B-Schaeff Daily

Brenden Schaeffer breaks down the Cardinals 7-5 win over the Astros from Saturday while reminding everyone that this just isn't the year to be nitpicking wins.Cards find a way, winning their fourth straight. Shout-out Jose Fermin!

Brenden Schaeffer breaks down the Cardinals 9-4 win over the Astros in which Gorman and Herrera brought the thunder late to help make a winner of Kyle Leahy while sparing Riley O'Brien from having to pitch for the third time in four days.Masyn Winn also had a huge swing in this game that could be indicative of what the Cards needs him to become.

Brenden Schaeffer discusses the Cardinals gritty win over the Guardians Wednesday, 5-3.Can the team continue playing to a winning record through the mere notion of playing the game the right way, despite what appears to be several deficits for the roster relative to the big-boppers in the league?

Brenden Schaeffer discusses the Cardinals 6-5 win over the Guardians in walk-off fashion from Tuesday night as Nathan Church had the game-winning RBI sac fly in the 10th inning. The top of the lineup truly powered up, with JJ Wetherholt blasting two homers, and Ivan Herrera getting on the board with a dinger of his own.We also focus on a key contribution from the bullpen that many Cardinals fans were probably adamantly against seeing play out -- but it was ultimately the perfect decision and usage for a struggling reliever to redeem himself.

Brenden Schaeffer does another Jordan Walker podcast, because it's J-Walk's world and we're all just living in it at this point.

Brenden Schaeffer breaks down Jordan Walker homering AGAIN to claim the solo lead of the MLB home run leaderboard on Sunday!

Brenden Schaeffer discusses Jordan Walker's continued hot stretch and how the last thing he wants to do is, well, talk about it.

Brenden Schaeffer breaks down the Cardinals' 6-1 win over the Nationals as the Redbirds did what they had to do to salvage a series in D.C.Chasing Miles Mikolas from the game was key, as was the performance from Michael McGreevy, having the efficient outing needed to save the bullpen.

Brenden Schaeffer breaks down the Cardinals 7-6 win in extra innings over the Nationals on Tuesday night as Jordan Walker and Nathan Church had big swings to help the Redbirds pull off an unlike comeback win!

The Cardinals bullpen reared its ugly head in Monday's loss to the Nationals as Plan A, B and C all failed for Oli Marmol. So why should it have been a surprise when Plan D came up empty?We discuss the downstream effect of one pitcher not doing his job and the way that such an occurrence can put a whole bullpen and team behind the eight ball for the rest of a series.

Brenden Schaeffer breaks down the Cardinals 2-1 win over the Mets in walk-off fashion on Thursday as Masyn Winn delivers the big winning hit in the 11th.The pitching staff and particularly the development of this bullpen coming together could be a legit weapon for Oli Marmol this year.Also, we update you on that debated Nelson Velazquez decision from last week...

Brenden Schaeffer discusses the Cardinals 3-0 win over the Mets from Tuesday at Busch Stadium.Andre Pallante pitched really well, but ran into issues in the sixth.Gordon Graceffo, freshly back from Memphis, was thrown into the fire for a key spot right away.He pulled a Houdini -- and boy did Masyn Winn ever help!Ivan Herrera had a nice day, too, but there are only so many things we can focus on for the pod, so this one's a pitching episode, for sure!

Brenden Schaeffer breaks down the Cardinals 4-2 loss to the Mets on Monday night at Busch Stadium as Kyle Leahy regrouped from early trouble to settle in for a solid outing -- until it seemed like he ran out of steam, extending for the first time in his MLB career into a fifth and sixth inning of work.But how about Nolan Gorman? Another homer for the slugging lefty and a quirky moment with Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez that Gorman thinks might have helped lead to his success on the home run.

Brenden Schaeffer discusses the Cardinals 11-7 loss to the Rays after covering it on Sunday at Busch Stadium. This episode focuses heavily on Jordan Walker, whose success at the plate triggered something we haven't seen from him since September 2024.Could the early results be a sign of things to come for Walker?Free discord: https://discord.gg/3TAMYx4S

Brenden Schaeffer discusses the latest JJ Wetherholt heroics as the Cardinals win over the Rays on Saturday at Busch Stadium, 6-5 in 10 innings.If you thought Wetherholt's first MLB game was special, how about the encore? A walk-off winner by the rookie (and a defensive gem, as well) has Cardinal Nation riding high to begin the 2026 season.

Brenden Schaeffer takes you behind the scenes of an electric opening day at Busch Stadium. Hear from JJ Wetherholt, Oliver Marmol and Alec Burleson, with insights on many of the big moments that made Thursday an incredible memory for Cardinals fans!

Brenden Schaeffer jumps on to discuss the news of the day -- his news!Brenden will be covering Cardinals home games for MLB.com and Cardinals.com in 2026, and will be joined on the coverage team by Josh Jacobs (Dealin' the Cards) and Kyle Reis (Prospects After Dark) in their various roles.Excited to get going with this new venture on Thursday for Opening Day at Busch! Follow the podcast feed for coverage all summer long!

