STLtoday.com

Goldfan wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 11:28 am

Cranny wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 10:20 am

Goldfan wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:50 am

sikeston bulldog2 wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:27 am

Cranny wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:18 am

Melville wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:04 am

ICCFIM2 wrote: ↑15 Jun 2025 00:07 am

Rojo Johnson wrote: ↑14 Jun 2025 17:07 pm

Melville wrote: ↑13 Jun 2025 18:51 pm

Cranny wrote: ↑13 Jun 2025 10:02 am The duties of a POBO and GM are far and wide, and require years of experience in the industry. No poster is qualified.

Given decisions and results of the past decade, you may well be overestimating the difficulty of the job and overvaluing experience.
For example, how hard could it possibly be to recognize the team has not had an established, productive, reliable, all-star quality outfielder for many, many years and that it would be a good idea to acquire one?
Would you like me to provide a dozen similar examples of ineptitude and incompetence on the part of Super Slo Mo?

If Moe can do it, anyone can do it. How smart do you have to be to hire MM, Schildt and Oli in succession? Actually, that kind of extreme stupid can’t be underestimated. You have to be very, very secure in your job to do something that incredibly stupid.

I may not agree with Cranny that often, but in this case, he is spot on. The complications of being a GM/POBO is immense. Yes, every mistake MO makes is scrutinized to death with the benefit of hindsight. But look at all the personnel decisions he made over the year that worked out.

Matt Holliday
Carlos Beltran
The Dotel trade in 2011
The Furcal trade in 2011
Goldschmidt
Arenado (even if the last couple of years end badly, we gave up nothing)
On this team, Romero for Sosa, Maton signing, despite the last 2 years, all the draft picks starting with 2020 are now rounding out a pretty decent starting 8. Bloom will inherit a team that is in better shape than any Cards roster since around 2015.
Pitching is weak in the system, that is partly due to injury partly due to bad drafting. But, there are a few arms that are OK.

The ability to judge not just star talent, but all the pieces required to make a good team requires a huge eye for talent, the actual pieces that are missing etc. Further, none of us have the Dewitt's sitting over our shoulder limiting the resources we would all like to spend.

I was going to let this pass, but since the thread has continued longer than I anticipated, let's circle back.
If the bar of being a quality GM is "I think Holliday, Beltran, Goldschmidt, and Arenado in their prime would be good to have on my team", then most 10 year old fans would be qualified.
But let's look at players with whom Super Slo Mo had to make his own analysis and calculation.
Wrong about Craigenter.
Wrong about Taveras.
Wrong about Heyward.
Wrong about Moss.
Wrong about Fowler.
Wrong about Leake.
Wrong about Piscotty.
Wrong about DeJong.
Wrong about Martinez.
Wrong about Flaherty.
Wrong about O'Neill.
Wrong about Bader.
Wrong about Reyes.
Wrong about Nootbaar.
Wrong about Alcantara.
Wrong about Gallen.
Wrong about Arozarena.
Mo was wrong on each and every one of these - keeping the wrong guys, acquiring the wrong guys, trading the wrong guys.
A truly amazing record of ineptitude.
And that list is far from complete.
Now, you are correct that DeWitt does indeed "look over the shoulder".
In Mo's case, DeWitt's eyes have obviously been closed.
The team would be far better off if the shoulder over which DeWitt was peering was mine (note: I was never wrong about any of the above listed players).
Zero question that I would be far, far better at the job than Super Slo Mo - as would several others here.

Really? As an example, do you know what DeJong was hitting the year before he was traded, and the year he was traded? And do you know what O’Neill was hitting this season before he went down (again). And Taveras? What a joke.

You being POBO? You don’t even know what the full job entails.

I will again say he is as good as his people, hence internal departments. He has his finger on each pulse. Knows all there is. ONCE the system is learned, then it’s simply- train kept rollin all night long.

Mel, I didn’t see A. Miller on your list
39mil for a washed up Lefty Reliever who everyone in MLB knew was done.
One of my favorites!!

You have a lot of those negatives, don't you Goldfan.

Do I make up these things or are they facts? I’ll give Mo credit for the success of 2011 and before. He should share in that, but he wasn’t the primary driver of those clubs…..AND since TLR and structural winning/process wore off sometime mid teens leaving Mo to his own incompetence he led this org downhill….
Dismissing the need for an experienced winning manager
NEVER taking the “all in” approach in years where the club had a shot
Having attachments to prospects who NEVER panned out
Signing some of the worst FA contracts
Letting the Minors go to hell
Thats his legacy

Ike Hammett wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 10:14 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:24 am

Ike Hammett wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 08:21 am

3dender wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 07:42 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 07:21 am

Ike Hammett wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 07:05 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 04:01 am

Ike Hammett wrote: ↑17 Jun 2025 17:05 pm So why ever acquire any free agents? Why doesn't Andrew Friedman (the king Tampa model guy) do what you state? Why has he been so much more successful with the Dodgers?

Because Tampa Bay has much less ML payroll to work with. Tampa Bay can only afford to have maybe 10% of its productivity come from full market cost veterans. That puts them at a huge disadvantage even against team like the Cardinals who can have 33%, to say nothing of the big market clubs like the Dodgers who can have 70+%.

Any GM should do better with the resources of the Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Phillies, etc. The question here is how can the Cardinals do their best with the much more limited resources that they have to work with.

You're talking about "average" numbers, use your analytics to be better than average at this with guys that have a proven track record and not guys that need to be developed (which the Cardinals have always been for).

Every team's "analytics" is going to be much more accurate on veteran players with longer ML track records. Every team has access to enough data about those players to make informed decisions about how much they should offer. In 2025, you are very unlikely to find huge "market inefficiencies" when every team has a developed analytics department looking for the same.

It is much more likely to gain an "analytics" advantage over other teams when you are evaluating prospects for which there is greater uncertainty in what they will develop into.

Even if you develop those players well, you will still have to pay them more through arbitration or buying that out.

And that is what $55-$60 million of the Cardinals ML payroll should be going towards. But you have to obtain and develop those players first. You have to appropriately identify at least some high ceiling prospects that you can obtain and develop to reach their potential.

The real only true benefit to your model is if you come across Mike Trout type talent that provides huge value pre arbitration. But then you probably want (and the fans will demand a HUGE long term deal) that is against your model.

Aggressively signing young players to relative cheap long term deals which could pay off big is EXACTLY what the Cardinals should be doing more of.
 

You are going to pay either way, why not pay a little more for certainty to be competitive, instead of potentially having busts and 70 win seasons?

You don't pay "a little more" for full market cost veterans. You play a lot more for players which a higher floor but a lower ceiling. And just signing high floor/low ceiling veteran players isn't going to make you competitive with the Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Phillies, etc.

