The CORRECT plan to win 85 games next year and 90+ following.

[Melville]

It is too soon to determine the Bloom/DeWitt objective for 2026 and beyond.
Perhaps they drag payroll even lower, perhaps they want to scrape to the bare earth and start over.
But that isn't necessary.
If they desire for the team to win at least 85/86 games next year, and 90+ in years following, it can be accomplished quite easily.
The organization can be fixed in 30 days or less - and I am happy to provide the correct roadmap.
But strategic decision making can only be effective if based on current data.
So, let’s start there.
First, the adequate and the good.
The 2025 STL offense was almost exactly middle of the pack in both BA (.245 with .247 being the MLB midpoint) and OBP (.314 vs. .315 midpoint.)
Note concerning OBP – only Nootbaar (11%) and Gorman (12%) drew walks at an above average rate.
Strikeouts were not really an issue since the team was just 40 above the MLB midpoint for the entire season.
STL excelled at hitting doubles, ranking 10 best and a reason for optimism.
No significant issues in those metrics.
Now the bad.
29th in HR (only 4 players were on pace for 20+ HR per 600 PA’s (Contreras, Herrera, Gorman, Burleson).
30th in triples.
20th in SB, with only Scott surpassing 10 for the year.
Team was 7th worst at GIDP with 115 (Herrera worst by a wide margin with 20; Gorman best with just 1).
These facts dictate why the team was 19th in MLB in runs scored, and 12th out of 16 NL team.
The outfield was easily the primary issue for the offense: the 3 starters (Nootbaar/Scott/Walker) scored a pathetic 68, 54, and 40 runs, while “driving in” an even worse 48, 41, and 37.
As I alone was first and best to analyze and explain many years ago, the outfield is the area of horrific weakness and currently has zero adequate starters.
Next, let’s look at roster construction going into 2026, examining the 15 position players most likely under consideration for a roster spot.
LH – BURLESON, DONOVAN, WETHERHOLT, CROOKS, GORMAN, NOOTBAAR, SCOTT, CHURCH
RH – WALKER, PAGES, CONTRERAS, HERRERA, WINN, SAGGESE, FERMIN
4 outfielders, 8 infielders, 2 catchers, 1 with no real position.
What does the data establish?
The outfield is a disaster.
Overall, the lineup has not enough power, is too slow, has too many LH bats.
Here is the roster solution for 2026 and the correct off-season plan to achieve it:
The team simply cannot trade what little power it has, meaning Contreras (1B/DH), Burleson (1B, DH, RF), Gorman (3B/2B,1B), and Herrera (TBD) must be retained for 2026.
The team can ill afford to get even slower, so Scott must be retained in CF and be given another opportunity.
No discussion needed that Winn must return at SS - primarily for the glove but the bat is certainly more than adequate on a properly constructed roster.
A RH/LH tandem of Pages/Crooks at catcher is the most probable at that spot.
Herrera's power may or may not be real (he hit nearly 2/3 of his HR in just 4 weeks), but he needs to find a position, with outfield being the best option while rotating through DH appearances.
Wetherholt is going to play (2B is best option) and if he hits, he should belong at leadoff - but it will be wise to have insurance.
That leaves Nootbaar, Donovan, Church, Walker, Saggese, and Fermin as the question marks.
Here is the correct answer to each.
Trade Nootbaar.
Trade Walker.
Trade Saggese or Fermin, whichever is preferred by an acquiring team as part of a larger package.
Move Donovan to LF - and he doubles as infield insurance in the event of underperformance.
Church is a passable 5th outfielder - but a RH hitting bench CF option might be an upgrade (worth noting that Joshua Baez should get long looks in CF in Memphis to begin 2026).
This is the 100% correct answer with each of the current roster options.
But it leaves one critical need unmet.
The team simply must add a RH hitting, ASG quality, productive, middle order bat (3rd or 4th) outfield bat - as I alone have unerringly and consistently stated for 5+ years.
By shopping/packaging Nootbaar, Walker, Saggese or Fermin, as well as 40-man roster fillers Pozo, Prieto, Koperniak, & Siani, along with prospects such as Bernal and C. Davis, there are plenty of trade pieces available (pitchers will be discussed later) to make that acquisition.
Finally, depending on a number of factors, this would potentially leave the team with one extra LH bat (Burleson, Donovan, Gorman, Scott) to use as a trade piece in July to address needs which emerge before the trade deadline - but these 4 should be retained until then.
There you have it.
The 100% fully accurate plan (completely unbiased, of course), to address position player roster decisions for 2026 and beyond.
My 100% fully accurate plan for the pitching staff will likely be provided this evening.
If STL does precisely as I advise, the team will win 85+games next season.
I give my personal guarantee.
Easy.
Obvious.
Correct.

