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How about drafting Braden Looper with the 3rd overall pick in 1996 only to not sign.

my definition of a bust would not be failed draft choices as those are a (bleep) shoot or careers derailed early by injury, but rather established players costing assets like good prospects or players who flourished after leaving stl. some mentioned van slyke, reuss, and allen. i would add vada pinson, ozuna, and my personal "favorite", bobby bonds, who john claiborne acquired for a future cy young award winner and a 10+ year starting outfielder. bonds spent one miserable year in stl with a 70 ops+. (and there are those who think mo is clueless).

Basil Shabazz wrote: ↑03 May 2025 14:30 pm If JWalk can’t figure this stuff out, where would he rank on the biggest bust list?

Lindemann, Aybar, Ankiel(P), Geronimo Pena, Rasmus, Carlson, To name a few that come to mind.

I don’t recall many being more hyped than Walker. Taveras maybe, but that’s a different story.

Heck, same thread could be made about Gorman

When I read this I’m triggered to - This is Spinal Tap, and the song Big Bottoms- talk about mudflaps, my girls got em.

Charlie Chant

Stlcardsblues wrote: ↑04 May 2025 01:49 am

jcgmoi wrote: ↑03 May 2025 15:43 pm Chad Hutchinson.

This one stings. He was a brutal bust for two of my teams, Cardinals and Cowboys.

I'm with you. He sucked for the Bears too but he cashed big checks wherever he went. Teams saw he was big and strong and confident and never noticed he wasn't good at all.

Hazelwood72 wrote: ↑03 May 2025 19:23 pm

rockondlouie wrote: ↑03 May 2025 14:32 pm Mo

Oli

Matheny

Rocko, you nailed it!!! In that order, too.

Thx Hawkeye!

rockondlouie wrote: ↑04 May 2025 08:52 am

Hazelwood72 wrote: ↑03 May 2025 19:23 pm

rockondlouie wrote: ↑03 May 2025 14:32 pm Mo

Oli

Matheny

Rocko, you nailed it!!! In that order, too.

Thx Hawkeye!

I don’t think so on Matheny. He was a no experience manager. What were the expectations? He started at zero reference experience.

sikeston bulldog2 wrote: ↑04 May 2025 08:58 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑04 May 2025 08:52 am

Hazelwood72 wrote: ↑03 May 2025 19:23 pm

rockondlouie wrote: ↑03 May 2025 14:32 pm Mo

Oli

Matheny

Rocko, you nailed it!!! In that order, too.

Thx Hawkeye!

I don’t think so on Matheny. He was a no experience manager. What were the expectations? He started at zero reference experience.

OMGosh BDog he was a trainwreck, destroying bullpen arms and mismanaging games left & right.

Expectations?

He was handed a defending WS champion that self-managed themselves yet he eventually drove them right into the ditch.

rockondlouie wrote: ↑04 May 2025 09:00 am

sikeston bulldog2 wrote: ↑04 May 2025 08:58 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑04 May 2025 08:52 am

Hazelwood72 wrote: ↑03 May 2025 19:23 pm

rockondlouie wrote: ↑03 May 2025 14:32 pm Mo

Oli

Matheny

Rocko, you nailed it!!! In that order, too.

Thx Hawkeye!

I don’t think so on Matheny. He was a no experience manager. What were the expectations? He started at zero reference experience.

OMGosh BDog he was a trainwreck, destroying bullpen arms and mismanaging games left & right.

Expectations?

He was handed a defending WS champion that self-managed themselves yet he eventually drove them right into the ditch.

You are talking characteristics. He has a 522 winning percentage. 3 NLC crowns all in succession. First manager ever to go to postseason in first four seasons. I’m talking about numbers.

vegascardsfan5890 wrote: ↑03 May 2025 16:13 pm Would JD Drew be counted as a bust?

All the hype and all the injuries. Though trading him lead to having wainwright and a World Series

Only if you were expecting him to be Mickey Mantle.

Drew had an outstanding major league career, putting up almost 45 bWAR, and 25 WAA, both value measures exceed those of Adam Wainwright who the Cardinal's acquired in exchange for Drew.

WAR (Drew compared to selected notable players) :
Drew: 44.9
Waino: 41.0
J. Edmonds: 60.4
R. Lankford: 38.2
Giancarlo Stanton: 44.9 (35)
Troy Tulowitzki: 44.8
Matt Holliday: 44.5

Cranny wrote: ↑03 May 2025 14:55 pm To be fair, maybe talk about the biggest successes too? Like AP, who ranks #2 in MLB history in RBI? And also ranks #4 in MLB history in HRs?

That wasn’t what this thread was about. Start your own positive thread if you want.

Boooyah wrote: ↑04 May 2025 06:55 am How about drafting Braden Looper with the 3rd overall pick in 1996 only to not sign.