So basically you are admitting defeat and everything I have been posting from the beginning of this conversation is correct?

That, this is about money and economics. That my model is far superior, is proven to work better by even the best and the master of your model. That the GM and baseball ops should just follow the direction of the philosophy and their main focus should be to sell the product and make more money? That trying to nickel and dime your way to success is kind of a waste of time and those who believe in that really have no idea what they are posting about?

Not at all. Again, the foundation of the team has to be young cost controlled players - pre-arb, arb-eligible, and ones signed early to lower cost long term extensions. Only AFTER they rebuild that foundation should they look to add the Arenados, Grays, Goldschmidts, etc to fill the holes. You put the emphasis on having those "real pros" which should not be the emphasis.

dude give it a rest, you've made your point for anyone with enough brain cells to understand... i'm gonna have to reconsider my GM vote if you keep feeding the trolls

Huh? Isn't this exactly what Mr. DeWitt, Mr. Mo and Mr. Girch etc have done for decades?

So, if everything works out perfect in your design, how are you saving any money? You are developing real pros and you have to pay them as real pros and then on top of that paying real pros too to plug holes. How are you not just creating the 2022, 23, and 24 Cardinals? Or are you advocating more of a permanent 2025 minus Arenado, Gray, Contreras, type team? So tank and spend is your model?

It should be obvious - you only keep most of the players you develop until they are 30 or 31, before you have to give them that full market value contract that pays them into their mid-30s. Then you replace them with the next wave of cost controlled players coming up through your organization. The Cardinals can afford to keep a few of the players they develop, more than a team like Tampa Bay can, but many of them should get their full market value contract from someone else.

It should be obvious this is what the Cards do and have done .

Cranny wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 11:45 am

Goldfan wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 11:28 am

Cranny wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 10:20 am

Goldfan wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:50 am

sikeston bulldog2 wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:27 am

Cranny wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:18 am

Melville wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:04 am

ICCFIM2 wrote: ↑15 Jun 2025 00:07 am

Rojo Johnson wrote: ↑14 Jun 2025 17:07 pm

Melville wrote: ↑13 Jun 2025 18:51 pm

Cranny wrote: ↑13 Jun 2025 10:02 am The duties of a POBO and GM are far and wide, and require years of experience in the industry. No poster is qualified.

Given decisions and results of the past decade, you may well be overestimating the difficulty of the job and overvaluing experience.
For example, how hard could it possibly be to recognize the team has not had an established, productive, reliable, all-star quality outfielder for many, many years and that it would be a good idea to acquire one?
Would you like me to provide a dozen similar examples of ineptitude and incompetence on the part of Super Slo Mo?

If Moe can do it, anyone can do it. How smart do you have to be to hire MM, Schildt and Oli in succession? Actually, that kind of extreme stupid can’t be underestimated. You have to be very, very secure in your job to do something that incredibly stupid.

I may not agree with Cranny that often, but in this case, he is spot on. The complications of being a GM/POBO is immense. Yes, every mistake MO makes is scrutinized to death with the benefit of hindsight. But look at all the personnel decisions he made over the year that worked out.

Matt Holliday
Carlos Beltran
The Dotel trade in 2011
The Furcal trade in 2011
Goldschmidt
Arenado (even if the last couple of years end badly, we gave up nothing)
On this team, Romero for Sosa, Maton signing, despite the last 2 years, all the draft picks starting with 2020 are now rounding out a pretty decent starting 8. Bloom will inherit a team that is in better shape than any Cards roster since around 2015.
Pitching is weak in the system, that is partly due to injury partly due to bad drafting. But, there are a few arms that are OK.

The ability to judge not just star talent, but all the pieces required to make a good team requires a huge eye for talent, the actual pieces that are missing etc. Further, none of us have the Dewitt's sitting over our shoulder limiting the resources we would all like to spend.

I was going to let this pass, but since the thread has continued longer than I anticipated, let's circle back.
If the bar of being a quality GM is "I think Holliday, Beltran, Goldschmidt, and Arenado in their prime would be good to have on my team", then most 10 year old fans would be qualified.
But let's look at players with whom Super Slo Mo had to make his own analysis and calculation.
Wrong about Craigenter.
Wrong about Taveras.
Wrong about Heyward.
Wrong about Moss.
Wrong about Fowler.
Wrong about Leake.
Wrong about Piscotty.
Wrong about DeJong.
Wrong about Martinez.
Wrong about Flaherty.
Wrong about O'Neill.
Wrong about Bader.
Wrong about Reyes.
Wrong about Nootbaar.
Wrong about Alcantara.
Wrong about Gallen.
Wrong about Arozarena.
Mo was wrong on each and every one of these - keeping the wrong guys, acquiring the wrong guys, trading the wrong guys.
A truly amazing record of ineptitude.
And that list is far from complete.
Now, you are correct that DeWitt does indeed "look over the shoulder".
In Mo's case, DeWitt's eyes have obviously been closed.
The team would be far better off if the shoulder over which DeWitt was peering was mine (note: I was never wrong about any of the above listed players).
Zero question that I would be far, far better at the job than Super Slo Mo - as would several others here.

Really? As an example, do you know what DeJong was hitting the year before he was traded, and the year he was traded? And do you know what O’Neill was hitting this season before he went down (again). And Taveras? What a joke.

You being POBO? You don’t even know what the full job entails.

I will again say he is as good as his people, hence internal departments. He has his finger on each pulse. Knows all there is. ONCE the system is learned, then it’s simply- train kept rollin all night long.

Mel, I didn’t see A. Miller on your list
39mil for a washed up Lefty Reliever who everyone in MLB knew was done.
One of my favorites!!

You have a lot of those negatives, don't you Goldfan.

Do I make up these things or are they facts? I’ll give Mo credit for the success of 2011 and before. He should share in that, but he wasn’t the primary driver of those clubs…..AND since TLR and structural winning/process wore off sometime mid teens leaving Mo to his own incompetence he led this org downhill….
Dismissing the need for an experienced winning manager
NEVER taking the “all in” approach in years where the club had a shot
Having attachments to prospects who NEVER panned out
Signing some of the worst FA contracts
Letting the Minors go to hell
Thats his legacy

Those "terrible" minors sure have produced a number of good major league players over the years.

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 11:49 am

Ike Hammett wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 10:14 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:24 am

Ike Hammett wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 08:21 am

3dender wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 07:42 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 07:21 am

Ike Hammett wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 07:05 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 04:01 am

Ike Hammett wrote: ↑17 Jun 2025 17:05 pm So why ever acquire any free agents? Why doesn't Andrew Friedman (the king Tampa model guy) do what you state? Why has he been so much more successful with the Dodgers?