We were 5 games over .500 this year at the all star break but didn't add. 85 was easily within reach.

Exactly.
It CAN be done.
It isn't that much of a heavy lift.
Simply requires making the right decisions as to who to trade in order to fill 3 very specific needs for a brief 2-year period.

How many games over .500 would they have to be to add? Mozeliak said publicly he wanted to add. Bloom disagreed and they were 11 games under .500 after the all star break.

Maybe the master plan will work out but early results are not impressive.

STL controlled a W/C spot in July of last year and again this year.
They collapsed both times.
The team is absolutely horrendous at understanding fundamentals and even worse at executing them.
That is 100% on the shoulders of The Marmot and staff.
With a competent manager, they almost certainly would have eked into a W/C spot.
Regrettably, Bloom has made his first major mistake in retaining The Marmot for next year.
Let's hope he is better at roster construction.
That should be very easy for him to do.
After all, I have provided the perfect blueprint.

[Melville]

Addendum concerning the defense, which has not been referenced much - but the perfect approach I have outlined would certainly improve the team in that area as well.
Donovan in LF would be a huge upgrade over Nootbaar, who was absolutely dreadful in 2025.
Anyone in RF will be an upgrade over Walker in RF.
Wetherholt should be better than Donovan at 2B.
And Gorman, though with far less range than Arenado, has a stronger arm for throws across the diamond and is better than N/A on turning DP's around the horn - there will be a bit fall off at 3B overall but not as much as many fear.
And that is more than made up for with the improvements at other spots.

[ScotchMIrish]

