Greetings! Apologies for the belated start. I actually ran into a question already that prompted me to go searching for an answer. Now, that’s a good chat. I’m searching for an explanation before the chat even starts.

Cardinals were swept by the Yankees. They’re off in Miami. My colleague Daniel Guerrero will be at the keyboard for the series there against the Marlins. This chat will look to pick up the pace from here — as I’ve got some college move-in excitement in my future and a flight to catch. So, bring the heat, I’ll do my best to bring the answers.

Let’s see how fast I can type.

Jim 501: Please Derrick explain how the cardinals can return to their previous status. Ownership has taken a proud franchise and completely destroyed it in my opinion.

DG: Do you have a few hours?

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I’ll try to boil it down in two routes they can take. 1) Develop impact players and be willing to spend what the market demands to supplement the roster with what they cannot develop. If they develop impact hitters, then be willing to spend and take the risk on starting pitching. If they can develop starting pitchers, then be willing to spend what it costs — money, prospects — get the hitter that they need for a deeper, stronger lineup. Or, 2) Find an edge when it comes to team construction and development that is on the cutting-edge and exploits an inefficiency elsewhere in the game to put them competitive ahead. That is hard to do these days, but it is how teams cover for what they cannot spend. They innovate.

cbow: “Do you have a few hours?” Haha!

Joliet Dave: Yesterday there was a fellow in the dugout , giving out water/gayora

DG: I would hope so, yep. Hydration is a huge part of getting through the heat — for players and for fans. And actually the players are all given instructions on how to pre-hydrate so that they aren’t scrambling during a game to keep up.

larry harnly: No team was interested in phil maton until the cards signed him for $2 million during spring training. he was excellent before being traded to texas. think bloom will be interested in signing him again?

DG: I would not, at this moment, rule it out. There is a fondness for Maton after finally signing him, and we’ll see what he’s seeking this winter. A match is obvious to see, for sure.

do’c: Derrick, wife and I went to Cards game Friday night vs. Yankees and was surprised when i opened one of the bobble heads and it was “silver.’ What is that all all-about and when did Cards start this? The other was the “traditional” Redbird colors.

DG: There were random silver bobbleheads — not many of them — placed in the group and they’re considered more collectible. Or that’s the idea. They’ve done a few times before, but this is one of the more significant ones because they did highlight the random and exclusive silver bobbleheads as part of the reason to come to the game. You were fortunate, and now there will be people trying to buy it from you …

Aaron Knopf: Hi Derrick, I am hoping you can shed a little light on something that confused me about Oli Marmol’s comments about Walker stalling out a couple months back. My memory, which may be faulty, is of Marmol praising Walker’s approach back in May even if results weren’t coming. Then he went on a little streak ijust before getting sidelined with the wrist injury and appendicitis. I am having trouble reconciling that to Marmol’s recent comments, which paint a less rosy picture

DG: I understand where you’re coming from. It’s important to separate two areas of what Marmol was discussing. So, there is the work that Jordan Walker was doing away from the games and then there was the production within the game. In May, the Cardinals were encouraged by Walker’s “approach” exactly as you say — away from the games. But because there weren’t results in the game, there was some hesitance, some frustration, some of what Marmol later described as a “stall” in that progress. And that makes sense, right? Walker wanted some positive returns on what he was working on in the cage, and wasn’t getting them. Previously, going back months before that, some of the swing changes just weren’t consistent for him because of how he felt physically doing them. That was part of the re-engineering the Cardinals did with him. You may recall a conversation I had with Walker and story from Washington about how he took a day to just swing comfortably, naturally, and let it go for a bit, and then the hitting coaches looked at that swing, his comfort, and how to build what everybody wanted off of that. Then the results didn’t come consistently. Then the injury happened. And all of that fits into the “stall” description. Now, the comments are about how things are merging for Walker. He’s getting some of the positive returns on the work put in.

Evil Calvin: If I underperformed at work for 4 years, I would be fired. Why does Marmol get a free pass over and over again? If my workers underperformed, I would be held responsible and labelled a bad manager and I didn’t train them well enough.

DG: In your example, it would be your boss/your employer who would be making that call. And — I don’t know what line of work you’re in — it should be based on their expectations for your work, not outside perception of it. If your boss things you’re doing a good job based on requirements they set, it doesn’t matter if your colleague disagrees or thinks your underperforming, because maybe your colleague doesn’t know the expectations, or has a more litmus-test based view of the job. And that’s fine. But your colleague isn’t going to fire you. Boss/employer makes the call.

