Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - HYPE or HOPE

Starting point is 00:00:00 Opening day is almost here. So who are the players to get excited about and which one should you be skeptical of in 2025? This is Locked on Cardinals. You are Locked on Cardinals. Your daily St. Louis Cardinals podcast, part of the Locked on Podcasts network, part of the Locked on Podcasts network covering your team every day. You can follow me on X at J.D. Sports Radio. You can follow the podcast at Lattern. on underscore Cardinals. We're on YouTube. Be sure to like, subscribe, and comment, hit that notification button so you know when the new episodes are dropped as well as when we put out those shorts. And we're also available on TikTok and Instagram at Lockedong Cardinals. This is a show, serving Cardinal Nation and giving the best fans in baseball, all of the info about the birds on the bat. It is opening day Eve for the Cardinals. And just like you, I'm as excited for the season as anybody, you know, it's like, for me, it feels more like the night before the first day of school.

Starting point is 00:01:08 This isn't exactly Christmas morning that we're waiting on. It's, it's, I'm feeling excited, obviously, as everybody should be, new season, new hopes, new dreams. But at the same time, I've got a little anxiety, little anxiety about what this year is going to look like for the St. Louis Cardinals. There's a lot of question marks coming into the season surrounding this team, especially after they unsuccessfully tried to somewhat blow things up a bit and go with kind of the youth movement is what they were trying to do. And they failed to do anything resembling that sort of movement, right? Anything that looked like a franchise that was resetting or rebuilding. They essentially just chose not to spend any more money.

Starting point is 00:01:59 and they're going to run it back with the guys that they have in-house outside of the blockbuster deal for a relief pitcher Phil Mayton. But part of me is kind of cool with that. Because my philosophy when it comes to this stuff is if you weren't going to spend top dollar to go get the superstars in the league, right, who are going to cost you crazy amounts of money, then don't just go spend money just to say you spent money. that's like the worst thing you can do. It reminds me of when they went and signed like Andrew Miller and when they signed

Starting point is 00:02:39 Dexter Fowler, like these were guys that were expensive, but those weren't the moves that were going to move the needle, right? So I didn't want to see them go down that path again. And what it means for this team is that just a whole lot of guys are just going to have to step up and become more, become better, live up to expectations finally. And of course, you got to stay healthy. That's always a huge thing for any team. So today we're going to do something I want to call Hyper Hope, where we're going to

Starting point is 00:03:13 look at certain members of this Cardl's roster that right now I am over the moon thrilled about and have lofty expectations for it. then there are some guys that, frankly, I'm just hoping for the best, and I'm a little hesitant to trust this year. Leading off for the hype trade, we're going to start with Wilson Contreras. Big Willie finally has the burden of being a major league catcher off his plate and now has plenty of room to eat on the offensive side of the game. and I'm expecting him to eat quite well. I mean, to relate it to things that we go through as everyday people who aren't professional athletes. Have you ever had a job where your boss, you have this job, these are your duties,

Starting point is 00:04:08 but then your boss just gives you too many things to do and it buries you to the point where it takes away from the other aspects of your job. And instead of being like great at one part of it, you're now spread so thin that everything just kind of comes up a bit. That's how I feel about Contreras. His ability to hit the baseball is top notch. Always has been. But it was being weighed down, in my opinion, by the sheer volume of stuff that it takes to be a major league catcher.

Starting point is 00:04:44 It is a really, really tough job. You know, we often ask, well, how come catchers aren't better hitters? All they do is see. pitching coming at them day in, day out, all day, all night, constantly. How come they're not better hitters? And I think it's because so much goes into the position itself, physically for sure. I mean, have you ever tried to stand and crouch and stand and crouch a couple hundred times over a two and a half hour time period? Kind of rough. Kind of rough on the legs, on the knees, on the hips, the back.

