ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ

Salutations. Cardinals chat time: Better late than never. There's no time for some longwinded prelude -- and let's be honest, those are kind of my brand, so maybe this is a good thing -- and it's time to jump right into the chat.

You've got questions.

I'll do my best to provide answers.

As always, there will be a real-time transcript below that is laptop, desktop, tablet, or mobile friendly.

Questions are not edited for grammar. They are ignored for vulgarities or threats of violence.

Complete transcript is below the window.

Joliet Dave: Have you had any discussions with Gray or Contreras why they wanted to stay in STL?

DG: Willson Contreras briefly. He had a longer talk with the Cardinals and said that Mozeliak represented that conversation well. I've spoken to a few folks close to Sonny Gray. That info has informed the coverage going back to November when the PD first reported of Gray's preference to stay.

CardsFan_TheRev: Can you give us a hierarchy of the AGM role? Obviously a lot of attention has been paid to Cerfolio coming in, but are they all on the same level of importance/stature in the organization?

DG: They are indeed. That's the title at this point -- or at least the structure the Cardinals have for that title. The presidents -- baseball operations, business -- are on the same level, and report to the owners. The GM position is open and that would be a VP level job. The AGM job then is effectively one that reports to the GM and POBO, and that Cardinals have set it up so each of them have their specialties, their responsibilities. Think of the structure as a pyramid, and yes the AGMs are on the same level with purview over their area, though they are not limited to providing insight to the group as a whole. That has been in place for a long time as, for example, Randy Flores, an AGM overseeing the draft, has been with the front office discussions at the major-league trade deadline.

marpdagn2: Hey DG. I'm confused. Are we rebuilding or not? Mospeak doesn't really seem to clarify it.

DG: They have purposefully stayed away from the word "rebuild" from the start, from that opening press conference. That said, you ask a fair question that I imagine other fans are asking too -- there has been a change in tone about how deep they're going to press that "reset" button. What's changed? Well, part of it is what was discussed above -- Contreras, Gray, and Mikolas expressing interest in staying with the team, and saying their preference is to use their no-trade clauses to stay. OK. So that adjusts the roster a bit. And then also, at the GM meetings, I asked Mozeliak how eager he was to have his final year before this plunge in the standings -- and if that was necessary for the greater good. That was when he offered up the comment about how they weren't going to "blow this thing up" and that they had a better roster than people may think. That echoes what I was told by officials with other teams and at least one agent. One of the industry officials likened the 2024-25 Cardinals to the 2023-24 Brewers and how that turned out. Mozeliak said he had a pitch for players, too, about how they were going to contend. (Do you recall the expectations comment?) And he's delivered that a few times. There has been an adjust to how drastic a "reset," and some of that is how they view the roster they'll have ... Obviously, there will be people who disagree.

I'll add this moment from a recent conversation I had with Mozeliak: He brought up the fact that it's his job to be optimistic about the team in comments and realistic about the team in action. That's part of this too.

Tackleberry: What do you think Scherzer’s market looks like and what would it take for him to wind up signing in St Louis for this reset that isn’t a reset that also might be a reset?

DG: I wouldn't rule it out entirely. The Cardinals have said they need to make a trade to make that move, and the starter who came up as a possible addition via free agency, according to a source, was Kyle Gibson. Cardinals have said they want to keep that door open. At the Winter Meetings, the team that really stood out as a possible landing spot for Scherzer was the San Francisco Giants. Not sure how appealing a "reset" even a soft reset is to Scherzer. That's an open question ...

marpdagn2: Could Casas be part of the trade if Nado goes to Boston?

DG: Could be. Boston has entertained conversations involving Triston Casas, with four more years of control. That both fits -- and, apologies for the contradiction here -- does not fit what the Cardinals are trying to do. The Cardinals want to acquire future help through the deals they're discussing, and Casas would satisfy the term (the phrase the Cardinals recently used), but he plays a position they've already committed two players to, and it's two players they want playing a lot, Contreras and Alec Burleson. So the overlap isn't appealing. The left-handed bat Casas brings complements Contreras, of course, and that would put Burleson into left field. That makes sense if Donovan is at 2B, Gorman is at 3B, and then ... Nootbaar in CF? So, you don't have to squint to see how it all fits. But the Cardinals would have to shift from the lineup/setup they've advertised.

marpdagn2: FWIW, rather have Scherzer than Gibson, dollars being equal.

DG: There's no indication dollars will be. We'll see.

Joliet Dave: With tv broadcast deal settled, are the various color commentators,analyst, play by play etc expected to remain the same, or changing?

DG: They're staying the same. That hasn't changed once through this whole process. I believe we've even discussed this in the chat previously -- how the team is involved in choosing and hiring the broadcasters. So as all of this changes, the team is going to stick with the voices that bring you the games.

Ccake350: Derrick, I'm a big Luken Baker fan but it always seems that he's the odd man out. I thought with Goldy walking this would be his year, but now it's Willson and Burly. What are the Cards plan for Baker? If he's not going to play, maybe they should trade him

DG: Or let him go to Korea or Japan and earn some money. That would be a good move for the Cardinals, and sources have told me that there has been at least one team from abroad showing interest in signing Luken Baker.

marpdagn2: Hey DG. Sure seems to me that the focus of our "reset" should be to acquire a young controlled fotr starting pitcher. If I have to package together a couple three of our trade pieces, I'd do it to make that happen. Any other approach to this rebuild is a mistake, imo.

DG: That is, indeed, a focus of what they're trying to do.

marpdagn2: Hey DG. Are Hence, Roby and Matthews all slated to start for AAA, barring a surprise of one of them making the big club out of ST?

DG: Hence and Roby are. The door is open for Mathews to make noise in spring training and see where that lads him.

Brian: Hi Derrick, this question might be better for a future article (BirdLand?), but with the Cards holding the no. 5 pick for the first time since they drafted J.D. Drew, it has me wondering ... Is J.D. the best homegrown redbird outfielder in the Dewitt era? And if yes, what does that say about the team's ability over 2-plus decades to develop outfielders?

DG: Alas, BirdLand -- the title -- has been retired. Or, rather, overtaken by Baltimore. Some rebranding had to happen to the blog that began all those years ago in 2004. Here we are. We've got something new planned for 2025, and I'm eager to share that with readers -- and see if it can become what the old 10@10 was, for example. Stay tuned.

Your question has me intrigued. Let's give it a glance real quick.

My instinct says no -- and that the answer is either going to be a trick answer (Pujols?) or an underrated player. Give me two seconds to run the numbers.

Holy cow -- what a great question to prompt an interesting return of info.

We were both right, though, candidly, you were way more right than my instinct.

Here are the top single-season WAR totals for a Cardinals outfielder drafted since 1995:

Albert Pujols -- 8.7, 2003

J.D. Drew -- 8.3, 2004 for ATL

Tommy Pham -- 6.2, 2017

Pujols -- 5.5, 2002

Drew -- 5.5, 2001

Colby Rasmus -- 5.0, 2013 for Toronto

I searched based on playing 67% of the games at outfield, and that's how a single season from Pujols (as I figured) would emerge, and I expected Pham to be the underrated outfielder who rose into the rankings. Well, he got the year there ...

