Goold's chat: What trade is best for Cardinals — adding a starter or dealing a reliever? (2024)

A five-game winning streak screeched to a halt Monday afternoon at Cincinnati as, for the second consecutive game, the Cardinals got an RBI from Paul Goldschmidt on a home run and no one else.

The Cardinals' first baseman has provided the last five RBIs for the Cardinals, and all of them have come on homers.

Questions are why we have chats.

Comments and concerns and criticisms, too.

Rescheduled from its usual Monday morning start time, the weekly Cardinals chat at StlToday.com will go where readers take it. So, enough prelude. Let's get started. Submit questions to baseball writer Derrick Goold below in the window and find answers there or transcribed in real-time below for easier reading on your desktop, mobile, or tablet.

As always, the questions are not edited for spelling or grammar.

Let's hope at least most of the answers will be.

And. Away. We. Go.

JavierFan: The Cardinals defense was really superb the first 6 weeks of the season. Here lately though they have been averaging one error a game right? Any thoughts on why this trend?

DG: There doesn't appear to be one governing trend that ties all these errors together. For the first time in their career as Cardinals, Arenado and Goldschmidt committed an error in the same game -- and it also came in the same inning. Arenado has had a few errors here, and he'll tell you that he's as frustrated with those as he is his swing at the moment. They've had not a streak of a dozen games with at least an error. In the past six games, the Cardinals have allowed seven UNearned runs as a result of those errors. They haven't been detrimental because of something we've all talked about before -- the offense that overcomes it, or overwhelms it, carries the Cardinals so that little flaws like an error here or there isn't dooming. To your question, though, it's not like the errors are indication of players out of position or trading on defense to get offense. Some of them are just mistakes that happen, and as with everything it seems in 2024 (offense struggles, errors, even wins) the Cardinals are doing things in clumps.

Ron: Which way FO is leaning too? Selling or buyers?

DG: On May 28? TBD for the trade deadline. Their preference of course is to be a buyer because then they wouldn't be tumbling into a second sell-off in as many years, surrendering to the standings for a second consecutive year, and assuring that there would be changes all around by the end of the season. For their positions, they want to be buyers. But they would really help the team by buying in the near future. A starter. That would change the division race. The Brewers did that with a shortstop a few years ago. No harm in pulling from Milwaukee's playbook and jumping the line to make the move that changes the division race. There is no rule that trades have to wait until July ...

Adam: Any good Angel Hernandez stories to share?

DG: Not really, no. Sorry.

Dave in KC: DG, while I can understand, (though not agree with), the front office's stance on investing in outside starting pitching, why are they so obstinate on not trying one of the minor league guys?

DG: Not sure I entirely understand the question as the Cardinals did go outside the organization to sign three free agent starters and address openings in the rotation that they felt the minor-league system could not provide. Actions speak loudly. The Cardinals had openings, they felt they needed to go outside to do so. The Cardinals have another opening, they are going out of their way not to promote one of the young prospects to fill it. That is telling. That speaks to how effective the Cardinals expect the pitcher to be as well as how protective the Cardinals are of the routine/schedule of those pitchers when it comes to development. That's what it reveals. Effective. Protective. They are telling us both with their actions.

Beneath the surface, I think there is also something else that we're learning by how the Cardinals make the decisions here.

Some of what is guiding their decision goes beyond the box score, the radar gun, and into how they use the data they have to translate and predict how a pitcher will do at the highest level. There is a lot of evidence and conversation going on this year that the gap between Class AAA and the majors is wider than ever -- and it was already the biggest in professional baseball, by a good bit. So teams now look at pitch profiles and pitch dynamics and try to take those numbers and see how those pitchers will adapt and succeed (or struggle) in the majors. They can look at a sweeper that gets swings in Class AAA, go that sweeper is a chase pitch there, but it's ignored unless he can also throw it for a strike in the majors. Or, they can look at a split and say that pitch is really troubling Class AAA hitters, but big-league batters are able to drive that pitch or ignore. And there is the ABS, which is erasing some of how pitchers like Zack Thompson get by with elevated fastballs and their curveball because those pitches aren't strikes in Class AAA, but they are in the majors. I asked Marmol about this recently, and he said that guiding their choice here is, yes, how the Cardinals interpret the data at Class AAA and their internal projections of what that means in the majors. Telling, yes.

Eventually, they're going to be in a spot where they're just going to have to see if one of the young pitchers fits and can help in the majors. Even if they go outside to solve another pitching hole they need help from inside because all contenders on a budget do, or else they won't remain contenders.

Sherman: The Cards need another starter and seem to have an extra outfielder. How does Carlson's trade value line up for a 4th/5th starter type?

DG: Not well at the moment, unless you're talking about trading Jordan Walker or, perhaps, Alec Burleson.

RP: Off-the-field question: With the product on the field floundering, could there be more attention paid to the “fun factor” At games? It seems like, relative to other teams, STL has leaned into the more austere, “appreciate the game,” gameday experience. That’s all well and good until the team loses 90 games. And we’ve seen deterioration in attendance. I don’t think the stadium itself is a draw (see Wrigley, Fenway, San Fran). I was at a game recently and sort of struck by how dull the crowd seemed - to be fair, it was a loss, but again…does the org have to solve for this?

DG: They've won 10 of their past 13 games, but they remain a losing team and they've gone now almost 11 years since a pennant -- so perhaps "floundering" is in regards to the latter two categories not the current streak. That said, we already see examples of how they are trying to enhance the experience at the ballpark beyond it being the golf course of baseball with polite applause for the visitor and a studious appreciation for the sustained tension of the game. Look no further than the entry music for relievers and the light show that comes with Ryan Helsley's entrance to close a win. They're adding to that, borrowing from other teams. Over the past several years, Cardinals productions and social media have traveled the league, and they're seeing some of the atmospheres at other ballparks, and that's a great thing. For years, the Pittsburgh Pirates have had a game-start hype video that should be mimicked throughout the game -- but do other ballpark experience officials see it to know what's possible? Same thing with the Giants' video as Sergio Romo entered the game. Brilliant stuff. But how well-known was that before Nunez in New York and his trumpeted entry became a sensation that, thankfully, was broadcast far and wide for other teams to go, hey, that's cool, let's do something like that ... We are definitely seeing signs where this is on the Cardinals mind and it's part of that next turn that grows from what we've already seen -- more giveaways, more value-added, more ticket packaging deals, more theme nights (theme nights are definitely part of this!), and so on.

Bryan C: Good morning. What was the date the last time the Cardinals were at 500? Thank you.

DG: April 16. At 9-9 after a win in Oakland.

Jock Ewing: Derrick - So let me see if I understand -- the Cardinals add three starting pitchers in the off-season and are still short of starting pitchers?

DG: Correct. Injuries happen. There is no such thing as too much pitching. The issue wasn't signing free-agent pitchers; the issue has been developing the pitchers ready to debut and contribute when the inevitable injury happens.

RP: To what extent could the ongoing TV negotiations influence whether/when the team would lean into a rebuild/teardown/whatever?

DG: Significantly. Look no further than the Texas Rangers. It is possible to trace a direct line between Jordan Montgomery being in Arizona and not returning to Texas, not returning to be a part of that rotation and part of defending a championship because of the Rangers' TV deal. And after 2024, there are only going to be more teams in that spot -- as the model shifts and, for some teams (Cardinals included), the potential future revenue grows but the immediate revenue slows. It is a factor for sure.

Jordan: Is Pallante lined up for tomorrow’s start?

DG: He is indeed. Liberatore's use in Monday's game was the hint. They may talk about keeping Pallante available for long relief today, but he is now lined up for that start in Cincinnati.

