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Greetings! Welcome to the Cardinals Chat. We rescheduled the weekly mosh pit due to travel back from the most recent road trip. The Cardinals are one game into their final home stand of the season, and it went about like the Cardinals season has been trending. The Reds feasted on the Cardinals bullpen. There were few people there to see it. They play again tomorrow.

But you've got questions today.

We've got some time before I have to relocate to the ballpark for coverage there, but that should give us an opportunity for a hearty conversation about what's going on -- and what's next. As always, questions are not edited for spelling or grammar. They are deleted for vulgarities and threats of violence toward anyone.

Keep your head on a swivel. Into the pit!

A full transcript of the chat that is easier to read on your mobile, tablet, or desktop is available below this window.

Jim 501: This is such a terrible team, hard to watch, has maybe 4 players that you can count on and maybe build around.

to finish please tell me how they can overcome this mess

DG: Sharp elbows from the start. This could be the only question of the chat, and we could spend the next several hours discussing how they "overcome this mess."

The short answer: They won't.

This is the season. This is the season they've had, and short of a winning streak to finish this season, this is "mess" will be trapped in amber and in their history. It could be a second losing season in the past 18. It could be a .500 season. But whatever the record is, what you think of this team and this season is not likely to change, and the team is not going to overcome that.

How do they put it behind him and become better? Well, it has to be a two-pronged approach (at least) and each side of it will depend on ownership's appetite/budget. First, the Cardinals need to assess, audit, and improve the experience for fans at the ballpark. Yes, they've watched their minor-league system erode in the past few years -- but so too did the experience at the ballpark. I'm fortunate to see what other ballparks are doing. And the Cardinals need to pick up their game, too. That includes food, creativity on the scoreboard, interactions. All of it. Philly, New York, Milwaukee -- these places are alive during games and while a lot of it has to do with the quality of play on the field, let's not overlook the invitation these ballparks give fans to take part and lean into the personalities of the players. Harrison Bader has been in Philly for 5 minutes and they've got t-shirts and chants and all kinds of things for him. Some of the young Cardinals have been here for 5 months and can you name their walk-up song? Other places make the game a theatrical experience, and wasn't that fun with the Bananas in town? Can learn from that.

But, yes, it starts with the play on the field. So what is ownership's appetite/budget when it comes to turning that around? They want to build from within. They could speed up the contending process by spending on players from outside. This year has shown (again) where the roster is thin and overlapped. Trades address the overlap. Spending fills in the gaps. Trades are going to happen. The sense around the Cardinals is that when Chaim Bloom takes over, he's going to pursue streamlining the roster and it's going to be a busy winter for trade talks. At the same time, every indication from sources is that the Cardinals are not going to be active in talks with free agents, and certainly aren't going to be looking to find an edge with any spending this winter. That suggest the word you all love the most -- patience. Ownership has patience to build a contender, and not urgency to outfit the team with spending to -- as you said "overcome this mess" in the near term. It will be a journey. Messaging will be key.

And we'll find out, once and for all, if Cardinals Nation has a stomach for a rebuild.

And we're off to quite a start.

Taylor: Do you have a list of current FO members that are out of contract once the World Series ends?

DG: I do not. There are many members of the front office, not just the four, five, six names that get all the mention. I don't have a comprehensive list of those things.

Evil Calvin: Hello Derrick.......can you PLEASE explain why Marmol pinch hit a 2-3 Contreras, in the 7th, with bases loaded, with Gorman? He grounded out. This makes no sense and is one of the reasons why Marmol is not the guy. He manages using spreadsheets and analytics. WHY would you do that? This is an example why the fans are done with these managers and the team. Play the guys who are hot and let them use their talents. NOT by basing it on what this pitcher pitches in the 7th innings of games played on Mondays with temperatures over 90 degrees. LET THEM PLAY. Terrible!!!

DG: Willson Contreras had a flareup of a biceps injury and he was in pain and had difficulty swinging the bat with any authority at that moment. He was dealing with the discomfort over the weekend, missed Sunday's game due to "general soreness." He had an exam of the biceps on Monday to see if there was anything structurally wrong or that he could make worse. He received treatment. Felt better. But over the course of the game it gave him issues, and he was unable to take that at-bat.