We have plenty of evidence that the Cardinals front office and ownership have been supportive of Marmol and his staff and the work they’re doing. Ownership even said this past fall that the standings would not be deciding factor this year given the “transition” or “reset” or whatever. That was a departure from the .500 comment of several years ago, and ownership alerted fans their expectations had shifted. The manager’s employer is making that call and so far every indication is that they are supportive of him and the development work he and his staff are doing with an eye on the future. Ownership’s view may differ from yours. Ownership’s expectations may differ from yours. And, as of right now, ownership is going to make the call on his status, with no plans to poll social media.

cbow: I personally don’t think that Marmol is the problem with this team, I think he’s actually gotten better at bullpen management since, 2023 (when he was totally inept). He’s probably not that bad of a manager, but this team is really hampered by very poor roster construction. No pitching, weak offense, very little depth. This team has a ways to go. Difficult to predict, but with the labor shutdown coming, it’s hard to see this team being competitive for the next 3 years at least.

DG: It sure seems that ownership sees what you see and knows even more about how they’ve gotten here and what is expected of him. We’re definitely seeing an emphasis on how the organization rates player improvement — and that’s not always apparent in the box scores, nor does it show up in the standings. And they may not be right about in the long run, but they feel they are and they see improvement, and they credit the coaching staff with that, as you may as well.

Tackleberry: Very different version of ownership in 2025 than in 2018. Almost like it is two different people. It’s part of why the stands are empty.

DG: Maybe. I still think the product on the field and at the field are the biggest drives for attendance. But I’ve been open to evidence that disproves that — and we’ll get a chance to see if Chaim Bloom inspires more ticket sales with just his arrival as POBO.

Tbird728: Watching Walker during the game yesterday, it looked to me like he has totally lost his confidence. Seems to have a deer in the highlights look. I think he really needs a change of scenery at this point. They have messed with his swing so much, he doesn’t know which way is up, down or sideways.

DG: I would be hesitant to put such a major decision on a single game. I appreciate where you’re coming from, and maybe a change in scenery is where this ultimately ends. That’s entirely possible. But it won’t be a decision made on one game when that one game is different than two, three, seven before it …

Redbird Farmhands: Hey Derrick, what are chances we see Nolan Arenado again this year?

DG: Good. He’s working in Jupiter, Florida, with the full-throttle intent to return this season and play for this team. The Cardinals expect him to be back in the lineup this season, and they are operating with that plan/hope.

South City Steve: Why are improving the organization’s draft and development system and fielding a competitive major league roster with a Top 12 payroll mutually exclusive? From 1997-2024 I never remember hearing that these things couldn’t co-exist. I ask this because when I look at this roster I see the 2013 Cardinals minus Holliday, Beltran, and Wainwright. This roster is full of solid complementary players like 2013 was with Allen Craig (Herrera) Matt Carpenter (Donovan), Matt Adams (Burleson), and you have Contreras in the Molina fiery-veteran leader role. If you swap 2013 Holliday and Beltran for Nootbaar and Walker, and 2013 Wainwright for Mikolas is this not a playoff team? I don’t think they need to tear it all down; they just need to be honest with themselves about this roster and stop trying to sell themselves and fans on role players as future stars. They have all the mortar, now go get the bricks with the $170 million average payroll they have carried all decade. And hopefully at the end of the decade Bloom will have this organization in a place to produce its own All-Stars, but why should we have to wait when 80% of the puzzle is in place?

DG: They aren’t mutually exclusive. Owners choose to prioritize one or take one route. But they aren’t mutually exclusive.

Ryan: Fair enough. Maybe poll season ticket holders instead. Would help them read the room a little better. I’m sure DeWitt III likes polls. Has to. I’m not sure if he likes Cardinal baseball for the sake of Cardinals baseball.

DG: So, if I follow you correctly, they would be polling season ticket holders to determine who gets fired or not? Would they also provide the expectations that ownership set for the individuals so that season tickets could use those as a guide for their vote? Or would it just be gut feel?

That’s quite a bear trap.

Get hired to perform job requirements, some of which are not popular with fans even if you are very proficient at them, and then — plot twist! — put your employment up to a popular vote.

JCH: Marmol has underperformed? Aren’t the Cardinals on pace to out perform their preseason record prediction for the 2nd straight year? If anything, with this group, especially the starting staff, he has overperformed.

DG: They are, currently. And if you want to use run differential as a measure of that, then they are outplaying their Pythagorean for a second consecutive year. Their run differential suggests a team that 59-66. They are currently 61-64. Take that for what it is. But it can be reflective of a strong bullpen (which they have) and clever/strategic bullpen use (which they have also had).

Bob: Interesting what the Twins did at the deadline. Do you think Chaim could do something similar?

DG: I guess if things go really south, he could. But that’s not what the Cardinals want to do — not at the trade deadline. We’ll see how deep the moves go in the winter, but half of the active roster seems unlikely, very dramatic.