Starting point is 00:05:22 Not to mention you got to deal with foul tips. You got to deal with bats hitting you in the back of the head or in the forearm like it did Wilson last year. You just take a lot of punishment back there. Blocking balls, things hitting you in the cup and the nether regions where things aren't supposed to be hitting. And then there's also the mental side. The mental side is just as exhausting with knowing not only your pitching staff,

Starting point is 00:05:49 and their information, what they're good, what they're bad at, what their pitches look like, what they throw, what they don't throw. But then learning the other teams players in their crap, too, because you've got to go through their scouting reports and figure out what they are good and not good at. And then when you're done with all that, then you get to go bat in the heart of our lineup, learn the other team's pitching staff so you can hit off of them and hopefully lead us to victory with your bat. That's it. That's all you got to do. Go get them. It's not an easy task. It's not. It's why finding an elite catcher that can pull off both sides of this baseball miracle are few and far between.

Starting point is 00:06:31 It ain't easy. Usually you're really good at one side or the other or you're just kind of mid at both of them. But very rarely do you find somebody who can do both things at an elite level. So it might make you appreciate what some of these catchers are doing in the league right now. with all the things that he had to do as a catcher now gone, all just whoop. I feel like we're just going to see a much more fresh and rejuvenated Wilson Contrits at the plate in 2025. I mean, look what he was doing this spring. He balked up.

Starting point is 00:07:10 Like he looks very, very muscular in the upper body this year. He just looks locked in. Like he looks excited to have something new. doesn't have as much pressure for being a catcher anymore. The defense is going to have its warts over at first base. It just does. He's switching to first base. He's not going to look like Paul Goldschmidt over there.

Starting point is 00:07:32 So just get used to it. I know we look pretty darn good in the spring, but there's going to be occasions, I'm sure, this year where you're going to be like, what was that? But it's part of the growing pains, learning a new position. But as long as he stays healthy, I expect big things from Willie in 2025.

Starting point is 00:07:51 Fan Graf's has him projected at 243, 24 home runs. I'm taking me over on both those. I am. I think he's going to have a monster year over at first base offensively. I'm also excited about his replacement behind the plate, Nevan Herrera, new starting catcher. And obviously, my excitement for that is because of the offensive capabilities. The defense is well below what you need,

Starting point is 00:08:14 which is why Pedro Pah has a solid backup for him. But I continue to beat the drum for what I've seen offensive. from Herrera. I've said it before. Perhaps his future is to be down there at first base when that Wilson Contrera's contract is up because there's been little doubt at any level that Ivan Herrera can swing the lumber. He's done it everywhere he's gone. Van Graf's this year has him at 255 with nine home runs this season because they see him only making 399 plate appearances and appearing in 100 games due to the splits with Pahas. You know, they they think that the split's going to be rather large, obviously.

Starting point is 00:08:56 Like, I just think he's going to see more time than that, honestly. I do, especially of some of the other bats in this Cardinals lineup, they don't wake up and become what you think they are supposed to be and hope they will be. You know, you can't win unless you score runs. And the Cardinals need an offensive help. can get just need Herrera to be a better player behind the plate. And I'm not talking about a goal goal over. He doesn't make a leap like that.

Starting point is 00:09:31 But he's got to be better. He's got to at least resemble a catcher who can throw somebody out at second base that's trying to steal that can block, you know, somebody who spikes a curve ball or spikes one of those sweepers. And it doesn't go back and he's chasing the ball all the time. He's got to be better. so that the good side of him, which is the offense, isn't outweighed by his defensive deficiencies, and then he's not in the lineup anymore because they can't trust him behind the plate.

Starting point is 00:10:02 But I love Willie. I love Yvonne. I think he'll get better. I'm very much optimistic about that. We're going to move on to some of the names that are more hope than hype next on Locked on Cardinals. Looking for a snack that's both delicious and nutritious, then my friends crack into a good source of protein with Wonderful pistachios. Wonderful pistachios is one of the highest protein nuts, which is good. Because each one ounce serving has six grams of protein, which your body needs, giving you over 10% of your daily value. Plus, they're packed with fiber, which is going to help with the digestive stuff,

Starting point is 00:10:42 and better for you unsaturated fats to help keep you feeling fuller, longer. Anybody knows that you try to diet when you start to feel the tummy rumbles. That's when you start picking at things. that you're probably not supposed to put in your body. And wonderful pistachios is going to help you feel fuller, longer. I like the no-shells variety because I like to grab them and go. They're perfect for me when I need a snack. Like you're going to be watching the ball games.

