Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - Top Players Speak Up About Changes That Are Needed

Starting point is 00:00:00 Does the firing of Reds manager David Bell have the Cardinals, thinking about moving on from their own manager, Ali Marmal. We'll talk about it today on 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 Jady Haffron and I'm a national radio sports anchor, born and raised in the Lou and a Lifetime Cardinals fan. And I'm your host for Locked on Cardinals, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network,

Starting point is 00:00:33 covering your team every day. Follow me on Twitter X at JD Sports Radio and the podcast at L.O. underscore Cardinals. We want to thank those of you who make Locked-on Cardinals, your first listen every day. We are free and available, wherever you get your podcast. You can find us on YouTube. Always looking for new subscribers, new comments, new likes.

Starting point is 00:00:51 So join us on YouTube if you haven't done it already. This is a show serving Cardle Nation and giving the best fans in baseball, all of the info about the birds on the bat. Today's episode brought to you by booking.com. Booking.com, booking. Yeah, the right stay can make you a fan of any city, even your baseball rivals. Book today on booking.com, the official accommodation partner of Major League Baseball, get the booking.com app today. So the St. Louis Cardinals had a good and bad news situation this weekend.

Starting point is 00:01:23 Let's get it out of the way. Cardo's got eliminated. All right. They're not going to the playoffs this year. We've known this for a while now. Some people were still hanging on for the, for dear life thinking that they could pull it out. But the numbers game when you crunched everything up, it's been over for a few weeks now, to be honest. But they did get another series win, knocking off the AL Central Division champion Cleveland Guardians. Take two of three in the final home series at Bush Stadium this year.

Starting point is 00:01:54 After getting popped in game one by the score of five to one, the Cardinals get that six to five win on Saturday and then a two to one win on Sunday. So two more one run games. Go figure. What a shocker, right? But they get victories in those. So they take series from a very good Cleveland Guardians team that you saw why they are a playoff team in that first game for sure where, you know, you saw good base running.

Starting point is 00:02:21 You saw them not making mistakes. You saw them hitting with runners in scoring position, you know, and it's a solid squad over there. Although you look at their pitching staff, you're like, I still don't know how. they're doing it, but they've been able to do it this year. But the Cardinals take two of three against them. So that should be applauded. Okay, let's, let's not be all angry about that, you know, that, you know,

Starting point is 00:02:42 that just because they're not going to the playoffs, my lighting is a little weird here, that we should forget that they just beat another very good baseball team in a series. Now 11 and 9 in September and have taken some series from some very good, likely playoff-bound teams over the last couple of months. You know, they beat the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Yankees, one of the top teams in the league. They knocked off the Brewers twice. They got the twins who are just outside the playoff picture right now.

Starting point is 00:03:10 Now they've beaten the Guardians. And that's positive. That's positive. I don't want to just gloss over that that it's not important. But at the same time, the 11 and 9 record also includes a sweep in Toronto, where you look terrible against the last place, Blue Jays. You lost two of three to the Mariners, who are currently another one of those teams on the outside looking in.

Starting point is 00:03:32 at the playoffs right now. Obviously, the sweep in Cincinnati is still the series that I go back to that I look at and go, that's, that was it. Those were the final three nails in the coffin right there, the most glaring spot in the August schedule that just, it buried them. The Reds are not a very good team this year and so much that Dave decided that it's time for a change in Cincinnati and they have fired their manager, David Bell, and the rumors are that fan favorite Skip Schumach who's wrapping up his tenure with the Marlins, he's going to be a free agent, is a top candidate to take over the Cincinnati Reds job. Spent a couple of seasons there as a player.

Starting point is 00:04:13 And I'm sure that won't sit well with the Cardinal fans who have been asking to have current manager Ali Marmal replaced. And one of the names that most people want is Skip Schumacher to come in. Most people never wanted him to get away from the Cardinals in the first place when he left for Miami, ends up being the NL manager of the year, but this year a very tough year for the Marlins and Skip Schumacher. He's going to be a free agent. Somebody's going to, somebody's going to.

