I have summarized the modus operandi of the Cardinals' front office as follows - Complacent arrogance
Bernie Miklasz... the closest thing the soft St. Louis sports media has to reality has characterized "President" Mozeliak as the "smartest guy in the room"... just ask him.
Many hardcore St. Louis sports fans recognized Bill Plaschke's take-down of Jeff Fisher as the missing element in St. Louis sports media coverage. This column was the beginning of the end of the stubborn and petulant Fisher in Los Angeles. Ironic that the owner who clearly brought in Fisher to move the franchise fired him during the first season following the much celebrated move.
Just imagine seeing something like this in the St. Louis Post Dispatch.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-ram ... story.html
Rams' return to L.A. is officially an embarrassment. Coach Jeff Fisher needs to go — now
www.latimes.com
Against all odds, in a city that embraced them, with fans who loved them, in a stadium that showcases them, the impossible has happened.
Actually, the time for something like this in the St. Louis sports media is overdue.
But, what we actually got was extensions and promotions all around. I'm sorry Bernie, but you, Karraker, Duncan, Stalter, and Brad Thompson should be embarrassed. We've all read the tripe. Let's see how it all plays out. It's early, it's early.. This is total BS. All of you have watched the team degrade over the past 5 years as the "smartest guy in the room" has allowed the middle of the order to disappear with no plan. Beltran, Craig, Holliday, Freese... All gone. And, we keep counting on the emergence of Windmill Grichuk to be that middle of the order bat. The words of Dal Maxvill ring in my ears. "We need an extra bat and Todd Zeile may be that bat" Todd Zeile wasn't that bat. And, Mr. Mozeliak - Windmill Grichuk is no Todd Zeile.
And, now the "shiny new front office apple" Michael Girsch gets promoted to "VP and General Manager" - reporting directly to John Mozeliak.
And, the team.. .in a word... sucks.
33% of the roster has turned over since opening day. What? What was spring training for?
The two major offseason "big moves" involved a centerfielder that cannot play CF and a 30 million dollar relief pitcher who can't pitch.
Cardinal fans are noticing there ARE other options. But, Cardinal management doesn't share that view.
The irony today was thick enough to cut with a knife. The two best CF in the National League were playing RF and LF next to the centerfielder that can't field his position. But, Dexy says "he's a centerfielder" - and there he is.
And, the denouement of the pratfall in Pittsburgh included the following
Fowler being doubled off 1st base in a baserunning blunder
Paul DeJong misplaying a ball a major league shortstop simply has to make to open the gates.
And, Tatman Bret Cecil piping fat pitch after fat pitch until the Pirates secured the victory.
Have you had enough yet? I certainly have... and - in a shockingly blunt way - so has Al Hrabosky.
I have put up with Hrabosky on Cardinal broadcasts for as long as I can remember. His slurping makes Linda Lovelace look like an amateur.
But, today he said these words.... "Michael Girsch and John Mozeliak thinks the current roster can win, I don't" Al was also very critical of bullpen management and personnel decisions. He alluded to the power that veterans and their agents have over the Cardinals roster decisions.
Folks, this was an earthquake.
Mag Sierra has EARNED a job on the Cardinals in the same way Vince Coleman was the catalyst for the 1985 Pennant run. Tommy Pham has EARNED a starting job on the Cardinals, as he's clearly their best player by any metric.
Luke Voit has energized the offense at first base. But, he's finding a spot on the bench as the Cardinals are determined to go the Wong Way.
How about a General Manager with some balls who acts on this information and clears some deadwood in July?
How about we cut the cord and get Matt Carpenter the hell out of here? He's born to DH. Oh, but he's got a "team friendly" contract, yadda, yadda, yadda?
More friendly than Luke Voit's?
If we set aside the ego of the "smartest guy in the room", here are 5 things that could be done, but will never happen to make the most of this frustrating season (which is simply a continuation of last season's pratfall)
1) The Cardinals are in desperate need of a dependable middle reliever - along the lines of Andrew Miller in Cleveland. Fortunately, they have one. His name is Luke Weaver. He's lights out in AAA, but I suspect he's being protected from Matheny by Mozeliak who fears Mad Mike will overuse him if he's available.
But, with Mike Leake, post surgery Lance Lynn, and Michael Wacha all being 5 inning pitchers, the need for Weaver in St. Louis has never been greater. He could be the 2006 Adam Wainwright of the 2017 Cardinals. If you can't count on your manager not to "Siegrist" a young arm, how about changing managers? The team desperately needs Weaver to protect leads in the middle innings.
Bring up Weaver and let Siegrist visit Doctor Andrews. I'm certain he can help him get his velocity back.
2) Keep Mag Sierra with the big club. I don't give a damn how much money you paid Stephen Piscotty. That's your ego talking. Play your best players.
3) Play Tommy Pham every day. His defense is ideal in CF or RF. No more LF for Pham.
4) Move Fowler to LF - I don't care what he says. Payroll politics should not come before winning.
5) Bite down hard and pay up for the middle of the order bat you've needed for 3+ years. This will likely involve moving Carpenter - perhaps even a 3 way trade. It will also involve saying Sayonara to Trevor Rosenthal and perhaps more from your farm system. So what? Of course, it would have been "cheaper" to simply trade for Travis Shaw this offseason. With the pitching talent the Cardinals have, that would have been an easy match. But, the smartest guy in the room was too busy with Cecil and Fowler to notice. Besides, if Fowler was hitting leadoff, Matt Carpenter would be that "middle of the order bat" you desperately wish not to pay up to get.
It's pretty clear that the "smartest guy in the room" doesn't want to own his mistakes. If you don't own your mistakes, you'll never be able to address them.
Just STOP this infatuation with the strikeout artist known as Windmill Grichuk. You should have traded this bum after his hot month in 2015.
But, no... you were going to save Dollar Bill all that money and use Windmill as your cleanup hitter and keep payroll down around 40% of team revenues.
How's that working out?
The mistakes keep piling up. And, the decisions based on payroll politics instead of merit have to stop... NOW
Or else you'll end up like Jeff Fisher.