Why the St. Louis Cardinals are looking better than expected to start the season

Welcome to episode nine of Cardinals talk!

The Cardinals are winning series, Jordan Walker is scorching hot, and somehow it still feels like St. Louis is chasing in the standings. That’s the weirdness of April baseball and we dig into all of it with the energy this start deserves, from the sweep of Houston to the games that slipped away because of late-inning pitching.

We talk through what’s driving the early surge, why Walker looks more comfortable at the plate, and how small changes in mentality and setup can turn a talented hitter into a true middle-of-the-order threat. We also hit the reality check topics Cardinals fans keep circling: Lars Nootbaar’s injury timeline, where he fits when he’s back, and what we’re learning about the lineup’s depth as the season settles in.

On the pitching side, we give the starting rotation its credit for keeping St. Louis competitive, then we go straight at the bullpen problem. We break down trust, roles, and why “just wait it out” gets dangerous fast in a tight NL Central. Speaking of the division, we look at why every team feels live right now and preview what’s ahead with Miami, Seattle, and that first big divisional test against Pittsburgh with the Paul Skenes factor looming.

If you’re following the St. Louis Cardinals, the NL Central race, and the biggest early-season MLB storylines, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more Cardinals fans can find us.

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Transcript

Welcome Back And Quick Check-In

SPEAKER_01 0:22

Welcome to the Dalen show. Hi, everybody. What's going on? I'm Dalen Flowers. He's Russ Eddins. And welcome to a very special episode number nine of Cardinals Talk. I know it's been a little while since you've seen us. My apologies, school has been getting really hectic, but welcome back. We're excited to see you. If you're new, hit that subscribe button, leave a like and comment as well. So let's dive into this, Russ. Last episode was before the Tiger series, obviously losing that series. But the boys have been on a tear since then, uh winning the series against the Nationals, Red Sox. Uh and did we beat the did we beat the Guardians in that series?

SPEAKER_00 1:02

Uh yeah, they they lost Red Sox to our three, beat the Guardians, swept the strows, now they lost game one to the bottom class nine.

SPEAKER_01 1:11

Yes, so welcome back through all that. Good to see you. Uh, I guess a few things to just kind of go over really quickly is those series. Cardinals are honestly, man, sitting really hot right now. Uh, I know it's fourth in the National League Central, but I don't know, man. This division early on, it's uh it's looking really competitive, and I like that, honestly. Cardinals sitting 13-9. Uh just ended a five-game win strength uh after losing last night to the Marlins five to three. Jordan Walker continues to be on the terror, continuing to be one of the hottest players in baseball. Um, team's looking really decent. We'll get into pitching as well and what to do with the catcher situation. But my friend, how you doing?

SPEAKER_00 1:50

I'm doing good. Uh, we just went through our our big transition at the DM. People got their new jobs and everything. I stayed where I was. But that chaos is finally done, and there's only two more weeks of school and finals. So we're about to summer break, and that's when baseball season will really begin for us, I suppose. That's when we can start focusing on on uh on the Cardinals. Although, with the way old Miss Baseball's been playing lately, we may be playing baseball for a little bit, but we'll see. We'll see. I hope. I hope. I have a hope that we can do that.

The Weird Lack Of Division Games

SPEAKER_01 2:24

Very true. It's uh fun times around Oxford, Mississippi over the last two weeks. You know what's funny about that? I kind of I almost mentally checked out uh after being swept against state, and I just was like, I just I've seen this pattern before. It's happened every year I've been here, but they've turned it around, uh, a couple big series wins over the last two weeks. So we'll see what they do. Um, it's time to now take the thing next to the next level. Like, can you get to the postseason grade? You did that last year, but now can you get back to Omaha, which is the goal. So we'll see. Uh man, I um I don't know about you, but I'm very excited about this baseball team. I don't know what it is, I don't know how they've gotten to this point. Uh, but I will say this really quickly, too. I don't like that it's about to be May, and we haven't played a single divisional team yet. Uh I don't like that from a perspective of a fan, from a perspective of a player. So I did want to mention that and just hear your thoughts about that. But I guess how do you feel about that really quickly before we dive into more things?