Starting point is 00:04:41 And if the Cardinals aren't moving on from Ollie, it's not going to be them. So the Reds make a lot of sense. The Reds make a lot of sense there. But the point of this is the Reds have pulled the trigger on change, a team that doesn't like change all that much, but they've pulled the trigger on change. David Bell was a good or bad manager, that's up for a debate, but they have decided to move in a

Starting point is 00:05:07 different direction, despite giving Bell an extension. They just did it in July of last season in 2023, gave him an extension through 2026. And already they're like, maybe we screwed this up and turned their back on it. The Cardinals did something this past off season that surprised a lot of us when they gave Ali an extension. They didn't want to. to set him up, according to Beau, as a lame duck manager heading into the season because they knew the beginning of the schedule wasn't all that easy. They thought it was going to be tough and they wanted to avoid any of the conversations that were going to take place about firing him by saying, no, we back him. He's our manager and that's what you're going to get. So deal with it.

Starting point is 00:05:52 But the cartels have struggled over the last two seasons under Ali. And whether you want to put the blame on him, the front office, the combination of the two, Many fans would love to see sweeping changes altogether, though. They want front office stuff change. They want coaching staff altogether change. They would love a change at manager. I've been accused by some people of being an Ali apologist, which I really disagree with. I just people get mad because I don't call him out enough in their eyes for things that he does or doesn't do.

Starting point is 00:06:25 And that's fine. You can complain about me for that as much as you want. I don't consider myself an apologist. I don't have a problem with Holly is my thing. I tend to put more of the blame on what's going on with the Cardinals, not so much on the manager, but more on player performance and on the front office moves. That's really where I put it.

Starting point is 00:06:49 Whether that's right or wrong, that's just kind of how I've been doing it. You know, if the Cardinals were better hitters with runners in scoring position, would we even be having this conversation? The Cardinals are probably knocking on the door of a playoff. If that happens, they were in a playoff spot for a couple of months this season. Is it Ali's fault that they continuously fail in these situations?

Starting point is 00:07:12 You know, if the guys who the front office chose to be the core of this offense, and I'm talking about Paul Goldsmith, no one are not, I don't, I want Wilson Contreras. If they're not coming through in the key spots where they're supposed to, what's Ollie's supposed to do about that. Goldie is hitting 200 with runners in scoring position this year. Contreras has been hurt a lot of the year, which is a big, you know, obviously caused some problems with the offense. But even when he's been in, he's heading 210 with runners in scoring position.

Starting point is 00:07:48 Nato's actually been one of the better guys on the team hitting 266 with runners in scoring position. But you couple the struggles with Goldie, the injuries with Contreras, the struggles for Nato overall this season, not just. with runners in scoring position, plus the decline of Nolan Gorman and Jordan Walker being demoted for most of the year, was all of that, Ollie's fault? If you disagree with me, that's fine. Like, let me know in the comments because, you know, some people point to maybe Ali as a motivator of some sort. Maybe that's the problem, which I really don't know. I'm not in the

Starting point is 00:08:24 clubhouse. I couldn't tell you. I thought Ollie did a pretty good job of handling the bullpen this year. didn't think it was that bad. You know, every manager is going to hit the wrong button from time to time where you call on a guy. That guy fails. Looks bad on the manager. But I think overall, he's done a pretty good job. Would you disagree with that? You know, the handling of Ryan Hellsley has been outstanding this year. Arguably the best closer in the National League and right up there with Class A from the Guardians in all of baseball. His next best two arms are what, Andrew Kittridge and Jojo Romero? Like, I mean, that's compared to other people's bullpins, that's not all that great,

Starting point is 00:09:05 although those two guys have done a barely good job this year. But those have been the top arms. And so Matthew Libertory came along as a full-time reliever. I think he's done a pretty good job. I think Ryan Fernandez has flourished. I think that's pretty good. The Riley O'Brien thing has not worked out. You know, he didn't have Keenan Middleton this year to use and deploy where he won.