The Cardinals' did not create a spot on the 40-man roster for spring training standout slugger Nelson Velazquez, optioning him to AAA to begin the season.Who plays left field now with Nootbaar on the IL? We'll discuss that information and the potential thought process behind the surprising front office decision. Plus, tune into the show WEDNESDAY for an fun announcement.

Brenden Schaeffer described the lay of the land with the Cardinals Hall of Fame ballot featuring Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols for the first time.Rest assured, this won't be a year where the vote is limited to one player being selected.

Brenden Schaeffer discusses whether the Ramon Urias signing from over the weekend is a good fit for the Cardinals roster and what it could mean for Thomas Saggese and Jose Fermin.

Brenden Schaeffer discusses the possibility that JJ Wetherholt could be considered for a role as the Cardinals leadoff man in 2026.Would it be putting too much on his plate, too soon? Or is the club's top prospect simply built for this?

Brenden Schaeffer discusses a topic that has been often fantasized about by Cardinals fans, but is one that has now come to fruition as Yadier Molina has been at Cardinals spring training in Jupiter in recent days, sharing his wisdom with the next generation of catchers.What has the impact been, plus, we clean up some misconceptions about Ivan Herrera working in the outfield earlier in the week.

The Cardinals announced the way they will be handling new prospect Loo Cijntje as a switch pitcher in 2026 big-league camp after the talented 22-year-old threw in games as both a lefty and a righty last season in the Seattle organization.His inclusion among the Cards' prospect ranks now paints the minor-league pitching depth in an even more intriguing light.

Brenden Schaeffer discusses the concept of the Cardinals reaching out to longtime rival player Andrew McCutchen to fill the need for some right-handed hitting outfield help.With the Pirates shunning Cutch and the longtime star believing he's got gas left in the tank, there's a case to be made that he fits what St. Louis needs on its roster--and that his 2025 stats show how he could contribute this summer for the Redbirds.

Chaim Bloom spoke with reporters on Thursday in Jupiter and shared that Lars Nootbaar will be delayed in arriving to Cardinals camp. Don't panic: The reason seems like a pretty understandable one.Plus, an update on Ivan Herrera's WBC participation.

Oli Marmol was asked by STL Sports Central's Mike Claiborne Wednesday about which area of the Cardinals roster he is most looking forward to seeing play out and establish itself this spring.Though he listed a number of names, there was a clear aspect of the club that he's eager to see get to work. And frankly, he's right: this aspect of the roster will be most critical to whatever success St. Louis could enjoy in the summer of 2026.

The Cardinals made a trade on Tuesday, sending Andre Granillo to the Nationals -- and the player they got in return is now on his FIFTH team of the winter! What gives?

Brenden Schaeffer discusses this projected St. Louis Cardinals lineup for 2026, which comes from RosterResource, a FanGraphs-backed outlet that digs into the nitty gritty for the rosters of all 30 MLB teams.They have Lars Nootbaar as the Cards' leadoff hitter, plus an interesting take on the catcher position. Do we agree with their projections? We discuss!

According to baseball reporter Francys Romero, the Cardinals are signing international free agent Leonil De Leon out of the Dominican Republic.De Leon is described as one of the top pitchers in this international free agent class. Is this late addition to the class a big get for St. Louis?

The Cardinals made a waiver claim on Friday, snagging third baseman Bryan Ramos from Baltimore. He hit 16 homers in AAA last year...Could Ramos be a good fit for the St. Louis bench? Did Chaim Bloom find a diamond in the rough? We discuss!

The Cardinals traded Brendan Donovan to the Mariners and in a three-team trade, got five total assets in return. Was the haul worth it for their lone 2025 All-Star? We discuss.

The Cardinals announced today that Yadi is BACK! What does it mean and what role will he fill in 2026?

Brenden Schaeffer reacts to the news from Sunday night of the Cardinals trading Willson Contreras to the Boston Red Sox for Hunter Dobbins and two pitching prospects.How does this impact the Cardinals off-season as Chaim Bloom continues to reshape the roster?

The Cardinals lost the MLB Draft lottery by landing at 13th pick despite having the eighth-best odds at the number one overall pick.But is this the worst outcome? Not necessarily, given the direction the team is likely to be heading int the next couple of years, and what losing out on a lotto pick this year could mean for their opportunity to gain them in future upcoming drafts.We explained it all in this episode!

Brenden Schaeffer discusses the Cardinals landing RHP Matt Pushard from the Marlins in the MLB Rule 5 Draft, while also diving into the curious case of the Yankees stealing away a Cardinals minor leaguer in the draft.It was the first time the Yankees have made a pick in the Rule 5 Draft since 2011, so what did they see in Cade Winquest? And could the Cardinals come to regret letting him go?