SPEAKER_00 3:24

Yeah, I I it's really weird to me. Um, I don't think very many teams have played their divisional opponents. I mean, the Dodgers obviously just play the Rockies, but I don't think the Cubs or you know any people in the central that play other team, you know, other central teams. The first time we play a central team is the Pirates. Um after the upcoming Seattle series, on the road. We have two more in Miami. We come back over Seattle and we go to Pittsburgh for four games set. So unless we get lucky, I think they're gonna they're gonna take on schemes there. And then they've got the Dodgers at home, then the Brewers, and then two weeks later, the Pirates again. So we'll play seven of our 13 games against the Pirates in the next month. Um, and then yeah, that that begins a 12-game 12 straight games, actually, uh division opponents. It's it's three against the pirates, three against the Reds, three against uh the Brewers, off day, three against Chicago. It's 12 straight games against uh um uh I guess division opponents, but our first one isn't for another seven days. What's today's date? Yeah, it's it's for not for six more days.

Jordan Walker Looks Like A Star

SPEAKER_01 4:39

Yeah, I don't um and it's funny you even bring you say that too because you know you won't face your second divisional opponent until May, which is like you said, the Bruce. I just think that's really crazy. Uh like looking on it, I think that's really I don't even have the words for it. Like, I just think that's really wild to think about. Uh, and I hope that this is not something that happens anymore after this year for any team. Like, I think divisional teams should be at least like the third team on schedules for teams uh that they're playing against uh after like the third series that you should start playing divisional teams. But just my opinion, just my thoughts. Uh, my friend, before I get into the team, two words, Jordan Walker. Just what are you thinking about him? Um what which is funny because he was struggling badly in spring training. Um, and again, it was a witness that it wasn't just this. This is a guy that he's always had pop in his back, but he was you know swinging and missing a lot throughout his career so far, doing the same thing in spring training, just didn't seem to be lacking having any confidence. Uh I wasn't trusting his abilities at the play, but since the regular season has started, I I really don't know what's gotten into this guy, but I'm not complaining, and I hope it doesn't stop a 15-game on-base streak. Uh, what are you seeing out of him that's making him uh uh so far early this season an NL MVP candidate?

SPEAKER_00 5:57

You know, there's probably a lot of things that have kind of got into this. Uh, I mean, you look at this the the the savant page. I think I showed it off to one of my friends last week. It was it was it's like blood red, the whole thing is just red. Um, so I mean, yeah, like you said, he went up to hot star, hasn't hit a homer in in like three games, so you know, he's washed now, but you know, uh maybe maybe he'll reach that 20 number or something. If he goes for 20 homers, that would be pr a pr a pretty great season. Obviously, he's already got the eight. So I think the expectation is for him to, you know, go 25 or 30. Yeah, but I think what the biggest change for him, um, I think it's just the mentality. I really think it's something that he just kind of did himself, you know. I think I like EMB Network a lot. I watch a lot of their content, and they're talking about how he's like changed his stance a little bit. Yeah, it it's it's different. You know, he's a little more closed now. Um, I don't know if the bat path has changed at all, but I think the the standards kind of change for him a little bit. It's just like you know, he came to the Cardinals, this organization that expects to win, and then he kind of felt that immediate pressure, and then he goes off and gets like what 11, 12, 13 games uh in a row for or he gets 11, 12, you know, hits on a row from games um for hit streak, yeah, charge career, gets sent down, and then maybe it's a mental thing of oh, if if if that isn't even good enough for them, then how can it ever be good enough for them? And um, it just took some time, and then Bloom comes in and and kind of says, Okay, we're gonna lower the expectations for a minute because it hasn't worked. So maybe it's just a kind of a thing of okay, there's no pressure right now, and I can just kind of go out and ball out and not have to worry about getting sent down. I think I think that kind of matters. It's just it's uh obviously I don't haven't talked to him, um, but I think that's it's kind of matter, you know. The the expectations have changed a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 7:44

