Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - Pitching Schedule For The Weekend And A Deeper Look At Shortstop

Starting point is 00:00:00 We've got the likely pitching schedule for this weekend as the Cardinals play their first spring training games, plus a deeper look at the shortstop position. Is there enough depth in the organization to make it work this year if something were to go wrong? This is Locked on Cardinals. You are Locked on Cardinals. Your daily St. Louis Cardinals podcast, part of the Locked on podcast network, your team every day. Hey there, Cardinals fans. I'm J.D. Hafford and I'm a national radio sports anchor. Born and raised in the Lou and a lifetime Cardinals, and I'm your host for Locked on Cardinals,

Starting point is 00:00:44 part of the Locked on podcast network covering your team every day. You can follow me on Twitter X at JD Sports Radio. You can also follow the podcast, also available on Twitter X at L0 underscore Cardinals. I want to thank those of you who make Locktown Cardinals your first listen every day, free and available wherever you get your podcast. And if you like the visual side of the show, YouTube is where you can find us. Make sure you like, subscribe, and comment. Interact with us, hit the notification button so you know when the new episodes

Starting point is 00:01:10 are posted. A lot of good ones up. Noah Menlinger, Cardinals prospect, joined the show this week. We talked some Nolan Gorman last night. We talked Nolan Arnato earlier in the week. So don't miss out because this is a show, serving Cardinals 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. Make every moment more new customers join today. And you'll get $150 in bonus bets if your first bet of $5 or more wins. Visit fandle.com slash locked on to get started. It has been one of the longest off seasons for the Cardinals in quite some time, definitely in recent history, because the offseason for them, technically it started in August, right? Normally you've got them fighting for the wildcard spot or at least the division championship, which at least gets you to the end of the season, playing meaningful baseball

Starting point is 00:02:02 into September, late September, and then a lot of time in October. But last year, it was over. midsummer and the white flags officially came out. We're waving very high. Like we're done, we quit. Trade deadline. You know, Jordan Montgomery, Jordan Hicks, Jack Flaherty, Chris Stratt,

Starting point is 00:02:22 and all this pitching gets moved, gone. Still amazing to me that Jordan Montgomery, by the way, is still, as of this recording, still doesn't have a deal done yet. John Heyman mentioned that the Cubs, Red Sox, Angels, Giants, there are some teams to keep an eye on. when it comes to Monty, I think we can all agree that if he becomes a cub,

Starting point is 00:02:42 there will be a considerable amount of anger among the Cardinals fan base that they would let him go to Chicago, but Cardinals aren't making any more moves. They're set and ready to go as far as pitching goes. So instead of the normal, like, let's get back to what we were focusing on, but instead of getting the normal like four months of offseason that we're used to, the Cardinals have essentially been in their offseason for around seven, seven months. where we were talking last year about what we're going to do this year.

Starting point is 00:03:12 Like, it's been a long time. And this weekend, they will be back on the diamond. Well, diamonds, if you want to be specific since it's split squad, and get to actually play some baseball against some other teams. And that makes me happy. They should make you happy as well. Now, as far as the rosters for each game on Saturday, you've got the home game against the Marlins.

Starting point is 00:03:31 Share the complex, home game, whatever. And then you have the away game against the Mets in Port St. Lucy. and it's been reported by Jeff Jones with the Belleville, Belleville News that most of the veterans are going to stay with the club in Jupiter for the home game against the Marlins. Katie Wu says that most of the projected starters are scheduled to suit up. They probably will suit up, but also that some guys with experience are going to have to travel due to roster rules and have to go face the Mets.

Starting point is 00:04:00 We do know that new bench coach, Daniel DeScalso, is going to be managing the home game and that Ali Marmal will manage the squad that's traveling to take on New York. The home game is supposed to be on Valley Sports Midwest and the away game MLB. TV, I believe that's where you can find these games if you want to watch them. Pitching-wise, we know that Matthew Libertor is going to be starting the home game against the Marlin. Zach Thompson will get to start in Port St. Lucie against the Mets. And according to Derek Gould at STL Today.com, they each will be targeted for two innings of work.

