1 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:08,200 Speaker 1: Hello, good morning. If you are watching as we drop 2 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:10,719 Speaker 1: this like the true loyal fan that you are, welcome 3 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: back to Cardinal territory. I'm Katie Wu. We have a 4 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 1: really exciting episode today. We have a twenty twenty five 5 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:20,439 Speaker 1: prospect preview. JJ Cooper, the editor of Baseball America, is 6 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:23,279 Speaker 1: my guest today. Super excited to have you, Jj, and 7 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:26,280 Speaker 1: we are going to talk about the newly dropped prospect 8 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: rankings and baseball specifically Cardinals. JJ. How are you good? 9 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 2: How are you doing, Katy? 10 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:34,440 Speaker 1: I'm great. I'm great. Spring Training is rapidly approaching, and 11 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:37,319 Speaker 1: every day I get a little more reality talped by 12 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:38,880 Speaker 1: it where I'm like, oh, I gotta get my life 13 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:41,639 Speaker 1: together real soon. But I really get excited when these 14 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 1: prospect rankings drop because springs training is so unique, and 15 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:47,480 Speaker 1: one of the perks about it is that you get 16 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:49,879 Speaker 1: to see all these prospects in one place and you're 17 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:53,160 Speaker 1: not hopping over or through every single affiliate trying to find, 18 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 1: you know, a Quinn Matthew Star or a JJ weatherhole 19 00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 1: in bat. So this is exciting, I think from my 20 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 1: perspective because all of these guys that I've been reading 21 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: about on Baseball America are all in the same place. 22 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:06,640 Speaker 2: They're all coming and it is kind of cool to 23 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 2: think that it's a little bit rougher for you because 24 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 2: I get to bounce around, but you know, in spring 25 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:14,679 Speaker 2: training and all kind of you know, be one place 26 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:17,039 Speaker 2: one day, one place another day. But it is kind 27 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 2: of cool just to think that we're not that far 28 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 2: away from it. It feels like the off season gets 29 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 2: shorter and shorter for me every year, but very excited 30 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:25,520 Speaker 2: to have Spring training right around the corner. 31 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 1: Yes, so this offseason felt a little bit longer for me, 32 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: mainly just because no postseason and virtually no news. So 33 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:35,400 Speaker 1: I was very excited from a personal standpoint to see 34 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:38,479 Speaker 1: your rankings out. Baseball America of course did their top 35 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:42,919 Speaker 1: one hundred prospects in baseball list. Three Cardinals on that list, 36 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 1: JJ Weatherholt, tink Hens, and Quinn Matthews. Of those three, Jj, 37 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: what do you see about and who's the most exciting 38 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 1: in that group? 39 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 2: I would say that there is a chance, if everything 40 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 2: breaks right, that we could look back on this ten 41 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:01,639 Speaker 2: years from now. And so how did JJ Weatherholts slide 42 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 2: to the Cardinals? You know, in the draft because he 43 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 2: was a guy who coming into the draft. It was 44 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 2: a very wide open draft at the top, but there 45 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:13,520 Speaker 2: was kind of this consensus group of players and weatherhol 46 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:16,200 Speaker 2: could have It would not have been a shock to 47 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:19,919 Speaker 2: hear the Guardian's draft JJ Weatherholt won one right now. 48 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:21,840 Speaker 2: That had probably been a little bit of a deal 49 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 2: save some money later on to draft other players, but 50 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:29,520 Speaker 2: he was in that consideration. So for the Cardinals to 51 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 2: be sitting there at seven, I don't think that they 52 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:34,959 Speaker 2: could have said in any way, oh, we're comfortable, we're 53 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 2: confident that weather Holt's going to get to us. You're 54 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 2: talking about a guy who has a really long track 55 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 2: record of hitting. He was a Division one batting champ 56 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 2: two years ago as a sophomore, and to get a 57 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 2: guy like that that basically plugs in and everyone has 58 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 2: to go through adjustments. I'm not saying anyone's plug and 59 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 2: play and going to just step right in the majors, 60 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:58,520 Speaker 2: but it would not be surprising at all if weather 61 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:03,320 Speaker 2: Holts minor ly. You know, seasoning period is shorter than 62 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:06,400 Speaker 2: most guys to where we're really talking about if we're 63 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 2: talking a year from now, you know that we could 64 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 2: very well just be writing in weather Holton saying, like, Okay, 65 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 2: he's expected to be kind of a key contributor to 66 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:18,360 Speaker 2: the twenty twenty six Cardinals, and it wouldn't be crazy 67 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 2: to think that, depending on how everything goes, maybe he 68 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 2: does get there by the end of this year. So 69 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:24,920 Speaker 2: that's the guy that really does stand out to me 70 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 2: from a standpoint of when you look at a guy 71 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 2: if the hit tool like that, who's going to have 72 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 2: defensive versatility, probably fits on the Cardinals, probably best as 73 00:03:32,919 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 2: a third baseman because he's not Mason Winn and there's 74 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 2: no reason to take your star young shortstop and say, oh, 75 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 2: we're gonna move you. So we'll probably see weather Holt move, 76 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 2: you know, as a shortstop third basement. Could probably play 77 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 2: second if that fit also, but he has that versatility, 78 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:50,680 Speaker 2: he has that hit tool. You put all that together, 79 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 2: it's just a it's pretty exciting to see a guy 80 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 2: like that kind of The Cardinals don't often get to 81 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:59,480 Speaker 2: draft guys like that in the draft. They often they 82 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 2: obviously I don't hope to be able to draft guys 83 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 2: like that anytime soon because they don't expect to be 84 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 2: picking that high in the draft real. 85 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: Correct, And it was funny watching the draft unfold for 86 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 1: the first time in what felt like forever, the Cardinals 87 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:14,839 Speaker 1: had a top ten pick, and now, of course they're 88 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:17,239 Speaker 1: picking up in the top ten back to back years 89 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 1: for the first time in franchise history. But as we're 90 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 1: watching the draft unfold in real time, I'm seeing you 91 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 1: just kind of know things to coverage, like your outlet, 92 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: what teams are targeting, which kind of player, and around 93 