Redbird Rundown: a St. Louis Cardinals Podcast

The 2026 St. Louis Cardinals season is officially underway, and if Game 1 is any indication, fans are in for a wild ride. Host Scott Plaza is joined by Jake Wood (Viva el Birdos) and Roman Rodriguez (Baseball Banter) to break down a thrilling, "nail-biter" Opening Day victory against the Tampa Bay Rays.From a 425-foot bomb by rookie sensation JJ Wetherholt to an explosive eight-run 6th inning, the crew discusses whether "Devil Magic" has returned to Busch Stadium. They debate the fallout of the Matthew Liberatore/Randy Arozarena trade, analyze Oliver Marmol’s unconventional lineup choices (including Masyn Winn in the cleanup spot), and give their early-season overreactions.Daniel Shoptaw (the "Podfather" @C70) also stops by to weigh in on the resiliency of this young roster and what to expect from the upcoming pitching matchups against Joe Boyle and old friend Steven Matz. Is JJ Wetherholt already the Rookie of the Year frontrunner? Are these "Gritty Cardinals" for real? Tune in for all the highlights, stats, and heated debates from the first livestream of the season.The Wetherholt Impact: Analyzing JJ’s massive home run and his defensive poise.The 6th Inning Chaos: How the Cardinals responded to a 6-run deficit with an 8-run explosion.Bullpen Blueprint: The roles of Matt Svanson, Ryne Stanek, and the "firefighter" mentality.Defensive Gems: Nathan Church’s home run robbery and the overall defensive outlook post-Goldschmidt/Arenado.Series Preview: Scouting reports for Michael McGreevy and the St. Louis debut of Dustin May.

When Jason Motte went down with Tommy John surgery in 2013, the Cardinals' championship aspirations were in jeopardy. Enter Edward "The Chief" Mujica—a journeyman reliever who went from a mid-season acquisition to an All-Star closer almost overnight.This week on Random Cardinal of the Week, Jim Plaza breaks down the dominant, high-stakes, and occasionally sleepy tenure of one of the most efficient closers in St. Louis history.Inside this episode:The 2013 SOS: How Mujica stabilized a bullpen reeling from injuries and early-season struggles.The Yadi Factor: The mechanical tweak suggested by Yadier Molina that turned Mujica into a strike-throwing machine.Elite Company: Why Mujica’s 37-save campaign puts him alongside legends like Bruce Suter and Lee Smith."The Chief": The hilarious story of how manager Jack McKeon gave Mujica one of baseball’s most unique nicknames.The Legacy: How Mujica bridged the gap to the Trevor Rosenthal era and helped secure the 2013 NL Pennant.Join us as we revisit the "magical season" of a pitcher who proved that sometimes, the best solution is the one you never saw coming.Support the Show:Patreon: Get access to bonus content, game day chats, and exclusive episodes.Subscribe: Like and subscribe to Redbird Rundown on Spotify and YouTube.

The computer models are out, and Cardinals fans have thoughts. We’re joined by Jake Wood (Viva El Birdos) to break down the most controversial 2026 ZiPS Projections for the St. Louis Cardinals.We put our reputations on the line with our "Locks" of the year and debate the over/under for:Victor Scott II (36 Steals)JJ Wetherholt (.338 OBP)Nolan Gorman (21 HR)Dustin May (8.06 K/9)And more!Is Jordan Walker being unfairly projected? Is Michael McGreevy the secret ace of the rotation? We dive deep into the numbers so you know what to expect on Opening Day.PROMOTION: Join our Patreon today for just $1 through Opening Day! You’ll get access to exclusive bonus content and be entered to win Coca-Cola Unlimited seats for the May 4th matchup against the Brewers. Search "Redbird Rundown" in the Patreon app to join.patreon.com/redbirdrundownConnect with us:Follow us on Twitter, Bluesky, and TikTok @RedbirdRundown. Rate and review us on Spotify if you love the show!

This is a clip from our most recent bonus episode. Go to patreon.com/redbirdrundown and subscribe at our introductory $1/month tier to get the rest of this episode and a new bonus episode each week!Until opening day, you'll also be entered into a drawing for two Coca-Cola unlimited tickets to the May 4th game vs the Brewers!Subscribe and get everything above for just $1!

The St. Louis Cardinals have extended manager Oli Marmol — but the real drama might be unfolding in Spring Training.Join at patreon.com/redbirdrundown for free! You can also access our bonus tier there!In this episode of Redbird Rundown, Scott, Matt, and Jonathan discuss the Cardinals’ decision to give Marmol a two-year extension with a 2029 team option and what it says about the organization’s direction.Then the conversation shifts to Spring Training roster battles across the roster:The crowded catching competitionKey infield battles that could shape the lineupRemaining questions in the outfield depth chartWho locks down a roster spot? Who might start the year in the minors? And which players could surprise before Opening Day?We break down the biggest battles and give our early predictions.Our Patreon is the hub for everything we’re building.You can join for free to watch and listen to all of our shows and join live Cardinals game chats throughout the week.Right now our bonus tier is just $1 through Opening Day (March 26) — and everyone who signs up is entered into a ticket giveaway for Coca-Cola Unlimited seats to the May 4 Cardinals vs Brewers game.Search Redbird Rundown on Patreon or check the link in the episode description.Support Redbird Rundown

Our patreon is here! Find us at patreon.com/redbirdrundown. Going forward these episodes will be only for our premium patrons. Take advantage of our special launch deal to get a bonus episode each week for only $1 for the first month.In this bonus episode we share something we're buying so far from spring training, something we're watching for, and a mild, medium, or hot take.Matt pulled out an insanely hot take and backed it up with a crazy walkout song. Tune is for this free discussion!

The 1982 World Champion St. Louis Cardinals are often remembered for the backflips of Ozzie Smith and the genius of Whitey Herzog. But the engine that truly powered that team sat behind the infield dirt.In this special Black History Month finale of Random Cardinal of the Week, Jim Plaza dives into the stories of three men who formed one of the most dynamic outfields in baseball history: Lonnie Smith, Willie McGee, and George Hendrick.From Lonnie’s fearless intensity (and his legendary run-in with the Phillie Phanatic) to George Hendrick’s quiet, steady power, and Willie McGee’s iconic World Series breakout, we explore how this trio personified "Whiteyball."In this episode, we discuss:The Architecture: How Whitey Herzog traded for all three pieces to build his perfect roster.Lonnie Smith: The MVP runner-up who was "Whiteyball personified" and the story behind his fearless encounter with the Philly faithful."Silent" George Hendrick: The middle-of-the-order anchor who wore his pants low and his batting average high.Willie McGee’s Arrival: How a rookie with 4 home runs turned into a World Series hero with 2 homers in a single night.