Let's go to the career totals (so far).

Here are the Cardinals-drafted outfielders who have had career WAR greater than 2.0. There are 12 of them, and only seven have had a career WAR higher than any of the above single-season WAR totals.

And, yes, Drew is tops as you suggest.

Drew -- 44.9

Coco Crisp -- 28.9

Rasmus -- 20.2

Pham -- 17.8

Harrison Bader -- 13.0

Jon Jay -- 12.7

Lars Nootbaar -- 7.5

Stephen Piscotty -- 6.6

Rick Ankiel -- 5.5

Dylan Carlson -- 4.3

Chris Duncan -- 2.8

Oscar Mercado -- 2.6

Mike: Wasn't AP drafted as a 3B? That's where he played primarily in the minors and when he was called up. He did move to OF briefly before settling at 1B.

DG: He was drafted as a 3B. That is not how I sorted it because ... well, Matt Holliday was also drafted as a 3B, and he played outfield for most of his career. And Jordan Walker was drafted as a third baseman, and he'll play OF for the Cardinals and to leave him out of this question -- if it's asked 5 years from now -- would be a mistake.

Norman: Good Afternoon! Thank you once again for allowing fans to pick your brain in these chats. I see where Connor Thomas was taken in the Rule 5 draft, but not very many teams selected players in this draft. Other than the hesitation to keep a player on the major league roster for the entire season, what other reasons do you think kept the draft numbers so low.

DG: That appeared to be the driving reason. As teams seek to churn through pitchers all season to keep them fresh, options are critical and so is space on the roster. We're seeing teams more and more and more treat their pitching staffs like a 20-person group that they spin through based on availability and need, and you're going to see the same thing with the Cardinals this season. That cycle is difficult when there's a locked position -- like Ryan Fernandez this past season for the Cardinals. They felt his upside was worth it, and he paid off. But without that same feel for a pitcher especially, teams are going to side with the minor-league options vs. the roster lock.

Jack H: Unfortunately for you and subscribers, your job is replaced by AI in early 2025. Shortly after, in a tragic succession of contretemps, John Mozeliak/Chaim Bloom, Nick Krall, Jed Hoyer, Matt Arnold, and Ben Cherington each mysteriously disappear before Spring Training. In the aftermath, each NL Central owner frantically calls you, begging you to take over baseball operations for their respective team. Which job would you most want to take, and why? And which job would you least want?

DG: As much as this sends chills up my spine because -- ouch, a little close to home, sir -- and also should worry fans that owners would turn to a baseball writer, let alone this baseball writer ... OK, I'll play along.

The temptation is to stay in St. Louis because I don't want to move my stuff. That would be a headache. So many books. I need to downsize. Let's say I'll make enough in the new job to keep two homes and not move entirely from STL.

Let's think this through.

Pittsburgh has Paul Skenes and a great ballpark. The Cubs have the financial resources and ability to overwhelm every other team in the division and just chose not to.

Brewers have the structure, the development machine, the manager who really shined this season.

The Reds ballpark is 5/5 in this division, but there is Skyline Chili nearby.

Let's go with this metric: Choose the team that is the closest to winning for a good stretch, has young talent, and also could shine with some creativity and avoid the team that has the biggest self-imposed restraints holding them back.

Go to the Reds. Avoid the Bucs.

Thomas: Hi Derrick. I have two questions: first, if Luke Baker moved overseas, would that be a trade for the Cardinals or a release then he's free to sign? Second, let's assume Nolan Arenado is traded. Who goes where between Gorman and Donovan at second and third? It feels like there's credence to keeping Gorman where he's been for 2,000 innings at second, and Donovan is the much better defender at a more premium position (third).

DG: The Cardinals would agree to sell his rights to the team. It would not be a release or a trade, but his rights would be purchased.

Nolan Gorman will be the third baseman. That is the Cardinals' plan, though they are not going to say so publicly while discussing trades involving Nolan Arenado. Gorman is the plan at third.

Ron: Been 7 days and no trade yet for nado. Think it be past xmas?

DG: Don't know.

It's been a lot longer than that.

John: How do you expect that the Cardinals will handle the CF situation going into the season with Siani and Scott? They seem like players with similar skillsets, with Siani currently being the stronger defender but Scott having upside as a defender and base stealer.

DG: As of right now, the Cardinals are saying that Siani is the starter. Mozeliak specifically said that Scott has more to learn and improve upon at Class AAA and that his rush to the majors was not fair for his development. That is the current stance. They do plan to open wide the competition in spring training, however, and there will be a chance, as mentioned in previous chats, for Scott to show he's made those improvements and is set to go, or that Lars Nootbaar is ready to take that position, as he's expressed an interest in before. While the Cardinals have a leader in the clubhouse for the position (Siani), that is a position set to be contested in spring.

Thomas: Who is on your Mount Rushmore of Cardinals? You're welcome to separate it between position players and pitchers. My list? Position Players1. Stan Musial2. Rogers Hornsby3. Albert Pujols4. Ozzie SmithPitchers1. Bob Gibson2. Adam Wainwright3. Dizzy Dean4. Jason Isringhausen

DG: Your Rushmore has a lot more options than four. That's quite a lot of chiseling ahead of the people you hire to carve it.

I'm going to stick with the Rushmore Rules. Four. Four only.

Best player.

Best pitcher.

Best player & ambassador & arguably the one who set the tone for how fans viewed the style of play for the team ever since.

Best of his generation.

Stan Musial. Bob Gibson. Ozzie Smith. And Albert Pujols.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

South City Steve: Open competition, that's funny. The Cardinals have the least open "open competitions" of any team, in any sport I have ever followed. The decision has always been made before chalk lines are even drawn, save for injury. One of this organization's true blind spots under Mozeliak.

DG: You are welcome to make your arguments, and I know for a fact there have been springs where there wasn't any competition -- there was only attempts to validate the lineup that they wanted. But there are also plenty of examples where spring performance from a player changed the opening day roster, or was ready when an injury did. Just this past season we saw Riley O'Brien, Scott, Zack Thompson, and Liberatore all leapfrog onto the roster, not mention Fernandez who wasn't guaranteed a spot. John King was not on the opening day roster, and he started spring as one of the lefties they were counting on. A year earlier, Walker won a spot with his spring performance, jumping ahead of others penciled in for right field ... But those are just recent examples.

Andy: Do you think they trade Erick Fedde?

DG: They are not looking to do so, but that doesn't mean they're not listening. It will take an interested team that is willing to make the play for more than the Cardinals sent -- and to date the market hasn't demanded that, so the Cardinals aren't getting that offer.

Mike: With the Cards giving Arenado's agent permission to seek a trade... that pretty much guarantees he'll be moved, right?