Starting point is 00:11:08 Like regular season starting and you're going to be there. And you can be stuff in your face with some stuff that's not so good for you. Or you can go with waterproofal pistachios, get the protein you need. It makes it super easy to get that quick protein boost and provide all nine essential amino acids. It makes perfect sense. So get snacking, get cracking with the snack to packs of protein punch. Go ahead and visit wonderful pistachios.com to learn more. That's wonderful pistachios.com. Thanks for making a lot. Tom Cardinals your first listen every day. Leave your comments on YouTube as well as on X anytime you want your feedback is always welcome and encourage. I try to keep things

Starting point is 00:11:51 fresh with poll questions up there each and every day. We've got a food one up there. We did movies yesterday. So I got a food one up there for you today. So be sure to check that out. The curious case of Nolan Gorman is becoming an all too familiar one to Cardinal fans. You got a guy who's an early round draft pick. Gorman was a first round pick, but, you know, somebody that people think really highly up. Loads of talent. Put up really good numbers in the minors. A lot of hype surrounding him.

Starting point is 00:12:20 He makes a splash at the major league level early on in his career, but then has trouble reaching that level ever again. We've seen it a couple of different times. Dylan Carlson comes to mind. Alex Reyes, Jack Flaherty, Shelby Miller, Carlos Martinez, to an extent. Somebody that I remember that, you know, all of a sudden he was in an all-star game.

Starting point is 00:12:41 You're like, yes, and then it just faded. A lot of these guys dealt with injuries, which is a reason why their careers were held back a little bit. But the Cardinals had been waiting for one of their top guys. You know, one of their big prospects to actually become a star player for quite a while now. Nolan Gorman was the Cardinals number two prospect. As far back as 2019, this is 2025 now.

Starting point is 00:13:07 At that time, 2019, Alex Reyes was at the top of the charts. He's out of baseball. Nolan Gorman, still with the Cardinals. Andrew Kisner, backup guy, Dakota Hudson. Not really sure where he well. Last time I checked, he was with the Rockies, things weren't going well. And then speaking of Rockies, the number five prospect for the Cardinals back then, Alarice Montero.

Starting point is 00:13:30 was number five. And after that, it went to Dylan Carlson was our top guy with Gorman, Matthew Liebertoore, Yvonne Herrera, Zach Thompson by 2021. Then in 2022, Jordan Walker pops onto the scene. He takes the top spot. Gorman's there number two. Libby Herrera, then Mason Wynn was in at number five. The common theme here is that Nolan Gorman still hasn't ascended to where people thought. he would be. He's got talent. He's got talent. Talent that clearly scouts and everyone else has seen. We've seen it at the major league level. Seen in the minors saw the major league level. And heading into the season, the thought was that, you know, maybe giving him an everyday job saying, here, take it. It's yours. Giving him that from the start might relax him a little bit. We could see him unleash

Starting point is 00:14:30 the potential once again like we did in 23 when he popped off for 27 dingers, drove in 76 runs and did it in under 500 plate appearances. Like it looked like we found a masher. The strikeouts have been an issue. He's got to put bat on ball more often so that the power can be utilized. You know, he's got this, but we don't hit the ball.

Starting point is 00:14:58 The ball's not going anywhere. Again, at home runs, we don't put the bat on the ball. But he took a major step back last year. He looked back. This offseason puts in the time, puts in the effort with new hitting coach Bram Brown in the offseason. And the idea was to get him a full season in the show,

Starting point is 00:15:16 not yo-yoing back and forth between Memphis and see what's what. But because of the inability to move Nolan Aronado, he's now competing for time. and at bats with Alec Burleson in that DH spot and Brendan Donovan at second base. The spring got off to a really bad start for Gorman, and then we started to see some improvement as time went on. He had that six-game hitting streak right at the beginning of March, cut down on the strikeouts. You didn't see him like striking out two, three times a game, like, you know, one here and there,

