When John Mozeliak is replaced in the St. Louis Cardinals’ general office, the team’s biggest concern may become history.
John Mozeliak, the St. Louis Cardinals’ president of baseball operations, will not be in charge indefinitely. As the Cardinals now sit out the postseason competition, it’s evident that something needs to happen with the front office if St. Louis misses the playoffs again in 2024.
Oli Marmol was signed to a contract extension before the season, which can be blamed on Mozeliak, therefore firing the manager only addresses half of the issue. St. Louis hired Chaim Bloom, a former Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays executive, as an advisor to the front office. The general opinion around the league is that Bloom will not be in that position for long. Mozeliak might even welcome a change if he is permitted to stay with the organization.
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Chaim Bloom can fix John Mozeliak’s biggest mistake with Cardinals
Mozeliak’s inability to establish the St. Louis farm system may be his most serious flaw of late. Yes, Masyn Winn is impressive, but there aren’t many other notable examples of successful player development. Baseball America ranks the Cardinals’ farm system as the 21st in baseball. For a team on the verge of playoff contention, they are essentially mediocre on all levels. That is not good enough.
As Josh Jacobs of Redbird Rants pointed out this week, Bloom’s hiring might very well help the Cardinals in that department.
“Bloom is well-known for his player development philosophy, but he also has a flair for spotting talent and bringing it into the organization. The Cardinals have done well in the draft under Randy Flores’ direction, but adding Bloom to the mix could allow the Cardinals to take more calculated chances in their future drafts,” Jacobs said.
Building a farm system is not as simple as it sounds. The early rounds of the MLB Draft only provide so much talent, and poor player development can devastate any club, regardless of the prospects chosen. Bloom has a track record of success in this area, which should excite St. Louis supporters about a potential front office takeover, even if Mozeliak remains involved to some extent.
Bloom is not flawless, as Red Sox fans will attest, but with the correct commitment from ownership, he has the potential to be an improvement over Mozeliak.