Ray Jay: I wonder what DeWitt thought about seeing 3 consecutive sell-outs in Milwaukee while the Cardinals can't draw 20,000. The Brewers are what the Cardinals could and should be...yeah, draft and develop but add the necessary pieces from the outside.

DG: The Brewers are what the Cardinals were -- just on a smaller budget and with fewer of the headliners acquired by trade/free agency like Goldschmidt, Arenado, Beltran ... you know the list. Brewers aren't signing a Sonny Gray as a free agent. But they are trading for a Gray out of New York. That's the difference.

South City Steve: Can I present the argument that the 2025 Cardinals roster is actually a collection of all the complimentary players a good playoff team needs, and that it is just the lack of two tent pole bats and two good starting pitchers that has this team sitting at a .483 winning percentage instead of in the thick of the playoff race? I feel like this organization is about to reboot only to try and recreate a roster of players they already have, while dreaming of homegrown superstars (not just good players) the DeWitt Era has almost no track record of producing. Should they be tearing it down or should they be aggressively spending to maximize the assets they have, while concurrently continuing to sow the seeds of a more self-sustaining model that won’t likely bear fruit towards the end of the decade?

DG: You absolutely can. That is the general sense internally of the team. Heck, it was their business model going into the season. That they have a good group of complementary players and were going to give 'runway" for one, two, three of those players to take off as the tent-pole player. They drafted Nolan Gorman and Jordan Walker -- for example -- in the first round of the drafts believing their power would be in the middle of the order right about the time that Goldschmidt and Arenado would not be. Check out the timing. That's now.

What they should do in your view -- you offer two options: tearing it down, aggressively spending -- and what they will do seem to be different at this time.

It shouldn't be a surprise that a team that got stuck in a groove near the middle, remained in the middle, continues to have a roster in the middle, and ultimately has results that are middling.

DCG: Derrick: When BDW,II et al. first purchased the Cardinals, he exuded a general passion for baseball and for bringing titles to STL. As he has gotten older, it feels like that passion for winning titles has waned and every move seemed couched more in the framework of value than overall quality. He's 84 now, and so, without being crass, it won't be that long before his son takes over. I have never gotten a sense that he has that passion that his father initially showed as part of historied baseball family. You have had plenty of interaction with BDW, III, and I'd love to know what your read on him is in these terms.

DG: You and I do not share the same view of their fondness for baseball. I know whatever I type here isn't going to change this perception because the only thing that will is a parade. It sure seems like that's clear -- or maybe it will take a photo of Bill DeWitt III cradling the World Series trophy and weeping into it. I'm not sure.

If you want some examples: Consider the team's Hall of Fame and the attention to detail with the collection and the presentation. It is considered one of the finest collections of baseball history outside of Cooperstown, and there are plenty of items in there that Bill DeWitt III and his staff tracked down and then had to outbid people to get. How long did it take the Cardinals to get City Connect jersey? Yeah, they were one of the last ones -- and there was a brief moment where it looked like they might join the Yankees as not taking part if they didn't a design that fit what they wanted. Who led that? DeWitt III. He has been so involved in trying to protect and preserve the logo, the quality logo, the look of the log -- right down to fighting for the extra for the logo on the jerseys -- that, candidly, he echoes things I hear from fans. I've had a lot of fans wonder why the Cardinals didn't sign Max Scherzer. You know went on the record about that being a mistake? DeWitt III -- and the reason he gave was the missed opportunity to win, not the merch sales for a local kid.

But does that change your perception? I'm increasingly skeptical and disillusioned at the power of facts against perception.

Rich: Was blowing up the bullpen (12.5 million - 10% of payroll) really worth it?

DG: It was about what they got in return, not just how much they saved. So, we'll find out.

I guess if they kept the bullpen together there's a chance they're in the wild card race and bound for a playoff appearance at another ballpark. There's that chance.

Dicky: Of the 3 NTC players (Gray, Arenado and Contreas) who do you think gets traded in offseason?