Starting point is 00:09:28 And John King's done a pretty good job. You've seen a rotation of some of the back in guys of the bullpen where like, and I'm talking about like, you know, the very last where it's like, you know, Kyle Leahy and Chris Roycroft and those kind of guys where he's been able to sprinkle them in when he's had to. But the bottom line is since the 2022 season when Albert and Yanni and Wayno were still here, Goldie was your MVP that year. Nata was third in the MVP.

Starting point is 00:09:53 Since that season, the team and the organization has gotten flat. It's gotten stale and has fallen. behind the times and behind teams like the brewers very, very quickly here in the NL Central. And it's to a point where, you know, people want change. Will Ali be one of those spots that gets changed? I still don't think so. I still think Ali gets another year to see what else he can do. I mean, this year wasn't as bad as last year, but there has to be some changes of some sort.

Starting point is 00:10:27 Things have got to get going in a different direction. overall. And now we've got some of the players speaking out about how this change is needed and questioning what the front office is going to do this offseason to get things back to where we want them and where we're used to them being. So I'm going to get you some quotes from Wilson Contreras and Nolan Aranato talking about this very thing coming up next on Lockedon Cardinals. This episode of Locktown Cardinals is brought to you by booking.com. Booking.com, booking dot yeah. Explore those U.S. cities you always secretly wanted to learn more about. whether it is New York, Boston, Las Vegas, Miami, San Diego, L.A., Nashville, Kansas City.

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Starting point is 00:13:47 bets guaranteed when you place your first $5 bet at fandall.com. That's fandul.com. Thanks for making Locktown Cardinals, your first listen today for your second list. And enjoy the Locktime MLB podcast hosted by Sully, who was here daily to provide national expertise with this trademark humor. You can prepare for the fall classic with Sully, who has it all covered every single day on lockdown MLB available on YouTube or wherever you get your podcast, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. And thank you for making Lockdown Cardinals, your first listen every day. Leave your comments on YouTube as well as on Twitter X anytime you want your feedback is always welcome and encouraged. Cardinals pick up the two to one win on Sunday

Starting point is 00:14:31 thanks to a beautiful performance by Andre Palante, who took a no-no into the sixth inning. Pitching outstanding on Sunday. Offense, MIA again, but they produced a couple of runs to get the win, which ended their home record at 44 and 37 on the season, which is the ninth most wins for a home team this year with one week remaining. So there's still time for some fluctuation to go there. The Cardinals also announced a final home attendance amount of 2.8 million. So total 2,869,78 was the final total. First non-COVID season, they have failed to reach 3 million fans since 2003. I marked the lowest home attendance for a season since they drew 2.6 million in 1997.

Starting point is 00:15:19 That was at Bush Stadium 2. Now we all know that 2.8 million people did not attend the games this year at Bush Stadium. The crowds have been sparse for quite a long time, quite a long time. the fans have not been shy about voicing their opinion about the team and management through their lack of attendance. Not only this year, but last year, but even more this year. I mean, things got, because things were really, really bad last year. We knew that, you know, they were a much worse team last year. They were better this year, but not to where fans think they should be.

Starting point is 00:15:57 And the players aren't blinded this. They see what's going on. You know, this is a place that has been called baseball heaven before, not baseball heaven over the last two seasons by any means. And the players aren't thrilled with how the last two seasons have gone. And after the game yesterday, Wilson Contreras and no one Aronado spoke to the media about this stuff. Lynnworthy from the St. Louis Post Dispatch wrote a piece with quotes from Contreras and Aronado in there. He has some stuff about Paul Goldschman in there, too. I will link the story in the description for you guys.

Starting point is 00:16:31 check out the full story for yourself. The worthy rights, when asked by the post-dispatch about the club's offensive performance, this season, Contreras offered a blunt assessment, saying, quote, there are some areas that need to be addressed. I don't know if the front office is going to, but like I said, we didn't come as an offense at all during the whole year. We didn't come together, I think is what he was trying to say. We didn't come together as an offense at all during the whole year.