Craig: Is Thomas Saggese the most logical trade chip for the Cardinals to get a decent starting pitcher? He does seem blocked in The Lou.

DG: And here I've been told for a few weeks that no one uses "The Lou" in conversation. That was news to me, and here you go giving me an example. Well done.

Candidly, I don't agree with your premise. I a) don't see Saggese blocked in the majors. He hits. His position is undetermined. The availability of the DH makes it more possible for an NL team to use a player like that. He can handle second base just fine. The Cardinals have 2B who play elsewhere. I don't see the block. b) I think the Cardinals would be real reluctant to trade a prize of their first sell-sell-sell deadline in a generation just a few months after that. They need a win from that deadline. They just do. And he and Roby are leading candidates to be that win.

wonderer: DG: What time did our Birds on the Bats get to their hotel after Sundays nite game. KMOX radio games caller were using that as excuse as to the Cards play last nite. Thanks

DG: I didn't check. But we can do the math. First pitch was 8:43 p.m. STL time. The game took 2 hours, 36 minutes to play. A quick of Xwitter and I shared the game story and update on Sonny Gray at 11:38 p.m. The Cardinals were still packing and in the clubhouse at that time. Say it takes them another 60-90 minutes to leave the ballpark, commute to their charter flight, and then get organized there for a ... optimistically ... 1:10 a.m. wheels up? That puts them near Cincinnati (but not in, because the airport is in Kentucky) at

Well, hold on ...

The Cardinals charter doesn't have to connect through Chicago or Baltimore or Atlanta or Charlotte, so I need to go with a different flight time than I have here.

It's about 52 minutes wheels up to wheels down. That puts them near Cincy at 2,02 a.m. STL time, or 3,02 a.m. Eastern. They lose the hour, they're probably at best nestled comfortably into their rooms by 4 a.m. Cincy time.

So, I'm going with 4 a.m. Cincy time.

Not all that unusual. Travel is part of the challenge of the schedule -- and travel for the team is expedited as much as possible. Heck, they didn't have a rain delay, had an off day, and still had a brutal trip back from Anaheim after a night game there. They got back to St. Louis at dawn.

wonderer: Almost sounds like abuse on not just the Cards but in general on all teams by MLB.

DG: They'll get by. There are business travelers that have far worse schedules. I'm sure they appreciate the thought -- and players have definitely been able to negotiate into the CBA more concerns for the grind of travel and the crossing of time zones.

Luke: Saggesse may get the most return but not one I would suspect is available. Lets just trade a 1st and a 3rd with a pick swap in the 5th round!

DG: Say it with me ... MLB teams cannot trade most draft picks. MLB teams cannot trade most draft picks. For decades, MLB teams could not trade ANY draft picks. For decades. A recent change in the rules allows them to trade ONLY competitive balance picks. Not all teams get them. So, not only can MLB teams not trade most draft picks, most MLB teams cannot trade any draft picks. That's just not a thing in MLB.

JuniorGM: DG - Please tell me if you agree with this proposition. For years, the cards developed pitchers, but not hitters. So they bought hitters. Now the reverse seems to be true. They are developing hitters, but not pitchers. What, would you say is the cause of that change, if you agree.

DG: Agreed. And they are still looking for their breakout, longterm impact hitter to come out of the system. Could be Gorman. Could be Walker. Could be Burleson. Or, the impact position player that they develop, debut, and then watch become a stand out for them could be Masyn Winn. The Cardinals would like all of them, to be, for sure. But let's take note that Paul DeJong and Matt Carpenter are the most recent homegrown position player All-Stars for the Cardinals. That has to change, too.

Luke: That was said in jest!

DG: Excellent. Well played, Luke.

And thanks for giving me a chance to copy/paste my draft pick soapbox.

wonderer: what time did they have to leave for the park from the hotel?

DG: They don't all leave together, and in some cities they can just walk to the ballpark. There are scheduled buses. I don't have the schedule from Monday. Most players head to the ballpark 5-7 hours before first pitch for night games, 4-6 hours before first pitch for earlier day games.

Jim Lang: TV announcer said they checked in to the hotel at 4 AM

DG: Nailed it. Hooray, maths!

jm: IF Arenado gets traded, at the deadline or over the winter would moving gorman to 3B and saggese to 2B make sense?? Do you know of another alternative?

DG: Why would they trade Nolan Arenado at the trade deadline? That a) seems unwise and b) seems unlikely. He has a very complex contract that involves deferred payments from two teams. Those deferred payments including interest when paid by the Rockies and no interest when paid by the Cardinals. Plus, there is the added year that the Cardinals put on, believing it would be them and help counterbalance the cost. That isn't the kind of contract that is traded at the deadline because it would require involvement of the union, the teams, the player, and so much navigation of the complex details that made the deal possible in the first place. Plus, you know, the Cardinals would just prefer to contend and keep him.

Tacklebwrry: My concern with the Cardinals making a move now for an external starter is that it will just be someone to replace Matz’s production and it will become THE move for 2024. Then at the deadline the team will say “don’t forget we signed Rich Hill…”

DG: Naturally. And if/when that is never said at the trade deadline and Rich Hill isn't the addition, there will still be corners of the internet that repeat that concern as gospel and there is no reporting or answer I can give that will change that.

Bryan C: Are there any hitters and pitchers at Memphis that can help the Cardinals now?

DG: If the Cardinals felt that way, they would make the move for a pitcher. They believe Pallante can, so they made the move.

Karl: Thanks for the chat and your articles. We seem to have 3 good IF's (Prieto, Fermin, and Saggese) in Memphis that appear blocked. Prieto and Fermin are really hitting. What have you heard about them?

DG: I'm hesitant to agree with the "blocked" notion. From people I've spoken to who are not with the Cardinals but have evaluated the Cardinals system, Prieto is getting strong reviews. Contact hitter. Does a lot right. I've been told he'll contribute in the majors, just a question of whether that's off the bench or as something more. He'll get a chance at some point to prove that at the major-league level, as he cannot right now in the minors. Fermin belongs in the majors -- with some team. His bat belongs there. He had a strong spring. He looks like a hitter who has done what he needs to at Class AAA and some team should swoop him and give him that chance.

Nick: Are the Cardinals concerned over Ivan Herrera's poor throwing abilities? is this pretty much what you will have with him or is there room for improvement?

DG: They are. This isn't a new concern. They were obviously aware of it as he moved up through the organization, moved into the majors, and over the past several many years. And, yes, there is room for improvement just as a shortstop can get on a throwing program to improve arm strength or a second baseman can drill and drill and drill on footwork for turning double plays so can a catcher work on that transfer, on that accuracy, and so on to improve. And that is what he's doing and has been doing. There are signs of it improving, as you've probably seen.

Max: Any sense on how the team is feeling about the draft this summer? It seems like while it's a weak class overall, there are around 8 top-level prospects, leaving the Cardinals in a good spot to add a strong player no matter what happens ahead of them.

DG: The Cardinals believed going into the spring season that there would be a strong talent available to them at No. 7 and perhaps even a quick-mover, a polished, high-ceiling college player or pitcher. They felt the top end of the draft was there and it was a good year to picking 7th vs., say, 17th. That opinion has not changed as the college and prep season unfolded.

Craig: Do you have any indication the Cardinals are looking for another starter outside the organization, or will they go with internal options, hope and fingers crossed that Matz gets healthy and pitches well at some point this season?

DG: They have at least explored the options out there -- as teams do, constantly. It is not clear that they've been urgent or aggressive in doing so, but gathering possibilities and beginning to look into costs is what's happening. They've looked into claims on waivers and also tried to find out if there might be moves ahead for teams that could shake out a pitcher on waivers or DFA, for example.