DG: Contreras has already said his preference is to stay. Could that change? Sure. But that's where he stands right now. The Cardinals will explore trades for Gray and Arenado. That will be Chaim Bloom's decision now -- and then the players. Gray is going to command some offers, and if Atlanta or San Francisco make compelling cases, there are at least ties there for Gray to consider. Arenado's list is limited. And he's been candid about how he has to play better to be more appealing to teams. Can that happen in the next few weeks, or will the Cardinals cover enough of his salary for a team to make that move? Those are real questions. And in the end, it's possible that he prefers staying here to bouncing around to the unknown out there...

DCG: What you type certainly could change my perception--that's why I asked. I'm not sure why my question elicited such snark. I can only go by what I have experienced in his interviews/public comments that I've read/watched. For instance, those comments earlier this year taking a jab at the fans seemed entitled and disconnected from the average fan. I didn't know all the things you just listed--I'm not sure how I would have. Again, that's why I asked. I appreciate the information as it makes feel better about the future of the team when he takes over. I'll forgive you for your snark as I assume it's a result of the things you deal with via unreasonable and nasty social media interactions.

DG: No snark was intended -- though I understand if it was felt. It was unintended. I was trying to convey my feel for the reality of the situation. There are some topics where facts are swimming upstream against perception. In some case, the perception is valid and strong and worthy of criticism. And in some cases -- and we know them -- the perception is fueled by legend and supposition, not facts at all. I am trying to do better to recognize that and also find a way to get through it. Even this past week with Masyn Winn's knee and his decision we saw that.

You bring up a great point about the comments made toward fans and the frustrations fans felt. Entirely fair. And Cardinals ownership had to walk those comments back. How much attention did those followup comments get? Not as much, that's for sure. Does it matter that there were followup comments at all? I think you could argue that the Cardinals are at a point now where messaging is important from Bloom, actions are important from the organization.

And, yes, at one point I pivoted from you toward your question to a more global you for a general, broader statement and I did not make that transition clear. I apologize for that.

Dicky: Would the PD be happy if your coverage was mediocre, maybe, maybe not but you judged on your work today not 10 years ago, just sayin and you always bring your best

DG: The paper would not be. But goodness you've got me thinking about how many things have changed in 10 years.

Birds: Derrick, with all of the Cardinals catching prospects, who is your pick to be the Cardinals starting catcher from 2027-2030 seasons?

DG: Trick question! It won't be the same one for all those seasons.

Jimmy Crooks and Pedro Pages are starting their cases now for being next year's tandem. Leonard Bernal will debut in the majors next season. And about the time that those three have made it clear who stands out, we'll know if Rainiel Rodriguz and that standout bat is going to stick at catcher and be on the horizon to take over the job.

Taylor: Yes, I'm aware there are more than "four, five, six names" in the FO. Perhaps another version of this question is in order. Are you aware of any current FO members not name Michael Girsch that will be out of contract once the World Series ends?

DG: Understood. Yes, there are others. I don't have a complete list. Several members of Mozeliak's staff had contracts that mirrored his own after the most recent round of extensions. Some have gone year to year, or preferred that since there's going to be a change in leadership after this year. You'll recall a year ago at this time, the Cardinals had one special advisor decide to leave the team and then there was Girsch moving out of the GM role so that Bloom can fill that position, as he intends to do.

DCG: Just so you know, when you write, "I know whatever I type here isn't going to change this perception," you are intending something. Maybe it's not snark precisely, but it's packing a lot of judgment about my motives with the question and my willingness to accept your answer. It seemed pretty harsh. I value your judgment re: all the Cardinals, which is why I love these chats. You, in my opinion, have been a great inheritor to the legacy of The Commish (miss that dude!) and his HoF predecessors.. So, like I said, I appreciate the info about BDWIII's love of the game.

DG: I am aware, and I explained why I chose that phrasing elsewhere in the answer. If that wasn't clear, then it's on me. And in this case, I went from answering your question -- to addressing a more general reader and did not make that clear. I should have. You'll notice that I said "this perception." If you held it or any reader reading that answer had that perception, I wanted to acknowledge that I may not be able to change it.

