…There have been fantastic by teams of all sports that JUMP FROM BOTTOM TO TOP…Some do it in just 1 year! Take a look…

…yes, even in the MLB… Entering the 2008 MLB season, the Tampa Bay Rays had NEVER had a winning record since its inception in 1998. Further the team had never even been over .500 and never made the playoffs. In 2007, the Rays lost 96 games! Amazingly, the Rays turned it around in 1 season!!! In 2008, TB posted 97-65 record! They won the first 2 rounds of post-season ball but dropped the World Series to the Phillies 4 games to 1! Some naysayers feel that dropping the team name of “Devil” (which Tampa Bay did between 2007 and 2008 was the answer 😊 Gosh….do we have to become something other than the Cardinals? What would we be?  Do we have to be a bird?  We’ve had the ST Louis Cardinals (baseball & football) teams; the St Louis Hawks basketball  team; St Louis Eagles (NHL team in the 30’s)

…There have been other MLB major “turnarounds”. I didn’t remember most of them…maybe you do…. Boston did it …in 2012 (last place), then went out made “Player moves”  and moved into 1st place in 2013 with a 97-65 record! They increased their win total for 65 to 97 in ONE YEAR! Boston did it again (from last place to 1^st place) from 2015 (last place) to 2016, when Boston upped its win total by 15 games. The Red Sox beat both the Orioles & Blue Jays by 4 games to win the AL East Division!! 

…In 2012, in the NFL, the Kansas City Chiefs were 2-14. In 2013, they improved that record to 11-5 the next season(2014), behind new quarterback Alex Smith and new head coach Andy Reid.

… In the 2005-06 college football season, Wake Forest finished 4-7 (1-3). The very next year, the team finished 11-3 (6-2) as they won its first conference championship in 36 years.

…In College Football, it seemed to me that Oregon has JUMPED FROM BOTTON TO TOP in one year. Was I wrong!!  The Ducks have been to a Bowl game every year except for 2004 & 2016 since 1997!!! Current HC Don Lanning holds a 33-5 record in his 3 years at the helm. That’s not a fluke…28 Oregon football players are on current NFL rosters! To give you a reference point, Mizzou has 12 players in the NFL currently.

…College basketball (men) has seem some JUMPING FROM BOTTOM TO TOP. In 1998, Ohio State finished with a 8-22 record. The following year, the Buckeyes finished with a 27-9 record! In 2014, Notre Dame completed a 15-17 season. The following year, the Fighting Irish jumped to a 32-6 record!

..How does it happen? Infusion of talented Transfers, sometimes Coaching Changes, strong recruiting, and now in the NIL era—a raising of the coffers for NIL use.

…Take a look at last years transfers. As of May 1, 2024, 3,843 players were in the FBS transfer portal for the 2024 college football season, breaking the previous record of 3,502 set in the 2022-2023 cycle. Over 1,200 of those players entered the portal during the spring window.  Some other notable transfer portal trends for the 2024 season: 72 FBS teams lost 20 or more scholarship transfers; 883 FBS scholarship transfers landed on Power 4 rosters. A record number of players entered the FCS portal, including over 1,000 players transferring to FCS programs. The Group of 5 to Power 4 pipeline has continued to pick up momentum as Power 5 teams basically “cut” players. Those players frequently end up in Power 4 program.

… As We sit here in November, many Cardinal fans are already hoping that the Cardinals continue to JUMP FROM BOTTOM TO TOP. The Cardinals did finish in last place in 2023 with a  71-91 record. In several of my recent articles, I’ve indicated that I don’t believe that the Cardinals ownership is willing pay the money to “turn it around”. But….maybe I’m way off. Let’s look @  what it means to JUMP FROM BOTTOM TO TOP

…..In 2024 (this past season), the Cardinals showed improvement as they finished their season with a 83-79 record– a.512 win %. They finished in 2nd place, 10 games out of 1st place. So, despite being in 2nd place, the Cardinals were’t really conteders. Since 1882, the Cardinals have finished with that same exact win % of .512 but never finished as high as 2^nd place. Remember, for decades, there were no divisions—only the National League & American League. A .512% in an 8 team league won’t make you a contender. Take a look….at the other .512% Cardinal teams–

…In 2017 a .512%  took the Cards to 3rd place,9 games out of 1st place; in 1998, .512% put them into a 3rd place of 6 team division–19 games out; in 1992 a .512% landed Cards in 3rd place of 6 teams –13 games out of 1^st place; in 1977 –a .512% took StL to 3rd place of 6 teams, 18 games out of 1^st place; in 1966  a .512% took Cards to 6th place in 10 team division–12 games out of 1st place. Sooo…finishing in 2nd place in 2024 could mean…either-parity in a weak division or that the NL Central had 3 good teams.  Since Milwaukee got bounced out of the playoffs in round 1….I think the arrow points towards parity.

…Also in 2024, a team that has been mostly “down” for a long time, came to life. The KC Royals made the biggest JUMP FROM BOTTOM TO TOP! In 2023, KC finished with a 56-106 record-last place in the Central division. Just 1 year later (2024) KC played in the post-season!

…Several other MLB teams have jumped from Bottom to Top (or close to the TOP) in 1 year….