Starting point is 00:16:57 There's a lot of holes throughout the lineup from one to nine. and the only thing we can control is show up next year and keep working as an organization. I think the Cardinals are one of the biggest organizations in baseball. If I was the front office, I'd be hungry to own this division. But we haven't owned the division in the last two years. That is Wilson Contreras. That is your catcher, arguably your best hitter on this team who you threw under the bus last year. Let's not forget that.

Starting point is 00:17:26 You threw him under the bus. You ran over him back and four. back and forth, benched him, talk about going to the outfield, just dumb stuff. That is him speaking out loud about the willingness to do what is needed to win this division. I applaud you, Wilson Contreras. I love the fact that you're speaking up. The Cardinals, the team, they realize where they are. They realize that the group that is in that room right now is not good enough.

Starting point is 00:17:57 it's not. Nolan Aronado has been a shell of the guy he was in 2022, whether it's been injuries, which we haven't heard a lot about, but it just seems like something wasn't right the last two years. All right, whether it's his back, whether it's a show, I don't know. I don't know. Maybe it's just age, but his numbers have declined in back-to-back seasons, just like the Cardo's winning percentage has.

Starting point is 00:18:23 And Nolan Aronado seems to realize that change. is coming as well. In the same article, he said this to Worthy about his friend Paul Goldschman. I don't know if he's going to come back next year, but what a player he's been here. I still think he's got a lot of great ball in him wherever he goes. It's been an honor to play with him. And as far as what the future holds for the team, Aronado says, quote, we're going to probably need some help. The numbers are saying it. I know I keep pointing back to myself and I've got to play better. I think I could help this team more. But in our ballpark, you don't necessarily get rewarded for hitting the ball good. That's always tough. When we have a young team like we do,

Starting point is 00:19:02 it's not easy. So I think we're all open to a little help. That would be great. I don't know if that's going to happen. If it doesn't, it is what it is. We've just got to continue to find ways to get better. Again, I'll link the story in the description below, but these are two of your marquee names, probably your biggest marquee names. Is there anybody bigger? We love Sunny Gray and all, but I think Wilson Contreras and Nolan Aronado are bigger names than that. And these are the guys telling you what we all know. And that is that the Cardinals need more offense. They need better players.

Starting point is 00:19:46 Many believe the team is going to cut payroll next year because of the uncertainty with what's going on with ballets and the TV contracts and stuff. I heard this morning was listening to the radio, Randy Carrecker from 101 ESPN saying he believes that the team is going to slash about 50 million in payroll. 50 million in payroll. And what have we been talking about on this show about free agents this year? Paul Goldschmidt, Kyle Gibson, Lance Lynn. If you do not bring any of those three back, what does that save you? About 50 million in salary. Now, Caracters did say this morning that he thinks that they will bring Kyle Gibson back,

Starting point is 00:20:35 which Kyle Gibson's been good this year. I think he's been really good. I don't have an issue with that. But if they do move forward with salary going down, that means no big free agents. No big free agents coming to town this year, which may not be such a bad thing considering how horrible John Moseilac has been at signing the right free agents. Now I'm not passing judgment on Wilson Contreras yet,

Starting point is 00:21:05 but this year has been a bust because he was hurt twice. Nothing that he can do about that. Last year, you had all the confusion going on with what's going on with him calling games and stuff. They screwed it up. They made a mistake. I think Wilson Contreras is a very good hitter. But they screwed it up. And John Moseilock has never. not been the guy that's been very good at doing the shopping for this team with the payroll he's been given. He's been a failure for quite a few years now. So maybe you don't let him do the shopping. And that's one way to get around it. As far as trades go, I know we pointed out some of the bad trades that he's made. I get that. But that's the only other way you're going to be able to turn this team

Starting point is 00:22:01 around is via trades or with the expectations that guys like Nolan Gorman and Jordan Walker are going to become the key middle of the lineup bats that they envisioned them to be this year, and it didn't happen, which means that you need to make changes to whoever is going to help these guys become the players they need to be because the people that they have in place right now, it didn't work. They didn't fix these people. Now Jordan Walker is hitting 242, 5,000. runs in 14 RBIs in the month of September. The home runs, the RBIs lead the team. I think Jordan Walker's got a super bright future. And I want him to continue down the path and continue working. I think he could use a different voice helping him along the way.

