Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold fielded questions throughout the day from Major League Baseball's Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tenn.
A real-time transcript of the chat will appear below in the window or below that in a more classic article fashion.
-
Derrick Goold: Greetings from Nashville.
The backdrop has been hung with care/
making sure all of the reporters know where/
With a podium that's steady/
There are puns at the ready/
Maybe next year a Greek chorus/
But for now it's just Scott Boras
Yes, that's right, as I set up to do the chat here at StlToday, superagent Boras is outside setting up for his annual winter meetings State of the Union. Yes, he'll field a few questions about Tyler O'Neill, and there's a good chance that he has some pun worked up for it -- and he'll mention that the Cardinals have traded away a few ALCS MVPs from thei outfield depth.
People are also reading…
My two colleagues, Lynn and Ben, have that covered, so I can dig in here. You've got questions. I'll do my best to come up with answers. Away we go ...
BradBaar: At 11:00am EST Jon Heyman reports Miami is listening on some of their starters: Luzardo, Garrett, Cabrera, etc. Are there any reports of Mo sending Girsch to the scene, Derrick?
DG: To find the New York Post's Jon Heyman? For what reason? Because the Cardinals have already had those talks with the Marlins ... They're aware.
DDMN: DG, Do you think the Cardinals leaned more into their model than ever with their offseason moves? I understand they added certainty where they normally don't, but is the rotation one that can compete for a division title (and beyond), assuming the other NL Central rivals will get better this offseason?
DG: I think you answered the question. They leaned into certainty, where this past year they did not -- they were stubborn when asked why they did not, and they pushed back when a reporter asked them why they didn't address a clear need for innings. I don't see how doing something different would be considered leaning into the model "more than ever." If anything, the Cardinals have adjusted their model as advertised. They're paying for certain innings. They've chosen flexibility when it comes to the length of deals and age of pitchers willing to take those deals -- and that is clearly because they see the payroll/revenues as an unknown due to the broadcast situation.
For me, I cannot spend years drumming on the Cardinals for not providing the team certain, stable innings and criticizing them for not having a rotation that allows them to win series because they'll win one and then chase innings for a week and lose series. I cannot bring that up time and time and time again and not acknowledge that they've addressed a huge weakness from last year: innings. They now have the rotation that can contend through the power of consistency for a division title. Much more than that? Not yet. But there is true power in a rotation that is going to provide innings. That means fewer losing streaks. That means more series wins. That means fewer times when the bullpen is stretched to try and win a series Colorado and there's no safety net from the rotation so they're swept the next weekend by Pittsburgh. The Cardinals have improved -- on the division side. On the October side? More to do, as they say.
Arnold: Having watched many (too many) hours of live MLB coverage of the winter meetings it seems like a real yawner to the point the on air hosts are begging for somebody, anybody to make a deal or signing so they have something to talk about. DG, being there in person is this your impression also or is it like watching a duck swimming on a pond and a lot going on you can’t see? Thanks and I look forward to your response.
DG: It's not been active from the completion sense -- but I don't want to make it sound like it's been boring. Because it sure feels like there's been a lot of work to be done, and goodness it feels like the Post-Dispatch team has written a lot of stories. I hope those weren't snoozers. Yesterday, from a writer's perspective, had a lot of reporting to do to stay ahead of things and provide a story that no other outlet had.
That said -- there's not the star splash wow crazy amazing grab the lapels moves. That's coming though. There are reports that the Yankees and the Shildts are gaining steam in their Juan Soto talks. My spidey sense is up on Ohtani when there are more teams talking openly about what is supposed to be a super double secret process. Confidences tends to loosen lips when it comes to talking about free agents, and we definitely saw more comments in the past 24 hours about Ohtani than in the pats 24 days. Those moves haven't happened yet. And that's certainly giving the feel that the winter meetings might be, for the moment ... just a prelude.
Kyle: Derrick, I just love these chats and I feel like you handle them so professionally, even when chatters on here are not all that professional with you. My question is, how does the trading of Competitive Balance picks work? For example, could the Cardinals trade Tyler O'Neill to one of the teams that have a competitive balance pick for that pick? Thanks!