Brenden Schaeffer discusses the recent podcast appearance by Oli Marmol on Foul Territory in which the Cardinals manager hinted at the team's upcoming moves that we could see this off-season.It's not necessarily anything ground-breaking, but it matches what we've been told within the vision of Chaim Bloom as he and Marmol look to bring the Cardinals forward into the future.

The Cardinals claimed RHP Zak Kent off waivers Friday. What could the newbie bring to the bullpen for 2026?

Let's dive into the latest on St. Louis Cardinals trade rumors, rumblings and reports ahead of the MLB Winter Meetings, which begin Sunday in Orlando!

Brenden Schaeffer breaks down Tuesday's news of the Cardinals trading Sonny Gray and cash to the Boston Red Sox for pitchers Richard Fitts and Brandon Clarke.How much money did the Cardinals send in the deal to not pitch for their team in 2026?And does this move make sense in the bigger context of what the Cardinals were aiming to accomplish this off-season? In a lot of ways, Chaim Bloom and Bill DeWitt Jr. deserve some real credit for how this one went down.

Brenden Schaeffer tries to make sense of the Yohel Pozo news over the past week. The Cardinals non-tendered him last week, but on Monday, news emerged that they're signing him to a contract.What gives? And what does it all mean for Ivan Herrera, Pedro Pages, Jimmy Crooks and Leonardo Bernal? We'll explain.NOTE: Apologies for the audio quality from the last few minutes of the show, my microphone settings got switched and I did not notice it until it was too late. Will be better for next episode!

Brenden Schaeffer discusses some of the top names in the Cardinals organization as trade chips this off-season.Inspired by an article by Will Leitch for MLB dot com (linked below), we dive into the merits for keeping or trading these various players as we await what the Cardinals will ultimately do.Article referenced in the episode: https://www.mlb.com/news/should-cardinals-trade-nolan-arenado-willson-contreras-more

Brenden Schaeffer discusses the four additions to the Cardinals 40-man roster from Tuesday before the Rule 5 protection deadline. The Cardinals left one player among their top 30 prospects list unprotected, and DFA'd a reliever with a 100-mph fastball.Were these the right decisions? We'll break it all down in detail.

Note: This episode was posted to YouTube on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. I inadvertently forgot to upload it to the podcast feed, but am doubling back to do so now in case any of our listeners don't also follow on YouTube. Apologies! The content should still be relevant, since no other 40-man moves have been made since.The Cardinals made a few 40-man roster moves on Friday, so we doubled back to discuss the departures of Michael Siani and more!

Brenden Schaeffer discusses the landscape surrounding the Cardinals and All-Star Brendan Donovan amid the team's entrance into true rebuilding waters this off-season.Does the state of things mean that Donnie is a surefire trade candidate this off-season? Recent reporting from STL Today seems to indicate that Donovan was the belle of the ball out in Vegas in the way that teams are expected to inquire on the St. Louis utility man.We discuss the Donovan situation as well as what the Cardinals could be seeking in a return for him this winter.STL Today report on Donovan trade interest: https://www.stltoday.com/sports/professional/mlb/cardinals/article_6026903d-99c2-49f0-9128-2bbe59a37c67.html

Brenden Schaeffer discusses a recent report from Jeff Jones detailing the landscape for the Cardinals entering trade possibilities for each of their big three veteran players with no-trade clauses and hefty contracts.For full context for this conversation, read the article in the BND here: https://www.bnd.com/sports/mlb/st-louis-cardinals/article312863194.html

Brenden Schaeffer breaks down an oft-discussed topic of the past couple years, which is Yadier Molina potentially joining the Cardinals in a formal capacity.While the last time we heard about this, it did not ultimately materialize as expected, could Yadi's guest coaching stints in 2025 point toward his readiness to commit to a more significant role with the club in 2026?And how would Yadi serving on Oli Marmol's coaching staff potentially set the stage for his future foray into managing an MLB team down the road?

How did you like the introduction of the new POBO into Cardinals Nation earlier this week? Brenden discusses the Chaim Bloom press conference and what his words told us about how the Cardinals plan to embark upon the next chapter for the club.

Brenden Schaeffer breaks down the press conference from Monday for St. Louis Cardinals outgoing president of baseball operations John Mozeliak.The stage is now set for Tuesday, as Chaim Bloom will speak for the first time as the head executive of the club's baseball operations department.

Brenden Schaeffer discusses the Cardinals being eliminated officially from playoff contention on Wednesday, while Sonny Gray seems ready to waive his no-trade clause. Are the Cardinals due to move him this winter? Plus, will they take the extra step of committing to a rebuild by trading Brendan Donovan? We have some potentially controversial thoughts on that topic.

Brenden Schaeffer discusses his view of the worst mistake Mozeliak made while running the Cardinals - not in terms of the scale of the mistake, but because of how upsetting the misguided motivations of the organization were when he made it.And certainly today, with the Cardinals finishing the season with real pride, it looks even worse as this unforced error motivated by finances ending up helping to take the Cardinals out of contention for a wild card.

After a tough loss for the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday, this episode of the podcast focuses solely on what's going on down on the farm!