Jeff in CT: Derrick, thank you for doing these chats. Questions otherwise not answered are available from you. Fans have commented that the Cardinals are inf

…inflating attendance figures. Do you know how long teams have reported ticket sales rather then actual people in attendance?

DG: For as long as I’ve been covering professional sports. So that goes back now almost 30 years. Heck, it goes back before that — because colleges did the same. I know of one college that had a deal with a sponsor that it would buy the remaining unsold tickets so that it could keep a sellout streak going. That was well-known, and that was in the mid-1990s.

I don’t entirely understand why some pounce on tickets sold and dismiss it as illustrative. It is. It is quite literally the revenue that a team is claiming from ticket sales. I get the allure and interest in turnstile seats, and how they can be illustrative of fan apathy or fan interest, but when you’re in a revenue business and you tie spending on players to ticket revenue, then the Cardinals’ ticket sold numbers are valuable to show where the team is. If they sell 28,000 tickets to a game against the Yankees that is the same revenue for those tickets (not merch, not food) if 27,000 fans show up or 27 show up.

diamond2113: Do you think the Cards would have changed their minds about going through a “reset” season if they would have known none of the 4 players with NTC would wave them?

DG: They had to, they did. They even dropped the “reset” phrasing when that happened and pivoted into “transition.” Or “runway.” They had a change forced upon them that was different than the route they set up and explained for fans in October because of the no-trade clauses.

Taylor: Do you have a read on Mozeliak’s recent comments about the 40-man? Does he actually think they’ve got a 40-man problem this offseason in numbers? Or is this more like a convenient way to explain to fans why we won’t see Wetherholt or Mathews this season? If it’s the latter, there are many good reasons for fans not seeing them without any subterfuge.

DG: I am not entirely sure of the Mozeliak’s recent comments about the 40-man roster. It’s been a topic around here. And trust me when I say that it’s going to cause a lot of debate — because for the first time in a while the Cardinals can claim an actual 40-player crunch. A quick look at the players who need to be protected and the list is seven or eight players long, and that’s down one now because Nathan Church has been added. That’s a sizeable group, and for a team trying to accumulate depth and talent at the higher levels of the system losing those players — or risking those players — may not be ideal for what they want their model to be.

Joliet Dave: Derick not real long ago, the NL announced attendance through the turnstiles, the AL was tickets sold. I’m not sure when that changed

DG: That stopped in 1992. Like I said, it’s been tickets sold for the almost 30 years that I’ve been covering professional sports, especially baseball. I hope my explanation on why that number has value helped.

Joliet Dave: Derick not real long ago, the NL announced attendance through the turnstiles, the AL was tickets sold. I’m not sure when that changed

DG: That stopped in 1992. Like I said, it’s been tickets sold for the almost 30 years that I’ve been covering professional sports, especially baseball. I hope my explanation on why that number has value helped.

Phil: Nice to see the team finally promote Veneziano to give Marmol another lefty in the bullpen. He’s not been especially effective since he was acquired, but they weren’t getting much from Munoz either, so this move was wildly overdue. I’m baffled at how long the FO let the bullpen struggle along with Romero as the only lefty reliever.

DG: I agree, and we asked often over the past week or so why it had not happened already. The Cardinals had a specific reason — and it had to do with getting Veneziano into a series of games that did not count against the standings and did not put him in a spot where then they were just going to cycle him out again. They had a few specific things for him to try/show during those Triple-A outings and once he did then up he went to the majors. Specifics? That

is a fair question, and it’s one that will be asked in the coming days to get more details.

Taylor: My thinking is that the bottom of their present 40-man is large and much of it isn’t worth protecting. If the season ended today, a team that was willing could get the present 40-man down to 30 without losing much (including the outgoing FA). A case could reasonably be made for getting it down to as low as 28 in an expeditious manner.

DG: That is one argument — that a 40-player move can always be made. There is always a 40th player on it. But you really want to be at 39 for the Rule 5 if you’re in the Cardinals spot. And that means no additions via free agency. Which, really, can be expected at the moment. That also shapes conversations for trades, though, too. How down the road do you want to push the returns you get? Cardinals are in a spot where they need to get some talent inventory and keep that talent inventory, and I don’t think anyone would argue with that. But it takes roster spots to keep that talent inventory. Cannot keep inventory without shelves …

South City Steve: Do you think that Chaim would have signed on here if DeWitt was looking to recreate Tampa Bay here and not eventually spend money like he has in the past?

DG: I think there are 30 POBO-like jobs in the world, and if you want to have one and that is important to you professionally and have that draw to do that job you don’t pass on one when it’s offered. Because there are so few, and it may never be offered again … Have to brace yourself for that.

Redbird Farmhands: Who are the most likely prospects to get called up at that September deadline. I know everyone wants JJ but that infield is pretty full especially if Arenado returns. Any other names you have heard?