DG:Â Thanks for the kind words. They could indeed, yes. Those are the only picks in the MLB draft that can be traded and they can be packaged in any way. Randy Arozarena gets all of the headlines for the deal with Tampa Bay a few years ago, but within that deal there was also Jose Martinez -- the target of the deal for the Rays -- and a swap of competitive balance picks. The Cardinals moved down to 66th overall, and the Rays moved up 38th in the deal. Those are attached, and so, yes, the Cardinals can trade Tyler O'Neill for a draft pick; they can also trade him for international spending money to add to their purse for international bonuses.
David: Derrick, Greetings! Hope you are enjoying Nashville, one of my long time fav cities prior to everyone else crowding the place up. I am genuinely puzzled about the recent talk of a Cards outfield "logjam" and the public announcement that the team wants to run O'Neill out of town. I don't see a crowded roster of talented outfielders. The true big league outfielders include Nootbar, Walker, Carlson and O'Neill. Edman and Donovan are really infielders - Edman is great defensively in the outfield but does not hit like an outfielder. His versatility is an asset, but is not ideal in my view as an everyday in the outfield. Even Walker is a convert from the infield. The true glut is in the infield where prospects like Sagesse and Prieto are effectively blocked. This seems like a pretext to move on from O'Neill. I understand that O'Neill's major problem is that he can't stay healthy and it may make sense to use his multi-tool talent to maximize value in a trade for a pitcher, but why state your intentions so boldly that you want to dump him prior to making the trade? Seems like MO does not how to play poker. What am I missing?
DG: It is entirely possible -- stay with me here -- that weeks of reporting by the Post-Dispatch and elsewhere that the Cardinals were shopping Tyler O'Neill, and also 29 other teams knowing that and also agents who represent relievers knowing that put the Cardinals in the spot where they just could not longer ignore the obvious. They do not comment on such things, usually, and that is team policy. But goodness even they cannot hide from the obvious for that long, not when it's been written about and it's being talked about. Out of respect for the player, they should be honest.
It sure seems like you have outlined the pretext for trading O'Neill. And the Cardinals have been here before.
Uncertain playing time for OF.
Young OF they want to get playing time.
Questions on best positions for better defense.
All of these things are just history repeating itself, right? And you can also toss in the Cardinals want to see if they can trade O'Neill's salary and, thus, free up some money to spend on the two relievers they're pursuing. I've been told by multiple sources -- and reported as such -- that both sides see the benefit of a change of scenery, and the Cardinals are braced for O'Neill to become a great player elsewhere that he would not get the chance to be with them because they believe that Nootbaar and Walker will blossom as those impact players for them. That is usually exactly as you say -- pretext for a move. We've seen it before. We'll see it again. What the Cardinals want to see is it work out for once where they get the better production of the deal.
One other quick thing that seems to always be forgotten in this conversation. Walker was drafted as a 3B. But the scouting reports on him at the time -- and the expectations of the Cardinals at the time -- was that he would move positions and that his future could be in the corner outfield spots. They expected that to happen at the higher levels as he advanced -- and it has. It is entirely possible that Jordan Walker's best defensive position is left or right field, and that is from evaluators who scouted him and reviewed him at third base.
(Matt Holliday was drafted as a 3B. I don't recall a lot of people bringing that up when he was playing left field because, hey, it made sense that a right-handed masher with middle-order thunder would be playing the outfield when that was a better position for him. Lots of parallels for Holliday and Walker.)
Ray jay: Happy holidays to you and your family. I really enjoy your chats although the negativity from the readers annoys me at times. After this year, Bailey apparently will no longer carry Cardinal's games. What does that mean for viewers? Will I have to pay a subscription service or will the games be available over the air or cable?
DG: Bally Sports Midwest's parent company Diamond Sports Group is in bankruptcy, and as part of that process it is possible -- bordering on likely -- that they'll drop the broadcast of Cardinals games before the end of the season. It could happen in the second half of the season and ahead of the start of the Blues' season. What that means? Well, Cardinals and Major League Baseball have a plan and infrastructure in place to distribute games through streaming subscriptions. That is an added cost yes. The Cardinals, as part owner of their broadcast partner, will also have some direction in how they could distribute those games in another way. That could be a Cardinals-Blues streaming subscription. That could be some other agreement through another channel. We could see in the near future MLB Network expanding its number of channels to then house broadcasts from around the majors. The industry expects some tough times, some different (maybe even higher) costs for consumers, and also the benefit of a larger audience and no blackouts, plus on-demand subscriptions, where fans are paying for baseball directly and not paying for the news channels too through a cable subscriptions. It's going to get bumpy. But it's going to get better.