DEK: Is there a concern that last year's number one pick Chase Davis is turning out to be a disappointment in regards to his current play in Low A compared to where the typical first round pick normally is at this early stage?

DG: No, there is not. It's less than 12 months since his pick. Less than 12 months since he was in college. And not every draft pick is expected to be Skenes or Langford. But your question got me thinking ...

I wondered what happened when, just with a quick count, you did compare Davis to "where the typical first-round pick normally is at this early stage". Where is that? Is there data that shows where that should be given the many, varied picks from prep pitchers to polished college pitchers? Tough to say what's normal when the draft just isn't normal. That said, let's do a quick audit of where the 20 picks ahead of Chase Davis have reached:

MLB - 3

Class AAA - zero (as the top level reached)

Class AA - 7

High-A - 4

Low-A - 6

Davis would make 7, meaning he's in the same group as 33% of his peers in the top 21 picks and no other level as more.

Jackson: Insight into when the next BPIB episode come's out?

Jojo Disco: Odds this rotation returns intact in 2025?

DG: Same as any rotation really. Low.

Jordan: Has Molina still not had contact with the team?

DG: He's had contact with the team. Cardinals officials have been in touch with him. Mozeliak said he and Molina had a recent talk -- actually, I think it was more than a few conversations.

Jackson: Any indication as to whether Liberatore has tried developing a cutter to help against right handed batters? I recall Sonny mentioning it to him.

Fake Roy Hobbs -: Did you hear if they explored Brad Kellar? I thought for sure they would have scooped him up but Boston did.

DG: In asking around, I was not able to pin down or confirm that they explored that move at all. That could be the limits of my own reporting, or it could be that they did not have any interest.

Robert Frodeman:what kind of daily, post-game analysis does a MLB baseball team go through? Do coaches go through every pitch with a reliever, and every at-bat with a hitter?

DG: Whatever the player wishes. Such evaluations are done by the coaches on their own, pitch by pitch, choice by choice, moment by moment, but they make that available upon request by the player because not every player wants all of that information, and some players don't want any of it immediately after a game. They'd rather get home. They'll look at it tomorrow.

Millo Miller: Derrick, wouldn't make sense to promote Fermin and DFA Crawford. Another right handed bat off the bench, more versatile defensively, and can run better than Crawford. We know Crawford is here to mentor Winn, but Oli's limited so much with things he can do strategically in the late innings. Saturday night in the 8th, he had Carpenter, Crawford, Pages, and Carlson available. Not many options. Your thoughts?

DG: You answered the question. Crawford is a Cardinal in part because they want someone to work with and mentor and guide Winn. If they felt Fermin would be the player to do that, then you'd see that move made -- and it would have happened back in spring. They see Crawford as the preferred player in that role because of his experience and his just overall personality and fit for the team. The left-right thing isn't much of a factor for Marmol. Would you like to know why? It's a real inside baseball thing, and I find it fascinating. The need for a right-handed bat off the bench is lessened by the three-batter minimum and the right-handed bats already in the lineup. Now, Contreras' absence does change that. But I don't think you're talking about Fermin or another move being a replacement for Contreras off the bench ...

Ryan: Why would DeWitt say I believe in a PD article that the Comcast situation is out of their control when they own a significant share of the Bally Sports MW production. Of course the Cards mgmt have a say in that deal. If they didn't have a say they wouldn't have purchased the rights. That's how that works.

DG: I fear that I'm going to be spitting into the wind here, but ... deep breath ... here we go. He said that because that's the case, for the most part. The Cardinals did not purchase the rights. They sold the rights. And they chose not to keep their rights in large part because Bally had the distribution logistics and infrastructure in place. That's where Comcast comes in. That is part of the distribution that the Cardinals did not want to create from scratch so they had power over it; rather they sold their rights to the group who takes care of that. As part of that sale, the Cardinals got equity in their broadcast partner. That isn't always influence. I have friends who own stock in the Atlanta Braves. They're not being asked for what trade the Braves should make. But the do have equity in the results that come from that trade. Does that make sense? Now, to your point -- and I hope you've read this far -- the Cardinals are a big enough business to exert influence on their broadcast partner and on the system. And, if you've read the coverage from the Post-Dispatch over the past 12 to 24 months, you have read examples of where they are doing this. Bill DeWitt III, for example, is one of the few owners to speak out and speak loudly about dismantling the blackout system. He has also lobbied within MLB to do that. Other owners agree, but are keeping that private. He's not. And that is maybe how this situation gets solved -- and where they do have influence, but not the complete say in how it's done. That's just not the case.

cbow: Crawford provides ZERO value. The Cardinals basically play with a 25 man roster to every other teams 26

DG: Masyn Winn and Oliver Marmol disagree. That's all I can tell you, and as of right now they're the ones contributing to the decision made by the team.

And not every other team uses a full 26-man roster.

I wish they did. But they don't.

Some keep pitchers under glass. Some forget they have a backup catcher.

Ryan: Thanks for the response. And the second to last sentence kind of was my point. They have significant " influence". Its their product to sell.

DG: Not entirely ... not after it's been purchased any more than it's your car to drive after you've sold it. You've given someone else the wheel. Bally needs to make money, too. They do that through subscriptions. You've hit on the whole issue with the model and why it's crumbling all around us.

Ryan: All that math is irrelevant until you put the players age for context. Extremely important.

DG: Limited math, really. I just looked up where they were and counted. I tried to do it quickly for the pace of the chat. I can provide the link if you'd like to check the ages.

cbow: Just seems disingenuous for a team stating their goal is to make a deep run into the playoffs to be so limited with their position players coming off the bench, which I believe is more important than ever, considering how many pitchers teams carry these days.

DG: If the 26th player and last coming off the bench is holding the Cardinals back from being a contender for the NL pennant, then they are in a really good spot -- far better than their record indicates. This is not the issue holding the Cardinals back or keeping them from a deep playoff run.

Jackson: Were you aware that Burleson was running above league average when he scored from 2nd on a base hit from Matt Carpenter

DG: Not in real time, no. Being able to judge how fast a person is running in feet/second down to the 10th is not something I can do, especially not when I'm also trying to type out a game story that has to be filed the moment the game ends. I wish I had that skill. Sounds like a cool trick, but it's just one that I have.

cbow: If the 26th player and last coming off the bench is… more

My bad, this team is loaded, shoot we no only got Crawford, but Carpenter too! World Series here we come!

DG: Let it be known that cbow believes the team is loaded despite the record saying clearly otherwise.

Dave: Perhaps a naive question but given the team’s extremely late arrival into Cincy for the game yesterday why couldn’t they just sleep in their own beds and take a flight mid-morning? I suppose they take a weather/plane risk but seems like the better option yesterday. Thanks!

DG: A mid-morning flight would not get them there in time for the start of the work at the ballpark, in this example. You hit on the other concern too -- mechanical issue, weather, anything that can delay a flight. There have been times when the Cardinals have a ground stop in one city because of air traffic in another, just as you or I would on our flights somewhere. You cannot be late, so they fly as soon as they can.

When Mike Matheny was manager, the Cardinals did experiment with flying on the day of games. They had a couple short flights -- Cincinnati was one, if I remember correctly -- and the chance to steal an entire off day at home. Matheny explained that if they flew the next day that was one more day at home, one more day with family, one day of completely unplugging. Regardless of where that conversation went after that -- longtime readers of the PD may remember -- I thought it was a fascinating change to the schedule and that Matheny made a compelling point when talking specifically about the schedule, specifically on that. Reviews of the change were mixed, and the Cardinals didn't continue doing it. Some of that was because it meant an earlier morning. Some of that was because it did risk delays if something went wrong with the plane, etc. This season, the Cardinals have traveled a day ahead even so that they get that full off day w/o a flight, but it's in another city.

