# Redbird Droppings: 2024 Payroll, Chaim Bloom, Trevor Bauer

- Link: https://www.nyrdcast.com/redbird-droppings-2024-payroll-chaim-bloom-trevor-bauer/
- Published: 2024-01-09T15:15:38-06:00
- Author: Eugene Tierney

### **This time on Redbird Droppings, a look at the freeze on payroll, why Chaim Bloom gets an unfair reputation from Boston, and why Trevor Bauer won’t be a Cardinal.**

It’s been slow recently for the Cardinals, and now we know know. But they’ve added
to the front office and that’s going to be good for the team. And [Trevor Bauer](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bauertr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br)
is trying to latch on with a Major League team, but it probably won’t be the Cardinals.
Also, a few quick hits from around the web.

[⌊Redbird Droppings⌉⌊Redbird Droppings⌉[

#### **Payroll Constraints**

[John Denton](https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/bill-dewitt-iii-discusses-cardinals-payroll-offseason-signings)
recently interviewed Cardinals’ President Bill DeWitt III and DeWitt made a few 
comments that got Cardinals’ fans attention; due to “financial uncertainties”, the
team is probably done adding to the roster for this upcoming season.

Fans have been hoping for news on [Blake Snell](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/snellbl01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br)
or a reunion with [Jordan Montgomery](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=montgjo01,montgo001jor&search=Jordan+Montgomery&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br);
everyone can agree that adding a [Josh Hader](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/haderjo01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br)
or bringing back [Jordan Hicks](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hicksjo03.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br)
will shore up a shaky bullpen. At this point, none of those will happen.

> “Look, I think we’re always open to improving our club within reason, but, you
> know, we’ve already made some big moves,” said DeWitt, whose club had a $186.4
> million payroll in 2023 and one that could approach $200 million in 2024, according
> to Spotrac. “With payroll, it has to be thought of in the context of the whole
> business with all the investments we’re making in other aspects of the product
> on the field. And then there’s the revenue picture, which frankly is a bit challenging
> this year relative to last year when you think about what’s happening with local[
> television] media, etc.
> – John Denton

The team has already added [Sonny Gray](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/grayso01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br),
[Lance Lynn](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lynnla01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br),
and [Kyle Gibson](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=gibsoky01,gibson004kyl&search=Kyle+Gibson&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br)
to the rotation and added relivers [from the Rays](https://www.nyrdcast.com/2024/01/the-cardinals-acquire-andrew-kittredge-from-the-rays/)(
[Andrew Kittredge](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kittran01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br)
in trade), [Mariners](https://www.nyrdcast.com/2023/11/cardinals-acquire-riley-obrien-via-trade-and-jared-young-via-waivers/)(
[Riley O’Brien](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/obrieri01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br)
on waivers), and [Red Sox](https://www.nyrdcast.com/2023/12/scouting-reports-for-new-cardinal-pitchers-ryan-fernandez-nick-robertson-victor-santos/)(
[Ryan Fernandez](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=fernan000rya,fernan001rya&search=Ryan+Fernandez&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br)
as a Rule V pick up and [Nick Robertson](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=roberni01,robert007nic&search=Nick+Robertson&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br)
and [Victor Santos](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=santovi01,santos004vic&search=Víctor+Santos&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br)
in trade). It’s an improvement, but they need more to truly compete for a World 
Series. Denton believes that if the team could make a trades with equal salary going
each way, they could get something done.

The biggest issues here is the TV Deal; while Bally’s is [expected to continue broadcasting Cardinals games](https://awfulannouncing.com/sinclair/bally-sports-2024-mlb-games-bankruptcy.html)
through the end of the season, the rest of the $1B contract signed through 2032 
is unknown. When the deal started in 2018, the Cardinals made $50M from the deal,
with it escalating each year after; it was rumored that the Cardinals would make
$86M from the contract in the final year. Bally Sports Midwest has seen profits 
shrink from $2.5M in 2022 to a $13.8M loss in 2023.

One potential suitor has emerged – [Amazon Prime](https://fox2now.com/sports/reports-amazon-prime-could-be-future-home-for-cardinals-and-blues-streams/)
could partner with Diamond Sports (owner of Ballys Sports Networks) to air both 
Cardinals and Blues game in their respective next seasons. It unknown how this would
impact the Cardinals revenue, but the team is playing it safe right now by limiting
what they are spending.

