Mozeliak says willing to add payroll if in contention and soft July schedule

[ScotchMIrish]

https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/card ... tlook-2025

https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/schedule/2025-07

Washington 37 - 53
Atlanta 39 - 50
Arizona 44 - 46
San Diego 48 - 41
Miami 40 - 48

Only one team for the rest of July has a winning record. Cardinals currently 1 game out of the wild card. Barring a complete collapse we will be in contention on July 31.

The question then becomes what do we add? I think we need starting pitching but other contenders probably need it too. It will likely take a legit prospect or two to get a legit starting pitcher. The front office needs to be better at evaluating our minor league talent this time around and not trade away the future for short term attempt to compete.

[45s]

https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/card ... tlook-2025

https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/schedule/2025-07

Washington 37 - 53
Atlanta 39 - 50
Arizona 44 - 46
San Diego 48 - 41
Miami 40 - 48

Only one team for the rest of July has a winning record. Cardinals currently 1 game out of the wild card. Barring a complete collapse we will be in contention on July 31.

The question then becomes what do we add? I think we need starting pitching but other contenders probably need it too. It will likely take a legit prospect or two to get a legit starting pitcher. The front office needs to be better at evaluating our minor league talent this time around and not trade away the future for short term attempt to compete.

solid observations...

any available starting pitcher is likely in his walk year....

so to trade quality prospects for a rental......to chase a wildcard...is not a forward thinking strategy

[ScotchMIrish]

https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/card ... tlook-2025

https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/schedule/2025-07

Washington 37 - 53
Atlanta 39 - 50
Arizona 44 - 46
San Diego 48 - 41
Miami 40 - 48

Only one team for the rest of July has a winning record. Cardinals currently 1 game out of the wild card. Barring a complete collapse we will be in contention on July 31.

The question then becomes what do we add? I think we need starting pitching but other contenders probably need it too. It will likely take a legit prospect or two to get a legit starting pitcher. The front office needs to be better at evaluating our minor league talent this time around and not trade away the future for short term attempt to compete.

solid observations...

any available starting pitcher is likely in his walk year....

so to trade quality prospects for a rental......to chase a wildcard...is not a forward thinking strategy

I agree and I would put Bloom in a position to veto. He will be here in the future and should be stuck with a bad decision.

[HighHeet]

I wouldn't expect much.

[gghhamr]

Probably should not do anything until someone with a brain is in charge.

[craviduce]

the problem with this swoon we're in ....Pitching and Offense...you can't fix both. We don't have the assets to win bidding wars for players it would take to fix the Pitching and Offensive woes.

We're an above bad team or well below average team....we're young, with a few bad or aged vets...we're not expected to compete until probably after the Labor Issues are sorted in 2027/2028. Don't sell whatever progress we've made up until now for rentals that will likely not get us a WC.

[craviduce]

Miami is playing well above their current record. They had the best win streak recently.

[Melville]

https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/card ... tlook-2025

https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/schedule/2025-07

Washington 37 - 53
Atlanta 39 - 50
Arizona 44 - 46
San Diego 48 - 41
Miami 40 - 48

Only one team for the rest of July has a winning record. Cardinals currently 1 game out of the wild card. Barring a complete collapse we will be in contention on July 31.

The question then becomes what do we add? I think we need starting pitching but other contenders probably need it too. It will likely take a legit prospect or two to get a legit starting pitcher. The front office needs to be better at evaluating our minor league talent this time around and not trade away the future for short term attempt to compete.

solid observations...

any available starting pitcher is likely in his walk year....

so to trade quality prospects for a rental......to chase a wildcard...is not a forward thinking strategy

The needs and necessary strategy have not changed.
The summer trade deadline does not change anything either.
The team needs a quality starting pitcher and a RH outfield bat - each controlled for another 2 seasons (or more).
If the Cardinals are within 3 games of a WC in late July, accomplishing one or both of those needs without sacrificing the future is easily done.
Mootbaar must be traded - he serves no role whatsoever in STL but might fit the needs of another team.
N/A should be traded again.
Walker still holds value and should be made available under the right set of circumstances.
The team can move a reliever - Maton, Matz, Leahy, Svanson, Romero, or Graceffo - without torpedoing this season.
And, if the ever timid, ever fearful Mo could grow a spine on his way out the door and actually think big, Hence and Rodriguez are prospects who would bring significant return.
That is a dozen trade pieces who STL could and should make available - then find the fight combination of 4 or 5 to exchange for more necessary parts.
It is possible to be forward thinking and currently competitive.
All that is required is the skill and the will to do so.
Regrettably, Super Slo Mo's long track record of fear and trepidation indicates that he lacks both.

[rockondlouie]

Mo DOESN'T add payroll, BDWJr does.

This is Missouri, Dewitt has to Show Me he's willing to add if the Cards are within a couple games of a WC spot (or NLC).

[bccardsfan]

the problem with this swoon we're in ....Pitching and Offense...you can't fix both. We don't have the assets to win bidding wars for players it would take to fix the Pitching and Offensive woes.

We're an above bad team or well below average team....we're young, with a few bad or aged vets...we're not expected to compete until probably after the Labor Issues are sorted in 2027/2028. Don't sell whatever progress we've made up until now for rentals that will likely not get us a WC.

