ÁńÁ«ĘÓƵ

Among the handful of things he learned about measuring reaction time and developing decision-making reflexes from a cutting-edge device strapped to his wrist, Cardinals top prospect JJ Wetherholt came to appreciate the rejuvenating power of a cold, cold shower.

There was one issue when he started his professional career in Florida with its sunny climate, warmed pipes and shower temps.

“It just wasn’t cold,” he said. “It was pointless.”

So maybe it’s a workout that does it, an early stretch or a caffeine drink or better sleep or, like some of his college peers, it’s music that reboots his reaction time. Add this to the growing list of things he plans to continually learn during spring training, and he’s working with a tech company, Pison, to do so.

Alongside a few dozen fellow Cardinals already at the team’s complex in Jupiter, Florida, Wetherholt is in his second week of warming up for his first big league spring training. The seventh overall pick from this past July’s draft, Wetherholt bounded out of West Virginia and into the lineup for the Cardinals’ Low-A affiliate in time to help lead the Palm Beach Cardinals to a Florida State League championship. The 22-year-old shortstop hit .295 with an .805 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) in his first 105 at-bats as a pro and earned a non-roster invite to Cardinals spring training.

Along with left-handed starter Quinn Mathews, Wetherholt is positioned to be at the head of the Cardinals’ next class of talents, the post-”reset” arrivals. Both leading prospects will get their first glimpse of big league camp this month — and the big leaguers will get a look at them.

“Just because you go to big league spring training doesn’t really mean that you’re going to get to that level right away or that you’re going to advance,” Wetherholt told the Post-Dispatch this past week from Jupiter. “It’s a learning process. I’m excited to be surrounded, to be around a bunch of big leaguers ... (and) be prepared for any chance that I could get.”

As part of a group of early campers who began workouts this past week at the Roger Dean Stadium campus, Wetherholt started listing all the things they’d been doing — “lifting, running, fielding, hitting” — before settling with “everything.”

“Easier transition,” he said of going from offseason to spring training.

Brand ambassador

Before taking his first day in big league camp or first at-bat above Class A, Wetherholt already has been selected by a technology company to be featured in its advertising, social media, promotions and development. Eager to show its potential, Pison chose a player with potential as a “brand ambassador.”

Wetherholt was introduced to Pison’s tech and smart wristband in college, and it was there he used the tech, its smart wristband and data collected through response tests to better grasp and maintain his reaction time. The more he learned, the more curious he became, Wetherholt said.

He and teammates would keep track of who was scoring higher on tests that use stimuli and response to measure reaction time and decision responses.

“I won, by the way,” Wetherholt grinned.

Founded in 2016 to advance and harness technology to use in measurement devices and to assist people with degenerative brain illnesses, Boston-area biotech company Pison developed tech that tracks electrical signals the brain sends to the hand, for example, using a smartwatch-like device. Like similar tech that tracks movement, steps, pulse, sleep habits and much more, the leap to sports performance was obvious and happened in the past two years.

“I found it fascinating that reaction time (and) decision making and focus were able to be measured on the body and give players the awareness that, hey, listen I might not be up to my cognitive ability that particular day, (so) how can I find some sort of intervention or mitigation to get my reaction time to be able to go and face a Mariano Rivera in the ninth inning throwing 95 mph cutters,” said Marc Deschenes, a former pitcher in the Boston and Cleveland organizations who is now Pison’s vice president of sport operations.

“Or, how can I have my brain at its performance to optimize decision making to understand if I should swing at a fastball in the zone or maybe check-swing or take on a breaking ball in the dirt?”

When first introduced to the technology, Wetherholt took several reaction-time tests to establish a baseline. The 20-second test involves looking at the wristband as it flashes a white light six times. The user opens their hand each time they see the light, and the response is measured in milliseconds. Elite athletes are around 120 milliseconds, and Wetherholt is consistently around 117 milliseconds, Deschenes said. A second test is called an agility test, or “go, no go,” and it measures decision making within the framework of the reaction test.

The band flashes either a white light or an orange/yellow light, and the user is tasked with opening their hand on white and doing nothing for the other colors. For an athlete with a slower reaction score (in milliseconds!), swifter decisions can close that gap.

Scores are based on speed and accuracy.

Wetherholt said he has to fight anticipating the light and being wrong.

Just like, say, a pitch.

“It’s kind of like swinging at a fastball and taking a slider or a change-up,” Wetherholt said. “It’s hard because you’re trying to anticipate seeing the light flash and going because you want to be as quick as possible. But if you anticipate too much and you think it’s going to be a white light and it’s an orange light, yellow light and you can’t go, you might jump too early. Just swung at a slider in the dirt. So it kind of feels like baseball training a little bit. ...

“The cognitive side, I feel, is an untapped area.”

A third test measures focus over a long period of time.

The tests can be done often, and Wetherholt said he’ll do a few of them several times a week to either check his reaction time against his baseline or sharpen his decision making.

“It’s a tool you use outside to be more prepared in the box and in the field,” he said.

And over time, it helps identify what factors might place a drag on reaction time.

“It helps the athlete identify different things that they may do throughout the day, week or month they can see that, �Alright, I’ve done this and it affects my reaction time (and) I’m worse than my baseline,’” said Peter Prodanov, a former pro ballplayer who is Pison’s regional director working directly with Wetherholt and also college programs. “�I have a cognitive deficit, so therefore I’ll have a physical deficit. I don’t want to do those things anymore because I’m a professional baseball player and I’ve got to be at the top of my game both cognitively and physically.’ It’s a new thing that athletes don’t have currently. They have a lot going on and a lot of ways to track optimal performance. But they don’t have this yet.”

Pison has provided tech and worked with college programs like West Virginia, Penn State and Lansing (Michigan) Community College and benefited from the data collected to better understand reaction time maintenance and decision-making dexterity. Deschenes referred to both Wetherholt and the Lansing program as “power users” for the insight their data provides.

Cue the cold, cold shower.

Individual results

By looking at what activities allow players to return closer to their baseline reaction time, Pison found that “interventions and mitigations” varied for each individual. Some were boosted by caffeine drinks or cold tubs; some responded well to yoga. Music has been identified as a great help for players who stray from their baseline and then snap back to it, the Pison executives said.

Wetherholt learned that he responds well to a cold shower — and also working out, lifting or stretching early.

“I take a little bit longer to prep than some other guys, (so) for me I have got to get my body moving, start earlier and find ways to really get that heart rate up so I can be perfectly ready for first pitch,” Wetherholt said. “It’s just the balance of knowing it’s a tool. It’s not going to make you hit a home run that day. You still have to go and have an approach, be locked in in that at-bat and be ready to go.”

This past month, Pison introduced its Baseball Pro tool to help with cognitive training and measurements. The price point for an individual is $359 annually, and teams at all levels, including the majors, have shown interest.

One of the measurements on the device is a standardized “pop” time — the number of seconds it takes a catcher to receive a pitch (mitt pop) and deliver a throw to an infielder (glove pop). In Pison’s drill, the catcher is given a stimuli — an arrow for which base to throw — and the catcher’s device measures the reaction while the wristband worn on the glove hand by an infielder measures the throws arrival.

Such data can be used for training and scouting.

On Pison’s web page describing its Baseball Pro device, Wetherholt is featured right beside the description: “In baseball, milliseconds matter.”

In spring training, so do minutes.

