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