Four players I don't see the Cardinals trading at the deadline

[Shady]

Donovan, Winn, Herrera and Burleson. Just about every other player should be available including Liberatore. I'd like to include Liberatore as not being available. But he lacks consistency.

[Futuregm2]

Donovan, Winn, Herrera and Burleson. Just about every other player should be available including Liberatore. I'd like to include Liberatore. But he lacks consistency.

Why should Burleson be untouchable?

2024 1st half: .288/.320/.494/.814 14 2B 17 HR 53 RBI 127 OPS+
2025 1st half: .293/.340/.466/.806 17 2B 11 HR 43 RBI 124 OPS+

2024 finish: .269/.314/.420 20 2B 21 HR 78 RBI 104 OPS+
2025 finish: ???

Hopefully he’s worked on his conditioning and has a better 2nd half in 2025 than he did in 2024. But I still question why a platoon player without a set defensive position like Burleson is “untouchable”.

[Shady]

Donovan, Winn, Herrera and Burleson. Just about every other player should be available including Liberatore. I'd like to include Liberatore. But he lacks consistency.

Why should Burleson be untouchable?

2024 1st half: .288/.320/.494/.814 14 2B 17 HR 53 RBI 127 OPS+
2025 1st half: .293/.340/.466/.806 17 2B 11 HR 43 RBI 124 OPS+

2024 finish: .269/.314/.420 20 2B 21 HR 78 RBI 104 OPS+
2025 finish: ???

Hopefully he’s worked on his conditioning and has a better 2nd half in 2025 than he did in 2024. But I still question why a platoon player without a set defensive position like Burleson is “untouchable”.

He probably isn't untouchable. I just feel the organization really likes Burleson in the lineup. Just like the other three I mentioned.

[rockondlouie]

In the right deal, I'd trade Burleson and Winn (JJW on the way and can play SS).

Agree on not dealing Donny or Hererra.

[bakker]

I actually think Donovan could be traded. Not so much at the trade deadline but in the offseason. Looking at the Cardinal roster and their best prospects he might be available. He could bring quality in return. This isn't a shot at BD but just reality. Plus I think he has 2 more years before FA (maybe it's 3) and the '27 season could be problematic due to the labor situation.

[Futuregm2]

I actually think Donovan could be traded. Not so much at the trade deadline but in the offseason. Looking at the Cardinal roster and their best prospects he might be available. He could bring quality in return. This isn't a shot at BD but just reality. Plus I think he has 2 more years before FA (maybe it's 3) and the '27 season could be problematic due to the labor situation.

I agree, I wouldn’t be surprised if Bloom trades Donovan.

[Absolut]

Trade the 25 year old lefty showing promise who hits 96 on the gun, over the unathletic, position less, powerless guy guy…

Thank god you aren’t making decisions.

[Red7]

Outside of Winn, Wetherholt, and Matthews, there’s no one in the organization who isn’t moveable. There’s nobody on the 26 outside of Winn that is a cornerstone player. Everyone else is a complimentary piece. Liberatore is finally showing promise, but if this qualifies as his breakout season, that’s scary.

[rockondlouie]

I actually think Donovan could be traded. Not so much at the trade deadline but in the offseason. Looking at the Cardinal roster and their best prospects he might be available. He could bring quality in return. This isn't a shot at BD but just reality. Plus I think he has 2 more years before FA (maybe it's 3) and the '27 season could be problematic due to the labor situation.

I agree, I wouldn’t be surprised if Bloom trades Donovan.

Donovan is seen as one of the new team leaders, one Bloom will want to build around.

I'd bet he gets an extension (maybe Bloom's first) that buys out the remaining ARB years plus first two-three free agent years taking him to his age 32/33 seasons.

[Futuregm2]

I actually think Donovan could be traded. Not so much at the trade deadline but in the offseason. Looking at the Cardinal roster and their best prospects he might be available. He could bring quality in return. This isn't a shot at BD but just reality. Plus I think he has 2 more years before FA (maybe it's 3) and the '27 season could be problematic due to the labor situation.

I agree, I wouldn’t be surprised if Bloom trades Donovan.

Donovan is seen as one of the new team leaders, one Bloom will want to build around.

I'd bet he gets an extension (maybe Bloom's first) that buys out the remaining ARB years plus first two-three free agent years taking him to his age 32/33 seasons.

Personally he’s not a guy I overpay for. I like him as a player, but I’d be careful about signing him to too big of a contract. He’ll probably be looking for an Edman like deal at least (5 years/$75ish million).

[Shady]

Trade the 25 year old lefty showing promise who hits 96 on the gun, over the unathletic, position less, powerless guy guy…

Thank god you aren’t making decisions.

.Maybe so/ I just said I don't see the Cardinals trading Burleson at the deadline. Do you?

[JohnnyMO]

Donovan, Winn, Herrera and Burleson. Just about every other player should be available including Liberatore. I'd like to include Liberatore as not being available. But he lacks consistency.

I like Burleson but I halfway hope he is traded just so you’ll stop inundating this place with posts about him. Unfortunately, I’m sure you’d do the same thing with some other player anyway.