There are the minutes he’ll spend with prospect peers and major leaguers in a clubhouse he knows from Class A, from the route to the weight room to the temperature of the shower water. There are the minutes he’ll spend on the field.

Slowed by a hamstring injury in his junior year at West Virginia, Wetherholt is eager for those minutes this spring spent leading off first base and making a run for more stolen bases, those minutes taking batting practice with big leaguers, those minutes at shortstop. The injury limited his ability to show the work he did defensively a year ago to improve at shortstop, and he wants to “really develop into a true shortstop and not just a guy who is playing shortstop.”

With coaches and the front office watching, he’ll get to measure their reaction.

“I may not be there yet, but I want to show I’m a good player,” Wetherholt said. “It will be an opportunity. I think the biggest part is learning from those guys — just following them, seeing what they do. It’s really kind of like that freshman who shows up on campus who is eager to learn.”

Lynn Worthy

Worthy: Maybe there are worse things than keeping an 8-time All-Star like Nolan Arenado

• Lynn Worthy

St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals prospect Thomas Saggese looks to carve role with refined approach, versatile glove

• Daniel Guerrero

Lynn Worthy

Worthy: Here’s hoping Zack Thompson shows Cardinals he’s got more to offer this year

• Lynn Worthy

Jim Edmonds won’t be talking about the Cardinals this season on the team’s local telecasts. But he sure has plenty to say about his departure from the broadcasts, which he called “total chaos,” as well as his issues with the team — “they don’t make you feel like you’re wanted.”

FanDuel ÁńÁ«ĘÓƵ Network officials confirmed to the Post-Dispatch over the weekend that Edmonds would not be returning after 12 seasons on the Cardinals TV team, the last 10 that have included a significant number of game-analyst assignments in addition to commentary from the studio for what now is FDSN.

A reason for his exit wasn’t given, and he couldn’t be reached by the Post-Dispatch. But a show with which he has had a long relationship.

“I was kind of running low on energy level with that TV stuff the last couple years,” he said in a lengthy interview. “... I just came to a conclusion — it was tough last year. I enjoy the job, but last year I was kind of hemming and hawing around.”

He said he told his wife a couple of months ago that he was ready to step down.

“I said, �I’m done, I don’t want to do it anymore,’” Edmonds, 54, said he told her, later adding that he wants to spend more of his life with her and his children as he splits time between homes in St. Louis and a rural area outside Nashville, Tennessee.

But his wife encouraged him to continue to mull the situation, which came to a head recently.

He said his boss, FDSN executive producer Larry Mago, tried to contact him, but Edmonds waited until the next day to return the call. He said he told Mago the reason for the delay was because, “I really didn’t know what to say about this year. I’m not really sure I’m going to come back. I’m pretty much sure I’m done working.”

But there might not have been a job for him to return to anyway.

Edmonds said Mago told him that he had “called to tell you that we don’t know if we’re going to have you back this year.”

Edmonds said he was ecstatic to hear that.

“That is so awesome. You just made my decision for me,” he said he told Mago. “Thank you very much. Have a good day. ... It was pretty much perfect, and it made me really happy about my decision. I probably hung on maybe a year too long.”

Edmonds then criticized the Cardinals’ television operation.

“I’m tired of listening to critics, I’m tired of guessing if I’m doing the right thing or not, and I just had enough,” he said. “It’s total chaos, people working every day that don’t know where they’re supposed to be, can’t get mics to work, TV doesn’t work, replays don’t work.”

He later said he was given little guidance.

“I was thrown to the wolves with the TV stuff, �Here you go, sit here and talk,’” he said. “... I was winging it; I had no clue what I was doing. I had no teaching, I had no skills (in broadcasting), I had no background in anything other than I played.”

Edmonds also slammed the operation’s technical side, saying he had a hard time getting replays he wanted to have shown to emphasize a point he was trying to make. He said things weren’t “up to par,” that “the technology ... was not up to date.”

There has been some viewer criticism at times that Edmonds didn’t sound prepared on the air, spent too much time talking about texts he received during games, and he acknowledged he didn’t pay attention to the team when not working.

“When I’m not at the stadium, I’m not watching baseball,” he said. “The last couple years, it really started to run its course.”

But he said when it was time for him to go on the air, he “studied my (tail) off before I went back to work every day, I caught up on some highlights and paid attention to what guys were doing.”

FanDuel officials declined to comment beyond a statement they issued when confirming Edmonds’ exit: “We want to thank Jim for his many contributions to our Cardinals coverage ... and wish him the best.”

Cards criticism

Edmonds also had pointed comments about the Cardinals, saying he hasn’t gone to spring training in recent years because it’s not enjoyable anymore.

“They don’t make you feel like you’re wanted,” he said, although he emphasized that he “loves” the DeWitt ownership team, lead baseball executive John Mozeliak and manager Oliver Marmol. “Everybody’s great, but somehow indoors, in the inner circle, it’s not the same. It’s not fun to be around. They make it pretty obvious. ... There’s no blame, I just think the culture has changed.”

He pointed to the shift happening since the COVID restrictions, saying he thinks that “was the perfect excuse to just cut the ties with all the extra (stuff).”

He also said that the team doesn’t invite many prominent former players to spring training anymore, saying “it’s a total different atmosphere, and it makes you feel like you’re not appreciated, not wanted, (they) don’t need your help.

“I have the utmost respect for the people, but something’s different as a whole. I know the players feel it, the alumni feel it. ... You can just feel the tension when you walk around. ... We’re definitely aware as a group that we’re not really wanted around there anymore.”

But several former Cardinals are expected to be at spring training this year, which opens next week, including coaches Jose Oquendo, Willie McGee, Jason Isringhausen, Bernard Gilkey and Ryan Ludwick. McGee spent several years on the major-league staff before moving to a roving instructor role for the 2025 season.

Former World Series MVP David Freese will make his first spring appearance as a guest coach, and Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith has made annual appearances at spring training. He spent days working with Masyn Winn last spring.

Yadier Molina was invited to spring and outfitted with a position and title a year ago, but he declined scheduled visits because of family issues. He is expected to be invited back this spring if his schedule permits.

Edmonds referenced specifically the departure of Chris Carpenter, who was one of several former players who had their adviser positions eliminated during the pandemic. He was hired by the Los Angeles Angels as a result, and his exit was one of the concerns former manager Mike Shildt brought up privately to the front office.

Edmonds also criticized the Post-Dispatch for its coverage of a minor legal squabble he was involved in a few years ago, indicating that is why he didn’t comment when the story broke about his leaving TV.

He had a standout run in center field for the Cardinals from 2000-07 as the centerpiece of his 17-season big league career and was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame in 2014. He also has served as a guest instructor for the club in addition to his broadcasting work, and he was asked if he thinks he’ll ever be associated with the team again.

“I don’t know. I think I’m done,” he said. “... I don’t want to be one of those guys that just hangs around the clubhouse or hangs around the stadium and signs autographs for the rest of my life. My kids are overwhelmingly more important by the day, my marriage is so important to me now.”

He said he’s unsure if he’ll attend the home-opener festivities.

“I’m not down on the organization,” he said. “It’s just not the organization that I played for with the people and the history in your face every day. I thought that was pretty cool.”

But many of those icons who were around during his playing days, people such as Bob Gibson, Stan Musial, Red Schoendienst, Lou Brock, Whitey Herzog and Mike Shannon, have died in recent years.

“Listening to those guys talk, God rest all their souls, was amazing,” he said. “It’s sad they’re gone.”

