Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - Is a FIRE SALE Imminent?

Starting point is 00:00:00 The St. Louis Cardinals got swept in Arizona. Normally, I would say that's a bad thing. But was it? Was it? Or is this actually going to benefit the team and their decision making moving forward? You are locked on Cardinals. Your daily St. Louis Cardinals podcast, part of the Locked on podcast network, your team every day. Hey there, Carlis fans. I'm J.D. Hafford and I'm your host for Lockdown Cardinals. Part of the Lockdown Podcast Network covering your team every day. You can give me a follow on X at JD Sports Radio, the podcast also on X at Ella underscore Cardinals. We're on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram at Locked on Cardinals. It's show serving Cardinal Nation and giving the best fans in baseball, all of the info about the birds on the bat. Today's episode being brought to you by Fandall. Right now, new customers can get $150 in bonus bets when your first $5 bet wins.

Starting point is 00:00:57 Let's talk about what we just saw in Arizona, because depending on your feelings about this year's team, either the worst or the best possible scenario occurred over the first three games back from the all-star break for the Cardinals. They got beat in all three games by the Arizona Diamondbacks, who, in my opinion, are a good team. And I feel like the record that they have does not reflect how talented that roster actually is. It's a bit shocking to see that they were three games under 500 coming into this series, although the Cardinals had swept them earlier this year at Bush Stadium. I just feel like they're a better team than this.

Starting point is 00:01:38 And they beat the Cardinals rather easily. You know, Cardinals fall 7.3, 10 to 1, 5 to 3. The starting pitching was abysmal. The offense lacked any sort of punch until the later innings. And overall, it was just a very flat, non-competitive performance that, to me, is inexcusable coming out of the all-star break. There is no reason for you to. come out of an all-star break flat like that. Now, on one hand, you can be like me and be a little bit ticked off at what you witnessed because I was. I was kind of like, this is, what is this?

Starting point is 00:02:15 This is stupid. You know, this is a team that's right in the thick of this wildcard race and to start the second half looking like this is awful. The boys were a bit worn down going into the All-Star break after, you know, it was a tough month of June and early July. It's been grueling. The boys were a bit worn down. I can understand that. But only Brendan Donovan had any commitments to anything baseball related over the break. Everyone else got a few days away, get a chance to rest up, heal up, do what needs to be done to get yourself reinvigorated for the second half in these final games of July before the trade deadline.

Starting point is 00:03:00 And instead, you got whatever the hell that was. in Arizona. It was just a very disappointing performance from a team that perhaps is simply run out of steam. Maybe that's the case. Maybe they were never as good as we thought they were. At least I thought they were. I don't want to put words in your mouth because there are plenty of you who were like, no, this is exactly who I thought they were.

Starting point is 00:03:20 A lot of people predicted that they'd be like this all season of below 500 type of roster. I still choose to believe that they are better than this as a whole. but I also think that constantly being down early in games has taken its toll on this offense. I don't have the stats in front of me, but to me it always feels like they're down three to nothing. It's always three to nothing, something like that at some point. You know, it was three to nothing after the second inning on Friday in this series, was three to nothing after the first on Saturday, then four to nothing after the first on Sunday. And I realize that leaves a lot of games still to go.

Starting point is 00:04:01 You still got eight innings in most of these cases. But there has to be a feeling of here we go again that is setting in when it's like this on a consistent basis. I mean, go back to the series before the break against Atlanta. You're down three to one. At one point on Sunday, you come back. You win that game five to four. Saturday down three to nothing. Came back to tide and take the lead.

Starting point is 00:04:30 I went to see Sean Murphy light up Mayton in that eighth inning to lose seven to six. Friday night down, three to nothing before they even take a swing of the bat. They are always, at least it feels like they are always playing from behind

Starting point is 00:04:46 and not one to nothing. It's always like a few runs. And I don't care how mentally strong you are. Eventually, this gets old and fatigue from living this way is going to set in. And maybe that's what we saw in Arizona. There's like, geez, can you guys give us a couple of endings just to kind of get our crap together first before putting us in a hole?

Starting point is 00:05:14 And we can bitch and moan about the offense in this series if we want because they had plenty of chances where they had guys on base and then they just never came through with any of the big hits. You know, Sunday bases loaded nobody out and they only get one run across. They don't even get the ball out of the infield. They don't even get it past the first basement. Two groundouts and a strikeout pathetic. It was awful.

