I'm assuming Ozuna isn't coming back, since Moz and Co. would have signed him to a long-term deal by now. That leaves left field open for O'Neill, Martinez or Carlson, the kid they seem to like so much. Bader and Fowler will be on the team. Maybe those are your five outfielders. Thomas might get a look, and while Edman isn't an outfielder, he certainly did nothing to embarrass himself when he played RF.
Goldschmidt will be at first, Wong at second, DeJong at short, and you're stuck with Carpenter at third, to the degree they want to take at bats away from Edman. Munoz will probably round out the infield corps because he's inexpensive and cutting him would make the front office look foolish.
Who backs up Molina and becomes the Maytag repairman? Weiters proved to be a valuable player, and bringing him back ought to be the first option at backup catcher. Knizner probably needs another year in the minors anyway.
Flaherty, Hudson and Mikolas make up 60 percent of the rotation. I hope Wacha is gone. I don't know what they do about Wainwright. He probably exceeded everyone's expectations but his own this year. 'Spose it depends upon how much the Cardinals are willing to spend and how much he's willing to take. Maybe Ponce de Leon will get a look. Maybe Martinez comes back to the rotation. I think I saw a picture of Reyes on a milk carton, but maybe he's part of the equation. At some point he has to pitch, or the Cardinals have to move on. I doubt they go outside the organization for stating pitching.  
Miller and Gallegos will be back in the bullpen. I like Helsley. Webb was effective enough. I'm not sure what the time frame is for Hicks to return. I assume around mid-season. The rest of the bullpen I can take or leave.  

 

JV wrote:

Maybe they'll get lucky and Cingrani will pull a 2017 Mikolas.

Do they make a $17.8 million QO to Ozuna?

ESPN.com says only 3 players have ever accepted qualifying offers: Neil Walker, Jeremy Hellickson, and Hyun-Jin Ryu. The author seems to have forgotten Colby Rasmus. 

I used to think Cingrani was his middle name because the phrase "60-day Disabled List" always came after.

You have to make a qualifying offer to Ozuna, don't you? If he accepts it, you still have a pretty good hitter.

My foremost memory of Rasmus has very little to do with anything he did on the field for the Cardinals but rather the way the media skewered Moz for trading him. In particular, Jeff "Clickbait" Passan went after Moz in about 3,000 words. And Passan was eventually hired by ... ESPN.

 

Tuukka has a "small procedure." Must have been brain surgery.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/cards-rhp-martinez-undergoes-shoulder-004055790.html
 

artie_fufkin wrote:

Multiple outlets report the Cubs are going to hire David Ross as their manager.
Geez, I sure will miss him in the ESPN broadcast booth. 

It will be easier for him to suck off cub players from the dugout than the booth

Wong wins a Gold Glove!

Schildt, Moz and Girsch get extensions.

One of the three of them earned it.

Why extend people you already have under contract

forsberg_us wrote:

APIAD wrote:

Why extend people you already have under contract

Because it worked so well with Matt Carpenter

That's a rec
 

Yup …

https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2019/11/05/get-ready-for-another-cold-offseason/
 

artie_fufkin wrote:

Just got an alert on my phone the Cardinals signed Wainwright to a 1-year deal. No idea how much it's for, though.

Prob about what they got him for last year.  He doesnt seem interested in max money.  He left some on the table by just getti bf a one year deal.  I figure someone would of gave him a two year deal

APIAD wrote:

Manager of the year goes to mike

Deserved because it doesn't include the playoffs. No idea how Dave Roberts finished fourth. My wife could manage the Dodgers to 100 wins.
 

Molina informs the team he wants to play thru 2021, maybe 2022.

I’m not sure there’s a good outcome in this situation.