Starting point is 00:15:52 but it wasn't anything drastic where you're just like, gosh, he looks awful. but only one home run in 53 of bats and personally I was just I was hoping for more you know I was just I wanted to see more even if he was only hitting what did he finish 189 I think in the spring even if he was doing that but if I saw like three four home runs or something I'm like okay all right we can live with that but we didn't get that we got a few doubles but only one home run. And I don't want this to get misconstrued because my everydayer is going to be like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, are you quitting on Nolan Gorman? Because I'm not. I'm not. I still believe in Nolan Gorman. I'm probably going to die on that hill. The way things are

Starting point is 00:16:38 trending for him, I'm probably going to die on that hill. Because I believe that he can be the Cardinals version of Max Muncie. I really do. But the issue for me is where and when is he going to get the abats to do it? Now, once again, like the pitching staff, the Cardinals are healthy right now, which is great. There's a lot of solid, healthy guys that also deserve at bats. I mean, I don't think the guys were predicting that Victor Scott would shoot up the charts the way he did, where he earned that starting center fielder job. I don't think they saw that coming, but now he's there and things have to be adjusted.

Starting point is 00:17:25 Things obviously can change. Lars Newpar is a guy that we all love that has never been able to stay healthy and stay on the field long enough. Fingers crossed, though, that he can get like 140 games this year. That's what we're hoping for. Mason win. We've already heard about him with the back issues last year.

Starting point is 00:17:44 He's dealing with the sore wrist now. I'm not saying he's injury prone or anything like that, but the idea of him playing even anywhere close to 162 games is ludicrous. As of right now, Brennan Donovan will spell him at shortstop, which means Gorman can play second base when that happens. You know, the idea of these Iron Man guys that have to play 150 games a year, I find it just silly nowadays.

Starting point is 00:18:09 Like, you just have to have guys that are pieces that can move around and do some things because these guys are going to need days off. Probably wouldn't hurt Nolan Arnato to take more days off at this point in his career to remain fresh. Gorman can play over at third base as well. But this isn't going to be an easy job for Ali, you know, to evaluate, not only evaluate guys for the future and who the cardals want to keep around for a while, but at the same time trying not to punt on 2025.

Starting point is 00:18:43 You know, when you talk about giving these guys runway, how long is that runway, though, if you're still trying to win games? You know, if Gorman comes out of the gate and he's two, for 20 with 8Ks and like a double. Are they going to keep plugging them in and saying, no, no, no, you're our guy. We're good. Like how long is this runway really going to be

Starting point is 00:19:07 before they start getting ants in the pants and they're like, oh gosh. And the cardals, say the cardals are floating around 500. They're not like, you know, they haven't fallen back or anything. You know, in situations where if you're like, you know, your season's going to suck or, you know, a trade deadline or something. And, you know, you try.

Starting point is 00:19:25 trade guys off and that is when you give the last, you know, the month of August and September to the young guys to just play. Easier to do it then than it is at the beginning of the season. So, and right now, technically, he's not even an everyday starter. Like he's competing for a spot. They're just going to switch off between him and Burleson, you know, what if Burleson comes out crushing it? So I'm more hopeful than hype for Nolan Gorman at the point, but certainly things can change. You know, you know I'm going to be coming in hot when he smacks his first blast of the year. Guns blazing, I'm going to come in hot on social media. Just be gentle on me when all the strikeouts are happening. Okay. Jordan Walker is in like a similar situation where I have more hope than hype, but Jordan, he's got the starting job. He's got the

Starting point is 00:20:23 starting job in right field, it's his. So I'm more comfortable in leaning towards hype than hope with Jordan. You know, I see him play and I just marvel at the athlete that Jordan Walker is. You've got the size. You've got the strength. You've got the speed. You've got the arm. And we're talking about a 22-year-old still. I know it feels like Jordan Walker should be pushing 30 by now. around for a little bit. It's 22. It's going to be 23 in May, I think. But yeah, I can't fathom the idea that Jordan Walker is not going to do well. Like, I can't see him failing as an everyday right fielder for the Cardinals, which, by the way, starting right fielder for three straight years, saw that. And I was like, yeah, he has been at me. And again, Gorman's not some old man, 24.