Another reason for the limited addition to payroll was attendance in 2023; the [Cardinals had 3.24M people attend games last year](https://www.statista.com/statistics/197488/mlb-home-attendance-of-the-st-louis-cardinals-since-2006/#:~:text=The%20total%20regular%20season%20home,year's%20value%20of%203.32%20million.),
the second lowest full season total since 2006 (2011 saw 3.09M attend games). Excluding
the 2020 Covid season, the Cardinals have seen continual decrease in attendance 
since 2019. Fans are clearly disillusioned with the product right now.

Could the Cardinals still spend? Probably, but this is also a business for the DeWitts
and they want to make money. If they lose TV revenue and attendance is down (although
still one of the better in the MLB), payroll is probably one of the first things
to take a hit. They aren’t dumb though, and they know after last season, it can’t
go down.

#### **Chaim Bloom Joins the Cardinals Front Office**

The Cardinals announced on Monday that they’ve [brought in Chaim Bloom as an advisor](https://www.nyrdcast.com/2024/01/cardinals-name-chaim-bloom-advisor-to-john-mozeliak/)
to President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak. I’ve seen a lot of questions 
as to why the Cardinals hired Bloom and I’ll address the main ones.

**He wasn’t good with the Red Sox.** How could he have built a good team when his
directive was to cut payroll? The Red Sox painted him as [timid and cheap](https://www.si.com/mlb/red-sox/news/ex-red-sox-chaim-bloom-lands-new-front-office-gig-with-national-league-foe-scott7)
and allowed him to [take the blunt of trading](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/news/mookie-betts-red-sox-trade-dodgers-contract-dispute-deal/sflx0cdrh8quhk6mqqlvgc4s)
[Mookie Betts](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bettsmo01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br)
to the Dodgers (while they didn’t mandate it, they weren’t happy when he was set
to make $27M). Bloom took over as GM after the 2019 season, when the team started
the season with a $236M opening day payroll; he was fired after 2023, when their
opening day payroll was $181M.

When he joined the Red Sox, they had the [worst rated farm system](https://www.nbcsportsboston.com/mlb/boston-red-sox/red-sox-farm-system-gets-top-10-ranking-from-baseball-america/288409/#:~:text=Boston's%20farm%20system%20has%20come,in%202022%2C%20and%20now%2010th.)
according to [Baseball America](https://www.baseballamerica.com/); it was ranked
[5th best when he was fired](https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2023/08/red-sox-farm-system-at-no-5-in-baseball-americas-latest-rankings.html).
Bloom knows how to evaluate talent, which is something the Cardinals have struggled
with. They have strong drafts, but they haven’t drafted many elite players. They
also have the tendency to over-value players in their system (reluctant to trade
players, as we saw at the 2022 trade deadline when they wouldn’t deal [Dylan Carlson](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/carlsdy01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br)
in a dead for [Juan Soto](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=sotoju01,soto--004jua&search=Juan+Soto&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br)).

**Why is he working remote?** Baseball has started to lean more into video and less
into in-person, as have many industries across the world. Many teams have cut back
on [scouting because of video and analytics](https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/scouting-industry-endures-most-brutal-offseason-in-recent-memory/).
Being in an advisory role, he’s probably not needed at the stadium everyday; in 
fact, it’s probably cheaper for the team to allow him to stay in Boston and hit 
him up as needed. He’ll have access to the same data, and someone in his role doesn’t
need to meet with players. He’ll also travel as need to visit the minor league teams,
if the team needs him to do so.

**Couldn’t they have used that money for more pitching? **Front office employees
make peanuts next to what they players get. Even if Bloom is making $5M, that not
enough to get a pitcher that would make a difference on this team. Plus, teams have
different payroll budgets for the players and front office; signing Bloom to be 
an advisor doesn’t take money away from what they team would use to pay players.

Adding Bloom to the front office mix is a good thing. He’s been successful in multiple
roles with the budget conscious Rays; he’s been in player development (both stateside
and internationally), minor league operations, contract negotiations, and more; 
he also broke into baseball by writing for [Baseball Prospectus](https://www.baseballprospectus.com/).
He’s very analytical and that’s something the Cardinals have lacked in the last 
few years.

#### **Bauer Isn’t Joining the Cardinals**

Trevor Bauer won’t be joining the a major league team this year, let alone the Cardinals.
I know Cardinal fans want Bauer; he’ll be pretty cheap as he tries to re-establish
himself in Majors. The problem is there are multiple strikes against him playing
in 2023.