I'll do my best to provide info, facts, background, and whatever my reporting can provide. But we both know there are perceptions facts don't have a chance against.

Aaron Knopf: In the past you’ve talked about the goal of harmonizing coaching philosophies across the Carldinals organization. Is the non-renewal of Russ Steinhorn’s contract an indicator thatBloom

DG: No. The Cardinals have made great strides in that over the past year, in their review/opinion. And part of that comes from the major-league staff being more integrated into the work with the minor-league side through the addition and position of Rob Cerfolio. That also is something that the major-league staff has invested in. They were a part of the interviews for new hires, and that has created a chemistry between them and the coaches in the organization. If anything, this has echoes of what Albert and Steinhorn brought to the hitting side of the organization several years ago -- and the Cardinals could not get from the pitching side until recently. So, Steinhorn was a part of that, whether you want to say he was there at the early stages of what they've now broadened or a part of implementing it this past season.

Aaron Knopf: is the non-renewal of Russ Steinhorn as a minor-league batting instructor an indicator that Bloom and Co. want a different hitting philosophy taught tonthe young players?

DG: Not necessarily, no. One thing to consider, is if a coach wants to advance in his career, move up to the majors, for example, and those positions aren't going to be open or, with his current organization, he's not going to be considered because there is someone else in place or in mind, then you look to move on to a place where the chance to be in the majors is available.

Reed: Might the current Cardinals be the first team in MLB history to have 5 guys on its roster who came up as catchers?

DG: Probably not. I don't have the history at my fingertips. There might be a Houston Astros team in there somewhere with Craig Biggio in the field and maybe that group had a handful of catchers. Or, some teams in the 1930s with Jimmie Foxx. I'm just thinking off the top of my head here. There was a brief moment when the Rockies talked about turning Arenado into a catcher. Imagine if that happened ...

U R ON THE INTERNET BUDDY: What would be the most poetic result in Wednesday's home/Mozeliak finale?

DG: I guess you could call it poetic if they opted not to show up at all for the weekend series against the Brewers. That would be statement, for sure.

Botch405: Better Walk-Up music!! Why didn't I think of that? Reminds me of 1979 when the Blues were practically unwatchable they were so bad and I heard some guy in the Sales Dept. talking about giving out souvenir pucks, like that would draw 19,000 to watch them lose 5-0. My suggestion, for Nolan Gorman: The Funeral March from Saul! I'll buy a ticket to see that! Would that solve the problem, Mr. Goold??

DG: I am so glad that my answer to that question prompted you to fixate on one element of it and only one element of it and not see that all of those things in concert matter. I just wish you would have mocked me more and not a player who isn't here to defend himself.

Ryan: Per the industry resources, Crooks ability behind the plate is B+ stuff. That plays. So going forward is it Crooks ( 70%) and Pages ( 30%) while Bernal progresses at AAA next year? If so, Rodriguez lingering 2- 3 years away, could Bernal head line a deal to fetch a pre Arb #2 type SP?

DG: The Cardinals should explore that conversation, yes. I'm not sure yet what Bernal alone could get in return. That is something that I'll have a better sense following the season and such evaluations are crystallizing for teams. Just because of the nature of the end of season, I hear more about the big league players -- and where they fit. Bernal has strong reviews, for sure. But you're also talking about a significant pitcher, and I'm not sure there's an example where a prospect gets that deal done on his own.

U R ON THE INTERNET BUDDY: Susan Slusser reported that the Giants will be eyeing Sonny Gray in the offseason. A) Would Gray waive his NTC to leave the midwest? B) Would the Cardinals in this scenario be okay with sending more money to get a better prospect return or simply approach it as a salary dump?

DG: Slusser is a superb baseball writer for the San Francisco Chronicle who covers the Giants. Let me just add that real quick here. A) Gray has not said, though he has indicated that there are teams that have situations he'd be interested in. He signed with the Cardinals ahead of an offer from Arizona. Atlanta can offer some of what the Cardinals do that he wanted, geographically. SF does not. But it's a chance perhaps to reconnect with Bob Melvin, and they are close. B) The current Cardinals would engage in that conversation. We'll find out what Bloom's approach will be. To date, it's not clear. It may be the same because ownership is the same. It may be different because Bloom has a different approach.

