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Not a surprise, but it's clear the Cards don't spend enough. You have to spend smart on FAs (inc. international) and on player development, but the team payroll for this franchise is sad.

ClassicO wrote: ↑18 Jul 2025 07:07 am Not a surprise, but it's clear the Cards don't spend enough. You have to spend smart on FAs (inc. international) and on player development, but the team payroll for this franchise is sad.



Screenshot 2025-07-18 at 7.03.54 AM.png

How is it clear?

scoutyjones2 wrote: ↑18 Jul 2025 07:35 am

ClassicO wrote: ↑18 Jul 2025 07:07 am Not a surprise, but it's clear the Cards don't spend enough. You have to spend smart on FAs (inc. international) and on player development, but the team payroll for this franchise is sad.



Screenshot 2025-07-18 at 7.03.54 AM.png

How is it clear?

How is it not? I guess if the goal is to be in the middle, they're doing fine, but I'm quite sure that we generally think they should aspire to win World Series.

I find it interesting that Cubs spend $197M vs. Brewers $112 M and there is a 1 game difference in the standings .

ramfandan wrote: ↑18 Jul 2025 08:38 am I find it interesting that Cubs spend $197M vs. Brewers $112 M and there is a 1 game difference in the standings .

I thought it was a good deal the Brewers lost David Stearns to the Mets but the Brewers haven't let up one bit on being a smart front office

Mediocrity is harmful.

It is a continuous cycle of hope that never realizes its potential.

1. Lack of a Clear Long-Term Vision
Teams may bounce between strategies—rebuilding one year, contending the next—without committing to a coherent, long-term plan.

Ownership or leadership may be reactive instead of proactive, chasing short-term wins or public approval.

2. Poor Leadership and Management
Ineffective front offices may consistently draft poorly, mismanage the salary cap, or make ill-advised trades and free-agent signings.

3. Stuck in the "Middle Ground"
Teams that are neither bad enough to receive high draft picks nor good enough to contend often remain stuck in a cycle of mediocrity.

This middle tier is a perilous place: no infusion of elite talent, no playoff success.

4. Lack of Innovation
Unwilling to embrace analytics, modern training techniques, or new strategic philosophies

Mediocre teams often copy trends rather than set them.

6. Culture of Complacency
A losing or mediocre culture can become entrenched, where players and staff lack accountability or urgency.

Players may not develop well or reach their potential in a stagnant environment.

This is so tiresome

Yes….spending is key…but not singularly..to sustained winning.

but this ownership is not going to spend with the big boys

They just aren’t……and all the whining on this board is not going to change that..

Let it go

it's not what ya spend, but how ya spend

let's see how things look after the new CBA

ClassicO wrote: ↑18 Jul 2025 07:07 am Not a surprise, but it's clear the Cards don't spend enough. You have to spend smart on FAs (inc. international) and on player development, but the team payroll for this franchise is sad.



Screenshot 2025-07-18 at 7.03.54 AM.png

Please forward to Bernie who keeps trying to use the Brewers to say "payroll size is meaningless" and to justify BDWJr not spending.

Now that Mo, who's wasted payroll like mad, is gone it's time to give C. Bloom the payroll he needs to get us back to being a serious WS contender.

Dewitt has to take the payroll back to the $170-180M range (min) or he'll never sniff over 2.5M again let along 3+M and the team will never add WS flag #12 to the top of the stadium.

new article - spending vs winning

Nice chart but is there a backing article you could link to?

Detroit and Cleveland are bucking the trend this season, although in opposite directions. Otherwise, pretty spot on.

scoutyjones2 wrote: ↑18 Jul 2025 07:35 am

ClassicO wrote: ↑18 Jul 2025 07:07 am Not a surprise, but it's clear the Cards don't spend enough. You have to spend smart on FAs (inc. international) and on player development, but the team payroll for this franchise is sad.



Screenshot 2025-07-18 at 7.03.54 AM.png

How is it clear?

It’s not. Several teams at Cardinal level above 500 and in playoff hunt

moose-and-squirrel wrote: ↑18 Jul 2025 09:00 am it's not what ya spend, but how ya spend

let's see how things look after the new CBA

How you spend matters but it's mostly about what you spend as the point chart shows.

How do you expect the new CBA to change things?

Real revenue sharing? (Not gonna happen.)
Hard salary Cap? (Won't happen without Real revenue sharing)

Jatalk wrote: ↑18 Jul 2025 09:49 am

scoutyjones2 wrote: ↑18 Jul 2025 07:35 am

ClassicO wrote: ↑18 Jul 2025 07:07 am Not a surprise, but it's clear the Cards don't spend enough. You have to spend smart on FAs (inc. international) and on player development, but the team payroll for this franchise is sad.



Screenshot 2025-07-18 at 7.03.54 AM.png

How is it clear?

It’s not. Several teams at Cardinal level above 500 and in playoff hunt

If you don't see the cause and effect relationship in that chart, you don't know how to interpret a point chart.

The Angels have their own category?

I don't think the take away is just payroll. It's also only the last 3 years, but that's okay because we haven't been good during that time. Still, we are still about the top of that middle group while also maintaining a payroll in the middle of that same group. I'd say development is more important because it is more realistic for a market of our size and it would seem that they could have a lot of success if they could get back to that.

You know, like they basically did for 20 years before that with basically they same middle of the road payroll.