rockondlouie wrote: ↑18 Feb 2026 08:45 am
Bernie is the biggest Oli bootlicker in this city.
Any Cardinals fan w/a lick of baseball acumen knows he's a pathetic in game Manager, doesn't know how to set a batting order and oh yea FROZE up in Game 1 of the playoffs vs the Phillies like a deer caught in the headlights as his close melted down right before his eyes!
Bernie's opinions have taken a huge dive when he's carrying water for this HORRIBLE manager.
(And it was obviously BDWJr who had the say on Oli, who he was already paying for the 2026 season, returning or not. He wasn't going to let C. Bloom fire him, hire a new Manager and pay both w/a lockout in sight.)
You've been licking Bernie's acorns for years on this forum. Now he's a bootlicker?
Hypocrite much.?
ilcubuffs wrote: ↑18 Feb 2026 10:40 am
"It's not the losing as much as it is how they lose and how the demeanor of the players cavalier attitude of acceptance that should be the concern."
Thanks to 11WS for common sense. Gorman, Herrera, Burleson, etc lack of game awareness when running the bases. Burleson and Gorman lack of game awareness on defense. Then of course the lack of game strategy - everyday.
Playoffs FUBAR is reality on Marmots lack of MLB competence. Teacher of young players - of course the players will like you if you do not get after them after a bad play - DUH!!
Marmot brings zip and nada to Cardinal baseball.
I don't like to see the laughing in the dugout when they are losing. Sure a smile now and then, but we have seen tons of shots of players and Marmol joking around during losing games. We are talking about staying focused for 2-3 hours. How hard is that? It is not a country club. There have been far too many fundamental errors. On the bases, in the field, no overall team two strike approach, whatever. That is a culture created by the manager and I have not seen a good one from Marmol. If he is so great at player development, then why is it such a loose ship on fundamental baseball? Those are my concerns with Marmol, and I hope he improves because he is here for at least this season.
He's a joke who tolerates and participates in a cavalier attitude about losing. How is that managerial material? And who cares whether players like him? He ain't being paid to be liked. I would hope he has been paid to win, but Mozeliak laid even that expectation to rest. Keeping Marmol is a mistake because he represents the Mozeliak era in the dugout.
Clubmaker2 wrote: ↑18 Feb 2026 11:59 am
Early in the 2025 season NA said something like.........this year is different, we show up feeling like we have a good chance to win the game verse last year we would show up just expecting whatever was going to happen to us was going to happen.
So Marmol got to manage a totally not looking to win clubhouse in 2024 lol and accepted it and didnt change it etc... so ok, if winning and a winning culture is not a concern in evaluating a manager leading an organization
His contracted was extended…….SO HE WOULDN’T FEEL PRESSURE TO WIN!!!!
Then there is Jordan Walker not doing the relief pitcher study in depth as supposed to be done on first day of a series, yet Oli leaves this as somehow optional instead of telling walker its mandatory ....
Marmol is not a leader. A leader would've made such sessions mandatory and not go bellyaching about it to the press.
Marmol let the veteran players do pretty much as they pleased. He wants to be their friend, and buddy. There’s a difference in being liked by your players and being respected by them! I remember times where Marmol, himself stated, there were days where he wanted to give Arenado a day off and kinda reset, but Arenado said, no, I’m playing, and he did! I remember posting after that game, “ who is managing this team, Marmol, or the players? “
Hoosier59 wrote: ↑18 Feb 2026 17:51 pm
Marmol let the veteran players do pretty much as they pleased. He wants to be their friend, and buddy. There’s a difference in being liked by your players and being respected by them! I remember times where Marmol, himself stated, there were days where he wanted to give Arenado a day off and kinda reset, but Arenado said, no, I’m playing, and he did! I remember posting after that game, “ who is managing this team, Marmol, or the players? “
Yeah, Yadi never did that
Or maybe, he looked at his roster and thought, [fork], what other choice do I have?
Clubmaker2 wrote: ↑18 Feb 2026 11:59 am
Early in the 2025 season NA said something like.........this year is different, we show up feeling like we have a good chance to win the game verse last year we would show up just expecting whatever was going to happen to us was going to happen.
So Marmol got to manage a totally not looking to win clubhouse in 2024 lol and accepted it and didnt change it etc... so ok, if winning and a winning culture is not a concern in evaluating a manager leading an organization
His contracted was extended…….SO HE WOULDN’T FEEL PRESSURE TO WIN!!!!
