Spring Training 2026

[TGantz]

Velazquez couldn't have done anything more. This team has zero power.

Walker hasn't earned any chances at this point. Fermin and Saggese are redundant, no need for both. I don't get it.

[a_smith]

Velazquez couldn't have done anything more. This team has zero power.

Walker hasn't earned any chances at this point. Fermin and Saggese are redundant, no need for both. I don't get it.

I agree with you, but I can understand the teams logic.
Fermin has no options. We lose him if he’s not on mlb roster
Saggese us on 40 man and we need to learn what he scam do.

It’s 40 man roster issue. Velazquez had to be added. And we lose someone else if we add him,
If we send Velazquez down, we keep Fermin. And we give Saggese and Walker a chance.
If Velazquez is good he’ll play his way back to mlb. If he’s just on a heater, he’ll fade and we’ll learn that. Walker has a high ceiling. And Saggese/ Fermin have earned chances as well.
It’s irritating as a fan because I want to see Velazquez, but I can follow the logic.

[heyzeus]

It doesn't really matter, since we're not remotely trying to win, but why bother signing Velazquez if he's going to do everything a player could do to make the team in spring training, plays a position and serves a role (RH power OF) the team emphatically lacks, and still not make the team anyway?

[Fan_In_NY]

What are we even doing at this point?

I dunno...if we're gonna be real bad, JJ doesn't need to be on the roster and burn a year of control

if we're trying be ok, then Velázquez 100% needs to be on the roster. he at least has pop

Well if JJ wins the rookie of the year or finishes top 3 in MVP the next 3 seasons the Cards will get an extra draft pick after the first round. Right now JJ is the 3rd favorite, behind Nolan McLean and Konnor Griffin.

If he’s really good and wins, an extra year of control is way more important (esp for a owner going on the cheap), than any draft pick we may receive

Do we have any amount of data showing that the Cardinals front office won't sign star level in-house talent to extensions or for their second contract? The Cardinals have been so devoid of talent they haven't had this issue come up at all recently, so I don't think we can conclude that - especially not knowing the competitiveness of the team 6 years from now. Also the draft picks would be valuable to the team to replenish the farm system. The Diamondbacks got an extra pick for Corbin Carroll winning the ROY and took Ryan Waldschmidt who is their #1 top prospect right now #34 overall by Keith Law and #59 per MLB. So the clock of control for Carroll started 1 year earlier, but you also got a potential 6 more years of another player who can be a contributor-star.

[cardsfantx]

Exactly; and who cares if we lose someone like Fermin?

He’s not going to be here when the team actually (hopefully) starts winning again

[a_smith]

Exactly; and who cares if we lose someone like Fermin?

He’s not going to be here when the team actually (hopefully) starts winning again

Fermin has a 900+ ops the last two years in the minors in a rebuilding year that seems like a player is with a shot.

[jagtrader]

Fermin got 60 at-bats last season when the team was more interested in giving their dinosaur POBO a farewell tour than building a successful roster. If the Cardinals were that interested in Fermin, maybe they should have given him a chance before he was about to turn 27.

[dmarx114]

Fermin vs Velazquez isn't going to make or break our season.

[dmarx114]

Fitts optioned to AAA

that's one ugly rotation guys lol

Libby
May
McGreevy
Pallante
Leahy

Does Fitts make it any better? I guess if you think he is an improvement over Pallante or Leahy but you have to figure one of them will drop out eventually and be replaced by Fitts anyway. Right now it's just a who's got options/plus just got here game

yes, he's better than both, by quite a bit...but yes, we have more control over him

pallante, you know what we have in him, and Leahy? he sucks as a starter; always has through the minors...so why mess with him now that he's found something he's ok at (as a relief pitcher)

but we'll suck anyways, so doesn't really matter

I am optimistic Leahy will be a productive starting pitcher.

[a_smith]

Fermin vs Velazquez isn't going to make or break our season.

For me, they are scratch off lotto tickets. Fun to dream about and we may get lucky