DG: They only get two. Rosters grow to 28, topping out with 14 pitches. Church is already here, and if he stays when Scott returns he’s one. Some other options are Graceffo, Roycroft, Blaze Jordan, or Cesar Prieto.

Jose from Des Moines: Hey DG, has anybody internally discussed that the Cardinals need to be more athletic with their position players, they are a slow baseball team other than SS and CF. This affects SBs, extra bases picked up, and range of fielders. I was encouraged to see the Ryan Mitchell 2nd round pick, who is a quick twitch athlete. When your best hitters are slow afoot, it’s a problem. They don’t slug enough to clear the bases, they tend to clog the bases. Milwaukee has a slow C and 1B, everybody else is a plus-plus baserunner. Your thoughts?

DG: This has been a focus going back more than — well, at least a decade or so. There was a time during Mozeliak’s tenure as GM/POBO that he encouraged the draft director and scouts for athleticism to be the tiebreaker. A standout example that a scout once told me was Trevor Rosenthal. Side with athleticism and see where it takes him. Another player who fit that description was Carlo Martinez — a shortstop turned pitcher, that the Cardinals thought had the athleticism to adjust and advance rapidly as a pitcher. The idea was to get more athleticism especially on pitching because athleticism would allow for quicker improvement of deliveries, mechanics, etc. The Cardinals also sought athleticism when it came to defense because they wanted versatility and excellence with the ballpark they call home and the style of play they want. That’s the background. You ask about “more athletic” — and that’s kind of always been the goal for awhile now, and it hasn’t been the result, but is still on their mind. And the modern game is rewarding athleticism more. I think you look around the acquisitions the Cardinals have made and there is a look for athleticism.

Fan1941: Who besides Leahy is a possible starter from the bullpen?

DG: He’s one in the current bullpen.

Hot to trot: What does ferm8n have to do to get a longer look? His hitting exceeds sahggese and his fielding is just as good. What is he doing wrong?

DG: It sure seems like the answer here is to be with another team that doesn’t have so many overlaps and different priorities than the Cardinals search for playing time at those positions and the future of those positions. Just seems like another team would have a greater opportunity for him.

Jose from Des Moines: Percentage chances that Arenado, Gray and Contreas waive their NTC in offseason? That would clear a lot of salary and open up more spots for the younger players.

DG: In order: Low unless a desired team comes through with interest; coin flip; still low.

BryanB: DG, Bats. Where are hitters in minor leagues. They seem to stock up on relievers and pitching. This team needs some hitters. RISP needs improvement next year

DG: JJ Wetherholt is on the way. He’s an impact bat. We’ll see what strides Baez continues to make and he’s about to go on the 40-player roster. Church is an intriguing bat, too. Chase Davis has flashes of being that option a year from now.

Tackleberry: If what we are seeing is not a reflection of Oli’s managing, then shouldn’t we see an extension for him in October? It sure sounds like nothing will change roster-wise going forward, and if ownership is satisfied with the results than why allow Oli to manage as a lame duck?

DG: Maybe. We’ll find out in October, and that offer/conversation will come from Chaim Bloom. It’s not October yet, and it’s something that we’ll learn in the coming weeks.

Ken: I am shocked that this team has played this well. Go check some stats our starters rank near dead last. We don’t hit homers. We don’t steal bases. Our base running isn’t that great either. To not be 10 or 15 games below five hundred is a miracle. I’m not a big Oli fan but I give credit were credit is due…

DG: They have outplayed so many of their traits, defied the anchors they have dragging them back. Could be far worse.

Jose from Des Moines: Is the organization down on Jimmy Crooks? Why doesn’t he get a look see in September. Pages and Pozo are not the answer in 2026

DG: They are not. He may. It’s not September yet. But the Cardinals do have 17 catchers on the roster already.

Sure, they could jettison a catcher to make room, and maybe that’s what you want. I know the clubhouse would respond poorly to doing that to Pozo or Pages. Maybe that doesn’t matter to you. It definitely does to the pitchers.

Jose from Des Moines: Well then Johnny Mo has failed in his athleticism acquisition. Burleson, Donovan, Gorman, Walker, Nootbaar, Contreas and Arenado are slow footed, with very little slug. It shouldn’t take 10 years to find athletic baseball players, just sayin’

DG: I noticed you didn’t list Scott or Masyn Winn. And curiously did mention Walker, who has above average sprint speed. Must have been an oversight. You wouldn’t be only listing the players who you think fit your argument and ignoring the ones who don’t.

dth: I would like to hear from anyone who answered other than Rockies to the pole. There is nothing about this team that suggests they are anywhere near the Cubs or Yankees when it comes to contending. Willingness to spend money alone entirely eliminates the Yankees from reasonable consideration, but somehow the Yankees are leading the pole. Chatters are delusional.

