St. Louis Cardinals 2022

I don't pay much attention to contracts, but twitter is saying Arenado is getting way underpaid. He could have played hardball and forced the Cardinals to pay him more, or let another team pay him more.

That, along with Mo saying the payroll will go up, has me hopeful we will see some high profile moves this offseason. Let's start it off with Contreras.

WHEW!!!

NEIlliniFan said:

WHEW!!!

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Well said.

Daniel Guerrero , Derrick Goold
The Cardinals will have their star third baseman Nolan Arenado back for 2023 and for every season after that through 2027.
Arenado — a seven-time All-Star and nine-time Gold Glover — notified the Cardinals that he is opting into the remainder of his five-year contract.

"I love the organization, I love my teammates, coaches and trainers. Excited for the future," Arenado commented to the Post-Dispatch on Saturday of his decision.
The Cardinals are expected to make an official announcement in the coming days.
Arenado, 31, comes off a season where he batted .293, hit 30 homers, drove in 103 RBIs and finished with an .891 OPS. He was named a finalist for his 10th consecutive Gold Glove at third base and also won a division for the first time in his 10-year career. Arenado, who became a father this season, had shown signs of wanting to stay in St. Louis.
By opting into the remainder of his five-year contract, $144 million contract, Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt will anchor the Cardinals corner infield spots through at least 2024 — when Goldschmidt’s current deal is set to expire. The two are likely to be among the top vote getters in this year's National League MVP voting.

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sorry if it's been posted before .....I didn't see it and I am really messed up right now , so enjoy the article.....

Arenado wins his 10th gold glove, Brendan Donovan his first, and Edman absolutely got hosed.

Daniel Guerrero
In his first year as a big-leaguer, Brendan Donovan on Tuesday was awarded the utility Gold Glove in the first year that the award has been handed out.
The rookie Donovan was a finalist for the award with teammate and former Gold Glove winner Tommy Edman and Arizona’s Daulton Varsho.
“Honestly, it's crazy,” Donovan said during a Tuesday night phone interview. “Me, in the first year winning the utility Gold Glove, it's just — what an honor.”
After he was brought up from the minors near the end of April, Donovan received playing time at first, second and third base, along with time in left and right field. The majority of his playing time came as a second baseman where he posted a 1.000 fielding percentage.

Donovan committed just seven errors in 395 total chances. His plus-eight defensive runs saved as a third baseman were tied for the sixth most in all of MLB.
Donovan, 25, is the first player in Cardinals franchise history to win a Gold Glove in his rookie season. That was news to him.
“I mean, the organization is full of such rich history," he said. "I figured someone would have done it. But to have that, honestly, is pretty special.”

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follow up to tjc's post

Daniel Guerrero
Jordan Walker began his Monday in that same fashion he ended his appearance during Saturday’s game with Salt River.
Walker, the Cardinals' top prospect, homered in his first at-bat of Salt River’s 5-3 win over Scottsdale on Monday giving him home runs in his last two at-bats dating back to Saturday. He has five total in the Arizona Fall League, tying him for the league lead with two other players.
The solo home run from Walker that cleared the center field wall was a part of a two-for-three game that included a double — his fourth since the start of the AFL — his 14th RBI, and his second stolen base.

By the end of Monday, the 20-year-old Walker was tied for the AFL lead in home runs and the leader among all Salt River hitters in slugging percentage with a .597 mark. Across his first 62 at-bats in the AFL, Walker is batting .290 with a .958 OPS.

Jeff Gordon
With star third baseman Nolan Arenado locked in through the 2027 season, the Cardinals can build on the progress made during his first two years here.
With just a few key additions, they could expect to contend for postseason play again next season, and the next season, and the next season. …
Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt will set the tone for teammates with their elite fielding, day-to-day work ethic and attention to detail.
While they may not keep producing at this season’s MV2 level through the length of their contracts, they can enhance the winning atmosphere with effort and presence. That will be critical as the Cardinals continue to groom young players like Juan Yepez, Nolan Gorman and Lars Nootbaar and cycle in elite prospects like Jordan Walker and Masyn Winn.

