Wednesday, January 21, 2009

chit-chatting

First of all, it was gracious of John to do the whole "chat live with fans" bit, and I appreciate his willingness to answer pre-screened (if not completely coherent) questions. 

That being said, once you get right down to it, I'm not sure what the point is, seeing as he never really says anything of substance or use. (I also worry a little about the impression he's getting of Cardinals fans based on the sample.) 

I'm not trying to belittle the idea, though. Please don't confuse me with Mr. "I hate Bill Dewitt!!" 

Here's my breakdown of what he shared: 

Rotation: set for now, but once we get into ST and determine once and for all how effective Carp will be, there could possibly be a trade for a starter. Don't look for any moves before the end of March. 

Shumaker: will get a look in the infield, but will probably only play there if he gets on some crazy offensive tear and needs to be in the lineup every day and that's the only way to get it done. 

Fans' outrage: deep in their hearts, fans understand the system (and wouldn't want this job for a second if they knew half of what goes on). 

Payroll/economy: you can't judge (or predict) a team's success solely on spending. And stop asking. 

Rebuilding: not here. Rebuilding means a change in philosophy and re-working the system from the ground up. We're not starting over, we're simply carrying on. The plan is what it has always been: winning. 

TLR in 2010: still unknown. 

Low-hanging fruit: it helps to have a good sense of humor about these things. 

His own awesomeness: aw, shucks. 

All in all, he basically confirmed what we've all guessed: don't hold your breath for any big moves. I think his outlook is reasonable, and maybe there is a point to this excercise after all. Maybe it was a reminder that GMs don't get paid nearly enough for the BS they have to put up with.