STLtoday.com

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑18 Oct 2025 09:38 am Until/unless something significant changes in the structure of MLB (like a hard salary cap at $275 million or so), a team like the Cardinals is going to have to expect to go through at least one team like the Dodgers (maybe even two or more if the Yankees, Mets, Phillies, etc. can do more to replicate what the Dodgers are doing) if they are going to win another World Series anytime soon.

Even if/when the Cardinals raise payroll back to $180-$200 million at some point in the future, how do they have the talent to be remotely close to a team like the Dodgers to give themselves a chance in a 5 or 7 game series?

They will never just be able to spend their way there. They will always be way behind a team like the Dodgers by just trying to brute force spend their way to another title because so many teams simply have more to spend than the Cardinals ever will.

So, given that reality, the Cardinals only choice to reach something close to parity with the Dodgers-like teams is to commit 100% to developing an exceptional amount of young, cost controlled talent that lets their $180-$200 million payroll "play up" to the level of the teams like the Dodgers.

11WSChamps wrote: ↑18 Oct 2025 09:50 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑18 Oct 2025 09:38 am Until/unless something significant changes in the structure of MLB (like a hard salary cap at $275 million or so), a team like the Cardinals is going to have to expect to go through at least one team like the Dodgers (maybe even two or more if the Yankees, Mets, Phillies, etc. can do more to replicate what the Dodgers are doing) if they are going to win another World Series anytime soon.

Even if/when the Cardinals raise payroll back to $180-$200 million at some point in the future, how do they have the talent to be remotely close to a team like the Dodgers to give themselves a chance in a 5 or 7 game series?

They will never just be able to spend their way there. They will always be way behind a team like the Dodgers by just trying to brute force spend their way to another title because so many teams simply have more to spend than the Cardinals ever will.

So, given that reality, the Cardinals only choice to reach something close to parity with the Dodgers-like teams is to commit 100% to developing an exceptional amount of young, cost controlled talent that lets their $180-$200 million payroll "play up" to the level of the teams like the Dodgers.

Good luck with that.

rockondlouie wrote: ↑18 Oct 2025 10:36 am You need both internal players developed, a smart POBO AND a strong payroll.

MIDMOBIRDTWO wrote: ↑18 Oct 2025 10:04 am Brewers brought pop guns to fight cannons and flame throwers. The end.

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑18 Oct 2025 10:47 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑18 Oct 2025 10:36 am You need both internal players developed, a smart POBO AND a strong payroll.

We agree.

However, as noted, the core of young, cost controlled players has to be the "cake" and a few expensive veterans paid for with the $180-$200 million payroll is the "icing".

And you have to bake the cake first before you worry about adding the icing.

MIDMOBIRDTWO wrote: ↑18 Oct 2025 10:04 am Brewers brought pop guns to fight cannons and flame throwers. The end.

BrummerStealsHome wrote: ↑18 Oct 2025 11:29 am A lot of people draw the conclusion that grossly outspending the rest of the league is the key to winning pennants. Fine. But in your defense of that, please explain why the Yankees and Phillies did not make the LCS and the Mets didn't even make the playoffs. Sure, exhorbitant payrolls allows teams to add key pieces other teams can't. That puts them in contention where they otherwise might not be. But it isn't the deciding factor. Seattle is 16th, (bottom half, albeit the top of it). Toronto is a respectable 5th.

As much as i hate the Trolley Dodgers, I tip my cap to them for spending wisely and keeping player development as part of their equation. Other big market teams might spend like drunken sailors, but LA exhibits some sobriety.

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑18 Oct 2025 10:05 am

11WSChamps wrote: ↑18 Oct 2025 09:50 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑18 Oct 2025 09:38 am Until/unless something significant changes in the structure of MLB (like a hard salary cap at $275 million or so), a team like the Cardinals is going to have to expect to go through at least one team like the Dodgers (maybe even two or more if the Yankees, Mets, Phillies, etc. can do more to replicate what the Dodgers are doing) if they are going to win another World Series anytime soon.

Even if/when the Cardinals raise payroll back to $180-$200 million at some point in the future, how do they have the talent to be remotely close to a team like the Dodgers to give themselves a chance in a 5 or 7 game series?

They will never just be able to spend their way there. They will always be way behind a team like the Dodgers by just trying to brute force spend their way to another title because so many teams simply have more to spend than the Cardinals ever will.

So, given that reality, the Cardinals only choice to reach something close to parity with the Dodgers-like teams is to commit 100% to developing an exceptional amount of young, cost controlled talent that lets their $180-$200 million payroll "play up" to the level of the teams like the Dodgers.

Good luck with that.

“When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”

It should just be clear that developing a critical mass of young, cost controlled players is the "cake" of any future Cardinals' championship, while spending on any small number of expensive FAs will only be the "icing." Not the other way around.

Fans tend to want to define an "era" by the expensive stars on the team (Pujols-Edmonds-Rolen; Goldschmidt-Arenado-Gray; etc.), but that perspective can mistakenly convolute the "icing" for the "cake" in the current reality.