The 2026 iteration of the annual Winter Warm-Up event has concluded, and this year, a little more bittersweet than last, considering the impending labor strife headed into next offseason, the chances of the event taking place appear to be slim. Regardless of those looming thoughts overhead, the day was still as eventful as ever, filled with a ton of questions and opportunities to catch up and learn a little bit more about the players that represent your favorite team and what they are all about. Including myself, who found out in a public way that Dustin May truly is not a fan of the nickname “Gingergaard.” Noted.
Again, in an effort not to completely bore people to death with my recounting of events, I will simply post the live stream videos from players’ media availability they had with us, and you can hear the full Q and A as it took place, as well as the laughs and light exchanges we had with each other in this very casual setting.
Michael McGreevy and Thomas Saggese
Another big thank you to Kyle Reis for allowing me to use his recordings to bring to you the great readers of Viva El Birdos and save me a TON of time recounting and transcribing conversations that sometimes don’t provide the context or tone of the room the best. This really gives you the best idea of what it’s like in these interview rooms with the players! Also, thank you to the St. Louis Cardinals for having me again and allowing me access 99% of people don’t receive. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to ask players questions, ATTEMPT to highlight their personalities, and provide interesting discussion points for discourse as they manifest in my brain.