DG: I’m struck that the tone of the poll doesn’t match the tone of the questions. Always seems to be the case. Majority of voters suggest that the Cardinals are closer to the Yankees. Majority of the questions/comments suggest they are the foot of the Rockies. Scenic, for sure, but not ideal for the standings.

Dicky: Getting a little snarky aren’t you Derrick, you use examples to fit your arguments all the time. 7 out of 9 position players are slow footed in field and on bases. And Jordan Walker you have to get on base first

It’s almost like I did that on purpose, just as the questioner did. Incredible.

Tackleberry: True or false: Cards keep Wetherholt in the minors because he is the only exciting thing they have to sell for 2026, and if for some reason he would struggle (which wouldn’t be a shock) they lose their only shiny object?

DG: That wouldn’t be the reason. I don’t understand the logic. What if he struggles in 2026?

Jose from Des Moines: You mean one of the worst pitching staffs in baseball get to care about who they pitch to, what a shallow argument, too much buddy-buddy stuff goes on in this organization. I hope Bloom fixes that way of thinking.

DG: That’s a fair retort, and like I said — it is entirely fair for you to care less about things that the team cares about.

You can also mock what it cares about, too, if you wish. No worries. I just offer up explanations so you can take that into consideration then rip, mock, chastise away.

Matt: Have the Cardinals gotten what they expected to out of this season? Have they gotten enough of a look at the “runway” players this season for Bloom and Co to make decisions this offseason about which players are building blocks for 2026 and beyond? For as much was made about 2025 being the year to gather information on a long list of players, certainly seems like injuries could cause the 2026 roster to look very similar.

DG: It doesn’t seem they have, to me. So many of the questions they started the season with still don’t have answers, at least not answers to their liking. Is the future core any clearer than it was in March? We recently spent an entire podcast exploring that topic …

Cardinal Bob: It would really be hard to get fans back if Mo was going to be back with the Cards for the next few years? Loved your attendance article.

DG: This is what we’ll learn. If the fans come back next season is it because of Wetherholt or because of Bloom? Will we be able to tell if fans buy tickets to see the front office, or see the rising talent? If attendance remains the same, then is it neither? Or did Bloom’s presence at the ballpark keep it from becoming worse and what then about Wetherholt? Setting him as an indicator at all for ticket sales — That seems like a lot to put on a young player. Just as I’m skeptical that fans buy tickets to a baseball game based on who is there in a polo shirt. My theory: It’s who is on the field and the experience at the field.

BryanB: Are the Cards going to develop Svanson into a closer or try to pull Helsley back. Jojo to me is ok but setup man mostly.

DG: That’s a possibility for Svanson, yes. He and Graceffo have both mentioned as possible candidates for those roles.

AJ in NoVA: Athleticism is not synonymous with speed. Donovan seems pretty athletic though I don’t think I’d bet on him to beat Scott in a 100m sprint. I’m open minded on the 1600m or 3200m races.

Tackleberry: Tickets are already sold, who cares. You’re probably not selling new tickets in season but you’re selling his excitement and potential this winter.

DG: Walk-up tickets are still available. They can still sell those tickets. They would be selling on the same potential in the winter. Did Masyn Winn drive ticket sales or hold back ticket sales between 2023 and 2024?

We just clearly disagree on what drives ticket sales.

I am welcome to hearing the evidence you have to support fans will buy tickets dreaming of seeing a young prospect — vs. how many would support the team with a better overall team, or a better overall experience at the ballpark (and that includes the cost of going to the ballpark).

Birds: Derrick- What if no cardinal player gets to the 20 home run mark this season? What does this mean for our team moving forward? No power bats, no power arms, is very concerning.

DG: And it should be. It’s … astonishing. What does it mean for the future? Well, they better find power somewhere or get better and defying the probabilities. Become an OBP monster and know that the offense doesn’t have much margin for error.

LennieC: With Wetherholt coming, who is likely to leave, to make room? Donovan, Gorman or Saggese? Two of them? Would Pages or Pozo bring anything in a trade, as “add On’s”?

DG: These are the trades that Bloom will be exploring, and the return may make the decision for him. Who garners interest and can give them the talent to make the deal worthwhile. I don’t see the Pages, Pozo trade market being of interest to the Cardinals. And that should tell you something about how they see Herrera and his position in the future..

Tackleberry: Where is the money going that is being saved off the payroll? I hate to be negative but this “rebuild” feels more like a money-pocketing exercise than it does an organization transforming event.

The Cardinals had their revenue from TV cut by a significant amount. The Cardinals braced themselves for a significant decline in ticket sales. These two things happened. They attempted to trim the payroll as a result of reduced revenue. This wasn’t a secret. This was reported by the Post-Dispatch and many other outlets.