Jackson: Has Quinn Mathews surprised the Cardinals FO?

DG: Nope.

They were high on his ability, and they've had that opinion confirmed by his performance. He was ahead of the level when he started, so keep that in mind when looking at some of the results -- though now he's move up, could move rapidly, and is going to get challenged at a level closer to where he's expected to be.

Steve L: Does Paul Goldschmidt have one more big run in him? Goldie always gets hot this time of year.

DG: Probably has more than one.

Jeremy Gibbs: Is Goldy back to his old self? Or is this just a blip on the radar?

DG: We will find out together. He and the coaches have said that he has been trending in this direction with his work in the cage, his work before and after games, for several weeks now. His hitting coach believed there improvement coming and production on the horizon when the team was in Anaheim. Since Turner Ward told me that, Goldschmidt is 11 for 38 with a .290/325/.605 slash line and a .930 OPS. Small sample size, recency bias, all of that, but before it happened Ward did suggest it was about to happen.

Jojo Disco: Is a spirited pursuit of a Wild Card spot that falls a couple games short enough to thwart major change next off-season?

DG: No.

Larry M: "And there is the ABS, which is erasing some of how pitchers like Zack Thompson get by with elevated fastballs and their curveball because those pitches aren't strikes in Class AAA, but they are in the majors." Didn't understand that part of your explanation for AAA vs MLB performance earlier. Can you elaborate? Thanks

DG: The ABS -- the automated system that calls balls and strikes in the majors (and will be reaching the majors at some point in the near future) has an issue with the high strike. It doesn't call it. That limits what some pitchers can do, especially ones who try to elevate the fastball and tunnel with the curveball. Or, you know, a style of pitching that does work in the majors where a pitcher is able to use the curveball and fastball from the same eye level to keep a hitter off balance. Adam Wainwright did this a lot, and it allowed his fastball to play up above its velocity when thrown at a spot that in Class AAA would not be a strike. So, hitters can ignore it. And they do.

Capstone: Cards have not excelled in Latin America young talent acquisition, development, and retention with a few notable exceptions (e.g., Molina). What is the cause and what is necessary to do better, scouting, commitment to spending, something else?

DG: They do need to do better. There are a number of reasons why they've not had the breakthrough. For the past several years the Cardinals felt that their sweet spot was the midrange bonuses -- and that allowed them to accumulate more players, increase their odds of revealing and developing a standout talent. They went for quantity in hopes of revealing and developing quality. That has paid off (Johan Oviedo did pitch well and become Jose Quintana for the Cardinals as an anecdotal example), but not with an impact arrival, right? The Cardinals have not had that much success with the high dollar bids, and the times they really splashed cash under Luhnow they did not get much to show for that spending. They

are going through a reassessment of this at the moment. Not too long Mozeliak was part of a group that traveled to the DR to also affirm or increase relationships with some of the representatives of players there, too. This is an area -- one of several -- where they recognize they must improve.

Mike: It appears to me, that most MLB teams are watching their payrolls due to the growing uncertainty of their TV revenue. Would you agree that this is a significant complication that will impact trades and free agency?

DG: I would indeed. It is a clear and present concern for a handful of teams, and it will be in the near future for more than 2/3 of the teams.

Millo Miller: Derrick, good morning and hope all is well. I was at Busch Saturday night with my wife and son, that place was rocking. A hard fought, nail biter of a victory. I've got a new nickname for Burly, "Enos". His dash from 2nd took about as long as Slaughter's dash from first, but man it was exciting. Hopefully the energy remains.

DG: I know the fans for either team were invested in the outcome of that game, but to me regardless of which team won that was an excellent, entertaining and compelling baseball game. Just a great baseball game. Lots going for it. Strategy. Moves. Debatable moments. Great plays. All of it. I'm glad you brought it up because it does refer back to an early question and remind us that the best atmosphere at Busch Stadium is not between innings or videos on the scoreboard -- the ballpark is at its best when the ballgame is good.

Jackson: Very impressive pitching performance from Michael McGreevy recently. Any idea if he's in line for a debut in the coming weeks?

DG: He's been in the conversation, and the Cardinals do appear to be going week to week for this. His debut is not being scheduled at this point, but he's thrown his way into the discussion, where he and other prospects are.

Don: The most obvious choice should be Trevor Bauer

DG: The Cardinals have no interest. This has been widely reported and repeated. My colleague Ben Frederickson has reported it. I can report it, based on other sources. And here I am repeating it again.

Ron: Do you know if the Cards are talking to anyone or actively exploring a trade for a 5th starter?

DG: I do not know of a specific team or conversation at this point other than what I mentioned earlier -- that they have been looking into who is available, what the market looks like.

Ryan C: If Winn and some of the younger hitters continue to impress, do you see the FO exploring their previous approach and extending contracts to them this offseason? Kind of like the Braves as of late.

DG: They are open to doing this, yes. The Cardinals kind of did this with Edman this past fall, and they were at least open to something like that before doing so. They would be open to these discussion with Donovan and Winn in the coming year or so, too. Nootbaar will also be a fascinating candidate for an extension. Different kind of deal than Donovan or definitely Winn, but such a conversation is at least on the horizon pending the performance Nootbaar has this year.

Ryan: Amazing to think we've gone from " Go crazy folks go crazy " to " we will see you tomorrow night " to " a spirited pursuit of a Wild Card ". Which is true, just not inspiring.

DG: Jack Buck said "go crazy folks, go crazy." Joe Buck said "we'll see you tomorrow night." The phrase "spirited pursuit of a wild card" was uttered in a chat in May of 2024. Not exactly the same thing. Goodness.

No offense to the person who asked the question. I'm sure they too would come up with a timeless phrase when calling, in real time, an October moment.

A chat in May is not an October moment on TV. Can we at least agree on that?

Alan: Just a reminder to Ryan that in much of 2011, the Cardinals were also in a spirited pursuit of a Wild Card.

DG: That they were. But that was not the goal of the team. That team was expected to win the division. That was the goal set by the front office. That is still the standard they have articulated. Though, ownership dialed that up this spring by saying that the team needed to have a deep run into October. It was overdue for one.

Larry M: Any insight as to the results from Edmans wrist surgery. Main problem not addressed properly, too much too early on rehab efforts. Second opinions gotten. Looks like a lost year for him contributing, although as mentioned by Ben H a good opportunity for others to prosper.

DG: Second opinions are standard. Players seek them. Teams like them. That's all pretty much the routine these days, and doctors welcome them too. Another set of eyeballs given what's at stake for a career, a team, etc. Tommy Edman had wrist surgery to remove damage and loose bodies that had caused pain for more than a year. It's a serious surgery and any time a hitter is having trouble with hand or wrist, you can count on a rehab that can be both difficult and lengthy. Some hitters talk about not getting the grip strength or range of motion back for more than a year after they return even. Edman had some setbacks in spring ... The Cardinals were not forthcoming about the surgery when asked, and it was only revealed in January that he had it all. However, internally, according to people I've spoken with sense spring, there was an understanding that he may not be back or full strength until the All-Star break. The team has been aware of that possible timetable.

Paul: HI DG, what do you think the asking price for Miami's Jesus Luzardo? Seems like he would be a nice option given he is only 26.

DG: Miami's track record is to seek young, rising pitching that the Marlins can debut, get some quality performance from when under cost control and then trade. That's their model. Groundhog day.

To get a deal for Luzardo, it would require that kind of centerpiece -- a pitcher who could be in that role in a few years, and then outfit the deal with whatever depth talent, upside talent that makes it work. Perhaps a younger, less certain higher-risk pitcher and then a position player is going to get to the majors but uncertain position or role.

