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<h3>The Trainer’s Room</h3>Let’s start in the outfield.Lars Nootbaar Injury: Surgery on both heels Expected return: Opening Day?Nootbaar underwent surgery on October 7 and is currently rehabbing in California. He’s progressing on schedule. He won’t be in Jupiter for the first full-squad workout on February 16, as the club is waiting on specialized rehab equipment to arrive at the spring complex.This isn’t a setback — just logistics. If all continues as planned, Opening Day remains realistic. But heels aren’t something you rush. The Cardinals will be cautious here.Now to the mound.Hunter Dobbins Injury: Torn right ACL Expected return: TBDDobbins tore his ACL last July — about five months before being acquired from Boston in the Willson Contreras trade. He is currently able to throw but is being held out of agility drills.The club expects to have a clearer timetable next week.Translation? The arm is ahead of the legs. They’re not going to gamble on stability.

The Trainer's Room

<h3>Scouting Report&nbsp;</h3>Dustin May RHP | CardinalsAge: 27 B/T: R/R Height/Weight: 6’6” / 180 Contract: One year, $12.5M | $20M mutual option (2027)OverviewMay has always been one of those arms evaluators circle in red ink. Big frame. Loose arm. Explosive movement. When healthy, he doesn’t just throw hard — he throws heavy. His fastball isn’t straight 98; it’s 97–99 with violent sink and late run. That’s how you get ground balls in the big leagues.After splitting 2025 between the Dodgers and Red Sox, the Cardinals are betting on upside over certainty following the Sonny Gray trade. This is not a “safe innings” signing. This is a ceiling play.Pitch ArsenalSinker (96–99 mph) This is the money pitch. Extreme arm-side run. Generates ground balls at an elite clip when he commands it. If he keeps it down, it’s a nightmare for right-handed hitters.Four-Seam Fastball (95–98 mph) Used more up in the zone. Can miss bats but plays better when paired properly with his breaking stuff.Sweeper / Slider (86–90 mph) Sharp horizontal break. This is the swing-and-miss pitch. When it’s tight and consistent, he looks like a frontline arm.Curveball (occasionally) More of a show pitch. Not the breadwinner.Changeup Still developing. Key if he’s going to neutralize left-handed hitters consistently.Strengths• Elite movement profile • Above-average ground ball rates • Strikeout upside when slider is sharp • Big-game experience (postseason pedigree with L.A.)ConcernsLet’s be honest here — health is the headline. Tommy John surgery in 2021. Flexor tendon issues. Limited innings in multiple seasons. The Cardinals aren’t getting 200 innings. If they get 140 quality innings, that’s a win.Command can also drift. When his release point wanders, the sinker flattens. When that happens, he’s hittable.What to Watch in JupiterIs the velocity sitting 96–97 or touching 99? Is the slider finishing below the zone or backing up? How confident is he throwing to lefties? Does he look free and loose — or careful? Projection in St. LouisBest case: A No. 2-type starter who misses bats and keeps the ball on the ground at Busch.Realistic case: Mid-rotation arm with flashes of dominance. Worst case: Injured list carousel.This is a Cardinals-type gamble — not reckless, but not conservative either. If May holds up physically, this could look very sharp by July.The Cardinals didn’t sign Dustin May to be safe. They signed him because when he’s right, he changes games. The question in 2026 won’t be talent. It will be durability. Graphic Image - the Cardinal Chronicle

Scouting Report

When the winter began, it didn’t take long for the name JoJo Romero to surface in trade speculation surrounding the St. Louis Cardinals.The logic wasn’t complicated.Romero is under club control through 2026 and coming off a 2025 campaign in which he posted a 2.07 ERA across 65 appearances. He wasn’t just good — he was one of the most effective left-handed relievers in the National League. Left-handed hitters rarely squared him up, and his ability to handle leverage innings gave the Cardinals stability in a bullpen that otherwise saw fluctuation.So yes, on paper, he checks every box as a trade candidate:Approaching free agency (after 2026) High value following a career year Affordable contract Controllable for multiple seasons Sought-after profile (late-inning lefty) That’s how contenders shop. And that’s how sellers replenish.Why Trade Him Now? If the Cardinals were in full tear-down mode, Romero likely would have been moved earlier in the offseason. High-leverage lefties with swing-and-miss stuff don’t grow on trees, and the return could have been meaningful — especially from a contender needing October bullpen depth.There’s also the simple calendar reality. The closer a player gets to free agency, the more his surplus value shrinks.Why Wait? But here’s the counterpoint — and it’s a strong one.The Cardinals are not signaling a rebuild. They are retooling. And bullpen depth is not a luxury; it’s oxygen. You don’t move one of your most reliable arms in February unless you’re blown away.If St. Louis hangs in the race into July, Romero’s value may actually increase. Deadline prices for bullpen arms are notoriously aggressive. Contenders overpay when October is within reach. The return in July could outpace anything available in January.And if the Cardinals are in the thick of it themselves? Then trading Romero doesn’t make sense at all.The Verdict (For Now) At this point, the smart money says Romero stays put — at least until the trade deadline clarifies the club’s direction.He is too valuable to move cheaply. Too effective to give away. And too important to a bullpen trying to stabilize.The rumor makes baseball sense. But so does patience.And in St. Louis, patience has usually served the organization well.If this is the final veteran domino of the offseason, it may simply be one the Cardinals choose not to tip — not yet.Let’s keep the coffee warm. July will tell us more than February ever could.