Starting point is 00:21:23 So you can see why the Cardinals were hoping to move Aronado to open up not only salary, which was a big part of it, but some playing time for Gorman. So it's a tough spot for him right now. If he had hit better in spring and perhaps we're talking about him as the everyday D.H. And it's not Burleson, who looks to be a step ahead of him in the packing order right now. So we're going to do some quick hit Hyper Hope guys next. Plus I want to talk about ballpark cuisine. Cardinals unleashed some new items for us to enjoy Bush Stadium this year.

Starting point is 00:21:58 I want to talk about them because I love food. And that's what I want to do. So we're going to talk about this stuff next on Locked on Cardinals. Ever check your bank account and wonder, where did all my money go? Between dining out, online shopping, and entertainment, it's very easy to lose track. Yesterday, the wife and I ordered from a restaurant. And boom, it was like $40.

Starting point is 00:22:23 And we didn't get anything drastic. And you're just like, wow, 40 bucks, man. That's where Monarch money comes in. They're going to be your personal CFO. They're going to give you full visibility and control over your finances. They're not just a budgeting app. It's a complete financial command center where you can track all your accounts, your investments, and spending and do it all in one place.

Starting point is 00:22:44 So instead of just managing your money, you can start building wealth. And it's very convenient and easy to shop and do things online these days. And money's going out. and you're not really keeping track of it. And then all of a sudden you look at your account, you're like, oh, hold up a second. And that's where Monarch Marty can help you out. Monarch money is going to, instead of juggling multiple apps,

Starting point is 00:23:07 you use Monarch to check your finances, you're tasking them to track your spending, and even plan for long-term goals. And if you're married, it makes managing your money with your partner even that much more smoother. Take control of your finances with Monarch money. Use the code locked on MLB. at monarchmoney.com.

Starting point is 00:23:26 That's going to get you 50% off your first year. That's monarchmoney.com, M-O-N-A-R-C-H-M-O-N-E-Y. Code Locked on MLB for half off your first year. Get the supplies you need from the site made for the skilled trade. Supply House, whether you're in plumbing, HVAC, or electrical work. Supply House is the reliable way to order products online. They're easy to use website. It's packed with helpful resources and the latest product information.

Starting point is 00:23:56 which is going to help you get the job done right, which is the ultimate goal. Get it right. Plus with a complete inventory of over 200,000 parts from 400 plus top brands, you'll find exactly what you need. It'll get delivered fast to you from coast to coast. Need help with an order? Good.

Starting point is 00:24:14 Supply house is there for you. Offers expert support and industry leading service. That way you get to talk to a real person, which is not the easiest thing to do in this day and age. But supply house says, uh-uh, we got real people for. you and for trade pros if you're looking for an extra edge their free trade master program offers exclusive perks like a dedicated phone line free shipping and discounts on every order thousands of

Starting point is 00:24:36 skilled professionals are already taking advantage now it's your turn join the trademaster program today at supplyhouse.com slash tm and start ordering plumbing hvacc and electrical supplies with just a few clicks plus use promo code sh5 for 5% off your first order that's supplyhouse Thanks for making Locked on Cardinals, your first listen today for your second list. And I want you to check out Locked on Fantasy Baseball, the podcast with host Dominic and Matthew, they got the ins and outs and the scoops on all these guys. This is what they do. They are, if you ever listen to the podcast, like they know every player.

Starting point is 00:25:23 They know exactly what their stats are. They got projections. They got rankings. If you're a fantasy person like I am, Matthew, Dominic, they're going to hook you up. They're going to get you all the information. Draft season is here. You've probably already done it, but maybe you got injuries on your roster already.

Starting point is 00:25:40 They're going to tell you who to drop, who to pick up, what you need to do for the certain situation you're in. You can find Locked on Fantasy Baseball on YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast. All right. Let's wrap up the hyper hope segment. I'm a big believer in Victor Scott the second. Always have been.

