2019 Cardinals

[Orcin]

Originally Posted by pgjocki

I read that last week as a reflection on a poor GM who went with Good instead of Great and now is stuck with being in the middle.

I'm still in favor of trading Gyorko, Holland, Fowler, Norris and firing Matheny regardless what we get back.

I can't argue with any of that. I doubt we can get anything for Fowler without paying all of his contract, but the team might still be better off without him on the bench.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Orcin

I can't argue with any of that. I doubt we can get anything for Fowler without paying all of his contract, but the team might still be better off without him on the bench.

At this point I think you have to play, Ozuna - Pham - Bader and bring Fowler in off the bench. Maybe you could pay half his salary and dump him at some point but he's not a horrible option off the bench.


Bader is fun to watch and could really turn into something with everyday playing time.


Our SP has been great though and we still have Wacha (DL) and Hudson in AAA.



I want Machado (who doesn't) but giving up top prospects and or someone like Wacha wouldn't be good business for a "rental". He would definitely make this lineup a powerhouse though.


We also need RP, so maybe that's where the Cardinals will focus on? What other impact bats are out there?

[Orcin]

I think the Cardinals should be sellers, not buyers. There is a 20% chance that they can make a 50-50 wild card elimination game, which means at best a 10% chance to make the actual postseason. That's not worth sacrificing any prospects IMO. Better to plan for next year at this point.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Orcin

I think the Cardinals should be sellers, not buyers. There is a 20% chance that they can make a 50-50 wild card elimination game, which means at best a 10% chance to make the actual postseason. That's not worth sacrificing any prospects IMO. Better to plan for next year at this point.

I won't argue with that and getting rid of some high money contracts would open up the door to a big signing like a Machado/Harper.


Our SP next season should be among the top in the majors for sure, but we desperately need some RP.

[Orcin]

I would love to know what the Cardinals management is thinking... do they really care about winning or do they only care about generating revenue and profits?

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Orcin

I would love to know what the Cardinals management is thinking... do they really care about winning or do they only care about generating revenue and profits?

We are #3 in attendance... hmmmm....

[MizzouRah]

We finished 82-80 in 2023, injuries hit us hard and losing our manager didn't help things either.

My contract is up so I'm not even sure I'll get an extension.

Cubs vs Yankees in the World Series.

[jimmysthebestcop]

great thread

[Whoofe]

89-73 first season - lost in wild card to the Nationals
91-71 second season - lost in wild card to the Rockies


poor relief pitching has been my bugaboo so far, especially in the playoffs


i feel i have a good rotation going into 2020
Carlos Martinez, Alex Reyes, Sean Manaea, Jack Flaherty, and international signing Kiyoji takayama, who has 70 stuff 50 mov, 60 control and 3++ pitches plus a mediocre slider

waiting in the wings for a rotation spot are James Kaprellian, Mitchell White, and Tony Gonsolin

oh, and i will have a huge warchest going into 2021

[MizzouRah]

If Harper ops out this offseason I'll have an extra $47M to play with

[Whoofe]

and I got 2 comp picks coming in the draft for QOs on wacha and ozuna that were declined and signed with new teams

wacha had been a pretty average starter for me, didn't want to spend the money when I felt I could get similar production out of Manaea for much less cost

ozuna will be a loss, but I have tyler o'neill ready to start, and hopeing he can keep his K rate to a manageable level. if not, I will sign a big name FA next winter

[Whoofe]

well that stinks, kaprellian out 2 months due to off field accident

oh well, still pre-season, so he'll still get most of the season

[jimmysthebestcop]

Originally Posted by Whoofe

well that stinks, kaprellian out 2 months due to off field accident

oh well, still pre-season, so he'll still get most of the season

Did he shoot himself in the foot? Love those ones

[MizzouRah]

Harper stayed and I don't have any cash to spend this off season. Might have went overboard on Harper when I signed him in 2019. I have a lot of money wrapped up in 4 players and my drafts have not been the best.

This will be a very tough year for me as a GM. If I don't win a Championship my guess is I'll get fired, per the owner in not so many words (and I have never been fired in an OOTP game to date).