I um I'm not gonna disagree with you, but I will say it may be a little different in my way of thinking. I think there was more pressure on him this year than honestly I would say maybe ever before, in terms of he was so highly regarded coming out of the minors that I think fans obviously not in a year one stance because I don't think you can anyone can really just expect a guy in year one to just immensely come out the gates and be a superstar. But I think when people saw the overall talent this guy had, people were looking at the way that this team was had to rebuild in the offseason and completely focus on rebuilding that someone had to step up. And I think people really wanted it to be Jordan Walker because they knew the ability and talent was there. Uh, it was just putting it on a showcase. And yes, I do agree with you. You know, last year he got sitting down a few times, faced some injuries, and I hated his injury last year too, because right before he got injured, he was getting hot. He was doing really well right before he got injured, and then he kind of went out for a few months, and then when he came back, it just never pieced together. But I think there was more pressure on him this year because there weren't, I would say there's not many guys, like obviously the hype around JJ is there, but like other than like Burley, I don't think there were there, you could really say there was that guy, like, especially from a batting standpoint, and I think fans really expected him to step up in that matter, especially when there were so many moving pieces and young guys now that he kind of I won't say has to become the veteran, but he's he's been kind of the guy that's been here for a few more years than most players, and he's kind of gonna be the leader in that locker room. And so I think he had a little bit more pressure in that sense, but I also do agree with you. But nonetheless, he is looking a lot more polished at the plate. Uh his batty stance is looking more comfortable for him. But I I think I told you this last week, you know, obviously not on camera, but like it doesn't even look like he's trying sometimes. Like sometimes when I when he's when he swings or when he gets a home run, I swear he's like he's not he's only giving like 50%. I think if there's another level, just from that standpoint of me feeling like that and looking at him, it may not be true, I like obviously, but like if there's another level to this, then the ceiling for this guy is definitely something else that could be talked about for the future for this team.

Lars Nootbaar Injury And Lineup Fit

SPEAKER_00 9:53

Yeah, I I definitely, you know, that's you're coming from about you know the more pressure. The same time though, who would have replaced him? True. If he doesn't do well, what are they gonna do? Trade him, true. Who's gonna want him? You know, um, I I think he in some in some sense it's just like there I'm at rock bottom almost, you know. I'm not rock bottom, he's he's in the major freaking leagues, you know. He's he's he's making, you know, what 750 a year? Um, you know, like if you know if he doesn't perform well, sure, he may be done, but at the same time, who's gonna replace him? Yeah is it gonna be Lars Newbart who who we haven't seen in all season, I don't believe. I I don't really know what's going on with him. I've I've been not checked out, but like I don't know what's going on with Lars Newbart. I've I've heard nothing about Lars and I haven't Googled it, so that that's just on me. And I can't right now or my computer will crash. Um but um yeah, it's kind of like I I think they had a conversation, it was kind of like, yeah, you're there's no one here, it's just you. No help is coming. This is it. If if anything, we're going to trade more pieces away. But obviously his trade value isn't. I mean, now it's a little different, it's a different conversation. I don't think you trade him, obviously, that'd be stupid. But you know, I I kind of think he's just the guy, you know. He he he's he's our right fielder for you know 150 games, and then other 12, you probably can have the rest of them because I don't know if he's ever had that large of a workload before.

unknown 11:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:23

Uh really quick, Newbar is out from injury uh after surgery last uh October. Uh no timetable on his return. Says maybe a month or more out still. So we'll see. I don't even know where he would fit in, though, at this point.

SPEAKER_00 11:38

Um, I I I um I I I guess you'd have to send down um uh church, right? Put him left field. Which literally about it. And yeah, hasn't been hitting super great.

Rotation Review And What’s Working

SPEAKER_01 11:55

I I think I'm I'm more of the oblivious of him as a defender. He's been really good in the outfield defensively for the team. So I'm not, and he's still young. I I it's it's a hard conversation, man. I don't know. I I I I love Newt, obviously, but I uh I'm not like I think a lot of the fan base is becoming a little bit more oblivious with Nathan Church out there in terms of a batting standpoint. I'm okay with him right now. I think I'm content with him. Like, I'm not rushing anything. I think he just needs to get a little bit more comfortable and see more game time out there, and I think he will be fine down the long run. But we will see uh what he does moving forward. Also, really quickly, before I forgot to say this, but happy NBA playoffs and NHL playoff seasons to all that celebrate. Um, it's a fun time right now. I'm sorry for blues fans that may not be able to experience that this year. I apologize, but I just had to mention that really quick. Um, let's dive into this rotation, man. Um, I'm happy. I'm not happy with the bullpen. Let me make that very clear, but I'm happy with the rotation. Uh May is looking really good. Riley O'Brien is progressing, and I'm confident in him to continue getting better, but he honestly hasn't looked that bad. I think he leads the teams and wins, if I'm not mistaken, and he's looked really confident throughout games. I just think when you know his arm gets a little tired, he starts going a little crazy. But other than that, I like O'Brien. Uh McGreevy's looking strong, Libby's looking strong. Um and Leahy hasn't looked horrible. He obviously has a lot of things to clean up, but uh, he hasn't looked horrible either to me. How do you feel about this this starting rotation so far? Uh, and I guess what can you see that needs to take improvement to get this team to the next level? Because I asked that because of the bullpen being so bad, but we'll get to that after this.

