Talking About Birds: A St. Louis Cardinals Podcast

The Cardinals officially close the book on the Nolan Arenado era, trading the longtime third baseman and cash to the Diamondbacks (Butts'n'cracks) and ushering in a new phase for the franchise. We break down what Arenado meant to St. Louis, what the Cardinals are paying to move on, and what they’re getting back in hard-throwing right-hander Jack Martinez. Plus, we hit the rest of a busy offseason...

The Cardinals make yet another bullpen pitching move, but the spotlight stays firmly on JJ Wetherholt as league executives anoint him the early NL Rookie of the Year favorite and the organization’s most important position player since Yadier Molina. We debate whether St. Louis needs a veteran bat to support the youth movement, break down major upgrades coming to spring training facilities in Jupit...

The Brendan Donovan trade saga takes center stage as the Cardinals slow-play their best asset, hoping to turn patience into a real prospect haul while the market shifts around them. We break down why Contreras moved first, how Arizona’s Ketel Marte situation could reshape Donovan’s value, and where teams like the Mariners, Giants, and Red Sox fit in. Plus, the Arenado market remains frozen as St....

In this historic, recorded live and in person, 200th episode, we discuss how the Cardinals make another major offseason move, sending Willson Contreras to Boston in a cash-assisted deal headlined by right-hander Hunter Dobbins. We break down what St. Louis is getting in Dobbins — his injury, stuff, and fit under Chaim Bloom — plus minor league depth additions and the team’s search for a right-hand...

The Cardinals make a big pitching bet, signing Dustin May and betting on a reshaped arsenal after one of the strangest injury arcs in recent MLB history. We break down what’s changed in his stuff, velocity, and pitch mix — and what it means for 2026. Plus, trade chatter is heating up around Brendan Donovan, JoJo Romero, and Willson Contreras as the offseason market takes shape, while Arenado’s sit...

We’re talking Cardinals news as St. Louis grabs Zak Kent off waivers, weighs growing trade interest in Brendan Donovan, drops in the 2026 draft lottery, and continues exploring a 2026 role for Yadi. Then we dive into Jordan Walker’s big Driveline overhaul and what Fangraphs sees as the path to unlocking his elite raw power. Plus: all the latest league chaos — massive contracts for Schwarber and Al...

The Winter Meetings are here, and the Cardinals might actually be ready to move Willson Contreras — with reports he’s now open to waiving his no-trade for the right fit. We dig into what that means, what happens with Donnie, Lars, and Nado, plus the Cardinals landing the No. 4 Comp Balance A pick and early extension talks with Oli Marmol. Then we break down Ryan Helsley’s big deal with Baltimore,...

The Cardinals kick off the offseason with a blockbuster: Sonny Gray is shipped to Boston in a restructured deal that guarantees him $41M for 2026, while St. Louis brings back young arms Richard Fitts and top prospect Brandon Clarke. We break down what the new rotation pieces bring, plus the Cardinals’ smaller moves with Yohel Pozo, Scott Blewett, and Sem Robberse. Trade chatter heats up around JoJ...

The St. Louis Cardinals are gearing up for a busy offseason, planning for JJ Wetherholt to debut in 2025 and preparing potential trades involving Arenado, Gray, Donovan, and even Nootbaar. They protected four prospects on the 40-man, DFA’d Jorge Alcalá, and left Blaze Jordan unprotected. We break down the growing trade buzz, the potential options St. Louis is exploring, the Hall of Fame ballot, an...

Burly brings home the Silver Slugger (and yes, it totally counts). We talk Cardinals roster shuffles, Sonny Gray rumors, and what the offseason could hold for St. Louis pitching. Plus, we dig in on the gambling scandal and what it means for MLB, discuss new managers taking over, and finally say goodbye, thank god, to Kyle Hendricks. Have a question or comment for the show? Text or leave us a voice...

The offseason is here and the Cardinals are already making moves. We talk Masyn Winn’s Gold Glove, new front office hires, and which Cards might be on the trade block. Plus, a quick World Series wrap-up and league news. Have a question or comment for the show? Text or leave us a voicemail at: (848) 48-BIRDS (848-482-4737) Talking About Birds is listener supported on Patreon. Support the show and j...

The Cardinals’ surgery list is SO SPOOKY! Brendan Donovan, Ivan Herrera, and Lars Nootbaar all go under the knife, and Joe McEwing vanishes into the night. We dig up the cursed stat lines of former Cardinals haunting other teams (Helsley’s Mets ERA will chill you to the bone) and ask if Busch Stadium itself is cursed against home runs. Plus, Shohei Ohtani is an unstoppable monster in the World Ser...