DG: The agent did not say that's what the Cardinals did. The Cardinals did not say that's what they did. Both the agent and the Cardinals spoke on the record about that. Nolan Arenado has spoken to a few teams about his client and about what he's looking for and how he's a fit -- and each time it has been at the invitation of the Cardinals or request the team. Arenado's agent was clear in pointing out that he is not actively seeking a trade for his client and only involved in conversations when invited by the Cardinals to do so. That was how he expected the trade talks to go, and he noted that the Cardinals were open with him about their other talks, too. That is what he said, on the record, with a handful of reporters, including me, standing there.

Andy: Once Arenado is traded, what do you think the offseason focus is on?

DG: Exploring other trades, too. Likely those involving starting pitchers. The Cardinals will also look to sign a free-agent pitcher or two, either in relief or for the rotation if those trade talks yield actual trades.

Mike: Rushmore’s Presidents were chosen not because they were the best, but because they represented the most important events in the history of the U.S. Using this criteria, here is my Rushmore, (only one change from yours):Hornsby (2 batting crowns, manages Cards to 1st World Series title)Musial (Transformed the team and led them to 3 titles in 5 years)Gibson (pitches so well they lower the mound)Pujols (revitalizes STL and ushers in an era of sustained excellence)Honorable mention: Branch Rickey, Curt Flood, Whitey Herzog

DG: Fair. I was going with the Rushmore Rule of Four and set my metrics accordingly. You have gone one step further to go with the Rushmore theme.

Britt: Hi Derrick,Soto's new contract got me wondering about this era of baseball and past superstars.27 year old Albert Pujols doesn't sign his 1st contract with the Cardinals and became a FA for this 1st time this offseason. Does he get a bigger contract than Soto just received?

DG: Yes.

jim: What fun that the team gets the 5th over all pick in next year's draft. Any sense of how they will approach that and if they're learned anything since picking 7th last year?

DG: The overall approach won't change, and that pretty much goes for all 30 teams if they had a chance for a top-five, top-10 pick. They're going to go for the best available, and that does bake in the idea of signability. That's changed a little bit with the advent of NIL, so teams are not just bidding against college scholarships, they're sometimes bidding against college boosters, too, and real income for the player. The Cardinals are going to look for the best player and not bank on Ethan Holliday getting to them at No. 5. We'll see how the spring unfolds.

To your question about what they learned -- I found this interesting when Randy Flores volunteered it at the winter meetings: He said they were talking that morning about how the structure of scheduling and assignment of scouts that they built for the previous year because they had not had a top 10 pick in forever would be something they could just use again and not have to create as they did ahead of 2024 draft. ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ were all set for that search and how to get scouts to more places with the top talent, instead of searching for down-round picks.

jim: Eric Longenhagen and Joe Doyle had a fascinating discussion about holes in Ethan Holiday's swing and both expressed strong doubts that he will be able to hit well enough to live up to the hype. His summer showcase was quite poor I understand.

DG: Was talking with a few other baseball writers this past week about how 'tis the season -- build up to tear down, then build up again, then say the draft depth isn't any good, then talk all spring about how there are surprises that are improving the draft depth, and then how this draft will have some sleepers that really help teams. There's a cycle to all this. Yes, Holliday will need a strong spring to assert his place as a top pick, and maybe even the top overall pick.

But you know what?

That's always true.

It's a time-tested, scout-approved Mad Lib that we get every draft.

(Player Name) will need a strong spring season to be the top overall pick.

Travis: Have the Cardinals checked in on the non-Sasaki pitching imports on the free agent market (Sugano and Ogasawara)?

DG: Yep. They have indeed.

Sugano was a teammate with Miles Mikolas in Japan.

TomBruno23: It is time (once again) for Bob Tewksbury to be included on the CHOF ballot.

DG: Those discussions are in January. Had a strong turn as a Cardinal, and you're welcome to make your case. In the end, it will be the fans that really make that call -- if he gets on the ballot.

TG: Has there been any sense of an update regarding where the FO is in relation to hiring minor league coordinators and making minor league coaching staff additions/changes?

DG: They had at least one offer going out last week, and expected to have others in the hands of the preferred candidates. The plan was to get them all in place and then announce them.

Jojo Disco: I realize PR is the Achilles heel of this organization but moving on from Mo this winter was the free space on the fans’ reset bingo card and DeWitt still didn’t stick the landing. So it is hard to listen to the team worry publicly about tickets sales when they stubbornly ignored a free bump.

DG: I remain skeptical that the GM on president of baseball operations is the reason for buying or not buying tickets. On the list of reasons why people go to a baseball game, how high is "watching baseball ops in their box"? The "bump" would be acquiring a player that moves the needle, or players. Or, stay with now and watch what happens, the belief internally is that April and the play of the team and how entertaining it is and how it looks coming out of spring will be the biggest mover of ticket sales, for good or for ill. But if you're buying tickets based on who is leading the front office, then perhaps the Giants are your team? He's famous.

David: Technically Albert Pujols is the best homegrown outfielder of the DeWitt era, debuted in LF

DG: I was there. Memorable day at Coors Field. I still have my scorecard from covering that game.

marpdagn2: Hey DG. Have seen some reports where Seattle has long been rumored to like Donovan for their 2b spot, and rumors of Donovan for either Woo or Wilson. I like Donovan, but I'd do either one of those deals in a heartbeat. Any chance of something like that happening?

DG: Seattle has been on of the teams that's shown interest in Donovan and Nootbaar, but I did not hear of a straight up trade when it came to one of their starters. The Cardinals, you may recall, had interest in Logan Gilbert not too long ago, and these were the names involved in that kind of discussion. Did not hear Woo at that time. Wilson ... Dylan Wilson, the prospect? He's 19. That would be an interesting play for the Cardinals -- definitely pushing younger with the pitchers they're looking to acquire.

John: Do you see any scenario unfolding where the Cardinals don't trade Arenado this offseason given Mo's public comments that it would be better for the team's financial situation and create more playing opportunity for younger players if they traded him?

DG: I do. Not going to put a percentage on this -- but it's a question that I've asked all of the parties involved: Is there a world where there isn't a trade? And all parties have acknowledged that is possible. Arenado's agent went so far as to say that he didn't want a lateral move. He didn't want out to get out, he wanted to move up, and if he didn't think the situation was better or more certain than the Cardinals then he'd consider just staying. It's really worth noting that Arenado has not demanded a trade. He's been constant in his fondness for the Cardinals and critical of his role in why they didn't succeed last year as planned.

Milo Miller: Derrick, greetings this Monday. Right now it looks like Arenado might be the only one dealt and that return may not be substantial. I've read elsewhere that any interest in Mikolas and Matz are not showing the trade returns the Cardinals would like. So does this leave the Cardinals sitting on the fence again? Your thoughts? Thank you

DG: I don't agree that it appears Arenado will be the only player traded. The offseason is still unfolding. The pitching prices are higher than teams expected, and teams already expected at the beginning of this winter that a Matz would be appealing because of his cost. That hasn't changed.

