My prediction: We sign Robert for a total of $65 mil. Yours?

[Johnconrad]

So, the Cardinals didn't get outbid, they merely got outworked.

I feel so much better.

[jagtrader]

I didn't bother to get emotionally invested this time. Much easier.

[Farewell Friends]

Are we kind of getting the feeling Mozeliak and Matheny just aren't really all that good without Luhnow's farm system?

Nope.

[IMADreamer]

I think we have to realize that elite talent doesn't want to play in St Louis. Let's be honest St Louis kinda sucks. It's possible the manager and front office are not liked either. Then you factor in the potential for endorsements. St Louis will never compete with that potential to NY, Chicago, LA, and Boston.

[stlouie_lipp]

If the Cards offered 10% more than the White Sox then you're being unreasonable about what they should offfer. Instead they need to look at the perception of the organization and maybe the city.

This.

[Johnconrad]

Are we kind of getting the feeling Mozeliak and Matheny just aren't really all that good without Luhnow's farm system?

Nope.

Hey - why let facts get in the way of a good theory?

[Johnconrad]

I think we have to realize that elite talent doesn't want to play in St Louis. Let's be honest St Louis kinda sucks. It's possible the manager and front office are not liked either. Then you factor in the potential for endorsements. St Louis will never compete with that potential to NY, Chicago, LA, and Boston.

Maybe Robert wasn't all that keen about a hitch in the local Boy Scouts?

[Johnconrad]

I didn't bother to get emotionally invested this time. Much easier.

It was only 40 million less than the OP suggested. Still not enough of a bargain for Moe.

[Famous Mortimer]

I think we have to realize that elite talent doesn't want to play in St Louis. Let's be honest St Louis kinda sucks. It's possible the manager and front office are not liked either. Then you factor in the potential for endorsements. St Louis will never compete with that potential to NY, Chicago, LA, and Boston.

I'll reserve judgement til I find out how much more St Louis offered, so I hope it's just the money. Maybe the Cardinals ought to ask the city to be a bit less filthy and run-down, that might be the thing that spurs development in the north of the city.

[lukethedrifter]

I think we have to realize that elite talent doesn't want to play in St Louis. Let's be honest St Louis kinda sucks. It's possible the manager and front office are not liked either. Then you factor in the potential for endorsements. St Louis will never compete with that potential to NY, Chicago, LA, and Boston.

I'll reserve judgement til I find out how much more St Louis offered, so I hope it's just the money. Maybe the Cardinals ought to ask the city to be a bit less filthy and run-down, that might be the thing that spurs development in the north of the city.

I'm going to address your snark seriously.
Obviously nothing the Cards can really do about the City and its rep so it has to work on the perception of the organization. Or the reality of the organization.
It's not unreasonable to think that someone alien to this country might for a few dollars (relatively) less would choose to play somewhere more comfortable with a stronger Latin presence- albeit not particularly Cuban.

Still sucks.