SPEAKER_00 13:47

Yeah, yeah. I think you missed the bullpen, obviously. O'Brien and Grisefo, I don't know how many innings uh uh Grsefo has, but his ERA is a sub one right now, and sticking on my phone the past couple uh games and whatnot, but Palanti's got a four ERA. Yeah, uh Maze had a six, but that's because the first t-shirts were pretty bad. That'll come back down, that'll average out. I'm sure the FIP for all these guys is a around the same, honestly. So kind of it's pretty consistent. Um, if I had to guess. Um, and then Leahy, like you said, he's at a 521. And then McGreavy, he had the four earned last night. That was probably a start. Yeah, that was right. But the Ray still is is a three two nine. It's still not bad. Like you you can live with that. And then um uh Libertor is at a is at a three-six. Um, so I think you'll you'll you'll you'll probably take that, honestly. And yeah, you know, they're they they are giving up a few too many runs. The run differential is still the negatives, um, but it's it's come back down. It's kind of like cut being cut in half with with the series win over the Astros, and the Astros, well, they they suck. But um, you know, it's still nice to see that. Um I I think it's it's a bit a surprise, honestly. You know, Liberator finally that trade from like 10 years ago now is starting to kind of you know work out. It took a really long time. Um it's working a little bit. McGreavy's fun to watch, probably my favorite picture of the staff. I think I I remember watching him, um, although the games were blacked out, so I just watched highlights of him um and then listen to the radio because we're in Oxford and we can't watch corner games, um or I can't with MB TV and whatnot. And then um, like you said, the rest of them put Pallante, Leahy, May. I think May's coming around a little bit. He had a really good outing last last week. He goes today, I I think he's come around, he's coming around a little bit. Leahy, I think next year, if this year goes well, and you know, we play our cards right, Leahy's probably the first one to go back to the pen, if I had to guess. I think Leahy would would be better in a bullpen role, but right now, I don't think there's a real reason to not let him start, just because um Grassofo hasn't panned out as a starter at all. So I think it's time to you know him to you know go to more a relief role. And then, you know, you got Liam Doyle, you got a couple other prospects whose name I forgot because there's just there's like what four or five of them now. Um then the first one comes to mind. I think he'll be here in like a year and a half, two years, maybe kind of Kapalsking situation, hopefully. Um, although that would be like his absolute ceiling. I say that. Um, there's a couple other guys down there that um uh Quinn Matthews, he his he's uh he could just last year. A couple guys down there that I think can come up at the end of the season, but I think right now the start the the the five we have, that's what it is. It's not changing for a bit, I I think. So I think we gotta gotta I think we have to be happy with what we have right now, and it's not bad at all, really. I mean it could be it could be like a Rocky situation where all of them just have like a five year period. So I think there's there's some room to go for sure, but I'm not I'm not I'm not upset with these five guys.

SPEAKER_01 17:02

Let me make myself clear Justin Brule and Matt Savanson. I don't know what you guys have going on. But I if you see this, I know you won't, but I hope you do. If you see this, listen to me very clearly, okay? I had zero expectations of this team before this season started. Zero. Zero. I didn't think we were barely, if anything, we're gonna touch 80 wins this year. I didn't think that this offense was gonna be as productive as it has been. I didn't think the the crowd and fan reaction that it has been so far was gonna be as good as it has been. Let me tell you something, okay, Justin Brule? Matt Savanton, you hear me? You need to find that switch in your head right now, and you just need to flip it on. I'm not asking you to be perfect. I'm not asking you to be perfect. You're never gonna be perfect. But let me make something clear to you, Matt Tavanson. A 12 ERA. Justin Brule, you're kidding me? A 6, 7, 5 ERA? Guys, listen, this team, what I love the most about this team, and I said this when we first came back before the season started. My my word of the earth for this team is compete. They've competed. This team has competed. They fought. Even when games look to be over, they've they've come back and they fought and they've won games. Even when they didn't win the games, they come back and they still made things interesting. There is no competition in the bullpen right now, other than Jojo Romero. There is no competing, there is no fight, there is no passion, there is no love, and it has to change. And it's time for Oliver Marmole to step up and put on his big boy shoes and have a big boy conversation with these guys. It's time. I get we're supposed to be rebuilding, we're not supposed to be in this position. This shouldn't even matter, but we are. And this division is obviously going to be very competitive. It's a division that I don't want to jump too far on the gun, but it looks like it can be won by anybody at this point of the season. So, bullpen, I beg you for my saving grace, for my heart, for my health, my long-term health, please figure it out.