Ryan: It's very rare for MO to openly suggest a player is available, with lots of movement happening, do you get the sense that the offers for O'Neill aren't what they thought they could get or are they just letting these bigger deals clear out and then they'll accept one. One would think they would want to move on fairly soon as O'Neill was set to make roughly $6 MIL. That's a solid reliever AAV.
DG: The Cardinals are open to receiving pitching depth/upside minor-league talent in exchange for O'Neill, and that would clear the salary, as you suggest, for a reliever. Though, you're looking at a higher AAV than $8.5 million probably for the kind of reliever they'll seek. Maybe a lower AAV than that if the deal is longer -- but not much lower. Three years is somewhat the range for length, maybe a fourth option, etc. The Cardinals would also be open to receiving a reliever in exchange for O'Neill, and they did harbor some internal belief that he could be a part of a trade for a frontline starter. All of those things have been explored -- and sometimes it's the time it takes to compare/contrast all of those options. I was asked Mozeliak if that was a good way to describe their current spot. Compare/contrast. And he agreed. "Good phrase." It is rare for Mozeliak to openly state a wish to trade a player. Haven't really seen that since, say, Stephen Piscotty and that was a way different situation. Maybe a little bit of Paul DeJong this past summer. The front office was open about looking for a place for him to go via trade. But it doesn't change their leverage given everyone already knew, due to reports or conversations.
Ken: Derrick when !! ? We are starving for trade , free agent news . I know the bullpen needs work but I hope they trade for another front line starter.
DG: Do you mean trade or free agent resolution? There's been plenty of news, just not resolution. Or do you mean rumors? Those are handled elsewhere. Plenty of places offering those up these days. Here, we'll try to provide you the news that leads to resolution -- what they're trying to do, not just when they do it.
Jim fan since 64: Do you think that Yamamotto will get close to 300 million? And is that reasonable considering he has yet to pitch in the major leagues?
DG: Big believer here that a player is worth every cent that a team is willing to spend on him. Feel that way about talent. An artist, an actor, a comic book writer, a chatter, any one in any profession really -- worth every cent that someone is willing to pay them. And teachers are worth even more. So, yeah, that's reasonable because that is what his age, his talent, and the demand is going to push the teams to reach. I will add that it's possible where that $300m deal that is being floated out there also includes the cost of the posting fee. That would make sense because teams are going to talk about the total cost, so why not think and report and discuss the contract in its total cost.
Ryan: In your opinion, your read of the room, if they had to, not saying they do, but if they had to trade one of Gorman or Donovan tomorrow for something they really wanted, which do you feel like they would include?
DG: The Cardinals are not eager to trade either of those players, and I've spoken to a few people with the team who are even more definitive than that -- they don't intend to trade either of those players. They want both in the lineup. They want both on the team. And they, as of last night, they did not see much likelihood that they would trade either.
Ryan: So far, it appears the contenders are not as interested in the Cards " extra OF'ers " as some thought. Is that due to FO over value and perception of player or do you think it's industry need based? Surely, even after Carlson's surgery, for $1.8 MIL he has value to the bottom 1/3 of the league as a cost controlled OF'er on a team not trying to win?
DG: I'm not sure what you're basing this question upon. there are teams interested in the Cardinals outfielders. Not all of those teams are contenders. Some are teams that adding younger players. The Cardinals have received interest in Carlson -- and they have also expressed that they want to keep Carlson, even give him a run as the possible starting center fielder. Your premise contradicts with what I'm able to report.
Sam: Ahoy! Has there been any developments in the Shoto Imanaga race other than the fact that the cardinals did indeed scout him?
DG: Not that I've been able to confirm. They've had talks with his representative, but how substantive or how much interest, if any, was relayed during those talks, I don't know. Please remember that such talks happen with a lot of free agent and fall under the umbrella of what the Cardinals call "due diligence."
Jason Cat: Can you name few potential draft targets at number 7? And do you think they have a preference between a hitter or pitcher... or just best available?
