The warming is complete this winter for Cardinals fans.
Next stop, spring training.
But what did we learn about the team over the holiday weekend?
Let’s get caught up.
Yadier Molina is retiring after the 2020 season.
"Three more years, that's it," Yadier Molina says. He's repeating his plan to complete his contract and then retire. #cardinals #stlcards
— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) January 15, 2018
Yadi has always been one of the smartest guys on any baseball field he steps on.
And by firmly declaring an end date of NOV 2020 (baking in an extra month for a World Series run) for his time behind the plate, he heads off 2 years of incessant questions about his retirement plans.
He’ll still have to deal with all the stories in 2020 about how ‘this is the last time Reds fans can boo Yadi in Cincinnati’ or ‘this is the last chance the Washington Post will have to report on how Molina thinks his manager is BSing the fans’…
But for now he’s got two seasons of relative peace.
The team you see now seems to be the team you’ll get in 2018.
Speaking to reporters, #STLCards chairman Bill DeWitt Jr.: "I don't anticipate a major move between now and spring training."
— Rob Rains (@RobRains) January 15, 2018
So I guess I should cancel my pre-ordered Yu Darvish shirsey?
To be fair, this could be Mr. DeWitt negotiating through the media and the Cardinals might end up with another player or two if the market continues to be soft.
At the same time, when dad says we’re done, we’re usually done.
Marcell Ozuna is actually not enough. The #Cardinals had a chance this winter to really solve all their problems. They had prospects. They had payroll. They had everything going for them to leave winter with certainty.
They do not have that. They did not take advantage.
— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) January 13, 2018
The Cardinals payroll is shaping up to be slightly less in ’18 than it was in ’17.
Cardinals updated payroll after arbitration agreements https://t.co/rKd44o6sgT
— viva el birdos (@vivaelbirdos) January 13, 2018
The optics of the Cardinals having the same 2018 opening day payroll as they had in 2017, despite the new TV deal kicking in and despite once again drawing 3M+ and despite not making the playoffs for two years are, um, not great
— Nick (@grobot05) December 21, 2017
The Cardinals aren’t a joke. But cutting payroll is disingenuous at best and greedy at worst. Not good enough to make the playoffs. Not bad enough to make any changes. Just good enough to profit. Profits appear to be king to DeWitt. Fans should stay home more this year.
— Burke Wasson (@burke_wasson) January 16, 2018
Personally?
I could give a rip about the payroll.
The better question is do the Cardinals have enough firepower to compete with the Cubs in the NL Central?
If yes?
Cool. I don’t care if they spent 100M or 100B to get to that point. It’s not my money. I just want to see some W’s against the north siders.
If no?
Well that’s when I start to wonder why not… because it does seem like the Cardinals are making a nice profit. Shouldn’t some of that cash be spent on roster upgrades?
Tommy Pham, everybody!
Tommy Pham, when asked if he’d like to hit ahead of Ozuna so he can see better pitches.
“I see good pitches now, because I don’t swing at the bad ones. Stop swinging at bad pitches and you’ll see better ones.”
The man knows how to captivate a room. #STLCards— J.J. Bailey (@TheJJBailey) January 14, 2018
Tommy Pham, man. This guy is the best. (via @dgoold) https://t.co/lQfQMDP04P pic.twitter.com/bzT0GRKDTJ
— Brandon Kiley (@BKSportsTalk) January 16, 2018
Matt Carpenter said there were a few times where Tommy Pham would yell at him from first base as he stood on second, saying “let’s go!!” Likes his intensity. #STLCards pic.twitter.com/52wNhnbiuq
— Dan Buffa (@buffa82) January 15, 2018
“Personally, I think I can be a 30-30 player.” – Tommy Pham pic.twitter.com/rKNZD2lVMc
— Benjamin Hochman (@hochman) January 14, 2018
Dude is a star in the making.
BRING ME ALL YOUR TOMMY PHAM STORIES!
Luke Gregerson was named the closer to start 2018.
*Looks up Luke Gregerson’s 2017 stats…*
- 4.57 ERA
- 62 hits in 61 innings pitched
- 31 runs surrendered
- 13 home runs surrendered
- 0.0 WAR
¯_(ツ)_/¯
You hate to put too much stock in anything that happens the first 7-10 days of a season, but I can promise you if a blown save in the 9th happens with Gregerson on the mound?
It’s going to be your first big story of 2018.
Twitter polls should be relied on about as much as single ply toilet paper…
But…
https://twitter.com/snoopdoug44/status/952239467720474625
That’s not good.
Feels like the fans might not be totally on board with this one.
Cardinals continue to treat bloggers like actual humans.
@Cardinals just wanted to say thank you for allowing bloggers access to winter warm up. They work so hard to generate great content, it's great to get to see what they can do with a little access.
— Heath Wayman (@HeathWayman) January 16, 2018
Digital fist bumps all around.
+++++
It was nice having Cardinals takes back in our lives over the weekend.
On to Febrauary.
Photo: Visit MO
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