SPEAKER_00 19:19

You mentioned that 12 year old right, by the way. That's after he did not allow a run for oust last week. Exactly. So it it was low yesterday, it's like a 13. It got lowered to 12 yesterday. So what I'm seeing is Svansen he's doing, he's gonna be at a five in like by next week.

SPEAKER_01 19:39

I hope so. Because Chris Grisefo, I like you. Soriano, you're not horrible, but you're not good either.

SPEAKER_00 19:53

It's got a fun name.

Is There Any Real Bullpen Fix

SPEAKER_01 19:54

Yeah, that's about it. So, I mean, uh there are other guys I don't want to see, aka Chris Roycroft, don't put him back ever again on the mount. I don't want to see it. Yeah, I don't, yeah, Stannik either. Let me not forget about Stannik. Um, I just uh it's like I'm trying like to not like overreact. But again, I get it, we're in this rebuilding phase, but from an offensive standpoint, we've been producing. This is a team that I mean, bro, if you want to look back at our schedule this year, last night I wasn't overly thrilled with the offensive performance, but I I thought the Marlins just played a great game, and I'm not overly mad at that loss, even though it's the Marlins, and you know, five runs is unacceptable. But I look back, and other than the Red Sox games, and I think the second game against Detroit, all of these games have been winnable for the Cardinals. All these games you should say, other than those three, in the other two that we lost, those two games, you could have said we this team should have won. And it was solely because of pitching that didn't allow it. I mean, even the Tigers game, they lost 11-6. Uh, one of the Red Sox games, they got beat bad, especially in like the eighth inning. I think the Red Sox scored like seven innings, seven runs in the eighth inning, one of those games. It was bad. And it's just like from a player personnel standpoint, I know it becomes mentally and physically exhausting when you're going out there and doing everything that you can from an offensive standpoint, and you're not getting any help at all from your bullpen, and even from that starting pitching rotation. Like, there have been games that McGreavy has come out, and I'm like, he's played really good or he's played decently, and now he has to come out in like the sixth or seventh in it, and I'm like, oh, this game's gone. And if it's not Jojo, I have no confidence in anyone, you know, winning the game. There have been spells in different games that I've watched guys like Stanic. I mean, honestly, Stanic has had decent moments so far this year where he's really come in clutch, but like consistently it's just not there yet. And I'm not gonna lose my mind yet. It's still only April, but come June and we're talking and this and these same problems are still happening, then I'm gonna be losing my mind. What can they do to fix it though? I mean, that's the problem. I there's I don't I don't know if there is a fix. Like, other than like I said, uh a big boy conversation from Ollie. But like obviously that can only go so far. But like other than that, I I I genuinely don't know, man. And that's what's like the frustrating part about it is.

SPEAKER_00 22:26

I don't know if if they've drafted anyone that's like lights out in the pen. I think it's all starters, really. And those starters are too young to turn them into bullpen arms right now. You don't want to limit their capabilities, especially when, you know, like like Liam Doyle, that's that's the ace of the future, hopefully, right? You you're definitely not gonna demote him to a or not won't say demote, it's still like really important position. We're not gonna move into the pen, you know, year one, you're not gonna move a Quinn Matthews yet. Um, there are a couple of guys, I mean, I'm sure I I wonder how a reliever from the minor leagues who has like a three or four, you know, right, will translate to MOB, you know, and at what point you kind of start moving some guys around. Because last year, I feel like in the past couple years, the bullpen early on has gotten so taxed, yeah. They've had to make some big moves, like they've had to move guys up like back and forth. And I don't have any evidence. Um this is because it's kind of off the dome from I remember. I feel like they've been so taxed and they've kind of taken guys off the freaking taxi squad or something and throw them in the pros and then kind of swap guys out and keep doing that for a while because the the starters just weren't gonna get it done. But now the starters are kind of you know, they're they're not honestly the ERA's probably like bottom 10 in the in the MLB, honestly. Let's be real here. It's probably not that high, but they've been pitching you know decently deep into games, like even last night. McGreavy, he pitched into the sixth inning last night.