Ken: Derrick do you believe Chase Bloom has been or is involved in the 5th starter decision on using Pallante ? Also in general was he involved in more than just acquiring talent and trading talent in Boston ? I guess I mean when and whom to bring up.

DG: The following is not my belief, but what I can offer based on reporting and conversations with members of the front office who have direct knowledge of what is happening: Chaim Bloom has been visiting the Cardinals' affiliates, assessing and exploring how the Cardinals are structured and giving feedback on his view, things they could do, things they are doing well, and so on. He is also, yes, involved in conversations about moves and evaluations. He's not so much involved in the day-to-day transactions that a team goes through with injuries or fresh arms or needs like that. He's more involved on the bigger scope, 30,000-foot conversations, but he does give insight to the front office when asked and based on what he sees.

Chaim Bloom ran baseball operations in Boston. He had the same role for the Red Sox as Mozeliak has for the Cardinals, so yes he was involved in all aspects of baseball operations because the buck stopped there for decisions that did not rise to the ownership level.

South City Steve: I'm asking you to speculate quite a bit here, but what would a new POBO really do to change the things that frustrate a large percentage of this fan base? Aside from messaging, tone, and timing of its delivery.

DG: I a) don't know if a large percentage of the fan base is frustrated. I only hear from a small portion of them, and that portion trends toward angry because, let's be honest, happy fans are not writing me notes to tell me how happy they are. They may read the chat, but they aren't driven to express contentment in the chat. They do come with questions or interest in more information, but I don't see a whole lot of interaction in teh chat that is someone expressing just a general sense of contentment. And if they do so on Xwitter they are risk being bullied or called names and why is that worth their time? The outlets for fans that we read here online cater toward negative (even reward it, honestly), but that isn't any representation at all of the "large percentage." It's the opposite. It's a small, vocal slice of the fan base. Isn't the large percentage the group showing up at the ballpark, tuning in for the radio broadcasts or telecasts.

Which brings me to b) that group isn't changing it's opinion. It may change who is a member of the group, it may cycle through different people, but the tone isn't going to change from displeased or worse. I'm struck by regardless of the result the tone on Xwitter rarely changes the replies I get. The people writing the replies do, but not the tone. It's as if the readers/reply-ers committed to trolling just take shifts.

A better question for you to ask would be would a new front office change much if ownership still has the same approach. It is ownership that sets the model determines the budget, etc.

South City Steve: Let's go with your newly crafted question for $1000

DG: Exactly.

TomBruno23: I think the gap between announced attendance and scanned-in attendance shows that a decent chunk of the fan base is frustrated or, at least willing to let their tickets go to waste inside their Ballpark App.

DG: To me, the giveaways and theme nights do. Reasons for fans to come to the game other than just the team. But once they're there, the fans expect those and a good teams. We'll see how this plays out over the course of the season. The Red Sox series was a message for sure, and then came the Cubs series. Packed house. Waited out poor weather. So, which is the "large percentage" again?

South City Steve: I don't see how there isn't a new veteran face from the outside in this outfield next year. They have to stabilize this group at some point, hoping for breakouts for almost a decade (and getting zero sustained) dating back to Grichuk is not a realistic model regardless of who is in the pipeline.

DG: I'm not sure that's likely if Victor Scott II is part of the 2025 outfield, which I'm sure there are fans and executives who want that to happen.

wonderer: When 'fans' used lightly here, get on twitter or the comment sections of the StL and encourage fans Not to show up, don't they understand that this really hurts the people working there, i.e. vendors, ushers etc. and not DeWitt or the players all that much?

DG: That's an interesting point and thoughtful. Thanks for making it. I'm guilty then too when I suggest that consumer advocacy is a power fans can and should exercise.

Robert Frodeman: What is the Cardinal's explanation for the J Walker fail this year -- and still no home runs -- after an encouraging year last year?

DG: That he was being challenged with pitches in an area and he had to make an adjustment with his swing to either chase pitchers away from that spot or do more with that spot. You can look at the heat maps or scouting reports that are publicly available -- ain't that awesome now? -- and see how pitchers were really working him low and away, off speed low and away, get him out of that catapult strength zone that he has and out over the plate and unable to drive or lift that pitch. He had to adjust. That's what is happening now. The adjustment.

Schlay: These chats are great as is your contributions to the paper. Thank you. I heard Jim Edmonds on the radio proclaiming he fixed Goldy after he came to his house a couple nights in a row. I love Jimmy.. But.... Can we confirm anything related to this interaction. It is a good story. He said he fixed his balance.

DG: Thanks for the kind words. I think Arenado also made that visit. There was a radio personality in town who did interviews with Goldschmidt and also had a visit with Edmonds. He was at the ballpark, but also got to watch Arenado hit for a bit. There's not a switch that is flipped with hitters. By the time it reaches the field it's probably been days, weeks, hours of work in the cage that makes the change, not one moment. As much as that makes for a good story, and I do like the good stories, I've seen too many times over the years that the work over hours, days, weeks leads to the change on the field and a hitter's turnaround is not lightning striking but more like thunder rumbling in the distance.

cbow: Watched a Giants game on MLB the other day. Jordan Hicks was pitching. It was amazing to see what he could do with some proper pitching instruction. He was virtually unhittable, all while throwing mostly off speed pitches, and the occasional fastball to keep hitters honest. Did the Cardinals try and get Hicks to adjust his pitching to this style, and if so, did Hicks not want to do that, or is this just something the Giants were able to "unlock" with him? I'm just imagining a rotation with Sonny Gray and this version of Jordan Hicks at the top of the rotation.

DG: He had a completely different role with the Cardinals. That's where it starts. They did not give him a long look at starter -- and when they made the shift on him, all of sudden he was developing strength and stuff as a starter on the job. The Giants made the commitment early. Gave him the entire offseason to work in that direction. And are seeing the benefits of that. The Cardinals had him in shorter-burst, shutdown roles that rewarded overpowering fastballs. That was the gig. That is what got him to the majors. And the Cardinals have said that if they could unwind the clock and handle his development and debut differently they would do so, and he likely would have had a longer look as a starter. You see the Hicks Lesson playing out a little bit this year in the Cardinals' system. You could even suggest that Andre Pallante is an example of the Hicks Lesson.

Luke: After reading about Nolan Arenado and struggling at the plate puts in perspective how great it is to watch players even maintain their success for so long and how amazing it was to watch Pujols do it for 10 years at a once in a lifetime level. Its seems trying to fix something not broken is what happend to Arenado in the offseason is that what he meant by always tinkering?

DG: Show me a hitter who doesn't change over time when pitchers are constantly seeking new ways to get them out and players are constantly churning through new pitchers, and I will show a hitter who does not have a long career. Change is necessary to stay ahead. It's part of what made Albert Pujols great. He adjusted. He changed. He was constantly pursuing better and different and -- you saw this likely happen as he returned the Cardinals with a different swing than when he left. And he would make finer adjustments the entire time he was a Cardinal, too.

Brian: Hi Derrick, with the usual caveats of the MLB draft not producing immediate answers to the major league roster and the inclination to draft talent over need, is there a case for why the Cards shouldn't jump at Chase Burns if he's still on the board at #7?

DG: The only one I could come up with is if there is someone better. He would be a strong get, a good fit, and make a lot of sense. But if one of the players ahead of him slips -- and that could happen at No. 7, there's room for it to happen -- then that would be a reason.

Nick: Hey Derrick, as always appreciate your candor and insight into all that goes on in with the Cardinals. There seems to be a lot of talk about hindsight (all teams have it), with the players that have left. The BPIB talked a little about it a couple weeks ago. Looking into your magic ball where is the current area that the Cardinals are misusing/misaligning current players?