Sammy: DG, it’s too late for messaging, only actions to improve the team matter, the fans supported the team for a recent decade with middling returns, there is no ballpark experience or word salad that will matter. Action is required to improve the team, period, full stop. The fans are not foolss

DG: No they are not. Consider: Empty seats.

Millo: Derrick, it is refreshing to watch the Brewers. Playing good fundamental baseball. They take what the game and moment is giving them. Have the Cardinals become too dependent on analytics as far as in game strategy? I know the numbers allow you to hide behind them with your decision. But each game is different, and their are so many moving parts and variables in a game which to my knowledge analytics can't adjust for. Since you are at the ballpark so much and see this on a daily basis, what are your thoughts? Thank you.

DG: I don't believe they have been, no more now than when they were winning and contending. It might seem like now because the current manager and staff are more forthcoming with their reasoning and their explanations. As far as relying on analytics and game strategy, Let's take the bullpen strategy as an example. As far as relying on analytics, I don't see much difference between what the Cardinals are trying to do and what the Brewers are trying to do and what the Brewers did so well with Counsell as manager not too long ago. There are some real similarities, and they're analytically driven (and analytics, in this case, would cover more than just advanced data but also decisions related to pitch count, usage, stress, strain, and availability -- that too is data).

Yes, the Brewers are an entertaining team. They play a solid, fundamentally sound, and entertaining brand of baseball.

Just ask them.

Reminds me of another team in the division about 10, 12, 15 years ago.

Tackleberry: I hope the Bloom Era brings rosters built less around “good guys� and more around “good players.� Obviously, our hope is they are both but we need less narrative and more talent on the roster.

DG: Narrative is good too. Signed, Guy Who Writes Narratives.

Simple.10: DG - No matter how you measure it, the Cards were one of the most successful MLB franchises during the period between 2001 and 2022. Regular season wins? Third with 1930, behind the Yankees and the Dodgers. Playoff appearances? Second with 15, behind the Yankees. World Series appearances? Tied for first with the Red Sox and Giants with 4. World Series wins? Third with two behind the Red Sox and the Giants. Will you rank the following people, who were around for much, if not all of that time, in terms of their importance to the team’s success over that period: Tony LaRussa, Yadier Molina, John Mozeliak and Albert Pujols. Thank You.

DG: 1. Yadier Molina. 1a. The rest.

That's kind of a flip answer, but I have no idea how to separate what they brought to the organization during that time.

That kind of run does not happen without the investment and commitment and talent of all of the people who contributed.

Look, Albert Pujols is a huge part of that era. Huge. A draft pick that late who becomes the best right-handed hitter of his generation? Goodness. So, who gets credit for his contribution to this era?

First, he does. Full stop.

Second, is it the scout who discovered and championed him, the scouting director who signed him, the manager who gave him a chance, the general manager who didn't trade him, the teammates and hitting coaches who pushed him? Isn't it all?

Or, what about the ownership that signed him to the extension?

And when we dig in on the other options, where does ownership fit who hired them? I noticed that you didn't include Jeff Luhnow in the list, and that's fine, but also no mention of Bill DeWitt Jr. and the ownership group. That was who hired Jocketty and then came the others ... I don't know where to begin with ranking this group you've presented. Maybe other readers could chime in. So, that's why I wrote what I wrote.

Molina influenced the most games at the major-league level during that era. If we use influence for the success at the major-league level, then he stands out at No. 1. From there, no idea how to separate the group.

Ken: Hi Derrick. It looks to me like the play has deteriorated the last couple months. I realize they really don’t hit for power or move runners over much but the base running and defense has been abysmal lately. Have you noticed that ?

DG: It absolutely has.

That is to be expected with no Arenado, Burleson, and Donovan for most of the past month, and if anything -- I explored this in a recent Write Fielder newsletter - this past month gave you a window into what the whole season could have been like without Nolan Arenado.

Ryan: I remember a time not too long ago that you questioned whether the fans would stay away. Guessing you got your answer.

