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I'm conflicted.
Draft we have the #5 pick
Can't mess that up.
However, trade deadline is huge.
What gets traded and what we get in return.
I'd say the trade deadline is most important.
Gotta get something for Helsley and unload Arenado.
Ideally Fedde too.

Bully4you wrote: ↑13 Jul 2025 05:13 am I'm conflicted.
Draft we have the #5 pick
Can't mess that up.
However, trade deadline is huge.
What gets traded and what we get in return.
I'd say the trade deadline is most important.
Gotta get something for Helsley and unload Arenado.
Ideally Fedde too.

Sort of equal in my mind. Don’t forget offseason. Time for evaluation, arbitration, contract extensions, free agency and trades.

Jatalk wrote: ↑13 Jul 2025 06:59 am

Bully4you wrote: ↑13 Jul 2025 05:13 am I'm conflicted.
Draft we have the #5 pick
Can't mess that up.
However, trade deadline is huge.
What gets traded and what we get in return.
I'd say the trade deadline is most important.
Gotta get something for Helsley and unload Arenado.
Ideally Fedde too.

Sort of equal in my mind. Don’t forget offseason. Time for evaluation, arbitration, contract extensions, free agency and trades.

Draft is #1. Mo is not making that pick. Trade dealine I'm afraid is still in Mo's hands. I don't expect much.

I think that #5 pick is THE most important thing. If they had dealt Hesley and Fedde back in December they might have got (combined) a prospect equal to what they should get today in #5.

But now their trade chips are all showing cracks and the only returns will be longer shots and lower ceilings to what we should get in #5. IMO

Depends on your level of patience. A draft pick is five years away. Even a stud. Just a few move up in a year or two. So chances are it’s gonna be awhile. Many on this forum don’t have five years to dole out.

Trade. Immediate impact. More costly. Older. Injuries.

Of course best case would be a revolving door at the farm level so when a five year mark is reached, the FA’s simply fill a need.

sikeston bulldog2 wrote: ↑13 Jul 2025 07:38 am Depends on your level of patience. A draft pick is five years away. Even a stud. Just a few move up in a year or two. So chances are it’s gonna be awhile. Many on this forum don’t have five years to dole out.

Trade. Immediate impact. More costly. Older. Injuries.

Of course best case would be a revolving door at the farm level so when a five year mark is reached, the FA’s simply fill a need.

I don't know about the 5 years away thing. Weatherholt is looking line far less than that. And top 5 picks are often producing in the majors in less time.

AZ_Cardsfan wrote: ↑13 Jul 2025 07:48 am

sikeston bulldog2 wrote: ↑13 Jul 2025 07:38 am Depends on your level of patience. A draft pick is five years away. Even a stud. Just a few move up in a year or two. So chances are it’s gonna be awhile. Many on this forum don’t have five years to dole out.

Trade. Immediate impact. More costly. Older. Injuries.

Of course best case would be a revolving door at the farm level so when a five year mark is reached, the FA’s simply fill a need.

I don't know about the 5 years away thing. Weatherholt is looking line far less than that. And top 5 picks are often producing in the majors in less time.

I mentioned that- you are correct- only a few move up in a year or two.

Change the wait to 3 years. Verse a FA, the FA is still a more immediate return.

So I’d think there is a period of time even with reduced years to the majors.

Bully4you wrote: ↑13 Jul 2025 05:13 am I'm conflicted.
Draft we have the #5 pick
Can't mess that up.
However, trade deadline is huge.
What gets traded and what we get in return.
I'd say the trade deadline is most important.
Gotta get something for Helsley and unload Arenado.
Ideally Fedde too.

Depends on whether you’re focused short term or long term.

Given the loss of revenue from tickets and TV I'd say the draft and developing players in the minors is a priority. Re-sign the best players on the team.

Having said that they are going to need to acquire a starting pitcher sometime prior to 2026. The fact that Mikolas and Fedde remain in the rotation indicates we don't have enough in the minors to fill those spots.

ScotchMIrish wrote: ↑13 Jul 2025 08:10 am Given the loss of revenue from tickets and TV I'd say the draft and developing players in the minors is a priority. Re-sign the best players on the team.

Having said that they are going to need to acquire a starting pitcher sometime prior to 2026. The fact that Mikolas and Fedde remain in the rotation indicates we don't have enough in the minors to fill those spots.

That's partly true. We don't have enough to fill both spots. But why don't they fill one of them with McGreevy? The Cardinals don't eat contracts and they seem to think one or both of those guys could have enough value to be traded at the deadline. MM has a ntc. So maybe Fedde gets traded? Doubtful on both.

Bully4you wrote: ↑13 Jul 2025 05:13 am I'm conflicted.
Draft we have the #5 pick
Can't mess that up.
However, trade deadline is huge.
What gets traded and what we get in return.
I'd say the trade deadline is most important.
Gotta get something for Helsley and unload Arenado.
Ideally Fedde too.

The draft is a lottery.
Huge level of uncertainty.
Zero guarantee the #5 will prove to be any better than other picks STL will make today.
The trade deadline - and the offseason - offer more reliable data and more insightful perspective than the draft does.
That does not diminish the importance of the draft.
But placing more confidence in the draft than making CORRECT BASEBALL DECISIONS year round is certain to lead to disappointment.

AZ_Cardsfan wrote: ↑13 Jul 2025 07:48 am

sikeston bulldog2 wrote: ↑13 Jul 2025 07:38 am Depends on your level of patience. A draft pick is five years away. Even a stud. Just a few move up in a year or two. So chances are it’s gonna be awhile. Many on this forum don’t have five years to dole out.

Trade. Immediate impact. More costly. Older. Injuries.

Of course best case would be a revolving door at the farm level so when a five year mark is reached, the FA’s simply fill a need.

I don't know about the 5 years away thing. Weatherholt is looking line far less than that. And top 5 picks are often producing in the majors in less time.

6 from last year's draft are already on MLB teams

scoutyjones2 wrote: ↑13 Jul 2025 08:57 am 6 from last year's draft are already on MLB teams

I saw that the other day too scouty

I'd like to see JJW up here no later than Sept. 1st as long as he's doing well at Memphis (3 GP: .364 .417 .909 1.326).

rockondlouie wrote: ↑13 Jul 2025 09:09 am

scoutyjones2 wrote: ↑13 Jul 2025 08:57 am 6 from last year's draft are already on MLB teams

I saw that the other day too scouty

I'd like to see JJW up here no later than Sept. 1st as long as he's doing well at Memphis (3 GP: .364 .417 .909 1.326).

Facts. I can’t argue them. That is a lot it seems, however the number of players in the minors three plus years must be large compared.

I've said it before, you're leaving out the international free agents, where many of teams that have won the World Series have excelled, and the Cardinals have been awfu, albeit maybe that's changing.

2021 Top 10 picks.
Henry Davis
Jack Leiter
Jackson Jobe
Marcelo Mayer
Colton Cowser
Jordan Lawler
Frank Mozicatto
Benny Montgomery
Sam Bachman
Kumar Rocker
Four years later, not one of them is a key contributor at the MLB level currently.
Several have reached MLB to one extent or another, but none are high level fixtures - yet.
Will some continue to develop - and perhaps 3 or 4 ultimately become highly valuable and very productive?
Probably.
But hoping that merely having a Top 10 pick is some sort of an elixir to guarantee future health for any organization is no substitute for having leadership who knows how to make correct baseball decisions year-round, year after year.