DG: I don't know. I honestly don't even know how to attack a question like this. It seems like it would be guessing. And it doesn't seem like a magic ball at all.

Just an invitation to be wrong.

Or mean.

Or wrong and mean. Which would play well on social media, I guess. But I'm not so sure it does much in the chat.

Is there another way to phrase the question so that I might try again?

The conversation in BPIB was not about the players who left to have success elsewhere but about changing the viewpoint to what was more pressing for the Cardinals: Why are they not getting more from the players who stayed? Where is the amplification of talent for the players who stayed? It's fine that Arozarena and Thomas are off performing well for other teams -- that happens, that's churn -- but what about the players the Cardinals sided with, the ones they kept, where is the enhancement of their performance to be impact players like the ones who left? That is the conversation that BPIB urged us all to have.

Jackson: I would think their flip-flopping of Liberatore is one example

DG: Saying all winter that they wanted to commit to Edman at center field and give the outfielders certainty in their roles, saying all spring that they were going to go with less movement within the lineup, and acknowledging that they were going to go with Helsley in the ninth -- and prioritize exactly this ... consistency of role and consistency of usage ... well, they're not doing that with Liberatore and a few others. So, yes, there is a contrast there absolutely. Injuries often force that. Best case scenarios don't happen. But, yes, absolutely how they've used Liberatore is not true to the message they've sent other players. That's an issue. And there are some within the Cardinals decision tree who see that and want to change it so that Liberatore can count on one role, one spot, and just have comfort and success in that.

bo: Derrick- The cardinals had hicks penciled in all offseason as as a starter in 2022 and he failed misrerbly apparently due to the cards staff failure to properly train him to do so - yet what changes were made to the staff subsequently by them ? Chaise Bloom traded Mookie Betts for almost nothing from a rich market , i have no faith in his leadership in the future if the cards get rid of Mo I hope they look for fresh ideas not from a guy whose track record is very mediocre .

CH: Herrera took a beating the last game against Chicago, Hit in the head on a back swing. Direct hit in a bad spot. numerous other foul tips caught him. If he had an injury that sent him to the IL any idea on who would next in line as catcher to split time w. Pages ?

DG: Nick Raposo would be an option.

DCG: Early in the chat you noted that the gap between AAA and the majors is wider than ever. How much of that is a function of teams rushing their elite talent to the majors to get return on pre-arb and pre-FA years? Seems like that would drain the quality of talent at AAA.

DG: That is contributing for sure. And that's not a bad thing. Look, longtime fans of the game will remember a time when players were meeting a quota in the minors. They were going through the 1,000-game model or 1,000-inning model or whatever, and that was limiting some of the talent that was ready to contribute just because of a practice that really wasn't supported by data, just always been that so it always was. One of the things that Jeff Luhnow and others looked at with the Cardinals was the average age of arrival for impact players, and how they usually arrived years earlier, and what did that mean? Was their talent just unstoppable, or were teams missing something about when the peak for a player actually was, and to your point -- was it better to get a player in the pre-arb, pre-FA period when he's 22 to 28 vs. 26 to 32. Which is better for the team and if they just go through the minor-league quota what production are they leaving on the table by waiting to 26, when he could contribute at 24, 25 ...

There are a couple of other reasons the gap is wide. Pitching is a major part of it, and the money being spent on developing and deploying pitchers with a specific way to get individual hitters out, from the spin rates to the pitch type to all of it. So much money and time is being invested on the ability to get a hitter a out at the big-league level. The late Chris Duncan put it well when he told me that there are pitchers paid millions for the express purpose of getting him out. Well, not pitchers are paid millions to do that, teams pay millions for tech to help do that, and coaches are paid dozens of thousands to help pitchers do that. That is just not the case in Class AAA and the gap is widened.

There is also the reduction of number of minor-league players ... the reduction of minor-league teams ... and the higher churn of teams who are just cycling through talent at all sorts of level, moving on rapidly at times. Not romantic, I know. Not too much avenues for the modern-day Jim Morris.

BurlyBird: Or they let an injured player (Austin Riley) sit on the bench for 12 days instead of placing him on the IL...

DG: That did happen in Atlanta. Thanks for pointing it out to the audience here.

Larry M: "Crawford is a Cardinal in part because they want someone to work with and mentor and guide Winn" I am easily perplexed when the concern isn't obvious. Wynn is arguably performing better than anyone on the team, could be on the All Star team, has a solid reputation based on comments in articles, and has Ozzie nearby if he thinks he needs SS help. What specifically does Crawford add to his everyday status. Thanks

DG: I'm not sure that Ozzie Smith has the schedule to be around daily. He has a lot going on. And that's suddenly assigning a lot to him without really asking him first if he's interested. I'm always hesitant to volunteer alumni for jobs. Some of the things that Winn has taken from Crawford is pregame preparation, what to do to stay sharp defensively while also playing every day and focusing on the game, or assuring that the play is at the strongest for the game. Crawford also talks with Winn (and others) about reading hitters, shading, real-time scouting and adjusting positioning, something he's shown a feel for throughout his career. Winn has talked a lot about Crawford's presence during tough times. And a few of the drills that Crawford brought to the team are now done by Gorman, Arenado, and others when it comes to their warmup for games. All of those are just examples to consider. They're not going to address your criticism of the roster spot or the player. I get that. But now you have more information.

BL: Given the place the Cardinals were in post-trade deadline last year, it is completely baffling to me that said surgery didn't take place immediately to prepare for next season, as Donovan did at the time. I know that the player has final say in these things, but I'm sure there is heavy influence the team can exert in these situations. Either way, what a botched situation.

DG: Player has a lot of say in these things, and when the player has played through the issue for awhile and knows the value to him, his career, and the club of being there everyday for the team, well, you may have made the same decision will all of those factors in play.

Roy Earl: Why does your game story have to be posted the instant the game ends? Why can't it go out an hour or more later so you can proof and perfect it? Sorry but I find a lot of errors in yours and others in the Sports Section/Department.

DG: For a couple of reasons: One, that is the way to get readers the immediate coverage they expect to find on this web site. Two, that is the deadline to also get the game story to our subscribers who receive the print edition of the paper. As you probably know, deadlines throughout the country for the printed product have changed and there are many many many newspapers that no longer get night games into the next day's paper. Their deadline is earlier than the final out, and in some cases it's hours earlier for that paper. At the Post-Dispatch, we had long discussions about how to make sure that readers of the paper get what they expect, what they've come to count on for decades on the baseball, hockey, college and other beats. Getting the previous night's home game in the paper is important to us because it's important to our readers and that meant finding out a way to make that possible. Filing the moment the game ends makes that possible.

As to your comment about errors, I need to be a better self-editor. Full stop. It is up to me to do a better job, to find a better way to self-edit on deadline and to edit myself better and write clearer and faster and also write better headlines.

Nick: To rephrase, a couple of years ago, it seemed the merry-go-round of positions hurt the team, hindsight and adaptation caused them to adapt to set positions to get the most from the players. Hicks, being pigeon-holed into the place of need rather than long term development, etc. Is there a place that you can see on the team where immediate need is taking priority over long term best interest/results from certain players?

DG: Ah, I better understand now. Now to see if I have a better feel for an answer too. It's a compelling question. Liberatore and Thompson leap immediately to mind. There's a case to be made that Quinn Mathews has had positive results for momentum and now needs to be challenged at a higher level. If Jordan Walker's future is in LF because Lars Nootbaar is the better fielder in RF, then he should be there in Memphis. I need to ask about why that's not happening there ...

Craig: Also sorry I misspelled your name in my previous post

DG: It happens. My parents did not account for autocorrect all those years ago.