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: the fifth pick, I've looked and I said, I think 94 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: the Cardinals are gonna get JJ weatherhole And I don't 95 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: think that was a situation where they thought was possible 96 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:38,560 Speaker 1: at all, and so they end up selecting him. And 97 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:40,560 Speaker 1: about an hour later, we hop on a zoom call 98 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 1: with director of Scouting Randy Flores, and he is trying 99 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:47,159 Speaker 1: so hard to hide his elation, but it was very 100 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:49,920 Speaker 1: clear the Cardinals were not expecting a JJ Weatherholt to 101 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:51,839 Speaker 1: fall to him, and when they got him, it just 102 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: made so much sense. You talked about the versatility, you 103 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:57,239 Speaker 1: talked about the hit tool. I think from a very 104 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 1: early in his professional career outlook, he profiles exactly what 105 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 1: the Cardinals look for. And Saint Louis is suddenly going 106 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:08,039 Speaker 1: back to drafting and developing we'll get to that later 107 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 1: in the episode. But for Weatherhole, who's already I think 108 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 1: pretty accomplished and polished in his overall skill set, he 109 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 1: seems to me, exactly what you said, a plug and 110 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: play kind of guy, assuming he can adjust accordingly to 111 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: whatever affiliate level he starts at, and he just really 112 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:26,039 Speaker 1: compliments I think what the Cardinals do best, which is 113 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:28,359 Speaker 1: Biden and fielder that can put the ball in play 114 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:30,800 Speaker 1: and can move around the diamond. And that's exactly what 115 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 1: I think they have in JJ Weatherhole. 116 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 2: And like you said, this is something when we say 117 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 2: the Cardinals don't often pick in the top ten, and 118 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:39,800 Speaker 2: great stat by you that they're going to do it 119 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 2: for the first time ever back to back. The last 120 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 2: top ten pick I can find before that for the 121 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 2: Cardinals was JD Drew, you know, which again kind of 122 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 2: fits that profile. The guy JD Drew was a one 123 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:51,960 Speaker 2: to one talent who slid the five and that case 124 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 2: was really kind of about the asking price he had 125 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 2: gone the year before and kind of everyone knew it 126 00:05:57,120 --> 00:06:00,159 Speaker 2: was gonna be a tougher sign. But that's what you 127 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 2: got to do when you have if you're a team 128 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:04,440 Speaker 2: that doesn't pick at the top of the draft very 129 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:08,320 Speaker 2: often when you do get that rare situation where you 130 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 2: do you want to hit on it. Obviously you always 131 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 2: want to hit on it, but you really need to 132 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:16,520 Speaker 2: because you're not going to have those opportunities very often. 133 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:20,000 Speaker 2: Weatherhole absolutely fits that as a standpoint of like, if 134 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 2: JJ Weatherholt doesn't hit in pro ball at all, it 135 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:25,479 Speaker 2: will kind of be that one of those questions where 136 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:26,840 Speaker 2: you go back and say, well, what did we all 137 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:29,719 Speaker 2: miss because this guy has a long track record doing it. 138 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:33,160 Speaker 2: When you talk to evaluators, they're very confident about as 139 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 2: ability to do it. If you're trying to kind of 140 00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:40,159 Speaker 2: say the downside with JJ Weatherhole, it would be more 141 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 2: like that there's a chance that he's a solid player 142 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 2: rather than exceptional, which again I feel like sometimes doing 143 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 2: what we do, I often hear from people who, again 144 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 2: comment or social media, you get kind of you know, 145 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:58,680 Speaker 2: some fringe, you know comments at times. But the theme 146 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:02,000 Speaker 2: I often get is is you'll see a player traded 147 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:04,200 Speaker 2: and they'll say like, oh, but he's only like a 148 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:06,400 Speaker 2: two war player, you know, why are they trying to 149 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:09,080 Speaker 2: just get that? It's like I feel like that often 150 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 2: there's this underestimation of how hard it is to find 151 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 2: solid regulars. Like it's one of those things where if 152 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 2: JJ Weatherhold is a solid regular, that's a home run 153 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 2: of a pick. That's a wig of it, not a 154 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 2: oh he didn't end up as a five time All Star. 155 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 2: That's the kind of expectations I think sometimes they get 156 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:31,520 Speaker 2: a little bit overheated sometimes with some of these guys. 157 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:34,800 Speaker 1: I completely agree with you, and I mean it makes 158 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 1: sense when I think we're in such a great spot 159 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:41,120 Speaker 1: with the sport in terms of how we're promoting the 160 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 1: up the next step or the next the upcomers. I 161 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 1: think prospect coverage thanks to outlets like Baseball America, if 162 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 1: you are really into that, which a lot of Cardinals 163 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 1: fans are, given the state of the organization right now, 164 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:54,040 Speaker 1: it is so easy to find information and scouting reports 165 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 1: and all these stats that can help you the average 166 00:07:56,440 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 1: fan really get excited about potentially the next star of 167 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:02,920 Speaker 1: your favorite team. But drafting developing of course, like if 168 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:05,520 Speaker 1: you all of a sudden get like a Ronald Cooney junior, 169 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: that's great. Obviously, the win is drafting a major league 170 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:15,640 Speaker 1: caliber player and having them that player blossom into that role. 171 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 1: So if you are a two war player. That's a 172 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:21,680 Speaker 1: win for the organization. It doesn't matter what organization you are. 173 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 2: If you're a Lars Noopbar, if you're Brendan Donovan, guys 174 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 2: like that, where you're like, this guy's really contributing, you know, 175 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 2: like Ivon Herrera, like they're like if some of those 176 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:34,840 Speaker 2: guys take that further step forward, that's makes it even 177 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 2: more of a win. But no one out there there's 178 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:40,960 Speaker 2: basically other than maybe the Dodgers, no one out there 179 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:43,439 Speaker 2: is like, oh no, no, we've just got a two 180 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 2: and a half three war regular here and here and 181 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 2: here and here and here. It doesn't it's something that 182 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:51,800 Speaker 2: just doesn't happen. You always have holes. And that's to 183 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:55,200 Speaker 2: me where this kind of you look at this Cardinals 184 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:56,960 Speaker 2: team that's kind of in a little bit of a transition. 