Starting point is 00:05:37 And there was many occasions that were similar to that, where there are guys on base, they just can't come through and get a clutch hit. But the real problem has been the starting pitching, who has consistently put them behind the eight ball in these games recently. The cardal starters have a combined ERA of 4.54 this season, seventh worst than baseball. The funny thing is when I was going to look up these stats,

Starting point is 00:06:00 the Toronto Blue Jays, who are rolling right now at 58 and 41, and lead to ALEs by three games, their starters have an ERA of 4.55. It's worse than the Cardinal starters, but yet they're doing just fine. Doesn't make a lot of sense, but is what it is. Baseball can be weird sometimes. But everybody else that was by them sucks,

Starting point is 00:06:23 like they're not good teams. Over the last 30 days, the Cardinals team ERA, not just the starters, but the whole team combined 5.07, 4th worst in baseball. It's hard to win ball games when you can't stop the other team from scoring ever. And you're always playing from behind. Very, very difficult. Now on the other side of things, you see how I'm frustrated with what we watch this week. Because I hate non-competitive games. like that's not fun.

Starting point is 00:06:55 I hate watching the Cardinals just get their butts kicked. That's not entertaining to me when there's barely even a fight. Because in these games, where it's seven to three and five to three, they didn't do anything the whole game. And then at the end, they get a couple of runs to make it look better than it really was. But it wasn't. They got owned by the Diamondbacks in this series. But on the other side of things, you can look at this.

Starting point is 00:07:22 this nose dive over the last 20 games. It's maybe a blessing in disguise. We'll discuss that next coming up on Locked on Cardinals. 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 your products online. They're easy to use website is packed with helpful resources and the latest product information to help you get the job done right.

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Starting point is 00:08:56 and leave in comments on YouTube as well as on X or TikTok. We're getting a lot of comments on TikTok now, which is great. I feel like I'm reaching a whole new audience over on TikTok right now. So if you don't follow, try it. Give it a try. See what you think about what we're putting out there. But anyway, your feedback is always welcome and encouraged no matter where you end up listening or watching these episodes. I hate losing.

Starting point is 00:09:21 I'm spoiled. As a Cardinal fan, we haven't dealt with a lot of losing in my lifetime. But, you know, like Billy Bean and Moneyball, I hate losing. I hate it more than I like winning. Like it just, it drives me nuts. And like I said, I certainly hate it when the games aren't even competitive. That, it pisses me off, to be honest with you, that you would just get your butts handed to you like you did in Arizona and barely put up a fight. It was disturbing to see.

Starting point is 00:09:51 I hated it. And, you know, at least the Braves games, you know, were like one-run games when they were going to lose them. This Arizona series, it was a bloodbath. It was a bloodbath. mostly thanks to A Eughenio Suarez. Is there a reason why they kept testing him? Did they promise him something like they're trying to get him more money or try to get him traded out? What was the point of all that?

Starting point is 00:10:15 Four home runs. Was it four home runs, seven RBIs, five runs scored? I think it was like, what are we doing? Why do you keep going after him? Similar to how they kept testing Sean Murphy in that Brave series. Why? When you realize that a certain guy has your number, why do you keep toying with him and letting them destroy you? You do not have to pitch to them all the time.

Starting point is 00:10:42 They know that, right? Right? See, I'm getting all worked up again. All right. Deep breaths. So the other side of this is that maybe, just maybe, in getting their brains beaten by the snakes, It has helped them realize more so that they should be selling at this trade deadline. Selling is the right move.

Starting point is 00:11:09 We've been saying it here on Lockdown Cardinals for a few weeks now. Get as many assets as you can in return for whatever people might want from this roster. That's the smart move, in my opinion. The fact is the Cardinals, they're not one or two players away. There are a few players away from being convinced. contenders for a World Series championship, for anything, really. And the hope is that the prospects you do have coming up, J.J. Weatherhol, Tse, Cahoa Roby, Quinn Matthews,

Starting point is 00:11:42 tonight starter, Michael McGreevy, and others that they have in their system right now, that they're going to open up that playoff window real soon. But they aren't going to help do that this year, Like the guys I'm mentioning, the Weatherholtz, Robes, Matt, they're not here. They're not going to help you this year. Might get a glimpse of them here at the end of the season, but that's not what the season is going to look like. So why hang on to any of these veterans on expiring contracts? Like, what is the point?

Starting point is 00:12:18 There is none, right? So you know the names. We don't have to go through all of them again. Fatty, Matt's, Mayton, Helsley. But why not listen on calls about other guys? like Lars Newpar? Would somebody want Waters Newpar at this point?

