DAILY DIRT: It could be a long, hot summer for Cardinals baseball fans

Daily Dirt for Monday, Feb. 24, 2025

Cincinnati, Atlanta and Los Angeles headline division picks … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,212 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Brace yourself, Cardinals fans. It’s probably going to be a long, hot summer.

We conclude our preseason look at MLB today, focusing on the National League.

For the second time in three years, the El Birdos look like a solid bet to finish last in the National League’s Central Division. And there’s not exactly a lot of hope on the horizon either, causing the front office to openly hint at a “resetting” (can you say rebuilding?) of the franchise.

And if Nolan Arenado is finally traded as expected, it will be an all-out reconstruction.

ESPN baseball guru Jeff Passan has been especially puzzled by the Cardinals’ offfseason.

“Why St. Louis hasn’t been more aggressive in dealing its bevy of talent — from Arenado to starters Sonny Gray and Erick Fedde to closer Ryan Helsley to young players (Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman) who have hit a wall — is confounding executives around the industry,” Passan said. “If the Cardinals aren’t going to spend — and they haven’t spent a dollar in free agency — surely, the thinking goes, they should leverage the players they’ve got now and start building toward something more.

“Instead, they are seemingly content to run it back, even if that means the awkwardness of Arenado returning. The Cardinals (seem to) have prepared for that possibility — and are content following a mediocre season in which they lost nearly 400,000 fans — with another uninspiring winter. It’s an organization stuck in neutral.”

Yikes.

With all of that in mind, here’s our way-too-early National League forecast:

Central

1. Cincinnati: The Reds talked Tito Francona, the top manager in baseball’s modern era, out of retirement because they feel they have the necessary weapons to win this division. And Tito wouldn’t have returned to the dugout if he didn’t agree. From MLB’s most exciting player in Elly De La Cruz to a deep and primed rotation, Cincinnati is the new team to beat in this division. 

2. Chicago: Speaking of quality managers, the Cubs’ Craig Counsell certainly fills that bill, too. Entering his second year with Chicago, Counsell now has the type of players he feels most comfortable with, meaning the Cubs should be in the mix all season. Look for lefty pitcher Shota Imanaga to truly blossom this summer.

3. Pittsburgh: Watching the continued development of young ace Paul Skenes should be boffo box office. If the ultra-cheap Pittsburgh ownership would splurge for a bat or two, the Pirates already have enough pitching to actually challenge for the division title.

4. Milwaukee: Outfielder Jackson Chourrio is an exciting young talent. Too bad there’s not the same kind of excitement surrounding the Brewers’ staff.

5. St. Louis: And then there are the Cardinals. As they stand, the Cards are not a good team and will not be a good team any time soon. It happens, it’s time for a “reset”. St. Louis fans should be thankful the run they’ve enjoyed has lasted as long as it has. The next couple of years might be trying.

East

1. Atlanta: A team with no weaknesses (unless you count the Braves’ penchant for injuries), the Braves have the chance to be elite once outfielder Ronald Acuna comes off the injured list. Atlanta tends to get lost in the hype surrounding division rivals Philadelphia and New York, but the Braves are every bit as good as the Phillies and/or Mets. In fact, probably better.

2. Philadelphia: For the exception of the N.L. West, I think the Phillies would be favored to win any other division in baseball. My pick for breakout pitcher of the year in the N.L. is Phillies lefty Christopher Sanchez.

3. New York: Sure, the Mets have spent a lot of money (Juan Soto, Pete Alonso), but the club’s rotation does not have a championship pedigree feel to it. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Mets find a way to acquire Sandy Alcantara from the Marlins once he proves himself healthy from Tommy John surgery. Dylan Cease of the Padres might be another target.

4. Washington: The Nationals are definitely on the rebound, but not ready to compete with the Big Three in this division. Keep an eye on budding superstar C.J. Abrams at shortstop.

5. Miami: How unsettling it must be to root for the Marlins. Oh, wait. Never mind. The Marlins do not have any fans.

West

1. Los Angeles: The only way the Dodgers do not win 110 games will be injuries. I’m really excited to see Roki Sasaki pitch. 

2. Arizona: The Diamondbacks would be favored to win at least three other MLB divisions (N.L. Central, A.L. Central, A.L. West) with a rotation headed by Corbin Burnes, Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly.

3. San Diego: If the Padres wind up trading (giving away) ace Dylan Cease, move them down to fourth.

4. San Francisco: The Giants remind me a lot of Seattle in the American League. A deep rotation with little offense. San Francisco does not have one legit power threat in its lineup, unless you count Matt Chapman. And I don’t.

5. Colorado: Maybe we could have a seven-game series at the end of the season between the Rockies and White Sox. I think the over/under for total losses between those two teams will likely be around 220.

Eventual NL champ: Los Angeles

MVP: Shohei Ohtani

CY Young: Yoshinobu Yamamoto

2. Did you know (Part 286)

• That the Turtle Pecan and Oreo Cookie are the most popular flavors of Dairy Queen blizzards.
• That due to a trademark issue, there are no Burger Kings in Australis. They are known as “Hungry Jack’s” in the land down under.
• That at this time back in 1967 we were playing and listening to “Higher and Higher” by Jackie Wilson, “Reflections” by the Supremes, “Brown-Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison and “Gimme Some Lovin'” by the Spencer Davis Group.
• That former “Friends” star David Schwimmer once served rock legend Rod Stewart with divorce papers while working a summer job while in college in the mid-1980s. Stewart was married to Alana Hamilton at the time.
• That Amazon MGM Studios will be taking creative control of the iconic James Bond franchise. Amazon paid $1 billion for the rights. The deal might speed up the arrival of Bond film No. 26. The most recent, “No Time To Die,” was in 2021.

3. I ran across an interesting study entitled “9 Timeless Towns in Missouri,” and our a region was represented with a couple of those entries — Hannibal and Clarksville.

Worldatlas.com provided the list of towns, which were chosen for their overall appeal based on “streets lined with century-old buildings to breathtaking river views … these nine towns will delight visitors with their timeless ambiance”.

Here were those nine selections:

• Hermann: “A picturesque town known for its German heritage, tucked away in the rolling hills of Missouri wine country.”
• Weston: “Sits north of Kansas City and is known for its historic downtown, filled with antique shops, boutiques, and local eateries.”
• Carthage: “A town rich in Civil War history and iconic nostalgia. As the site of one of the earliest full-scale conflicts of the war between the states, the Battle of Carthage took place on July 5, 1861.”
• St. Genevieve: “Missouri’s oldest town, founded by French settlers in the early 18th century. It features well-preserved French colonial architecture.”
• Liberty: “The downtown area, with the Clay County Courthouse at its center, has a vibrant arts and culinary scene, with over 30 small shops, galleries, and eateries. Liberty is also home to William Jewell College.”
• Hannibal: “This town offers a mix of literary heritage, outdoor adventure, and small-town charm along the banks of the Mississippi River.”
• Arrow Rock: “The town boasts J. Huston Tavern, Missouri’s oldest continuously operating restaurant.”
• Kimmswick: “Founded in 1859 by a German immigrant, the town has preserved much of its 19th-century character.”
• Clarksville: “Nature lovers will know it as one of the best spots in the state to see bald eagles during the winter months.”

Steve Thought O’ The Day — I think Arenado winds up in Houston.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. This season, the Cardinals are on track to not sell out tickets for Opening Day for the first time since 1995.