What the Post-Dispatch also reported is the Cardinals did up their spending on staffing and infrastructure and tech in the minors. They also are funding some of the overhaul/rebuild of the spring training complex. So you have more than $40 million — actually it could be upward of $50 million, maybe more — wrapped up in increased staffing, increased tech, and the bulk of it on that rebuild/expansion of the spring training complex.

Went back to check my notes and the Cardinals planned an increase of spending on staff and tech and facilities in the minors of 8%-12%. There’s one estimate that has them spending more than that (but less than the revenue cut) by the end of the season.

cbow: Was this increase in spending on staffing and infrastructure and actual increase, or did it bring them back to pre-pandemic levels?

DG: Great question. It was actual increase. However you want to measure it. The staff is larger than pre-pandemic numbers. The tech/facilities are improving beyond pre-pandemic status. So it was an actual increase in salaries, numbers, setup, all of it.

Ken M: What types of players will make up the 2026 roster? All home grown guys getting more experience? Low cost place holders? Free agents signed to multiple years? What are we looking at?

DG: We don’t know yet. We’ll know more when Chaim Bloom articulates his vision for his first year in charge.

Sam: Well if a losing clubhouse has that much influence on who catches that’s a problem, their job is to produce, they should have no say in the 26 man roster-inmates don’t run asylums

DG: This may come as a surprise that a clubhouse is not an asylum and players are not inmates.

Baseball conversations are the best.

Only within in a baseball conversation can we have questions about the Cardinals ruining a player’s confidence and also comments saying players feelings shouldn’t matter. Quite a contrast, and both of those comments are valid opinions.

Tackleberry: But why is this from the major league payroll pool of money in 2025? When Luhnow was performing this same transformation two decades ago, expanding into other countries, there was no conversations or actions about lowering payroll. And if it isn’t an ongoing expense than 2025 should be the exception, not the rule.

DG: Baseball operations has a budget. How the team is discussed publicly — with web sites and reporters fixating on the major-league payroll — is not how the team operates with its accounting. That was true with Luhnow and before. Baseball ops has a budget, and from that budget you get spending.

Several years ago, I wrote a story about the rising cost of coach salaries, and how that factored in to spending within baseball operations — at the major and minor-league level. It was a competitive marketplace for innovative and successful coaches, and the Cardinals were finding that they had to increase their offers or not get the hires. They had the highest paid pitching coach in the game at one point. That came out of the same budget. I’m guessing these stories over the past 10-20 years just didn’t resonate for the reason you mention …

1) You didn’t see the payroll trimmed, or the attempt to trim it like you did this past year.

2) The Cardinals didn’t have the reductions in revenue that they had in 2025.

Evil Calvin: Hello Derrick……can you explain how the Cards are 2nd in the NL in doubles but last in 3B? How is that possible?

Actually last in MLB in triples with 5

DG: Mostly, because of the ballpark. Over the past few years the Cardinals’ Busch Stadium has been anywhere from 5% to 22% below league average when it comes to being favorable for triples. That has a lot to do with the size and layout of the outfield, which has the facets and alleys to invite doubles, not triples.

Bo Hart: Who are the other players not already on the 40 mane (besides Baez) who need to be protected? Also, I can’t seem to get a straight answer on this…are the Cardinals locked out of the lottery for the next MLB draft having been in it the past two years?

DG: Here is a straight answer:

The Cardinals are eligible for a lottery (top six pick) in 2026 if they do not make the playoffs.

Again, the Cardinals ARE eligible for a lottery pick (top six) if they do not make the playoffs.

That is double-checked with MLB, the CBA, and the Cardinals, and I circled back on that just to be sure today. Hope that helps.

I do not know where the confusion began but it’s possibly related to the Cardinals have access to the lottery in consecutive years. They did not get lottery picks (top six) in consecutive years, however as they “lost” the lottery in 2024 and picked 7th. They “won” the lottery in 2025 to pick 5th. Top six picks are considered lottery picks.

The CBA spells that out, and if the confusion comes from payor/payee stuff, then I get it. Cardinals are not a payor. So they are not limited to one lottery pick. They are entering payee for the first time this season and that would change their status. They’re limited to two consecutive lottery picks. They have one, in Doyle. They can get another in 2026.

monettmike: How many/Who has to be added to 40 man roster to avoid losing ?

DG: Right, that is the other part of the question. Thanks for the reminder.

Here are the top prospects who need to be protected ahead of the Rule 5 Draft: Church (already done), Cooper Hjerpe, Joshua Baez, Leonardo Bernal, Bryson Mautz, Cesar Prieto and Bryan Torres. There are others, of course, plus you have players like Tekoah Roby who must be protected and there is no 60-day injured list in the offseason.