The Cardinals declined to comment about Edmonds’ observations.

Final thoughts

Edmonds says despite the strong remarks, he remains upbeat.

“I don’t want to be �me’ anymore as a baseball person,” he said. “I just want to be a dad.”

He later added: “I’m not bitter at all. I’m happy. I’m thankful. I woke up one day (and thought it’s) time to move on, it’s time to enjoy my life.

“I’m really happy with the decision. ... I love what I did, I love the fans, but it’s time to move on.”

In a cinematic depiction of spring training, you can imagine the sound of the clock from the “60 Minutes” intro playing any time the camera pans to Cardinals third baseman on the field or in the clubhouse.

Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick ...

After all, it would convey the time ticking down for president of baseball operations John Mozeliak to complete a trade to ship Arenado to a contender. That ticking sound would also coincide nicely with the description Arenado’s agent provided during the winter meetings, that of the eight-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner’s “biological clock” that drives him crazy if he’s not winning.

A little bit less than two months ago, Arenado’s seemed a locker destined to be reassigned in the spring training clubhouse in Jupiter, Florida. Yet the calendar has flipped to February, and Arenado has not flipped teams.

It should be noted that he turned down one chance when he exercised his no-trade rights and spurned the Houston Astros.

A month ago, it sure felt like Arenado not being traded by spring training would signal a calamitous turn of events. The idea of Arenado reporting to camp would’ve triggered memories of actor Michael Madsen acting out a Quentin Tarantino-concocted rendition of “Stuck in the Middle With You.”

A side note: “Reservoir Dogs” is not for the squeamish.

As the strong likelihood of Arenado putting the birds on the bat across his chest again begins to sink in, it’s also becoming clearer that chaos and anarchy won’t follow.

Instead, the Cardinals will likely face the same type of playing time logjam that they’ve created for themselves in recent years. But that alone shouldn’t unravel the entire baseball season.

“He knows that we’re trying, and he knows that he’s going to have to try,” Mozeliak said during the team’s annual Winter Warm-Up event when asked about the potential for strained relationships between Arenado and the club if a trade didn’t get done. “So that part doesn’t scare me at all.”

At least one of the reasons that failing to trade Arenado looked scary in December was mitigated during Winter Warm-Up.

The need for payroll relief drove the Cardinals’ desire to trade Arenado. Without moving his salary, then Mozeliak would have to pivot and trade starting pitching rotation to get money off the books. At least, that was the assumption.

The fact that Willson Contreras and Sonny Gray, who have no-trade clauses in their contracts, chose to remain with the club only solidified the belief that Mozeliak would be forced to trade pitching to meet a dollar figure.

Well, that’s not necessarily the case.

“Mr. DeWitt is giving me a little flexibility because we haven’t been able to accomplish what we thought we would by now,” Mozeliak said in January. “He’s being very understandable on what that might look like. So I don’t feel enormous pressure because what we were able to do right after the season, we got to at least a zone where we felt comfortable.”

Mozeliak repeatedly said that he does not want to trade from the club’s starting pitching and thus depleting the club’s depth. After all, the top six options right now include a veteran in Steven Matz who hasn’t remained healthy for a full season the past three years, a former reliever in Andre Pallante who hasn’t pitched a full season in the majors as a starter and an intriguing youngster in Michael McGreevy who has all of four total appearances in the majors (three starts) under his belt.

Trading multiple starters to cut payroll would put the Cardinals rotation on shaky footing, and that wouldn’t put Arenado and his internal ticking clock closer to contending.

That’s why the absence of a hard and fast edict to further reduce payroll is important.

“I don’t think it’s a must,” Mozeliak said of cutting payroll if Arenado isn’t traded. “Would it be helpful? Yes. But I don’t want to tear this apart for the sake of just trying to get to a number.”

As far as any awkwardness associated with Arenado walking back into the clubhouse, it will hardly the first time in baseball history a player and a team had to extend their working relationship longer than they hoped.

In Arenado’s case, even without good friend Paul Goldschmidt on the team, he shouldn’t be on an island.

His fellow Southern Californian, Lars Nootbaar, remains a close friend. Last spring, Arenado described Nootbaar like a younger brother. The two have trained together for several years.

During Winter Warm-Up, young shortstop Masyn Winn, a potential face of the franchise going forward, expressed his “hope” that Arenado returns.

“Nado is not a type of guy that you show up and he loves you,” Winn said. “You’ve got to earn his respect. I feel like I did that last year. As soon as that happened, it was like our relationship took a whole other jump. That dude is one of my favorite teammates I’ve ever been around. He’s one of the hardest-working guys I’ve ever seen.”

Two players don’t make a clubhouse consensus, but Arenado shouldn’t be a pariah.

He’s also been savvy enough, thus far, not to make any public comments that would burn bridges.

Manager Oli Marmol will have lineup juggling to handle, which isn’t new.

Arenado at third base probably bumps Nolan Gorman back to second base, Brendan Donovan to left field and Nootbaar to center field in place of either Michael Siani or Victor Scott II. The combination of Alec Burleson and Contreras should dominate the first base and designated hitter at-bats.

That, of course, assumes everyone is healthy.

It’s not ideal defensively, but the Cardinals have gone with Nootbaar in center field at times in the recent past to try to maximize offense.

Arenado’s presence puts more decisions at Marmol’s feet, but it’s not the end of the world. And it could just be temporary.

Lynn Worthy

Worthy: A big week for SLU basketball offered definitive answers and left some open questions

• Lynn Worthy

Lynn Worthy

Worthy: Here’s hoping Zack Thompson shows Cardinals he’s got more to offer this year

• Lynn Worthy

Lynn Worthy

Worthy: Brayden Schenn doesn't question the Blues' effort. Hopefully, they prove him right

• Lynn Worthy

Bring your Cardinals questions and comments to Monday’s 11 a.m. live chat.

-

-

-

Transcript

Daniel Guerrero: Hi everyone, Post-Dispatch baseball writer Daniel Guerrero here. I'll be on today's Cardinals chat. I hope the start of the week has gone well. Cardinals pitchers and catchers have their first spring practice next Wednesday, Feb. 12. Baseball is almost here. With that being said, what's on your mind?

Bretto: Do you have any information as to why Jimmy is out as a Cardinal broadcaster?

Daniel Guerrero: Jim Edmonds was on 101 ESPN this morning and talked about this. Based on what Edmonds said during the radio appearance, it seemed like a mutual decision as he was thinking about stepping away from the broadcast booth and there was uncertainty from FanDuel ÁńÁ«ĘÓƵ Network that Edmonds was going to be brought back this season.

Billy W: Will MLB this year correct the uniform flap from a year ago?

Daniel Guerrero: Yes, that is the expectation. And even better, we are supposed to see a correction of the All-Star game jerseys. Players in the All-Star game will go back to wearing their team's jersey rather than the American and National League jerseys that were introduced in 2021.

Henry: I am one of the few fans who staunchly believes this team can compete for the NL central and make the playoffs with Wilson moving to first that will preserve his health I think a tone of young guys just start to

Henry: blossom if walker Gorman Noot Donovan all have great years this team will be a force to be reckoned with the new hitting coach will help the cards climb out of the basement since they were 2nd to last in this league last year in average. I also believe fans should show up in mass numbers and that burn down sell off approach is corrosive to culture we don't rebuild in St.Louis we reset world of a difference. This year the cardinals will shock the world thoughts?