Because Tampa Bay has much less ML payroll to work with. Tampa Bay can only afford to have maybe 10% of its productivity come from full market cost veterans. That puts them at a huge disadvantage even against team like the Cardinals who can have 33%, to say nothing of the big market clubs like the Dodgers who can have 70+%.

Any GM should do better with the resources of the Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Phillies, etc. The question here is how can the Cardinals do their best with the much more limited resources that they have to work with.

You're talking about "average" numbers, use your analytics to be better than average at this with guys that have a proven track record and not guys that need to be developed (which the Cardinals have always been for).

Every team's "analytics" is going to be much more accurate on veteran players with longer ML track records. Every team has access to enough data about those players to make informed decisions about how much they should offer. In 2025, you are very unlikely to find huge "market inefficiencies" when every team has a developed analytics department looking for the same.

It is much more likely to gain an "analytics" advantage over other teams when you are evaluating prospects for which there is greater uncertainty in what they will develop into.

Even if you develop those players well, you will still have to pay them more through arbitration or buying that out.

And that is what $55-$60 million of the Cardinals ML payroll should be going towards. But you have to obtain and develop those players first. You have to appropriately identify at least some high ceiling prospects that you can obtain and develop to reach their potential.

The real only true benefit to your model is if you come across Mike Trout type talent that provides huge value pre arbitration. But then you probably want (and the fans will demand a HUGE long term deal) that is against your model.

Aggressively signing young players to relative cheap long term deals which could pay off big is EXACTLY what the Cardinals should be doing more of.
 

You are going to pay either way, why not pay a little more for certainty to be competitive, instead of potentially having busts and 70 win seasons?

You don't pay "a little more" for full market cost veterans. You play a lot more for players which a higher floor but a lower ceiling. And just signing high floor/low ceiling veteran players isn't going to make you competitive with the Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Phillies, etc.

So basically you are admitting defeat and everything I have been posting from the beginning of this conversation is correct?

That, this is about money and economics. That my model is far superior, is proven to work better by even the best and the master of your model. That the GM and baseball ops should just follow the direction of the philosophy and their main focus should be to sell the product and make more money? That trying to nickel and dime your way to success is kind of a waste of time and those who believe in that really have no idea what they are posting about?

Not at all. Again, the foundation of the team has to be young cost controlled players - pre-arb, arb-eligible, and ones signed early to lower cost long term extensions. Only AFTER they rebuild that foundation should they look to add the Arenados, Grays, Goldschmidts, etc to fill the holes. You put the emphasis on having those "real pros" which should not be the emphasis.

dude give it a rest, you've made your point for anyone with enough brain cells to understand... i'm gonna have to reconsider my GM vote if you keep feeding the trolls

Huh? Isn't this exactly what Mr. DeWitt, Mr. Mo and Mr. Girch etc have done for decades?

So, if everything works out perfect in your design, how are you saving any money? You are developing real pros and you have to pay them as real pros and then on top of that paying real pros too to plug holes. How are you not just creating the 2022, 23, and 24 Cardinals? Or are you advocating more of a permanent 2025 minus Arenado, Gray, Contreras, type team? So tank and spend is your model?

It should be obvious - you only keep most of the players you develop until they are 30 or 31, before you have to give them that full market value contract that pays them into their mid-30s. Then you replace them with the next wave of cost controlled players coming up through your organization. The Cardinals can afford to keep a few of the players they develop, more than a team like Tampa Bay can, but many of them should get their full market value contract from someone else.

It should be obvious this is what the Cards do and have done .

Not recently. Recently they've failed to produce enough young cost controlled talent and they have put too much into trying to patch holes with guys like Gibson, Lynn, Contreras, etc. when they didn't have the necessary foundation in place anyway. They are trying to get back to a healthy approach in 2025, putting emphasis on developing players, but they were not on the right track before that.

And no plan is foolproof. But some plans at least give you a better chance of competing with the Dodgers, Yankees , Mets, Phillies, etc. than others.

Goldfan wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 12:07 pm

Cranny wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 11:45 am

Goldfan wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 11:28 am

Cranny wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 10:20 am

Goldfan wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:50 am

sikeston bulldog2 wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:27 am

Cranny wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:18 am

Melville wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:04 am

ICCFIM2 wrote: ↑15 Jun 2025 00:07 am

Rojo Johnson wrote: ↑14 Jun 2025 17:07 pm

Melville wrote: ↑13 Jun 2025 18:51 pm

Cranny wrote: ↑13 Jun 2025 10:02 am The duties of a POBO and GM are far and wide, and require years of experience in the industry. No poster is qualified.

Given decisions and results of the past decade, you may well be overestimating the difficulty of the job and overvaluing experience.
For example, how hard could it possibly be to recognize the team has not had an established, productive, reliable, all-star quality outfielder for many, many years and that it would be a good idea to acquire one?
Would you like me to provide a dozen similar examples of ineptitude and incompetence on the part of Super Slo Mo?

If Moe can do it, anyone can do it. How smart do you have to be to hire MM, Schildt and Oli in succession? Actually, that kind of extreme stupid can’t be underestimated. You have to be very, very secure in your job to do something that incredibly stupid.

I may not agree with Cranny that often, but in this case, he is spot on. The complications of being a GM/POBO is immense. Yes, every mistake MO makes is scrutinized to death with the benefit of hindsight. But look at all the personnel decisions he made over the year that worked out.

Matt Holliday
Carlos Beltran
The Dotel trade in 2011
The Furcal trade in 2011
Goldschmidt
Arenado (even if the last couple of years end badly, we gave up nothing)
On this team, Romero for Sosa, Maton signing, despite the last 2 years, all the draft picks starting with 2020 are now rounding out a pretty decent starting 8. Bloom will inherit a team that is in better shape than any Cards roster since around 2015.
Pitching is weak in the system, that is partly due to injury partly due to bad drafting. But, there are a few arms that are OK.

The ability to judge not just star talent, but all the pieces required to make a good team requires a huge eye for talent, the actual pieces that are missing etc. Further, none of us have the Dewitt's sitting over our shoulder limiting the resources we would all like to spend.