DG: I did indeed. For years, I've seen threats of this on social media going back to 2009, 2010. I questioned when would this talk show up in the seats. We saw it a few years ago in 2022 with the playoffs, and definitely got an answer in 2025. Now you can see what I was asking it for 15 years.

You see what it looks like.

Consumer activism is to be applauded.

Tackleberry: The Cards have received just 70 HRs from 1B, 3B, LF, and RF this season. That is an average of 17.5 HRs per position, the 4 traditional power positions on a baseball team. And I’m not seeing a huge future upside from any of the players who contributed to those 70 HRs, nor am I seeing anyone in the minor leagues that projects to be a hammer at any of those positions. So how do you improve power production on a team with with the 3rd lowest HR total in MLB in the next 3-5 years without going outside the organization for readymade help?

DG: This is a significant concern for the Cardinals and there is no clear solution. If anything, this gives you a clear view of what they are committed to Jordan Walker and how they see Nolan Gorman and why they are encouraged by what they've seen this season from Ivan Herrera and Alec Burleson. The power has to come from somewhere, and it's so rara and pricey in the open market that the Cardinals best chance is for it to come from within. You've captured so much of the motivation beneath the surface for some of the things they do and players they want to see -- or, need to see -- emerge to provide this.

Scott: Just as the Cardinals are struggling to fill seats at the stadium, do sportswriters writers like yourself covering the Cards see fewer readers and less attention for your work? If so can you tell us how that’s impacted you and what you’re doing to deal with it?

DG: The Post-Dispatch continues to maintain -- and in some cases expand -- the coverage of the Cardinals to reach more people actually. This year, there's been more video components to the coverage that have been well-received. I started a newsletter this year that reaches out directly to readers, and that has only grown. We are looking for ways to reach readers with different access points, so they can choose. And still for every game we'll publish at least three articles and often as many as five or six. You cannot get that amount of Cardinals coverage from any other outlet, and the readers are responding to it.

How it's impacted me? It's mostly just about how to do we maintain the coverage subscribers expect with changes to deadlines and delivery options. How we covered the team 10 years ago with a midnight deadline to get every drop of game coverage possible into the paper isn't possible. So, we've adjusted. We put every drop of game coverage online, and then we come back every day with a deeper, strongly reported story for the paper that puts the game, player, moment, news in context. And, finally, where it's impacted is the lens of the coverage ...

For years, covering a Cardinals game has been about two things 1) How did it get them closer to October? 2) How did it reveal how they could win or lose in October. This year the games are meant to answer other questions -- what improvement was made, what strides taken for the roster, for individual players, and so on. It is, at times, like covering spring training in September.

Ken: Good morning Derrick. Well that was hard to watch yesterday . The error in center and bullpen implosion pretty much sums up the 2025 season. Your BPIB with JG explains the situation very well. Bloom has to a lot of work to do. Do you think ownership will open up the purse strings to acquire some talent that is lacking? Waiting and hoping that talent will emerge doesn’t seem like a winning strategy and isn’t going to put fans back in the seats.

DG: There has not been any indication that they will this winter. Ownership and the front office execs have said the spending will be there when they see a core that is ready to contend and needs to be outfitted with some additional oomph. They do not say that is this winter, nor do they put a timetable on when they think that will be. I am eager to hear from Chaim Bloom when he believes that will be.

And thank you for listening to the podcast.

Tackleberry: Oli has become a media darling this year. The coverage across all mediums suggests that with a better roster he is one of the more under-rated managers in the league. I know he has made himself more available, has been more affable and approachable, but maybe we should pump the breaks a bit. Saying he hasn’t evolved would be ignorant, but do you see him as a top 10 manager in baseball with a better roster?

DG: The Cardinals would be a top 10 team with a better roster. Is that the measure these days? Then, sure. It seems to me the better question of a manager is whether he could get a top 10 team out of a bottom 10 roster. I cannot think of a manager in today's game who could do that. Terry Francona is a good manager, a top tier manager. But are the Reds any better today than they were a year ago? With a top-10 roster, Marmol would have a top-10 team. That makes him better than some manager I've seen that would take a top-5 roster and lead it to a middle-10 summer.