185 00:08:57,360 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 2: You mentioned how it's kind of been a pretty quiet offseason, 186 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:03,360 Speaker 2: and I feel like that, again, I would love kind 187 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 2: of what you know, you're closer to it than I am. 188 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:07,800 Speaker 2: I feel like that there's it's kind of been almost 189 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:11,640 Speaker 2: like a clogged off season for the Cardinals because it 190 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:14,079 Speaker 2: does feel like they made the announcement about contrast is 191 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:16,760 Speaker 2: probably going to be a first Baseman now and then 192 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:19,079 Speaker 2: you're just like, the next step is is and Nolan 193 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:22,160 Speaker 2: Aernado is a fill in the blank, and it feels 194 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:26,080 Speaker 2: like until that happens, almost like all these other moves, 195 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 2: all these other decisions, kind of our amost getting put 196 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 2: off in some ways? Is that an accurate way to 197 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:31,839 Speaker 2: put it? 198 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:34,360 Speaker 1: That has very much been the theme of the off 199 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:38,200 Speaker 1: season for definitely for myself and for fans who the 200 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:41,040 Speaker 1: writing joke on this podcast is once again, I have 201 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 1: no roster news for you. We've been doing this for 202 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 1: about over two months now and I haven't yet to 203 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:48,559 Speaker 1: have any kind of roster move to talk about with 204 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:52,160 Speaker 1: the viewers here because the Cardinals are clogged and I 205 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 1: don't think it's necessarily fair that a lot of this 206 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:56,680 Speaker 1: is hinging on if Nolan Arnado accepts a trade or not. 207 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 1: But we can get into that, but essentially that's that's 208 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:03,760 Speaker 1: what the organization has framed their off season as that 209 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:06,680 Speaker 1: they can't do anything. This is what they're saying until 210 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:08,960 Speaker 1: they know what they're doing with Arnatto. And John Mozelak 211 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 1: has said multiple times that his top priority is to 212 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 1: trade Arnato. He said that for four months, Well guess 213 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:18,280 Speaker 1: what he's still a Cardinal, and that does clog. And 214 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:20,840 Speaker 1: you know, I always say it's not a bad thing 215 00:10:20,880 --> 00:10:23,360 Speaker 1: to have the top third basement in your generation on 216 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 1: your roster. And if your goal is to try to 217 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:28,040 Speaker 1: win as many games as possible in twenty twenty five 218 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:30,120 Speaker 1: at SAT with Cardinals, you do that. You have a 219 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:32,960 Speaker 1: better chance with Noel Arnatto playing third base and hitting 220 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 1: in the middle of their lineup every day. Obviously, but 221 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:37,679 Speaker 1: the Cardinals have stayed in multiple times that their goal 222 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty five, well sure is to try to compete, 223 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:42,760 Speaker 1: it's also to get extensive playing time to a lot 224 00:10:42,760 --> 00:10:45,600 Speaker 1: of their young guys on the roster, and it does 225 00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 1: clog opportunity for guys like Alec Burlison, for guys like 226 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:53,160 Speaker 1: Thomas to JC. You go down the list, all of 227 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 1: your infielders are going to be impacted because there's no 228 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 1: way Arnato is not going to play every day. He's 229 00:10:58,040 --> 00:11:01,120 Speaker 1: still a Cardinal come Opening Day. While I'm behind the 230 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:03,079 Speaker 1: youth movement for the Cardinals, I think this has been 231 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:06,320 Speaker 1: a decision a long time coming and they're finally making it. 232 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 1: I do have questions on if they're actually going to 233 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:12,839 Speaker 1: be able to execute their plan and give these guys 234 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:15,880 Speaker 1: playing time that they want. Because if Arnatto is here, 235 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:17,880 Speaker 1: I'm having a hard time scene where Thomas and jac 236 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 1: plays every day. I'm having a hard time scene what 237 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 1: Alec Gurlson can do as an everyday bat. What does 238 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: this mean for Brennan Donovan, who, like you said that 239 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 1: he's been a great addition to this Cardinals team. It 240 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:30,559 Speaker 1: just does for me, it doesn't make a lot of sense. 241 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 2: Well, let's go bed. Let's bring this back to weather 242 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:36,319 Speaker 2: Hole for a minute, right, Like, this year for Weatherhole 243 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:39,720 Speaker 2: is the year that ideally he's going to hit again. 244 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:43,679 Speaker 2: We just expect that he's probably gonna work on positional versatility. 245 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:47,360 Speaker 2: But you really ideally kind of want to start pointing 246 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:52,120 Speaker 2: him to whatever his his likely home in Saint Louis right, 247 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:57,439 Speaker 2: because he does have that versatility. Again, if shortstop looks unlikely, 248 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:01,280 Speaker 2: when you do have this young star shortstop who did 249 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:04,319 Speaker 2: everything you wanted to see and who's just better defensively 250 00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 2: than JJ Weatherholt, So okay, let's just say that short 251 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:11,080 Speaker 2: stops out, he's probably at third base. But don't you 252 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:14,920 Speaker 2: I mean again, like, if they Cardinals do clear this 253 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:17,280 Speaker 2: log jam and they do trade one of their best 254 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:20,360 Speaker 2: players in the last several years. It also kind of 255 00:12:20,360 --> 00:12:23,959 Speaker 2: opens up to see, okay at that point because we're 256 00:12:24,040 --> 00:12:26,679 Speaker 2: you know, we still have young, established big leaguers in 257 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 2: some ways, like how does Nolan Gorman fit, you know, 258 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:32,120 Speaker 2: for this team in the long term. I'll be honest, 259 00:12:32,160 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 2: Like with Jordan Walker, like obviously there's a lot of 260 00:12:34,559 --> 00:12:37,200 Speaker 2: questions to go still about his bat, but I think 261 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:39,760 Speaker 2: more than anything, the question is is where does he 262 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:43,160 Speaker 2: fit defensively on this team long term? You mentioned Burlson, 263 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:47,240 Speaker 2: It's like, okay, if you've got Burlson, who has been 264 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:51,680 Speaker 2: really a solid producer for them, and I would say 265 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:54,079 Speaker 2: a more well rounded player than maybe I expected when 266 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 2: he was coming out of college. But you've got him 267 00:12:56,280 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 2: who's kind of bat first, Jordan Walker, who needs you 268 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:03,200 Speaker 2: kind of project him to be bat first in the outfield. 269 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:05,560 Speaker 2: He's been a little bit of adventure out there that's 270 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 2: probably not maybe even we don't know if that's his 271 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 2: ideal fit long term. You got Contraras moving down the 272 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 2: spectrum to first base. It's kind of you've got these 273 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:17,240 Speaker 2: guys who they kind of need to figure out before 274 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:20,840 Speaker 2: twenty six. I would say some kind of fit of Okay, 275 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:24,559 Speaker 2: so where does Weatherholt fit best on the twenty sixteam? 