I was going to let this pass, but since the thread has continued longer than I anticipated, let's circle back.
If the bar of being a quality GM is "I think Holliday, Beltran, Goldschmidt, and Arenado in their prime would be good to have on my team", then most 10 year old fans would be qualified.
But let's look at players with whom Super Slo Mo had to make his own analysis and calculation.
Wrong about Craigenter.
Wrong about Taveras.
Wrong about Heyward.
Wrong about Moss.
Wrong about Fowler.
Wrong about Leake.
Wrong about Piscotty.
Wrong about DeJong.
Wrong about Martinez.
Wrong about Flaherty.
Wrong about O'Neill.
Wrong about Bader.
Wrong about Reyes.
Wrong about Nootbaar.
Wrong about Alcantara.
Wrong about Gallen.
Wrong about Arozarena.
Mo was wrong on each and every one of these - keeping the wrong guys, acquiring the wrong guys, trading the wrong guys.
A truly amazing record of ineptitude.
And that list is far from complete.
Now, you are correct that DeWitt does indeed "look over the shoulder".
In Mo's case, DeWitt's eyes have obviously been closed.
The team would be far better off if the shoulder over which DeWitt was peering was mine (note: I was never wrong about any of the above listed players).
Zero question that I would be far, far better at the job than Super Slo Mo - as would several others here.

Really? As an example, do you know what DeJong was hitting the year before he was traded, and the year he was traded? And do you know what O’Neill was hitting this season before he went down (again). And Taveras? What a joke.

You being POBO? You don’t even know what the full job entails.

I will again say he is as good as his people, hence internal departments. He has his finger on each pulse. Knows all there is. ONCE the system is learned, then it’s simply- train kept rollin all night long.

Mel, I didn’t see A. Miller on your list
39mil for a washed up Lefty Reliever who everyone in MLB knew was done.
One of my favorites!!

You have a lot of those negatives, don't you Goldfan.

Do I make up these things or are they facts? I’ll give Mo credit for the success of 2011 and before. He should share in that, but he wasn’t the primary driver of those clubs…..AND since TLR and structural winning/process wore off sometime mid teens leaving Mo to his own incompetence he led this org downhill….
Dismissing the need for an experienced winning manager
NEVER taking the “all in” approach in years where the club had a shot
Having attachments to prospects who NEVER panned out
Signing some of the worst FA contracts
Letting the Minors go to hell
Thats his legacy

Those "terrible" minors sure have produced a number of good major league players over the years.

Name me a Cardinals All-star drafted after 2014….Helsley??

Goldfan wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:50 am

sikeston bulldog2 wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:27 am

Cranny wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:18 am

Melville wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:04 am

ICCFIM2 wrote: ↑15 Jun 2025 00:07 am

Rojo Johnson wrote: ↑14 Jun 2025 17:07 pm

Melville wrote: ↑13 Jun 2025 18:51 pm

Cranny wrote: ↑13 Jun 2025 10:02 am The duties of a POBO and GM are far and wide, and require years of experience in the industry. No poster is qualified.

Given decisions and results of the past decade, you may well be overestimating the difficulty of the job and overvaluing experience.
For example, how hard could it possibly be to recognize the team has not had an established, productive, reliable, all-star quality outfielder for many, many years and that it would be a good idea to acquire one?
Would you like me to provide a dozen similar examples of ineptitude and incompetence on the part of Super Slo Mo?

If Moe can do it, anyone can do it. How smart do you have to be to hire MM, Schildt and Oli in succession? Actually, that kind of extreme stupid can’t be underestimated. You have to be very, very secure in your job to do something that incredibly stupid.

I may not agree with Cranny that often, but in this case, he is spot on. The complications of being a GM/POBO is immense. Yes, every mistake MO makes is scrutinized to death with the benefit of hindsight. But look at all the personnel decisions he made over the year that worked out.

Matt Holliday
Carlos Beltran
The Dotel trade in 2011
The Furcal trade in 2011
Goldschmidt
Arenado (even if the last couple of years end badly, we gave up nothing)
On this team, Romero for Sosa, Maton signing, despite the last 2 years, all the draft picks starting with 2020 are now rounding out a pretty decent starting 8. Bloom will inherit a team that is in better shape than any Cards roster since around 2015.
Pitching is weak in the system, that is partly due to injury partly due to bad drafting. But, there are a few arms that are OK.

The ability to judge not just star talent, but all the pieces required to make a good team requires a huge eye for talent, the actual pieces that are missing etc. Further, none of us have the Dewitt's sitting over our shoulder limiting the resources we would all like to spend.

I was going to let this pass, but since the thread has continued longer than I anticipated, let's circle back.
If the bar of being a quality GM is "I think Holliday, Beltran, Goldschmidt, and Arenado in their prime would be good to have on my team", then most 10 year old fans would be qualified.
But let's look at players with whom Super Slo Mo had to make his own analysis and calculation.
Wrong about Craigenter.
Wrong about Taveras.
Wrong about Heyward.
Wrong about Moss.
Wrong about Fowler.
Wrong about Leake.
Wrong about Piscotty.
Wrong about DeJong.
Wrong about Martinez.
Wrong about Flaherty.
Wrong about O'Neill.
Wrong about Bader.
Wrong about Reyes.
Wrong about Nootbaar.
Wrong about Alcantara.
Wrong about Gallen.
Wrong about Arozarena.
Mo was wrong on each and every one of these - keeping the wrong guys, acquiring the wrong guys, trading the wrong guys.
A truly amazing record of ineptitude.
And that list is far from complete.
Now, you are correct that DeWitt does indeed "look over the shoulder".
In Mo's case, DeWitt's eyes have obviously been closed.
The team would be far better off if the shoulder over which DeWitt was peering was mine (note: I was never wrong about any of the above listed players).
Zero question that I would be far, far better at the job than Super Slo Mo - as would several others here.

Really? As an example, do you know what DeJong was hitting the year before he was traded, and the year he was traded? And do you know what O’Neill was hitting this season before he went down (again). And Taveras? What a joke.

You being POBO? You don’t even know what the full job entails.

I will again say he is as good as his people, hence internal departments. He has his finger on each pulse. Knows all there is. ONCE the system is learned, then it’s simply- train kept rollin all night long.

Mel, I didn’t see A. Miller on your list
39mil for a washed up Lefty Reliever who everyone in MLB knew was done.
One of my favorites!!

sikeston bulldog2 wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:17 am

Melville wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:04 am

ICCFIM2 wrote: ↑15 Jun 2025 00:07 am

Rojo Johnson wrote: ↑14 Jun 2025 17:07 pm

Melville wrote: ↑13 Jun 2025 18:51 pm

Cranny wrote: ↑13 Jun 2025 10:02 am The duties of a POBO and GM are far and wide, and require years of experience in the industry. No poster is qualified.

Given decisions and results of the past decade, you may well be overestimating the difficulty of the job and overvaluing experience.
For example, how hard could it possibly be to recognize the team has not had an established, productive, reliable, all-star quality outfielder for many, many years and that it would be a good idea to acquire one?
Would you like me to provide a dozen similar examples of ineptitude and incompetence on the part of Super Slo Mo?

