My initial reaction to the signing of free-agent shortstop Brandon Crawford: The Cardinals collected another antique! That isn’t necessarily a criticism. It’s more of an observation. Antiques can have value. Antiques can be aesthetically pleasing. Antiques can look...
The Cardinals should score plenty of runs in 2024. The bullpen won’t be a tinderbox. The defense should save runs instead of cost the team runs. The baserunning won’t be as passive or careless. That leaves the starting pitching. It’s the most important sector of the...
The outlook in the National League Central became clearer over the weekend when Cody Bellinger rejoined the Cubs in a move that surprised no one. Bellinger agreed to a three-year deal for $80 million, but in reality this is a sequence of three one-year deals....
The NL Central should be renamed. My suggestion: The Bill DeWitt Division. Why would I say such a ridiculous thing? Well, I’m trying to be cute. That’s one reason. It’s annoying. Forgive me. The other factor is more serious and based on payroll pugnacity. From a...
THE REDBIRD REVIEW The Cardinals had many, many problems in 2023. Offensively the team statistically ranked among the top 10 in the majors through the end of July, but faded over the final two months because of injuries and the fatigue of chronic losing. Having noted...
Here’s the latest chapter in my offseason series explaining my reasons for cautious optimism over the 2024 Cardinals. I am convinced of this: this team is better, perhaps much better, than how they’re viewed locally. It’s just a matter of maximization. Converting the...
I enjoyed reading the results of an online Cardinal-fan survey published by The Athletic. The questions were wide-ranging and wise, and the answers were … interesting. For example: when asked to rate the quality of the job done by chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. during his...
The Milwaukee Brewers have created a shift in the power structure in the NL Central for 2024 by trading No. 1 starting pitcher Corbin Burnes to Baltimore. The Crew no longer can throw co-aces Burnes and Brandon Woodruff at opponents – often in the same series. The...
THE REDBIRD REVIEW The Cardinals brought in another tool for their extensive bullpen renovation by shopping the free-agent market for a one-year deal with right-handed reliever Keynan Middleton. The contract becomes official after Middleton goes through the standard...
