Mozeliak: "Some Changes" Coming For Cardinals, But Not A Rebuild

[haltz]

I liked Sunday’s trades more than today’s, probably because there was still time to improve at the deadline for next season. They didn’t improve the 2024 team which Mo said he needed to get a starter for before the offseason, and he didn’t. I think a lot of the prospects will have some utility by the end of next season, but I don’t know to what end that matters.

I said it before: they did the bare minimum and not an inch more

They were really trying to avoid going into the offseason with three holes in the rotation. Mo said it himself - that's a really tough position to be in. I can try and find the quote from a couple weeks ago.

What they did was good, and I trust the price was high maybe even too high for Cease or a Mariner but they didn't get it done. They still can before next year but the stated goal was not completed.

I'm aware that the goal stated before the deadline was to improve the roster in 2024 and beyond. I do believe that they did that with some of the pitchers acquired. Yes, they may not be on the 26-man roster today, but I would suspect at least one of them will be contributing innings to the rotation next year. And I think that in itself possibly filled one hole.

Obviously, they need to do more and they don't have the track record of spending on FAs, so that remains to be seen. But, and this is a big but, they do acquire 2 starters via trade/FA, I do think that the moves they did today will have helped them accomplish their stated goal.

I think they helped the team quite a bit, but the comment/goal I'm talking about is much more specific than that.

[Lesson]

Raising the floor is peak Mozeliak. He needs to raise the ceiling to win championships

If they signed Montgomery and Giolito, while acquiring a pitcher in the vein of Quintana via trade, do you think that would be enough to improve their odds at winning a championship?

I do.

[MrCrowesGarden]

Raising the floor is peak Mozeliak. He needs to raise the ceiling to win championships

If they signed Montgomery and Giolito, while acquiring a pitcher in the vein of Quintana via trade, do you think that would be enough to improve their odds at winning a championship?

I do.

It still leaves them as the 3rd best division winner. They need to aim higher, which is going to require trading young hitters or actually increasing payroll because 24 is still messy and a bunch of mid starters ain’t it.

[Magneto2.0]

Raising the floor is peak Mozeliak. He needs to raise the ceiling to win championships

If they signed Montgomery and Giolito, while acquiring a pitcher in the vein of Quintana via trade, do you think that would be enough to improve their odds at winning a championship?

I do.

It still leaves them as the 3rd best division winner. They need to aim higher

That would pretty much be the case regardless of free agent signings to be honest. In order to get to the Braves/Dodgers level requires some internal development of elite level talent. Not just solid/everyday players but legit all-stars. They haven't done that on either side in a long time. Hopefully Walker, Gorman, Winn, Tink become that.

[jagtrader]

Let’s point out there’s zero chance the Cardinals sign two big ticket free agent pitchers.

[Magneto2.0]

As much as I want the Cardinals to spend and they need to, that can't be their only answer or even the main answer. The reality is, free agents are becoming older and worse as years go by. Teams aren't playing around with young talent, the elite young players are getting signed to long term deals. Cardinals gotta start developing guys.

[MrCrowesGarden]

The good thing about spending though is that buys you time and options when some of the guys you were banking on turn to [expletive]. I’m not saying don’t develop although I bet that will be someone’s interpretation.

[phins]

Why the Matz hate? He’s a very reasonable four.

[cardsfantx]

The trades are fine; the 2024 rotation posted is crap

We need snell and nola

If they just re-sign flaherty and montgomery types, then why would 2024 be any different than 2023?

The floor of the rotation is higher now because of who they acquired for 2024. Their lower end options are not just Liberatore and Hudson, nor are they tied to a 40-something year old pitcher who should have retired last year.

No one we acquired is anywhere near being an option for 2024

[TGantz]

We have developed Walker, Winn, Gorman, Nootbar, Carlson, O'Neill, Edman, Donovan, Herrera, DeJong, Flaherty, Hicks, Hesley, good enough prospects to land Goldschmidt and Arenado, etc.

Let's not pretend like we have zero player development. Pitching is for sure thin. But most of the league would have killed for our young flame throwers out of the bullpen last year. Bullpens are volatile and ours imploded this year.