The STL Cardinals Thread - Welcome to STL JJ!

[MOSteelers56]

I am genuinely excited to have Lynn back, exclusively for the memes/interviews. 

[kgarrett12486]

Quote

The Cardinals are close to signing Sonny Gray, according to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman.

No word yet on the terms. We've been connected heavily to him for a while and pretty much all reporters have said he was the fallback choice after Nola. I want to see the terms before I comment, but he a legit FOR starter.

 

[CWood21]

54 minutes ago, kgarrett12486 said:

No word yet on the terms. We've been connected heavily to him for a while and pretty much all reporters have said he was the fallback choice after Nola. I want to see the terms before I comment, but he a legit FOR starter.

 

3 years, $75M

[ttitansfan4life]

Not going to hate on Gray. He’s actually a pretty solid pitcher. #1? Nope but better than anything we currently have. I do wonder if we’re done though. As of right now, that leaves us with Gray, Mikolas, Gibson, Lynn, and Matz as I’m assuming the rotation. Plus losing a top 40 pick is rough.

Edited November 27, 2023 by ttitansfan4life

[kgarrett12486]

58 minutes ago, CWood21 said:

3 years, $75M

I'm good with giving the higher AAV to keep it to a 3-year deal. Lot of reports out there that he was looking for that 4th year and there were teams willing to go there. 

[kgarrett12486]

2 hours ago, ttitansfan4life said:

Not going to hate on Gray. He’s actually a pretty solid pitcher. #1? Nope but better than anything we currently have. I do wonder if we’re done though. As of right now, that leaves us with Gray, Mikolas, Gibson, Lynn, and Matz as I’m assuming the rotation. Plus losing a top 40 pick is rough.

I don't think we're done and neither do those connected to us. Still think something is brewing on the trade front. 

Gibson and Lynn were brought in to sure up the BOR and specifically for the needed innings and injuries. It also allows us to use Thompson as a swingman, or as that ready to go #6 starter in Memphis. This is the area of MLB ready depth they didn't have last year. 

I've heard they've even flirted with the idea of moving Matz to the BP in an Andrew Miller type role and that they've also been aggressively shopping him on the trade front too (remember, there were also talks of this occurring at last trade deadline). 

Edited November 27, 2023 by kgarrett12486

[ttitansfan4life]

 

[CWood21]

1 minute ago, ttitansfan4life said:

 

How generous of Mo.

[kgarrett12486]

21 minutes ago, CWood21 said:

How generous of Mo.

I actually think he'll have a decent market if we do make him available. Those teams that missed out on the second tier FA's and have holes to fill in their rotation. A perfect example is a team like Minnesota, who just lost Maeda and Gray. They have limited flexibility and bringing in a guy who could be a #3-4 type with upside who is controlled for (2) more years at an under-market price.

Clearing that cash off the books opens up a lot of potential for us. 

 

[holt_bruce81]

I like How aggressive were being this offseason. Now let’s trade for Glasnow or Cease!

[CWood21]

7 hours ago, ttitansfan4life said:

Plus losing a top 40 pick is rough.

That's the part that stings the most for me.  The Cardinals have a chance to really bolster their farm system with this year's draft class.  The Cardinals barring some bad ping pong ball luck are likely to end up with a top 6 pick.  That's an additional $2M the Cardinals end up losing in terms of financial flexibility.  Unless there's a slam dunk prospect available, it seems best to cut a deal and spread that money around.

[CWood21]

7 hours ago, kgarrett12486 said:

I don't think we're done and neither do those connected to us. Still think something is brewing on the trade front. 

I just don't see the Cardinals having the pieces to do so unless they're willing to move Nolan Gorman or one of the guys that I think are likely off-limits (Walker, Winn, and Hence).  Right now, St. Louis doesn't really have any headliners for a deal outside of Tink Hence, and I don't think the Cardinals plan on moving him.  And the idea of Matz in an Andrew Miller role, but until they have a 5th starter emerge than he's going to be in the rotation.

[CWood21]

4 hours ago, kgarrett12486 said:

I actually think he'll have a decent market if we do make him available. Those teams that missed out on the second tier FA's and have holes to fill in their rotation. A perfect example is a team like Minnesota, who just lost Maeda and Gray. They have limited flexibility and bringing in a guy who could be a #3-4 type with upside who is controlled for (2) more years at an under-market price.

Clearing that cash off the books opens up a lot of potential for us. 

This is the Mike Leake situation all over again.  The Cardinals paid Mike Leake, a league average SP, league-average money and after a 1.5 years, they traded him to Seattle buying down his remaining contract for a non-prospect.  Best case scenario, you get a MOR starter with significant injury concerns.  That's not overly valuable.

[kgarrett12486]

15 hours ago, CWood21 said:

That's the part that stings the most for me.  The Cardinals have a chance to really bolster their farm system with this year's draft class.  The Cardinals barring some bad ping pong ball luck are likely to end up with a top 6 pick.  That's an additional $2M the Cardinals end up losing in terms of financial flexibility.  Unless there's a slam dunk prospect available, it seems best to cut a deal and spread that money around.

It definitely stings losing the top 40 pick, but I'd rather have the proven arm when this team is still in a win now window with aging superstars. The chances of a pick outside of the traditional 1st round making the MLB (that's not even considering they have the impact expected) is 49% and goes down significantly each round after. 

We'll still have plenty of picks and financial flexibility to get some high end prospects this coming draft. Plus, the FO did a pretty good job at the deadline of getting near MLB ready talent (and some high ceiling in that) to fill in the gaps they needed to so they could focus on getting those diamonds to develop in this draft. 

[kgarrett12486]

14 hours ago, CWood21 said:

I just don't see the Cardinals having the pieces to do so unless they're willing to move Nolan Gorman or one of the guys that I think are likely off-limits (Walker, Winn, and Hence).  Right now, St. Louis doesn't really have any headliners for a deal outside of Tink Hence, and I don't think the Cardinals plan on moving him.  And the idea of Matz in an Andrew Miller role, but until they have a 5th starter emerge than he's going to be in the rotation.

Completely agree with Winn and Walker being in that untouchable category. I don't get that feeling on Hence from what I've heard from reading some of the insiders. I think they would make him available for the right deal (FOR starter with multiple years of control). 

I disagree they don't have the headlining pieces to make a deal for basically any SP that came available, and they have on their target list. it's just those pieces are on the MLB roster.