He didn’t sign? We traded him to Florida in the Edgar Renteria deal

Boooyah wrote: ↑04 May 2025 04:58 am

DJ Davis wrote: ↑03 May 2025 21:21 pm

Boooyah wrote: ↑03 May 2025 18:05 pm

Basil Shabazz wrote: ↑03 May 2025 14:30 pm If JWalk can’t figure this stuff out, where would he rank on the biggest bust list?

Lindemann, Aybar, Ankiel(P), Geronimo Pena, Rasmus, Carlson, To name a few that come to mind.

I don’t recall many being more hyped than Walker. Taveras maybe, but that’s a different story.

Heck, same thread could be made about Gorman

Anthony Reyes and Alex Reyes were pretty big bust. If I remember correctly, Anthony Reyes was more highly regarded than Wainwright.

If Walker doesn’t figure it out I’d say he’s got to be near the top of the list though.

After the 06 World Series, they should’ve traded Anthony Reyes. His value was never higher after the gem pitched in that series.

Well, he was their number 1 pitching prospect who just had a pitching performance of a lifetime in one of the most important games. Young cost controlled pitcher with #1 or #2 potential. I don’t know why you’d trade that away.

Because I think there were some flags about whether he would really develop or not. Maybe a team would’ve taken him after that performance. Obviously he never did so that’s what i was thinking at the time. Also, remember there was scuttlebutt about him being traded.

sikeston bulldog2 wrote: ↑04 May 2025 09:08 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑04 May 2025 09:00 am

sikeston bulldog2 wrote: ↑04 May 2025 08:58 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑04 May 2025 08:52 am

Hazelwood72 wrote: ↑03 May 2025 19:23 pm

rockondlouie wrote: ↑03 May 2025 14:32 pm Mo

Oli

Matheny

Rocko, you nailed it!!! In that order, too.

Thx Hawkeye!

I don’t think so on Matheny. He was a no experience manager. What were the expectations? He started at zero reference experience.

OMGosh BDog he was a trainwreck, destroying bullpen arms and mismanaging games left & right.

Expectations?

He was handed a defending WS champion that self-managed themselves yet he eventually drove them right into the ditch.

You are talking characteristics. He has a 522 winning percentage. 3 NLC crowns all in succession. First manager ever to go to postseason in first four seasons. I’m talking about numbers.

The CARDINALS had a .522 winning%, 3 NLC titles IN SPITE of their poor Manager.

rockondlouie wrote: ↑04 May 2025 11:21 am

sikeston bulldog2 wrote: ↑04 May 2025 09:08 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑04 May 2025 09:00 am

sikeston bulldog2 wrote: ↑04 May 2025 08:58 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑04 May 2025 08:52 am

Hazelwood72 wrote: ↑03 May 2025 19:23 pm

rockondlouie wrote: ↑03 May 2025 14:32 pm Mo

Oli

Matheny

Rocko, you nailed it!!! In that order, too.

Thx Hawkeye!

I don’t think so on Matheny. He was a no experience manager. What were the expectations? He started at zero reference experience.

OMGosh BDog he was a trainwreck, destroying bullpen arms and mismanaging games left & right.

Expectations?

He was handed a defending WS champion that self-managed themselves yet he eventually drove them right into the ditch.

You are talking characteristics. He has a 522 winning percentage. 3 NLC crowns all in succession. First manager ever to go to postseason in first four seasons. I’m talking about numbers.

The CARDINALS had a .522 winning%, 3 NLC titles IN SPITE of their poor Manager.

We are talking busts. He was fairly successful. If we were talking in game decusions, you’d have a stronger argument.

sikeston bulldog2 wrote: ↑04 May 2025 11:24 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑04 May 2025 11:21 am

sikeston bulldog2 wrote: ↑04 May 2025 09:08 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑04 May 2025 09:00 am

sikeston bulldog2 wrote: ↑04 May 2025 08:58 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑04 May 2025 08:52 am

Hazelwood72 wrote: ↑03 May 2025 19:23 pm

rockondlouie wrote: ↑03 May 2025 14:32 pm Mo

Oli

Matheny

Rocko, you nailed it!!! In that order, too.

Thx Hawkeye!

I don’t think so on Matheny. He was a no experience manager. What were the expectations? He started at zero reference experience.

OMGosh BDog he was a trainwreck, destroying bullpen arms and mismanaging games left & right.

Expectations?

He was handed a defending WS champion that self-managed themselves yet he eventually drove them right into the ditch.

You are talking characteristics. He has a 522 winning percentage. 3 NLC crowns all in succession. First manager ever to go to postseason in first four seasons. I’m talking about numbers.

The CARDINALS had a .522 winning%, 3 NLC titles IN SPITE of their poor Manager.

We are talking busts. He was fairly successful. If we were talking in game decusions, you’d have a stronger argument.

All he was was a passenger, those teams were run by the veterans (Yadi, Holliday, Beltran, Berkman, Waino, Lohse, etal).