276 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:26,280 Speaker 2: And some of that, I would say is kind of 277 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 2: figuring out where does the Sagace fit on the twenty 278 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:31,880 Speaker 2: five team? Where does a Gorman fit on this team? 279 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:34,440 Speaker 2: Where does you know, again, Brenda Donovan's going to probably 280 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:36,200 Speaker 2: play a little bit of wherever, but where does he 281 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:39,800 Speaker 2: fit best? There's new bar there's all these guys that 282 00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:43,760 Speaker 2: sorting out like because again, we do look at when 283 00:13:43,800 --> 00:13:46,120 Speaker 2: I look at this Cardinals team right now and you 284 00:13:46,559 --> 00:13:50,000 Speaker 2: fast forward a year, assuming Aeronau is no longer on 285 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:53,680 Speaker 2: the team at that point, Sonny Gray may still be 286 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:56,440 Speaker 2: you know, he's under contract, but there's really it does 287 00:13:56,480 --> 00:13:58,320 Speaker 2: feel like that the end of this year when you 288 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:01,640 Speaker 2: look at you know, you look at you've got multiple 289 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:06,559 Speaker 2: i would say, fixtures on this Cardinals team who are 290 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:09,800 Speaker 2: hitting free agency at the end of this year. It 291 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:11,920 Speaker 2: feels like this is kind of step one of transition, 292 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:14,600 Speaker 2: and then step two it would be next year where 293 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 2: ideally you kind of hope, I would say, you kind 294 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 2: of hope to know a little bit more about what 295 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:22,280 Speaker 2: pieces you have and where they fit than you do 296 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:22,840 Speaker 2: right now. 297 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 1: And I think that's by design. I mean we'll get 298 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 1: into this. Hein Bloom is taking over in twenty twenty 299 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:32,600 Speaker 1: six and John Moselox last year. Well, I'm sure he 300 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:34,640 Speaker 1: wants to compete, and this is not something that a 301 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:37,960 Speaker 1: decision he took lightly. He's trying to make this transition 302 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 1: for Hein Bloom as easy as possible. And at the 303 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 1: end of the twenty twenty five season, You're right, most 304 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:45,240 Speaker 1: of these free agents, the exception of Sunny Gray and 305 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:48,280 Speaker 1: Wilson contrarists. They'll be on expiring contracts. So Eric Fetti 306 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:51,880 Speaker 1: expiring contract, Miles Michaelis expiring contract, Brian Helsley, same thing. 307 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 1: That's by design. So that transition part two, I like 308 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 1: how you phrase that really does take over in twenty 309 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:02,960 Speaker 1: twenty six. One is the Cardinals answering on their current 310 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:05,600 Speaker 1: roster right now, who is going to make the cut 311 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 1: to part two, And they don't know that about Nolan Gorman. 312 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 1: They really don't know that about Jordan Walker, who is 313 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 1: if people on the show know, I am a big 314 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:16,200 Speaker 1: Jordan Walker advocate, I don't think he was really ever 315 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:18,520 Speaker 1: put in a position to succeed by the organization, and he, 316 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:20,400 Speaker 1: to me is the player they have to get right 317 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:22,360 Speaker 1: next year, but they don't know if new Bar is 318 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 1: going to be that guy. They feel pretty confident about 319 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 1: Mason Wynn and Brennan Donovan, but other than that, there 320 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:29,280 Speaker 1: are a ton of question marks all over the roster, 321 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:32,760 Speaker 1: which is why part one of this transition is so important. 322 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:35,200 Speaker 1: And then you get to part two with Hein Bloom 323 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 1: and you have whoever's made the cut from the twenty 324 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:40,480 Speaker 1: twenty five season, and you're essentially doing it all over 325 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:42,760 Speaker 1: again with these up and comers in the farm system, 326 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:44,600 Speaker 1: and that's going to be led by JJ Weatherhole. 327 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 2: The other part I would say about that is is 328 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 2: part one. I feel like a lot of it is 329 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 2: about getting the line up right that you just talked about, 330 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:56,440 Speaker 2: and then part two is about getting the rotation right, 331 00:15:56,480 --> 00:15:59,320 Speaker 2: because you just rattled it off like now, depending on 332 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:02,240 Speaker 2: how the season, we could see some of these players 333 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 2: traded mid season if the Cardinal season doesn't go as 334 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:08,520 Speaker 2: they hope. But when you look at this rotation for 335 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 2: twenty twenty six, they're going to need some new blood 336 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 2: because we kind of know if you look at where 337 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:17,520 Speaker 2: the rotation is right now and the bullpen to some extent, 338 00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 2: when you're talking about your closers, also on an expiring contract. 339 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:23,800 Speaker 2: You have a situation here where that's where I think 340 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:26,800 Speaker 2: the Quinn Matthews of the world are going to be fascinating, 341 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:30,400 Speaker 2: because Quinn really should be able to help this tink 342 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 2: Kents should be able to help this Cardinals team at 343 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 2: some point in twenty five. But I would say, as 344 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 2: much as you want to see them produce and help 345 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:41,680 Speaker 2: the Cardinals win in twenty five, if you're the Cardinals, 346 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:43,880 Speaker 2: the biggest part of it is is you want to 347 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:46,280 Speaker 2: be able to write them in in pen into your 348 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:49,040 Speaker 2: twenty twenty six plans where you say, okay, if you 349 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:52,400 Speaker 2: like when tink hens, I would say, the big thing 350 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:54,720 Speaker 2: that you want to see if you're the Cardinals coming 351 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 2: out of twenty five is we feel very comfortable tink 352 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 2: Kent showed durability, He was healthy, he took the ball, 353 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:04,640 Speaker 2: you know, twenty five times, twenty two times even let's 354 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:07,840 Speaker 2: just say as a starter in the minors and then 355 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 2: in the majors at the end of the season to 356 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 2: where we can comfortably put him in the rotation and 357 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 2: not say, oh, he threw sixty innings. So we know 358 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:19,600 Speaker 2: that we're really going to be limited by how much 359 00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:22,040 Speaker 2: we can get out of him next year. I would 360 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:23,960 Speaker 2: say I'm a little less worried about that with Quinn Matthews, 361 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:26,879 Speaker 2: who seems to take the ball every five days and 362 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:28,880 Speaker 2: say I'll give you five, I'll give you six, I'll 363 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:30,679 Speaker 2: give you seven if you need and he's done that 364 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:32,879 Speaker 2: going back to college. But but I would say, on 365 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:35,240 Speaker 2: top of that, it's like, okay, is it to CoA? 366 00:17:35,359 --> 00:17:39,000 Speaker 2: Robi is a you know Cooper, Jerpy is a There 367 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:41,879 Speaker 2: are guys here who are like, Okay, can these guys 368 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:47,479 Speaker 2: start fitting into this? Because that twenty twenty six pitching 369 00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:50,920 Speaker 2: staff has a lot of questions right now. I think again, 370 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 2: like we also have to work into that. Do the 371 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:57,480 Speaker 2: Matthew Liberturs and you know the guys like that playoff 372 00:17:57,560 --> 00:17:59,960 Speaker 2: role in that as well. And that's I think where 373 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:02,560 Speaker 2: we kind of talk about heinme Bloom, Like if you 374 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 2: ask me one of the things that you look at 375 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:08,399 Speaker 2: with heinme Bloom over multiple stops that he's done, you know, 376 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:10,879 Speaker 2: he's really done a good job of building up farm systems. 