Starting point is 00:12:35 Hurt right now, so he's not doing us any favors. Do Aronado, Wilson Contreras or Sunny Gray have a change of heart? Would they be willing to go somewhere else now? What about Brendan Donovan? What about Brendan Donovan? I know fans are going to be like, Brendan, wait, what?

Starting point is 00:12:55 No, what? Our only All-Star? What? But hear me out. Hear me out about Brennan Donovan. You've got Mason win at shortstop. He's not going anywhere. We love him, right?

Starting point is 00:13:09 He might be the face of your franchise. Maybe. He's very good. Could win a gold glove this year. Offense still trying to figure out what he can be. Still very young, though, 23 years old. So we're not freaking out about this, are we? But you've got J.J. Weatherhole.

Starting point is 00:13:28 Maybe he's your face of the franchise at some point. He's on the way. Where is he going to play? He's a shortstop. So you've got to find a spot for him, right? You've got Thomas C.C. Who hasn't really gotten a fair shot at the major leagues yet. You know, they bring him up and he gets some of bats here and there.

Starting point is 00:13:48 But, you know, he hasn't been part of this runway crew that has gotten a lot of opportunities. But he hasn't done all that much when he has been up this year. But it has been very good. it over his minor league career so far. You'd like to see what he could be. He plays second base, shortstop, third base, probably some outfield at some point. You've got Nolan Gorman. Doesn't play shortstop, but guess what? He plays second base, third base. And if you're planning on sticking with Nolan Gorman, you got to put him somewhere. Brennan Donovan plays second base mostly. Can help you out in multiple areas as well. Can do short. It can do short. It can do

Starting point is 00:14:28 third, can play first. Obviously, you can play the corner outfield positions if you need them to. But when you're another team and you look at the Cardinals roster and you're like, all right, who's going to help me off of their team? You're not picking through the crap. I'm not going through the dollar bin area to find something that I hope, maybe that'll work. No, you're going to go after somebody that's actually an established person and be good at the game of baseball. Like, why would somebody want Eric Fetty at this point or Miles Michaelis? You know, who's really trying to take on Nolan Aronado's contract? No matter what, the Cardinals are eating on it.

Starting point is 00:15:14 Who's doing that? Wilson Contreras, I think, would be a really nice fit for some teams. I think people would love them. I love them in St. Louis. I don't really want to see him go. But if you can get that. some good stuff for him. Sunny Gray. I like Sunny Gray. Got killed this weekend. But Brennan Donovan would be somebody, if I'm another team, that's the guy I'm looking at.

Starting point is 00:15:38 Like if there's a certain guy that I'm like, this dude's pretty good and he can do a lot of different things. That's who I would want off the Cardinals roster. I wouldn't want any of these other dudes. Maybe a package deal, maybe a Helsley and a Mayton or a Donovan, something like that. you aren't moving him to try to improve your team this year, like he did with Tommy Evan last year, which backfired spectacularly. But it would be to acquire, hopefully, top pitching talent in return

Starting point is 00:16:08 because that's where the cardals are in trouble. They don't have enough pitching. Not a lot of places, too. It's a difficult thing to get your hands on. But some of these other teams have more than they need. The Phillies got some good ones. Obviously, the Dodgers are always stacked with pitchers, and they keep signing veterans. So those guys are trade bait.

Starting point is 00:16:32 And the thing with Donovan is you're not under the gun here. He's not going to be a free agent at the end of this year. You don't have to move them. You're not stuck in a corner here. He's under control for two more seasons. And then he's going to hit free agency, and he's going to be 31. And we think of Brennan Donovan. I think of him more as a younger guy than he really is.

Starting point is 00:16:53 but, you know, 28 now. I mean, this is the prime. This is it. Like, he's an all-star. He's probably never going to be worth as much as he is right now. We talked to like this last year with Ryan Helsley. Might be a good time to move him. We love Donnie.

Starting point is 00:17:12 I'm not saying that I don't like the guy and I don't want him on my team, but he doesn't hit for a lot of power. He doesn't have much speed. And after that really hot start to begin the year, very exciting when he was right there with the batting leaders in the national league he's really cooled off he's hitting 243 with 15 rbis since may 20 and i know the rbi thing partly is because large nupar fell on his face and can't bat lead off anymore for whatever reason but you know donnie offers something to people he's got that ability to play

Starting point is 00:17:48 multiple spots he's a left-handed bat doesn't cost much that that would intrigues him teams, if I was another team, I'd be intrigued by that, looking for some help, you know, a guy that I can put at multiple infield positions or in the outfields if I need him to. Again, not saying you have to move him, but I'd certainly be listening if people were calling. I'd be listening on anyone, really. And I just, I just hope that if teams are calling, and I'm sure there's going to be a few, that the collaborative of Mo and Heinblum and the company that they have together, they just, They make smart decisions.