Yadier Molina is gone after providing nearly two decades of leadership. The Albert Pujols Master Class in hitting ended in October. Adam Wainwright will provide just one more season of guidance for the pitching staff before he heads off to succeed at whatever he does next.
Jeff Gordon
With star third baseman Nolan Arenado locked in through the 2027 season, the Cardinals can build on the progress made during his first two years here.
With just a few key additions, they could expect to contend for postseason play again next season, and the next season, and the next season. …
Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt will set the tone for teammates with their elite fielding, day-to-day work ethic and attention to detail.
While they may not keep producing at this season’s MV2 level through the length of their contracts, they can enhance the winning atmosphere with effort and presence. That will be critical as the Cardinals continue to groom young players like Juan Yepez, Nolan Gorman and Lars Nootbaar and cycle in elite prospects like Jordan Walker and Masyn Winn.
Yadier Molina is gone after providing nearly two decades of leadership. The Albert Pujols Master Class in hitting ended in October. Adam Wainwright will provide just one more season of guidance for the pitching staff before he heads off to succeed at whatever he does next.

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This is a good article replaying past events which have led to Arenado deciding to NOT opt out of his contract........Also , it's refreshing that Arenado didn't hold up the FO of the Cardinals for more coins in his contract ........

With that being said , it's time for the FO to spend the $$ to bring in at least one , if not 2 , top of the line swing and miss starting pitchers .....Also , bring in a QUALITY replacement at catcher for the future HOF'er Molina .........

Giving Walker and Winn legitimate opportunities to make the opening day roster...................The Cardinals have a grab bag mix of outfielders who do an adequate job at the MLB ,level , but NONE are destined for an elite level MLB success path.........Lump some of them into a trade for a right fielder with 30 hr's and 100 rbi's past performance.........I don't know yet who that might be , or even if there is one available ........

The Cardinals had the unexpected revenue windfall from Albert's return to STL and should spend it and trade some vets ( PDJ and Dak ) with prospects interspersed to bring another WS to the Cardinal nation........JMHO...............................

Daniel Guerrero
After Salt River’s off day on Tuesday and a night off from Wednesday’s, Jordan Walker returned on Thursday to game action in the Arizona Fall League. The 20-year-old outfielder and top Cardinals prospect went two-for-five with an RBI in his return to the lineup.
The multi-hit game continued Walker’s surge in offense that has spanned his last eight games played. In that span, Walker is batting .355 with three home runs, three doubles, and eight RBIs. He has also produced a .412 on-base percentage and a .742 slugging.

Overall in the AFL, Walker is slashing .299/.364/.597 with five home runs, which tie him with five other prospects for the league lead.
Walker was one of five Cardinals prospects to play for Salt River on Thursday. Here is how they did:

Derrick Goold
HOUSTON — When veteran catcher Jason Castro’s season ended with knee surgery, the Houston Astros had two talented prospects ready to step into the backup role and one telling concern.
They weren’t sure, general manager James Click said, if turning to inexperienced catchers at that vital position was wise for a World Series contender, so Houston went shopping. They reached out to acquire at the trade deadline an established starter, Boston’s Christian Vazquez, to serve as a backup — or more, if needed.
“That’s a lot to ask of those young guys at this point in their careers, so we wanted a level of depth just in case something happened in the last two months of the season,” Click told the Post-Dispatch this past week. “Vazquez is a veteran performer, knows how to handle pressure environments both behind the plate and at the plate. A high-contact, quality at-bat at the plate. All the things we knew had value.

“First of all — a veteran postseason catcher.”
That all sounds familiar.
For the first time in a generation the Cardinals will be searching this offseason for a starting catcher, a squatter to take over after the retirement of franchise fixture Yadier Molina. John Mozeliak, president of baseball operations, has mentioned the position first when publicly discussing offseason priorities. Some of the traits the Cardinals prefer in their next catcher are the same ones Houston sought, and for the same reasons as an aspiring contender. It could lead them to the same option: Vazquez, a free agent in a few days who has significant ties to Molina.

Daniel Guerrero
Strong performances during the Arizona Fall League for Cardinals prospects Jordan Walker, Masyn Winn, Tink Hence, and Connor Thomas earned them recognition among their fellow prospects.