DG: It will always be best available when the MLB Draft and the Cardinals are involved. They're not going to side with a current need for a pick that won't be in the majors any time soon. Doesn't work that way. Within this story there is a list of the top talents, and that group includes the Oregon State second baseman who fits a lot of the things the Cardinals look for, and that includes Cape Cod success. If he's available at No. 7 ... that would be a surprise the Cardinals would welcome. Or, there's a Wake Forest right-hander that that Cardinals would also like to see at No. 7.
Here is that draft FAQ story.
puddin: How's Opryland Hotel? Big enough for you?
DG: It's got everything you'd expect in a suburb.
South City Steve: Mo has presumably raised the rotational floor by signing Lynn and Gibson but even with the nice Gray addition the ceiling still looks like a middle of the pack team that might eek out a Wild Card. Multiple Cardinals brass said they expected to contend in ’24. If that contention hinges on Mikolas or Matz leveling up to fill the void, then that is just another example of the Cardinals using hope as a strategy.
DG: I get that this is a cool buzzword and all of that, but don't all 30 teams use "hope" as a strategy? The Mets right now are hoping they get Yamamoto. The Yankees right now are hoping Stanton gets healthy. The Oakland A's are hoping their players perform well enough to be traded. Some team is going to hope on Flaherty's talent and Giolito's upside, and another team is going to hope on Ohtani's surgery and future health as a pitcher. They're hoping a lot. Now, they'll augment that hope with data and study and scouting and in the end they are all hoping that it works ...
These are all fair comments on the moves the Cardinals made. Gray is an upgrade for the rotation. Innings are valuable, and Lynn and Gibson will provide those. The Cardinals are better situated with their rotation to contend. And, yes, like the other 29 teams they do expect the players they signed to perform for the reason they were signed. That is not unusual. And that is hope.
Yadier Molina has his title.
Special Assistant to the President of Baseball Operations.
Mrs. Nootbaar: What's the latest on Phil Maton?
DG: Cardinals have met with his agent. They have interest, as the Post-Dispatch has previously reported and will likely report again. They are working through some other things at the moment and sources say they've not taken the step beyond those early talks on what the player is seeking, etc. Best I can tell ... No offer has been made, if that's what you're asking.
Joe B: I believe the last time you hosted the chat, the Cardinals signed Sonny Gray. The time before that, they signed Lance Lynn and hired Daniel Descalso. What news do you expect to break today?
DG: Yadier Molina's official title not good enough?
It's been that kind of Winter Meetings, right? Wasn't that the question earlier?
Ron: I guess cards had table at the yamamoto market. Decided that it's too expensive and went to hibernate?
DG: They haven't hibernated. They have spent that energy elsewhere. It's been interesting for sure -- a straw poll of agents at the GM Meetings and there would have been some who picked the Cardinals at that time as a favorite to sign Yamamoto. And then the salary projections kept rising and rising and rising and rising the Cardinals kept signing and signing and signing starters.
Drew: Were the cardinals eligible to receive a competitive balance pick? Would they consider trying to acquire a pick to increase their draft returns next year?
DG: They were eligible and have a slim, slim, slim change of doing so. Low odds. They've gotten a few in the past. They're open to acquiring a draft pick, yes, and they're going to lose one for signing Gray.
And, they would like to reclaim some of the bonus purse flexibility that comes with getting another pick. They certainly didn't get any with a better pick in the draft lottery.
Darth Redbird: Hi Derrick. I noticed Ken Rosenthal and Buster Olney put out articles with strong headlines/opinions criticizing Shohei Ohtani's situation and characterized it as "boring" or "bad for the sport." I understand that news would be good for media outlets' engagement, but why should Ohtani adhere to their preferred signing schedule? Or why should I care as a fan?
DG: It's their opinion. And it's up to you as a fan whether you care about where the best player in the game is headed -- and I imagine that thousands and thousands of fans do. Ohtani has not spoken with the media in months. He bailed on a conference call with writers after winning the MVP award. The MVP award. The award that ties him to Babe Ruth and that is voted on by the writers, and he did not participate in that press conference. So, it's been a while since the best player in the game has been asked questions or offered his thoughts. And it sure seems like fans would like to hear from him. Again, maybe you would not. But I do know many many many many many many many many many many who would like to know about the teams pursuing him, what city he might call home -- the whole excitement of a rare talent getting to choose where he plays and how that choice will shape Major League Baseball in the next decade. That to me seems like a big deal.
ud: Assuming the pitching additions pitch pretty much as well as they did last year, I think we're going to need to score more runs to compete for the division title. We scored 4.4 runs a game last year and three of the pitchers we have had ERAs above 4.5 last year. The front office seems content with the offense and that subtracting one outfielder will make them better. Should we be as concerned about the offense as we were about the pitching last year?