377 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:12,879 Speaker 2: And I'd say that a lot of that is there 378 00:18:12,960 --> 00:18:14,040 Speaker 2: is a you know, a lot of that is on 379 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:17,480 Speaker 2: the pitching side. And so if they can take steps 380 00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:21,200 Speaker 2: forward as far as pitching development this year, that would 381 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:23,960 Speaker 2: be crucial for them, I think for twenty six, twenty 382 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:24,639 Speaker 2: seven and beyond. 383 00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:27,199 Speaker 1: You make a really good point about pitching development, and 384 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:29,520 Speaker 1: I want to get into that. But first, it's everyone's 385 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:31,320 Speaker 1: favorite time. We have to do an ad read, so 386 00:18:31,359 --> 00:18:33,800 Speaker 1: we need too from our friends at one eight hundred Flowers. 387 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 3: Okay, Valentine's Day is coming up and we have the 388 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:38,720 Speaker 3: recommendation for you to check out right now. Don't wait. 389 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:41,600 Speaker 3: It's one eight hundred flowers dot com. 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That was by far my best ad 416 00:19:50,960 --> 00:19:53,600 Speaker 1: breed yet he's going to be so well, So thank you. 417 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:56,840 Speaker 1: It's been a work in progress. Let's talk about pitching development, 418 00:19:56,840 --> 00:20:00,439 Speaker 1: because well, you know, I've only been covered the Cardinals 419 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:03,560 Speaker 1: for about five years. I've seen a pattern in their 420 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 1: pitching development. Where you mentioned Matthew Libertorre, we can talk 421 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:12,520 Speaker 1: about Zach Thompson, Andre Polante. They have these starting pitching 422 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 1: prospects and we've seen this with Tink Hence and Cooper Derby, 423 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:19,520 Speaker 1: and they're not exactly notching up innings. And part of 424 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:22,760 Speaker 1: that is to longevity, protecting pitcher's health. I get it, 425 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:25,960 Speaker 1: but there's been kind of an awkward transition over the 426 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:28,960 Speaker 1: last two or three years where these starting pitching prospects 427 00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:32,400 Speaker 1: come up and immediately go to relief and they're bounced 428 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:35,280 Speaker 1: from relief pitching to starting in Triple A to relief 429 00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:37,400 Speaker 1: pitching in the majors back to Triple A, and they 430 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:41,160 Speaker 1: don't have designed roles, and it's taken guys like Matthew Libertory, 431 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:44,320 Speaker 1: like Andre Polante two to three years to really find 432 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:49,600 Speaker 1: their groove in whatever assignment that they have, and I'm 433 00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:53,120 Speaker 1: hoping that changes for this next crop of young pitching prospects. 434 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 1: The Cardinals hired a new director of pitching, Matt Pierpok 435 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:58,840 Speaker 1: from the Seattle Mariners. Obviously, the Mariners are very very 436 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:01,639 Speaker 1: good at pitching development, and the Cardinals have fallen behind. 437 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:04,439 Speaker 1: And a lot of aspects in player development across the board. 438 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:07,200 Speaker 1: What do you like to see from the Cardinals in 439 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:11,000 Speaker 1: terms of maybe better in their pitching development starting this year. 440 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:13,560 Speaker 2: I want to credit Jeff bonds for us because he 441 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:15,399 Speaker 2: does our Cardinals list, and Jeff has kind of we 442 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:17,560 Speaker 2: talked about this a lot that one of the things 443 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:19,359 Speaker 2: that we are seeing now is like he said, is 444 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:22,480 Speaker 2: he's doing this list this year, there's more velocity on it. 445 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:26,199 Speaker 2: And that may seem like, well, yeah, there's always more 446 00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:29,040 Speaker 2: velocity in baseball now, but that's actually been kind of 447 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:31,439 Speaker 2: I would say one of the one of the the 448 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:34,879 Speaker 2: you know, the questions with Cardinals starting pitchers. There's a 449 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:37,760 Speaker 2: little bit more kind of to work with here in 450 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:39,919 Speaker 2: some cases. But the other prob I was say, like, 451 00:21:40,480 --> 00:21:43,040 Speaker 2: if I look back at again, hein Bloom's kind of 452 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:46,480 Speaker 2: longer tenure was obviously with the Rays. I don't want 453 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:49,680 Speaker 2: to say, like, you know that everything that the Rays 454 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:52,280 Speaker 2: do was hein Bloom, and everything that heim Blum does 455 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:54,720 Speaker 2: the Rays obviously has been the red sux inctent. But 456 00:21:54,840 --> 00:21:56,719 Speaker 2: one of the things that did stand out with that 457 00:21:56,920 --> 00:22:00,960 Speaker 2: when he was with the Rays, it's kind of a 458 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:04,360 Speaker 2: you know, just a running joke, but it's it's something 459 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 2: that's paid off for them. The Ray's approach was with 460 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:12,200 Speaker 2: starting pitchers was they would rather they get two, three, four, five, six, 461 00:22:12,440 --> 00:22:16,639 Speaker 2: too many starts in triple a thence five six, seven, eight, 462 00:22:16,880 --> 00:22:19,480 Speaker 2: too few starts, right. If they brought a guy up, 463 00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:24,480 Speaker 2: they wanted him to be ready to contribute, and that 464 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:27,680 Speaker 2: also meant as far as workload innings things like that. 465 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:30,679 Speaker 2: I can think of multiple examples where the Rays have 466 00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:36,040 Speaker 2: brought up pitchers to start playoff games for them, pitch well, 467 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:38,639 Speaker 2: and then the next year the season starts, it's like, 468 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:42,360 Speaker 2: shame Baz, you're back in Triple A. David Price, You're 469 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:44,440 Speaker 2: back in Triple A. They've done this over the years 470 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:48,480 Speaker 2: where it's like no, no, no, they're our success is 471 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:51,840 Speaker 2: based around when a guy comes up as a starting pitcher, 472 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:54,720 Speaker 2: he's ready to go. Now, I don't think I'm not 473 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:57,360 Speaker 2: saying they've never had guys who go into the pen 474 00:22:57,440 --> 00:23:00,720 Speaker 2: and then move back to rotation, But more often than not, 475 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:05,520 Speaker 2: their approach was our starters are starters, are relievers, are 476 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:08,120 