The Cardinals do appear like they've shifted on the fence, not chosen a side of it.

Maris9: Gosh . . . I agree with all the names for Rushmore. But it's to tough for me to exclude Lou Brock for all the years he played as a Cardinal, all the accomplishments, and for being maybe the most gracious of all. Can we at least have him looking over someone's shoulder?

DG: Absolutely.

South City Steve: Can the Cardinals ever regain the glory of 2004-11 without developing the next Pujols?

DG: The answer is yes, but not for the reason you think.

Albert Pujols hit 700 home runs, won three MVPs, had 3,000 hits and is the greatest hitter of his generation, one of the best hitters in baseball history and he did all of that at a time when pitching was getting better and better and better and due to analytics the game was harder and harder and harder for hitters especially. Look, it's Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Albert Pujols from the right side of the plate in baseball history. So, the Cardinals do not need to develop the next Pujols to return to the glory of 2004-2011 because developing the next Pujols is highly unlikely given one out of 30 teams did it in the past two generations, at least. The Cardinals do need to develop the next Paul Goldschmidt, the next David Wright, the next Austin Riley or even aim for the next Freddie Freeman, maybe the next Marcus Semien, Max Fried, Dustin Pedroia, or Chase Utley. They need to develop the next Pujols to return to that level anymore than they need to develop the next Betts, Soto, Witt Jr., or Ohtani. They need to develop the homegrown impact player though ...

JuniorGM: So, Mo flew to Colorado to meet with Arenado and tell him the plans for 2025. What are the chances he told the rest of the team on the flight to Oracle Park?

DG: Well, that's not exactly correct, as you may or may not know from reading the coverage in the Post-Dispatch.

Mozeliak did not fly to Colorado to tell Arenado that. The team was in Colorado, and he was talking with players, and that is where their conversation happened. Mozeliak spoke to other players, and he also had a meeting with the coaches and manager and all of that about the future direction of the organization. That took place in STL, and it explains in hindsight some of the stress that was released around the team about 12 days before the end of the season. To recap: Mozeliak didn't fly to Colorado to meet with Arenado. The team was there. ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ were both there. I don't believe he flew with the team to San Francisco. He told me he was leaving from Denver to return to St. Louis at the time. If his travel plans changed, he did not say so. That said, Marmol did continue to meet with players individually in Denver and in San Francisco, and the talk about the future was part of that.

Travis: As someone who stinks at understanding metaphors, what did you mean by "The Cardinals do appear like they've shifted on the fence, not chosen a side of it"?

DG: The Cardinals have only leaned to one side of the fence, not chosen to get off of it and pick a side.

In other words, if you believe that the Cardinals are been stuck in the middle -- neither all in or tanking, but instead being mostly in and not leaning all in, they have shifted to the other side of the fence, leaning less toward the win now and more to the retool, reset, rebuild, but not tank side.

Tim K: I tried earlier. I hope I am not posting double. Mo says they are pursuing the young Japanese pitcher that was just posted. Will this be a legitimate pursuit or just to give the front office cover so they can say "we tried?" Would they use Newt in the recruiting process? Thanks

DG: Mozeliak said they would try. Here is the whole context of that comment.

My son calls this "lore."

Joel Wolfe, the agent for Roki Sasaki (and also Nolan Arenado and Lars Nootbaar), said that his client might benefit from going to a smaller or smaller market, and that he saw that as a "soft landing" for the pitcher, especially given his relationship and issues with the media in Japan. With that comment, I asked Mozeliak if that pursuit fit at all with their model and if he was the rare free agent who might do so as they looked toward the future.

Mozeliak repeated that it is his policy and team policy not to discuss free agents, specific free agents, and that Sasaki qualified as a free agent.

I replied and asked, paraphrasing: Given the nature of his availability and the contract he, by rule, can pursue, isn't it the responsibility of all 30 teams to at least make a proposal to the player until you hear no from him?

That got the response that made the stories: "I think we’ll make a pitch, yeah."

That pitch will look a lot like others, no doubt. Reportedly, the Colorado Rockies were one of the first to submit a pitch to Sasaki's agent. It could be a video, it could be a powerpoint, it could be both, it could be a packet. I don't know the specific thing that the Cardinals will do, but they'll likely put together some kind of video (teams did that for Ohtani) with backup information in a packet/power point style. Yes, the Cardinals will do something like that. Nootbaar can be involved. If anything, the Cardinals will use the photo of the two that is shared on social media.

It will be legitimate. Because that's what teams do -- well, most teams do. But, and here's the thing, the Cardinals do not expect to be among the teams that reach the final round for Sasaki, but they don't know until they try. Sasaki is going to want a team that is also set up to develop pitchers, and the Cardinals are not there yet. They say they will be. They say they want to get there, to a place like Cleveland, Milwaukee, Dodgers, etc. -- to get to the development facilities and ability that those teams have and that Sasaki wants. You've all read that the Dodgers are the favorite for him. San Diego is viewed as the other most likely spot for Sasaki. But one point that was made to me was this: Like the teams who are going to try because they don't know until they do, Sasaki may not know what else is out there until he hears from the team. So it's worth trying. Not because a team can (eye roll) say they "tried" to their fans or media, but because, as I asked, it's beholden on teams to do so until they hear no.

Dazed and confused: Hi Derrick and happy holidays. As a lifelong fan I struggle to understand the Cards' game plan. ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ won 83 games last year and were unwilling/unable to construct a roster for the next level. The reset/rebuild/reshape is an approach to prep for the future. But how does it make sense to hold (if they do) Helsley and Fedde unless they plan to keep them for 2026?

DG: The "if they do" in your question is doing a lot of the heavy lifting, because if the answer is "they don't" then it answers itself. The Cardinals are inclined to keep Ryan Helsley this offseason in large part because they're responding to the market. Look at what Devin Williams received -- a pitcher who will help them now in the majors and a prospect. The Cardinals don't want the pitcher who will help them now; they want a prospect haul. The teams that have done that with their closer are the Yankees, most recently, and they got the prospect haul from Cleveland and the Cubs, and both of those teams appeared in the World Series with relievers who were recently with the Yankees. That's the risk/reward in play for the Cardinals, and you can see why with the moves that have been made: Phillies in need of a starter and they prefer to go for the lottery-ticket relief signing; Brewers willing to trade an elite closer, but they get help for the major-league club in exchange. That gives you the framework of the deal, and why the Cardinals are where they are. Fedde is similar. They'll want future return.

You do hit on one of the more fascinating questions, to me.

I asked Mozeliak about it at the GM meetings: "ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ won 83 games, and if they had just an average offense, or an average offensive year from their cornerstone players, they are probably in the playoffs, so why pivot into a reset when the past season suggests that with just an average offense you'd be better?"

I think that's worth debating for fans.