Then there is Jordan Walker not doing the relief pitcher study in depth as supposed to be done on first day of a series, yet Oli leaves this as somehow optional instead of telling walker its mandatory ....
Marmol is not a leader. A leader would've made such sessions mandatory and not go bellyaching about it to the press.
Or a leader wouldn’t have to make them mandatory. He would have lead.
Cardinals1964 wrote: ↑18 Feb 2026 19:43 pm
LaRussa 1st 4 years in St Louis. Horrible manager. He should have been fired after the 2nd season. Definitely after his fourth.
88-74
73-89
83-79
75-86
If oli had larussas record and reputation as one of the brightest and best managers in the game that Larussa had at that time i would give him a pass. Instead all I have to go on is what he’s done the first season he had pujols and Molina leading the team got to the post season and pulled off a manger choke job of the ages watching dumbly as an injured helsely melted down then arenado last season said that the team the last couple of years has been coming to
The ball park hoping to win instead of expecting to win meaning that since Molina and pujols left he let a losing culture set in and Bernie said he teaches young players well teaches them what? The young players suck at fundamentals and most are just awful. If anyone can explain what he’s done that makes him so great other than paint by numbers managing a good bullpen I will listen
ecleme22 wrote: ↑18 Feb 2026 05:48 am
Here's what we know about Bloom:
1. He's been here a while, more than 2 years in fact.
2. He makes changes: Wanted to trade FOUR vets this offseason. HE DID IT.
3. He knows more about Oli, his performance and how players feel about him than CTers do.
The three things above are indisputable facts.
Now...I seriously doubt CB would retain Oli if Oli were as bad as CTers think he is.
Does that mean I love Oli? No. Does that mean I think CB loves Oli? No.
But I do think the fact that OM is still here means that CB obviously sees positives in Oli's managerial performance that are an asset to where the team is now. And no, it has nothing to do with the possible lockout...
Two more indisputable facts.
And they explain why The Marmot is still employed.
One, DeWitt is famously loyal and rewards those who are loyal in return: The Marmot has been employed by the Cardinals since 2007 and he has worked nowhere else as an adult.
Two, right now, DeWitt is not spending any money that he does not need to: he has no interest in paying 2 managers just now.
Easy.
Obvious.
Correct.
Last edited by Melville on 18 Feb 2026 22:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
rage-STL wrote: ↑18 Feb 2026 06:05 am
Why fire him and pay 2 guys to manage?
Another question: Why keep a manager who is detrimental to the team when you are trying to build a winning culture?
Answer: Bloom's actions prove that OM is obviously not bad for the team and culture. Maybe he's not the end game, but by Bloom's actions he's not hurting...
DeWitt abandoned any pretext of caring about a winning culture 5 years ago.
Maybe longer.
The Nard wrote: ↑18 Feb 2026 07:22 am
So he knows how to deal with young players? The players love to play for him?
When is the team no longer considered “young”?
How does that create a winning atmosphere? How does that build a team that knows how to play together?
What about his in-game management? His (mis)-handling of the pitching staff?
What is his overall grade? I’d say, a C at best
How exactly does he mis-handle the pitching staff? This is just one of those narratives people run with backed up by absolutely nothing.
The Cards had the 9th best bullpen ERA in MLB last season. Do you think we had the 9th most talented bullpen? We traded away our closer and setup man at the deadline and still had the 9th best bullpen ERA.
Over 60 starts gifted to Mikolas and Pallante last year.
No competent manager would have stood for that.
jcgmoi wrote: ↑18 Feb 2026 08:50 am
Y'all remember John Denton, the Cardinal beat writer who was recently canned? Here's the first question and his response from his AMA of three months ago.
Are there any common fan opinions/takes that are pretty disconnected from those of people with closer access to/more direct knowledge to the team?
I know that fan perception of manager Oliver Marmol isn't great in St. Louis, but he is liked immensely by the players in the clubhouse. They trust him, they know he has their back and they appreciate his bluntness in discussing their roles and future. Also, Marmol has done a brilliant job in handling the pitching staffs and bullpens the past two seasons.
There's a lot more. It's fair to ask how critical Denton could be if he wanted to keep access but it's hard to dismiss what he says completely unless you're locked into a position. I don't expect to change any minds but it's still good stuff.
You've been licking Bernie's acorns for years on this forum. Now he's a bootlicker?