Speaker 2: former starters or guy, but they're generally going to stay 477 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 2: in that relief role. And I think that that's something 478 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:12,800 Speaker 2: you may see a little bit here is kind of 479 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:15,680 Speaker 2: figuring out. Now some of these guys were talking about, 480 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:19,520 Speaker 2: like tink Hence is going to kind of determine in 481 00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:23,239 Speaker 2: some ways whether you know whether not intentionally, but just 482 00:23:23,280 --> 00:23:27,119 Speaker 2: by how he performs. If he can't show he's a 483 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:31,679 Speaker 2: smaller guy, if he can't hold up as a starter 484 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:34,359 Speaker 2: over the workload of let's just say one hundred and 485 00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:36,639 Speaker 2: fifty plus innings, because that's what you're going to have 486 00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:39,399 Speaker 2: to have to be a big league starter, you know, 487 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:41,639 Speaker 2: year in year out. If he can't do that, well, 488 00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 2: then you probably are gonna end up moving into the 489 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 2: pen if you're the Cardinals, not because you don't want 490 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:47,879 Speaker 2: him to be a starter, but just because at some 491 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:51,320 Speaker 2: point that direction heads that way. You know, a Cooper 492 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:54,199 Speaker 2: Jerpy could end up in that role, not because the 493 00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:56,520 Speaker 2: Cardinals don't want him to develop as a starter, but 494 00:23:57,080 --> 00:24:00,439 Speaker 2: his assortment, kind of his strengths and weaknesses could end 495 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:03,199 Speaker 2: up fitting better in kind of a relief role. But 496 00:24:03,240 --> 00:24:05,199 Speaker 2: I would say with that also though, and again I 497 00:24:05,240 --> 00:24:07,800 Speaker 2: get this, some of this has been over the years, though, 498 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:11,480 Speaker 2: has been that because the Cardinals until this last couple 499 00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:15,760 Speaker 2: of years are always competing for titles. You see this 500 00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:20,359 Speaker 2: challenge with the Yankees, with the Dodgers, with these other teams. Also, 501 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:24,480 Speaker 2: where if you're trying to win right now, that balance 502 00:24:24,560 --> 00:24:27,159 Speaker 2: of okay, is this guy, can he help us in 503 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:29,399 Speaker 2: a pen, Yeah, is he ready to start for us? No, 504 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 2: Then a guy does get kind of jerked around a 505 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:35,159 Speaker 2: little bit because you're not in a situation to say 506 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:38,359 Speaker 2: we're focused on the long term. We're focusing on trying to, 507 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:40,800 Speaker 2: you know, to win a Pennant this year. We're trying 508 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:43,480 Speaker 2: to basically be the best team we can to try 509 00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:46,040 Speaker 2: to win a World Series this year. If there is 510 00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:48,280 Speaker 2: any advantage that has come out of this last couple 511 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:50,320 Speaker 2: of years for the Cardinals, and I would not say 512 00:24:50,359 --> 00:24:52,280 Speaker 2: it's an advantage they want to have very often, but 513 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 2: there is a little bit more runway right now to 514 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:56,439 Speaker 2: try to figure that out a thing. 515 00:24:57,119 --> 00:24:59,400 Speaker 1: JH. I think that's exactly what happened with a lot 516 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 1: of these was we're in the win now mode, and well, 517 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:06,000 Speaker 1: we can debate overall roster construction, maybe not setting up 518 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:09,600 Speaker 1: the team for the best success and that strategy. It 519 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:11,879 Speaker 1: was very clear when they were calling up these guys 520 00:25:11,920 --> 00:25:15,840 Speaker 1: like Thompson, like Liberatore, like Gordon Grisseppo for example, it 521 00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 1: was because they needed to win that day and it 522 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:21,320 Speaker 1: didn't really matter about their long term development. And the 523 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:24,000 Speaker 1: silver lining to the direction the Cardinals are taking in 524 00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:27,639 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five is they are prioritizing the development first, 525 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:29,960 Speaker 1: so that shouldn't happen to these guys anymore. Now. This 526 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:32,400 Speaker 1: is whether or not they stick to their plan of 527 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:35,520 Speaker 1: development first. But I do believe that the organization, from 528 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 1: ownership to management, is committed to doing it this way. 529 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:41,040 Speaker 1: And when the Cardinals were at their best, they were 530 00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:43,199 Speaker 1: a draft and development club, and they did it so 531 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:46,760 Speaker 1: well that the rest of the rest of the industry 532 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:49,880 Speaker 1: started copying them. And where things fell apart was as 533 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:52,600 Speaker 1: other teams made more investments, the Cardinals stayed the same. 534 00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:55,800 Speaker 1: But I do think that this is a system or 535 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:58,680 Speaker 1: a strategy that the organization can get behind because it's 536 00:25:58,680 --> 00:25:59,439 Speaker 1: worked for them before. 537 00:26:00,359 --> 00:26:04,040 Speaker 2: The thing that does surprise me of if you ask me, like, 538 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:08,159 Speaker 2: where have the Cardinals kind of that tracked, I guess 539 00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 2: in recent years compared to what's kind of been the 540 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:13,600 Speaker 2: Cardinals way to me, Like when I started at Baseball 541 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 2: America more years ago than I wanted, you know that 542 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:19,520 Speaker 2: I want to admit, like talking about talking to people 543 00:26:19,560 --> 00:26:23,160 Speaker 2: about George Kissel and what players like these legendary coaches 544 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:26,280 Speaker 2: that the Cardinals had who have been there forever who 545 00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:29,320 Speaker 2: kind of were crucial to development of players. But one 546 00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:31,080 Speaker 2: of the things I felt like the Cardinals always were 547 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:35,360 Speaker 2: good at is getting the most defensively out of position players, 548 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:39,960 Speaker 2: guys Paul Deong. No one when Paul de Young was 549 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:42,760 Speaker 2: at Illinois State. There is not a person out there 550 00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:45,919 Speaker 2: I talked to a scout, a coach, anyone who said 551 00:26:46,119 --> 00:26:47,800 Speaker 2: that's a big league shortstop. They thought it was a 552 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:49,919 Speaker 2: big leaguer, but no one thought he's going to be 553 00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:52,400 Speaker 2: able to stay at shortstop in pro ball. He didn't 554 00:26:52,400 --> 00:26:56,440 Speaker 2: even really play shortstop regularly in college. Guys like that, 555 00:26:56,520 --> 00:26:59,320 Speaker 2: the Matt Carpenters of the world, they did this over 556 00:26:59,359 --> 00:27:04,320 Speaker 2: and over where they just kept taking guys who have bats, 557 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:08,199 Speaker 2: and then they would manage to get them to be 558 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:10,919 Speaker 2: a better defender than anyone thought they were when they 559 00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:13,639 Speaker 2: were an amateur. And so then you really get value 560 00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:15,400 Speaker 2: out of this because you've got guys who were really 561 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:19,440 Speaker 2: good hitters who ended up being defensive assets, not defensive weaknesses, 562 00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:21,400 Speaker 2: at positions that they weren't even expected to be able 563 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:23,800 Speaker 2: to play. I think we've seen over the last couple 564 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:27,000 Speaker 2: of years that's something that's kind of been lost. Jordan Walker, 565 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:29,919 Speaker 2: they moved him to the outfield, but Jordan Walker has 566 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:31,919 Speaker 2: looked lost in the outfield at times and does not 567 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:35,159 Speaker 2: look comfortable out there. Nolan Gorman, they moved him, but 568 00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:38,119 Speaker 2: it didn't turn Nolan Gorman like when they moved him 569 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:40,960 Speaker 2: to second base, it didn't turn him to an exceptional 570 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:45,959 Speaker 2: defender at second base. You know, again, contres was fully 571 00:27:46,040 --> 00:27:48,520 Speaker 2: big leaguer when they brought him in. But at the 572 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:52,280 Speaker 2: same time, the Brewers have had a knack of taking 573 00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:56,240 Speaker 2: big league catchers and finding an extra gear for them defensively, 574 00:27:56,280 --> 00:27:59,399 Speaker 2: where it's like, you know, let's just take the contrerast brothers. 