***Official 2024 STL Cardinals Thread ***

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Rams Fan

There's no one in the OF who I like long-term playing there as a starter aside from Donovan. I like Nootbar but he gets injured all the time so can't really rely on him and Burleson needs to move to DH/1B long-term. Walker isn't an OFer and Siani, while one of the best defenders in CF in MLB, can't hit worth a damn.

So, they still need at least 2 OFers in the off-season (1 starter and another guy to at least be competent of platooning) and some how improve the rotation next year unless they trot out all of Mikolas, Lynn, and Gibson, which I am sure they will.

There's no cavalry coming, fellas.

The system is about as mediocre as the big league roster. They'll fast-track Wetherholt but even he is someone that makes a good team better; he doesn't make a mediocre team good.

The only thing that could make this team relevant would be a series of hail mary's.

1) Jordan Walker un-****s himself and becomes a genuine middle of the order bat.

2) Nolan Arenado wakes the **** up and starts playing hard again.

3) Tink Hence, Quinn Matthews, Tekoah Roby and/or Conner Hjerpe develop (essentially overnight) into viable top half of the rotation starters. You need 2 of those guys to be post-season capable starting pitchers.

4) I won't even talk about the laughable possibility of Juan Soto being a Cardinal. Or even Corbin Burnes. But maybe Pete Alonso (who's probably not a good fit for the park). Maybe Max Fried as a solid #2 starter? Maybe Bellinger as a starting CFer? A flyer on Walker Buehler that works out?

If literally every one of those things happen, this team can win 90+ games and maybe be ornery in the post-season.

I wouldn't be surprise if not a single one of them comes to fruition.