SPEAKER_01 23:50

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:52

Yeah. So I really feel like despite the bullpen being bad, no one's there, there hasn't been any big roster moves, has there? I mean, I feel like I watch MLB Network a lot, you know, they have like the graphic on the bottom of the screen, it's like Cardinals make Cardinals make roster moves or something. I haven't seen that graphic yet. I've I haven't seen the Cardinals, you know, move pieces around too much. Maybe they have, but I feel like this year there hasn't been a lot of movement with those with those bullpen guys yet. So obviously only a month in the season, but I feel like, you know, that that kind of shows they're not overly taxed just yet, which is important, I think.

SPEAKER_01 24:26

I love that point because it's important to also realize that, like you said, it's early. And I don't know how much of a market value those guys in the bullpen even have, uh, and what you would be able to get back for them. Um, I I think this team made so many moves this offseason they kind of had to roll the dice a little bit and knew that everything wasn't gonna work out in their favor in some aspects, and the bullpen just had to be that kind of sacrifice, I guess. And uh I guess you kind of got to take a cream of a crop and just be happy with certain things and I guess be content with other things. So, like again, I said, it's it's still April. I'm gonna relax, but I just have to get that off my chest because it's just been so annoying that even again that that that that Red Sox series could have been won. Uh the Tiger series could have been won, but the bullpen came in and just they they threw it all in the trash. And so it's it just um it from a fan perspective and someone that has a a deep love for this team, it it's become frustrating because I'm seeing so many of our young guys, so many of our leaders produce in big moments uh from a starting rotation standpoint and from an offensive standpoint, and it's not being, I would say, favored from the bullpen. So that's what I mean by that. Like they're you know, you again, I don't think this team is gonna make the World Series. Um, I don't think I'm in a mix of motions to whether or not this team can make the playoffs right now. It's still early, so I really won't stay on that yet. But uh this team is competitive and they've got a lot of heart and they're fighting. And I'll say as well, everyone's just seems like a big family vibe, too. Like everyone's you know, rallying around each other, celebrating each other when everyone's doing good things, or even when things don't go well, you're noticing guys just making sure that they know that they're teammates, that they're not alone and that they're here for them, and you you'll be alright the next day, bat, whatever it is. So I'm gonna calm down. But there are things that need to be talked about in that situation, but nonetheless, don't hear me saying this in I Sound Ungrateful. I am beyond pleased that this team is doing as well as they have been doing so far. A five-game, it just came off a five-game with trick. I get it. It's it's it was Houston. Houston's, I don't care. We're we're not supposed to be good either. And we could have, if we lost, if we got two up, then it would have been a different conversation. Like we could have lost those games. So, like, I don't care if it was Houston, like they're still MLB players, uh, they're still in the majors. That that was a team that easily could have taken a game or two off us, too, but they didn't. So I'm gonna give my flowers to my players because they went out there and they did that, and they've looked really well this year. So I'm gonna hush.

SPEAKER_00 27:06

Yeah, and you went to the playoffs. They're 13 and 9 right now, and they're not in the playoff picture. They're third in the NL Central, tied with the Pirates and Cubs, who are also 13-9. The whole division's above 500. I think only four teams in the AL are above 500, five in the NL Central are. So AL sucks, by the way. Um, and the only real division in baseball right now is NL Central, I guess. So that obviously that's not is all five teams probably aren't gonna end the year 500. I don't know the math on that, but when you play each other 13 times each, that would be really, really difficult. I guess it's possible, but obviously it's like probably not gonna happen. Um, but at the same time, all these teams kind of are somewhat legit, I think. The pirates, they they spent some money on that in the offseason. They're like the highest ranked team in power rankings across the board from the Danielle Central. The Cardinals, by the way, aren't even on those power rankings. All four teams in the division are ranked higher than the Cardinals on all of those, despite the Cardinals, you know, consistently being, you know, they haven't been I don't think they've been under 500 all year. Um I mean obviously their underventual isn't what you want it to be, and that's that's because of a couple of losses of the Red Sox, honestly, a couple bad losses there. But I I I it's it's hard because they've only lost two series, yeah, and they're not in the plot picture yet. So they just kind of kind of keep going out there and winning series, you know, take it two out of three, you know, you get the occasional sweep, I think you put yourself back in the conversation, but as of today, it's um it's a big hill to climb. I mean, they're like a game and a half, two games out, really, or half a game out. But it's that that feels pretty steep when the whole division is playing as well as they are right now.