DG: I'm so glad you brought this up. It's a fascinating bit of math, right? The Cardinals averaged 4.4 rpg, and that was after a stark downturn in production during the season's final month. Ahead of the trade deadline and Brendan Donovan's injury and Lars Nootbaar's time missed, the Cardinals averaged 4.7 rpg game and were in the top 12 in runs scored and top seven in other offensive categories. They had a solid offense. Then they moved on from the season and they did not have a solid offense anymore.
So, let's start there that 4.7 rpg is ahead of 4.50 ERA. Fine. But it's not a 4.5 rpg that is a 4.50 ERA. Nope. A starter allows three runs in six innings, and that starter has a 4.50 ERA but the team he plays for only needs to get a scoreless stretch by the bullpen and score four runs to win. That's it. A strong bullpen holds that number or allows one run, and you're still talking about an offense that averages 4.7 rpg providing four for the tie or five for the win, and see what happens. And that whole time the starters still has a 4.50 ERA. This is a tangent from your question, I know, but it does bring us back to the offense. The Cardinals have a solid offense, and it has the potential to be much much more if Goldschmidt and Arenado return to career norms, Donovan returns healthy, Nootbaar's ability gets a full season of health to show, and Gorman continues his power growth for such a young player. That's a team that will get closer to 5.0 rpg, and that is a pitching staff that can crank out the quality starts that turn into consistent wins during the season.
The postseason is another story.
Need to step aside briefly for the Rule 5 draft. Please look for coverage to resume here shortly on StlToday.
Mike in KC: Wouldn't a trade for another starter also help the bullpen? Getting Cease or Glasnow (or someone else) would move Matz to the bullpen, where he was effective. And he still remains as a viable 5th starter if there is an injury or a spot starter as needed.
DG: It absolutely could, and that is part of the Cardinals' view. They are seeing a trickle-down factor -- improved rotation means an improved bullpen. Less innings asked of the bullpen, means you've got more of the best innings from the bullpen. They carried long relievers that also didn't provide consistent long relief, and so the cascade of troubles continued. They absolutely see upgrading the rotation as part of the improvement for the bullpen.
jm: Thank you and Ben and Lynn for taking time to do these chats from Nashville
DG: I will pass this along to my colleagues. The editors and the subscribers and the emphasis the Post-Dispatch puts on quality and comprehensive baseball coverage makes it possible to have three writers at the Winter Meetings this year. Not many local media outlets can say that. That means we also have to produce.
South City Steve: Thanks for the bonus chat. Offensively, it feels like putting Edman in CF is like winding the clock back to the Bader days where the narrative was “if everyone else hits then his lack of offense won’t be as glaring.†Edman can’t hit righties, which is roughly 80% of pitchers. Like Bader, his speed and defense are assets. But I’m not sold on the offensive depth of this team, especially in the OF, and a guy who can’t hit in a line-up that scuffled offensively for stretches last year becomes a liability unless he is walking and stealing bases like a bandit.
DG: This is definitely fertile ground for debate and discussion -- and potential criticism. Where we need to begin is a true audit of the Cardinals' bullpen. It was inconsistent. But it also was, overall, strong when it was the planned lineup and not a team that had moved on from 2023. As mentioned above, before the trade deadline they were 12th in runs scored, and they were above average when it came to runs per game, and they also were a top seven or so offense when it came to creating runs and other metrics that define an offense. The slide began after the deadline, after Donovan's injury, and so on. And they did all of that without Arenado and Goldschmidt ever at their best. So, the lineup is there. And then ... Can it carry two glove-first players? Edman has the steal game and he's a studious hitter that finds ways to contribute. What's Masyn Winn? At some point they will need offense from one of those positions and perhaps even above-average offense given what is expected from at least one of the spots. Dylan Carlson could be part of that discussion, for sure. Has to show that and will get the chance in spring. This coming spring training does set up as a contest between the offense/defense combo that can be offered from Winn, Carlson, Edman, and Saggese -- and on the horizon then Scott. A player from that group that hits, mashes, produces and also provides defensively could see themselves with a lot of playing time.