First off, he’s not clear of all legal trouble yet. He came to a [mutual agreement to drop both sides of a lawsuit](https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/38549922/trevor-bauer-woman-settle-dispute-sexual-assault-case)
in regards defamation back in October, but it’s believed that Bauer still has as
many as 3 other suits still in motion in regards to sexual assault. Those legal 
issues are too much of a distraction for a team, especially one coming off a season
like the Cardinals just finished.

Secondly, he’s had plenty of issues with teammates. He’s been deemed a cancer in
the media. Why would the Cardinals, who were rumors to have clubhouse issues last
season, want to add someone like this when they’ve attempted to fix the issues with
Gibson and Gray (both known to be great clubhouse presences)? He’s been cast in 
the [Tommy Pham](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/phamth01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br)
mold; someone who speaks his mind, even to the determent of their team. The Cardinals
traded Pham because of these issues, so I don’t see them bringing in a similar player.

Finally, he’ll be a PR nightmare. Every game, every road trip, there will be questions
about why they’d sign someone like Bauer; he’s tainted and until the legal problems
are over, he’s a distraction. Teammates will get tired of the questions. [Oli](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/marmool99.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br)
will get tired of the questions. And more importantly, Bauer will get tired of the
questions and he’s been a guy that has been combatant with the media in the past(
he’s also been combatant with fans and critics on the internet).

Bauer could add a lot to a team; he’s forward thinking on training methods that 
could help the team, he’s a former-[Cy Young](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/youngcy01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br)
Award winner, and he’s better than most of the pitchers the Cardinals have. Unfortunately,
the negatives still outweigh the positives at this point.

#### **Quick Hits**

 * [Andrew Wang of Redbird Rants](https://redbirdrants.com/posts/the-cardinals-had-13-different-players-lead-them-in-bwar-the-last-13-years-01hjecrbccmv)
   notes the Cardinals have had 13 different bWAR leaders in the last 13 years.
 * [Yardbarker](https://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/ex_cardinals_reliever_available_after_strong_season_reunion_would_make_sense/s1_17215_39783970)
   believes the Cardinals should look at [Adam Ottavino](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/ottavad01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br).
 * [Argo The Rapper](https://blogs.fangraphs.com/cardinals-prospect-victor-scott-ii-doubles-as-argo-the-rapper/)?
   [Victor Scott](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=scott-003vic&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br)
   II knows of him.
 * [The Cardinal Nation](https://thecardinalnation.com/tcn-2024-st-louis-cardinals-prospect-1-masyn-winn/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tcn-2024-st-louis-cardinals-prospect-1-masyn-winn)
   names [Masyn Winn](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/winnma01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br)
   as the #1 prospect in the organization.
 * [Redbird Rants](https://sportspyder.com/mlb/st-louis-cardinals/articles/46168122)
   points out that [Richie Palacios](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/palacri01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br)
   isn’t going to be the next [Randy Arozarena](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/arozara01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-01-09_br).

### Share this:

 * [  Facebook ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/redbird-droppings-2024-payroll-chaim-bloom-trevor-bauer/?share=facebook)
 * [  X ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/redbird-droppings-2024-payroll-chaim-bloom-trevor-bauer/?share=x)
 * [  Email ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/redbird-droppings-2024-payroll-chaim-bloom-trevor-bauer/?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Redbird%20Droppings%3A%202024%20Payroll%2C%20Chaim%20Bloom%2C%20Trevor%20Bauer&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nyrdcast.com%2Fredbird-droppings-2024-payroll-chaim-bloom-trevor-bauer%2F&share=email)
 * [  LinkedIn ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/redbird-droppings-2024-payroll-chaim-bloom-trevor-bauer/?share=linkedin)
 * [  Mastodon ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/redbird-droppings-2024-payroll-chaim-bloom-trevor-bauer/?share=mastodon)
 * [  Nextdoor ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/redbird-droppings-2024-payroll-chaim-bloom-trevor-bauer/?share=nextdoor)
 * [  Pinterest ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/redbird-droppings-2024-payroll-chaim-bloom-trevor-bauer/?share=pinterest)
 * [  Reddit ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/redbird-droppings-2024-payroll-chaim-bloom-trevor-bauer/?share=reddit)
 * [  Tumblr ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/redbird-droppings-2024-payroll-chaim-bloom-trevor-bauer/?share=tumblr)

### Like this:

Like Loading…

### _Related_