Evan: I feel like no answer is a pretty clear answer in this case. They gave runway (to varying degrees) to many of the young players, and not one of them truly took off. The only youngsters that clearly staked their claim for a starting spot next year are Winn and Burleson. I would include Herrera had he been healthy and remained behind the plate all year, but it seems like he requires more runway to find his true major league calling. If nobody else has distinguished themselves, then the answers must come from outside the organization, not within. That knowledge, at least, has been uncovered in this “transitional” year.

DG: That was the genesis of my question on the podcast. How many answers do they have. Tell me your core. Do you know who will be part of the core the next time the Cardinals contend? That’s an open question.

Ed AuBuchon: The runway for Gorman and Walker was shortened because Arenado wasn’t traded and Walker was on the IL. Will trade value determine there future?

DG: Part of it, for sure.

AJ in NoVA: My favorite baseball conversation in this line are comments about how the Cardinals are not attractive to free agents and comments advocating that the Cardinals should do something to a veteran player that would be toxic to other players (bench someone or exile a starter to the bullpen, etc.).

DG: Another great example of how much fun baseball conversations can be. Have the cake, eat it too, and criticize the frosting, while also loving the frosting.

Craig: In my opinion, Winn and Wetherholt on the player position side. That’s all we know.

DG: Thank you for sharing, and it’s worth noting one of the players you mention has yet to take a swing in the majors.

AJ in NoVA: It seems like the Cardinals tend to overcorrect when reacting to a perceived weakness to the extent that other facets of the organization suffer. They perceived that they had enough pitching (so who needs Max Scherzer) but they didn’t have enough power hitters so they traded for Ozuna, Goldschmidt, and Arenado while investing in a hitting lab. They didn’t have enough lefty bats, now they’re lopsided on lefties. While they focused on hitting, the pitching development pipeline dried up, the pitching lab kept getting delayed and, as you have repeatedly reported, they have a severe lack of pitching depth. Why can’t they fix a problem without a point of strength becoming a new problem?

DG: There’s really something to your question, and the cycles the Cardinals found themselves in. They banked on their ability to develop pitching and traded two talents, and then run into a dry spell developing pitching. I would caution against including Max Scherzer in this question. The situation with Scherzer was this — cost and risk. The Cardinals were hyper-cautious when it came to long-term deals for pitchers because of the injury factor, and they felt the track record was that a right-handed pitcher entering his 30s was going to be an injury risk that they would not be able to overcome if lost for a long stretch. If anything, it was an example of not having the pitching to supplement or payroll space to recover. It was a risk-adverse move based on data, while not adjusting that data for the individual.

Now, your question is a great one, and where the two things meet is exactly there – risk aversion. The Cardinals are a data-driven team, for sure, and they are also a risk-management team. They do not take big risks, not like trading a top prospect (Padres) or committing big dollars to pitchers who have potential injury track records (Yankees). They feel their model and their payroll has to put them in a place where they manage risk — short-term deals, trade for certainty, protect and accumulate depth and talent by quantity so that quality emerges. If you adopt this lens — risk — a lot of the Cardinals decisions will come into focus.

Crampy: I’ve asked a number of times in chats without being picked for an answer…what happened to switch-hitting? Padres had one that played recently. Has it been coached out of young players or what? Sure would help with pitching match-ups.

DG: It’s a great question, and there are so many possible answers. A big one is how difficult it is to hit these days, and how hyper-specific teams get when it comes to attacking hitters. Preparing from both sides of the plate is just rigorous, and more and more and more you’re seeing younger players focus on the side of the plate where they have power and not being encouraged to switch-hit. That could be part of the showcase baseball approach. That seems to have a lot to do with just how difficult in general it is to hit, so hitters chose a side earlier so they aren’t splitting their time.

Ken: Derrick that’s a lot of players (for the 40 roster). Looking back at the trade deadline wouldn’t it have been better to move some redundant position players for young talent that didn’t need 40 man protection? Or is that a “ rebuild “ ?

DG: Sure. But other teams knew the Cardinals’ motivation, and didn’t come through with the offers that the Cardinals sought were worth the move.

Sue: Is Nathan Church a player who will need protection from the Rule 5 Draft this off-season? Thanks for taking my question, and for all the hard work you do providing us with excellent Cardinals coverage!

DG: He was, yes. Now he’s on the 40-man roster, so he’s protected. If the Cardinals remove him from the 40-man he’ll pass through waivers and no longer have the Rule 5 stipulation applied to him unless he clears the waivers.

Craig: It’s a fear based model. Afraid to take chances. That’s one of the many things wrong with this organization currently, and it’s why so many fans are happy to see Mo depart. He is the face of that approach. Sign the Leake’s and Matz’s of the world instead of the Wheeler’s or Nola’s.