If Moe can do it, anyone can do it. How smart do you have to be to hire MM, Schildt and Oli in succession? Actually, that kind of extreme stupid can’t be underestimated. You have to be very, very secure in your job to do something that incredibly stupid.

I may not agree with Cranny that often, but in this case, he is spot on. The complications of being a GM/POBO is immense. Yes, every mistake MO makes is scrutinized to death with the benefit of hindsight. But look at all the personnel decisions he made over the year that worked out.

Matt Holliday
Carlos Beltran
The Dotel trade in 2011
The Furcal trade in 2011
Goldschmidt
Arenado (even if the last couple of years end badly, we gave up nothing)
On this team, Romero for Sosa, Maton signing, despite the last 2 years, all the draft picks starting with 2020 are now rounding out a pretty decent starting 8. Bloom will inherit a team that is in better shape than any Cards roster since around 2015.
Pitching is weak in the system, that is partly due to injury partly due to bad drafting. But, there are a few arms that are OK.

The ability to judge not just star talent, but all the pieces required to make a good team requires a huge eye for talent, the actual pieces that are missing etc. Further, none of us have the Dewitt's sitting over our shoulder limiting the resources we would all like to spend.

I was going to let this pass, but since the thread has continued longer than I anticipated, let's circle back.
If the bar of being a quality GM is "I think Holliday, Beltran, Goldschmidt, and Arenado in their prime would be good to have on my team", then most 10 year old fans would be qualified.
But let's look at players with whom Super Slo Mo had to make his own analysis and calculation.
Wrong about Craigenter.
Wrong about Taveras.
Wrong about Heyward.
Wrong about Moss.
Wrong about Fowler.
Wrong about Leake.
Wrong about Piscotty.
Wrong about DeJong.
Wrong about Martinez.
Wrong about Flaherty.
Wrong about O'Neill.
Wrong about Bader.
Wrong about Reyes.
Wrong about Nootbaar.
Wrong about Alcantara.
Wrong about Gallen.
Wrong about Arozarena.
Mo was wrong on each and every one of these - keeping the wrong guys, acquiring the wrong guys, trading the wrong guys.
A truly amazing record of ineptitude.
And that list is far from complete.
Now, you are correct that DeWitt does indeed "look over the shoulder".
In Mo's case, DeWitt's eyes have obviously been closed.
The team would be far better off if the shoulder over which DeWitt was peering was mine (note: I was never wrong about any of the above listed players).
Zero question that I would be far, far better at the job than Super Slo Mo - as would several others here.

Is there a list of success’s?

Melville wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:04 am

ICCFIM2 wrote: ↑15 Jun 2025 00:07 am

Rojo Johnson wrote: ↑14 Jun 2025 17:07 pm

Melville wrote: ↑13 Jun 2025 18:51 pm

Cranny wrote: ↑13 Jun 2025 10:02 am The duties of a POBO and GM are far and wide, and require years of experience in the industry. No poster is qualified.

Given decisions and results of the past decade, you may well be overestimating the difficulty of the job and overvaluing experience.
For example, how hard could it possibly be to recognize the team has not had an established, productive, reliable, all-star quality outfielder for many, many years and that it would be a good idea to acquire one?
Would you like me to provide a dozen similar examples of ineptitude and incompetence on the part of Super Slo Mo?

If Moe can do it, anyone can do it. How smart do you have to be to hire MM, Schildt and Oli in succession? Actually, that kind of extreme stupid can’t be underestimated. You have to be very, very secure in your job to do something that incredibly stupid.

I may not agree with Cranny that often, but in this case, he is spot on. The complications of being a GM/POBO is immense. Yes, every mistake MO makes is scrutinized to death with the benefit of hindsight. But look at all the personnel decisions he made over the year that worked out.

Matt Holliday
Carlos Beltran
The Dotel trade in 2011
The Furcal trade in 2011
Goldschmidt
Arenado (even if the last couple of years end badly, we gave up nothing)
On this team, Romero for Sosa, Maton signing, despite the last 2 years, all the draft picks starting with 2020 are now rounding out a pretty decent starting 8. Bloom will inherit a team that is in better shape than any Cards roster since around 2015.
Pitching is weak in the system, that is partly due to injury partly due to bad drafting. But, there are a few arms that are OK.

The ability to judge not just star talent, but all the pieces required to make a good team requires a huge eye for talent, the actual pieces that are missing etc. Further, none of us have the Dewitt's sitting over our shoulder limiting the resources we would all like to spend.

I was going to let this pass, but since the thread has continued longer than I anticipated, let's circle back.
If the bar of being a quality GM is "I think Holliday, Beltran, Goldschmidt, and Arenado in their prime would be good to have on my team", then most 10 year old fans would be qualified.
But let's look at players with whom Super Slo Mo had to make his own analysis and calculation.
Wrong about Craigenter.
Wrong about Taveras.
Wrong about Heyward.
Wrong about Moss.
Wrong about Fowler.
Wrong about Leake.
Wrong about Piscotty.
Wrong about DeJong.
Wrong about Martinez.
Wrong about Flaherty.
Wrong about O'Neill.
Wrong about Bader.
Wrong about Reyes.
Wrong about Nootbaar.
Wrong about Alcantara.
Wrong about Gallen.
Wrong about Arozarena.
Mo was wrong on each and every one of these - keeping the wrong guys, acquiring the wrong guys, trading the wrong guys.
A truly amazing record of ineptitude.
And that list is far from complete.
Now, you are correct that DeWitt does indeed "look over the shoulder".
In Mo's case, DeWitt's eyes have obviously been closed.
The team would be far better off if the shoulder over which DeWitt was peering was mine (note: I was never wrong about any of the above listed players).
Zero question that I would be far, far better at the job than Super Slo Mo - as would several others here.

TopofthePerch wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 15:11 pm Not a single poster on here could hold Mo's jock strap. Not a single one would have a clue.

TopofthePerch wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 15:11 pm Not a single one would have a clue.

JDW wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 14:27 pm

Melville wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:04 am

ICCFIM2 wrote: ↑15 Jun 2025 00:07 am

Rojo Johnson wrote: ↑14 Jun 2025 17:07 pm

Melville wrote: ↑13 Jun 2025 18:51 pm

Cranny wrote: ↑13 Jun 2025 10:02 am The duties of a POBO and GM are far and wide, and require years of experience in the industry. No poster is qualified.

Given decisions and results of the past decade, you may well be overestimating the difficulty of the job and overvaluing experience.
For example, how hard could it possibly be to recognize the team has not had an established, productive, reliable, all-star quality outfielder for many, many years and that it would be a good idea to acquire one?
Would you like me to provide a dozen similar examples of ineptitude and incompetence on the part of Super Slo Mo?

