I am a man of the people and when the people suggest an article idea that involves me having to spend zero thought on what topic to write, I got to jump. Because my brain does not allow me to think of a good article prompt until time pressures me to do so. Which means I can write this article not when I should be in bed, but instead.. like an hour earlier https://www.gamedaystlouiscardinals.com/collections/masyn-winn-jersey
. Also, its an off-day. So instead of addressing the most recent game, which we would all like to ignore, throwing out wild takes sounds like a better time. Just off-the-wall takes that you kind of believe, but if forced to put your money where your mouth is, you back away last minute. Because its not a good bet. You know its not a good bet. And the part of your brain that says dont bet on this is stronger than I think this is going to happen. This comparison obviously fails if you either never bet pretend you do bet) or are a compulsive gambler pretend you DIDNT have a problem with gambling oh my god this is the worst advice one could possibly give to an addict). Another way to phrase it, if you go the statistics route - if said hot take involves a player reaching either their 20th or 80th percentile projection, its not hot s a tough needle to thread though, because it also should ideally be within the realm of possibility. I dont want to steal anybodys idea, but a hot take I could generate that I dont actually believe that I think is both super unlikely but also within the realm of possibility: Jordan Walker will hit 40 HRs in 2024. Thats what Im looking are some APRIL HOT TAKES to get this started:Brendan Donovan will, for at least one season of his career, hit 30 , this does not need to be 2024 specific, although I suppose it is preferable. Brendan Donovan hit less than 30 career homers in the minors, so him hitting 30 homers in one season in the major leagues seems to me to constitute a hot take. He has also not been particularly homer happy in the majors either, though he did top his professional high in just 371 PAs last current version of him is not going to be able to do it, I dont think. I think hell have to do the Matt Carpenter transition, though not quite as extreme I imagine. Hes successfully added power already. He has the bat control and the patience to become any type of hitter he wants. If he wants to focus on homers, I think he will be capable of a 30 HR Romero gets more saves in 2024 than Ryan HelsleyThis is based off a very simple premise that I am sure most will agree with. The best reliever in the bullpen becomes the closer eventually. JoJo Romero is the best reliever on the bullpen. Is that a hot take? Well it shouldnt be https://www.gamedaystlouiscardinals.com/collections/bobby-tolan-jersey
. Romero had a better 2023, is having a better start to his 2024, and has a better projection. Helsley actually has a weirdly low projection if were being honest, but thats not my point!This would not be unprecedented and it wouldnt necessarily require Helsley to get injured or suck. Giovanny Gallegos was a pretty good reliever in 2022 and lost his job because Helsley was just plain a much better pitcher. I dont know if there will be that much separation between Romero and Helsley, but Romero is pitching like the pitcher you want most in the most important spots, which actually arent always in the 9th inning - but managers treat the 9th as the most Burleson never gets sent to the minorsThis is a hot take only insofar as the amount of people who seem to think its an inevitably that he will get sent down at some point is large enough that it is seen as pretty unlikely he can stay in St. Louis. But well, he stayed up all year in St. Louis last year and wasnt even good. A lot of factors contributed to that, hopefully some that dont apply this if hes a reasonably competent hitter, I dont think hes getting sent down. And I think he will be a reasonably competent hitter. This is half faith in Alec Burleson, half evidence that the Cardinals are willing to do such a Hjerpe will never start an MLB gameEh, might as go all the way on my doubt that hell be a starter at the MLB level. I suspect Hjerpe either never has the control, has too many injury concerns over a large workload, or a combination of both and he ultimately gets promoted as a reliever and never attempted at starter. Theres actually a current Cardinals who pretty much fits the mold of what Im talking about: Ryan Helsley. Helsley was a starting pitching prospect - I think Hjerpe is a bit better of a prospect, but not by a ton. He converted to relief while in AAA in 2019 as a multi-inning reliever. And he never started a game as a major leaguer. That might be how they plan to use Hjerpe. Starting though? Ill believe when he walks less than 10% of batters at a Showalter will be the best Cardinals prospect in the system https://www.gamedaystlouiscardinals.com/collections/red-schoendienst-jersey
.. at some pointI liked the concept of this take enough that I kind of worked backwards to get to it. Thought of the take, had to find the prospect. There are no good hitting prospects that fit the spirit of this prompt. The hitting prospect I am maybe highest who has enough time to become the best prospect in the system I think everyone at AA or AAA who would be unexpected just doesnt have enough time) is Leonardo Bernal, except I think Ivan Herrera would be a pretty good outcome for him and Herrera wasnt ever even close to the best prospect in the system. Then theres Won-Bin Cho, but he would actually probably be a popular answer for this. Showalters slow progression in innings will probably make this rather hard, but Tink Hence is more or less the best prospect by national outlets right now and he has the same thing holding him back. But Hence was also a year I started you guys off. Thank you to country stuff for the idea. He suggested writing your take in ALL CAPS, and you can follow that. That is not a requirement. I obviously didnt do it. I dont think an all caps article that was all caps would be that readable and youd think Id have just let I AM RANDAL guest post this one.