The Cardinals faithful, brewing with discontent after a lackluster 2024 campaign that didn't deliver October baseball, cast an average season grade, somewhere in the realm of a C, as per feedback from fans speaking to FOX 2. As the St. Louis skyline remained postseason-baseball-free, fans' reactions to the front office's end-of-season revelations underscored a collective yearning for the on-field success they've grown accustomed to.
While the front office has heralded a refocusing on player development with Chaim Bloom at the helm in the future, both General Manager John Mozeliak and Manager Oliver Marmol are set to keep their spots for the impending 2025 season. Cardinals supporter Tony Arro, unsatisfied with the recent trajectory, told FOX 2, "It was a C (grade season). Much better than the F (grade) they got last year, but they still got to work on hitting," indicating improvement areas from a fan perspective. Notably, Arro lamented the departure of former manager Mike Shildt, indicating since that "transaction, things have gone astray."
In a column by Benjamin Hochman for St. Louis Post-Dispatch, attendances' decline in the later months of the 2024 season was a clear sign of fans' frustrations. Projections for the 2025 season appear bleaker, with an announced payroll reduction amidst a "reset" as detailed by Mozeliak, prompting Hochman to question, "Just what are the Cardinals selling the fans for 2025?"
Moreover, a late-night revelation by Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Mozeliak and Marmol would retain their roles puzzled fans who anticipated more sweeping changes to reverse the team’s fortunes. With the stability of Mozeliak’s position poised despite overseeing the team's downward drift, some are left questioning the future trajectory of the Cardinals. Goold's report further highlighted the disdain simmering amongst the fan base, with him summarizing on the Sporting News, "This news is being met with much disappointment from Cardinals fans."
The Cardinals management's decision to extend Marmol's contract in March drew the ire of the fanbase, who expected more than the status quo after missing the playoffs in consecutive years. Meanwhile, the viable candidate and former Cardinal Skip Schumaker's availability post the Miami Marlins' reshuffle did not sway St. Louis' loyalty to Marmol. The fans, anticipating a fresh course, may find the front office's "spin" hard to digest as the team steps into the 2025 season, as mentioned on Sporting News.