Let's look forward to the Cardinals Methocalypse

[Eli]

Granted, this is all on paper and they have to go out and play and yada yada but this has been a blast so far.

This is all true. But to slightly alter some wisdom from that great American philosopher, Matt Trueblood, outcomes don't invalidate processes.

[Chuck to Chuck]

During the rebuild when we used to debate (with the meatballs and Eli) whether it was worth it to suffer through the lean years to get to where Theo was headed, I still had plenty of doubt about whether it would really work. I mean so many things had to go right.

They had to get so many things right and they had to get some luck, too. They've had both of those things happen. But really, it's much more the first one than the second one. They've just repeatedly made the right call over and over and I'm not sure any front office has ever had this kind of a run of decision-making. The missteps that you can now see with hindsight* are all basically inconsequential at this point and are only noticeable because everything else has been so good.

A lot of other teams are going to try the tanking thing and it's usually not going to work, because those teams don't have Theo Epstein.

* Even when nitpicking, these are still few and far between. Edwin, the Ian Stewart trade, probably Almora, and maybe not trading certain guys like Starlin or Garza at the peak of their value. I can't even really think of anything else off the top of my head. It's impressive.

Speaking of Edwin, that's a nice $16 million rolloff next winter when Theo goes shopping.

$11 million.  $2 million of his $13mm on the books this year was a signing bonus.  Cash left to pay is $11mm.

[Quality Start Machine]

During the rebuild when we used to debate (with the meatballs and Eli) whether it was worth it to suffer through the lean years to get to where Theo was headed, I still had plenty of doubt about whether it would really work. I mean so many things had to go right.

They had to get so many things right and they had to get some luck, too. They've had both of those things happen. But really, it's much more the first one than the second one. They've just repeatedly made the right call over and over and I'm not sure any front office has ever had this kind of a run of decision-making. The missteps that you can now see with hindsight* are all basically inconsequential at this point and are only noticeable because everything else has been so good.

A lot of other teams are going to try the tanking thing and it's usually not going to work, because those teams don't have Theo Epstein.

* Even when nitpicking, these are still few and far between. Edwin, the Ian Stewart trade, probably Almora, and maybe not trading certain guys like Starlin or Garza at the peak of their value. I can't even really think of anything else off the top of my head. It's impressive.

Speaking of Edwin, that's a nice $16 million rolloff next winter when Theo goes shopping.

$11 million.  $2 million of his $13mm on the books this year was a signing bonus.  Cash left to pay is $11mm.

Whatever. It's still a nice little jingle in the pocket. Besides, there shouldn't be as many holes to plug next year.

[SKO]

During the rebuild when we used to debate (with the meatballs and Eli) whether it was worth it to suffer through the lean years to get to where Theo was headed, I still had plenty of doubt about whether it would really work. I mean so many things had to go right.

They had to get so many things right and they had to get some luck, too. They've had both of those things happen. But really, it's much more the first one than the second one. They've just repeatedly made the right call over and over and I'm not sure any front office has ever had this kind of a run of decision-making. The missteps that you can now see with hindsight* are all basically inconsequential at this point and are only noticeable because everything else has been so good.

A lot of other teams are going to try the tanking thing and it's usually not going to work, because those teams don't have Theo Epstein.

* Even when nitpicking, these are still few and far between. Edwin, the Ian Stewart trade, probably Almora, and maybe not trading certain guys like Starlin or Garza at the peak of their value. I can't even really think of anything else off the top of my head. It's impressive.

Speaking of Edwin, that's a nice $16 million rolloff next winter when Theo goes shopping.

$11 million.  $2 million of his $13mm on the books this year was a signing bonus.  Cash left to pay is $11mm.

Whatever. It's still a nice little jingle in the pocket. Besides, there shouldn't be as many holes to plug next year.

Yeah with any luck they should be set at 7/8 positions for the next 3 years at least. Could see Soler traded and a new CF brought in, I suppose, but I still don't think they'd be looking to fill any position except maybe catcher in FA. Given that Wieters is probably the only reasonably attractive free agent catcher in next year's class I think we have to hope that Contreras is for real, or Schwarber can improve, or they'll probably try filling that spot with a trade.