Starting point is 00:04:38 It has not been detailed of what pitchers will go to which game yet, but the pitchers prioritize to follow the two lefties in those games. You've got right-hander Adam Kloffinstein, Michael McGreevy, Victor Santos, Ryan Helsley, Jojo Romero, Andre Palante, Nick Robertson, John King, Riley O'Brien, and Ryan Fernandez. And it's no secret how my favorite thing to watch at least this spring. is going to be the battles in the bullpen. That's genuinely what I'm excited about, the bullpen competition. There's just, there's so many new arms and so many new faces,

Starting point is 00:05:15 and I want to see all of them. I want to see all of them on that list alone that I, that I just rattled off to you. You've got Santos Robertson, O'Brien and Fernandez, who weren't even with the organization last year. Clopfenstein wasn't with the organization. The start came over at the trade deadline, so we only got a glimpse of him with the Cardinals, really. But I'm excited to see these guys. I want to see what they're all about and see if all of these things that we've been reading about as far as, you know, movement on their pitches and learning sweepers and all this stuff. And these guys were throwing 98. I want to see it. I'm excited about it. On Sunday, Lefty Drew Rom, another deadline acquisition guy last year who ended up getting eight starts in the big leagues last

Starting point is 00:05:55 year with the Cardinals is scheduled to start against Houston at the ballpark in West Palm Beach, Florida. up set to follow him into the game are Gordon Grecepho, Tink Hintz, Connor Thomas, and Wilking Rodriguez. Grecepho, hence Thomas, and the starter ROM are all expected to throw two winnings, and Gould says that the Cardinals intend to let Rodriguez get him in against frontline hitters. That's the goal, which means that he may be that first pitcher out of the bullpen into the game after Rom so that he can face more of the Astros potential starters if they're still around after the second inning. So that's just kind of the idea of what's going to happen this weekend. Jeff Jones tweeted that Marmal will not, is not, was not willing, sorry, was not willing to share

Starting point is 00:06:41 Monday or Tuesday starters on Friday morning, but did say that Sunny Gray is a live option for Tuesday. Monday would be on turn for Lance Lynn, but he pointed out that they haven't seen him throw two winnings to live hitters just yet, said that that's likely going to be the Tocoa Robe or perhaps Cooper Jerpy spot instead. One player that the Cardinals have put a lot of stock into this season is not going to play as far as we've been told so far. We'll not be playing in either game on Saturday is shortstop Mason Wynn, who's been dealing with some tightness in his upper body.

Starting point is 00:07:16 It doesn't appear to be anything to worry about footage from this morning. He was in the cage. He was heading. He was swinging. It was already doing defensive stuff. So precautionary. but he could be ready for game action as early as Sunday, perhaps even Monday. But I want to talk more about the shortstop position.

Starting point is 00:07:35 We're going to talk about Mason. We'll talk about Tommy Edmund and the depth in the organization and whether or not maybe it's a good idea to go out and sign like a veteran shortstop to be the backup this year at the big league level. So we'll get into all of that next on Lockstone Cardinals. Today's episode is brought to you in part by Backblaze. Now, data is the digital world's most precious resource. Backblaze has made it their mission to make it easy for us to store, use, and protect your data. Okay? They protect all the data on your machines automatically, which is great.

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Starting point is 00:09:56 always welcome and encourage. I want your feedback. I want to hear your side of things. You think these are good moves, bad moves. What are you feeling about it? That's encouraged. So don't be shy. Leave your marks.

