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What if …..

What if the season started with a rotation of
Gray
Mattz
Liberatore
McGreevy
Fedde

Leahy replace Fedde mid season and Fedde went to the bullpen.

What if
Pallante and Mikolas were in the bullpen.

What if
Pages didn’t get so many at bats
Wetherholt had been called up in July


Anybody think we could have improved more than 5 games?
What moves would have done it with our roster?

What if Mo had dealt Fedde this past offseason and replaced him on OD w/McGreevy?

Would that move alone be worth 5-6 games in the standings?

Maybe

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Sep 2025 12:38 pm What if Mo had dealt Fedde this past offseason and replaced him on OD w/McGreevy?

Would that move alone be worth 5-6 games in the standings?

Maybe

I think it would’ve been very likely. But that would pee many off around here. We have to lose, and lose miserably now or else there’s NO WAY to win later. WS win or last place are the only acceptable courses. I don’t like the last 1/3 of the season being meaningless baseball. My last 2 months of MLBTV went to waste because I could care less about watching to see if Pedro Pages or Sagesse take the next step.

CorneliusWolfe wrote: ↑21 Sep 2025 14:13 pm

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Sep 2025 12:38 pm What if Mo had dealt Fedde this past offseason and replaced him on OD w/McGreevy?

Would that move alone be worth 5-6 games in the standings?

Maybe

I think it would’ve been very likely. But that would pee many off around here. We have to lose, and lose miserably now or else there’s NO WAY to win later. WS win or last place are the only acceptable courses. I don’t like the last 1/3 of the season being meaningless baseball. My last 2 months of MLBTV went to waste because I could care less about watching to see if Pedro Pages or Sagesse take the next step.

Yea I just don't get the "We have to lose, and lose miserably now or else there’s NO WAY to win later" crowd either CW.

That guarantees NOTHING............. but losing.

I've said for some time if BDWJr would just give C. Bloom the same payroll he gave Mo he could walk (rebuild the farm system) & chew gun (compete in 2026) at the same time.

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Sep 2025 12:38 pm What if Mo had dealt Fedde this past offseason and replaced him on OD w/McGreevy?

Would that move alone be worth 5-6 games in the standings?

Maybe

With Fedde the wheels didn't really come off until late June, then July was awful. Before then he was serviceable. I don't see McGreevy in his slot all year making more than a win or two difference.

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Sep 2025 14:17 pm

CorneliusWolfe wrote: ↑21 Sep 2025 14:13 pm

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Sep 2025 12:38 pm What if Mo had dealt Fedde this past offseason and replaced him on OD w/McGreevy?

Would that move alone be worth 5-6 games in the standings?

Maybe

I think it would’ve been very likely. But that would pee many off around here. We have to lose, and lose miserably now or else there’s NO WAY to win later. WS win or last place are the only acceptable courses. I don’t like the last 1/3 of the season being meaningless baseball. My last 2 months of MLBTV went to waste because I could care less about watching to see if Pedro Pages or Sagesse take the next step.

Yea I just don't get the "We have to lose, and lose miserably now or else there’s NO WAY to win later" crowd either CW.

That guarantees NOTHING............. but losing.

I've said for some time if BDWJr would just give C. Bloom the same payroll he gave Mo he could walk (rebuild the farm system) & chew gun (compete in 2026) at the same time.

Spot on about the payroll thing! As usual, we find ourselves in agreement. Why can’t everyone else just see things our way?!

CorneliusWolfe wrote: ↑21 Sep 2025 14:13 pm

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Sep 2025 12:38 pm What if Mo had dealt Fedde this past offseason and replaced him on OD w/McGreevy?

Would that move alone be worth 5-6 games in the standings?

Maybe

I think it would’ve been very likely. But that would pee many off around here. We have to lose, and lose miserably now or else there’s NO WAY to win later. WS win or last place are the only acceptable courses. I don’t like the last 1/3 of the season being meaningless baseball. My last 2 months of MLBTV went to waste because I could care less about watching to see if Pedro Pages or Sagesse take the next step.

I used the last two months to watch a lot of minor league games as the ML team is unwatchable.

Mort Gage wrote: ↑21 Sep 2025 14:23 pm

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Sep 2025 12:38 pm What if Mo had dealt Fedde this past offseason and replaced him on OD w/McGreevy?

Would that move alone be worth 5-6 games in the standings?

Maybe

With Fedde the wheels didn't really come off until late June, then July was awful. Before then he was serviceable. I don't see McGreevy in his slot all year making more than a win or two difference.

Who the heck were you watching Mort, he was NOT even close to "servicable"?

Fedde:

Mar/April
4.68 ERA

May/June
4.50 ERA

OD to late June:

4.56 ERA
Cardinals in his starts were 5 - 12



MCG on OD -vs- Fedde = at least 5-6 more Cardinals wins.

CorneliusWolfe wrote: ↑21 Sep 2025 14:26 pm

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Sep 2025 14:17 pm

CorneliusWolfe wrote: ↑21 Sep 2025 14:13 pm

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Sep 2025 12:38 pm What if Mo had dealt Fedde this past offseason and replaced him on OD w/McGreevy?

Would that move alone be worth 5-6 games in the standings?

Maybe

I think it would’ve been very likely. But that would pee many off around here. We have to lose, and lose miserably now or else there’s NO WAY to win later. WS win or last place are the only acceptable courses. I don’t like the last 1/3 of the season being meaningless baseball. My last 2 months of MLBTV went to waste because I could care less about watching to see if Pedro Pages or Sagesse take the next step.

Yea I just don't get the "We have to lose, and lose miserably now or else there’s NO WAY to win later" crowd either CW.

That guarantees NOTHING............. but losing.

I've said for some time if BDWJr would just give C. Bloom the same payroll he gave Mo he could walk (rebuild the farm system) & chew gun (compete in 2026) at the same time.

Spot on about the payroll thing! As usual, we find ourselves in agreement. Why can’t everyone else just see things our way?!

And we're right on this one.

Losing just to get a high draft pick, when the VAST MAJORITY of those picks never amount to anything, guarantees nothing four-five years down the road.

Re: Could we have been in the playoffs with the same roster?
Yes.
The team controlled a W/C spot on July 1 last season and this season.
They had talent to win April - June.
But lacked the leadership to win in July - September.
Easy.
Obvious.
Correct.

Probably not. And if we did squeak in, we'd be bounced quick.

We don't have one lockdown starter, much less the two lockdown guys needed for any kind of deep run.

We don't have one line-up anchor, much less the 2-3 needed to really make a run. We've got some good secondary and tertiary bats, but those are our anchors. That's not going to cut it.

The only thing that I feel confident about was our bullpen. Maybe that can cover for a weak starting corps for one series, it'll get exposed in a longer series where they're asked to cover more than they're capable for.