Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ

But the team hit the skids in 2023, then its hopes for one more playoff push with Goldschmidt and Arenado faded in 2024. Given that, the decision to shift toward a youth movement in 2025 was logical . . . though clumsily executed and poorly received by fans.

Against that backdrop, here are the grades for Cardinals ownership, management and field staff:

OWNERSHIP

The value of the Cardinals has increased tenfold during Bill DeWitt Jr.’s tenure. The franchise generated healthy operating revenues most years during this era and it fueled significant real estate development around the stadium.

Fans became accustomed to the Cardinals remaining in the playoff chase year after year. When the ownership elected to take a step back this season –- slashing payroll in the process –- fans took a step back as well. The attendance decline that began with no-shows in 2024 continued with unsold tickets in '25.

Ownership’s decision to hire outsider Chaim Bloom to chart the future of the baseball operation was smart. So was the decision to reinvest in player development after letting things slide. But allowing president of baseball operations John Mozeliak to remain as a lame duck leader this season contributed the attendance decline. Fans are eager to see how the heir-apparent Bloom plans to take the franchise forward, but the team kept him out of the public eye.

The resulting messaging vacuum allowed a negative social media echo chamber to drive the provide the narrative for the season. Busch Stadium has been half empty for much of the campaign as a result. This stunning decline in support has been noted within the industry, and it raised this question: Has this franchise caused permanent damage to its revenue base after decades of outperforming its market size?

How the DeWitts handled this strategic shift left them with much work to do going forward. They can no longer take annual 3 million attendance for granted.

Grade: D

MANAGEMENT

Independent analysts agreed that the Cardinals had an excellent draft. Assistant general manager Randy Flores and his scouting staff added swing-and-miss pitching to fill a glaring organizational need.

The revamped Cardinals farm system has done a nice job moving key prospects along the trail. Despite suffering huge pitching injury hits this season, the organization is enjoying a strong year on the player development side. Key prospects Michael McGreevy, Tekoah Roby, JJ Wetherholt, Jimmy Crooks and Leonardo Bernal stayed on track. While outfielder Chase Davis struggled at Double-A Springfield, outfielder Joshua Baez finally broke through after four difficult seasons.

Overall, the organization’s growing prospect supply will give Bloom plenty to work with.

As for Mozeliak, his hands were tied by the payroll slash. He struck a trade to send Nolan Arenado to the Houston Astros, but Arenado rejected it. Given his lame duck status and his mandate to let younger guys play, Mozeliak, like the fans, just sat back and watched the season unfold. He made a few inconsequential waiver wire claims, but he has done nothing of consequence since the season started.

With the trade deadline looming, he will finally have some big decisions to make. How the DeWitts view the team scenario will presumably guide those decisions. We assume Bloom will have some input as well, but we’ll have to see.

Grade: B

FIELD STAFF

Manager Oliver Marmol and his coaches have done a nice job sustaining the team’s competitive level despite the glaring personnel deficiencies. The Cardinals have ranked among the pleasant surprises in the majors this season.

At the same time, Marmol and Co. kept focusing on player development to meet the overarching goal of creating a younger nucleus.

At times those two goals of contention and player development haven’t aligned, but Marmol and Co. have made the best of things. They have carried the instructional work of spring training into the 162-game season. At times, they have been willing to live with some trial and error while extending opportunity to younger players.

By staying in the playoff chase into the All-Star break, too, the Cardinals maintained a better atmosphere for player growth. The young veterans learned while playing meaningful games.

Marmol would love to see the Cardinals stay on that path by filling some team needs ahead of the trade deadline, but the front office might decide to go the other way and move some veterans for future assets. If that happens, the field staff will have to keep stressing player development as best it can.

Grade: A