Starting point is 00:10:08 Nobody's going to rip on you and make you feel silly. That's not what this is about. Our channel is not about that whatsoever. It's just genuinely Cardinal fans getting together and having civilized discussions about what's going on with the squad. So last year, the Cardinals came into the season with Tommy Edmund, set to be the starting shortstop. Wins a Gold Glove at second base, but they got other dudes who are

Starting point is 00:10:31 play second base now. Donovan and Gorman were set to take over there. Paul DeYoung was your backup, much to the chagrined of many Cardinal fans. But that was the plan last year. But due to injuries, performance, we saw DeYoung end up playing 81 games at shortstop last year for the Cardinals. 81. Half of them. Edmund only played 48. Mason Wend, win third on the list there with 36 games. Edmund ended up playing in 51 games at second, 49 in the outfield and 42 of those were in center field to go along with the games that he played it's shortstop. Now, despite his struggles offensively and the late season call up where he was just up for, you know, like those 36 games, you know, he batted 172, the OPS plus of 29. That's pretty

Starting point is 00:11:16 gross. The keys to the position have been handed over to Mason Wend, when the top prospect in the Cardinals organization. The Cardinals definitely feel that they can trust him defensively. I don't think that's an issue whatsoever. I remember seeing him in spring training last year, and we loved what he was doing with the glove, you know? But the offensive side of his game has a lot of people worried. And you look at those numbers and you can understand why. I'm personally not one of them. I am not somebody who thinks Mason win for some reason or another

Starting point is 00:11:45 is just going to suck at hitting at the major league level. I think it's way too premature to judge him off of his first month in the pros and decide that he is not a good hitter. just randomly out of nowhere, just not a good hitter anymore. Like it doesn't matter what he did at AAA, double A, anywhere along the line. Folks have already made their mind up that he's just not a good hitter. It's never going to be one at the major league level.

Starting point is 00:12:12 I don't understand that thinking. I don't get it, but I can understand you being concerned after seeing what you saw last year. And not to be negative Nancy here, but what if those offensive struggles do continue early on in 2024? I'm not expecting them to, but what if, what if? Or heaven forbid, what happens if he gets hurt?

Starting point is 00:12:33 Talked about him dealing with tightness already in the upper body. Nothing to freak out about again. He was back doing his normal stuff today. But, you know, things happen. Things happen. So what do the Cardinals do then? That's the real question. What do they do then?

Starting point is 00:12:47 Because right now, you're back of shortstop. Is your starting center fielder? And to make matters even more complicated, he's coming off for his surgery. and isn't even ready to play yet. So we're still hopeful that he's going to be okay and be able to play on opening day. We don't know that yet. We don't. We're hopeful.

Starting point is 00:13:08 He's on the right track, but we don't know. Things happen. So the idea is when Tommy Edmund doesn't play center field and he's got to play some shortstop when Mason wins a day off and maybe he's struggle, for whatever reason it may be, when Tommy has to play shortstop that Dylan Carlin will then get the center field reps with Newton left, Walker, and right, which is not a horrible plan by any means. But again, we are talking about the same Dylan Carlson, who himself has been dealing with a lot of annoying injury issues, certainly went through him a lot last year,

Starting point is 00:13:42 as well as over the last couple of years. And, you know, he hasn't exactly performed at the level many thought he would when he was played. When he was healthy enough to be out there, it's not like he was lighting up the world with his bat, the glove is fine, but you were expecting more out of Dylan Carlson. We all were, especially after his rookie year. And it just hasn't happened yet due to a lot of injuries and just his inability to hit right end of pitching. That's been a problem.

Starting point is 00:14:13 But let's stick with the shortstop element of this. I don't want to go on a tangent talking about the outfield. But I know Brennan Donovan could probably pull off playing shortstop if he needed to. He's played there at the major league level before. In fact, it's been reported that he's been doing both shortstop and second base drills so far at camp. I'm cool with that. I think Brennan Donovan is certainly qualified to pull that off. But let's also remember that guy is coming off of elbow surgery as well and to throw some shortstop,

Starting point is 00:14:42 a little more demanding than the ones you're going to have at second base. He has been cleared to throw without any limitations. So it's not like he's still working his way back. but he want to be a little bit cautious early on. And, you know, like I said, shortstop throws a little different than second base. Internally, for the Cardinals, you've got Jose Fermin, who you saw at the end of last year. He's on the 40-man roster. And we've also got AA MVP Thomas Sejacy, who was recently seen with the wizard himself, Ozzie Smith,