SPEAKER_01 29:05

Yeah, I honestly love it. I think again, and I know how I said earlier I don't like that we haven't played a divisional team yet, but the fact that we have to wait this long and the fact that the division is this competitive right now, I love it. I think it's gonna make these divisional rivalry games a little bit more heated. I think you know, players are gonna want to shine more and step up more and they're gonna give it their all. So I love it. I I think when we go to Pittsburgh, it's gonna be game on, especially when you know they face Paul Skeens, it's gonna be game on. So I I love it. Uh, I really do because like Brewers are at the bottom of the division and they're above 500. And Cincinnati's looking really good, although I don't know how long I'm gonna buy them from an offensive standpoint. Same thing with Pittsburgh. Uh and I wish nothing but the worst for Cubs fans, so I'm not gonna buy on them either. But I love it. I think that this is gonna be a competitive summer because we're gonna face all these teams over the next two or three months anyway. So I hope it stays like this. Like I really do. I think from a standpoint of the last four or five years, bro, we've always been the laughing stock in terms of a division. Uh, everyone looks at us as like the the little brothers, and we've haven't we haven't really had any you know respect in a long time, which is crazy to think about. But I love it, and if it can stay like this, I'm excited because you look at all the teams, maybe barring the Brewers, but like a lot of these teams are led by a lot of young guys, like most of these rosters are filled with young guys, which I love as well, based on us as well. So I I I love it because hopefully, from a futuristic standpoint, this year, of course, but also in the next three or four or five years, this division stays competitive because so many of these teams in the division are filled with a lot of young players.

SPEAKER_00 30:46

Yeah, and they they've all drafted well. I think the pirates obviously have been the worst team in baseball for not the worst team, but one of the worst teams, and they've it's kind of starting to pan out. I mean, obviously, getting Paul Skeen was like the best thing they've done ever. But you know, it's it's really kind of good to see the pirates as good as they are. I mean, I mean the the last time I was like, oh my god, the pirates are coming to town was what 2013 or 14 when they prime a collection of the playoffs. Yeah, yeah. I think um that was the last time they were good. So it's kind of it's kind of I mean, obviously they have a great ballpark. Um the fan I I don't know the fan base because they don't show up because they suck. But um, I'm sure the fan base will show up, you know, with the series. Look forward to those games. Those are the those are fun now. This rivalry between the pirates and cardinals that the Cardinals have kind of dominated in recent years, I I think, um it's it's gonna mean something, which is really cool. And in the Cubs, the Cubs for a long time didn't mean anything. And they've they've been you know better the past 10 years or so, and it's good to see them. I think the Cup probably have a better record against Cardinals past 10 years. But it's it's kind of good for that to continue to mean something after, you know, um so long ago, you know, it it didn't mean much, you know, and and now it's it continues to be good. And one of the better rivals in the sport and the Brewers. Uh Brewers, obviously, they've been good for a long time. The Reds have been that team that um the Reds are funny. The Reds have been the kind of team that everyone like can't they they just can't wait for them to figure it out. Like uh like this is the year of the Reds, and then they never do, or they fall off in like in July. So I kind of hope that all five teams are able to keep it going a little bit. You know, they've all got good momentum. And if they're all you know can fight in, it's kind of like an arms race, you know, who's gonna, you know, we're gonna be like game watch or schedule watching all summer pretty much. And you know, um, I think it could be a lot of fun. As long as this division just stays competitive, I think that's a big splendid itself, is just you know, can can they stay 500? I think is is pretty cool. So um you're right about the little brother thing, you know, they've been a really great division for a long time, honestly. You know, this is not abnormal. All five teams have been pretty competitive, even when like the Cubs Cardinals last year, even though they weren't great, you know, there were the there were times when they were you know doing pretty good. And so it's it's nice to finally see us get some national recognition, I guess, because no one's really noticed this before, but it's not out of the ordinary per se.

unknown 33:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 33:10

Alright, my friend. Uh really quick before we get out of here. Rest of the Marlin series, Seattle, and then Pittsburgh. Uh, how do you think we fare in these next three series?