Ken: Derrick I wonder how many of Aranado’s warning track fly balls would be out in other parks ? Think about the Crawford box’s in Houston etc….

DG: I can look that up.

Here are his home run totals based on a change in home ballpark in 2024 ...

Yankees -- 12

Boston -- 12

San Diego, Houston -17

White Sox --18

Cincinnati -- 18

Dodgers -- 18

Philadelphia ...

drumroll please

... 19

All of those stats are according to Baseball Savant and Statcast data.

John W: I joined late sorry however Derrick, you have Albert on top however he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1999 as a third baseman & his first year 2001 in the majors he played 3rd.. Wasnt the question "outfielders" ? not to be picky but still !

DG: He debuted as an outfielder. I spelled out my metrics. I included him for the seasons when he played outfield more than 67% of the time. He is not in the final list because he did not meet that threshold for his entire career. QED.

(Heck, Rick Ankiel was drafted as a pitcher to date no one has brought up the fact that I included him as one of the WAR leaders for homegrown outfielders.)

DCG: DG In your most recent pod, you brought up the Cardinals' unwillingness to seize the opportunity of having to potential HoFers and make that one extra big move to true to maximize that rare opportunity. Fans, including me, whined about that in this very chat time and again. There was a time when the team had Edmonds and Pujols and fought and won the battle to land Rolen in a trade. Do you have any explanation as to why they wouldn't go after that ace or that third big bat this time around? I think that, as much as anything, has caused fans to question just how committed BDWII is this days to chasing titles

DG: If we went one by one, there would likely be a specific reason for each example, but they're going to fit three general themes:

1) The Cardinals do not believe they win auctions, and they have plenty of examples where they explored signing a free agent from outside the organization only to see that cost rise and rise and rise beyond what they were willing to bid. In other words -- they don't want to be the one that drives up the price when their likelihood of signing the player was unlikely. So they look elsewhere such as trades and keeping players they've traded for.

2) Risk adverse. They have shied away from longterm contracts for pitchers because of the injury risk and the volatility of those performances. That was a driving reason why they did not "engage" in bidding for Max Scherzer all those years ago. That was mistake, ownership said several years later. But they stand by the numbers that said signing a right-handed pitcher or a pitcher in general to a long-term, high-dollar deal was risky, and that they did not have the ability to just paper-over longterm absences with more signings, like we've seen LA do, for example.

3) Cost. Yes, cost. This is one that is certainly worth debating, and it's one that they've talked about. There have been some moves that ownership just would not allow because of the total cost. Ownership did sign off on acquiring Stanton, so there was appetite for a big addition. And then there was the trade for Goldschmidt, which meant pivoting away from talks on Harper, instead of Harper in addition to Goldschmidt. The Cardinals had eyes then for Arenado. Took more than a year to make that trade happen, but it was part of what they were thinking as far as keeping the ability to acquire him and sign him to extension or acquire him after he signed that extension. They set a budget, at least once went over it, and then had the pandemic come and change their calculations, and the TV deal crumpled to do that again. So cost.

South City Steve: DG - I do not include you in this grouping, but a lot of St. Louis media (print/pod/radio) do the fans a massive disservice by annually repeating this mantra "that's just not something Bill DeWitt does..." Now I realize a man doesn't become a billionaire by succumbing to public pressure but the media in this town takes him off the hook from the jump when it comes to chasing big time, high priced, long term commitment free agents. He himself never even needs to say it, the media auto-implants it into fans' heads. I understand that they are doing it because they have years of receipts, but behaviors change when the calls for change become loud enough. I'd love to hear the St Louis media champion a "DeWitt must..." stance.

DG: If that's what you'd like to hear, then you should read all of the columnists at the Post-Dispatch over the past 20 years. I can recall columns from them that include that exact phrase, including one from Benjamin Hochman in the past few months, and, since we're on the topic, several by Ben Frederickson about, just as an example, Bryce Harper. And on and on and on. You'll need a few days to read all the columns from previous columnists at the PD, so carve out some time, brew some coffee or tea (if those are your beverages of choice) and enjoy.

By definition a story that includes "DeWitt must ..." is often going to be a column, so you want someone to share the opinion that you do, not a beat writer providing you reliable information to build an opinion or understand the team's approach/opinion. Columns and columnists are the articles you want, and there's good news for you that the Post-Dispatch has provided many examples that meet your request.

Enjoy.

Travis: Do you think the starting pitcher contracts we've seen (specifically, Severino, Boyd, Eovaldi, and Montas) make the Cardinals feel more optimistic about their ability to trade Matz without giving up too much money/getting a decent return?

DG: A few teams I spoke to back in November felt this was inevitable and it's one of the reason why they had some interest in Matz, as an example. The market has only confirmed what was already expected and one of the reasons why the Cardinals felt they would get some compelling offers for their starters.

Max: Hi Derrick - On a recent podcast it was brought up how the Cards have not gone out and made that one extra move to go from playoff contender to WS contender. Has any of your reporting suggested that Mo has had his hands tied by ownership? A decade ago he was on a HOF track and now he's leaving the org in a spot where it is the worst it's been in nearly 30 years. Just thinking about it from his perspective and knowing that he is a competitive guy and baseball lifer, I can't imagine he's really happy about where the org is at. I guess I just keep wondering if ownership was maybe too involved or perhaps didn't allow him to go out and make that move for an ace after getting Goldschmidt and Arenado?

DG: Yes, Mozeliak has a budget. Mozeliak has had some moves that he pursued to the point that ownership would not approve the spending to make happen. Look back to the 2018-19 offseason. From a baseball standpoint, there's every reason to go trade for Goldschmidt and go bid on Harper. Full stop. Every team should have done that. Every team should have made a play or a competitive bid for Bryce Harper. The teams that did not all had ownership saying nope or were convinced he wasn't going to want to move where they played or where they were in the standings. For the Cardinals, those weren't concerns. That's a spending call. That's a risk call. That's a budget call. That's an ownership call.

For all 30 teams, ownership is going to be involved when the budget is involved. That's true for the Rays and their limited spending and true for the Mets and their record spending. That's the gig. There is no involved less when it comes that.

Mike: I like how your Rushmore has evolved. When asked this a few years back, believe you had Musial, Gibson, Pujols, and Brock. I suggested Ozzie and you said he didn't have 2 rings. Such a storied franchise... it's tough to pick.

DG: Thanks. It will continue to evolve. I've been thinking a lot recently about all Ozzie Smith has done as an ambassador for baseball, for St. Louis, for the Cardinals, for the Hall of Fame -- and really appreciate that as a fan of baseball and resident of St. Louis. What he's done to promote all of those things should be applauded.

Dan: Can you elaborate on the Cardinals draft philosophy? It seems like this past draft, they had a top pick that carried a bigger purse. ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ went all in on Wetherholt but all the remaining picks seems to be value picks with a lot of 5'9 pitchers, 4 year college guys they could sign for under slot, etc.