Daniel Guerrero: I think the 2025 Cardinals can be better than some people may expect assuming some of those young guys mentioned, specifically Jordan Walker, Nolan Gorman, and Lars Nootbaar, can take that step forward so many have been waiting to see. I don't know about shock the world though.

Mark: It doesn't look good for Burleson or Baker,does it? It'll be hard to find at bats or make the team,if something doesn't happen,don't you think?

Daniel Guerrero: Willson Contreras' shift to first base may make first base chances limited for Alec Burleson and Luken Baker. There's also a DH spot and a backup first baseman spot to fill. Both Burleson and Baker fit that profile. I think Burleson's experience in the outfield helps him in breaking camp on the opening-day roster.

Wilson: With Jack F getting 25 mill for 1 year. Doesn't Fedde have a ton of excess value? Does it not make sense to traded him now on the heals of his 4 WAR season and open the opportunity for the young guys and the old guys to prove they are healthy?

Daniel Guerrero: There is value in trading Erick Fedde, but that doesn't mean it has to be done now. Another way to look at maximizing the return on Fedde would be waiting until the trade deadline when returns are higher because winning teams are trying to add the missing pieces to their rosters. But of course, waiting until then to maximize the return on Fedde hinges on how well Fedde performs in the first half.

tom: Do you believe Nolan Arenado will be traded after Alex Bregman signs somewhere?

Daniel Guerrero: That is the belief. The Arenado trade market could pick up after Bregman signs.

Jim: Any sense if any of the young starters will be looked at as relievers this spring - guys like Graceffo- the bullpen composition seems a bit murky

Daniel Guerrero: I think this is something that we will get a better sense of as we get through Grapefruit League games this spring and we see what roles some young guys, like Gordon Graceffo, find themselves in during games. I'd expect Graceffo to come into camp prepared as a starter and he could find himself in extended looks during games. Once the big-league roster begins to take shape, that's when I think we'll see if any of the young starter are primed for a reliever role in the majors.

CDP: Hi Daniel. Thanks for taking the time to do the chat. I assume this means you listened to the interview Edmond's gave this morning? If so, what are your thoughts on the other comments he made about the organization? He seemed to go pretty scorched earth, and certainly did not hold back. To me, there was a lot of damning information came out of that interview which paints a very clear picture of the dysfunction within the organization.: Jim Edmonds was on 101 ESPN this morning and talked about this. Based on what Edmonds said during the radio appearance, it seemed like a mutual decision as he was thinking about stepping away from the broadcast booth and there was uncertainty from FanDuel ÁńÁ«ĘÓƵ Network that Edmonds was going to be brought back this season.: Daniel Guerrero

Daniel Guerrero: I did have a chance to listen to it. I honestly don't have much to say about it other than it all being very surprising to hear. It'd be interesting if someone from within the Cardinals organization were to address Edmonds' claims.

Cardsfanwentzville: Cards have preached reset. Line up should be very similar and very congested if Nolan stays. Your rotation only really has space for Pilante. Bullpen is changing but that pretty much happens every year.

Daniel Guerrero: As it stands, that is what we're looking at...

Bojo1324: This year's Spring Training is exciting to me, in that, it should be me watching guys who could make an impact on future line ups/rotations/staffs, but they could be there sooner rather than later. With that said, who is someone that isn't getting enough attention this off-season from the fans and maybe the media, who could break camp with the big club?

Daniel Guerrero: I know the outfield is crowded, but if there's anyone who will hit their way onto the big-league club I think that person could be Matt Koperniak. Since he debuted in professional baseball in 2021, Koperniak has hit at every level he's appeared at. With some added bat speed, he produced his best season as a pro last year in Triple-A Memphis (.309 batting average, .370 on-base percentage, .512 slugging percentage, 20 homers, and 28 doubles in 122 games). I could see Koperniak working his way onto the big league in a bench role given we already have an idea of some of the names expected to make up the starting outfield.

Jim S: Daniel, another question-the year after the 2021 draft, there was a lot of noise, not about the previous #1 pick of McGreevy, but of 5th round pick Gordon Graceffo. There seemed to be some that were ready to push him to AA the following year. Then he got hurt, and doesn't seem to be on anyone's radar anymore, maybe as a bullpen piece, but that's about it. What happened with Graceffo? Did he lose velocity after the injury, never regaining it? Just curious about how his path to MLB seems to have been altered. Thanks for any info.

Daniel Guerrero: Based on a conversation I had with Graceffo last summer, the injury (shoulder inflammation) in 2023 didn't seem to be a cause for the dips in velocity. Graceffo pointed to a change in his windup that he implemented at the start of the 2024 season and the shift back to his previous windup in-season as something that took some time to get adjusted to mechanically. After he switched back to his old windup, Graceffo showed some flashes of the velocity that helped him to a breakout 2022 season though, but still seemed like he was sort of still regaining his old form. Perhaps taking that experience into the offseason gave him an idea of what to refine ahead of spring training.

Bryan C: I am old and I do not like or understand all these analytics baseball uses. Please tell me why Mo and Marmol think Nootbaar is such a good player? My old analytics show they better trade him now before he becomes the next Dylan Carlson. Ok it is your turn to tell me why the Cardinals think Nootbaar will be the NL MVP at sometime in his future.

Daniel Guerrero: As many new school baseball fans would say, plenty of red on his Baseball Savant page. And by that I mean there are a lot of advanced metrics where Lars Nootbaar ranks above league average and even among the best in the league. We'll use last year as an example. In 2024, Nootbaar's 16.9% chase rate was among the best across MLB. His 12.8% walk rate was in the top 2% of major leaguers. His 49.5% hard-hit rate was in the top 9% of major leaguers. He also ranked within the top 20% of major leaguers in average exit velocity, swing and miss rate, and expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA), the latter of which uses exit velocity, launch angle, and in certain instances, spring speed, to evaluate expected outcomes of a batted balls based on the quality of contact and the player's skills.

Simpl.10: DG2 - is the P-D planning to hire a reporter to continue to cover the birds minor leagues?

Daniel Guerrero: Actually, I'll still be providing minor league coverage for the P-D.

Bryan C: When does the Cardinals report to spring training? Will Mo make any trades before spring training? There is very little trades any more after spring trainings starts until the trade dead line. Are Cardinal fans stuck with this team until the trade deadline?

Daniel Guerrero: Pitchers and catcher have their first practice on Feb. 12. The first full squad workout is on Feb. 17.

Daniel Guerrero: If there is a trade before spring training, I expect that would be dealing Nolan Arenado, but that could be dependent on if/when Alex Bregman signs. Other than that, my guess is that there may not be much trade movement until the trade deadline when there is some urgency for teams to make moves.

Bojo1324: If you want mine, it's Hjerpe, Prieto, and Koperniak (But I'm biased to all those guys).: This year's Spring Training is exciting to me, in that, it should be me watching guys who could make an impact on future line ups/rotations/staffs, but they could be there sooner rather than later. With that said, who is someone that isn't getting enough attention this off-season from the fans and maybe the media, who could break camp with the big club?: Bojo1324

Daniel Guerrero: I think Cooper Hjerpe may need some more innings down at the minor-league level before we see him in the majors. Injuries in back-to-back years have kept him to 93 1/3 total innings since making his pro debut in 2023. But I get the interest in seeing him move through the system given his 32.8% strikeout rate as a pro. Prieto is another name off the 40-man roster who is interesting. He had a strong first half last year before seeing a dip in the second half. He brings versatility as an infielder. But with Nolan Arenado currently on the roster, that could be a roadblock for young infielders to get regular playing time in the majors.

home: Daniel: Do you think the Cards are holding on to their veteran pitchers in hopes that the season turns out better then what most people believe will happen? i.e. a lost season

Daniel Guerrero: I wouldn't say that's the case. The Cardinals have received interest from other teams on guys like Erick Fedde and Steven Matz, but I think part of holding onto them may be in hopes of getting better returns on veteran arms at the trade deadline.