Starting point is 00:25:55 I have an affinity for speed. I am attracted to it. I think it's just I love it. I need it. I want it. I think the most fun teams in baseball to watch are the ones that have a lot of speed, and they are just circling the bases. I grew up in the 80s watching, you know, the Cardinals in those years with Whitey Ball. So that's what I want.

Starting point is 00:26:21 I like it. I love it a lot. Victor Scott's got it. One of the fastest guys in the league. If he's on base, it's going to be a problem for opposing teams. They're going to be worried about him. It's going to bother them that he's over the. they're at first base or second base.

Starting point is 00:26:34 And I'm hype for him. I'm hype for him. I'm glad the team recognized that this group is better with Victor Scott on this roster. And they put him on it. Hype for Scott the second. I'm so glad that he won that center field job. Hope for Nolan Aronado. Hope for Nolan Aronado to regain the form and the passion for the game that made him a fan favorite

Starting point is 00:27:02 across the league. Like everybody loved Olin Aronado when he was in Colorado. They loved him. And that star has faded a little bit. People don't look at him the same anymore. And I want them to look at him like he's special again. You saw that energy, the home run he hit in Memphis on Monday. I need that from him more this year. I need him when he makes a great play at third base when he was like, ah, and he was excited. Give me that. injected into my veins. That's what I want. I need, I don't need a peaceful, everything's okay, Nolan Arnada. I want somebody who's going to get in people's faces. I want the guy that gets pissed off when someone, you know, throws a ball high and tied on him and just throwing catchers out of the way like he did when he first got to St. Louis, ready to scream at pitchers. I need that guy.

Starting point is 00:27:55 I need him. He needs to be here in St. Louis at my hot corner. I have hope for DeLars New Park to stay healthy this year and love that they agreed to put him in the leadoff spot. At least we think that's where he's going to be to start the season. One of the best guys in the league, works the hell out of an account. Got to be exhausting. Got just an exhausting batter to face if you're a pitcher. He's going to be that guy that helps you wear out that starting pitcher and eat into their bullpen.

Starting point is 00:28:27 He's going to see six, seven, eight pitches in a bat. like he's wonderful at the top of the order i'm very hopeful just got to just got to keep him healthy right that's really what it is pitching wise a lot of veterans in the starting rotation so hyper hope for any of them not really i hope that the stuff we saw from sunny gray is indeed a blip and not something more but i'm really nervous at what i saw this spring from sunny and at the end of last year. We're talking about illnesses and, you know, ramping up and stuff. You know, he fell a little behind because he had to get that injection in the off season. That's something to worry about too. He says he's not feeling any pain. He's good. But things were going the wrong way last year in the second

Starting point is 00:29:15 half. He got worn out. Didn't look good at all this spring. And I think we're all getting that PTSD of Adam Wainwright, who was really, really good. And then, boom, fill off the cliff. So I hope we could all point and laugh at me and anyone else who are panicking a little bit to start the year. If he comes out and gets pummeled by the twins that doesn't have without Royce Lewis in their lineup, then the hope is going to become, oh, crap, we're going to be hitting this panic button back here. You see it? I got a brand new panic button for us this year. We're going to be banging the hell out of that if things don't look good on Thursday.

Starting point is 00:29:57 I am hyped for the bullpen. I love what they got out there despite moving one of their big weapons in Matthew Libertor to the rotation. You saw great springs from Joe Joe Romero. Kyle Leahy opening up some eyes. I really like him. Chris Roycroft won the role. Helsley obviously was really good. Fernandez had two tough outings against the Mets.

Starting point is 00:30:19 So just don't pitch him against the Mets. And you'll be fine because the rest of the spring he was awesome. I have hope that the Matthew Libitor move. works out. He was really good in the pen last year, and I get that he can always go back there, but personally, I'm just hoping things don't go sideways. But for the sake of his sanity, my sanity, the fan sanity, and his franchise as a whole, I'm really hoping it works out. And he becomes a reliable starter to go along with guys that are going to be the future of this rotation. I hope things continue to go well for Andre Palante like they did in the second half last year.