It is too soon to determine the Bloom/DeWitt objective for 2026 and beyond.
Perhaps they drag payroll even lower, perhaps they want to scrape to the bare earth and start over.
But that isn't necessary.
If they desire for the team to win at least 85/86 games next year, and 90+ in years following, it can be accomplished quite easily.
The organization can be fixed in 30 days or less - and I am happy to provide the correct roadmap.
But strategic decision making can only be effective if based on current data.
So, let’s start there.
First, the adequate and the good.
The 2025 STL offense was almost exactly middle of the pack in both BA (.245 with .247 being the MLB midpoint) and OBP (.314 vs. .315 midpoint.)
Note concerning OBP – only Nootbaar (11%) and Gorman (12%) drew walks at an above average rate.
Strikeouts were not really an issue since the team was just 40 above the MLB midpoint for the entire season.
STL excelled at hitting doubles, ranking 10 best and a reason for optimism.
No significant issues in those metrics.
Now the bad.
29th in HR (only 4 players were on pace for 20+ HR per 600 PA’s (Contreras, Herrera, Gorman, Burleson).
30th in triples.
20th in SB, with only Scott surpassing 10 for the year.
Team was 7th worst at GIDP with 115 (Herrera worst by a wide margin with 20; Gorman best with just 1).
These facts dictate why the team was 19th in MLB in runs scored, and 12th out of 16 NL team.
The outfield was easily the primary issue for the offense: the 3 starters (Nootbaar/Scott/Walker) scored a pathetic 68, 54, and 40 runs, while “driving in” an even worse 48, 41, and 37.
As I alone was first and best to analyze and explain many years ago, the outfield is the area of horrific weakness and currently has zero adequate starters.
Next, let’s look at roster construction going into 2026, examining the 15 position players most likely under consideration for a roster spot.
LH – BURLESON, DONOVAN, WETHERHOLT, CROOKS, GORMAN, NOOTBAAR, SCOTT, CHURCH
RH – WALKER, PAGES, CONTRERAS, HERRERA, WINN, SAGGESE, FERMIN
4 outfielders, 8 infielders, 2 catchers, 1 with no real position.
What does the data establish?
The outfield is a disaster.
Overall, the lineup has not enough power, is too slow, has too many LH bats.
Here is the roster solution for 2026 and the correct off-season plan to achieve it:
The team simply cannot trade what little power it has, meaning Contreras (1B/DH), Burleson (1B, DH, RF), Gorman (3B/2B,1B), and Herrera (TBD) must be retained for 2026.
The team can ill afford to get even slower, so Scott must be retained in CF and be given another opportunity.
No discussion needed that Winn must return at SS - primarily for the glove but the bat is certainly more than adequate on a properly constructed roster.
A RH/LH tandem of Pages/Crooks at catcher is the most probable at that spot.
Herrera's power may or may not be real (he hit nearly 2/3 of his HR in just 4 weeks), but he needs to find a position, with outfield being the best option while rotating through DH appearances.
Wetherholt is going to play (2B is best option) and if he hits, he should belong at leadoff - but it will be wise to have insurance.
That leaves Nootbaar, Donovan, Church, Walker, Saggese, and Fermin as the question marks.
Here is the correct answer to each.
Trade Nootbaar.
Trade Walker.
Trade Saggese or Fermin, whichever is preferred by an acquiring team as part of a larger package.
Move Donovan to LF - and he doubles as infield insurance in the event of underperformance.
Church is a passable 5th outfielder - but a RH hitting bench CF option might be an upgrade (worth noting that Joshua Baez should get long looks in CF in Memphis to begin 2026).
This is the 100% correct answer with each of the current roster options.
But it leaves one critical need unmet.
The team simply must add a RH hitting, ASG quality, productive, middle order bat (3rd or 4th) outfield bat - as I alone have unerringly and consistently stated for 5+ years.
By shopping/packaging Nootbaar, Walker, Saggese or Fermin, as well as 40-man roster fillers Pozo, Prieto, Koperniak, & Siani, along with prospects such as Bernal and C. Davis, there are plenty of trade pieces available (pitchers will be discussed later) to make that acquisition.
Finally, depending on a number of factors, this would potentially leave the team with one extra LH bat (Burleson, Donovan, Gorman, Scott) to use as a trade piece in July to address needs which emerge before the trade deadline - but these 4 should be retained until then.
There you have it.
The 100% fully accurate plan (completely unbiased, of course), to address position player roster decisions for 2026 and beyond.
My 100% fully accurate plan for the pitching staff will likely be provided this evening.
If STL does precisely as I advise, the team will win 85+games next season.
I give my personal guarantee.
Easy.
Obvious.
Correct.

We were 5 games over .500 this year at the all star break but didn't add. 85 was easily within reach.

Exactly.
It CAN be done.
It isn't that much of a heavy lift.
Simply requires making the right decisions as to who to trade in order to fill 3 very specific needs for a brief 2-year period.

How many games over .500 would they have to be to add? Mozeliak said publicly he wanted to add. Bloom disagreed and they were 11 games under .500 after the all star break.

Maybe the master plan will work out but early results are not impressive.

STL controlled a W/C spot in July of last year and again this year.
They collapsed both times.
The team is absolutely horrendous at understanding fundamentals and even worse at executing them.
That is 100% on the shoulders of The Marmot and staff.
With a competent manager, they almost certainly would have eked into a W/C spot.
Regrettably, Bloom has made his first major mistake in retaining The Marmot for next year.
Let's hope he is better at roster construction.
That should be very easy for him to do.
After all, I have provided the perfect blueprint.

Perhaps they can't adjust because they addicted to analytics and don't have enough veteran baseball men who understand the nuances of the game.

[Melville]