Jose: Derrick this team has no "team approach" when it comes to scoring runs, the Brewers do by taking walks, stealing bases, putting pressure on opponent. This philosophy has to change. Everybody in Milwaukee is pulling the rope in same direction, the Cards have independent contractors trying to make a name for themselves. Look at the offensive rosters, they are not that much different, except Milwaukee has superior baserunners, and they value getting on base, much more than the Cardinals do.

DG: We are watching a different club. The "team approach" to scoring runs was why the Cardinals had any success at all early in the season. There was a time when they were winning games due to a relentless offense. Remember when they had all those 10-hit games that they were nearing or tying a club record? They were reliant on a team approach because they had no power, and hit collecting, and putting things in motion -- that was their game. What happened? Well, they played a month without Burleson and Donovan and Arenado. And Donovan played three months with a sprained toe that dragged on his production. Key elements of that "team approach" weren't with the team. And the offense that needed a lot to go right but was doing it early in the season just wasn't together in the same lineup.

Tackleberry: I’m not saying this as a criticism but more as an observation, given the season that has unfolded the P-D has not written many Cardinal-critical articles this season. Maybe that was BenFred’s sweet spot and no one has scooped that torch, but there seems to be kid gloves on the team coverage in 2025… admittedly, that last sentence was critical.

DG: You mean it as a criticism and you should own that. It's fine. I can take it. I can only speak for myself here: I urge you to check out the volume of stories on how poorly they've played, how stalled some of the improvements have been. Do they have backpage hammer headlines calling for people's jobs? No. That's not really my gig -- not as a beat writer.

When the team advertises a season when they're not going to contend and they're going to experience some growing pains and poor play due to the reliance on youth -- and then they do those things, what exactly are you supposed to say? They told us so. Now, the coverage back in spring training focused heavily on why ... why pull the plug on contending, why was this OK and the approach, and why not stay true to the brand? If you don't find that critical, then that's cool. To each their own.

I stand by what I've written in print.

I stand by what I've written in the chat.

Quantity can be measured. And there is a lot out there to read. Maybe far more than anyone can. I get it. Quality and tone is in the eye of the reader, and you should stand by your criticism for what it is.

Jose from Des Moines: The Brewers and Cardinals players approach the game differently, Milwaukee has a bunch of guys willing to take a walk, work a count, get a HBP, and the Cardinals are up there wailing away, chasing pitches outside zone. The Cardinals rank near the bottom in walks, the Brewers near the top. Walks=Runs, period. Milwaukee has total buy-in from their players, the Cardinals do not. Whose responsibility is that?

DG: It could be ability, not buy-in. The Brewers have the ability to do those things.

The Cardinals could overhaul their roster with players with that ability and look the same, and there wouldn't be any question about buy-in. It would just be what those hitters do and do well, and away they go. There was a time when some of those same traits you use to describe the Brewers were used to describe the Cardinals lineup. That was May. Not the same team there in August.

Capstone: Thank you for your coverage and analyses; one of the main reasons I subscribe from the Washington D C suburbs, where the Nats will never have my heart as do the Cards. The St. L metro area is one of the smallest in MLB; they cannot go toe-to-toe with the big market clubs nor have great chances for high-risk free agents, many of whom have not been keen on coming here for whatever reason (geography Stanton via trade; Price, money). Draft and develop and judicious trades have bolstered the team in the past, but they have been passed badly by peers. The DeWitts, like all owners, want an operating profit; without access to the books we cannot tell. But if they do not spend plentifully and wisely, it will impact both on field and business performance. They have under-invested; now they must over-invest, in the Caribbean, Latin America and Asia. How likely is it that they significantly (double, triple) their scouting/singing from those areas?