DG: Risk. Fear. Potato. Tomato. Allow me to offer that the Cardinals did have a conference call/Zoom with Aaron Nola a few years ago, and were looking into that move just before they signed Gray, but they got a sense from Nola that he was going to return to the Phillies, and that the Cardinals were going to have to go over their bid to get him, and the Cardinals had been down that road before with Dombrowski. You may recall the David Price negotiations, and how those turned out.

South City Steve: Is it fair to say that Luhnow built a pipeline that pumped in talent, even after his 2011 departure, until the mid/late-2010’s, and once it dried up the front office never knew how to get it back on track?

DG: No. It’s way more complicated than that. And I hope the coverage at the Post-Dispatch over the past 20 years has helped explain how.

Tom H: Hi Derrick, I subscribed to the FSN Midwest season pass and I am enjoying (sort of) finally getting to watch every game (legally) for the first time in my life (Iowa resident problems). I know MLB TV has options to listen to the radio broadcast overlayed with the game and I was wondering if FSN will do something similar in the future? I enjoy listening to the radio broadcast maybe more so than the TV broadcast and would love to have the option to listen the Rooney, Horton, and Claibs while watching the game!

DG: That’s really a better question for Bally Sports, but I’ve not heard any plan for that. However, you do have access to the radio via the Cardinals’ app and also via KMOX’s site. They have no plans to simulcast but if you have internet to get the streaming of the game, then it’s just a different app/site to get the radio broadcast. It’s readily available there on KMOX or still on MLB.

Millo: Derrick, has there been any talk of expanding rosters from 26-30 players? With the way the game is played now, and the way pitchers are handled, adding 2 extra pitchers and position players to the roster would give managers greater flexibility and reduce the yo-yo effect of bringing pitchers up and down. Look at the bind the Cardinals were in this past weekend with 2 position players unavailable then Scott getting hurt. Oli was out of options. Collective bargaining chip for the owners?

DG: You spelled it out well. Yes, there is conversation about that, and there is even some interest in that. It is a bargaining chip for both sides in the CBA, and there will be discussions about it. There has been past conversations about a taxi squad. Long-time readers may be remember when I wrote an article 12-13 years ago about MLB taking on the “healthy scratch” approach of the NHL. I’ve been told several times how that came up in talks that followed, and could again. That would allow for an expanded roster, more players getting service time, but not shift strategy so much. One hesitation on team’s side: It has the potential to favor the large-spending teams like the Dodgers, who already find ways to expand their rosters with their ability to spend.

bo: Derrick- i am really truly confused by this 40 man roster issue. Please let me know which 2 players are so important that they cant bring on weatherholdt and McGreevy? this is a horrible team right now and i really wish someone could tell me who they so fear losing to not want to see 2 players who may actually have a future .

DG: McGreevy is already on. Not a concern.

I understand where you’re coming from, and I hope that I help explain this. Let’s start here: The 40-player roster is not the best 40 players in the organization. It’s not a ranking of their talent or an indication of their future. It’s not even a measure of who would be the best 40-player team. It is the 40 players who the team would like to retain control of who are at risk of being claimed by other teams. The Cardinals and every other team assign a value to that. So, let’s say that Wetherholt is a 98 on a scale of 100 when it comes to importance to the organization. But he’s a 0 when it comes to risk of losing. Joshua Baez could be a 70 out of 100 in importance, and a 90 at risk of losing. Cesar Prieto could be a 45 in importance because of the depth at the position and a 65 at risk of losing. Who gets the roster spot? Does that help? A team trying to avoid losing depth and unlikely to spend to replace that depth has to consider the value of the spot on the 40-player roster. It’s tricky and I know it’s complicated — and thus it caters to bold statements and opinions that never have to be defended because it’s sooooooooooooooooooooo sooooooooooooo soooooooooo boring talking about the roster when we could talk about exciting talent huzzah and that fits so much better on social media and videos and doesn’t put people to sleep when I need engagement numbers and to stir conversation! Roster rules: Dullsville. Who wants to go to school when we can see someone hit dingers? Talent-based roster ridicule: Let’s go viral! The club cares about the roster rules. And fans should be focused on the exciting young talent. That’s why details and this conversation matter.

And I’m happy that this chat gives me a chance to explore this topic and challenges me to find a way to explain it that connects and helps readers.

Alright, time to bolt. I’m needed to help set up a dorm room. Talk to you next from Tampa. A reminder: The series starts Thursday. It’s been moved up a day. The newsletter, Write Fielder, will arrive Friday. And count on constant Cardinals coverage all week from Florida.

I’ve got to get practice saying that. That’s how everyone greets me on campus.

That and — “carry this.”

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