It is too soon to determine the Bloom/DeWitt objective for 2026 and beyond.
Perhaps they drag payroll even lower, perhaps they want to scrape to the bare earth and start over.
But that isn't necessary.
If they desire for the team to win at least 85/86 games next year, and 90+ in years following, it can be accomplished quite easily.
The organization can be fixed in 30 days or less - and I am happy to provide the correct roadmap.
But strategic decision making can only be effective if based on current data.
So, let’s start there.
First, the adequate and the good.
The 2025 STL offense was almost exactly middle of the pack in both BA (.245 with .247 being the MLB midpoint) and OBP (.314 vs. .315 midpoint.)
Note concerning OBP – only Nootbaar (11%) and Gorman (12%) drew walks at an above average rate.
Strikeouts were not really an issue since the team was just 40 above the MLB midpoint for the entire season.
STL excelled at hitting doubles, ranking 10 best and a reason for optimism.
No significant issues in those metrics.
Now the bad.
29th in HR (only 4 players were on pace for 20+ HR per 600 PA’s (Contreras, Herrera, Gorman, Burleson).
30th in triples.
20th in SB, with only Scott surpassing 10 for the year.
Team was 7th worst at GIDP with 115 (Herrera worst by a wide margin with 20; Gorman best with just 1).
These facts dictate why the team was 19th in MLB in runs scored, and 12th out of 16 NL team.
The outfield was easily the primary issue for the offense: the 3 starters (Nootbaar/Scott/Walker) scored a pathetic 68, 54, and 40 runs, while “driving in” an even worse 48, 41, and 37.
As I alone was first and best to analyze and explain many years ago, the outfield is the area of horrific weakness and currently has zero adequate starters.
Next, let’s look at roster construction going into 2026, examining the 15 position players most likely under consideration for a roster spot.
LH – BURLESON, DONOVAN, WETHERHOLT, CROOKS, GORMAN, NOOTBAAR, SCOTT, CHURCH
RH – WALKER, PAGES, CONTRERAS, HERRERA, WINN, SAGGESE, FERMIN
4 outfielders, 8 infielders, 2 catchers, 1 with no real position.
What does the data establish?
The outfield is a disaster.
Overall, the lineup has not enough power, is too slow, has too many LH bats.
Here is the roster solution for 2026 and the correct off-season plan to achieve it:
The team simply cannot trade what little power it has, meaning Contreras (1B/DH), Burleson (1B, DH, RF), Gorman (3B/2B,1B), and Herrera (TBD) must be retained for 2026.
The team can ill afford to get even slower, so Scott must be retained in CF and be given another opportunity.
No discussion needed that Winn must return at SS - primarily for the glove but the bat is certainly more than adequate on a properly constructed roster.
A RH/LH tandem of Pages/Crooks at catcher is the most probable at that spot.
Herrera's power may or may not be real (he hit nearly 2/3 of his HR in just 4 weeks), but he needs to find a position, with outfield being the best option while rotating through DH appearances.
Wetherholt is going to play (2B is best option) and if he hits, he should belong at leadoff - but it will be wise to have insurance.
That leaves Nootbaar, Donovan, Church, Walker, Saggese, and Fermin as the question marks.
Here is the correct answer to each.
Trade Nootbaar.
Trade Walker.
Trade Saggese or Fermin, whichever is preferred by an acquiring team as part of a larger package.
Move Donovan to LF - and he doubles as infield insurance in the event of underperformance.
Church is a passable 5th outfielder - but a RH hitting bench CF option might be an upgrade (worth noting that Joshua Baez should get long looks in CF in Memphis to begin 2026).
This is the 100% correct answer with each of the current roster options.
But it leaves one critical need unmet.
The team simply must add a RH hitting, ASG quality, productive, middle order bat (3rd or 4th) outfield bat - as I alone have unerringly and consistently stated for 5+ years.
By shopping/packaging Nootbaar, Walker, Saggese or Fermin, as well as 40-man roster fillers Pozo, Prieto, Koperniak, & Siani, along with prospects such as Bernal and C. Davis, there are plenty of trade pieces available (pitchers will be discussed later) to make that acquisition.
Finally, depending on a number of factors, this would potentially leave the team with one extra LH bat (Burleson, Donovan, Gorman, Scott) to use as a trade piece in July to address needs which emerge before the trade deadline - but these 4 should be retained until then.
There you have it.
The 100% fully accurate plan (completely unbiased, of course), to address position player roster decisions for 2026 and beyond.
My 100% fully accurate plan for the pitching staff will likely be provided this evening.
If STL does precisely as I advise, the team will win 85+games next season.
I give my personal guarantee.
Easy.
Obvious.
Correct.

We were 5 games over .500 this year at the all star break but didn't add. 85 was easily within reach.

Exactly.
It CAN be done.
It isn't that much of a heavy lift.
Simply requires making the right decisions as to who to trade in order to fill 3 very specific needs for a brief 2-year period.