DG: It's a great rundown of the situation, and the answer is -- not exactly. The spending on bonuses in Latin America is capped, and the Cardinals in the past year have increased their investment and their attention to regain some of the presence and success there. That hasn't come with tripling, doubling their scouting and signings in those areas, rather it's come with organization and larger presence and communication. I guess, with the academy down there and the expansion to it -- both in facilities and tech -- you could argue there's been a doubling there, certainly an increase. And they did sign more headline players. I just don't know if that fits into double, tripling. Let's go with increasing. As far as Asia goes, the Cardinals are concerned that they, geographically, aren't going to make the winning pitch to some of the top talents coming out of there. They had a visit this past winter from a pitcher from Asia, and he then signed with San Diego. It wasn't too long the Cardinals really felt like they could make a play for a starting pitcher coming out of Japan only to learn pretty quickly they weren't in the running. That has led to some repositioning of how they approach Asia. That said, assistant general manager Moises Rodriguez was recently in Japan, and the Cardinals are still looking to find there place to find talent there.

South City Steve: Your article on Mikolas alluded to the possibility of a reunion in 2026. Unless Bloom wishes to instantly alienate a large percentage of fans right out of the gate, I would suggest he look elsewhere fro innings in 2026.

DG: Miles Mikolas would welcome it. He's said that. He's also said he has to be prepared to go elsewhere. That was the full extent of anything alluded to in the story.

Tackleberry: It really was just an observation. I’m not saying you or anyone else isn’t doing their job correctly or to the best of your ability. I’m simply observing that in years past there has been more “pulse of the fans� pieces written. But I also accept that notion of “what else is there left to write?� This era has been smoked down to the filter and maybe there just isn’t anything new beyond what is happening between the lines every night.

DG: And I find this comment even more critical than the previous one. It is the job to find those stories. Every day. That's the goal. I wasn't saying "what is there left to write" as far as stories to tell, I was saying "what is there left to write" on the subject of not contending. They came into the season saying that wasn't the goal. That was the result. Saying that everyday would get monotonous, no? So we find other stories to cover, other reporting to do, other things and topics to explore and reveal to readers.

There is always a story to find.

Ed AuBuchon: Cardinal medical staff aside letting Winn continue to play when compromised was tempting fate at best. Who finally made the decision to stop endangering our best player.

DG: You've got to be kidding me.

"Masyn Winn explains why he pushed to play through pain and meniscus tear." I hope you take the time to read Masyn Winn's comments on this. I hope his comments and that reporting -- if not the reporting from the days and weeks before -- give you a sense of how they arrived at that decision, and how the player was a driving factor in all of the decisions.

Capstone: A work stoppage is likely after the 2026 season; more reason not to spend now. Do/can/should the Cards retain resources to be ready for 2027 to pounce on talent?

DG: They say they do. They'll certainly have some better sense of the revenue from broadcasts by that point and what it looks like and how it could increase for them and other teams in 2028. Not to mention expansion and the money coming from that ...

Twister18: Considering Wetherholt and Doyle are our top prospects, should we not be rooting for a losing streak to improve our draft position?

DG: Fans can choose what they root for. Online, I see plenty of Cardinals fans rooting against the Cardinals and only some of them are basing this on the draft pick potential.

uremovich: "The power has to come from somewhere, and it's so rara and pricey in the open market that the Cardinals best chance is for it to come from within." With your description of the lack of power and cost to obtain, has anyone in the organization considered a strategy toward emphasizing contact and on base as a way to compete while they wait for power?

DG: Yes, they have. Brant Brown has brought this up and even pushed the team this season to adopt that thinking because it was the way they could best create offense with the personnel they had.

Matt: RE: Arenado - do you think the Cards will explore a buyout option if there aren't any takers via trade?

DG: That would be called releasing him. And they would owe him guaranteed salary. There is no buyout provision other than just paying him the rest of his salary owed and allowing him to become a free agent. I don't see that being the approach.

Ed AuBuchon: I understand Winn wanted to play but erroring on the side of caution seemed prudent.

DG: Players have agency. It sure seems like there is a world where Winn is celebrated for playing through the pain to attempt to help the team and win a Gold Glove. Instead, it's just clear that there is no way to win. If he doesn't play, I'm getting questions about why he didn't tough it out for his teammates. If he does play, why didn't the team impose the will of some fans upon the player.

This is not a great place for dialogue and discussion, and again, the facts are fighting uphill.

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