Craig: Hi Derik thanks again for doing these chats, offering your insights, etc. I too was at the game Saturday night and it was honestly one of the best experiences I’ve had at a game in years- so much fun! Anyway, to my question: does Jim Edmonds still play any role in helping with the team (outside of his role for BSMW)? Seems like he might have some good insights to help Arenado…

DG: Edmonds does not have an official role with coaching of the team, but he does have an invitation to be involved. Each of the past few managers and the hitting coaches have welcomed his opinion, his chiming in. Edmonds also helps them spot some times when a pitcher is tipping his pitches. Edmonds is really good at that. The team has talked to him through the years about a formal and daily role, and he has declined because of the time commitment. TV allows him to keep his schedule more flexible. Hitters go to him with questions as they do with former players, as Edmonds himself and Skip Schumaker did all those years ago with McGwire before he became a hitting coach.

JtotheEremy: Good Afternoon Derrick. Thinking next 3 years or so, Does Luken Baker have a future up here? Alec B playing 1B? I thought maybe Jordan Walker would slide into IF, but now I don't know maybe 3B down the road, but not if Nolan Gorman Slides over.

DG: Alec Burleson sure seems like a 1B for future considerations, if the Cardinals opt to go in that direction. Jordan Walker's future is the same as his present -- in the outfield. That just seems like the best position for him long term, too. Gorman could slide over to 3B if the Cardinals need that, but they really hope there are a few more years before they have to look at that spot. Prieto and Saggese are going to be in that conversation if they perform well. What does that all mean for Baker? Well, DH is a real spot. Also, a strong year this year and he'll have a choice of going elsewhere, or being plucked out of the organization by a team that wants him in the majors. I really thought a few years ago he was going to be taken to be a DH in the NL. But that year the Cardinals got away with not protecting him because, well, all teams did without a Rule 5 draft.

JtotheEremy: I was gone for memorial up camping, is joe and Chip in the booth together going to be rescheduled? or is it a oh well we tried type thing?

DG: There is hope that they'll be able to reschedule. That was the sentiment Friday night at the ballpark. That remains the Cardinals hope, and the people who put it together in the first place continue to be advocates to pull it off, schedule permitting.

Larry M: Derrick, I struggle to write and edit my simple questions trying to get the phrasing right so it makes sense and elicits the type of answer I am looking for. When I see how much text and insight and you provide in a few minutes in response to some of these questions, I marvel at the talent to do so. Thanks for your contributions.

DG: I appreciate the note and empathy. Can always be better. But deadline means that I always have to be done.

Larry M: Seems like the ABS needs a redo - software or otherwise. If current technology can tell us ball speed, distance, etc in seconds, surely can do better than that in defining a strike zone. Even bounced pitches should be able to be detected.

DG: Been trying to tell people for years. It's only better than umpires if it's perfect, if it's foolproof, otherwise why bother.

The tech has to be flawless, otherwise it's only just as good as the umpire.

Dyle: Hi Derrick, At the start of the year it seemed the club had a lot of pieces, especially OF pieces that were hard to rank in their effectiveness. Does the team feel clarity has surfaced here? It seems Burleson and Donovan are becoming more and more essential to the line up. This leaves Carlson, Nootbaar, Edman and Siani (not to mention Walker) for two spots (3rd and 4th OF). This reality along with Saggese leaves a lot of trade power for a good starter, does it not? Or, are the Cardinals still unwilling to commit to certain players over others? Thanks and have a great day!

DG: I like the way you positioned this. No pun intended. You've made a compelling argument that they have some more clarity. And I say that having gone into reading your question and considering this topic thinking -- nope, no clarity. Production would give them clarity, not just choosing who starts when and where. To me, they still need that. They still need a clear breakout outfielders to go, OK, this is my job, my spot, and I'm there every day. Donovan and Nootbaar on the brink of that, it really seems. Nootbaar is the most likely candidate to just take off as an outfielder and produce like a corner outfield everyday impact option. Donovan has that ability to get on base, though he's struggled this year with the OBP that is usually his trademark. So, clarity? Close. But just choosing who plays there every day is part of it. Getting the surefire, known production is the step the Cardinals have been trying to take, year by year, and may be closer this year, but that's what it is -- closer. Yes, there's depth there. But clarity comes with production. Clarity comes with production that answers the question and cannot be ignored.

TomBruno23: I remember when this franchise, under this ownership group, had its Ace die mid-season and still persevered to win the division and advance to the NLCS. Another time its Co-Ace went down with TJ start of ST and still persevered to win the World Series. Now, Steven Matz predictably goes down for months and no one can figure out exactly what to do...

DG: Gosh, I remember those seasons too and how in each one they ... made a trade to get an answer from outside the organization. In 2001, they acquired Woody Williams and all he did was go 7-1 with a 2.28 ERA in 11 starts for the Cardinals. In 2011, the Cardinals turned to Kyle McClellan as the internal option -- you know the reliever turned starter, yeah, kind of familiar, no? -- and then traded for Edwin Jackson, who went 5-2 with a 3.58 ERA in 13 games (12 starts). They can figure out exactly how to address the opening in the rotation. It's not all that different than the years you mentioned.

Jim1528: Even if ABS isn't perfect it is always consistent - something umpires are not.

DG: It's consistently imperfect. Again, why bother?

Capstone: How we would you rank Siana as a defensive center fielder? If he could hit better, he could be a quite valuable piece

DG: How would you rate Harrison Bader as a defensive outfielder? He won a Gold Glove. Metrics suggest that with more playing time in the outfield, Siani would be on Bader's heels as a defensive center fielder.

Walt: please explain how the Cards could lose him. The research I've done only discovered players not on the 40-man.

DG: If he is removed from the 40-man roster that would open the way for another team to claim him.

Jackson: Any reason to worry about Helsley after the Chicago series? He got roughed up a bit in both games

DG: They're going to look to see if he was telegraphing his fastball. Cubs were on it. He didn't throw it as much in that second outing.

JohnB.: Helsley has been awesome this year as the closer. But does Jordan Hicks's successful transition to a starter at least make the Cardinals think about whether Helsley could do it too next year?

DG: It does not, no.

JohnB.: I've read that Zack Thompson's dip in velocity has been attributed to him losing weight during the offseason. I recall Lance Lynn, and maybe Shelby Miller, having similar issues in the past after losing weight. Do the Cardinals have specific conditioning plans for players in the offseason, or is that something they work on themselves independently?

DG: The team provides this specific for the individual, and the individual player also talks with the team about his goals or what he wants to do and why and the team helps do that. That is true for pitchcraft, hitters looking to improve their swings, or conditioning and strengthening. The work that Alec Burleson did this past winter was at the urging and direction of the Cardinals, and it took his commitment and his conversation with the team to shape that plan and schedule. That happens all the time, all winter, constant conversations and assistance.

Ken: But you know what Derrick we sure have had soooooo many outfielders injured. I’ll be happy to have 4 guys that stay healthy with a decent OPS . We can’t seem to get through Spring anymore without injury.

DG: That is true for many many teams. This past spring, a coach with a big-league team told me that the standings are beind decided by injuries. Oliver Marmol called health "the game within the game." Atlanta's season has taken a turn in the past few weeks because of injury. One of the best hitters, arguably Atlanta's best all around player, and ATL's best pitcher -- all injured.

JtotheEremy: How much did Cubs pay for Shota Imanaga? i'm not saying he was a steel after handful games, but sure seems like he is. was he a hot commodity? Guessing better value than Yoshinobu Yamamoto at this point in time. How are they compared?

