Dear John

[Talkin' Baseball]

Dear John,
Things used to be so exciting. I remember when we first got together how vigorous you were. We had such interesting friends. It was always fun to get together with Albert and Jimmy, with Chris and Adam and Scott and Yadier, and Tony and Dave. I know you didn’t like him- but even Jeff was an interesting part of our friend group. We all went places and did amazing things together. It was great. I’ll always remember 2011. Looking back, that really was our mountaintop experience! That was amazing and I loved it! Our friends envied us and wanted to be like us. Strangers wanted to be with us. I thought we would always be together, and things would be good for us.
After that, our friends began to leave and things were fine for a while, but by 2016 I didn’t even recognize us anymore. Our friends were gone, and we hadn’t really replaced them. I noticed we weren’t going places like we used to. There was talk that you and Chris had maybe done some things together that you shouldn’t have. I know you said that you didn’t, but I’ve always wondered. I suppose I’ll never know for sure. Along the way it seems like you lost your vigor.
I know you made a few efforts along the way. You reached out to Giancarlo, and David, and Jason, but you came up- well- short. It seems like they just didn’t find us interesting. It also seems like there were times, like with Max and Bryce, that you didn’t even try. You did manage to make friends with Paul and Nolan, and each time it seemed like we might really be going somewhere, but you stopped, and came up short again. John, I’ve gotten so used to you coming up short that I don’t even expect anything from you now- and let me tell you- it’s very unsatisfying.
For years now, we’ve been going along as a shell of ourselves. We don’t go anywhere. We don’t do anything. We don’t have any fun. Now, nobody wants to be with us. John, it’s gotten to where I don’t want to be with us. I don’t know what happened to you, but you only want to do what you want to do, talk about what you want to talk about, and you send away anyone who doesn’t want to live that way.
John, I know you plan to leave me soon- but you can’t- I’m leaving you first. We’ll always have 2011, but that was a long time ago. Best of luck John.
A Fan
P.S. It’s not me- it’s you.

[mike laga]

Nicely done.

[Dazepster]

Well Stated!!!

[sp25]

Dear John,
Things used to be so exciting. I remember when we first got together how vigorous you were. We had such interesting friends. It was always fun to get together with Albert and Jimmy, with Chris and Adam and Scott and Yadier, and Tony and Dave. I know you didn’t like him- but even Jeff was an interesting part of our friend group. We all went places and did amazing things together. It was great. I’ll always remember 2011. Looking back, that really was our mountaintop experience! That was amazing and I loved it! Our friends envied us and wanted to be like us. Strangers wanted to be with us. I thought we would always be together, and things would be good for us.
After that, our friends began to leave and things were fine for a while, but by 2016 I didn’t even recognize us anymore. Our friends were gone, and we hadn’t really replaced them. I noticed we weren’t going places like we used to. There was talk that you and Chris had maybe done some things together that you shouldn’t have. I know you said that you didn’t, but I’ve always wondered. I suppose I’ll never know for sure. Along the way it seems like you lost your vigor.
I know you made a few efforts along the way. You reached out to Giancarlo, and David, and Jason, but you came up- well- short. It seems like they just didn’t find us interesting. It also seems like there were times, like with Max and Bryce, that you didn’t even try. You did manage to make friends with Paul and Nolan, and each time it seemed like we might really be going somewhere, but you stopped, and came up short again. John, I’ve gotten so used to you coming up short that I don’t even expect anything from you now- and let me tell you- it’s very unsatisfying.
For years now, we’ve been going along as a shell of ourselves. We don’t go anywhere. We don’t do anything. We don’t have any fun. Now, nobody wants to be with us. John, it’s gotten to where I don’t want to be with us. I don’t know what happened to you, but you only want to do what you want to do, talk about what you want to talk about, and you send away anyone who doesn’t want to live that way.
John, I know you plan to leave me soon- but you can’t- I’m leaving you first. We’ll always have 2011, but that was a long time ago. Best of luck John.
A Fan
P.S. It’s not me- it’s you.

Breaking up is hard to do. My condolences.

[WLTFE]

A front office (donkey) kisser will be here to set you straight!...Mo-ran has a beautiful family!!!!!!!

[JaseMan]

I sincerely hope he reads this. Because he was the best GM in the game for awhile. He made bold trades, smart signings, didn't bat 100% but no GM does. Somewhere along the way he became timid and overly patient. Now the organization has some serious issues. I will tell anybody that will listen that i think 3 things happen that changed MO. 1) the death of Oscar Tavares. Which forced him to trade for Heyward. That deal was ok. 2) The Ozuna trade showed how their internal evaluations were awful. 3) The firing of Mike Shildt. Somewhere the organization put themselves into a box with singular ideas.
The attendance at Busch shows its time for a fresh start.

[cbcardsfan]

Sad when your team has nothing to look forward to after the trade deadline. That’s what happens when the organization becomes irrelevant. Getting prospects for major league talent shows the poor job Mo has done.

[WLTFE]

Just watch the crowds the last 2 months!

[cardinalsfever44]

Just watch the crowds the last 2 months!

Hopefully they bring up Wetherholt in September. Might be the only excitement left in this season.

[WLTFE]

Just watch the crowds the last 2 months!

Hopefully they bring up Wetherholt in September. Might be the only excitement left in this season.

It would...just play the kids...sink or swim.

[NYCardsFan]

I sincerely hope he reads this. Because he was the best GM in the game for awhile. He made bold trades, smart signings, didn't bat 100% but no GM does. Somewhere along the way he became timid and overly patient. Now the organization has some serious issues. I will tell anybody that will listen that i think 3 things happen that changed MO. 1) the death of Oscar Tavares. Which forced him to trade for Heyward. That deal was ok. 2) The Ozuna trade showed how their internal evaluations were awful. 3) The firing of Mike Shildt. Somewhere the organization put themselves into a box with singular ideas.
The attendance at Busch shows its time for a fresh start.

You’re missing one of the most important things that happened: the massive brain-drain out of the FO after 2011 as a bunch of talented people followed Luhnow to Houston while ownership and Mozeliak passively watched them walk out the door. The organization lived off the fruits of the legacy farm system for a few more years thereafter, but then the atrophy really started to set in. In less than a decade, the Cardinals went from the cutting edge of MLB to a laggard.

[Adam2]

Is Cranny not here yet?

[Turn2]

I considered leasing a condo on Cardinal Way for a season or two, but not under these baseball circumstances…maybe in a year or two….

[ramfandan]

The letter was so moving that my wife brought over a Kleenex box after reading your touching farewell to Mo.

[imyourhuckleberry]

Names have been changed to protect the [not so] innocent

[DickyBennett]

So long Bow-Tie, don't let the door hit ya where the Good Lord split ya.