The Cardinals had a firetrap bullpen last season, and responded by making moves to clear the smoke away. This particular gashouse gang blew 41 leads in 2023, and that can’t happen again. With the assistance of new consultant Chaim Bloom, the front office brought in...
Here’s a follow-up on something I wrote about in Wednesday’s column. It’s about the importance of team defense and what it means to pitchers. As I pointed out in yesterday’s column, the 2023 Cardinals had their poorest season defensively since 1930. That’s based on...
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...
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...
I’m always interested in the outside view of the St. Louis Cardinals. We have a tendency to let the local thundercracks influence our perceptions as we assess the team’s offseason. Based on the vociferous, widespread and entertaining sentiments expressed on X-Twitter,...
THE REDBIRD REVIEW Please allow me to introduce myself. I’m the loon who keeps attaching the word “optimism” to the 2024 Cardinals. For this condition I blame my intense dedication to homework and a stubborn attitude derived from an old-fashioned concept known as...
Will the 2024 Cardinals return the franchise to glory? Well, I wouldn’t go that far. But after the hellscape of 2023, a winning season and a reappearance in the playoffs are reasonable goals, and certainly within reach. It isn’t loony-tunes to think the Cardinals can...
Andrew Kittredge may not be the big-name, brassy and high-cost reliever that Cardinal fans were clamoring for, but the St. Louis front office made a smart move in acquiring the right-hander from Tampa Bay in a trade for spare outfielder Richie Palacios. Kittredge...
THE REDBIRD REVIEW To rehabilitate last season’s decrepit .438 winning percentage, the Cardinals put their resources and attention on starting pitching. Swell. But the disaster fund must be put to other uses after president of baseball operations John Mozeliak signed...
