Bobo is here. Let's get a head start to keep the crowd under control.
I believe he would rather watch Luke Weaver pitcher for the Diamondbacks . . .
I agree that the defense will be better. The Tigers did some work with the transfer portal there. But this team will need strong quarterback play to get to seven victories and we're just guessing what they have there this season. At least they have some time to sort that out and get the starter some real experience before wading into that SEC schedule.
First step: Get Steven Matz, Genesis Cabrera, Jordan Hicks, Tyler O'Neill and Harrison Bader back to active duty. With those guys available plus all the in-season upgrades the team has made by promoting excellent young players, that will be a deep offensive team. And I do expect the team to add pitching at the trade deadline because the Cardinals will face a 40-man roster crunch some point given the simultaneous development of so many prospects. They can't keep them all.
Yes, getting from here to the All-Star break will be a grind given their challenging schedule and the simultaneous injuries to about a quarter of the expected roster for this season. Fortunately the Cardinals have gained impressive offensive and pitching production from ascending talent -- which reaffirmed that the franchise's operational model works. They will continue to accelerate player development and build trade value with this emerging players while waiting for veterans to return.
I won't rule out a Chychrun trade until the Coyotes finally trade him. If I am Arizona GM Bill Armstrong, I would want Scott Perunovich instead of Kostin such a deal. As for Miller, he is going to get huge money on his next contract. I don't see him fitting into the pay structure here. His annual average value will likely exceed what Doug Armstrong wants to pay. And I don't see why Army would want to make a major change with his forward groups. I can see Miller going to some place like Washington, where Nicklas Backstrom is facing an uncertain future with hip surgery.
That seems about right, seven years for $55.125 million for Kevin Fiala. A 30-goal scorer with good wheels -- who is just hitting his prime -- is hard to find in the marketplace. This is a reminder of where the money for Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas will go if they continue on their current developmental arc.
I'd bet the under right now. He has to prove that 1) He can pitch at his previous level and 2) That he can hold up physically. I expect him to pitch again this season, but nobody has any idea of he can achieve Nos. 1 and 2. He spent months trying to come back from this shoulder issue and he sure didn't get far.
I believe that is a stretch. I expect Dennis Gates to instill his system with the help of his former Cleveland State players. Having experienced depth will allow him to make real progress in practice. He will give the 2023 and 2024 prospects he is recruiting something to see while he gets the Tigers back to the high side of .500. He will energize the dormant fan base and make the game day recruiting visits less depressing. And by casting such a wide recruiting net, Gates and Co. are building relationships that could pay off when guys they miss on the first time around hit the transfer portal.
That was a bad trade, something we note pretty much every week here. Getting Juan Yepez for Matt Adams has turned into another great trade. Adding Genesis Cabrera, Giovanny Gallegos and Tyler O'Neill strong moves, albeit giving up something to get something. If Matthew Liberatore pans out as a starting pitcher -- still a big if -- then the Cardinals are pretty happy with the swap. The Cardinals have a have plenty of outfielders and Randy Arozarena has come all the day down to earth. Would his .253 batting average and seven homers crack the current STL outfield when it's healthy?
Oskar Sundqvist became a trade chip because his game eroded after he suffered multiple injuries. Ivan Barbashev could be a chip for a different reason -- he just had an outlier season of unexpectedly high production. Those numbers will be hard to repeat, so he is a "sell high" candidate. Also, he will be due another big bump in pay on his next contract and the Blues can't pay everybody. As for Ryan O'Reilly, the league gets faster every year. So the David Backes comparison is apt. How many years will he want? Backes insisted on one more year than Armstrong was willing to go. I am guessing that could become a sticking point with Ryan too.
Actually, the success of all of these young players only reaffirms that the Cardinals' operating model works. The organization is in a tremendous position for years to come. So, no, I did not see the business model changing.
Frankie Montas is in heavy demand. I believe every MLB team assesses his talent level quite differently than you do. And he Luis Castillo will be the two starters that should fetch the highest trade price.
Welcome to playoff hockey. The deeper the postseason goes, the less willing the officials are to decide games with their calls. They are more inclined to let the boys play and let them decide the outcome. This has always been the case.
Given the massive money the Big Ten will get on its next TV deals with USC and UCLA -- more than $1 billion -- I expect prime time games at the latest. The whole Pac-12 After Dark cost that league a lot of money, which is why we're where we are today.
Nikita Zadovov is a third-pairing defender who hits people but doesn't block shots. He played sheltered minutes in Calgary (57.4 percent offensive zone starts) because he is not great defensively. Subbing him in for a Top Four defender who blocks shots, kills penalties and matches up against top forward line would weaken the Blues significantly.
Like you say, he creates cap space by letting players walk when their contracts expire. The guys who get no-trade protection are valued guys that he has locked into his roster projections for the next several years. Armstrong has done a good job of maintaining consistently very good rosters without getting stuck with dead money.
Lars Nootbaar was brought back to be mostly a defensive replacement. And he is a good fielder. Injuries have forced Oliver Marmol to play him more than expected. It would make more sense to promote power-hitting Alec Burleson if the team needs a starter, but the Cardinals are trying not to use a 40-man roster spot on him just yet. I would expect the Cardinals to deal from this outfield pile to get pitching help, since Jordan Walker will add even more depth there by next season.
I believe the Flyers will need to cycle out some bad contracts before they can spent giant money on an offensive players. In the meantime, John Tortorella is the sort of coach who can get some mileage out of the group in place. But, no, this scenario does not scream "Johnny Gaudreau."
I would not be surprised if the Cardinals dealt from the current roster because they are so many young guys pushing up from the minors. This team needs to add pitching, not subtract proven pitching, so I'd be surprised to see Hudson move -- no matter how frustrated the field staff gets with him. I can't imagine Andrew Knizner having a trade value. If Matthew Liberatore pitches well on his next trial, he could draw interest from other teams.
Makar is a freak. To use a basketball term, he is breaking ankles out there with his quick zig-zags.
Good afternoon, Mr. Gordon. Thank you for your time and the chat. I think that as penance for his Alcantara-Ozuna trade, Mozeliak should have to either watch every one of Alcantara's starts this season or sit through an hour-long, one-on-one interview with Jim Hayes every day for the rest of the season. What do you think?