So any money they spend in future offseasons will probably be almost entirely devoted to pitching, extensions, and arbitration.

[Chuck to Chuck]

During the rebuild when we used to debate (with the meatballs and Eli) whether it was worth it to suffer through the lean years to get to where Theo was headed, I still had plenty of doubt about whether it would really work. I mean so many things had to go right.

They had to get so many things right and they had to get some luck, too. They've had both of those things happen. But really, it's much more the first one than the second one. They've just repeatedly made the right call over and over and I'm not sure any front office has ever had this kind of a run of decision-making. The missteps that you can now see with hindsight* are all basically inconsequential at this point and are only noticeable because everything else has been so good.

A lot of other teams are going to try the tanking thing and it's usually not going to work, because those teams don't have Theo Epstein.

* Even when nitpicking, these are still few and far between. Edwin, the Ian Stewart trade, probably Almora, and maybe not trading certain guys like Starlin or Garza at the peak of their value. I can't even really think of anything else off the top of my head. It's impressive.

Speaking of Edwin, that's a nice $16 million rolloff next winter when Theo goes shopping.

$11 million.  $2 million of his $13mm on the books this year was a signing bonus.  Cash left to pay is $11mm.

Whatever. It's still a nice little jingle in the pocket. Besides, there shouldn't be as many holes to plug next year.

There supposedly aren't that many hole pluggers available next year.

[Eli]

During the rebuild when we used to debate (with the meatballs and Eli) whether it was worth it to suffer through the lean years to get to where Theo was headed, I still had plenty of doubt about whether it would really work. I mean so many things had to go right.

They had to get so many things right and they had to get some luck, too. They've had both of those things happen. But really, it's much more the first one than the second one. They've just repeatedly made the right call over and over and I'm not sure any front office has ever had this kind of a run of decision-making. The missteps that you can now see with hindsight* are all basically inconsequential at this point and are only noticeable because everything else has been so good.

A lot of other teams are going to try the tanking thing and it's usually not going to work, because those teams don't have Theo Epstein.

* Even when nitpicking, these are still few and far between. Edwin, the Ian Stewart trade, probably Almora, and maybe not trading certain guys like Starlin or Garza at the peak of their value. I can't even really think of anything else off the top of my head. It's impressive.

Speaking of Edwin, that's a nice $16 million rolloff next winter when Theo goes shopping.

$11 million.  $2 million of his $13mm on the books this year was a signing bonus.  Cash left to pay is $11mm.

Whatever. It's still a nice little jingle in the pocket. Besides, there shouldn't be as many holes to plug next year.

There supposedly aren't that many hole pluggers available next year.

It's basically Strasburg and that's it. I think that's a big part of why they've done so much this winter.

[Quality Start Machine]

During the rebuild when we used to debate (with the meatballs and Eli) whether it was worth it to suffer through the lean years to get to where Theo was headed, I still had plenty of doubt about whether it would really work. I mean so many things had to go right.

They had to get so many things right and they had to get some luck, too. They've had both of those things happen. But really, it's much more the first one than the second one. They've just repeatedly made the right call over and over and I'm not sure any front office has ever had this kind of a run of decision-making. The missteps that you can now see with hindsight* are all basically inconsequential at this point and are only noticeable because everything else has been so good.

A lot of other teams are going to try the tanking thing and it's usually not going to work, because those teams don't have Theo Epstein.

* Even when nitpicking, these are still few and far between. Edwin, the Ian Stewart trade, probably Almora, and maybe not trading certain guys like Starlin or Garza at the peak of their value. I can't even really think of anything else off the top of my head. It's impressive.

Speaking of Edwin, that's a nice $16 million rolloff next winter when Theo goes shopping.

$11 million.  $2 million of his $13mm on the books this year was a signing bonus.  Cash left to pay is $11mm.

Whatever. It's still a nice little jingle in the pocket. Besides, there shouldn't be as many holes to plug next year.