Starting point is 00:18:28 Don't get taken to the cleaners. Don't just trade to trade people. Have an idea of what kind of prospects you want in return and that'll help this team succeed. Not this year, but in the future, in the next two years, when this core, you know, which, as I mentioned yesterday, you know, you still got Victor and Mason Wynn. And you got the weatherholtz coming up and C.J.C.

Starting point is 00:18:52 And you're hoping that Nolan Gorman and Jordan Walker will figure things out and be a part of all of this too. Yvonne Herrera. The starters where you have Matthew Libertor and Quinn Matthews and Ticoa Robe and Tinkens and Michael McGreevy. Like you're hoping all of these guys come together in the next year or two. And this is your unit moving forward. You sign some sort of free agent to help them out, get be the star. And that's how you become relevant again. But a lot of guys have to be better. Jordan Walker, and Gorman have to be better. But if you're going to trade these veterans away this year,

Starting point is 00:19:30 you know, that's how you help push that narrative and get us to that point a little bit quicker. So you just need guys that are going to help this team succeed where this team has once again stalled for the second straight season. Remember last year they were in the thick of things for a long while and then it just tapered off and it didn't work. And they made the trade anyway and it backfired. So let's not go down that route again, right?

Starting point is 00:19:58 Let me know your thoughts below on trading Donnie. Stupid idea, clever, hate it, love it. Love the guy. Love Brennan Donovan as a person. Is he going to be around when this window opens for the Cardinals again? Debatable. Depends on when the window opens. But we got the Rockies on tap.

Starting point is 00:20:20 They're not very good. We're going to discuss what this series looks like coming up next on Locked on Cardinals. summer sports are in full swing and whether you're all about baseball under the lights like tonight in Colorado, golf on the green or high-stakes soccer action. Fandle is the best way to make every game even more exciting. Now, you're already following the action. Why not make it a little bit more thrilling? What are you afraid of?

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Starting point is 00:22:03 and local analysis on a national scale. You can fight it on the locked on MLB channel on YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast, myself and John Frisch, will be on there again tonight to run down everything that's happening in Major League Baseball. Hopefully we're talking about a Cardinals victory because the Colorado Rockies are on a path to immortality, but for all the wrong reasons. Worst team in baseball in the modern era. They're on pace to break the White Sox record set last year.

Starting point is 00:22:33 They are 24 and 75. Say that out loud. 24 and 75. And I know we look at the Cardinals and we're like, oh, whoa, it's me. Look how bad we are. When we're, what are we, three and a half, four and a half, where are we in the wild card? But either way, it is not even remotely close to what Colorado Rockies fan base is going through at this moment in time. It has been really, really bad.

Starting point is 00:23:02 So three and a half in the wild card. Cardinals are two games over 500. And, you know, we're crying as if, you know, where the Rockies are with 24 this season. So I don't know, that kind of puts things into perspective a little bit when we whined. But whatever, it's not our fault. They're so bad. That being said, you still got to go out and perform on the field against them to win the ball games. And the Rockies, they don't just roll over for people. They took three out of two out of three from the Minnesota Twins over this weekend.

Starting point is 00:23:34 Their first home series win this season just happened. They had not won a series at home yet. My guy Paul Holden locked on Rockies was giving me all the scoop on stuff. I'm like, what? That's your first one? He goes, yeah. Coorsfield has not been so kind to the Rockies this year. We know games at Coorsfield can get pretty weird.

Starting point is 00:23:59 they can get pretty wild from time to time. Anything can happen in this ballpark, which is good news for the Cardinals offense, who could use some of that Coors Field love with their hitting stats. But it also sounds like an absolute nightmare for this starting rotation, who has just been getting hammered

Starting point is 00:24:19 no matter what ballpark they're pitching in. So we've got the good at the bat here because our pitchers can't keep the ball in the ballpark anyway, and now they're going to go to Colorado and win. Enter Michael McGreevy. Hey, kid. You want to, you want a pitch? Do you want a game?

Starting point is 00:24:36 We're going to go to Colorado. Let's see, let's see what you do out there. He's going to make another spot start on Monday. Instead of Matthew Livertore, who's going to now be pushed back to Saturday, when they get back to St. Louis and take on the Padre. I'm going to actually be at that game.