Redbird: Do we have an idea when tv will release the spring training schedule?

Daniel Guerrero: Considering the first spring game is on Feb. 22, I would imagine the broadcast schedule gets released before the end of next week.

Taylor: Do you have a sense of how the organization broadly views Bryan Torres? Or perhaps a sense of how some particular parts of the organization view him?

Daniel Guerrero: Perhaps a clear indication of how they view is the fact that Torres got a non-roster invite to spring training and want to get a closer look at him after what he did last year (lead the Texas League in batting average in his first year in affiliated pro ball since 2021).

Ken: Hi Daniel. This has been the most boring offseason I can remember. I saw a couple ST games last year where n Ft. Myers . I ran into Ben Fredrickson.: Daniel: Do you think the Cards are holding on to their veteran pitchers in hopes that the season turns out better then what most people believe will happen? i.e. a lost season: home

Daniel Guerrero: Yeah, this offseason has been underwhelming unlike a surprise encounter with Ben Frederickson. That dude rocks.

DuffyCTD: Goodness, Flaherty gets $35 million ($45 million possible). Is he worth that?

Daniel Guerrero: Given what starting pitching cost is now, that is a good chunk of change but not too surprising because of some of the swing-and-miss and strikeout success Flaherty had last year. He was top 10% in whiff rate and strikeout rate while also posting a walk rate below 6%.

JW Help: If Koperniak hits he should play no more playing people on projections. Matt K may be another MCarp or Donavan type hitter. We need doubles hitters who can also hit with men on base

Daniel Guerrero: From my perspective, it's just tough to see a regular starting role for Koperniak given the current roster makeup. We should expect Lars Nootbaar and Jordan Walker to be starters in the outfield. Although Michael Siani seems to have a lane to claim starting center field duties once again, that could be in flux with Nolan Arenado still a Cardinal, which could mean some shuffling that would put Brendan Donovan in left field, Nootbaar in center, and Walker in right. Because of that, I figured Koperniak may be in a bench role if he is on the big-league roster.

DuffyCTD: Who will be in Jupiter to cover ST for the P-D?

Daniel Guerrero: Derrick Goold and I will be there for all of spring camp. Columnists Benjamin Hochman and Lynn Worthy will each have some time down in Jupiter as well.

BamaJoe: Hi Daniel, what are your thoughts on the current state of MLB ? do you believe that the current model of spending by the LA Dodgers is sustainable ? will other owners follow or just become fodder for the big spenders ? thanks sir

Daniel Guerrero: I think the lengths that the Dodgers have spent are sustainable for a few teams, but I don't think what the Dodgers are doing is bad for baseball. I just don't agree with the sentiment that a team wanting to be competitive and spending money to do so is bad. Other teams can spend, but they just choose not to. I think there are other owners who will try to compete with the Dodgers' spending, but I think there will still be teams that continue with models to produce in-house talent over searching for key pieces on the free agent market.

Aaron: I think it was time for a reset, though I'm with most that we shouldn't expect much this year. The issue is that I really like Oli Marmol who I believe has the respect of the clubhouse. Unlike the NFL, I think talent is a much bigger factor than tactics. I know this is unpopular but do you see Bloom retaining Marmol if they have another sub-.500 season. I hope they keep him despite the record and hopefully they can rebuild their farm system to churn out better quality in the next couple of years.

Daniel Guerrero: I don't have a good sense at the moment of whether Bloom would retain Marmol once Bloom takes over in 2026. I do think there are a few variables, one of which you mentioned. I think how Marmol manages this team this year is one of them. I also think Bloom's vision for when he fully takes over and if Marmol fits into that vision is another.

Illinois cardinals: I live 3 hrs from StL but am still in MLB TV blackout. I read once that Amazon would have broadcasts with no blackouts but can't find anything about it on Amazon. What's up on blackout area broadcasts?

Daniel Guerrero: A solution for that may be coming this season. A blackout-free, cable-free option streaming option to watch the Cardinals is expected to launch in the coming months. This was something Bill DeWitt III talked about during Winter Warm-up. The streaming service is expected to be priced around $20 a month.

Ken: I cut myself off . Ben and I were talking about Victor Scott making the team . He did . And he couldn't hit a lick. Do you see him making improvements and breaking with the team,

Daniel Guerrero: Scott is expected to get a chance to compete for an opening-day roster spot, but my guess is that he will begin the 2025 season in Memphis to get some more time developing after his quick rise to the majors. I do think we will see him in the majors at some point this year.

Illinois cardinals: Will the broadcast solution come from Amazon or thru the Cardinals or fan duel directly? Im excited to finally be able to see some spring training games.: A solution for that may be coming this season. A blackout-free, cable-free option streaming option to watch the Cardinals is expected to launch in the coming months. This was something Bill DeWitt III talked about during Winter Warm-up. The streaming service is expected to be priced around $20 a month.: Daniel Guerrero

Daniel Guerrero: From my understanding, this service would be run in partnership with FanDuel ÁńÁ«ĘÓƵ Network.

Taguchi99: Do you think the Cardinals will include a prospect for another team to take more of Arenado's salary? Seems like we need the prospects more than the salary relief, but a lot of internet randos seem to think we'll pay with a prospect for someone to take more of the money.

Daniel Guerrero: I wouldn't expect the Cardinals to deal a prospect in a potential Arenado trade mainly because that doesn't seem exactly fitting to this whole "reset."

Uncle Redbird: Who would you consider the next wave of starting talent after Hence and Matthews? Lin and Saladin? Anyone else?

Daniel Guerrero: I'm going to include Tekoah Roby in that Tink Hence and Quinn Mathews wave. After that, when it comes to guys a bit further in the system, Chen Wei-Lin and Darlin Saladin are names to keep an eye on. I'd also include Brian Holiday, the Cardinals' third-round pick in 2024. Holiday didn't pitch after last year's draft, so where he starts this season will be a good indication of his ETA to the majors.

Cardsfanwentzville: my question is - how can we tell if the cardinals are really adopting a different approach June 1? It just seems they've tiptoed into a rebuild much like they've tiptoed into competing the last few years.

Daniel Guerrero: I think the best way to measure it will be on a player-to-player basis. The Cardinals said they are committing to giving young players every chance to get playing in the majors. If we see that come to fruition, then I think that would align with the intentions the Cardinals had when the made public this whole "reset." Though, as mentioned in this chat earlier, coming into 2025 with Nolan Arenado still on the roster makes that a bit more difficult. His inclusion would prevent a younger player (use Thomas Saggese as an example) from getting major league reps. How we see the Cardinals go about giving young guys playing time and how those young guys develop while in the majors should be a better indication of whether this new approach is being put to action.

Brian: Hi Daniel, thanks for the story on Saggesse today. Creating playing time for him on the roster has been cited as one of the reasons for an Arenado trade, but how does the F.O. views his ceiling? If he's not more than a utility player (useful of course for any team) I don't really understand why you'd look to move a GG 3b to make room for him.

