombs on a multigenerational forum.
And accuse those who take exception as being “little trolls”. You need to grow up, sir. Be a male.

Back to baseball. The mix of vets and developing young guys on this team is good. A successful formula for the future. If you made a trade for a veteran position player or signed one to a FA contract, where would you play him? Who would sit?

Trollintrollintrollin!

Grow up, youngster.

[AtillaTheBlue1]

lol, you think this flawed roster can make a run.

they are going to be crashing back to earth soon. I just hope it's after the deadline so they can get value for their players.

[2ninr]

Playoffs aren't guaranteed in the future. We are in great position, playing well, and fun to watch

Keep the vets
Make a trade for a starter at the deadline. Maybe some bench help
Need to do something with Gorman

What in the world is “eff the retool”?

Why do you feel behaving like a naive (bleep) is a viable conduit for righteous indignation?

He's a passive aggressive little troll.

Actually, 2ninr, trolls are guys who childishly disguise f bombs on a multigenerational forum.
And accuse those who take exception as being “little trolls”. You need to grow up, sir. Be a male.

Back to baseball. The mix of vets and developing young guys on this team is good. A successful formula for the future. If you made a trade for a veteran position player or signed one to a FA contract, where would you play him? Who would sit?

Trollintrollintrollin!

Grow up, youngster.

TrollinTrollin Trollin!

[WLTFE]

Imagine spending time on an anonymous forum instructing others how to post...the arrogance is outstanding...perhaps they should mind their own [fork]ing business!

[2ninr]

Imagine spending time on an anonymous forum instructing others how to post...the arrogance is outstanding...perhaps they should mind their own [fork]ing business!

Years ago, I realized that people I admired, in real life and on the internet, didn't use foul language or were insulting to others. And never once did I hear them admonish or criticise others for their style. I'm not perfect, but I've tried to emulate those people. This was a perfect example of Cranny being a troll. His first post had no purpose but to troll the op for his language. Than when he was called on it, he came back all indignant, saying let's get back to baseball talk. JFTR Cranny, I have a 20 year old grandson and a 46 year old daughter. I'm not a youngster as you suggest.

[JDW]

Imagine spending time on an anonymous forum instructing others how to post...the arrogance is outstanding...perhaps they should mind their own [fork]ing business!

First he ask what eff means, then he keeps bumping it for the multi generations to get more opportunity to see ................... and probably most laugh at.

I just try an appreciate the humor of it all.

[Stlcardsblues]

Playoffs aren't guaranteed in the future. We are in great position, playing well, and fun to watch

Keep the vets
Make a trade for a starter at the deadline. Maybe some bench help
Need to do something with Gorman

I know this is a difficult item that people struggle with, but the correct answer is sell at the deadline. Mo and Bloom need to seriously look at the roster and compare it to the playoff teams. It does not match up well against any of the top teams. Adding a reliever or starting pitcher is not closing the gap enough to make it worth it.

The best case scenario is the team continues to stay in the race then unloads all of its free agents for higher return. They need to build out the future of this team. Some of the prospects can be used for improving the roster where others can be flipped for long term needs.

The only case where not trading the free agents makes sense is if there is no trade demand for the, where you are giving them away. In that case just hold them.

I was all for extending Helsley. That isn’t going to happen, so he has to be traded or it’s horrible roster asset management.

[Ronnie Dobbs]

"Go for it," meaning more winless games in the playoffs? Those sure are fun.

They don't have the SP to make a deep run in the playoffs, so it would HAVE to be SP and those guys cost dearly. What's the point of a rebuild if you trade away your prospects? Are there teams looking to trade a good SP for a Catcher who's going to play 130 games? I highly doubt that. I guess we could throw in Mikolas. Fedde has no more control years so he's useless to a tanking team.

We'll talk again at the All Star Break. May 30 is not the time. And no one is selling SP right now regardless.

HOWEVER...if they want to pick up one bullpen guy at any point, I'd support that, because it's desperately needed and relievers are not that hard to come by. That's a quick fix to get them to 90 wins and see what happens.

I think this is pretty realistic.

I think that our problem right now is pitching. I know that sounds crazy with a rotation that is pitching relatively well, but only 2/5 of our rotation have higher end talent, and really only Liberatore is the only one pitching really well. The others are doing enough to keep us in games, but that's not going to get you very far in the playoffs.

The other thing is, how long is Liberatore going to be able to keep this up? He threw 124 innings in 2021, 149 in 2022, 125 in 2023, and 86 last year. In good part due to horrid mismanagement from the Cardinals, he has not pitched a lot of innings in his career. Is he going to hit wall come August or September? Then what is our rotation going to look like? And that is assuming that the other four continue to hold up.

The other part I agree with is the cost of improving the team. We don't have a lot to part with. We're not going to trade any of our top prospects and a few of them are coming back from injuries anyway. We're not trading Wetherholt, or at least I hope not. A good starter is going to cost too much.

I can see a move for a bullpen arm, but that's about it. Maybe Mo makes one of his moves where he deals from the MLB roster and gets back and interesting player, but that's about it. But for this season, that's fine, I think.

[mattmitchl44]

They are going to figure this out at the All-Star break.

Again - IMO the question is whether, if they are "buyers," can they buy enough to make themselves one of the top 3-4 teams in the NL? Keeping in mind that teams like the Dodgers, Phillies, Mets, Cubs, Padres, and Giants will also likely be buying and making themselves better as well. So if the Cardinals are going to be "buyers" they have to be able to buy enough to be able to overcome whatever gap may exist between them and those other teams and also to overcome whatever additions so other teams will make.

If there isn't a feasible path for them to buy their way into being a top 3-4 team in the NL, they should sell and use this as an opportunity to load up further for 2026+.

[AnExParrot]

Playoffs aren't guaranteed in the future. We are in great position, playing well, and fun to watch

Keep the vets
Make a trade for a starter at the deadline. Maybe some bench help
Need to do something with Gorman

What in the world is “eff the retool”?

Why do you feel behaving like a naive (bleep) is a viable conduit for righteous indignation?

A perfect query, Q. No doubt he'll ignore it.