….. 1996-97 Giants –The Giants finished last in the NL West in 1996 with a 68-94 record. 1^st year GM Brian Sabean took immediate steps. He clearly wanted to add punch to the Barry Bonds solo show.  ’96 was strictly the Barry Bonds show—42 HR, 129 RBI’s, OPS-1.076. So….In 1997, SF made some major trades to add balance & potency to the lineup. J.T Snow & Jeff Kent were the feature acquisitions. That duo combined for 57 HR & 225 RBI’s as they helped lead the Giants to 90 victories & and NL West title.

….In 1998, the expansion Arizona Diamondbacks finished 65–97, 33 games behind the 1st place San Diego Padres. A year later, the D’Backs won 100 games, 14 games ahead of second-place San Francisco. The 35 game improvement is the largest of the modern era.

…In 1990, the Minnesota Twins finished in last place with a 74-88 record. The very next year, 1991, Minnesota won the division AND the World Series (over the Braves). They improved their record by 21 games as they finished 95-67 for the season.  The additions of DH Chili Davis, RHP Jack Morris and 1991 Rookie of the Year, Chuck Knoblauch, helped Minnesota execute this turnaround season.

…There are other teams. Other than an expansion teams, all of these teams improved dramatically by the acquisition of a solid batter(s) & strengthening pitching. Often, these teams had a star playing who excelled even more with a stronger lineup around him. No team can win titles without a pitching staff that “keeps their team in the game” in the vast majority of the games.

…. An outstanding closer has become essential to JUMPING FROM BOTTOM TO TOP. What I read lately is that the Cards are looking to trade their outstanding closer of 2024- Ryan Helsley. Helsley should bring them back some real talent based on his 49 saves  which broke the Cardinals’ single-season saves record, surpassing Trevor Rosenthal’s 2015 record of 48 saves. Helsley was the Cards MVP for 2024 and  won the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year honors. His departure (which seems likely) will cost the Cardinals some, probably …many,  wins.

…Will the Cardinals move upwards last year going to continue or halt? The Cards showed improvement in 2024 (83-70) over the last place 2023 season.  In 2023, the Cards were dead-last in the Central Division with a sad 71-91 record. That record was 22 games worse than the 2022 record of 93-69. Unfortunately, we don’t see the Cardinals making any transactions to improve the team. Lance Lynn (starter), RH relief Pitchers–Andrew Kittredge& Keynan Middleton have become free agents. Some of those hurlers, may be resigned

….After posting his lowest RBI total of his career for a full season, his lowest batting average, with his highest strikeout number, and still a sizable salary, Paul Goldschmidt was let go into free agency—to no one’s surprise!  Nolan Arenado isn’t making any noise about “staying in the Lou”.  One has to assume that the Cards are really going to “clear the deck” and part with Arenado as part of the movement of JUMPING FROM TOP TO BOTTOM. Winning isn’t going to happen this year…soooo…look long term.

…..Surprisingly (at least to me), the Cardinals have decided to move catcher Willson Contreras to first base/DH  in 2025.  Contreras has played just 11 games in his career @ 1B!  We’ve been treated to some sparkling defensive plays by Paul Goldschmidt in recent years at 1b. Pushing a catcher to 1b will probably accomplish the routine plays but errant throws in the dirt, stretching out to get the close call, line drives down the 1b line may all become a real challenge for a full-time 1^st year 1^st baseman. Why are the Cardinals doing this?  The issue is that the Cards have 3 catchers (Contreras, Pag’es, Herrera) Contreras is clearly the best all-around player—batting & Hitting. Meanwhile, Herrera batted .301(the only .300+ batter on the team) so a spot must be made for him. On the downside, Herrara couldn’t throw out any base stealers. It took about week before the NL figured out that Herrara wasn’t gong to throw them out. Page’s is much better than Herrera behind the plate but hit only .238 for the season. If the Cards acquire a 1b look for Contreras to be moved back to catcher and Herrera to be moved. You would have thought that the Cardinals minor league coaches would have seen that Herrera didn’t have the quick release & arm strength to throw out runners long before he reached the MLB.

…Checking the offensive production of 2024, the Cardinals were 30^th (last) in the MLB in runners left on base, Cards were 22^nd in RUNS SCORED in the MLB and  22^nd in Home Runs. Strong offensive batters are needed to upgrade the win/lose columns.  Adhering to their “long range” development program of their minor league players, the Cardinals don’t even take a sniff of the fragrant free agent odors.

…All those “moves” make sense but…where are the “new” players?  The players needed to upgrade our team. The Cards DID improve in 2024 but with the transactions that have taken place this off-season, it appears that matching that win total will be challenging. Maybe minor leaguers, free agents(on the lower price rung), trades, will upgrade the team. Hopefully, it could still happen before the 2025 season rings its bell for the opening of the season. That way, the Cards may continue their journey on JUMPING FROM BOTTOM TO TOP.

Thanks for your time & read!  YOUR thoughts are always invited. Send to me via email, post on facebook, send to me through Messenger. Whatever works easiest for you. 2 weeks ago, we had over 20 reactions!  Let’s do it again!  Bob