Daniel Guerrero: There certainly is belief in Thomas Saggese's bat and how that could continue to develop. Although he fits that utility mold, he feels like he may settle into a spot at second base down the road, so I think the utility role right now would be to find a way to get his bat into the lineup. Think of it similar to how Brendan Donovan was brought to the majors. Another reason to want to move Arenado besides creating playing time for Saggese is to shed payroll. That what the Cardinals have sought to do and moving Arenado and his contract is a big part of that.

Bob the Subscriber: PECOTA just posted their projections. They project the Cardinals at a .485 winning percentage. I sure am glad that Mo thinks it is worth keeping Helsely and Fedde to try to sneak into the playoffs this year instead of improving the team for '26 and beyond! That's not at all selfish and bad for the medium and long term! And everyone knows that pitchers never get hurt so it makes sense to have Hels and Fedde pitch all season up until the trade deadline!

Daniel Guerrero: As I mentioned before in this chat, I don't think holding onto guys like Erick Fedde and Ryan Helsely is solely based on hopes of sneaking into the playoffs. It should be looked at as waiting to find a trade partner that will offer the right deal. Yes, pitchers get hurt, but trade value for pitching is almost always at its highest when the trade deadline nears.

South City Steve: Do you think it's possible that when the Cardinals said they'd "reset" this winter that they meant to say they'd "relax" this winter?

Daniel Guerrero: A relax sounds nice.

Kyle: If the Cardinals start poorly as they have the past two years, does Oli survive the season? There are some popular alternatives with Pujols, Yadi and Skip is hanging out with the Rangers.

Daniel Guerrero: I'd expect Marmol to manage through the 2025 season. And even if something happened where he didn't make it through 2025, I don't think any of the names you listed would jump in midseason to take over as the skipper.

Jim S: Daniel-good day sir-feels like ST in Jupiter here in StL-gets the blood stirring for some baseball. My question: Our 2 young catchers- Herrera & Pages-will share the catching duties, but i wonder how much of a true share it will be. Our rotation seemed to prefer pitching to Pages last year, and the rotation is virtually the same, so does Pedro see the bulk of innings/ABs? Herrera is the one with the bat, and needs the innings/ABs more than Pages, especially with our limited offense. He needs to develop. Gotta feel that Oli will lean toward what makes the pitchers more comfortable... which seems to be Pages. How do you think this all shakes out? thanks for your efforts!!

Daniel Guerrero: Considering the length of the season and the Cardinals' goal of giving young talent ample opportunities in the majors, I would expect the playing time to be pretty evenly split unless either Pages or Herrera really begin to stand out as THE starting catcher if that makes any sense. However, I think how spring training shakes out and who gets the opening day nod will be an indicator of who get more playing time if the split doesn't end up being a true split. Another factor that may switch up the playing time expectation could be if some starting pitchers who will prefer to form a battery with one of the two.

Bryan C: How are the Cardinals ticket sales for this year going?

Daniel Guerrero: Sluggish is probably a proper word to describe it. There is some expectation that there will be a downturn in sales for 2025.

pugger: Hey Daniel!! Thanks for the chats... From your vantage point, what would the highest win total you could see the Cardinals reaching, and the lowest win total.. And can you give some context on each one? Thanks Daniel!!!

Daniel Guerrero: Predicting wins and losses totals always feels like a tough thing to do. Given the similar roster from last year's 83-win team, that feels a ballpark number of wins the 2025 Cardinals can get to. Of course, some of that depends on a few things like the young guys who have struggled in the majors (Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman) blossoming this year, the return of a strong back end of the bullpen, and some stability in the rotation. I don't think this Cardinals team will be as bad other think, but I also don't think they'll exactly shock the world.

Bryan C: The Cardinals need to keep Arenado until at least the trade dead line. They should not just give a talent like Arenado away for just a salary dump. Do you agree?

Daniel Guerrero: If they don't move him before the start of spring training or even before the end of spring training, I imagine making a move around the trade deadline makes sense. If that's the case, a resurgent Nolan Arenado would certainly help in the return the Cardinals would get on him.

DCG: Daniel: I've loved your work detailing the minor leagues and felt your promotion to the Cards beat was well-earned. (Here comes the "but"). But if I read one more time about any expectations of Lars Nootbaar taking the next step, breaking out, etc., I'm going to move to Micronesia. I realize your giving the Cardinals' view, but this guy has NEVER in his entire pro career but together a full season with at least an .800 OPS. NEVER. I'll grant that he has a great batting eye, but I feel like the entire infatuation that the Cards have and have peddled about him is based on all of the 35 games he played at Memphis in 2021. It's great that he has good metrics, but somehow that never translates to a consist full season of quality play. He's 27 now. He basically is what he is--a nice 4th outfielder who can have hot stretches. Or a nice complimentary piece that would be an ideal 9th place hitter for a team with a long lineup. But he if he's a core piece your team is in trouble. I just can't teal with the Tyler O'Neil 2.0 of all of this. Okay. Rant concluded.: Daniel Guerrero: I think the 2025 Cardinals can be better than some people may expect assuming some of those young guys mentioned, specifically Jordan Walker, Nolan Gorman, and Lars Nootbaar, can take that step forward so many have been waiting to see. I don't know about shock the world though.

Daniel Guerrero: Thanks for the kind words. (Here comes the "but"). But I think the optimism with Nootbaar is based on more than just a brief Triple-A stretch from nearly four years ago. Even going back to 2022, Nootbaar has shown some strong advanced numbers. And yeah, I'll acknowledge that advanced numbers don't always translate to the traditional baseball card stats, but the new-age metrics are certainly green flags. I think one of the things holding Nootbaar back has been health. I'd like to see him play a full season. He spent time on the IL the last two years because of injuries. To me, that is a big part of the "taking the next step" for Nootbaar. If he is able to play a full season and stay off the IL, then I think we'll have a clearer picture of whether Nootbaar can reach the promise of his advanced numbers.

pugger: Hey Daniel-- how can the Dodgers spending be good for baseball? Your creating a totally stratified field with plenty of teams who can absolutely, positively not spend nearly 400 million on a roster... The Dodgers have a whole room full of billionaire owners. They make tons of money off of their TV contract.. How can you honestly say that the Pirates, Marlins, Brewers, Guardians, Royals, etc etc can match either of those? What you said doesn't make any logical sense...

Daniel Guerrero: I mean, there are other ownership groups in MLB made up of billionaires. What the Dodgers are doing is good in the sense that they are doing whatever it takes to win. That should be every team's priority. And yeah, the gaps in payroll are large, but other teams could be spending more. That may not be on the scale that the Dodgers are spending, but they could be doing more yet choose not to. The Dodgers are operating within the existing MLB rules. Those deferred contracts they've issued aren't just available to them. I understand how frustrating it is to see one team sweep up all of the top free agents, but the goal for every team should be to win a World Series. Other teams should be figuring out how to get there too. I can't defend complacency from other teams.

Gray 4 President: Based on Goldy & Arenado's last years hitting #'s to me the Cardinals already have better batting production at 1st with Contreras/burleson and if Gorman has more like a 2023 year with Sageese's productivity being what it could be as utility to 3rd and 2nd all year. My prediction is cards get a wild card bid if noot and Contreras both play 300 games combinded. Go Cards and i predict arenado kills it with the red sox and the green monster. Your thoughts?!