Starting point is 00:24:50 attending that one. My grandma turns 100 this weekend. So I got family coming all over the place, coming in all over the country, California, Florida, everybody coming to St. Louis for this game. So if we get rain again, I feel like it's rained three years in a row that we've done this, I'm going to be upset. It drives me nuts. Every time we're there, it starts pouring.

Starting point is 00:25:12 Anyway, but the idea is to not overuse Libby in his first full season as a starter, which smart, right? You got to respect that. And it also gives Michael McGreevy another chance to make a start in the show where we all agree he belongs at this point. We don't really need to go over this anymore. He's done all he can at Memphis. He's probably extremely bored at Memphis. There's just nothing left for him to do there. Nothing left for him to learn. He's just wasting starts for them at this point. And I don't know, maybe this deadline ends and there's something happens where the Cardinals are able to move on from a couple starters.

Starting point is 00:25:49 And he'll have his regular spot finally in the rotation for the rest of 2025. We haven't seen him since he faced the Cubs on July 24th, has made three starts in Memphis since then. They haven't gone all that well. First game, actually, he was really, really good when he went back down. But then he got lit up for eight runs and three innings on July the 6th, and then seven runs and five innings on 12th, which goes in line with Cardinals starting pitching at the major league level,

Starting point is 00:26:19 allowed three home runs in those games. Oh, sounds really familiar. So the hope is that, you know, you get him back to the major leagues, as difficult as Coorsfield is to pitch in. You know, maybe that settles him down a little bit and he'll be fine. Although pitching at Coorsfield does not sound like the ideal spot for a struggling arm to make a spot start. But here we are.

Starting point is 00:26:43 Michael McGreevy owns a 422 ERA, 1.03-3 whip over 21 in the third innings with the Cardinals this year. The rest of the pitching matchups will set up with Eric Fed. on Tuesday, Andre Palante on Wednesday. And then the Cardinals head back home to that Padre series, which is a four-game series. As far as the Rockies go, they're going to have former Cardinal Austin Gomber starting tonight.

Starting point is 00:27:04 And we know how the Cardinal struggle against lefties. Yay. And we get a revenge game on top of that. Awesome. Righty Bradley Blaylock is going to be starting on Tuesday. Can't say I'm all that familiar with him. And then TBD on Wednesday for the Rockies. offensively Hunter Goodman has been a huge story for them.

Starting point is 00:27:25 Their lone all-star catcher can also play some other spots, but he's somebody that you're going to see in this series. They still got Ryan McMahon, who tends to come up with some pretty clutch hits against the Cardinals in his career. Ezekiel Tovar is back at shortstop, excellent glove. Jordan Beck is a name to watch in this series. He's been quietly solid this year. So that's a guy that you're going to be like,

Starting point is 00:27:49 Who the hell is this guy? And you're going to see him go two for five against the Cardinals and driving a couple of runs. You're going to be like, who is this guy? He's going to be a pain in the butt. He's the guy I'm kind of watching. Former number one overall pick, Mickey Moniak from the Phillies back of the day, has now found New Life in Colorado. So he's somebody to watch.

Starting point is 00:28:07 Brent and Doyle is still their center fielder, a gold glove caliber guy out there. The offense as a whole for the Rockies, they strike out a lot. We believe the league in that, which is great for a team like the Cardinals, who does not possess a lot of swing and miss on their pitching staff. So maybe get a few more punches in this series and not so much of that soft contact crap that we always hear about that, you've got in the holes. In the bullpen, a guy that I am very intrigued by,

Starting point is 00:28:36 flamethrower, Seth Halverson, walks a lot of dudes, but also throws like 115, like a big dude, throws hard. So that's somebody you'll probably see in this series at some point. of taking over the closer role for them. But the Rockies have won 24 games for a reason. Don't overthink this, all right? Arizona is a better team than their record shows. It does not signify a team that it should be at the 500 mark.

Starting point is 00:29:08 Like that Arizona Diamondbacks team is better than that record. So if I was an Arizona person, I'd be disappointed that that team is where they are. currently. But the Rockies are here for a reason. They just don't have a lot of talent. So McCartals have to take care of business. Got to get back on track. Sweep, you should do. You should be sweeping the Rockies. At the very least, two out of three. Lose this series. People will point and laugh at you. It's being honest. Thanks for making a locked on Cardinals your first list every day if you haven't already. Please give us a follow on to X at L.O underscore Cardinals at a JD Sports Radio, TikTok and Instagram and Lockedong

Starting point is 00:29:53 Cardinals on YouTube as well. You guys are the best fans in baseball for a reason. And we will see you next time on Locked on Cardinals.

Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - Is a FIRE SALE Imminent?

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