How many games over .500 would they have to be to add? Mozeliak said publicly he wanted to add. Bloom disagreed and they were 11 games under .500 after the all star break.

Maybe the master plan will work out but early results are not impressive.

STL controlled a W/C spot in July of last year and again this year.
They collapsed both times.
The team is absolutely horrendous at understanding fundamentals and even worse at executing them.
That is 100% on the shoulders of The Marmot and staff.
With a competent manager, they almost certainly would have eked into a W/C spot.
Regrettably, Bloom has made his first major mistake in retaining The Marmot for next year.
Let's hope he is better at roster construction.
That should be very easy for him to do.
After all, I have provided the perfect blueprint.

Perhaps they can't adjust because they addicted to analytics and don't have enough veteran baseball men who understand the nuances of the game.

You have succinctly, correctly, brilliantly identified the single most important challenge facing not just the Cardinals but all of MLB.
The future of the sport is balanced on the precise point you made.

[CorneliusWolfe]

STL controlled a W/C spot in July of last year and again this year.
They collapsed both times.
The team is absolutely horrendous at understanding fundamentals and even worse at executing them.
That is 100% on the shoulders of The Marmot and staff.
With a competent manager, they almost certainly would have eked into a W/C spot.
Regrettably, Bloom has made his first major mistake in retaining The Marmot for next year.
Let's hope he is better at roster construction.
That should be very easy for him to do.
After all, I have provided the perfect blueprint.

I don’t think retaining Marmol is on Bloom. They’ll spin it that way, but if he truly believed in him he’d have extended him for at least a year as a vote of confidence and avoid lame duck. That must’ve been the compromise with BDW because he didn’t want to eat the money.

He’s done it a little in the past but only because Mo got his feelings hurt and he was under Mo’s spell with the promise of a winning product for a fraction of the price.

[riff raff]

Oli's salary is a drop in the bucket. I mean it's nothing. Thinking otherwise is delusional.
Oli is here because Bloom made the decision to retain him. He wasn't forced to, and it isn't a money matter.

[renostl]

Exactly.
It CAN be done.
It isn't that much of a heavy lift.
Simply requires making the right decisions as to who to trade in order to fill 3 very specific needs for a brief 2-year period.

How many games over .500 would they have to be to add? Mozeliak said publicly he wanted to add. Bloom disagreed and they were 11 games under .500 after the all star break.

Maybe the master plan will work out but early results are not impressive.

STL controlled a W/C spot in July of last year and again this year.
They collapsed both times.
The team is absolutely horrendous at understanding fundamentals and even worse at executing them.
That is 100% on the shoulders of The Marmot and staff.
With a competent manager, they almost certainly would have eked into a W/C spot.
Regrettably, Bloom has made his first major mistake in retaining The Marmot for next year.
Let's hope he is better at roster construction.
That should be very easy for him to do.
After all, I have provided the perfect blueprint.

You understand that most are not Marmol fans.

In an attempt to find a silver lining in something we have zero control over.
He is not alfa material.
You've seen companies where the right- and left-hand people are the
more influential people in the day-to-day operations of the company.

Bloom should provide an improved roster mix, difficult to not improve.
He also should be giving a subordinate a direction that he wants followed.
Oli will follow as he followed MO's direction.
A stronger mix in the assistant coaches could improve the preparation and
in game strategy. Bloom has said the on field this has not worked itself out yet.

All I got, but I have seen it and been a part of it. The manger is a conduit from
the FO.

[CorneliusWolfe]

Oli's salary is a drop in the bucket. I mean it's nothing. Thinking otherwise is delusional.
Oli is here because Bloom made the decision to retain him. He wasn't forced to, and it isn't a money matter.

Would you begin your legacy with a lame duck manager who hasn’t accomplished anything and hasn’t lead his team to a single playoff series win?

The argument other than being cheap is because they don’t plan on being competitive and Marmol doesn’t care because it’s the only manager job he can get. You’re delusional if you think he’s being retained due to potential and leadership ability.

[Melville]

Oli's salary is a drop in the bucket. I mean it's nothing. Thinking otherwise is delusional.
Oli is here because Bloom made the decision to retain him. He wasn't forced to, and it isn't a money matter.