Starting point is 00:30:56 but you got Quinn Matthews, you got Michael McGreevy, who's ready. He's stuck in Memphis, but he's ready. Ticcoa Roby blew people away this spring with how good he looked. Team Kent, obviously, could be somebody that gets in the pen, but he could be using the rotation as well. You know, there's a lot of guys down there that I'm hopeful for. And however, it all shapes out, I hope that this move with Libertory, that it does not backfire in their faces.

Starting point is 00:31:26 And we get another Zach Thompson situation where, okay, well, it didn't work. So we got to put you back there. And now Thompson's hurt. We don't even know he's going to be a Cardinal for much longer because now we're looking at a 27-year-old. So that's what I'm worried about that a little bit. But they're saying all the right things since they announced the move. So maybe I should calm down a little bit.

Starting point is 00:31:48 Let's talk ballpark food. I can be calm about this. Saw that the Cardinals unveiled a whole lot of new items for Bush Stadium. Crumble cookie is going to be there now. my wife is a huge fan of those. They're these ginormous cookies if you're not familiar with them. They switch it out every week in real life. I'm not sure how it's going to work there at the stadium,

Starting point is 00:32:08 but I know they are going to have a special cardinal cookie that will be a signature cookie there. So that's cool. Three new hot dog combinations from the outfield grill, which is at Ford Plaza. You've got a barbecue brisket hot dog with fried onions, which I don't need that, but I'll take the brisket. That's good.

Starting point is 00:32:29 Red hot sausage with peppers and onions, still again, no onions, please. And a bacon, cheddar bratwurst with sourcrow and spicy aoli. Don't need the kraut, but I'll take that aioly on there. So the slinger dog is back. What is that? Third pound beef dog. The hash browns ahead had eggs on it. Nacho meat was the other thing on there.

Starting point is 00:32:52 So kind of like a brunch dog in a way. sloppy, yes, delicious, yes. That'll be available again this year. The new stand, the intentional walk. Amazing name, by the way. High five, do you ever put that one together? Asian-inspired rice and noodle bowls. They'll have dumplings, chicken egg rolls, bubble tea,

Starting point is 00:33:13 Japanese beer. Saki bombs? Can we do them? I had something similar in the Redbird Club last year, and it was, oh, so good. Mayo ketchup will be serving Cuban sandwiches, beef and cheese impanadas, cheese adipas, and plantains. So you're going to get that Cuban feel from the southeast of America.

Starting point is 00:33:35 So a lot of good stuff. Plenty of new items to go around. But when it comes to like the basic foods of the ballpark, I want to know what your favorite is. You got hot dog. You got nacho. You got pretzel. And yeah, I'm putting beer in as the fourth food item.

Starting point is 00:33:51 Because there are some people who will eat before a game. They don't really eat at the game. And then just drinking beers, making, making beer cup snakes out in the, out in the bleachers and stuff. So pull questions up on X. Hit me up and let me know what your answer is. Also, really cool to see Alec Burleson and Brendan Donovan at the Blues game last night. The Blues won their seventh in a row after kicking the holy hell of the Montreal

Starting point is 00:34:15 Canadians. Do me a favor. Show some love over to Haley at Lockdown Blues. She's, like, bouncing off the walls. Excitement as she should be. You know, the boys are on a heater right. now. They're trying to catch the Minnesota Wild for that top wild card spot. Right now, they're all alone in that second spot. Cards are going to battle the twins in their first series.

Starting point is 00:34:34 So Blue is trying to catch the wild. Cardinals trying to beat the twins down with Minnesota. That's the mindset right now. Thanks for making a lockdown cardinals your first listen every day. If you haven't already, please give us a follow on next at L.O underscore Cardinals and at JD Sports Radio. TikTok at Lockdown Cardinals on Instagram as well. Like, subscribe on YouTube, help our channel and love for the Cardinals grow. You guys are the best fans of baseball for a reason. It's almost opening day. I'm very excited. We'll see you next time on Lockdown Cardinals.

Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - HYPE or HOPE

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.