Daniel Guerrero: I don't get the sense that a wild card bid is in store for the 2025 Cardinals. But I agree with you on the production they should get at first base with Willson Contreras and Alec Burleson expected to handle the workload there. I'm interested to see if Contreras benefits from having less stress on his body now that he won't be slated for catching duties and if that translate to stronger numbers at the plater after putting up back-to-back season with an OPS above .820. As for the infield and third base situations, predicting how things shake out there feels cloudy right now given Nolan Arenado's trade search.

Jack: If you were to make an "all NL central" lineup for 2025, would any Cardinals even crack the starting 9?

Daniel Guerrero: Good question. If we're already penciling Willson Contreras at first base then maybe he would crack that starting 9. It'd take some more time to look at the possible names, but perhaps Brendan Donovan's versatility helps him find a way into that lineup. And because he's still currently in the NL Central, then maybe Nolan Arenado's track record gets him that spot even after a down year.

Jack: Off the top of my head, mine would have two I guess: Contreras (MIL), Contreras (STL), Turang (MIL), Arenado (STL), De La Cruz (CIN), Chourio (MIL), Reynolds (PIT), Tucker (CHC), Yelich (MIL) / Skenes (PIT)

Daniel Guerrero: We were in the same mindset for 2 of 3!

Daniel Guerrero: And with that, I think that's where we'll end today's chat. Thanks to everyone for your questions and comments. Also, thank you for continuing to read the Post-Dispatch. We appreciate your readership. We're just over a week away from the first practice of spring training. The P-D will have you fully covered through spring and the season. Take care! -- Daniel Guerrero

When Thomas Saggese went to the Arizona Fall League with a sample of the big leagues under his belt, the Cardinals prospect looked at the “finishing school” as a chance to continue developing his approach as a hitter.

To get there, the 22-year-old utility infielder with the tendency to swing at pitches early in counts had an idea of where to begin.

“One of the things is to try to chase less, and I was able to do that,” Saggese said recently at Busch Stadium during the Cardinals’ Winter Warm-Up event. “I was able to experiment on different ways of how I’m going to do that, and I was able to be successful there and be a little bit more patient ... and just looking for pitches that I could really handle.”

Saggese’s emphasis on approach led him to bat .391 with a .524 on-base percentage and a .594 slugging percentage in 18 games in the fall league. He walked 16 times and struck out in 82 of his plate appearances.

The fall success bookended a 2024 for Saggese that included 125 games in Class AAA in which he batted .253 with 20 home runs and a .752 on-base plus slugging percentage as well as 18 games in the majors in which he collected 10 hits in his first 52 big league at-bats after being called up in September. The latter of the two provided Saggese with a framework for his offseason.

“Maybe not from the physical standpoint but just more of what I’m looking for,’” Saggese said. “What I’m trying to accomplish and what I kind of need to do in terms of preparation and how I think about things a little differently.”

He described the adjustments to cut down on chasing pitches as one that required him to put an emphasis on being more selective, which he noted as not having done before. He said he shifted his approach to one in which he shrank his strike zone and waited for pitchers to deliver a pitcher he could “do damage with.”

Having ascended through the minors with his aggressive approach, Saggese described the changes as a “balancing act” that will require additional preparation depending on the types of pitches he’s facing and what part of the field he is looking to hit to.

Saggese’s winter work to refine the mechanics of his swing aims to help him get in a “good position to hit” to maximize his more patient approach.

“That takes care of a lot of things,” he said. “If I’m in a good position to hit, then I’m going to do more damage, which when I do more damage, then I’m going to probably walk a little bit more. It’s just kind of a cyclical nature in a good way. Just trying to be as prepared as I can.”

Saggese, whose primary position is shortstop but has experience elsewhere on the infield, said he has not focused on one specific position to work on this winter. He has spent more time fielding ground balls on concrete than on a baseball field — a process Saggese credits to a former coach. The work on concrete at Saggese’s offseason facility in California emphasizes quicker movements as the ball tends to move faster while also spotlighting reactions and reads for hops.

“I try to do my (infield work) and let it translate,” Saggese explained.

However, his focus could shift if the Cardinals and Nolan Arenado find a trade partner for the veteran third baseman.

This offseason, the Cardinals have sought to cut salary and find opportunities for young players including Saggese, Nolan Gorman and Brendan Donovan. An Arenado deal would pave the way for additional third base opportunities for the likes of Gorman and, in turn, allow Donovan to get consistent time at second base and for Saggese to fill a utility role.

Arenado has a full no-trade clause in his contract, and earlier this winter, he rejected a deal that would have sent him to the Houston Astros. The Boston Red Sox are seen as a fit by the Cardinals and Arenado, but the movement has been slowed as free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman continues to field interest from clubs including Boston.

“I don’t really think about it much,” Saggese said of the Arenado trade possibilities. “I try to pay a little attention to it, just because if they were to trade him, then maybe I get more time at third base. So then that kind of affects how I have to prepare. But other than that, I try not to think about it too much.”

Instead, Saggese clarified he has sought to focus on what he can control as a way to prepare for his second big league spring training, one in which he will seek to make his first opening day roster as one of the young, rising Cardinals who could solidify his role amid an organizational “reset.”

“It’s a positive thing for me because I’m one of those guys,” Saggese said when asked about the Cardinals’ youth movement. “I’m definitely trying to come in and provide, perform and really produce and show people that I’m capable and help the team as much as much as I can. I think it’s a positive thing. I like hearing that.”

St. Louis Cardinals

Former Cardinal Albert Pujols manages Escogido to Dominican Winter League championship

• Daniel Guerrero

St. Louis Cardinals

Setbacks showed Cardinals prospect Tink Hence he could �compete without my best stuff’

• Daniel Guerrero

St. Louis Cardinals

Three Cardinals prospects land in Baseball America’s Top 100 rankings for 2025

• Daniel Guerrero

“Jimmy Ballgame” won’t have any Cardinals ballgames to call.

Jim Edmonds, who has been one of the team’s television broadcasters for the past 12 seasons, will not be back this year, FanDuel ÁńÁ«ĘÓƵ Network officials confirmed when asked Saturday.

The company, the club’s local telecaster, then issued a statement:

“Jim Edmonds will not be returning to our St. Louis Cardinals telecasts this season. We want to thank Jim for his many contributions to our Cardinals coverage over the last 10 seasons and wish him the best.”

Edmonds could not be reached for comment.

He started with FanDuel predecessor Fox ÁńÁ«ĘÓƵ Midwest in 2013 as an analyst on its Cardinals pre- and postgame programming, then three years later also began serving as a commentator on game telecasts. In recent seasons he was averaging about 55 games, approximately 40 in the booth and 15 in the studio.

Edmonds’ broadcasting run came after he retired as a player in 2010, following a 17-year big-league career that included a stellar stint in center field for the Cardinals from 2000-07. He later has served as a guest instructor for the team on occasion.

Edmonds’ say-what’s-on-his-mind style on the air has been popular with some fans, but also could create controversy.

Last July, when the Chicago Cubs’ Christopher Morel had a brashly animated trip around the bases on a home-run trot in a game against the Cards, Edmonds let loose.

“This kid’s celebration is a joke,” he said. “I don’t mind saying it at all. I’ve never seen anything like it. I just don’t get it. You’re a .229 hitter in the big leagues and you’re running around like you’re Barry Bonds.”

The comments by Edmonds, who could be a showman in his playing days, made their way back to Chicago.