DG: That's because they didn't have as many picks, so they had a smaller purse, and they had to be a bit more strategic. They had one of the higher picks in the draft (seven), but few teams had smaller purses than them because of the picks they gave up. That drove the approach. That won't drive the approach this time because they have more picks, they'll have a larger purse, and they don't plan on signing any free agents who are going to change that.

Jack H: (Of course, Goold could never adequately be replaced by AI -- thanks for all your hard work!)

DG: Phew!

Milo Miller: Derrick, with MLB not willing to implement some type of payroll structure of a maximum and minimum payroll to help get some competitive balance back in the market place, why not alter the divisions. Put the top 5 payrolls in 1 division, the next 5 in a 2nd division, and bottom 5 in a 3rd in both leagues? MLB already uses a balanced schedule and with some of their rules they are experimenting with, give it a shot. Reconfigure the divisions every year. Kind of a take off of High School Associations using enrollments to determine what class you are in. Your thoughts? Thank you

DG: That's a creative solution. Very creative. Cap tip for the creativity. I wonder which is more likely: Owners buying into this reshuffling that will automatically eliminate some of the biggest spenders (and likely suppress spending for some), or buying into a stricter limit on spending. MLB does have a payroll cap. There is a luxury tax. There are penalties for going over it. And soon some teams will feel the draft pick pinch as a result. There is no salary cap because players and the players' union is resistant to it because they a) want an open market, and who wouldn't the way it's worked for them and b) don't trust the owners to be clear when provide info on the revenue pie that would be sliced up for a salary cap. Those two reasons are why the cap is a non-starter for the union, and why the game lost a World Series to make that point back in the 1990s. To quote the Avengers after the most recent movie: "Cap ain't coming." But the owners can agree to penalties on themselves that would act to spread the wealth, so to speak. Anything that limits overall spending or could impact the market, must be collectively bargained, and there have been work stoppages as a result. Let's avoid those.

Darron: Piggybacking on the "open competition conversation.... I've always found this to be an odd approach, considering the Spring stats are based on 1) such a small sample size, and 2) young guys trying to get on base / get outs vs. veterans who are often working on some specific aspect of their game and not using any advanced scouting to tailor the approach. Do the Cardinals consider this dynamic? How much is based on the games compared to what happens on the back fields? Walker and Scott both had great Spring stats, but struggled when pitchers focused on getting outs. Why would this Spring be different for Scott?

DG: They do indeed consider those things, much to the chagrin of fans who see great performances in the box score ignored when it comes to choosing the roster or wonder why a .100 hitter without a homer in spring is making the team.

You make a fair point about sample sizes, and it's a truism that goes back to Tony La Russa and before that: "Don't fall in or out of love in March."

Back fields matter. Games matter. They matter in concert. But to dismiss what happens on the back fields is to overlook a big part of spring training. Pallante made the team out of spring training in part because of what he showed and what the Cardinals saw from his pitches on the back fields.

Why would spring be different for Scott?

Because players improve.

Year after year after year after year through time eternal, some players improve. Yadier Molina was not the same player in 2004 spring training that he was in 2003 spring training or 2002. I'm sure you can think of several dozen players who have improved from one spring to the next and to the next because if they don't improve, they're rarely around for you to remember at all.

milyabee: Now we know why Sonny and Willson don't want to move. Too many books! So relatable. (From earlier in the chat.)

DG: Truth.

Ed AuBuchon: Think Mo will move to another baseball organization after he leaves the Cards?

DG: That is not his plan when I've asked. We'll see. Maybe there's an offer he cannot refuse.

milyabee: The Arenado conversation is striking in how public, civil, and downright collaborative it sounds to be between team, player, and agent. Is that as unusual as it seems?

DG: Yep. It says a lot about the mutual respect between the two sides, and -- in a few ways -- the honesty with what is obvious. This is my personal opinion, and know that I rarely am asked for it or volunteer it: There is a section of social media active Cardinals fans that have it all wrong on Arenado. This is a place that usually celebrates players who want to be Cardinals, who buy into the history, who laud the fans, and want to make that happen --- want to be a Cardinal. Arenado did that. Three times. Heck, he may do it a fourth when this is all said and done. And he's been honest when he's talked about what it means to him to be part of a historic franchise, and he's talked a lot about how the atmosphere at the ballpark a few years ago is why he came to St. Louis. He digs all of that. Should be more appreciation for that, in my opinion.

Tim in NJ: With new management coming into the organization what will it take to keep the "Cardinal Way" in the Cardinals? I'm specifically thinking about the George Kissel influence. We know that Shildt was a disciple, perhaps Oli, Pop Warner and Stubby. Once they are gone will it take a Yadi, Albert or even Wainwright to revive it or is it looking like it just might never return?

DG: Had this conversation recently with a few folks. Pop Warner is the direct connection, but it's not just the names that are in the headlines. Oquendo is a part of that. And Oquendo works with Eckstein, and Oquendo worked with Schumaker, and Oquendo worked with Masyn Winn, Jordan Walker, and Thomas Saggese. And then there's John Vuch, who is in the front office and was one of the people who organized and collected the handbook that became "The Cardinals Way," and he's there as a resource for Bloom and his crew. Larry Day sure sounds really interesting in diving into that history after talking with him recently. Ryan Ludwick has been a coach in the system for several years, and he's still with them. Dean Kiekhefer is a former Cardinals draft pick who came up in the system and is now a big-league coach. The list is far longer than folks think, and it doesn't take one of the All-Stars returning to keep it going. It already is.

As long as the new leadership wants it to be.

John Weitzman: " There is a luxury tax" Unless they start taking draft picks away for going over ON TOP of the penalty tax, do you really see any change? As it is teams like the Yanks, Mets, Dodgers, Boston & a few other really don't seem to care about paying the luxury tax. They need to be hit harder. The way I look at it is the players are now so greedy & the players union will never let their be a solid cap, something has to be done to stop the spedding..The Mets will regret Sotos contract & I bet that is within 4 years..

DG: There is a draft pick penalty. Teams that overspend will fall in the draft. Teams that receive benefits will not be eligible for top-six picks. So it acts as a draft pick penalty at the top and at the bottom.

Now, let's talk about whether those are deterrents. That's a different discussion. And ownership could tighten both of those to create a greater pinch.

Players aren't anymore greedy than you or I would be in the same situation -- both of us would want to take the best situation our talents could give our family. That could be location. That could be chance to win. That could be wealth. When you're in an industry that measures how great you are by how much you make, then here we go. I won't speak for you, but I don't begrudge anyone -- a colleague, a player, a chatter, a subscriber, a friend, or a competitor -- who attempts to make as much as someone is willing to pay for their ability.

Spending doesn't need to stop. More teams need to be empowered or willing to do so. The bottom has to come up so that there are more appealing offers.

Bryen: So they’re keeping Fedde & Helsley, along with Pages ans Siani being penciled into the starting 9, it seems like the only reset taking place is regarding the payroll. I’m not including the minor league changes in this regard.