Basically I agree. The idea is to draft and develop. The lack of really good players in the pipeline has hurt them. There are a few keepers who have made it like Winn and Donnie, but we have had our run of Baders... Nootbars.... Burleys. These guys are role players, but they will not carry a team. You need a few of these guys on the roster. Whether drafted or just developed in our system, we have not brought up major talent. JW looks like a bust, Gorman shows signs of life, but is not a great defender and cannot consistently hit, etc... No, you are lucky to find a Pujols, but you need to get a few core players and pitchers on your roster coming up through the system. Then you spend some money or trade capital (i.e., we have young catchers) to fill in holes. Maybe you pay one ace, and one position player, but they will not be 30 million players. So fix the system. That is what is going on, and let's hope the new brain trust is good at draft and develop, and the GM actually has a plan and an ability to evaluate talent. MO has neither, and the constant parade of Motter type signings is just an insult to fans....

[Talkin' Baseball]

the problem with this swoon we're in ....Pitching and Offense...you can't fix both. We don't have the assets to win bidding wars for players it would take to fix the Pitching and Offensive woes.

We're an above bad team or well below average team....we're young, with a few bad or aged vets...we're not expected to compete until probably after the Labor Issues are sorted in 2027/2028. Don't sell whatever progress we've made up until now for rentals that will likely not get us a WC.

I'm with you- wouldn't even consider a rental. However, I do hope the Cardinals make trades. There are opportunities available at the deadline that aren't available at other times. There are teams that will "go for it" and be willing to trade prospects that you can't pry away at other times. A home run at the deadline to me would be figuring out a way to land 2-3 good prospects, whether that means one deal, or several. In addition to the expiring contracts that may mean players off the big league roster, or prospects at positions we have an excess of. I'm not talking about cleaning house, but there are only about a half dozen players who would be off-limits.

[Jobu's Rum]

https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/card ... tlook-2025

https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/schedule/2025-07

Washington 37 - 53
Atlanta 39 - 50
Arizona 44 - 46
San Diego 48 - 41
Miami 40 - 48

Only one team for the rest of July has a winning record. Cardinals currently 1 game out of the wild card. Barring a complete collapse we will be in contention on July 31.

The question then becomes what do we add? I think we need starting pitching but other contenders probably need it too. It will likely take a legit prospect or two to get a legit starting pitcher. The front office needs to be better at evaluating our minor league talent this time around and not trade away the future for short term attempt to compete.

After getting blasted and shut out by the Pirates like that, nothing can be considered a soft schedule for these losers

[RichieRichSTL]

the problem with this swoon we're in ....Pitching and Offense...you can't fix both. We don't have the assets to win bidding wars for players it would take to fix the Pitching and Offensive woes.

We're an above bad team or well below average team....we're young, with a few bad or aged vets...we're not expected to compete until probably after the Labor Issues are sorted in 2027/2028. Don't sell whatever progress we've made up until now for rentals that will likely not get us a WC.

The offense was significantly below average in 2023 and 2024. They were never going to be a top 10 offense this year. Some of their hitters have matured and that has helped them. Getting Contreras and Herrera in the offense at the same time is helpful. But they simply dont have enough firepower to be a top offense, they don't have a threat or two that can carry the offense or match up well against elite pitching when it matters. And aa we've seen, when Herrera is out of the lineup they struggle.

As we've seen time and again, a elite offense can carry a team which has some but not enough strong SP and an elite staff can cover for a solid, but nor elite offense. However, a team must at least be elite in one of those, in addition to having a nice BP and Defense.

Simply they just dont have enough elite talent to be a serious contender. They might be able to find a combination to get enough victories to slip into a watered down playoff, but not enough to threaten to make a title run.

[RichieRichSTL]

https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/card ... tlook-2025

https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/schedule/2025-07

Washington 37 - 53
Atlanta 39 - 50
Arizona 44 - 46
San Diego 48 - 41
Miami 40 - 48

Only one team for the rest of July has a winning record. Cardinals currently 1 game out of the wild card. Barring a complete collapse we will be in contention on July 31.

The question then becomes what do we add? I think we need starting pitching but other contenders probably need it too. It will likely take a legit prospect or two to get a legit starting pitcher. The front office needs to be better at evaluating our minor league talent this time around and not trade away the future for short term attempt to compete.

After getting blasted and shut out by the Pirates like that, nothing can be considered a soft schedule for these losers

There are more than enough hungry young players seeking to prove themselves or veterans seeking to reestablish their worth on the Pittsburgh Pirates of the world that they are going to fight for every at bats or every out. In other words, the gap between them and the Pirates for example is not so great that the Cardinals will win even if they underperform.

[rockondlouie]

the problem with this swoon we're in ....Pitching and Offense...you can't fix both. We don't have the assets to win bidding wars for players it would take to fix the Pitching and Offensive woes.

We're an above bad team or well below average team....we're young, with a few bad or aged vets...we're not expected to compete until probably after the Labor Issues are sorted in 2027/2028. Don't sell whatever progress we've made up until now for rentals that will likely not get us a WC.

Rentals?

H e l l no!

BUT

I'd definitely like to see them make a baseball trade, dealing (perhaps) a J. Walker for a player/piece that could be here for possibly the next four-five plus seasons.

And I'd hope BDWJr would let C. Bloom make that call since this is his team in a couple months.

[20th Century Boy]

Probably should not do anything until someone with a brain is in charge.

Yea, write this mess off. I just don't know how you allow Mo to make any deals to dump some of these clowns, while he's riding off into the sunset. You just know he's going to get raped again.

It's a bad predicament.