The 2023 season for the St. Louis Cardinals was nothing short of a disaster. Despite being the favorites in the NL Central, they ended up losing 91 games and pretty much everything went wrong for them. The biggest issue was their starting rotation, which consisted of pitchers who couldn’t strike out anyone, were past their prime, had control issues, or a combination of all three. As the offseason approached, it was clear that the Cardinals needed to address these needs.
However, their actions in the offseason so far have raised some eyebrows. While big-name pitchers like Aaron Nola, Blake Snell, and Sonny Gray are still available, the Cardinals have opted to sign players who may not necessarily be the best fit for their rotation. The first signing was Lance Lynn, who had a forgettable performance in the playoffs, giving up four home runs in a single inning. His fastball, which used to be his best weapon, has significantly declined in speed.
The Cardinals also signed Kyle Gibson, who had an ERA of 4.73 last season and has only had two above-average seasons in the past seven years. It’s clear that these signings don’t inspire much confidence in the rotation.
Fans and critics alike are scratching their heads at the Cardinals’ approach. It seems that they are signing pitchers just for the sake of making moves, rather than making calculated decisions to improve their team. This raises questions about whether the Cardinals truly understand how baseball works, as they often like to claim.
While there is still a chance for the Cardinals to make a splash and sign a pitcher like Snell or Gray, the current state of their rotation is cause for concern. Four-fifths of their rotation is older than 32, which means their potential for improvement is limited and they may already be past their prime.
If the Cardinals continue down this path and rely on pitchers who are past their prime or inconsistent, it’s likely that they will continue to struggle in the upcoming seasons. Fans may find some amusement in their misfortune, but ultimately, the Cardinals need to make smart decisions if they want to be competitive again.
In other news, the international soccer scene provided some entertainment with a wild night of matches. The game between Argentina and Brazil was marred by a skirmish between fans and police before the match even started. Once the game began, it was a chaotic affair with both teams committing numerous fouls and players exaggerating contact. Argentina came out on top, becoming the first team to beat Brazil in Brazil during World Cup qualifying.
CONCACAF also had its fair share of drama, with Canada blowing a 3-1 aggregate lead to Jamaica and Mexico pulling off a dramatic comeback against Honduras. The game went to penalties, and Mexico was given a second chance to retake a penalty, ultimately securing the victory.
Overall, it was an eventful night in international soccer, providing plenty of excitement and drama for fans.
