Questions for Cardinal fans...

Baseball Insider Board
#1

Now that the Cards are eliminated from playoff contention, let’s look to the future. I am not a Cardinal fan, but watch them play on MLB and the Cardinal network.

What do you think will happen to improve the team to get it back into the playoffs, if anything?
Do they make a managerial change?
What happens to Lance Lynn?
Who do you think will be trade bait and who will the Cardinals go after in a trade?

I don’t see much wrong on this team…they need a power bat, I think. They have guys who can hit 20 homers, but no stud in the middle of the lineup.

#2

Lynn is gone

Suspect Matheny is back, sadly

Grichuk or Piscotty won’t be back. I’ll assume Pham moves to CF and Fowler is a corner OF.

Rotation next year is El Gallo, Wacha, Weaver, Reyes, Waino/Hudson/Flaherty

Nicasio is resigned

An OF like Stanton is traded for or JD Martinez is signed

Wouldn’t be surprised if you see Josh Donaldson’s name thrown around

#3

They will trade at least one and probably two of their glut of outfielders.

Matheny seems safe for now.

Lynn signs a free agent deal and is replaced in the rotation by Alex Reyes, who will be on an innings limit coming back from Tommy John surgery

Grichuk, Piscotty, possibly Gyrko

Josh Donaldson, Gioncarlo Stanton, a starter, a closer

Will probably try to sign J.D. Martinez

#4

Yes, I could see getting Josh Donaldson to play 3rd…trading Gyorko and a young outfielder to Toronto to replace Jose Bautista who hit .200 this year.

The Cardinals have a bunch of good young arms to use as trade bait along with one of those outfielders.

#5

The big issue with the Cardinals they need a closer.
One more good set up man out of the pen for the 7th or 8th inning.
Stop letting thier beat players hit the road in free agency.
They also could use one more good young stating pitcher

#6

https://twitter.com/LangoschMLB/status/922540619901177856

#7

Bringing Oquendo back and adding McGee to the staff is great news.

As for the rest of the offseason, they will probably add a big bat (Stanton, Yelich, Ozuna, Martinez, Donaldson, Hosmer, etc…) beef up the bullpen, and maybe make an addition to the rotation.

Personally, I don’t think they will do enough to catch the Cubs in 2018 so I’d recommend upgrading the defense and bullpen then go after the big bat next offseason. If we traded for Andrelton Simmons and signed Lorenzo Cain our defense up the middle would be off the charts. Bring back Nicasio and acquire one more quality reliever then we are a playoff team.

As for the rotation there will be some combination CMart, Weaver, Wacha, Reyes, Waino, Flaherty, etc… If we can’t trade for a big fish like Chris Archer then I’d try to sign a veteran innings eater like John Lackey or RA Dickey on a one year deal.