MS Bird Brain: DG thanks for doing this. You hopefully have a finger on the pulse of Cardinal Nation so I ask you. Why do we always sweat the Rule 5 Draft? The Cards often don't even make a selection, rarely find a "gem", and rarely lose anyone that we wind up missing. This year they are a bottom of the standings club. The other clubs will try to raid clubs like the Dodgers, Rays, Braves and such. Yet we worry. Why?
DG: I imagine because it's all about the new -- it's a chance to acquire a player who is new to the organization, new to the fans, and, most importantly, hasn't failed with them watching yet. Luhnow had this great phrase -- or at least he borrowed this great phrase from someone -- about the power of "dreaming on" a player. He made the point that it can be an important part of drafting, but it can never be the dominant part. Data has to drive the decision, but "dreaming on" a player comes after the selection. Any draft offers that opportunity of the new and then the dreaming on that follows. That's probably why. And sometimes it works out. Cardinals got a good run of contributions from Matt Bowman, a Rule 5 pick. Hector Luna was a strong Rule 5 pick who played a part in some excellent Cardinals teams ... So it does happen.Â
The Yankees got "raided" today, and it's actually not so often that the teams that are wise with their roster construction gets "raided." They keep talent. Especially those Rays.
Bill: Phil Maton has been the talk of Cardinals Xwitter in the last 12-18 hours. Seems like that may have been a faulty rumor. Any confirmations/denials on that front? Any updates on other free agent relievers the Cardinals may be interested in?
DG: Stick to reports, not rumors. I don't know exactly what you're talking about as far as "denials" because it's not my place to start going around poking holes in all of the guesses out there. Got to rely on my reporting. If another outlet can refute it, let them. By all means. There have been reports in the Post-Dispatch of the Cardinals' interest in Maton for a while now. An update was given early in the chat. They've met with agent. They have some understanding on whether there's a common interest. I don't believe there has been an offer made or really any discussion as to what they'd be willing to do. Not at that point. As far as other info, we won't forget to provide it, promise. It will be online StlToday, on Xwitter, all of it.
Jason Cat: Sounds rather porous
DG: A late candidate for the rhyme that opened the chat.
Kevd2208: Thanks DG. Keep up the great work. Any moves for the Cards today?
DG: So far only the ones that have been mentioned here or on the site. Molina has his new title, officially. The Cardinals made a claim in the MLB portion of the Rule 5 draft. That story just posted to the site here.
CH: Good Morning D.G, Just curious how much personal interaction and access do you get with Cards front office during the winter meetings ? How much is formal vs informal ?
DG: Plenty. There are daily sessions scheduled with the front office, and those can take place during the MLB organized press availability or the one the Cardinals organize. There is also the manager availability that is organized by MLB and makes every manager available for about 20 minutes. There is a mix of formal and informal conversations because in addition to the meeting times for press availability we all do want to escape the meetings, the rooms and can bump into each other in the hallways. Or during the Rule 5 draft, I had a chance to talk with a few different officials, both with the Cardinals or other teams. Hard to put a percentage on it because it's just a good mix.
chico: Happy Holidays,DG,a couple of questions,how worrisome is Gormans back issues,and is there any chance of getting a power hitting outfielder if O'Neill is let go?
DG: The plan is to trade O'Neill not just let him go. They would have done that at the non-tender deadline. As of right now O'Neill has a contract for 2024 and it's with the Cardinals, salary TBD. But it's locked in. There is no plan to go from trading O'Neill to signing another outfielder. That is not what the Cardinals are looking to do. Gorman's back is something to monitor. He's a young man. He knows how he hurt it. The Cardinals and Gorman have a plan in place to strengthen it, improve the support strength around it, and maintain vigilant prehab to avoid it from happening. But, sure, he's a hitter, he's a power hitter, he's young -- these are all fair reasons to be concerned when there is back pain.
