Recorded while rain delays opening day: Can how '25 Cardinals open delay the rebuild?

Recorded while rain delays opening day: Can how '25 Cardinals open delay the rebuild?

Author: St. Louis Post-Dispatch March 27, 2025 Duration: 45:34

Post-Dispatch podcasts page: https://go.stltoday.com/0hfn43
Please consider subscribing: https://go.stltoday.com/9aigz5

When the rain clears on opening day, the Cyldesdales, red jackets, and 2025 Cardinals will take center stage in St. Louis for what's become a civic holiday. And yet, outside of the pomp of the opener, the real circumstance facing the Cardinals entering the regular season is how they've faded from relevance in the National League and NL Central.

ESPN baseball writer Jesse Rogers, in town to cover the Cardinals' opener against the Minnesota Twins, joins the Best Podcast in Baseball and host Derrick Goold to discuss a national perspective on the Cardinals and the curious case of their "transition." For a youth movement, the Cardinals don't have a rookie on their opening roster for the first time since 2007. For a "reset," the roster is more of a copy -- with 25 of the 26 players on the active roster returning from 2024.

The duality of the Cardinals' dilemma is as clear as the rain delaying the opener.

Rogers also discusses what it will take for the Cardinals to elbow their way into the NL Central race. The two writers pick their division champ for the NL Central. And Roger gets a peek into how rivals see Cardinals executive John Mozeliak as he arrives at his final opening day in charge of baseball operations in St. Louis.

The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold. The podcast is in its 13th season and welcomes feedback on why you listen and what you'd like to hear next.


For anyone who lives and breathes the rhythm of a 162-game season, Best Podcast in Baseball is your regular, unfiltered dose of diamond discourse. Hosted by Derrick Goold, the lead baseball writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, this podcast digs into the stories that define the St. Louis Cardinals franchise and the wider world of Major League Baseball. The conversation goes beyond box scores, exploring the nuances of roster construction, the evolving strategies of the game, and the unique culture surrounding the national pastime in a city renowned for its passion. With a rotating lineup of insider guests, from beat reporters and former players to front-office minds, each episode offers perspective you won't find anywhere else. It’s a direct line to the analysis, debates, and narratives shaping the Cardinals' present and future, all while celebrating the history and idiosyncrasies that make baseball so compelling. Tune in for thoughtful, authoritative talk that feels like a conversation at the ballpark, capturing both the immediate stakes of a playoff race and the timeless threads that connect generations of fans. This is the essential audio companion for those who want their baseball coverage to be as deep and considered as their fandom.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Best Podcast in Baseball
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Can a former Ray pierce the Cardinals' clouded forecast? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:53
Post-Dispatch podcasts page: https://go.stltoday.com/0hfn43 Please consider subscribing: https://go.stltoday.com/9aigz5 During a lengthy rain delay before the finale of the Cardinals' visit to Tampa Bay, St. Louis Post-D…