If Moe can do it, anyone can do it. How smart do you have to be to hire MM, Schildt and Oli in succession? Actually, that kind of extreme stupid can’t be underestimated. You have to be very, very secure in your job to do something that incredibly stupid.

I may not agree with Cranny that often, but in this case, he is spot on. The complications of being a GM/POBO is immense. Yes, every mistake MO makes is scrutinized to death with the benefit of hindsight. But look at all the personnel decisions he made over the year that worked out.

Matt Holliday
Carlos Beltran
The Dotel trade in 2011
The Furcal trade in 2011
Goldschmidt
Arenado (even if the last couple of years end badly, we gave up nothing)
On this team, Romero for Sosa, Maton signing, despite the last 2 years, all the draft picks starting with 2020 are now rounding out a pretty decent starting 8. Bloom will inherit a team that is in better shape than any Cards roster since around 2015.
Pitching is weak in the system, that is partly due to injury partly due to bad drafting. But, there are a few arms that are OK.

The ability to judge not just star talent, but all the pieces required to make a good team requires a huge eye for talent, the actual pieces that are missing etc. Further, none of us have the Dewitt's sitting over our shoulder limiting the resources we would all like to spend.

I was going to let this pass, but since the thread has continued longer than I anticipated, let's circle back.
If the bar of being a quality GM is "I think Holliday, Beltran, Goldschmidt, and Arenado in their prime would be good to have on my team", then most 10 year old fans would be qualified.
But let's look at players with whom Super Slo Mo had to make his own analysis and calculation.
Wrong about Craigenter.
Wrong about Taveras.
Wrong about Heyward.
Wrong about Moss.
Wrong about Fowler.
Wrong about Leake.
Wrong about Piscotty.
Wrong about DeJong.
Wrong about Martinez.
Wrong about Flaherty.
Wrong about O'Neill.
Wrong about Bader.
Wrong about Reyes.
Wrong about Nootbaar.
Wrong about Alcantara.
Wrong about Gallen.
Wrong about Arozarena.
Mo was wrong on each and every one of these - keeping the wrong guys, acquiring the wrong guys, trading the wrong guys.
A truly amazing record of ineptitude.
And that list is far from complete.
Now, you are correct that DeWitt does indeed "look over the shoulder".
In Mo's case, DeWitt's eyes have obviously been closed.
The team would be far better off if the shoulder over which DeWitt was peering was mine (note: I was never wrong about any of the above listed players).
Zero question that I would be far, far better at the job than Super Slo Mo - as would several others here.

Craig helped win a WS. That earns some runway.
Mo wasn't driving, Taveras was.
Cards might have got Heyward's last decent productive year in his career.
DeJong's extension was pretty neutral.
Flaherty, O'Neill and Bader all provided positive value when they were here, and none of them were extended. Bader continues to provide value for the Twins while also still providing potential future value for the Cards with first Montogomery, and now Saggese, Roby and King.
Reyes had injuries derail his career.
Noot has provided value for the Cards every year so far.
Libs has been mishandled, but if he continues to trend well, the end results of the Aroz trade can't yet be judged very accurately.

As mattmitch tries to explain on another thread, the Cards payroll only works with trying to build from the farm with players that provide value while they are cost controlled.

TopofthePerch wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 15:11 pm Not a single poster on here could hold Mo's jock strap. Not a single one would have a clue.

Melville wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 18:51 pm

JDW wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 14:27 pm

Melville wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:04 am

ICCFIM2 wrote: ↑15 Jun 2025 00:07 am

Rojo Johnson wrote: ↑14 Jun 2025 17:07 pm

Melville wrote: ↑13 Jun 2025 18:51 pm

Cranny wrote: ↑13 Jun 2025 10:02 am The duties of a POBO and GM are far and wide, and require years of experience in the industry. No poster is qualified.

Given decisions and results of the past decade, you may well be overestimating the difficulty of the job and overvaluing experience.
For example, how hard could it possibly be to recognize the team has not had an established, productive, reliable, all-star quality outfielder for many, many years and that it would be a good idea to acquire one?
Would you like me to provide a dozen similar examples of ineptitude and incompetence on the part of Super Slo Mo?

If Moe can do it, anyone can do it. How smart do you have to be to hire MM, Schildt and Oli in succession? Actually, that kind of extreme stupid can’t be underestimated. You have to be very, very secure in your job to do something that incredibly stupid.

I may not agree with Cranny that often, but in this case, he is spot on. The complications of being a GM/POBO is immense. Yes, every mistake MO makes is scrutinized to death with the benefit of hindsight. But look at all the personnel decisions he made over the year that worked out.

Matt Holliday
Carlos Beltran
The Dotel trade in 2011
The Furcal trade in 2011
Goldschmidt
Arenado (even if the last couple of years end badly, we gave up nothing)
On this team, Romero for Sosa, Maton signing, despite the last 2 years, all the draft picks starting with 2020 are now rounding out a pretty decent starting 8. Bloom will inherit a team that is in better shape than any Cards roster since around 2015.
Pitching is weak in the system, that is partly due to injury partly due to bad drafting. But, there are a few arms that are OK.

The ability to judge not just star talent, but all the pieces required to make a good team requires a huge eye for talent, the actual pieces that are missing etc. Further, none of us have the Dewitt's sitting over our shoulder limiting the resources we would all like to spend.

I was going to let this pass, but since the thread has continued longer than I anticipated, let's circle back.
If the bar of being a quality GM is "I think Holliday, Beltran, Goldschmidt, and Arenado in their prime would be good to have on my team", then most 10 year old fans would be qualified.
But let's look at players with whom Super Slo Mo had to make his own analysis and calculation.
Wrong about Craigenter.
Wrong about Taveras.
Wrong about Heyward.
Wrong about Moss.
Wrong about Fowler.
Wrong about Leake.
Wrong about Piscotty.
Wrong about DeJong.
Wrong about Martinez.
Wrong about Flaherty.
Wrong about O'Neill.
Wrong about Bader.
Wrong about Reyes.
Wrong about Nootbaar.
Wrong about Alcantara.
Wrong about Gallen.
Wrong about Arozarena.
Mo was wrong on each and every one of these - keeping the wrong guys, acquiring the wrong guys, trading the wrong guys.
A truly amazing record of ineptitude.
And that list is far from complete.
Now, you are correct that DeWitt does indeed "look over the shoulder".
In Mo's case, DeWitt's eyes have obviously been closed.
The team would be far better off if the shoulder over which DeWitt was peering was mine (note: I was never wrong about any of the above listed players).
Zero question that I would be far, far better at the job than Super Slo Mo - as would several others here.