DG: The Cubs signed Shota Imanaga to a four-year, $53-million deal. A significant difference between the two pitchers is their ages. Imanaga is 30, so the Cubs are signing him into his mid-30s. Yoshinobu is 25, so any team signing him is getting him for arguably his peak years, right that late 20s. That explains a lot of the contract difference, and so does the perception of upside. Yoshinobu had a 1.82 ERA in 172 games in Japan's top league. Imanaga had a 3.18 ERA in 165 games at that same level. Good get for 2024 for the Cubs. The Dodgers are betting on having a dominant pitcher for many years beyond 2024.

Jackson: Still can't believe the cardinals turned down a Dylan Carlson for Juan Soto trade

DG: They didn't. That's not what happened. Not at all. Spread the word. Let's extinguish the nonsense together.

Jackson: apologies I should've included "/s"

DG: I was trying to play along.

Greg: Derrick, how much has Burleson's stock risen in the past two months? In spring training he seemed like an afterthought who might not have made the roster had it not been for injuries. Now he's arguably the team's best hitter.

DG: Confirmation of the belief that with more playing time he would produce more, that with the work he did during the offseason and what he learned about hitting at the level last season, he would produce more. I did not get the sense that he was an "afterthought" in spring, just that he was challenged by some of the moves the Cardinals made -- specifically the signing of Carpenter (overlap) and Crawford (a roster spot). But internally the coaching staff and manager were pretty constant with what they thought Burleson could do with steady playing time and discussing how to find a way for that to be possible.

Steve L: Hi Derrick, your SE Colorado friend and long term Cardinal fan. I was back in S. IL region for a month (my dad was not doing well). No question all the Cardinal fans were upset with teams performance. Mostly everyone is sick of the Birds lack of direction. I am pleasantly encouraged by the teams improvement. It really seems like this team is treading water and needs a real change top to bottom. The pitching is at a cross roads. Its been many years now when May rolls into June we are way short of starting pitching. It seems like either no leadership or just poor leadership is the reason for lack of having a real pipe line of talent. Trust in management is all but gone. This next month is make or break for MO and company right?

DG: May has been an important month for this team. It had to get traction, had to play better, had to use the schedule it had to make a move in the standings. They did. It wasn't exactly as expected, but they did. They could still leave the month at .500 or better. A series against strong Philly looms. I don't get the sense that suddenly June is "make or break" for the front office. If that change happens during the season, something really has gone awry -- and it will have to do with how they're playing, how the organization is going about things, not just the results on the scoreboard. That said, when you look at your question again, consider substituting "development" for "leadership." One is the charge of the other, and some of the things you mention are traced to not having that talent on hand or developing that answer.

Jock Ewing: Derrick - How much does it bother ownership/senior leadership that both the Royals and Cubs have been World Series Champions more recently than the Cardinals?

DG: No more so than the fact the Dodgers also have, and Atlanta and Houston and also have and the Nationals, too. It's not specific to who wins the World Series anymore than the fact that they did not. If anything, it probably irks them most that Boston did against them in 2013 when they had a strong team and that Washington worked them in the NLCS in 2019 when they had a good team. There is also some internal frustration that they feel they had a pennant-caliber team derailed by an inning against Philly a few years ago. You may have fun debating members of the 2021 team about how far they thought they could go if only they got past LA. So, it's more those teams if anything.

Cherokee: Who are some potential SP trade candidates besides Luzardo and Blackburn? Is there anyone you feel is off the table in Miami?

DG: Miami has taken a position of being open for any conversation. Keep an eye on Erick Fedde. That's a compelling move for a contender to chase.

Jordan: The Cardinals organization had long been the baseball bedrock for fundamentals. They had their share of jabs for being old school, but it held little weight when they won with it. I feel the turning point was Mo’s “philosophical differences” when they changed course with Marmol. What’s resulted has been some of the worst stretches of Cardinals baseball in modern history. Even when winning a game they’re glossing over faulty fielding, punchless pitching, and/or oblivious offense. How much of the team’s struggles do you feel can be attributed to poor deployment of “modern” analytics at the expense of the “old school” Cardinal Way? Does this front office change that course?

DG: I don't attribute any of it to that, honestly. We are going to disagree on this, I can tell. I attribute last year to the perpetual chase for innings, poor pitching, inefficient pitching, and problems with pitching. The poor defense at times behind that pitching only added to the depth of the issues not created them, and a lot of those struggles on defense were isolated on a few positions or areas where players were out of position. (Yes, the Cardinals also had some issues with the shift and how they utilized the data to position players. That has been addressed. They know the errors that took place; it's better.) Any jabs during period of success about the Cardinals being "old school" were completely missing what was going on. The Cardinals didn't stop shifting on players until other teams were doing it all the time because data said it worked. The Cardinals were the only team in baseball for awhile that did not shift on Anthony Rizzo. Shrug emoji. They were new school even if they used old school tools like Dave Duncan's charts or Jose Oquendo's scouting and instinct. Heck, La Russa was using some matchup-oriented lineups before that was a thing, too. The defense is significantly better this season. The error streak is not great, obviously. But overall the Cardinals are plus-12 in Defensive Runs Saved and that is tied for 10th in MLB.

A strong offense and a good bullpen has helped them gloss over some of the recent ragged play, for sure. That's what a good offense does. A good offense gives other areas of the team a chance to have a hiccup that doesn't cost the game, gives other aspects of the team more margin for error. It's why they were losing so much early -- no offense meant a leadoff walk by the reliever would be costly, no offense meant a throw to the wrong base could give up the 90 feet that cost the game.

When the Cardinals made the commitment to defense midway through the 2018 season, Marmol was a part of that along with Shildt and the results were clear, even if it came at say the cost of playing time for a talent like Randy Arozarena. This year, there are echoes of that same commitment -- especially with Siani in center even as the offense struggled. So, let's look elsewhere. There are areas where the Cardinals have not kept pace with the industry, and some of that is by design/choice (because of how they view risk management and spending on pitching) and some of that is by oversight and that has to be improved. Development is where that is. The Cardinals are not getting the same boost from their system as before, the same jolt, impact, whatever phrase you want. Other teams are doing this better and it's showing. It's not old-school vs. new-school, it's not actual philosophical differences. It's philosophical modernization. In some areas the Cardinals have not known an interest in changing (spending on pitching) and in some areas they are trying to catch up while also dealing with the ramifications of being behind (development, pitchcraft, etc.).

Hope that helps. Thanks for the patience as I got through that answer.

Jackson: Hopeful it doesn't come to this, but if the cardinals sell at the deadline, what sort of package do you think they could get for Ryan Helsley? I think back to the Yankees trading Chapman for Gleyber Torres.

DG: The return would be significant. And you've hit on the precise comp -- what the Yankees did with Chapman or, more specifically, what they did with Andrew Miller. The Yankees could be the model for the Cardinals Jiffy-pop rebuild, not the long teardown but the quick commitment, the strip-mining of the roster, and then the talent that can contribute right away when complementing spending in the offseason. The Cardinals would have two relievers they could get strong returns on (Kittredge and Helsley), and if they can get Middleton healthy that would be a third. They also have two starters, Lynn and Gibson, they could trade at the deadline. To me, this is one of the more fascinating things they did in the offseason -- wire the roster for that possibility and the potential to just retool quickly, like a tire change at Daytona. They would have to really commit the teardown, but the pieces are there to get a return -- if they aren't helping the Cardinals make their return as a contender.

Alright, it's 5 p.m. and do you know where your updated baseball coverage is? Lynn Worthy has it here at StlToday. Thanks for finding the chat on a relocated day. It returns next week to the usually scheduled time and place -- Monday at StlToday. This has been a good conversation. Covered a lot of ground. Hope we got some place, too.

Aloha.

The longest road trip of the season continues in Cincinnati, and the Post-Dispatch will be there at each stop with the constant Cardinals coverage.