Cardinals News: Mike Shildt's continued success, Bally Sports updates, Banana Ball

While the St. Louis Cardinals are sitting at home again this October, former manager Mike Shildt has been leading an exciting Padres team on another playoff run, once again shining a light on the awkward ending to his time with the Cardinals.

Even as someone who thinks the loss of Shlidt has been overstated by many fans, it is hard to argue with the fact that Shlidt has now led his team to the postseason in every full season that he has been a manager. Rosters matter a ton and I think it is easy to see that the players he is working with in San Diego this year are better than what St. Louis had this year, but it is still interesting to see that he is having success elsewhere while the Cardinals have tapered off.

While it wasn't the Cardinals' choice to part with former hitting coach Jeff Albert, I have been saying for a while now that his loss has been understated by a fanbase that wanted him gone, and now in his new role as the New York Mets' Director of Hitting Development, the club finds itself in the National League Championship Series along with some clutch hitting this postseason.,

Again, Albert walked away from his role in St. Louis despite being wanted back by the organization, and he does have stars like Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso in his lineup, but hard to ignore the managerial success of Shildt and hitting development under Albert in new locations when the Cardinals themselves are struggling in both areas.

Cardinals News: Mike Shildt's continued success in San Diego, Bally Sports update, and

In a conversation with Tom Ackerman on his radio show, John Mozeliak was quick to point out that how the Cardinals navigate payroll in 2025 is still yet to be determined due to continued uncertainty regarding revenues. While he did not highlight the Diamond Sports Group situations specifically, it's clear that the looming situation will dictate just how much St. Louis decides to slash from their Major League payroll.

It is notable that a few days ago, Major League Baseball announced they would be taking over the streaming rights for the Twins, Brewers, and Guardians, making them available through direct-to-consumer streaming packages that will not be impacted by any blackouts. All three have been in limbo with Diamond Sports like the Cardinals, and there is a chance the Cardinals end up doing the same thing those clubs did.

We still do not have a timeline for when we will hear about the Cardinals' plans with their television rights, but it will certainly have wide-ranging impacts on the club and the fanbase, including immediate payroll implications, future revenue streams for the club, and of course, the fan experience when it comes to watching Cardinals games.

Wrapping up with some fun news - the Savannah Bananas are bringing "Banana Ball" to St. Louis in 2025.

If you're a fan of the team that has captured the attention of millions on social media with their fun antics and interesting twist on the game we know and love, you can catch them at Busch Stadium on either Friday, April 4th, or Saturday, April 5th. The Bananas provide a fun experience for the entire family and would be well worth your time as they stop in St. Louis on their tour.