Craig helped win a WS. That earns some runway.
Mo wasn't driving, Taveras was.
Cards might have got Heyward's last decent productive year in his career.
DeJong's extension was pretty neutral.
Flaherty, O'Neill and Bader all provided positive value when they were here, and none of them were extended. Bader continues to provide value for the Twins while also still providing potential future value for the Cards with first Montogomery, and now Saggese, Roby and King.
Reyes had injuries derail his career.
Noot has provided value for the Cards every year so far.
Libs has been mishandled, but if he continues to trend well, the end results of the Aroz trade can't yet be judged very accurately.

As mattmitch tries to explain on another thread, the Cards payroll only works with trying to build from the farm with players that provide value while they are cost controlled.

False premise on your part.
No one disputes that teams operate within budgetary guidelines.
In fact, it is precisely aligned with the perfect point I made.
Again, to very clear, you just proved my point.
Mo has badly mismanaged the roster for more than a decade.
Banking on a troubled 22-year-old - with no back up plan - was foolish.
Believing DeJong, Flaherty, O' Neill, and Bader were core players around whom to build a roster was foolish (Mo was wrong on every one of them - I was 100% correct on every one of them).
He stuck with Reyes too long.
I alone advised trading Martinez as his high-water mark because there the red lights were flashing and obvious - and Mo was too blind to see it.
Mo claimed Nootbaar was a core player, was off-limits in all trade conversations; and was destined to be an important middle order bat - and he was laughably and predictably wrong (I, of course, have been proven 100% correct that he is not, and never will be, any such thing).
And again, the list I provided was very brief compared to the overall reality.
There is so much more.
Just a few recent additional examples.
The loyalty to Molina and Wainwright long past their expiration dates proved to be catastrophic - exactly as I predicted well in advance.
The horrendous message signing Pujols for his farewell tour also undermined the entire organization.
The hiring of The Marmot - who has proven to be an awful choice - was clearly the wrong man, the wrong time, the wrong team, hired for the wrong reasons.
Bottom line - this discussion has nothing to do with payroll.
It is about Mo's horrendous track record of simply awful judgement.
He took one of baseball's healthiest franchises and drove it into the ground.
Again, several people here have a far better track record than he does - and have the posting history to prove it.

Cranny wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 20:52 pm

Melville wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 18:51 pm

JDW wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 14:27 pm

Melville wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:04 am

ICCFIM2 wrote: ↑15 Jun 2025 00:07 am

Rojo Johnson wrote: ↑14 Jun 2025 17:07 pm

Melville wrote: ↑13 Jun 2025 18:51 pm

Cranny wrote: ↑13 Jun 2025 10:02 am The duties of a POBO and GM are far and wide, and require years of experience in the industry. No poster is qualified.

Given decisions and results of the past decade, you may well be overestimating the difficulty of the job and overvaluing experience.
For example, how hard could it possibly be to recognize the team has not had an established, productive, reliable, all-star quality outfielder for many, many years and that it would be a good idea to acquire one?
Would you like me to provide a dozen similar examples of ineptitude and incompetence on the part of Super Slo Mo?

If Moe can do it, anyone can do it. How smart do you have to be to hire MM, Schildt and Oli in succession? Actually, that kind of extreme stupid can’t be underestimated. You have to be very, very secure in your job to do something that incredibly stupid.

I may not agree with Cranny that often, but in this case, he is spot on. The complications of being a GM/POBO is immense. Yes, every mistake MO makes is scrutinized to death with the benefit of hindsight. But look at all the personnel decisions he made over the year that worked out.

Matt Holliday
Carlos Beltran
The Dotel trade in 2011
The Furcal trade in 2011
Goldschmidt
Arenado (even if the last couple of years end badly, we gave up nothing)
On this team, Romero for Sosa, Maton signing, despite the last 2 years, all the draft picks starting with 2020 are now rounding out a pretty decent starting 8. Bloom will inherit a team that is in better shape than any Cards roster since around 2015.
Pitching is weak in the system, that is partly due to injury partly due to bad drafting. But, there are a few arms that are OK.

The ability to judge not just star talent, but all the pieces required to make a good team requires a huge eye for talent, the actual pieces that are missing etc. Further, none of us have the Dewitt's sitting over our shoulder limiting the resources we would all like to spend.

I was going to let this pass, but since the thread has continued longer than I anticipated, let's circle back.
If the bar of being a quality GM is "I think Holliday, Beltran, Goldschmidt, and Arenado in their prime would be good to have on my team", then most 10 year old fans would be qualified.
But let's look at players with whom Super Slo Mo had to make his own analysis and calculation.
Wrong about Craigenter.
Wrong about Taveras.
Wrong about Heyward.
Wrong about Moss.
Wrong about Fowler.
Wrong about Leake.
Wrong about Piscotty.
Wrong about DeJong.
Wrong about Martinez.
Wrong about Flaherty.
Wrong about O'Neill.
Wrong about Bader.
Wrong about Reyes.
Wrong about Nootbaar.
Wrong about Alcantara.
Wrong about Gallen.
Wrong about Arozarena.
Mo was wrong on each and every one of these - keeping the wrong guys, acquiring the wrong guys, trading the wrong guys.
A truly amazing record of ineptitude.
And that list is far from complete.
Now, you are correct that DeWitt does indeed "look over the shoulder".
In Mo's case, DeWitt's eyes have obviously been closed.
The team would be far better off if the shoulder over which DeWitt was peering was mine (note: I was never wrong about any of the above listed players).
Zero question that I would be far, far better at the job than Super Slo Mo - as would several others here.

Craig helped win a WS. That earns some runway.
Mo wasn't driving, Taveras was.
Cards might have got Heyward's last decent productive year in his career.
DeJong's extension was pretty neutral.
Flaherty, O'Neill and Bader all provided positive value when they were here, and none of them were extended. Bader continues to provide value for the Twins while also still providing potential future value for the Cards with first Montogomery, and now Saggese, Roby and King.
Reyes had injuries derail his career.
Noot has provided value for the Cards every year so far.
Libs has been mishandled, but if he continues to trend well, the end results of the Aroz trade can't yet be judged very accurately.

As mattmitch tries to explain on another thread, the Cards payroll only works with trying to build from the farm with players that provide value while they are cost controlled.