Ryan: You have been strong in your reporting of the Cards looking for bullpen help, Anything close? Also are they remaining curious/open to upgrading the rotation via trade or are they just keeping tabs and are we getting our hopes up? Appreciate your work and reporting that keeps us based in fact
DG: They are open to adding to the frontline of the rotation via trade. That is not something they've closed off and walked away from. Trade does seem the way they're planning to go for that -- if they do at all. There is nothing imminent on the relief front, multiple sources told. That does not mean there's no progress, or that there's been no activity on that. Cardinals have had talks with agents, gathering intel on what players want and all of it. Looking for fits. I've been told that the Cardinals want to trade O'Neill first before signing a reliever in order to alleviate some of that salary, and I've also been told that they could add one reliever now if the deal is right and then see where O'Neill talks go for that second reliever or before signing a second reliever as a free agent. Either way, the can be patient now because the market is flush with options.
Drury: I found it puzzling the front office named TON by name as a trade candidate. This reads as him almost certainly being gone to me. Am I off base?
DG: Nope. The Cardinals yielded to the obvious and likely out of respect for the player didn't play coy.
t: If the Cardinals are unable to trade O'Neil for anyone valuable, what is the next alternative? Would they even consider keeping him at this point?
DG: Trading him for depth, specifically pitching depth. The Cardinals still have organizational holes to fill on the pitching side in the lower minors, and they would like to create some of that, and a trade will do that. They feel confident they can do that, and that would alleviate the money to spend elsewhere without taking up a spot on the major-league roster, too.
Max: As you consider your own HOF ballot, any thoughts on the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee results? I was glad to see Leyland get in, but I'd have also liked to see a few more honored. And just like the main ballot, it seems incredibly silly to restrict voters to only three choices.
DG: I usually don't spent too much time relitigating ballots that I'm not involved in other than being critical of the ballots that did not elect Simmons to the Hall all of those years ago. That said, I was asked who I would vote for on this committee if I was selected to the committee. I gave it a lot of thought, honestly. The ballot is limited to three. And my three would have been.
Jim Leyland
Lou Pinella
And Bill White.
Welcome to the Heath Barn: Is this the most boring Winter Meetings to date?
DG: Nope. But if it has been for you then maybe I didn't get a little bit peppier in the chat or a lot bit better with the topics we're covering.
Alright, one last pause of the afternoon before we have a kick to the finish. There's reporting to be done ASAP and then I'll return to field a few more questions.
JohnB: Why did the Cardinals break from their past practice and say specifically that they were looking to trade O'Neill?
DG: Because it was too obvious to ignore and, again, it would not surprise me at all if there was an element of respect for the player. Don't play coy, don't deny, don't disrespect by denying the obvious when it's been reported in the newspaper, been discussed with many other teams, and ahs been explained to agents.
Keith: Is the front office posturing and setting lower expectations in case nothing else materializes or don't hey truly believe that they are contenders? Even with a couple of new bullpen arms I can see buying any tickets until I see a few months of play.
DG: The front office/ownership recognizes that might be the case for a lot of fans. It's come up in their comments -- that ticket sales are going to have to be driven by performance and by creating excitement in the team, whether it's by signings or by how they play. So the team --- well, I don't know if the Cardinals agree with you. But they get it. At least they say they do. The Cardinals believe right now they have the rotation of a contender, the lineup of a contender, and they see the bullpen as a good start toward a contender, but it needs additions.
Jared: Hi Derrick, thanks for the chat, I always enjoy reading your insights. I am a Cardinals fan in Dallas, and new P-D subscriber. I heard an interview after the World Series about Bochy’s impact on the Rangers this past season. One of the things that stood out to me was how he approached some of their younger, budding stars like Josh Jung in Spring Training and told him, essentially, “you are my starting third baseman. It’s your job. I don’t want you looking over your shoulder, I just want you to bring it everyday.†That stood in stark contrast to what we heard from Oli last season where he was really hyping up competition for several open jobs. Do you think that will change this year? His (and Mo's) comments this week at the GM meetings struck me as being different from last year where they seem to be seeking more stability for their position players.