Starting point is 00:22:52 But I love the fact that he's gotten better since being called back up. Like you're seeing it. You're seeing his confidence. And I applaud that. I think that's good. And that's something that the Cardinals are going to have to do. They're going to have to trust their youth. They're not going to have a choice. If they're shaving payroll, they can't go get a bunch of old farts like they did this year and bring them in to take roster spots away from young guys. They're going to have to let the young guys play, which I think is a good thing. And I think a lot of you believe it's a good thing, too. You want to see these guys get a chance. Norman Gorman only hit 205. after being sent down to Memphis, but he did pop seven home runs and have 16 RBIs in 23 games.

Starting point is 00:23:37 Mathematically, when you put that out over 162 games, that's 49 home runs and 113 RBIs. The dude can hit AAA pitching. Somebody's got to help him figure out how to hit Major League pitching and to have that same success. Again, I'm not expecting Nolan Gorman to hit 285, 290, anything like that. I would be fine with him hitting 230, 240. But the other production has to come along with it. And for a little while there this year, it was. And then it went away.

Starting point is 00:24:09 And guys at the major league level couldn't fix it. So they sent him away, sent him down to Memphis, and there's production right there, seven home runs and 16 RBIs and 23 games. I'm telling you, he's a Max Muncie type of guy. And Max Muncie is a very important part of that Dodgers offense out in L.A. one of the best teams in baseball. Nolan Gorman can be that. I believe he can be that.

Starting point is 00:24:35 But we'll see. We'll see if they put the right people in place to help him get there. But those guys are going to have to step up. Lars Newport is going to have to stay healthy next year for a whole season. He's looked much better here in September. I've enjoyed it because I think Newt can be a solid player. He's not a superstar. But he and Donovan are very important pieces to what's going to make this thing go next

Starting point is 00:24:59 year. But Gorman and Walker have to become that next level of guys to go along with Contreras and Aeronado if they plan on contending next year in the NL Central. We're going to take a look around the league next, including playoff scenarios. Even though the Cardinals aren't involved in it, I want to discuss it because this is a baseball podcast and we're going to talk some ball. That's next on Lockdown Cardinals. Price Fix is America's number one daily fantasy sports app with more than 5 million members. This is the easiest and most exciting way to play daily fantasy sports, guys. Unlike other apps on price fix, it's just you against the numbers. Pick more or less on two to six player staff projections and watch your winnings roll in. Sign up today and get $50

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Starting point is 00:26:48 Now go check out the Locked on MLB podcast with Sully. He'll prepare you for the fall classic part of the Blockton podcast network, your team every day. As much as it sucks that the Cardals are not going to be in the playoffs again this year. They've been eliminated. It doesn't mean baseball fans. just stop watching the game of baseball. All right.

Starting point is 00:27:05 Playoffs are almost here and there's some exciting stuff going on, some exciting races. Your final MLB power rankings have come out. Cardinals in at number 17. Their season high this year was 12. Season low was 27. So there they are right around the middle spot, which, you know, that's who they are.

Starting point is 00:27:21 That's who they are. The ride up on this says it's up in the air, whether the Cardinals will have their first consecutive losing season since 1994 and 95, but it's undeniable that they have stagnated. in many ways, despite exciting young players like Mason, when and of late, Jordan Walker. The question is not whether there will be changes this offseason. The question is, which changes?

Starting point is 00:27:43 Dun, dun, dun. And that's what we're all eager to figure out what are the changes going to be. How are we going to kickstart this organization back into its winning ways again? There are ways to go about it to do it. Like I said, via trades is one way to go there where you move on from, guys like Miles Michaelis. You move on from a Stephen match. You eat some of their contracts.

Starting point is 00:28:08 You trade them away to teams that want to use those guys, and you give those spots to young up-and-coming pitchers. Michael McGreevy, Andre Plante, Eric Fetty, Sonny Gray, and Kyle Gibson, I will take that rotation to start the year next year. I'm okay with that. Sure. Would you like to bring in another superstar, of course. But if you're slashing payroll, that ain't going to work.

