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Jatalk wrote: ↑23 Dec 2025 08:45 am I’m with you. I lead a mediocre life and want the same for my sports team. Championships just develop unreasonable expectations and future disappointments.

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑23 Dec 2025 08:45 am Yes, they must - but then they must ultimately execute the same basic plan BETTER by eventually being able to spend more on the ML roster than Milwaukee, Cleveland, or Tampa Bay.

That's how they get to being consistently competitive again for NL pennants and WS titles.

CorneliusWolfe wrote: ↑23 Dec 2025 08:42 am I know it will result in ZERO world titles, but we will make the playoffs (sometimes), which ironically was also the goal of the previous failed model.

I hope the next CBA allows the team to employ hobos who don't play for money, but blocks of cheese. This will ensure the DeWitt family fortune remains secure for generations to come.

I dream of a packed Busch stadium watching 130-loss teams while simultaneously dreaming of the next wave of 8 year old little leaguers who might one day lead us to the promised land.

However, if any player has the nerve to develop into a productive winner, they must be shipped out immediately because the present doesn't matter and you can't live your life with hope, entertainment, or fun today, only one day...many many years from now.

Anyone who disagrees are short-sighted haters.

rockondlouie wrote: ↑23 Dec 2025 09:05 am Minor league player development wise?

YES

But H E L L NO when it comes to spending!

Once C. Bloom gets the team back to drawing 2.5+M BDWJr better d a m n well open the wallet and lift payroll back to no less than $180+M.

No way we want to be the Rays or Brewers (ZERO WS titles) or the Guardians (none since 1948!).

CorneliusWolfe wrote: ↑23 Dec 2025 09:12 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑23 Dec 2025 09:05 am Minor league player development wise?

YES

But H E L L NO when it comes to spending!

Once C. Bloom gets the team back to drawing 2.5+M BDWJr better d a m n well open the wallet and lift payroll back to no less than $180+M.

No way we want to be the Rays or Brewers (ZERO WS titles) or the Guardians (none since 1948!).

Just having a little tongue-in-cheek fun to counterbalance the daily rehashed narratives.

alw80 wrote: ↑23 Dec 2025 09:03 am

CorneliusWolfe wrote: ↑23 Dec 2025 08:42 am I know it will result in ZERO world titles, but we will make the playoffs (sometimes), which ironically was also the goal of the previous failed model.

I hope the next CBA allows the team to employ hobos who don't play for money, but blocks of cheese. This will ensure the DeWitt family fortune remains secure for generations to come.

I dream of a packed Busch stadium watching 130-loss teams while simultaneously dreaming of the next wave of 8 year old little leaguers who might one day lead us to the promised land.

However, if any player has the nerve to develop into a productive winner, they must be shipped out immediately because the present doesn't matter and you can't live your life with hope, entertainment, or fun today, only one day...many many years from now.

Anyone who disagrees are short-sighted haters.

We can emulate them and we can also have a much higher payroll than those teams. Ownership and management, for whatever reasons, got away from the farm system and that's why the franchise cratered.

rockondlouie wrote: ↑23 Dec 2025 09:16 am

CorneliusWolfe wrote: ↑23 Dec 2025 09:12 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑23 Dec 2025 09:05 am Minor league player development wise?

YES

But H E L L NO when it comes to spending!

Once C. Bloom gets the team back to drawing 2.5+M BDWJr better d a m n well open the wallet and lift payroll back to no less than $180+M.

No way we want to be the Rays or Brewers (ZERO WS titles) or the Guardians (none since 1948!).

Just having a little tongue-in-cheek fun to counterbalance the daily rehashed narratives.

Happy Holiday CW!

craviduce wrote: ↑23 Dec 2025 08:55 am I'm with you on the emulation...but I don't think I could EVER stomach a Milwaukee draft...not Ever.

They tend to pick 10 or so HS players...ones not even on the radar b/c of signability issues. Half of those never sign. They're good at getting the College players that slip through the draft. Having a draft where you don't sign 5-7 players would drive me crazy. Now...I believe we draft horribly after the 1st round, and sometimes in the 1st round...there has to be a happy medium there....an overhaul on the scouting department is a must.