¶Ù³Ò:ÌýThank you for subscribing, Jared. This is a fascinating question. I recall that description by Bochy and Jung, too. It was an interesting way to go about it and a key part of that was Bochy recognizing that was what the young player needed -- and also knowing that they needed him to perform because where was the alternative? Brad Miller was on the roster and there were some utility moves to make, but the Rangers wanted that position to be seized by Jung, so why hide that when they can just be honest and maybe it would benefit the player, too. Some players are the opposite -- they have to be pulled along by competition. The situation you describe pre-dates Marmol, and it is something that Mozeliak has talked a lot about, but so did Matheny and definitely show did Shildt. Marmol put it in terms similar to other managers when he was saying that he was a "camp of competition." That doesn't seem likely to change, per se. But already this week Marmol spoke to Winn, and you can see the team wanting to make it clear to the young shortstop that he is their guy, he is their starter, and to come to camp with the edge to assert that, not looking to compete for attention. He's got it. It's going to be less direct in the bullpen, where the goal is to create competition. So, I don't think Marmol is going to have Bochy-like conversation, but it could be close. I also know the Cardinals are going to give up the competition of camp because it's been something they, as an organization, have prioritized even when they arrive in Jupiter with pretty much every spot on the roster set.
MS Bird Brain: I kind 'of look at this week as officially turning the page on '23 in terms of the 40-man roster. One question that remains for me is Moises Gomez? I like the guy, but everyone who is anyone got a look last Aug-Sept, but not him. They seem to have multiple options for his skillset. Why is he still on the roster?
DG: Power. That's what it comes down to. Power. Power can be traded. Power can be utilized. Power potential is kept, and there is probably a strong power behind the fact that the Cardinals want depth from the right-handed outfielder spot and have seen what happens when they move on from a player like him.
DonnyG: With Sports Illustrated saying the Cardinals are dangling Matz as trade bait, that the are one of the few left in for Yamamoto, reports that Mo is happy with his rotation, Gray's backloaded contact, Bernie saying no way to even Sonny 2 weeks ago...is it fair to say No is being coy and big things MAY still occur? Maybe everyone should just shut up and watch.
DG: I don't think anyone should shut up. Where's the fun in that. I can be fairly certain that Sports Illustrated is not reporting that. Best I can tell is Sports Illustrated is repeating that information from another source. It appears that Sports Illustrated is aggregating a story from USA Today where Bob Nightengale reported that the Cardinals are "letting teams know" that they'll entertain offers on Tyler O'Neill, Dylan Carlson, and Steven Matz. That info on O'Neill and Carlson were reported a month ago in the Post-Dispatch from the GM Meetings, and all that's changed is the view the Cardinals have of Carlson as center field insurance and being interested in keeping him. And readers of the Post-Dispatch knew for more than a month that the Cardinals felt confident they could sign Sonny Gray. Matz has been reported in a few places -- but some of that is just in the event the Cardinals acquire a starter. I cannot imagine how difficult it is right now to be a reader and have to discern between a site that is reporting and a site that is repeating and then there are the sites that are just speculating.
JohnB.: Why have the Cardinals risked losing Ian Bedell in the Rule 5 draft today? He is ranked as a top 15 prospect in the system by several publications and seems to have the kind of swing-and-miss stuff that the Cardinals have talked about developing and acquiring. And there are several players on the 40-man roster that do not seem to have the same upside that he has.
DG: Fair question. It worked out. One of the reasons why they took that risk is because of the level that Bedell pitched at this past season. The view would be a significant leap and teams aren't doing that as much anymore, not like Perdomo to the Padres all those years ago. Look for Bedell to move fast this season. Very interesting prospect to watch.
jm: Are you anticipating any trades or signing by the FO before the meetings end??
DG: The Cardinals, at this point, are not. And the people I've spoken to within the Cardinals and aware of the conversations the Cardinals are having do not expect a move before the end of the meetings this evening, or when some of the Cardinals traveling party leaves Thursday. Some of that is waiting on the moves that has the whole industry waiting.
Alright, that will have to do it from Nashville and the 2023 Winter Meetings. They're closing up shop and turning Opryland back over to the holiday travelers. Team PD is headed back to ºüÀêÊÓƵ. We're carpooling. Hope having three reporters on site meant the expansive and detailed coverage expected from subscribers. Plus, there was the added perk of three chats -- all hosted while things were happening (or not) at the Winter Meetings. Enjoy the weekend. Moves to come.
-