This is correct.
Bloom is either the POBO or he isn't.
Blaming DeWitt (and there are certainly ample other items which to criticize him) for The Marmot's retention is nonsense.
Bloom kept him.
Period.
Might be due to weakness.
Might be due to stupidity.
But making that call is 100% the responsibility of POBO.
Strike One for Bloom.
Hopefully he is far better at understanding and executing the perfect roadmap I have provided in this thread.
This organization can be fixed in 30 days or less.
All that is required is the skill and the will.
Bloom got this first decision terribly wrong.
We will be watching his coming decisions very closely.

[Melville]

Exactly.
It CAN be done.
It isn't that much of a heavy lift.
Simply requires making the right decisions as to who to trade in order to fill 3 very specific needs for a brief 2-year period.

How many games over .500 would they have to be to add? Mozeliak said publicly he wanted to add. Bloom disagreed and they were 11 games under .500 after the all star break.

Maybe the master plan will work out but early results are not impressive.

STL controlled a W/C spot in July of last year and again this year.
They collapsed both times.
The team is absolutely horrendous at understanding fundamentals and even worse at executing them.
That is 100% on the shoulders of The Marmot and staff.
With a competent manager, they almost certainly would have eked into a W/C spot.
Regrettably, Bloom has made his first major mistake in retaining The Marmot for next year.
Let's hope he is better at roster construction.
That should be very easy for him to do.
After all, I have provided the perfect blueprint.

You understand that most are not Marmol fans.

In an attempt to find a silver lining in something we have zero control over.
He is not alfa material.
You've seen companies where the right- and left-hand people are the
more influential people in the day-to-day operations of the company.

Bloom should provide an improved roster mix, difficult to not improve.
He also should be giving a subordinate a direction that he wants followed.
Oli will follow as he followed MO's direction.
A stronger mix in the assistant coaches could improve the preparation and
in game strategy. Bloom has said the on field this has not worked itself out yet.

All I got, but I have seen it and been a part of it. The manger is a conduit from
the FO.

Your conclusion is correct and concerning.
The Marmot is not a strong leader (although he is highly skilled at comically starting at home plate umpires who ignore him as they would a house fly).
His staff does not show results on the field.
And that is a real problem since, as pointed out with your well-turned phrase, the manager is indeed a conduit from the front office.
Retaining The Marmot suggests that he and Bloom are on the same page - and if that is true it spells disaster for 2026.
My perfect plan can only solve the roster construction issue - but if the Bloom & Marmot marriage is no different than the TOXIC "sustainable mediocrity" goal shared by Super Slo Mo & Marmot, then not much will change.
Maintaining current staff means Bloom has embraced the status quo.
Massive blunder on his part in so many ways.

[Melville]

Oli's salary is a drop in the bucket. I mean it's nothing. Thinking otherwise is delusional.
Oli is here because Bloom made the decision to retain him. He wasn't forced to, and it isn't a money matter.

Would you begin your legacy with a lame duck manager who hasn’t accomplished anything and hasn’t lead his team to a single playoff series win?

The argument other than being cheap is because they don’t plan on being competitive and Marmol doesn’t care because it’s the only manager job he can get. You’re delusional if you think he’s being retained due to potential and leadership ability.

Correct.
71-91, 5th place.
83-79, 3rd place
78-84, 4th place
That is not a record of leadership and most certainly does not indicate potential.
It is sustained mediocrity.
And by retaining The Marmot, Bloom has put his person stamp of approval on the status quo.
As perfect as my analysis is, which is guaranteed to produce 85 or more wins in 2020 and 90 in years following, it won't work if Bloom does not very quickly get better in his judgement and decision making.
Bloom is like a starting pitcher who gave up a grand slam after the first four hitters in the first inning.
He put his team in a big hole instantly - but there is time to overcome it.
We shall see.

[dugoutrex]

Oli's salary is a drop in the bucket. I mean it's nothing. Thinking otherwise is delusional.
Oli is here because Bloom made the decision to retain him. He wasn't forced to, and it isn't a money matter.

Would you begin your legacy with a lame duck manager who hasn’t accomplished anything and hasn’t lead his team to a single playoff series win?

The argument other than being cheap is because they don’t plan on being competitive and Marmol doesn’t care because it’s the only manager job he can get. You’re delusional if you think he’s being retained due to potential and leadership ability.