DG: That's not a reset when it comes to payroll, that's just a regress.

Call it what it is.

And, yes, the Cardinals' payroll has regressed coming out of 2024 and into 2025.

milyabee: Interesting thoughts here and on the podcast about how just an average year from Goldenado could have changed the entire trajectory of the franchise. I'm of the rare opinion that 2024 wasn't nearly as bad as the loudest fans made it out to be, and considerably better than 2023. The pitching plan they had actually worked, and if the offense was just okay, the year would have ended much differently. How much of this reset / refresh / restructuring is due to fan reaction?

DG: The offense was straight up poor.

I was way off in my expectation that the Cardinals would have a lineup that vied to be the best in NL, let alone one of the most balanced and productive of the division. But I wasn't alone in that expectation. The Cardinals had all the ingredients -- including the really strong and vital balance of left-handed batters in Donovan (OBP), Gorman (SLG), and Nootbaar (OPS). That's a strong trio if at their best. And the Cardinals didn't get that, and the cornerstones struggled. Tough combo to overcome.

But, but, but the Cardinals were only 2% below league average in run creation, and their team batting average was top 11 and their on-base percentage was top half when it comes to not making outs. How can I say they were poor ... ?

Well, glad you asked.

They had the 12th-lowest team slugging percentage, at .392. As a team they slugged .342 with runners in scoring position and were 20% below league average when it comes to creating runs with runners in scoring position. That's significant. And the players who had the most chances were some of the players who were the farthest from their career norms.

Tim in NJ: Nice work coming in from the bullpen to cover the Blues this weekend. Really enjoyed the questions to Montgomery, especially the baseball references (both intentional and unintentional). It is fascinating how muscle memory can rule the day. How difficult is it to have to go to another gear so to speak just for a day or two and then downshift back into baseball mode?

DG: Thanks. In my defense, we were just talking about the similarities before the questions started -- and so I had it immediately on my mind, not just muscle memory. We had just moments earlier made the comparison between innings for pitchers and ice time for defensemen and how both can undermine a team.

"Downshift" into baseball mode? That's quite an indictment.

It's not tricky to toggle between the sports, but I will say that what Matthew DeFranks does on a daily basis with morning skate coverage and then the mountain of content he produces from the game is impressive. Baseball gets a day that is long but it's 10-12 hours all at once at the ballpark, usually, not hours in the morning and then hours in the evening. DeFranks produces an impressive amount of quality and quantity and the demands are high on hockey game days. I needed a nap Sunday. I got one on the flight home.

Brian: Thanks for running the numbers on Cards OFs. Longtime JD Drew fan over here, feel his "reputation" as injury-prone overshadowed what a strong player he was, and for multiple teams. (His '07 ALCS gm6 grand slam is a top memory for me.) Also think it's telling the Cardinals haven't been able to produce a drafted/signed primary outfielder that's come anything close to him in two decades, much less one who's production was mostly with birds on the bat.

DG: Thanks. Agree on Drew and the askew perception of his career in some corners. It's worth pointing out that the Cardinals haven't drafted that high either in ... oh, since taking J.D. Drew. Those examples should really give an example of where talent usually comes from in the draft, and how the Cardinals defied their low picks for many years. They should. Don't get me wrong. They should. That's the gig. That's how teams stay competitive. Development over draft. But the fact they haven't had an outfielder produce as much WAR since Drew and they haven't drafted top five since Drew -- these are related.

Programming note: They draft fifth in 2025.

Albuquerque Red: I don't know how to put this any other way. Within the NL Central does it seem to you that the Brewers, and now maybe the Cubs, are playing Chess while the Cardinals are playing checkers? The gap has grown wider and wider between the haves and the have nots in the past 7 years in our division. From my perspective I'm hoping Bloom is a chess master.

DG: I don't see that with the Cubs.

They could just drop a bunch of cash on the board and knock over all the pieces.

I don't see the division has haves and haves nots. There are teams dealing with small markets and small broadcast deals as a result of small markets and smaller broadcast deals as a result of the cable collapse. There is a have -- the Cubs. There are the have-less -- everyone else. The Cardinals spent like a top-10 team for awhile because their fan support and ticket sales made that possible. And the Brewers have acted like a top-10 team because their farm system and development has allowed them. I wish there was a chess-checkers analogy to apply because then I could drop a 3D chess on you and really have a good answer.

Ed AuBuchon: If Contreras and Gray would of been agreeable to trades the re-set would of been a roster earthquake! Fair statement?

DG: Yes.

Palmetto State Fan: What more work must the Cardinals do to meet their publicly stated strategies moving forward? Does your reporting and observation have them on-track, OK but much work to do, or train is moving too slowly? What work will need to be the focus of spring training leading up to Opening Day? Thank you.

DG: They are in process of expanding their staff and improving their facilities. That continues, and the reporting shows they a) need to do more and b) are doing more.

An example of this, that may interest you as much as the expanding staff that you know about: The Cardinals are upgrading their facilities at the Dominican Republic campus. That means improving the training facilities. One example of that is building an agility field that is being put in. And there are others.

Chris: Do you think, or know from conversations, that the draft lottery is having the intending impact on organizations not tanking? Is the risk on that top pick dropping enough to change the math?

DG: Pretty early in the process, for sure, but anecdotally it seems to be having an impact -- but probably not the greatest impact of the changes. There are, as of right now according to folks in and around the industry, two teams that genuinely tanking. Pulling the plug. Those teams are the White Sox and the Marlins. We may see a third, the Rockies, join that mix, or just make decisions that put them there whether they advertise it or not. That is fewer. Two is definitely fewer. That's a plus, and some of that can be traced back to the draft lottery. But not all.

More of it can be traced to the expanded playoffs. With more spots and more volatility in October, more teams believe they are in play for that even by spending slightly and adjusting along the way. Arizona is currently the example given of a team that gets in, makes noise, and made moves along the way to improve those odds of advancing in October. We'll see if the consolidation of talent on the coasts changes the volatility of October and means there are fewer Diamondbacks and more Dodgers and Yankees and Mets and Dodgers and Mets and Yankees, etc.

Joliet Dave: Had to leave to take wifey shopping. Nolan A doesn’t want a lateral move. The Angels are a downward move. Is it only about going home there?

DG: I did not report that the Angels were of interest to him. He is of interest to the Angels, but there's been no indication from sources I spoke with that the Angels are of interest to him. As I said on MLB Network, it would be geography or hearing about their plan and buying into it. But, again, that is what I can report. I also reported that the Cardinals spoke to the Yankees about him, and I can add that the Cardinals and Astros have spoken. Other outlets have reported that as well. Also, there have been talks between Boston and the Cardinals, as the Red Sox are also looking for a third baseman. Do not dismiss those teams. San Diego has been approached, but according to a source the Padres are not sure they have the financial flexibility to take on that contract so how much would they ask the Cardinals to cover?