575 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:03,480 Speaker 2: They boa Contraras and made him a better defender than 576 00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:05,479 Speaker 2: anyone thought he was when he was coming up through 577 00:28:05,520 --> 00:28:08,080 Speaker 2: the miners. That's something I do think the Cardinals have 578 00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:12,240 Speaker 2: to get back to, is that ability to help players 579 00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:16,399 Speaker 2: add a half grade or a grade better defense in 580 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:19,639 Speaker 2: the minors or even like at that major league development side. 581 00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:21,680 Speaker 2: And that's something that's kind of I think going to 582 00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:23,639 Speaker 2: be the challenge of the next couple of years because 583 00:28:24,760 --> 00:28:27,240 Speaker 2: a lot of these problems that are these questions we're 584 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:30,280 Speaker 2: talking about, I feel like what the Cardinals get answered 585 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:33,320 Speaker 2: a lot if all of a sudden, guys who are like, okay, 586 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:35,920 Speaker 2: maybe that guy can play there becomes at least he's 587 00:28:35,920 --> 00:28:39,080 Speaker 2: an average defender, or that average defender becomes an above 588 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:39,920 Speaker 2: average defender. 589 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:42,400 Speaker 1: JJ. I think Cardinals fans will probably be giving you 590 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:45,280 Speaker 1: a standing ovation after that point, because the most common 591 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:48,840 Speaker 1: gripe I get, and it's justified throughout the season, is 592 00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:52,080 Speaker 1: what happened to the Cardinals defense? And I think you know, 593 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:54,880 Speaker 1: using your examples of Nolan Gorman and Jordan Walker, these 594 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:59,400 Speaker 1: are necessarily bad first players, but their bats have not 595 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:02,120 Speaker 1: really come to any kind of fruition that people thought 596 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:04,040 Speaker 1: that it would of the Major Leaves, and their defense 597 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:07,400 Speaker 1: has been strides behind, and that's because of the position changes. 598 00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:10,080 Speaker 1: I mean, the Cardinals knew that they had Nolan Arnatto 599 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:13,280 Speaker 1: under contract for a long time. Sure there were a 600 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:16,680 Speaker 1: couple opt outs there, but if you are trying to 601 00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:19,240 Speaker 1: win and you're under the assumption that Nolan wants to stay, 602 00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:22,200 Speaker 1: why was Jordan Walker only given four months in the 603 00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:25,000 Speaker 1: outfield before playing at the Major Leaves? Why is Nolan 604 00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:26,720 Speaker 1: Gorman all of a sudden switching a second base and 605 00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:29,320 Speaker 1: has us spring training to adjust to it. The defense 606 00:29:29,360 --> 00:29:31,520 Speaker 1: takes a hit, and when the bats don't come along, 607 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:33,920 Speaker 1: I think it just compounds everything, and it's made for 608 00:29:34,280 --> 00:29:37,000 Speaker 1: really a lot of frustration throughout the organization because all 609 00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:39,000 Speaker 1: of these players have the celium. You know this, you 610 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:41,440 Speaker 1: write about it, and it just hasn't clicked for any 611 00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:42,400 Speaker 1: of them yet. 612 00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:46,640 Speaker 2: And when you're struggling defensively, that does impact your hitting 613 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:49,560 Speaker 2: as well. Like it's not something where these are robots 614 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:52,840 Speaker 2: where it's like they can completely separate, Oh, I just 615 00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:55,840 Speaker 2: had a really rough inning in the field. Now I'm 616 00:29:55,840 --> 00:29:58,320 Speaker 2: going to come coming in at that and you know, 617 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:01,000 Speaker 2: comeing to hit and like just flush completely. You would 618 00:30:01,040 --> 00:30:03,800 Speaker 2: love to, especially when you're talking about young players, it's 619 00:30:03,840 --> 00:30:06,200 Speaker 2: hard to kind of pull off that separation of saying 620 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:08,840 Speaker 2: I'm just going to forget about my struggles out there 621 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:10,400 Speaker 2: and I'm going to give you the best at bad 622 00:30:10,440 --> 00:30:13,520 Speaker 2: I can. These are all intertwined. Like if you're feeling 623 00:30:13,560 --> 00:30:16,800 Speaker 2: comfortable and if you make a great play defensively, it 624 00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:19,680 Speaker 2: does have a little bit of an emotional carryover to 625 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:21,760 Speaker 2: when you're hitting as well. So you want to put 626 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:24,880 Speaker 2: these players in positions to succeed, and part of that 627 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:28,280 Speaker 2: is getting them comfortable playing the positions that you're asking 628 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:29,480 Speaker 2: them to play. As I see. 629 00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:33,360 Speaker 1: Couldn't agree more and hopefully that's something that the Cardinals 630 00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:35,360 Speaker 1: can figure out a way to get back to. They've 631 00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:37,480 Speaker 1: always been, up until the last couple of years, a 632 00:30:37,560 --> 00:30:39,480 Speaker 1: very strong defensive club. It's kind of been the gold 633 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:42,240 Speaker 1: standard of their organization and clearly something that they would 634 00:30:42,280 --> 00:30:45,200 Speaker 1: like to get back to. My last thing for you is, 635 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:47,960 Speaker 1: not only are the top one hundred prospect rankings out, 636 00:30:47,960 --> 00:30:50,760 Speaker 1: but the top thirty for each organization are out as well. 637 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:54,960 Speaker 1: We've talked about Janke, hence we've talked about JJ Weatherhole. 638 00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:57,720 Speaker 1: You actually came to Saint Louis for the Saint Louis 639 00:30:57,720 --> 00:31:00,720 Speaker 1: Baseball Riter Dinner and you presented Quinn Matthews, who is 640 00:31:00,760 --> 00:31:03,000 Speaker 1: on that top thirty list of course as well with 641 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:05,920 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty four Baseball America Player of the Year award. 642 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:10,960 Speaker 1: What what stood out about last year that made him 643 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:13,600 Speaker 1: worthy of such an author for you, guys, excuse me, 644 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:16,080 Speaker 1: I have a cool tooth, and I've been struggling this 645 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:16,880 Speaker 1: entire episode. 646 00:31:16,960 --> 00:31:20,400 Speaker 2: So the thing with Quinn Matthews. And by the way, 647 00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:22,080 Speaker 2: you know, I feel like I'm not trying to be 648 00:31:22,200 --> 00:31:24,320 Speaker 2: like overly critical of the Cardinals. I think the Cardinals 649 00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:25,880 Speaker 2: are doing a lot of things well here we have 650 00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:27,800 Speaker 2: to talk about Yiro Padilla, who I think is a 651 00:31:27,920 --> 00:31:30,680 Speaker 2: name one hundred percent for Cardinals fans to file away 652 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:32,440 Speaker 2: because he's going to be really good. It looks like 653 00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:36,800 Speaker 2: Quin Matthews case. That is a really an impressive case 654 00:31:36,920 --> 00:31:39,920 Speaker 2: of a draft and development success story. This isn't a 655 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:44,000 Speaker 2: first round picks, a fourth round pick who had success 656 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:49,760 Speaker 2: at Stanford but has found another gear. Is a more 657 00:31:49,800 --> 00:31:53,719 Speaker 2: well rounded pitcher with better stuff as a pro than 658 00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:58,640 Speaker 2: he was in college, and to go with really impressive durability. 