The four Cardinals prospects were named to the AFL’s National League All-Star team along with other standout prospects from this year’s fall league. The AFL All-Star game — or Fall Stars game as it is referred to — will be played on Sunday at 3 p.m. St. Louis time. It will be televised on MLB Network and can be streamed on MLB.com.
Walker — the Cardinals' top prospect — is the highest-ranked prospect named to the Fall Stars game, according to MLB Pipeline prospect rankings. Through 18 games in the AFL, the 20-year-old Walker is batting .299 with a .961 OPS. He has driven in 15 runs, doubled five timed, and homered five-time. His five home runs tie him for the league lead entering Friday.

Hence and Walker got to face off against each other at the Fall Stars game:

Cardinals announced their 2023 major league coaching staff: https://www.mlb.com/news/cardinals-announce-2023-major-league-coaching-staff

Matt Holliday has been named the new bench coach. Turner Ward, who was the assistant hitting coach this past season and is a favorite of Goldy's, has been promoted to hitting coach. Dusty Blake, who was the Cardinals pitching strategist the past two seasons, has been promoted to pitching coach. Brendan Allen, who was the hitting coach at Memphis the past two seasons, has been promoted to assistant hitting coach. Julio Rangel, who was a pitching coordinator for the Red Sox the last two years, has been named assistant pitching coach/bullpen coach.

Derrick Goold
HOUSTON — With his two oldest sons playing together for their only year together as Stillwater Pioneers, batting second and third in the Oklahoma high school’s lineup, there was no chance Matt Holliday was going to be lured away from the amateur ballfields a year ago, no matter how much the Cardinals tried.
But as Holliday mapped his return to major-league baseball as a coach he recognized whenever he decided to make that jump it was going to mean time away family.
There was no perfect time.
So it had to be the perfect fit.
The Cardinals offered that last week and officially named Holliday their bench coach Sunday. He replaces his former teammate and good friend Skip Schumaker. Holliday joins the stuff run by a close friend, manager Oliver Marmol, and an organization that just a few months ago inducted him into its Hall of Fame, red jacket and all. The four previous people to hold the role of Cardinals bench coach have gone on to become managers, the Miami Marlins in Schumaker’s case.

“When I think about what am I going to do with the passion I have for coaching and the passion I have for leading and being around people, what does that look like?” Holliday told the Post-Dispatch on Sunday morning. “This is just such a great opportunity in a lot of ways because I know Oli, Oli is a close friend, and obviously my relationship with the Cardinals organization. Knowing all that I do, it’s just a unique opportunity. I can’t pass it up.”

Other moves​

The Cardinals revealed Sunday the entirety of Marmol’s staff for his second season as manager. Two members of this year’s staff, Dusty Blake and Turner Ward, were promoted to pitching and hitting coach, respectively.

Blake, 40, replaces widely respected pitching coach Mike Maddux, who elected not to return as he sought a different role and pace from years of travel. Blake came to the Cardinals from Duke for a new position, pitching strategist, and was entrusted in advancing the use of analytics for pitch use, pitch development and pitchers. A former college pitcher, Blake became a trusted voice for pitchers as they looked to understand the statistical underpinnings of what made their pitches work.

Lots of optimism about Cardinals spending more, and Ilinteresting conversation on the possibility of persuing a shortstop, but this comment left me feeling pessimistic again:

"What will end up making or breaking their decision will be the desired contract length from any of the other free-agent shortstops. Mozeliak won’t be signing off on any 10-year mega-deals, but there is some reason for optimism that if a three- or four-year deal makes sense for both parties, the Cardinals could get it done."

Of the big 4 shortstop free agents (Turner, Bogaerts, Correa, Swanson), does anyone think any of them would sign for 3-4 years right now? Maybe you could figure out a 7 or 8 year deal, bit if we're really set on that 3-4 number, it ain't happening.

the juiceman cometh said:

Cardinals offseason mailbag part 1: Payroll questions, pitching options and the shortstop market

The Cardinals said they plan to increase payroll next season, but how will they allocate that money?

theathletic.com

Lots of optimism about Cardinals spending more, and Ilinteresting conversation on the possibility of persuing a shortstop, but this comment left me feeling pessimistic again:

"What will end up making or breaking their decision will be the desired contract length from any of the other free-agent shortstops. Mozeliak won’t be signing off on any 10-year mega-deals, but there is some reason for optimism that if a three- or four-year deal makes sense for both parties, the Cardinals could get it done."

