4 difficult decisions for the St. Louis Cardinals before Spring Training ends

Spring Training is a time for players to get their game ready for the season, it's a time for coaches to instruct players, it's a time for management and front office staff to finalize the roster, and it's a time for fans to get up close and personal with their favorite players. For as much optimism as the spring circuit induces, there is a proportional amount of questioning and inquisitive pundits looking for answers.

The St. Louis Cardinals' roster is mostly set in stone; the rotation, starting nine, and the bulk of the bullpen were solved via trades and acquisitions this offseason. There are a few spots that have open competitions during the next month or so, but by and large, the team's 26-man roster is settled. However, that doesn't mean Cardinals' camp is without difficult decisions.

Here are 4 challenging decisions that must be made before the St. Louis Cardinals break camp and head west to Los Angeles to start the season.

Decision #1: The extension(s) dilemma

After extensions were given out to Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio, Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr., and Detroit Tigers' Colt Keith this offseason, Cardinal fans were wondering if some of their own players, both young and old, would receive long-term deals to stay in St. Louis.

One player has received plenty of press this offseason regarding his contract extension, and his name is Paul Goldschmidt. Goldy's 5-year, $130 million deal he signed a few years ago expires at the end of this season. While a contract extension isn't on his mind, it surely is on the minds of John Mozeliak and Michael Girsch. Extending Paul Goldschmidt would maintain constancy at the first base position for at least two more years.

Other extension conversations have revolved around players such as Jordan Walker, Nolan Gorman, and Brendan Donovan. These young players have plenty of arbitration years left, but a contract extension at this point in their careers could keep them in St. Louis for anywhere between 5 and 8 years. They are the young core of the organization, and seeing other teams in the majors grant massive paydays to players who haven't seen an inning of professional baseball has led fans to believe that Walker, Gorman, or Donovan could ink long-term deals soon.

Decision #3: Figuring out the time split in key positions

Unlike the bullpen, the position-player side of the roster is settled. Willson Contreras and Ivan Herrera will handle catching duties. Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, Masyn Winn, Brendan Donovan, and Nolan Gorman will be on the dirt. Lars Nootbaar, Tommy Edman, Jordan Walker, Dylan Carlson, and Alex Burleson will man the outfield.

The issue on this side of the game comes in how much each player plays at each position. At catcher, it is likely that Contreras sees about 70% of the starts (around 115 games). The debacle last year surrounding his game calling forced him out from behind the plate, but that situation appears to be in the past. Ivan Herrera, particularly after his massive showing in the Caribbean Series, is a sure-handed backup who can also spend time at designated hitter. This split at catcher will be resolved in a short time.

At second base, the Cardinals have two players who provide very different outlooks. On one hand, the team can employ Nolan Gorman primarily there. His defense improved mightily between year 1 and year 2, and his power potential is unmatched on the roster (except maybe by Jordan Walker). If Gorman gets the bulk of innings at second base, that frees up Brendan Donovan to DH, play the outfield, play either corner infield spot, or even spell Masyn Winn at shortstop. If Donovan is the primary second baseman, Gorman can DH or play third base occasionally. Donovan's defensive upside is higher than Gorman's, and his on-base skills are supreme. This split needs to be figured out by the end of Spring Training.

The final area where St. Louis needs clarity on who players where how often comes in the outfield. Can Alec Burleson show enough this spring to see 350-400 innings in the outfield? What if Dylan Carlson absolutely mashes in Florida, thus forcing the team's hand? Jordan Walker's defense was abysmal last year. If nothing changes there, perhaps he will move to designated hitter or first base.

The spring circuit will provide clarity on time splits at key positions like catcher, second base, and the outfield. The versatility of players like Tommy Edman and Brendan Donovan alleviates some of the concern here, but Marmol would like to keep players at their most natural positions to optimize their performance.

Decision #4: Coming to a consensus on broadcasting games in 2025 and beyond

Let me start by saying that this dilemma won't be solved before the Cardinals move west to start the season. During the Winter Warm-Up weekend, Bill DeWitt III, the man in charge of figuring out the bitter broadcasting situation, said that he is looking at all avenues. He assured the fans that games will be broadcast in 2024, and he is earnestly searching for a plan for 2025 and beyond.

However, spring training opens up the opportunity for DeWitt to meet directly with Bally Sports to discuss the situation. Assuming the court hearings proceed as expected, this will be the last year in which Bally Sports will air Cardinals games. St. Louis will earn its broadcast rights back at the end of the year so that presents Bill DeWitt III with ample freedom. He can start a new network, possibly partnering with the St. Louis Blues. He can reach out to other broadcast companies such as Spectrum and Amazon. He could even work with Major League Baseball to broadcast games.

Regardless of the route the front office chooses to broadcast games, Cardinal fans will surely be keeping tabs on the situation throughout Spring Training. The DeWitt family has made appearances and conducted interviews in past springs, and this topic will surely be questioned by reporters.

As of January 18th, Amazon announced a restructuring agreement that makes it a partner with Diamond Sports Group. This partnership opens up the opportunity for Amazon to continue broadcasting for a variety of MLB, NHL, and NBA teams. Amazon paid an initial $115 million to help offset bankruptcy costs for DSG, and another $50 million could be passed on down the road. This doesn't guarantee Bally's safety, but it provides more confidence that Diamond will be able to pay off its debts.

Bally Sports will be broadcasting 12 Spring Training games. Chip Caray, Tom Ackerman, and/or Brad Thompson will be the commentary crew for these games. Bally will also handle every game that isn't broadcasted nationally during the season.