Correct.
71-91, 5th place.
83-79, 3rd place
78-84, 4th place
That is not a record of leadership and most certainly does not indicate potential.
It is sustained mediocrity.
And by retaining The Marmot, Bloom has put his person stamp of approval on the status quo.
As perfect as my analysis is, which is guaranteed to produce 85 or more wins in 2020 and 90 in years following, it won't work if Bloom does not very quickly get better in his judgement and decision making.
Bloom is like a starting pitcher who gave up a grand slam after the first four hitters in the first inning.
He put his team in a big hole instantly - but there is time to overcome it.
We shall see.

are you on break again girl?

[ClassicO]

Mel - You are as delusional as Shady.

"Add a RH hitting, ASG quality, productive, middle order bat (3rd or 4th) outfield bat." How!? Who? It's as if you are 5 years old and are writing to Santa.

Your trade ideas are equally childish. You call players lousy and then say they can get a "quality 2-year starter and a high ceiling outfielder" in return. A joke. Tell us who they could get (an actual name) for Noot, Walker, and Saggese/Fermin! (Hint - no one worth a darn.) It's worse because you then add a bunch of underperforming minor league players like C. Davis to your trade list -- as if that is an answer.

You say Herrera's "problem is he just isn't very good,” but you continue to champion Gorman. Gorman is awful defensively, incredibly slow and hasn't hit in 2 years. You are stuck with him only because you predicted he was a unicorn. (Send Gorman and Walker to AAA and try to let them earn a spot, because they won't bring anything of value in a trade at present.)

Donovan in LF? Yet he was a -2 DRS and -2 OAA in LF. His routes are poor. He and Noot were equally awful defensively out there. The ONLY position where Donny is not a negative is 3b (+7 DRS). But you'd play Gorman at 3b (-3 DRS/-9 OAA/-7 Range and worse at 2b) and Donny in LF to solidify the defense? Idiotic.

I don't like Oli, but only a fool would believe that any manager who had such pitiful performances from Gorman, Noot, Walker, VSII, Arenado, and 4 of the 5 starters you started the year with, would have "eked out a WC spot." Oh yeah - add Helsley - who fell down and got traded -- despite your call to sign him for 4 years/$68M.

[riff raff]

Oli's salary is a drop in the bucket. I mean it's nothing. Thinking otherwise is delusional.
Oli is here because Bloom made the decision to retain him. He wasn't forced to, and it isn't a money matter.

Would you begin your legacy with a lame duck manager who hasn’t accomplished anything and hasn’t lead his team to a single playoff series win?

The argument other than being cheap is because they don’t plan on being competitive and Marmol doesn’t care because it’s the only manager job he can get. You’re delusional if you think he’s being retained due to potential and leadership ability.

I didn't say one thing about potential and leadership. Those are your words not mine.
My statement still stands.

[CorneliusWolfe]

Oli's salary is a drop in the bucket. I mean it's nothing. Thinking otherwise is delusional.
Oli is here because Bloom made the decision to retain him. He wasn't forced to, and it isn't a money matter.

Would you begin your legacy with a lame duck manager who hasn’t accomplished anything and hasn’t lead his team to a single playoff series win?

The argument other than being cheap is because they don’t plan on being competitive and Marmol doesn’t care because it’s the only manager job he can get. You’re delusional if you think he’s being retained due to potential and leadership ability.

I didn't say one thing about potential and leadership. Those are your words not mine.
My statement still stands.

My mistake then. Your defense of keeping him seemed like you are supportive of the move. If that is true, then do you not believe he’s a good leader with potential?

[Melville]

So, we have established Bloom whiffed on The Marmot decision.
Let's begin to examine other looming decisions.
I will track Bloom's progress, or lack thereof, throughout the offseason in this thread - and analyze each.
Obviously, "Chaim am trying to trade N/A again" is already in process.
Super Slo Mo traded N/A to Houston in the exact 96 hour window I predicted just about one year ago - and then N/A reneged and refused to report.
Precisely as I predicted, N/A quickly realized the enormity of the mistake caused by his petulance and is now eager to get out of town.
The clock is ticking again.
So, to what team will N/A be traded this time around?
Too soon to say.
However, currently I would place the Diamondbacks as the favorite to acquire him.