Right now, we don't have a Championship team on paper so I need to get really creative. (love the challenge OOTP 19 has given me)

[Whoofe]

Originally Posted by jimmysthebestcop

Did he shoot himself in the foot? Love those ones

no, but he was a victim of an armed robbery, so maybe he got shot

in the meantime, I upgraded my roster during spring training, making 2 key trades

the first was andrelton simmons., giving up a 25 yr old 2b prospect and a couple of my marginal RPs. now I have a true defensive shortstop who isn't a bad hitter either. simmons has 1 yr on his contract

the second trade was carlos santana at 1b, for jose a Martinez and a 27 yr old AAA catcher. since the cardinals are stacked with decent catcher prospects I had no need for the one I gave up, and upgraded at 1b with some power. santana has 1yr remaining plus a team option for a 2nd

these two players will help me make a run at the world series, I will probly have a fair chance at resigning them if I want to, or I should be able to get QO draft picks if I don't

oh, and opening day, Yadi just announced his retirement at season end

minor league system is ranked 25th

preseason predictions say 90 wins, and cubs predicted at 88, so I got that going for me, which is nice

[Whoofe]

kinda a nightmare start to the 2020 season.

starters aren't looking good, giving up plenty of runs early. giving up lots of walks and XBHs

hitters aren't looking good, not getting many hits, the hits we get are limited to singles, drawing plenty of walks, but then hitting into DP when things look remotely promising

fielding not looking good. giving up errors, wild pitches, passed balls galore, and other teams are stealing bases on me easily

only 7 games in so small sample size, but I am frustrated by the early performance when I was so optimistic heading into the season!

[Mariner and Giants Fan]

Originally Posted by Whoofe

kinda a nightmare start to the 2020 season.

starters aren't looking good, giving up plenty of runs early. giving up lots of walks and XBHs

hitters aren't looking good, not getting many hits, the hits we get are limited to singles, drawing plenty of walks, but then hitting into DP when things look remotely promising

fielding not looking good. giving up errors, wild pitches, passed balls galore, and other teams are stealing bases on me easily

only 7 games in so small sample size, but I am frustrated by the early performance when I was so optimistic heading into the season!

Loving this thread but really, you are worried after 7 games?? That is like fretting over the season 5 minutes into the first NFL game of your fave team, lol. As Rodgers said R-E-L-A-X

[Whoofe]

Originally Posted by Mariner and Giants Fan

Loving this thread but really, you are worried after 7 games?? That is like fretting over the season 5 minutes into the first NFL game of your fave team, lol. As Rodgers said R-E-L-A-X

gotta keep pace with the despicable Cubs though!

the frustration was more from playing out the games and seeing everything that could go wrong, happen, and every glimmer of hope during a game snuffed out by a bad play. if I had just simmed the games, I probly woulda just shrugged it off as a poor stretch and no big deal.

to update however, I am now 15-10. my new international signing SP hasn't worked out too well yet, but the other guys have turned it around and are a respectable high 3.xx ERA or better. and my best hitter thus far is SP Jack Flaherty, who started out the season 7 for 7, and I believe is still batting above or around .500

[rink23]

I'm at the All-Star break of the 2020 season and sitting in fairly good shape.
Coming off a four-game split with the Cubs, the Cardinals own a 54-41 record and are a 1.5 games in front of Chicago in the NL Central.

The juggernaut Dodgers (69-30 in the NL West) and the Phillies (56-40 NL East) are the other division leaders.

Bryce Harper (right field), Nolan Arenado (third base) and Ender Inciarte (center field) all started for the NL in the Midsummer Classic.
Luke Weaver (9-2, 3.78 ERA) has anchored my starting rotation and I have built a pretty sold bullpen which I hope will be anchored by just acquired closer Mike Feliz (22 saves, 2.02 ERA mostly with the Pirates) down the stretch.
While I think I have enough to win the division, although I expect the Cubs to push me the entire way, I am fearful the team is a starter short of making a complete run through the postseason.

So I may look to add a confirmed No. 1 -- the inconsistency of Carlos Martinez (6-8, 3.84) in the real world still exists here in 2020 -- before July runs out, if I can land one without giving up too much.

[Whoofe]

here is a fairly typical inning I have to suffer through with this team, lol

9th inning, leading 6 to 2 going in, cardinals pitching, white sox hitting

ground-out, 1 out
walk
walk

replace pitcher

E4, bases loaded, 1 out

replace pitcher

HBP, score 6-3, bases loaded, 1 out
wild pitch, score 6-4, 1 out
walk, bases loaded
walk, score 6-5, bases loaded, 1 out

double play to end the game


3 runs given up by relief pitchers in 9th inning, no hits, lol