Quote:
Originally Posted by Rams Fan
I don't think they're that far off from contending with the lineup/field players.
Issue is pitching and until/unless they change their pitching development or spending philosophy, there will always be a cap to their potential.
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They have the worst outfield in the sport and a catcher who can't catch. The only way to strengthen their IF is to move the only guy they have that can play average CF back to SS (where he's a GG caliber player) thus further weakening a black hole of a position.
They have 3b playing 2b because they refuse to acknowledge that he's probably a LFer long-term and a 1b playing RF because they won't trade Goldschmidt. Oh, and Goldschmidt is 35 years old in his own right.
Yeah, they're a long way off.
This team needs to be torn down to the studs. Oh could a couple of the fringe moves that Mozeliak is likely to make get them back to .500? Sure - that's a reasonably likely outcome for 2024.
But a 'contender'? **** no. They're not close to that at all. Look at the Braves and Dodgers. Hell, look at the young talent coming up in Arizona or even Miami. Even the Phillies and Reds are light years ahead of STL in terms of core talent. Worse still, BAD teams like the Mets and Padres have significantly better foundations in place than STL has.
This team isn't likely to be a top half of the NL ballclub for the next several years. A 'slight course correction' won't get them anywhere. It needs to be fired into the sun.