False premise on your part.
No one disputes that teams operate within budgetary guidelines.
In fact, it is precisely aligned with the perfect point I made.
Again, to very clear, you just proved my point.
Mo has badly mismanaged the roster for more than a decade.
Banking on a troubled 22-year-old - with no back up plan - was foolish.
Believing DeJong, Flaherty, O' Neill, and Bader were core players around whom to build a roster was foolish (Mo was wrong on every one of them - I was 100% correct on every one of them).
He stuck with Reyes too long.
I alone advised trading Martinez as his high-water mark because there the red lights were flashing and obvious - and Mo was too blind to see it.
Mo claimed Nootbaar was a core player, was off-limits in all trade conversations; and was destined to be an important middle order bat - and he was laughably and predictably wrong (I, of course, have been proven 100% correct that he is not, and never will be, any such thing).
And again, the list I provided was very brief compared to the overall reality.
There is so much more.
Just a few recent additional examples.
The loyalty to Molina and Wainwright long past their expiration dates proved to be catastrophic - exactly as I predicted well in advance.
The horrendous message signing Pujols for his farewell tour also undermined the entire organization.
The hiring of The Marmot - who has proven to be an awful choice - was clearly the wrong man, the wrong time, the wrong team, hired for the wrong reasons.
Bottom line - this discussion has nothing to do with payroll.
It is about Mo's horrendous track record of simply awful judgement.
He took one of baseball's healthiest franchises and drove it into the ground.
Again, several people here have a far better track record than he does - and have the posting history to prove it.

Your hindsight is superb.

Cranny wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 20:52 pm

Melville wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 18:51 pm

JDW wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 14:27 pm

Melville wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025 09:04 am

ICCFIM2 wrote: ↑15 Jun 2025 00:07 am

Rojo Johnson wrote: ↑14 Jun 2025 17:07 pm

Melville wrote: ↑13 Jun 2025 18:51 pm

Cranny wrote: ↑13 Jun 2025 10:02 am The duties of a POBO and GM are far and wide, and require years of experience in the industry. No poster is qualified.

Given decisions and results of the past decade, you may well be overestimating the difficulty of the job and overvaluing experience.
For example, how hard could it possibly be to recognize the team has not had an established, productive, reliable, all-star quality outfielder for many, many years and that it would be a good idea to acquire one?
Would you like me to provide a dozen similar examples of ineptitude and incompetence on the part of Super Slo Mo?

If Moe can do it, anyone can do it. How smart do you have to be to hire MM, Schildt and Oli in succession? Actually, that kind of extreme stupid can’t be underestimated. You have to be very, very secure in your job to do something that incredibly stupid.

I may not agree with Cranny that often, but in this case, he is spot on. The complications of being a GM/POBO is immense. Yes, every mistake MO makes is scrutinized to death with the benefit of hindsight. But look at all the personnel decisions he made over the year that worked out.

Matt Holliday
Carlos Beltran
The Dotel trade in 2011
The Furcal trade in 2011
Goldschmidt
Arenado (even if the last couple of years end badly, we gave up nothing)
On this team, Romero for Sosa, Maton signing, despite the last 2 years, all the draft picks starting with 2020 are now rounding out a pretty decent starting 8. Bloom will inherit a team that is in better shape than any Cards roster since around 2015.
Pitching is weak in the system, that is partly due to injury partly due to bad drafting. But, there are a few arms that are OK.

The ability to judge not just star talent, but all the pieces required to make a good team requires a huge eye for talent, the actual pieces that are missing etc. Further, none of us have the Dewitt's sitting over our shoulder limiting the resources we would all like to spend.

I was going to let this pass, but since the thread has continued longer than I anticipated, let's circle back.
If the bar of being a quality GM is "I think Holliday, Beltran, Goldschmidt, and Arenado in their prime would be good to have on my team", then most 10 year old fans would be qualified.
But let's look at players with whom Super Slo Mo had to make his own analysis and calculation.
Wrong about Craigenter.
Wrong about Taveras.
Wrong about Heyward.
Wrong about Moss.
Wrong about Fowler.
Wrong about Leake.
Wrong about Piscotty.
Wrong about DeJong.
Wrong about Martinez.
Wrong about Flaherty.
Wrong about O'Neill.
Wrong about Bader.
Wrong about Reyes.
Wrong about Nootbaar.
Wrong about Alcantara.
Wrong about Gallen.
Wrong about Arozarena.
Mo was wrong on each and every one of these - keeping the wrong guys, acquiring the wrong guys, trading the wrong guys.
A truly amazing record of ineptitude.
And that list is far from complete.
Now, you are correct that DeWitt does indeed "look over the shoulder".
In Mo's case, DeWitt's eyes have obviously been closed.
The team would be far better off if the shoulder over which DeWitt was peering was mine (note: I was never wrong about any of the above listed players).
Zero question that I would be far, far better at the job than Super Slo Mo - as would several others here.

Craig helped win a WS. That earns some runway.
Mo wasn't driving, Taveras was.
Cards might have got Heyward's last decent productive year in his career.
DeJong's extension was pretty neutral.
Flaherty, O'Neill and Bader all provided positive value when they were here, and none of them were extended. Bader continues to provide value for the Twins while also still providing potential future value for the Cards with first Montogomery, and now Saggese, Roby and King.
Reyes had injuries derail his career.
Noot has provided value for the Cards every year so far.
Libs has been mishandled, but if he continues to trend well, the end results of the Aroz trade can't yet be judged very accurately.

As mattmitch tries to explain on another thread, the Cards payroll only works with trying to build from the farm with players that provide value while they are cost controlled.

False premise on your part.
No one disputes that teams operate within budgetary guidelines.
In fact, it is precisely aligned with the perfect point I made.
Again, to very clear, you just proved my point.
Mo has badly mismanaged the roster for more than a decade.
Banking on a troubled 22-year-old - with no back up plan - was foolish.
Believing DeJong, Flaherty, O' Neill, and Bader were core players around whom to build a roster was foolish (Mo was wrong on every one of them - I was 100% correct on every one of them).
He stuck with Reyes too long.
I alone advised trading Martinez as his high-water mark because there the red lights were flashing and obvious - and Mo was too blind to see it.
Mo claimed Nootbaar was a core player, was off-limits in all trade conversations; and was destined to be an important middle order bat - and he was laughably and predictably wrong (I, of course, have been proven 100% correct that he is not, and never will be, any such thing).
And again, the list I provided was very brief compared to the overall reality.
There is so much more.
Just a few recent additional examples.
The loyalty to Molina and Wainwright long past their expiration dates proved to be catastrophic - exactly as I predicted well in advance.
The horrendous message signing Pujols for his farewell tour also undermined the entire organization.
The hiring of The Marmot - who has proven to be an awful choice - was clearly the wrong man, the wrong time, the wrong team, hired for the wrong reasons.
Bottom line - this discussion has nothing to do with payroll.
It is about Mo's horrendous track record of simply awful judgement.
He took one of baseball's healthiest franchises and drove it into the ground.
Again, several people here have a far better track record than he does - and have the posting history to prove it.

Your hindsight is superb.