There supposedly aren't that many hole pluggers available next year.

It's basically Strasburg and that's it. I think that's a big part of why they've done so much this winter.

That's if Dusty hasn't turned his arm and shoulder into sawdust by then.

[morpheus]

During the rebuild when we used to debate (with the meatballs and Eli) whether it was worth it to suffer through the lean years to get to where Theo was headed, I still had plenty of doubt about whether it would really work. I mean so many things had to go right.

They had to get so many things right and they had to get some luck, too. They've had both of those things happen. But really, it's much more the first one than the second one. They've just repeatedly made the right call over and over and I'm not sure any front office has ever had this kind of a run of decision-making. The missteps that you can now see with hindsight* are all basically inconsequential at this point and are only noticeable because everything else has been so good.

A lot of other teams are going to try the tanking thing and it's usually not going to work, because those teams don't have Theo Epstein.

* Even when nitpicking, these are still few and far between. Edwin, the Ian Stewart trade, probably Almora, and maybe not trading certain guys like Starlin or Garza at the peak of their value. I can't even really think of anything else off the top of my head. It's impressive.

Speaking of Edwin, that's a nice $16 million rolloff next winter when Theo goes shopping.

$11 million.  $2 million of his $13mm on the books this year was a signing bonus.  Cash left to pay is $11mm.

Whatever. It's still a nice little jingle in the pocket. Besides, there shouldn't be as many holes to plug next year.

(||)

(Desipio, I hardly even know you anymore)

[Quality Start Machine]

Dammit, I wanted the Cards to get Cueto. The BFIB meltdown would probably have been complete.

[SKO]

Oh my God http://m.stltoday.com/sports/columns/benjamin-hochman/hochman-heyward-deal-has-cardinals-feeling-jilted/article_5abf0d31-f70f-5927-aee8-019e92ad5add.html?mobile_touch=true

And some of the reaction, was, simply, release. It hurts. He spurned you, your team, your city. He's baseball's Benedict Arnold, so to speak. And really, it's not just about Heyward specifically, it's more of the idea that someone was offered a cloud in baseball heaven — and passed.

[CT III]

Oh my God http://m.stltoday.com/sports/columns/benjamin-hochman/hochman-heyward-deal-has-cardinals-feeling-jilted/article_5abf0d31-f70f-5927-aee8-019e92ad5add.html?mobile_touch=true

And some of the reaction, was, simply, release. It hurts. He spurned you, your team, your city. He's baseball's Benedict Arnold, so to speak. And really, it's not just about Heyward specifically, it's more of the idea that someone was offered a cloud in baseball heaven — and passed.

You know, I'm starting to think that maybe St. Louis' relationship with its baseball team might not be healthy.

[flannj]

Oh my God http://m.stltoday.com/sports/columns/benjamin-hochman/hochman-heyward-deal-has-cardinals-feeling-jilted/article_5abf0d31-f70f-5927-aee8-019e92ad5add.html?mobile_touch=true

And some of the reaction, was, simply, release. It hurts. He spurned you, your team, your city. He's baseball's Benedict Arnold, so to speak. And really, it's not just about Heyward specifically, it's more of the idea that someone was offered a cloud in baseball heaven — and passed.

You know, I'm starting to think that maybe St. Louis' relationship with its baseball team might not be healthy.

Kind of like relations with a relative.

[D. Doluntap]

At least Missouri can look forward to the Brayan Pena experience.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/12/yadier-molina-randal-grichuk-surgery.html

[PenFoe]

5/$75 (or $80) for Mike Leake ain't so bad for them.

[SKO]

5/$75 (or $80) for Mike Leake ain't so bad for them.

Yeah he's fine. They gave basically 5 years of the qualifying salary to a league average pitcher. I'm sure he'll be better than average for them because that's how it always works, but the way I see it they just kinda got back a little less than they lost when Lance Lynn got hurt.

I also love Cardinals fans citing his great career numbers vs. Cubs teams that spent three years losing on purpose.