Where I'd emulate the Brewers would be their identifying and developing Latin players. I put them almost with Dodgers in development, and I feel they've surpassed the Astros in identifying and signing.



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Here's their 2024 draft.... they couldn't sign their Competitive balance Round B pick. And they threw nearly $2.7 million to 5 players from rounds 11-20....only signing 5 of the 10...7 of the ones drafted 11-20 were HS players

https://www.mlb.com/draft/tracker/2024/all/team/brewers


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2025...same thing....over $2 Million thrown at 5 players 11-20...the other 5 couldn't sign them.

CorneliusWolfe wrote: ↑23 Dec 2025 09:18 am

alw80 wrote: ↑23 Dec 2025 09:03 am

CorneliusWolfe wrote: ↑23 Dec 2025 08:42 am I know it will result in ZERO world titles, but we will make the playoffs (sometimes), which ironically was also the goal of the previous failed model.

I hope the next CBA allows the team to employ hobos who don't play for money, but blocks of cheese. This will ensure the DeWitt family fortune remains secure for generations to come.

I dream of a packed Busch stadium watching 130-loss teams while simultaneously dreaming of the next wave of 8 year old little leaguers who might one day lead us to the promised land.

However, if any player has the nerve to develop into a productive winner, they must be shipped out immediately because the present doesn't matter and you can't live your life with hope, entertainment, or fun today, only one day...many many years from now.

Anyone who disagrees are short-sighted haters.

We can emulate them and we can also have a much higher payroll than those teams. Ownership and management, for whatever reasons, got away from the farm system and that's why the franchise cratered.

Then that is not really emulation. And the franchise never fully relied on the minors, they balanced the shortcomings with free agency. Those of us who want the team to get back to that are chastised as foolish big spender wannabes. We do enjoy the (supposed) resurgence of the minor leagues, though has been no payoff yet, and realize it is a critical aspect, but we also don't think we should have to wait 5 years to be good again.

A couple of good moves could get us back to competiveness and bring some fun back to being a Cardinals fan, and the continued development, and hopeful payoff of the revamped system *might* put us over the top. But nothing is guaranteed and we don't think the team should cower in fear and lay down in the fetal position because the big bad spenders are coming to smash our hopes and dreams.

alw80 wrote: ↑23 Dec 2025 09:36 am

CorneliusWolfe wrote: ↑23 Dec 2025 09:18 am

alw80 wrote: ↑23 Dec 2025 09:03 am

CorneliusWolfe wrote: ↑23 Dec 2025 08:42 am I know it will result in ZERO world titles, but we will make the playoffs (sometimes), which ironically was also the goal of the previous failed model.

I hope the next CBA allows the team to employ hobos who don't play for money, but blocks of cheese. This will ensure the DeWitt family fortune remains secure for generations to come.

I dream of a packed Busch stadium watching 130-loss teams while simultaneously dreaming of the next wave of 8 year old little leaguers who might one day lead us to the promised land.

However, if any player has the nerve to develop into a productive winner, they must be shipped out immediately because the present doesn't matter and you can't live your life with hope, entertainment, or fun today, only one day...many many years from now.

Anyone who disagrees are short-sighted haters.

We can emulate them and we can also have a much higher payroll than those teams. Ownership and management, for whatever reasons, got away from the farm system and that's why the franchise cratered.

Then that is not really emulation. And the franchise never fully relied on the minors, they balanced the shortcomings with free agency. Those of us who want the team to get back to that are chastised as foolish big spender wannabes. We do enjoy the (supposed) resurgence of the minor leagues, though has been no payoff yet, and realize it is a critical aspect, but we also don't think we should have to wait 5 years to be good again.

A couple of good moves could get us back to competiveness and bring some fun back to being a Cardinals fan, and the continued development, and hopeful payoff of the revamped system *might* put us over the top. But nothing is guaranteed and we don't think the team should cower in fear and lay down in the fetal position because the big bad spenders are coming to smash our hopes and dreams.

Why would any franchise want to full on emulate Cleveland if they don't have to?