SPEAKER_00 33:22

Um May's going tonight. I I looked, I'd look to see him just put you know play well, honestly. You know, they're gonna score, you know, if he runs. I was only only three last night. They're gonna score, look forward to seeing it what May does. And I think Leahy will go tomorrow. Yeah, he will. Um look Lei will go tomorrow. Um, I just want to see Walker, you know, hit a home run. You know, I'll I I just want to see him, you know, just stay hot really. Um and you know, take the next couple of games here. I think it's it's a lot of fun there. Um the Mariners, Donovan's on the is on the IL right now. We're not gonna see Donnie. Maybe he'll come out come out the dugout or something for you know studying innovation or whatever. Um that's gonna be a good series, though. A little interleague game that honestly, in the grand scheme of things, doesn't really mean much because it's you know interleague baseball, but um off the record it still matters just as much as anything. Um it's a home series, so I think that'd be nice just to you know come back home for three games after spending uh I think it's six games on the road, a couple weeks on the road. Um kind of a get right series, you know, you know, focused on some things, um, and and and prep up for um for Pittsburgh, get four games on the road against Pittsburgh. So I think that'll be a great series. I think that series may be just quickly. When is that series for for us? That series is the 27th, so that's yeah, that's next week, our our last week of school. So um we'll have to find some time to watch that one. But um, yeah, that'll be a lot of a ton of fun. I think that'd be great. The four-game series kind of weird because you know you can split the series, yeah. But um, I think just just you know, just trying to stay 500 against you know your opponents there and your visual opponents would be great. But um, yeah, it's gonna be a fun week for Cardinals, I think. They can just keep going a little bit. If Walker goes, team goes, I think.

Final Thoughts And Listener Questions

SPEAKER_01 35:10

So yeah, I agree with you, man. Uh this team has kind of just fed off the success of Jordan Walker, and hopefully it continues. I think I mean every game is is important, obviously, but I think finishing this Marlin series on a strong luck is gonna be really important, especially going into the Mariners uh series. I I just I know we're not gonna beat the Mariners even with or without Donnie, I believe, but I just want to see how competitive we can be against a team like Seattle that I uh if I'm not mistaken, I predicted them to go and win the World Series this year, I believe so. Um so I I'm just excited to see how we do and fair against them from an overall arsenal aspect in terms of offense, defense, pitching, bullpen, uh, and game managing situations as well. So I'm excited to see that. And then obviously the Pittsburgh, I uh I hope they continue doing well until we get to them as well. Like I want it to be like uh a really good marquee matchup, honestly. If we get to divisional teams that uh hopefully at that time could be like competing for first place, etc. etc. But uh for me, obviously I want my guy Nolan Gorman to find a little bit more consistency. Uh had a big home run against Houston, but I just don't know about I don't know about him, man. Like, I he's he's not doing horrible, but like obviously they're I he needs to start seeing his breaking ball better, and he just he just needs to start attacking his breaking balls better. I think when he starts doing that, then guys have to respect that, and then they're gonna start throwing more fastballs, and when he gets on top of the fastballs, his lights out. But when he starts you know recognizing and getting and getting on top of those breaking balls a little bit better, he'll be fine. Hopefully, that comes quicker rather than later. It's time, not yet, but in you know, over the next three or four weeks, man, you're really gonna be able to know who's gonna be the guys in June and July. And it's time now to start finding your groove and confidence because those are like the dark days, the biggest, the biggest months of the year for teams. And so I really just hope over the next two or three weeks. I'm gonna be watching closely, Nolan. I hope you start figuring it out, my friend, because I need you and I love you, brother. But my friend, good to see you as always. We appreciate you guys for tuning in to episode number nine of Cardinals Talk. Uh, we will see you guys hopefully next week, if not next week, the week after. Uh, and we appreciate you guys tuning in again. Like I said earlier, make sure you subscribe, leave a like, and comment. Uh, the player you're most excited about watching for the rest of the season from the Cardinals. Uh, what maybe your overall season prediction is, and who do you think are going to be the two teams that will match up in the World Series and who will win? So appreciate you guys tuning in, man. See you guys soon. Thank you.