Trading LHP JoJo Romero

<h3>Scouting Report: George Soriano </h3>When the St. Louis Cardinals brought George Soriano into the fold, it wasn’t a headline move — it was a baseball move.Soriano profiles as a right-handed reliever built on command and movement rather than pure velocity. He works primarily with a sinking fastball and a slider combination, keeping the ball down in the zone and forcing hitters to put it in play. He’s not a strikeout artist by reputation, but he competes — and that matters over the long haul of a season.What He Brings• Ground-ball tendencies – Soriano’s sinker keeps the ball down, which can neutralize power hitters when executed properly. • Pitch mix discipline – He doesn’t try to be something he’s not. He works his strengths and trusts his movement. • Versatility – Soriano has experience in middle relief and longer bridge roles, which gives the bullpen flexibility. • Mound presence – He works at a steady pace and doesn’t rattle easily — a trait the Cardinals value. What to WatchThe key for Soriano will be consistency. When he commands the sinker early in counts, he can control innings. When he falls behind, hitters can square him up. The difference between a reliable bullpen arm and a fringe piece often comes down to that first-pitch strike.For a club looking to reestablish fundamentals after 2025, Soriano fits the profile of a pitcher who can quietly stabilize innings without chasing strikeout headlines.He won’t be asked to carry the bullpen.But he may be asked to steady it.And sometimes, that’s exactly what a team needs. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<h3>Welcome to St. Louis, George Soriano!&nbsp;</h3> As the 2026 season approaches and rosters take shape across Major League Baseball, one of the moves that has quietly intrigued Cardinals fans is the addition of George Soriano to the St. Louis Cardinals organization.Soriano arrives in St. Louis with a reputation built on something nearly as valuable as velocity — consistency, versatility, and the kind of steady presence that doesn’t always make headlines but quietly stabilizes a roster.A right-handed pitcher known for his command and ability to induce weak contact, Soriano has spent his early career developing into a reliable bullpen piece with the potential to eat innings and give a manager confidence in high-leverage situations. His track record in the majors and minors shows a pitcher who understands how to pitch, not just throw — a distinction that matters in close games and long seasons.What makes Soriano’s arrival noteworthy for Cardinals baseball is not just the numbers on a stat sheet — it’s how his profile fits the organizational identity. The Cardinals have long valued pitchers who can compete on fundamentals: hitting spots, forcing weak contact, making adjustments inning after inning. In that sense, Soriano is a textbook fit for “The Cardinal Way.”For a club looking to reestablish consistency after a challenging 2025 season, Soriano brings:• A fresh arm with Major League experience • Command-first approach that supports situational pitching • Versatility out of the bullpen • An opportunity to solidify late-inning matchupsBut beyond metrics and scouting reports, Soriano’s presence in a Cardinals uniform represents something intangible: Belief that the club can rebuild methodically, not hastily.Spring training is where stories begin, and pitchers like Soriano often make their mark by what they teach young arms and how they handle adversity early in a long season. If nothing else, his arrival signals that St. Louis is looking to balance veteran carriage with fresh energy.There won’t be highlight reels tomorrow. But there will be innings — and in baseball, innings matter.Welcome to St. Louis, George Soriano.Let’s see what The Cardinal Way looks like with you in the mix. If Cardinals baseball still means something to you, join us at The Cardinal Chronicle as we follow the 2026 season together. — ray mileur The Cardinal Chronicle &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Welcome to St. Louis, George Soriano

Spring Training: Wait Until Next Year… Already? Spring training is where hope always lives. Records don’t count, veterans work on timing, and prospects begin to get their first real look under the lights. But as pitchers and catchers report to camp, there is something different in the air this year — a quiet acknowledgment that expectations have shifted.Most national writers are picking the St. Louis Cardinals to finish at or near the bottom of the division. That hasn’t been common territory for this franchise. For decades, “The Cardinal Way” meant consistency — competitive teams, strong fundamentals, and a steady pipeline from the minor leagues to Busch Stadium.This spring doesn’t feel like a contender polishing the edges. It feels more like an organization recalibrating — searching for its footing and, perhaps, for its identity again.It’s early. Very early. But there are signs worth watching.Younger arms are stepping into opportunity. Roles are not yet fixed. There is competition in camp, and competition has a way of sharpening focus. After a season where fundamentals slipped too often, the emphasis appears to be on cleaner baseball — throwing strikes, tightening the defense, executing situational at-bats instead of waiting for the long ball.There are still questions.Can the rotation carry innings deep into games? Will the bullpen settle into defined roles? Can the lineup produce consistently against elite pitching?Spring training rarely gives firm answers. But it does reveal posture. And so far, the posture suggests accountability.Predictions may place the Cardinals at the bottom. History reminds us that writing off this franchise has often been premature. The standard here has always been higher — not only in wins, but in how the game is played.No one is engraving another trophy just yet. But if this club recommits to fundamentals, development, and disciplined baseball, the conversation could shift faster than many expect.It’s February. The games haven’t even begun. Let’s see what kind of team shows up. If Cardinals baseball still means something to you, join us at The Cardinal Chronicle as we follow the 2026 season together. — ray mileur The Cardinal Chronicle &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Wait Until Next Year… Already?

The Cardinal Chronicle 

The Cardinal Chronicle is dedicated to preserving Cardinals history, covering today’s game, and following the next generation through the minor leagues. Written in the tradition of the old beat writers, it’s baseball with perspective — steady, faithful, and rooted in a lifelong love for the game.

Ray Mileur, Publisher

The Cardinal Notebook

The Trainer's Room

Scouting Report

Trading LHP JoJo Romero

Scouting Report

Welcome to St. Louis, George Soriano

Wait Until Next Year… Already?