“Jim, I don’t want to hear it from you,” sports-talk radio host Dan Bernstein said on WSCR. “I don’t want to hear it from a guy who would go out of his way to make sure at the end of that catch, instead of flagging it down with his feet on the ground, if there was every opportunity to stretch out and dive, maybe slow up a little bit and then speed up a little bit. Come on now. Nobody liked to play look-at-me baseball more than Jim Edmonds.

“He hit a home run. He’s a very, very happy young guy. And everybody who knows Christopher Morel knows he’s not posing. He’s just happy.”

FanDuel has not announced its Cardinals broadcast lineup yet for this year, but Chip Caray is expected to return as its lead play-by-play announcer with Brad Thompson again having the bulk of the game-analyst assignments. Mark Sweeney, a former Cardinal who joined the TV crew last season mostly in the studio, might have an increased presence as a game analyst.

In addition to his high-profile role on Cardinals telecasts, Edmonds has been a popular figure in the tabloid media. That goes back a decade, to when he would appear occasionally on Bravo’s “Real Housewives of Orange County” show that more prominently featured his wife at the time, Meghan King. The tabloid press’ infatuation with Edmonds has continued through his more recent relationships.

He also has had several local business ventures, including restaurants, and has had a sprawling estate in Frontenac that went on the market last fall with an . There also was a legal issue with that property.

On the field he had a lifetime batting average of .284, hit 393 home runs, drove in 1,199 runs and won eight Gold Gloves across his career that included stints with the Angels, Padres, Cubs, Brewers and Reds in addition to his time with the Cardinals.

He also appeared in 63 postseason games, hitting .274 with 13 homers and 42 RBIs. He played in two World Series, both with the Cardinals, losing to Boston in 2004 and beating Detroit in 2006.

St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals TV analyst Jim Edmonds draws controversy with Cubs celebration gripe

• Ethan Erickson

St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals broadcaster Jim Edmonds defends Native American sports team names

• Ethan Erickson

St. Louis Cardinals

Former Cardinal Jim Edmonds married for fourth time on Sunday

• Joe Holleman

Local

How Jimmy got his groove back: Take a look inside Jim Edmonds' new Frontenac home

• Aisha Sultan

Crime

Cards great Jim Edmonds sued by Frontenac over pool fencing

• Rachel Rice

The humor admittedly is dark, but it fits. You see, the more Cardinals left-hander Zack Thompson’s words from Winter Warm-Up rattle around in the brain, the more a Monty Python scene comes to mind.

It’s as if Cardinals fans, eager to latch onto the next up-and-coming prospect with high upside, have hoisted Thompson over their shoulder ready to . Meanwhile, Thompson protests meekly, “I’m not dead.”

Thompson, now at the ripe old age of 27, acknowledged that he has quickly become the last of class. Members of his cohort, prospects who were making their way through the Cardinals’ farm system at the same time as Thompson, have either made their mark or have flipped the page and moved on to other organizations.

Thompson was the 19th player picked in the that included Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman, Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams, Blue Jays pitcher Alek Mahoah, Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll and (20th pick), and Thompson knows there’s likely not a lot of sand remaining on his hourglass with the Cardinals.

“My wave has kind of come and gone,” Thompson said in a matter-of-fact manner. “We’ve got guys like Quinn (Mathews), (Michael) McGreevy, Gordon (Graceffo), Sem (Robberse), Tekoah (Roby), Tink (Hence). All these guys are coming, and they’re all nasty. So it’s going to be exciting to see those guys get their chance.”

While Thompson clearly understands his standing and the changing landscape within the organization’s pitching corps, he’s also not packing up his gloves and cleats and calling it a day. He changed his offseason training program, reconnected with a coach, and relocated to Sarasota, Florida.

None of that means he’ll definitely experience the breakout campaign that will solidify him as part of the Cardinals’ future, but that would be a great little yarn.

There’s really nothing like seeing a guy find success after folks seemingly had given up on him ever realizing the lofty potential previously forecast.

That competitive dissonance, the need to prove doubters wrong, is one of the inspiring things about sports. It’s the reason guys always make ridiculous claims that “nobody believed we could do it except the guys in this locker room” when in reality they were heavily favored to win. The narrative is so captivating that guys create it where it doesn’t exist.

In Thompson’s case, the narrative already has taken shape.

Go back to ’s . The top five players were outfielder Dylan Carlson, infielder Nolan Gorman, left-handed pitcher Matthew Liberatore, catcher Ivan Herrera and Thompson.

The Cardinals traded Carlson to Tampa Bay last summer. The Rays non-tendered him in November, and he signed a one-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles last week. Gorman led the Cardinals with 27 home runs in 2023, but he struggled last season. The Cardinals have committed to getting Gorman everyday playing time in 2025.

Liberatore, once thought of as a rotation option, became a key piece of the bullpen last season. The Cardinals moved veteran Willson Contreras to first base in part to clear room for Herrera and Pedro Pages to take over the catching duties.

Pages and Thompson were part of the same draft class in 2019. Right-hander Andre Pallante and left-hander Connor Thomas were also part of that class. The Brewers selected Thomas in December’s Rule 5 draft.

Last season, Pallante made the leap that Thompson had seemed poised to make.

Pallante, like Thompson in previous years, had found a place on the major-league roster as a reliever. But then Pallante went back to the minors last season to stretch out as a starter and made himself a critical part of the club’s starting pitching plans with his performance upon his return to the majors.

“It’s fun, but at the same time when you see all the guys you came up with are either in St. Louis or, unfortunately, a lot of them have moved on as well,” Thompson said of being the last guy standing from his wave of Cardinals prospects.

“I mean, it’s a weird feeling. It’s cool knowing that a lot of those guys have made it. They’re sticking. They’re part of the young core here. It’s been a weird shift seeing those guys come and go and then seeing this next generation come.”

While the Cardinals have newer, younger names on the pitching front, Thompson continues to hang around. He’s still on the 40-man roster, and he’s got a minor-league option remaining.

He showed signs he should be a strong rotation candidate at the end of the 2023 season despite yo-yoing between starter and reliever as well as between the majors and the minors. He earned the chance to jump into the starting rotation last spring when Sonny Gray started the season on the injured list.

Unfortunately for Thompson, he made just two starts and appeared in five total games in the big leagues — and posted a 9.53 ERA with a 1.88 WHIP — before he spent the rest of last season in the minors.

He’ll go into camp this spring and stretch out as a starter, initially. He’ll be ready for whatever role may present itself.

During Winter Warm-Up, Thompson sounded cautiously optimistic that he’d gotten to the bottom of the issues last season that robbed him of some velocity (his average fastball was 90.7 mph in the majors in 2024).

Thompson’s ability or inability to put himself back in the forefront of Cardinals pitching conversations will be one of the more intriguing things to follow.

“It takes an opportunity, then taking advantage of the opportunity,” Thompson said. “I’ve had opportunities here in the last few years and I haven’t taken it and run with it. It’s up to me to go out and perform if I get an opportunity this year.”

Cardinals fans, he’s not done quite yet.

Lynn Worthy

Worthy: Remembering when Mahomes Magic was still a big maybe in Kansas City

• Lynn Worthy

Lynn Worthy

Worthy: A hat tip to Ichiro Suzuki for getting to the Hall of Fame one base at a time

• Lynn Worthy

Lynn Worthy

Worthy: Edmonton's loss a huge gain for the Blues as Dylan Holloway continues to thrive

• Lynn Worthy