[Shady]

Donovan, Winn, Herrera and Burleson. Just about every other player should be available including Liberatore. I'd like to include Liberatore as not being available. But he lacks consistency.

I like Burleson but I halfway hope he is traded just so you’ll stop inundating this place with posts about him. Unfortunately, I’m sure you’d do the same thing with some other player anyway.

OK Grumpy.

[ICCFIM2]

I actually think Donovan could be traded. Not so much at the trade deadline but in the offseason. Looking at the Cardinal roster and their best prospects he might be available. He could bring quality in return. This isn't a shot at BD but just reality. Plus I think he has 2 more years before FA (maybe it's 3) and the '27 season could be problematic due to the labor situation.

I agree, I wouldn’t be surprised if Bloom trades Donovan.

Donovan is seen as one of the new team leaders, one Bloom will want to build around.

I'd bet he gets an extension (maybe Bloom's first) that buys out the remaining ARB years plus first two-three free agent years taking him to his age 32/33 seasons.

Personally he’s not a guy I overpay for. I like him as a player, but I’d be careful about signing him to too big of a contract. He’ll probably be looking for an Edman like deal at least (5 years/$75ish million).

Edman signed that extension as he was becoming a free agent, i.e. none of the 5 years covered arb years. Donovan probably does want equivalent dollars, but because it would cover 2 arb years it would be a bit cheaper, probably 5/$60-65M. As many people that want to trade Donovan on here, it is hard to find players that play good defense and hit to an 800 OPS. Keep him, I don't care where he plays. That 5/$65M is a bargain contract.

To the crowd that says he doesn't hit enough HRs to play LF. I will take his consistency and decent defense over all the other folks we have put in the OF the last 10 years. When we find one OF that is better than him, just one, then we can talk about another upgrade...

[Futuregm2]

I actually think Donovan could be traded. Not so much at the trade deadline but in the offseason. Looking at the Cardinal roster and their best prospects he might be available. He could bring quality in return. This isn't a shot at BD but just reality. Plus I think he has 2 more years before FA (maybe it's 3) and the '27 season could be problematic due to the labor situation.

I agree, I wouldn’t be surprised if Bloom trades Donovan.

Donovan is seen as one of the new team leaders, one Bloom will want to build around.

I'd bet he gets an extension (maybe Bloom's first) that buys out the remaining ARB years plus first two-three free agent years taking him to his age 32/33 seasons.

Personally he’s not a guy I overpay for. I like him as a player, but I’d be careful about signing him to too big of a contract. He’ll probably be looking for an Edman like deal at least (5 years/$75ish million).

Edman signed that extension as he was becoming a free agent, i.e. none of the 5 years covered arb years. Donovan probably does want equivalent dollars, but because it would cover 2 arb years it would be a bit cheaper, probably 5/$60-65M. As many people that want to trade Donovan on here, it is hard to find players that play good defense and hit to an 800 OPS. Keep him, I don't care where he plays. That 5/$65M is a bargain contract.

To the crowd that says he doesn't hit enough HRs to play LF. I will take his consistency and decent defense over all the other folks we have put in the OF the last 10 years. When we find one OF that is better than him, just one, then we can talk about another upgrade...

He’s basically Lars Nootbaar in the OF with a slightly different profile.

Averages Last 4 years
Nootbaaar: .242/.347/.415 112 OPS+ 13 HR 42 RBI 54 R
Donovan: .284/.365/.412 118 OPS+ 10 HR 47 RBI 57 R

2025
Nootbaar: .227/.332/.381 100 OPS+ 12 HR 37 RBI 50 R
Donovan: .297/.367/.430 124 OPS+ 8 HR 36 RBI 51 R

So yes he’s been better this year from an OPS profile, but the previous 3 years he’s been the same pretty much and neither has done a whole lot from the RBI/R standpoint (even this year for Donovan when he spent the majority of the season so far hitting 3rd and is having his best year at the plate).

To me you sell high. Look at Edman, he’s got a .671 OPS with the Dodgers this year. He’s still the same average at best hitter with the bat that he’s always been. I think Donovan is a solid player, but he’s not the kind I’m overpaying for for the long haul.

[woofy25]

Outside of Winn, Wetherholt, and Matthews, there’s no one in the organization who isn’t moveable. There’s nobody on the 26 outside of Winn that is a cornerstone player. Everyone else is a complimentary piece. Liberatore is finally showing promise, but if this qualifies as his breakout season, that’s scary.

It seems to me that a lot of people here are mindlessly locked in on Winn. And, I'm not 100% sure why. Maybe it's because he hasn't been as bad as Walker?
His career to-date is defined as a defensive first player (excellent at short) with slightly below average offensive numbers. He's having a worse season at the plate so far this year, than last. Not by much, but one would hope he would have taken a big step forward in '25 rather than a slight regression. It's great he's only 23, because he does still have time to improve at the plate. His numbers represent a 7-8 hitter rather than a player hitting in the 2 hole.
I'm not yet sold on Winn being given the SS job through his arbitration years. Am I the only one?