The Cardinals will be the bottom feeders in the NL Central for the remainder of this decade

[Bully4you]

Who says differently?
The Brewers and Cubs are clearly better.
The Reds have better talent and management.
The Pirates are on the rise with their farm system and current CY winner.
The only way the Cards can overcome this prediction is to spend.
They don't seem willing to do that.
Heck, they've even managed to brainwash some of the people on CT that they shouldn't spend.

[Younghopp1991]

So what. The cardinals have been bad. They are going to stay bad, to get good.

[Bully4you]

So what. The cardinals have been bad. They are going to stay bad, to get good.

So, you agree.
It will take time to get good.
They haven't got much to work with.
If they go all in on farm system production and little else,
then they will be mediocre for a long time.

[Othawhitemeat]

If Dimwitt is willing to spend in 27/28 assuming they are not still locked out, I can see this team maybe being good by then if some of prospects work out and pending trades we make. Most likely, we will be done w Grays contract by 27, Arenado hopefully will be traded by then, but even then in 27, it will be last year and declining. Contreras contract will be done in 28.

Then we just have to see how some of our prospects/players work out. Will any of Walker,Gorman,Scott be anything worth salt? Will Donny net a return? Will Noot be anything?

Most likely have a core of Winn,Herrera,Burly
-Have some of best position player prospects in JJ/Rodriguez
- have some enticing prospects if any pan out in Josh Baez,Jesus Baez,Mitchell,Padilla,Bernal, Crooks,Ortiz

Pitching have McGreevy/Liberatore
- some enticing prospects in Doyle,Franklin and maybe Matthews w some others possibly in Mautz,Henderson,Dohm

We have some avenues to combine w free agency. Just got to have the wallet and the scouting.

[Bully4you]

If Dimwitt is willing to spend in 27/28 assuming they are not still locked out, I can see this team maybe being good by then if some of prospects work out and pending trades we make. Most likely, we will be done w Grays contract by 27, Arenado hopefully will be traded by then, but even then in 27, it will be last year and declining. Contreras contract will be done in 28.

Then we just have to see how some of our prospects/players work out. Will any of Walker,Gorman,Scott be anything worth salt? Will Donny net a return? Will Noot be anything?

Most likely have a core of Winn,Herrera,Burly
-Have some of best position player prospects in JJ/Rodriguez
- have some enticing prospects if any pan out in Josh Baez,Jesus Baez,Mitchell,Padilla,Bernal, Crooks,Ortiz

Pitching have McGreevy/Liberatore
- some enticing prospects in Doyle,Franklin and maybe Matthews w some others possibly in Mautz,Henderson,Dohm

We have some avenues to combine w free agency. Just got to have the wallet and the scouting.

I don't know for sure, but aren't the prospects on other teams in our division ranked better?
We have JJ, but that's about it.
Doyle hasn't really thrown yet in the minors, so who knows.
Other than that, I don't think we have any can't miss prospects.

[Younghopp1991]

Why would a team of that is notorious for not spending big money in free agency want to spend right before a potential lockout and probable cap reconstruction? Also why would you expect them too?

[scoutyjones2]

Who says differently?
The Brewers and Cubs are clearly better.
The Reds have better talent and management.
The Pirates are on the rise with their farm system and current CY winner.
The only way the Cards can overcome this prediction is to spend.
They don't seem willing to do that.
Heck, they've even managed to brainwash some of the people on CT that they shouldn't spend.

I say differently

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Who says differently?
The Brewers and Cubs are clearly better.
The Reds have better talent and management.
The Pirates are on the rise with their farm system and current CY winner.
The only way the Cards can overcome this prediction is to spend.
They don't seem willing to do that.
Heck, they've even managed to brainwash some of the people on CT that they shouldn't spend.

The Pirates are on the rise? How many times over the last 35 years have I heard that?

Also, the Brewers and Cubs have both famously rebuilt. How many times have the Reds rebuilt?

[BrockFloodMaris]

Who says differently?
The Brewers and Cubs are clearly better.
The Reds have better talent and management.
The Pirates are on the rise with their farm system and current CY winner.
The only way the Cards can overcome this prediction is to spend.
They don't seem willing to do that.
Heck, they've even managed to brainwash some of the people on CT that they shouldn't spend.

Do we need to call the Waaaambulance for Bully?

[ecleme22]

Who says differently?
The Brewers and Cubs are clearly better.
The Reds have better talent and management.
The Pirates are on the rise with their farm system and current CY winner.
The only way the Cards can overcome this prediction is to spend.
They don't seem willing to do that.
Heck, they've even managed to brainwash some of the people on CT that they shouldn't spend.

Speaking of farm systems, how do the Cards’ FS rank?

[45s]

now is not the time to spend

[Talkin' Baseball]

Who says differently?
The Brewers and Cubs are clearly better.
The Reds have better talent and management.
The Pirates are on the rise with their farm system and current CY winner.
The only way the Cards can overcome this prediction is to spend.
They don't seem willing to do that.
Heck, they've even managed to brainwash some of the people on CT that they shouldn't spend.

I say differently

Me too, since you asked.
2026 Re-shape roster
2027 Compete for wildcard
2028 Compete for division title, or better
This my expectation, and that's not bottom feeding. I'm prepared to live with what happens until the 27 season AS LONG AS they actively work on re-shaping the roster in the meantime. It's a journey friends.

[ramfandan]

The good news… We are already past the halfway point of the decade !

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Me too, since you asked.
2026 Re-shape roster
2027 Compete for wildcard
2028 Compete for division title, or better
This my expectation, and that's not bottom feeding. I'm prepared to live with what happens until the 27 season AS LONG AS they actively work on re-shaping the roster in the meantime. It's a journey friends.

That's about where I am at too. I might be a bit optimistic with us being competitive in 2027, but I also don't think we are as bad as other teams that have rebuilt. A lot of that depends on this year.

But I also don't want to use this rebuild as excuse for DeWitt to drop the payroll $50 million or more the next 5 years. So, I think we need to cut them some slack for this coming year, and possibly next year, depending on how things work out this year, but also stay on them to spend money when the time comes. They have money to maintain a top third to top ten payroll. They need to get back there soon.

[45s]

Me too, since you asked.
2026 Re-shape roster
2027 Compete for wildcard
2028 Compete for division title, or better
This my expectation, and that's not bottom feeding. I'm prepared to live with what happens until the 27 season AS LONG AS they actively work on re-shaping the roster in the meantime. It's a journey friends.

That's about where I am at too. I might be a bit optimistic with us being competitive in 2027, but I also don't think we are as bad as other teams that have rebuilt. A lot of that depends on this year.

But I also don't want to use this rebuild as excuse for DeWitt to drop the payroll $50 million or more the next 5 years. So, I think we need to cut them some slack for this coming year, and possibly next year, depending on how things work out this year, but also stay on them to spend money when the time comes. They have money to maintain a top third to top ten payroll. They need to get back there soon.

Good observations……with the key words being “when the time comes”

Add that free agent when they can be a difference maker….

[earp]

C Herrera/Crooks
1B Burleson/Herrera
2B Wetherholt
SS Winn
3B Gorman/Saggese
LF Nootbaar/Burleson
CF Scott
RF ???/Walker
DH Herrera/Burleson/Gorman