Starting point is 00:15:13 working out with him at camp, which is fantastic. I love seeing Ozzie Smith out there working with him and Mason Wend and anybody who's playing on the infield. Ozzie, my favorite guy growing up. The Cardinals will have both of them playing games at shortstop during camp, talking about C.C. and for me, because they want to see if either one of them can be that next backup plan here. But what else is available, right? What else is out there that might be a good fit for the Cardinals if they need to go outside

Starting point is 00:15:41 of the organization and sign somebody? Well, Derek Gould threw out some names recently. One of them is a guy that Paul Goldschman is familiar with, and that would be Nick Ahmed. about Ahmed, who's 34 years old. One back-to-back gold gloves for Arizona, 2018, and 2019. His first baseman for that first gold glove was

Starting point is 00:15:59 Paul Goldsmith and his double-play partner several times during that season was Cardinals bench coach Daniel Descalso. He's viewed as a glove first, reliable shortstop who could handle the everyday rigors of the position. He started 56 games there for the Diamondbacks before being released a month before their pennant

Starting point is 00:16:16 run. 234 a career hitter, so not much there. Right-handed bat, but that could be appealing to the Cardinals, given how lefty heavy their bench and backups could be. The Cardinals don't have a lot of available spots to go around, like as far as bench spots, right? And depending on the recovery of Tommy Edmund, they might have to hang on to a guy who can fill that backup shortstop role. And it's all part of the competition. There's not a lot of competition for starting spots, but bullpen, backup rolls.

Starting point is 00:16:49 those are the things where the Cardinals have to make a few decisions on. And that competition for the bench spots got even tighter when they signed Matt Carpenter, which is why when that happened, it kind of threw me off. I was like, wait, if he's on the team like, man, you're just squeezing the bench even more now because he's got to be on there. He's got to be on there. So in a perfect world, in a perfect world, Mason Wynn goes out there and he does what he's always done. and that's produce offensively and defensively.

Starting point is 00:17:19 He'll provide a stolen base element. You kind of want him to be that secondary leadoff guy at the bottom of the order when the lineup turns over, while also continuing his growth defensively to go along with that cannon arm, which is already one of the best arms in the league. It's already top 1%. No problem. I want to know your thoughts on this, on the shortstop position and what you'd like to see the Cardinals do behind Mason Wynne and Tommy Edmund.

Starting point is 00:17:48 Do you trust the internal options of guys like Fermin and Donovan? Or do you think they should go outside the organization and go look at a free agent like Ahmed? What do you think? Let me know in the comments section below, as well as on Twitter. We're going to wrap it up with the Cardinals' Hall of Fame Fan Ballot, plus the latest on where Blake Snow could be going.

Starting point is 00:18:07 That's next on Locked on Cardinals. Get buckets with your first bed on Fandul, America's number one sports book because right now new customers get $150 in bonus bets with any winning $5 bet. That's $150. If your bet wins, bet on all your favorite NBA players and teams, and you can do it in a number of different ways. I point this out all the time because as a fantasy basketball guy,

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Starting point is 00:19:09 even that much more enjoyable. So visit Fandle.com slash locked on and shoot your shot. Fandall, official sports book partner of the NBA. Locked on has launched the first ever national sports 24-7 streaming channel on YouTube. And now it's also available on Amazon Fire TV in the free Fire TV channels app. Locked on Sports Today is here for you, 24-7 covering the top sports stories of the day with the local experts of Locked-on, people like me. Plus our national shows covering every single league. So find Locked on Sports Today now available on the Free Fire TV channels app. The Cardinals announced the fan ballot for the Team Hall of Fame, and it's only four names this season.

Starting point is 00:19:56 You've got Edgar Rintereo, Matt Morris, George Hendrick, and National Baseball Hall of Famer, Steve Carlton. Now, I understand why you would vote for any of these guys. I do. I get it. Steve Carlton is already a Hall of Fame. Like, he was amazing. It sucks that he didn't play his entire career in a Cardinals uniform. But the guy I'm pulling for and continue to pull for, I voted for him last.