Starting point is 00:28:31 offensively make some moves make some trades brim rooker package a deal go get them if you can't afford guys like an anthony santander you're going to have to trade people to go get some legit offensive help do some do some snooping around see what you can figure out um but changes are coming changes are coming we just don't know which one's young uh Dodgers in the top spot in the power rankings. Then it's the Phillies, Yankees, Guardians, Brewers, Astros, Padres, Orioles, Mets, and Diamondbacks. Rounding out your top 10. The playoff scenarios got the Dodgers up three on the Padres in the West, but the Padres lead the season series with the Dodgers seven to three. They've got three head to head games remaining. They're going to play

Starting point is 00:29:20 a Dodger Stadium for those. That begins on Tuesday. The club will finish the season with three games in Arizona. So they got those schedule makers made the West pretty darn cool. here at the end. So there's a chance that there could be a three-team tie in the NL West. I think we're all root for Mike Schilt, right? High five. Mike Schilt, hoping that works out in this situation. Who member finishes second in the NL West will probably get that number one in a wildcard spot. Then we got the Mets tied with Arizona for the second spot. The Braves are two games back. The Mets go to Atlanta for a three-game set starting on Tuesday. So that's huge. That'll be fun to launch over in the American League. The Orioles have six games remaining and trail by six in the

Starting point is 00:30:04 ALE standing. So the Yankees probably going to take that one, but they do have a three game series against each other still to play. The Yankees have effectively backed the Orioles into a corner. So the Orioles have to be pretty much perfect to try to get the division. Astros are up by five on the Mariners. They still play three against each other starting tonight. So there's a slim chance that Seattle can come back. But I doubt it. They just, their offense is not what it needs to be four teams are separated by just two games heading into the season's final week. The Orioles likely have that top wild card spot liked up. But the tigers, the tigers are the tiger. Why don't I sound like a pirate, not a tiger there? Either way, the tigers are now tied

Starting point is 00:30:45 with the Royals for the second spot, which is completely crazy to me. The twins are a game back right now. Mariners are two games back in the wild card. I'm rooting for the Padres and the Tigers. That's who I'm rooting for right now. I want to see the Padres do well. I think they're very exciting. We like Mike Schilt. I'm rooting for the Tigers because they don't have anybody. And yet they've been winning.

Starting point is 00:31:09 Just think it's incredible that the Detroit Tigers are where they are. Obviously, also hoping for the Royals, hoping for our brothers from another mother over in Kansas City do well. We want to see them succeed too. So my World Series picks are still Phillies and Yankees. I've had the Phillies winning it since day one. I thought the Orioles were actually going to be the better team. But I would love to see a Phillies Yankees World Series as far as excitement. You know, I want to see Judge and Soto in October.

Starting point is 00:31:40 Like I want to see that. And the Phillies, obviously, just to have a ton of talent over there. They're exciting. So it should be a lot of fun to watch. And if you're a baseball fan, I hope you stick around just because the Cardinals are done, doesn't mean baseball stops. So I hope you enjoy this final week of the season. and the chaos that will be this final week. And then we'll get into the playoffs.

Starting point is 00:32:00 So thank you for making locks on Cardinals. Your first listen to every day, if you haven't already. Give me a follow on Twitter, exudella, 1004 Cardinals at a JD Sports Radio. Please like and subscribe on YouTube and help our channel and love for the Cardinals grow.

Starting point is 00:32:11 We've got you covered for the rest of the season and into the off season. It's not like it just stops. All right. The podcast continues throughout. We'll go through all the rumors. We'll go through the minor leagues. We'll go through the Arizona Fall League,

Starting point is 00:32:24 all of that stuff. get into all of it. We get into all of it. So don't give up on us. We're still going. We're still going strong. You're the best fans in baseball for a reason. We'll see you next time on lockdown carless.

Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - Top Players Speak Up About Changes That Are Needed

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