Of the big 4 shortstop free agents (Turner, Bogaerts, Correa, Swanson), does anyone think any of them would sign for 3-4 years right now? Maybe you could figure out a 7 or 8 year deal, bit if we're really set on that 3-4 number, it ain't happening.

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They will not sign any big time prospect SS for even a 5 year deal. With Masyn Winn as their #2 prospect waiting in the wings why would they? He will make it to The Show in 2-3 years.

I know most that read this board watch A LOT more games than I do. Is SS the biggest need? Isn't Edman good enough? I am more worried about catcher, starting pitching (a true #1) and at least 1 outfielder.

Illwinsagain said:

I know most that read this board watch A LOT more games than I do. Is SS the biggest need? Isn't Edman good enough? I am more worried about catcher, starting pitching (a true #1) and at least 1 outfielder.

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That would be my die hard fan wishes , and in the order you posted also.......

Catching is a big void if we go into the new season with Knizner and an experienced free agent catcher as the end result....I'm not sold on Contreras or Murphy as the answers , but they are a lot better options than what we have on hand now......

Starting pitching , with a true # 1 swing and miss is a necessary addition with the new playoff scenario's.....I would also sign Quintana as there is no guarantee that Flaherty or Matz will be injury free next year.....Quintana was by far the best starter we had after the trade deadline ....Montgomery was up there until he tapered off at the end of the season........

We have way too many mediocre outfielders and the health issue is a factor also.......Can we count on TON playing more than 140 games next year ?
How about Carlson ??.....Yepez suffered an injury that kept him out for a month or so.....

SS is at the bottom of my wish list because of how Edman performed last year.........Donovan won a GG and Gorman is passable defensively.......So the middle of the infield is covered , IMHO.........

Illwinsagain said:

I know most that read this board watch A LOT more games than I do. Is SS the biggest need? Isn't Edman good enough? I am more worried about catcher, starting pitching (a true #1) and at least 1 outfielder.

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So here's my thing on SS.

I think we have one good middle infielder (Edman) and a solid super utility type (Donovan). Gorman is not an everyday type yet, and DeJong is DeJong. But the bigger thing is our lineup needs another impact bat, ideally someone who could lead off.

If we could sign an OF to do that I would say 100%, let's do that. But take a look at the OF FA class this season and you'll see why everyone is talking about SS. Outside of Judge, who we aren't going to get, there is nobody who moves the needle. Nimmo is the closest 2nd and I think he's a very good player but the shortstops on the market have better track records and provide a lot more pop which is what we need.

Donovan can also play OF, so to me it makes sense to have Edman plus FA signing as every day middle infield, with Donovan filling in at 2B, 3B, and corner OF as needed.

And while I'm high on Masyn Winn, prospects are never a guarantee and he's at least a year out, and who knows how far out from being the player we all hope he becomes. The window to compete with Goldy and Arenado is not going to last forever. It may make sense to trade Wynn to fill a pitcher or catcher need (Murphy??)

Cardinals To Select Moises Gomez - Added to 40 man roster

The Cardinals gave him another shot, inking him to a non-roster deal and sending him to Double-A Springfield. Gómez had an incredible .321/.401/.705 showing, popping 23 home runs in 257 plate appearances in his second crack at the level. The Cards bumped him to Triple-A Memphis, where he added another 16 longballs with a .266/.340/.541 line in 244 trips to the dish. That didn’t get him onto the MLB roster during the season, but St. Louis will add him to the 40-man now to retain his long-term contractual rights.

viking6888 said:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1590088030186278912

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I'd take him in a heartbeat over the other options we have. I really liked Kinzer(sp) but just don't think he is ever gonna be more than backup. His hitting was just to weak for the major league's. I really think we need a good outfielder with a little pop in his bat. TOn, Noot and Carlson need to step it up if we don't get someone. I am more than happy with Tommy and Donovan playing middle infield. Yepez is great person to have to rotate and DH.

Pitching was ok with who we had our biggest weakness imho was hitting and lack there of. Score more and the staff we had works.

When isn't it a "...big spring for Paul DeJung to show his bat still has a place with this team"?

How long, Lord, how long?