We’re wrapping up the 2025 Cardinals season and taking a hard look at what the numbers got right — and what they completely whiffed on. ZiPS nailed Sonny Gray’s ace-level season, Alec Burleson’s breakout, and Masyn Winn’s rise… but missed big on Jordan Walker and Nolan Arenado’s decline. We break down the biggest projection hits and misses, the disappointing –5 win gap from expectations, and the p...

The Cardinals’ offseason rumor mill is heating up — could Ivan Herrera or Pedro Pagés be on the trade block? We break down Derrick Goold’s latest insights, arbitration projections, and what Mike Shildt’s surprising retirement says about his exit from St. Louis. Masyn Winn and Victor Scott II headline the Gold Glove finalists, while former Bird Tommy Pham makes another appearance. Plus, we check in...

Chaim Bloom is already making moves — the Cardinals’ new president of baseball ops plans to add a leadership role to reshape the front office and sharpen pro scouting after recent trade misses. St. Louis also lands seven prospects on FanGraphs’ updated Top 100, tying Seattle for the most in baseball. We pick our 2025 team MVP, look at who’s heading to the Arizona Fall League, and check in on a red...

John Mozeliak officially says goodbye, Chaim Bloom steps in as Cardinals president of baseball ops, and Oli Marmol will return in 2026. Willson Contreras wants to stay in St. Louis, while Sonny Gray and Nolan Arenado are open to waiving their no-trade clauses—potentially clearing over $86 million from the payroll. We dig into what that means for the roster, the offseason, and the team’s future dir...

Nolan Arenado gets his possible farewell at Busch, Masyn Winn heads into knee surgery, and Ivan Herrera preps for offseason elbow work. Meanwhile, Herrera’s bat is scorching in September, Burley and Donnie are swinging it well, and even José Fermín is looking like a machine. Sonny Gray might’ve thrown his last start as a Cardinal, and we gear up for the season finale against the Cubs. Plus: automa...

Ben and guest Daniel Shoptaw (@C70) break down the latest St. Louis Cardinals news as Willson Contreras and Masyn Winn hit the IL, Nolan Arenado returns, and Thomas Saggese heats up. Plus, what’s next for Ivan Herrera and Jordan Walker and a preview of upcoming series vs. the Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants, and Chicago Cubs. We wrap with league news — the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phi...

We discuss Masyn Winn’s upcoming offseason knee surgery, Willson Contreras’ return, and Brendan Donovan’s rehab assignment, along with notable roster moves including Garrett Hampson’s DFA and Nick Raquet’s remarkable journey back to the majors. On the field, Nathan Church has been the Cardinals’ hottest player in September, while Jordan Walker continues to struggle through a difficult season. With...

We discuss Brant Brown’s comments on Jordan Walker’s preparation and what it says about the Cardinals’ hitting approach as a whole. Injury updates include Riley O’Brien, Alec Burleson, and Yohel Pozo, while César Prieto and Jimmy Crooks join the big league roster and Victor Scott II returns from the IL. On the field, Ivan Herrera and Pedro Pagés are carrying the offense, but Masyn Winn’s health an...

We discuss the latest Cardinals news, including Willson Contreras’ six-game suspension, updates on Donovan, Scott, Arenado, and Winn’s recovery timelines, and what it all means for the rest of the season. On the field, Nolan Gorman is having one of the best months of his career, Nathan Church is making his case, and the “Pallante Problem” has become impossible to ignore. We highlight McGreevy and...

We discuss the latest Cardinals roster shuffles with Donovan and Scott hitting the IL, Arenado’s progress toward a return, and Mozeliak’s public backing of Oli Marmol. We look at standout performances from Svanson, McGreevy, and Pagés, while breaking down the team’s troubling offensive trends in August. Plus, we preview the Rays and Pirates series and dive into league news, from MLB’s shifting med...

The Cardinals are clinging to life in the Wild Card race, and we’ve got updates on Yadier Molina’s involvement, Lars Nootbaar’s bruised knee, and Nolan Arenado’s shoulder recovery plan. St. Louis also picked up RHP Jorge Alcala off waivers, and somehow… they’re still in this? We break down Quinn Matthews’ hot streak, Jordan Walker’s encouraging offensive signs, and Kyle Leahy’s potential leap forw...

In this episode, we discuss the Cardinals placing Nolan Arenado on the IL and the return of a red-hot Nolan Gorman. We break down the trade deadline moves, including deals involving Steven Matz and Phil Maton, and wonder why the team held onto their lefty bats. With several new arms in the bullpen, we talk about what to expect from the reshuffled pitching staff. We preview the upcoming homestand a...

The Cardinals made deadline noise, sending Ryan Helsley to the Mets and Erick Fedde to Atlanta, while Brendan Donovan and JoJo Romero continue to draw heavy interest. Sonny Gray is staying put, but Tekoah Roby is out with Tommy John surgery. The team has just four wins since the break and now sits 10 games back in the Central—so what should the rest of the season look like? We preview the upcoming...