Also, please consider, that Nolan Arenado's agent, when I asked if he would characterize the list of teams that were OK, said: "There is no list." And he went on to describe exactly what sources and the Cardinals have described, that the Cardinals are going through a limited amount of teams to gauge interest and then turn toward Arenado for approval. His willingness to move is broader than in the past, which we all know was limited to a couple of teams and then ultimately one team, the Cardinals.

Alex Bregman's market is the one to watch. Please keep that in mind.

Thomas: If the Cardinals do trade one of Matz/Fedde/Mikolas and sign Kyle Gibson, wouldn't he be more expensive than the option he had attached to him given the price of free agents? I get the Cardinals declined his option at the start of the offseason due to uncertainty with TV, but if they had plans to trade at least one of those three, they knew a spot would be open.

DG: Not necessarily. We'll see. He hasn't signed yet. Lance Lynn hasn't signed yet. Scherzer hasn't signed yet. That market is still to be determined at various price points, and there's also the possibility that Gibson would like to return, which he has said he would like to do.

jim: Hi Derrick, before the Cubs acquired Tucker and the Brewers for Cortes, I understood the decision not to trade Fedde and Helsley--I did not agree with it, but I understood it. The NLC was there for the taking. Who knows maybe they get lucky and can sneak into the playoffs. Now that Milwuakee and Chicago are making Win Now moves, I do not understand why they would keep to that strategy. The "NLC is weak and winnable" rationale no longer makes sense; its NOT. Especially if the Cubs land another starter. So if that's no longer the rationale, what is? Mo wants to go out with a winning record? That would be frustrating. The team is bigger than him. Ownership never really bought into the "reset"? BDW's comments at the presser seemed to indicate that

DG: I have a hard time calling a trade of Devin Williams that puts him out of the division as a "win-now" move. Contend now? Sure. Fine. They've helped themselves. But Williams is an elite closer and sure would help a club trying to pile up the wins and make a run for more than the NL Central title. Here we are. The Cubs move is a strong one, for sure. Call it whatever you like. Let's see if they do more, of course, but that counts.

I don't know how to say this any other way: It's not just about where they are or where they think they are or where you think they are in the division race. It's what they know or think they can get in return. Period. I've tried to explain that several times, and if I need to do it better, I will continue to try: The Cardinals would consider those trades if they believe they could strike now for the price they want. They'll take conversations and they'll entertain offers on those players -- and my reporting on that has not changed -- and the reason why they're inclined to keep players is because they've set an asking price based on what those players mean to them, based on what they want in return, and those prices have not yet been met. If that means they contend, then their calculations change.

Tackleberry: I really enjoyed your BPIB ep with Ferrin. Here’s my question, why do the Cardinals need to trim so much payroll? I understand trading Arenado to open up 3rd base but why couldn’t the Cards have been in on Tucker or calling on Bellinger?

DG: The reasons the Cardinals give for trimming payroll are thus: 1) An investment of significance in minor-league structure, facilities, and staff, on an upward increase of 8-12%, according to Mozeliak. 2) The reduction and instability of the TV contract. They took a 23% cut in rights fee. If they end up cutting 23% of the payroll, then we can point that out. 3) Ticket sales. The Cardinals have experienced a slow run on their tickets, and they expect to take a dip from 2024 -- which was their first in the new ballpark with fewer than 3 million tickets sold. They are braced for a message from fans. The one that many fans in the chats through the years say they wanted to deliver. The Cardinals are openly acknowledging that their recent performance and their plans for 2025 are going to mean a reduced revenue from ticket sales.

Milo Miller: Derrick thanks for the time you have given us today. With the reset the Cardinals do this year, and Gorman,Walker, Nootbaar, and other young players do not progress as they hope, what would be the plan going forward? If there is noticeable improvement, what is there plan going forward. Would they fill in the necessary QUALITY pieces to complete the roster? Thanks again Derrick.

DG: If they don't progress, the Cardinals have a problem.

If they do progress, ownership and Mozeliak have both said -- on the record -- that they want to be able to have the finances ready to outfit that team, that core with what's necessary to make a true run. That's what they said. Mozeliak talked about it being in the next couple of years. Ownership talked only about being ready to do so when the young players are performing as expected and create the core needed. So, augmenting is part of the plan. Hold them to it.

Ken: Derek, is it possible that Wilson and Sonny want to stay in St. Louis because A Sonny didn’t pitch as well as he wanted to and B Wilson wants to be a cardinal and was hurt and couldn’t deliver. I know it’s corny but I think they want to be winners inSt. Louis. Maybe it nothing more than that…

DG: It's possible. If so, they aren't the only players who have talked about or expressed wanting to provide more for the Cardinals and being a part of the turnaround after their struggles.

John Weitzman: Who has the final say with trades & signings this winter. Mozeliak or Bloom? I don't discount Dewitt but between those 2 mentioned ?

DG: You can't set up a question and then take away the obvious answer. Trust me. I do that professionally sometimes. And I get called on it.

Bill DeWitt Jr. and ownership has the final say. Mozeliak leads baseball operations will make decisions for the 2025 team and take that to ownership, and both Mozeliak and Bloom have said that they work together on these decisions and discussions. Because it's likely that every decision about the 2025 team will have some downstream influence on the years beyond that Bloom will inherit. Decisions are made together, as a group of colleagues who work together well enough to make decisions for the good of the organization, and do so together, not with one person standing above all others to decree a final decision. They arrive at one together.

That is a thing.

DG: It's not about a final say, it's usually about a consensus. That's part of being a data-driven organization. Trust the data. It leads to a consensus. It is possible -- wait for it -- that they work together to come to decisions.

Ken: Well then my turn around candidate for 2025 is ……. Miles Mikolas ( your not saving this are you ) ?

DG: Saved for posterity. If it happens, you can say you called it -- with proof.

Jim from DeBary FL: Any new information on whether Molina might be more involved with the Cardinals this coming season, or at least Spring Training? With the number of quality catching prospects they have it seems like his expert guidance/work with these young guys would be beneficial

DG: The Cardinals are keeping the possibility open and that invitation on the table for him. Molina is doing well as a manager in the Dominican Winter League, and that has his full attention, as you probably know, so there hasn't been much recent talk between the Cardinals and Molina. He's going to spend some time in the States, and is considering a move to the States that would put him closer (but not nextdoor) to being involved with the Cardinals when it comes to time and travel. There isn't any new information since the winter meetings where this came up, if that's what you're asking. But that is new since the end of the season.

Alright that is going to have to do it. I planned for another hour and it turned into more than two. That's a sign of how good the questions are -- and maybe how slow the answers were. Next week is the holiday, so someone else will be at the keyboard. This is my final scheduled chat of 2024 ...

Happy holidays. Here's to a great finish to one year and a healthy start to the next.

Chat with you in 2025.

But I'll be writing plenty before then.

(And we have exciting and expansive plans for the coverage in 2025. Stay tuned.)

-