659 00:31:59,560 --> 00:32:02,040 Speaker 2: He's he is kind of one of those He's got 660 00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:05,240 Speaker 2: that combination of you expectful the Stanford guy, but a 661 00:32:05,320 --> 00:32:08,120 Speaker 2: really smart guy who knows how to work, you know, 662 00:32:08,160 --> 00:32:10,400 Speaker 2: set up pitchers and all that. Many hitters, I should 663 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:12,200 Speaker 2: say set up hitters and all that, but also on 664 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:15,080 Speaker 2: top of that, has real stuff and just goes out 665 00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:18,720 Speaker 2: and does it start after start after start. He was 666 00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:22,880 Speaker 2: until he hit Triple A in September, which probably will 667 00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:25,000 Speaker 2: be a little bit beneficial for him. He didn't have 668 00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:28,200 Speaker 2: the perfect season where from day one of the season 669 00:32:28,280 --> 00:32:31,320 Speaker 2: until the final day of the season everything worked great. 670 00:32:31,840 --> 00:32:34,800 Speaker 2: He did in low A and high A and Double 671 00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:37,920 Speaker 2: A and finally hit Triple A and had that first 672 00:32:37,960 --> 00:32:40,160 Speaker 2: little setback as a pro, but it was just an 673 00:32:40,200 --> 00:32:44,240 Speaker 2: exceptional season. We talked you mentioned, Katie about the guys 674 00:32:44,240 --> 00:32:47,320 Speaker 2: who haven't shown that they can throw one hundred and 675 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:50,040 Speaker 2: forty plus innings, which nowadays one hundred and forty innings 676 00:32:50,040 --> 00:32:53,080 Speaker 2: in the minors is a really impressive workload. Quinn Matthews 677 00:32:53,120 --> 00:32:56,080 Speaker 2: has already checked that box. He's already shown that he 678 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:58,880 Speaker 2: can hold up and his stuff can he can maintain 679 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:03,120 Speaker 2: stuff over the course of a five month season if 680 00:33:03,120 --> 00:33:04,920 Speaker 2: you look at him like the season he had in 681 00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:08,920 Speaker 2: twenty twenty four was pretty much impeccable. But on top 682 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:12,200 Speaker 2: of that, it does really position him well. Probably starts 683 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:14,920 Speaker 2: the season in Triple A, but that is a guy 684 00:33:14,920 --> 00:33:17,920 Speaker 2: who goes out, has a good Triple A start, and 685 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:20,959 Speaker 2: then you can say, Okay, he's big league ready. And 686 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:23,320 Speaker 2: we're not really that worried about the workload either. We're 687 00:33:23,320 --> 00:33:26,360 Speaker 2: not worried that this is a guy who, oh, we're 688 00:33:26,360 --> 00:33:28,240 Speaker 2: gonna have to shut him down five weeks after he 689 00:33:28,280 --> 00:33:30,640 Speaker 2: comes up because he only threw eighty innings or sixty 690 00:33:30,680 --> 00:33:34,080 Speaker 2: innings or last year. Quinn Matthews has already checked that box, 691 00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:36,720 Speaker 2: has shown he can hold up, and that kind of 692 00:33:36,800 --> 00:33:38,480 Speaker 2: makes him more big league ready than a lot of 693 00:33:38,520 --> 00:33:39,920 Speaker 2: these guys were talking about. 694 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:43,040 Speaker 1: I know Cardinals fans are pretty excited about Quinn Matthews. 695 00:33:43,160 --> 00:33:46,360 Speaker 1: They're excited about maybe the farm system in general. I 696 00:33:46,360 --> 00:33:48,640 Speaker 1: think it's a transition time. It hasn't been the most 697 00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:52,440 Speaker 1: exciting time in terms of major league transactions. But the 698 00:33:52,520 --> 00:33:54,800 Speaker 1: closer we could just spend training, the more I see 699 00:33:54,800 --> 00:33:58,080 Speaker 1: fans getting a little bit more excited, and I'm getting 700 00:33:58,080 --> 00:34:01,520 Speaker 1: excited as well. So thank you so much. If you 701 00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:04,640 Speaker 1: do not subscribe to Baseball America, what are you doing? 702 00:34:04,720 --> 00:34:07,880 Speaker 1: It is an absolute instrumental tool. If you want to 703 00:34:07,880 --> 00:34:11,000 Speaker 1: follow prospect development the pharm system, you can scan this 704 00:34:11,120 --> 00:34:12,520 Speaker 1: QR code. I'll leave it up for the end of 705 00:34:12,560 --> 00:34:15,880 Speaker 1: the episode. Use promo code Cardinal thirty to get thirty 706 00:34:15,880 --> 00:34:18,400 Speaker 1: percent off the first year of any annual subscription to 707 00:34:18,480 --> 00:34:20,919 Speaker 1: Baseball America. I have been a user of the site 708 00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:22,480 Speaker 1: dating back to when I was an intern in the 709 00:34:22,480 --> 00:34:26,520 Speaker 1: minor leagues. It is just top notch stuff. JJ and 710 00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:29,080 Speaker 1: his staff do a wonderful job. Thank you JJ for 711 00:34:29,120 --> 00:34:30,839 Speaker 1: coming on. I know you're a busy guy right now 712 00:34:30,880 --> 00:34:33,000 Speaker 1: with baseball around the corner. But this was great and 713 00:34:33,040 --> 00:34:34,760 Speaker 1: I really appreciated it. 714 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:37,479 Speaker 2: We're very fortunate, aren't we We get to do this. 715 00:34:37,480 --> 00:34:39,440 Speaker 2: This is our job. We get this is fun, but 716 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:41,520 Speaker 2: this is also our job. So thank you and again 717 00:34:41,560 --> 00:34:43,880 Speaker 2: thank you to subscribers for you to like for in 718 00:34:43,920 --> 00:34:46,080 Speaker 2: both of our cases, it's like that's what gets us, 719 00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:49,000 Speaker 2: allows us to do this, and we don't discount very often, 720 00:34:49,080 --> 00:34:51,080 Speaker 2: so you know, like this is something where if you 721 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:53,279 Speaker 2: want to take advantage of that, we don't have many 722 00:34:53,320 --> 00:34:55,600 Speaker 2: opportunities for that, so but thank you for that, Katie, 723 00:34:55,680 --> 00:34:57,320 Speaker 2: and thank you again, thank you for the time. 724 00:34:57,680 --> 00:35:00,760 Speaker 1: No, this is great. Again, subscribe if you have it already. 725 00:35:00,800 --> 00:35:03,160 Speaker 1: It's great work. You can get not just the top 726 00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:05,520 Speaker 1: one hundred or the top thirty in the Cardinals system, 727 00:35:05,719 --> 00:35:08,360 Speaker 1: but all of the organizations. It's a pivotal tool for me, 728 00:35:09,040 --> 00:35:12,640 Speaker 1: especially during the weeks before the draft and just all around. 729 00:35:13,160 --> 00:35:14,760 Speaker 1: This is a great finn to subscribe for a Cardinals 730 00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:16,840 Speaker 1: fan because we're gonna be talking about the farm system 731 00:35:17,040 --> 00:35:18,280 Speaker 1: a lot, so if. 732 00:35:18,120 --> 00:35:19,920 Speaker 2: You want to do your prep work as a Cardinals 733 00:35:19,920 --> 00:35:21,400 Speaker 2: fan to know because it said they're gonna be as 734 00:35:21,440 --> 00:35:24,080 Speaker 2: Katie mentioned, they're gonna be drafting high again. We've got. 735 00:35:24,160 --> 00:35:26,680 Speaker 2: You know, we're updating actually we're updating our draft list 736 00:35:26,760 --> 00:35:31,080 Speaker 2: and rankings and reports and all again as basically they'll 737 00:35:31,120 --> 00:35:33,120 Speaker 2: be up as you see this pretty much. You know, 738 00:35:33,200 --> 00:35:35,040 Speaker 2: we're rolling out another one on that and we'll be 739 00:35:35,080 --> 00:35:36,640 Speaker 2: updating that all year too, so we you know, we 740 00:35:36,719 --> 00:35:38,759 Speaker 2: do draft coverage three year and sixty five days a year, 741 00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:42,040 Speaker 2: prospect coverage all year round. That this is what we do. 742 00:35:42,200 --> 00:35:43,359 Speaker 2: This is this is fun. 743 00:35:43,960 --> 00:35:47,600 Speaker 1: It is fun. This was fun. I appreciate it. Next week, 744 00:35:47,640 --> 00:35:48,919 Speaker 1: you guys, we've got a little bit of a weird 745 00:35:48,960 --> 00:35:51,600 Speaker 1: schedule going on. We will have two episodes for you. 746 00:35:51,719 --> 00:35:53,480 Speaker 1: Trevor will do one of them. I just don't know 747 00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:56,320 Speaker 1: which days yet, so just all what you should you 748 00:35:56,320 --> 00:35:58,719 Speaker 1: know the drill by now this is very much. You 749 00:35:58,760 --> 00:36:00,320 Speaker 1: get what you pay for, which on you tube is 750 00:36:00,440 --> 00:36:01,040 Speaker 1: zero dollars. 751 00:36:01,160 --> 00:36:02,359 Speaker 2: So uh for. 752 00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:05,399 Speaker 1: JJ Cooper, I'm Katie Woo. This is Cardinal Territory. Will 753 00:36:05,400 --> 00:36:07,440 Speaker 1: be back next week. Thanks again, JJ. It was a 754 00:36:07,480 --> 00:36:07,919 Speaker 1: lot of fun. 755 00:36:09,160 --> 00:36:09,480 Speaker 2: Thank you. 756 00:36:30,880 --> 00:36:30,920 Speaker 1: H