Starting point is 00:20:20 year and that was Edgar Rinterea. I think he remains one of the most underrated Cardinals of all time. Six seasons with the club hit 290. He averaged 12 home runs, 75 RBIs and 25 stolen bases a year with them. Never played less than 141 games a season while in St. Louis. So very dependable. Three time All-Star, three-time Silver Slugger winner. He won two gold gloves. Sadly, didn't win a World Series while with the Cardinals. Got one with the Sox, got one with the Marlins. Never won one with the Cardinals, but on some really good teams back in 2000, 2002, and especially that 2014, they won 105 games, but ended up losing to Boston in the World Series. That was a tough one. But decide who you want to vote for. I just, I think Edgar Rentaria gets looked over a lot by Cardinals fans. You forget

Starting point is 00:21:10 how really good he was with those teams back then. So just something to think about. Reliever, Keenan Middleton, has switched his number no longer going to be number 99. He is moved on to number 93. According to reports, he says he meant to be 93 the whole time because he saw there had never been a 93 in St. Louis, and it was just a manufacturing mix-up that had him temporarily in number 99. So long live, so to Gucci as the lone number 99 in Cardinals history. I mentioned earlier that Jordan Montgomery remains a free agent, but we've still got the NLSI Young Award winner Blake Snell out there too. And the latest on him from John Heyman is that though there's no evidence that there's been significant movement and talks in weeks and the sides are at least chatting.

Starting point is 00:21:55 A slight softening on the Yankees part was recently detected. Heyman continues saying that a Yankees person who'd been saying for weeks, they are done seeking Snell, only noted late last week that Snell's camp would have to move its demands to get something done. Based on the Yankees original offer first reported by the post weeks ago, the sides were about $100 million plus apart, though at the time the Inkees were believed to be willing to go to a sixth year. The short term thought might be tough for the Yankees since a higher average annual value adds luxury tax money and they'd still be giving up draft choices. And I read this about Blake Snell and I'm like, can you imagine being a hundred million dollars apart? and he's got a plus at the end of this,

Starting point is 00:22:46 100 million plus apart on what you think you're worth and what the team thinks you're worth. Oh my God. I mean, the Cardinals don't even offer $100 million contracts, much less ones that it's even possible to be

Starting point is 00:23:02 that far apart. Like, that is crazy money, man. That is crazy money. I know he's a two-time-s-old award winner, but I I mean, someone's going to pay these guys, right? Somebody's going to pay Snell and Montgomery and Bellinger and Matt Chapman. Those are the four big ones that are still out there, whether it's the Yankees, the Mets, the Cubs.

Starting point is 00:23:25 Somebody will eventually blink, right? Because of injury, something could happen. I mean, you just saw Khodaisanga for the Mats going down, which makes me think the Mets will try to chase at least one of those two down, Snell or Montgomery, and be like, ah, whatever. What do you want? get in here. We need you. But it's crazy. It's crazy. It's hard to believe that these guys are still out there just sitting there waiting on their money. Just waiting. All right, time to wrap it up.

Starting point is 00:23:54 I'm excited for the Cardinals this week. And I hope you are to enjoy the games. We'll be back on Monday. Thank you for making Lockdown Cardinals your first listen every day. If you haven't already, please give us a follow on TwitterX at L.O underscore Cardinals and a JD Sports Radio. Please like and subscribe on YouTube. We have passed. Yeah. The 9,000 subscriber mark. Now we make the march towards 10K. That's where we go next. I need you to go there with me.

Starting point is 00:24:20 So like and subscribe on YouTube, help our channel and love for the Cardinals grow. I'm going to be here with you all season long. You're the best fans in baseball for a reason, and I will see you next time on Locked on Cardinals.

Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - Pitching Schedule For The Weekend And A Deeper Look At Shortstop

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