Olney: Bloom/Mozeliak situation one of the strangest I've ever seen

[alw80]

The franchise was extremely lucky to get two greats like AP and Yadi and Walt looks to be underrated for his time as GM. Mo inherited a mansion and then let it rot and decay. Good job Dewitts!

[VegasVinny]

I think they play hard for Marmol but often they don't play smart.
I think Marmol is managing a little smarter this year but he has a long way to go. Maybe he has a better bench coach this year, idk.

I don't have a problem with Mo sticking around, few trades being made, and no free agent moves while Bloom focuses exclusively on revitalizing the development system and the Cards ride out the last few big contracts.

That development system is going to be what saves the Cardinals; it won't be trades and free agent signings although bad free agent signings and poor MLB talent evaluation did help crush their momentum and dig the hole they are now trying to emerge from. Their problem was they diverted development money to signing free agents who were mostly slugs.

The Cards last 4 BIG contracts have not been bad deals. Most long term contracts look great on the front side and bad on the back side. We just happen to be on the back side of all of those deals. There is no point in starting more sweet front sides while the team is not ready to win.

$170.0M in value from Goldschmidt. He more than earned his salary of $144.5M from STL
$144.6M in value from Arenado so far. With 2.25 years to play, he's likely to exceed his salary of $159.0M from STL
$60.9M in value from Contreras so far. with 2.25 years to play, he's likely to exceed his salary of $87.5M from STL even without catching
$55.7M in value from Gray so far with 1.25 years to play, he's likely to exceed his salary $75M from STL

Arenado, Contreras, and Gray may be underwater contracts, but we already enjoyed the sweet part of their contracts. It is silly to be bitter at them for no longer being able to perform at or above their pay level at the end of their contracts after they delivered tens of millions in excess value at the beginning of their contracts (Goldschmidt 2019-2022, Arenado 2021-2022, Contreras 2023, Gray 2024).

The 2026 starting point is not that bad: It just lacks any superstars so it cannot afford any black holds. SP and RF was the 2025 black hole.
C Pages/Pozo/Crooks/Bernal (trade 1, keep 2, and stash 1 in AAA)
1B Contreras/Burleson
2B Donovan/Wetherholt
SS Winn/Wetherholt
3B Arenado/Donovan
LF Nootbar/Donovan
CF Scott/Church
RF Burleson/Nootbar
DH Herrera/Burleson
SP Gray, Mathews, Liberatore, McGreevy, Pallante
RP Romero, King, Leahy, Svanson, O'Brien, Granillo, Fernandez, Graceffo

Mathews > Fedde and McGreevy > Mikolas so SP should be a bit better but they should add a FA starter in 2026. They have no depth.
Trade or nontender King but add a couple of relievers (knocking Fernandez or Graceffo to AAA for depth)

If they move on from Pages (backup C or trade), Gorman (trade), and Walker (send to AAA), their offense should get better.
If Arenado gets healthier and stops trying to be an iron man, he should be better. He was awful while hurt in July.

From there, you just have to look for improvements.
When Wetherholt is ready, trade Nootbar or Burleson or Arenado. Move Donovan to LF or 3B. However, if you just play guys 5 days a week and move Donovan around, you probably don't need any trades. We have no superstars who MUST play six or seven games per week. Rested guys play better.

Excellent post. You raise an outstanding point about the Goldy/Nado/Contreras/Gray contracts and the production the club has received from it. Very well done.

[sikeston bulldog2]

A leader in the business would never do business this way.

[rockondlouie]

And their hockey brothers are letting Stein take over after a year of just watching.

1) Steen has no GM experience while Bloom has been a POBO w/decades of front office experience.

2) Steen is learning from an outstanding GM in Armie who is working hand-in-glove w/Steen to shape the Blues roster. Bloom has to sit behind an idiot who has destroyed the franchise w/his stupid moves.

No comparison MrP

[WLTFE]

Did anybody else hear that the reason Yadi has mostly stayed away from the team is due to his dislike of Mo?
The reason he was with the team against the Cubs was due to Marmol wanting him there?

Did Olney say that or did you hear this somewhere else?

From someone else, that heard it on a pod cast, so….
That’s why I was asking if anyone else had heard it. I believe it to be true though.

Bernie Miklasz shared it last Friday on a podcast he does with Randy Karraker.

But let’s be honest: is there anyone left who CAN stand John Mozeliak?

Well, I think you might be able to think of somebody!