The St. Louis Cardinals are headed for a second consecutive season without making the playoffs. Recently, a long-time front office member announced his retirement, and this weekend, Cardinals President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak indicated that more management changes are forthcoming.
Mozeliak stated, “I definitely feel like we do have to have some changes from within because we’re not where we need to be and we need to get back there,” during an interview with KMOX radio on Sunday.
Mozeliak: Changes in Management Coming for Cardinals This Offseason
The first significant change is the retirement of Gary LaRocque, the long-time director of player development and assistant general manager. LaRocque has managed the Cardinals farm system for the past 12 seasons and has been with the organization since 2008.
During his tenure, LaRocque played a role in developing several star players. However, in recent years, player development has been disappointing. First-round picks like Nolan Gorman, Jordan Walker, Dylan Carlson, and Dakota Hudson have struggled to meet expectations or are no longer with the team. The success of other first-round picks is still uncertain.
Mozeliak praised LaRocque’s contributions but recognized that his retirement is an opportunity for change.
“I think as great a job as [LaRocque] did, it’s going to be a nice opportunity to welcome some change,” Mozeliak remarked. “I certainly look forward to the next few months and see where we end up and what that leadership looks like.”
A Disgruntled Fan Base
The Cardinals face a second consecutive year missing the postseason, and while they have surpassed their 2023 win total, another last-place finish is possible, as they are only 3.5 games ahead of the bottom.
Fan frustration has resulted in lower attendance, with the team averaging 35,807 fans per game. This keeps them in the top 10 for league attendance but represents the lowest figures for the organization in a non-pandemic year since 1997, and the lowest at Busch Stadium III.
Cardinals president Bill DeWitt Jr. addressed the attendance concerns earlier this season. He remarked on the illogical reasoning behind suggestions to boycott games to send a message to the owners:
“The thing I chuckle about is when I see sometimes comments ‘We’ve got to not show up to send a message that this isn’t acceptable to the owners.’… We try to drive as much revenue as we can, and then it gets put on the field for the most part,” DeWitt Jr. said on the Scoops Sports Network Podcast in May.
Other Potential Changes
As management changes loom for the Cardinals front office, more adjustments could occur in the dugout. Oliver Marmol, now in his third season as manager, signed a contract extension this past offseason to remain through 2026. Mozeliak previously expressed confidence in Marmol’s abilities.
“We know when we look at 2024, things have to be different, but I’m certainly encouraged with what I see from [Marmol] as a young manager,” Mozeliak stated.
However, there hasn’t been noticeable improvement in 2024, and despite the extension, Marmol appears to be under pressure.
John Mozeliak has led the Cardinals’ baseball operations since 2007, making him the second-longest tenured head in baseball behind Brian Cashman of the New York Yankees. While hints of changes are evident, he seems secure in his position.
“When I think about the future for the organization…. there’s going to be some changes,” Mozeliak noted.
The process of identifying new personnel for the front office has already begun. “Now it’s about beginning the process of the interviewing… hopefully within the next couple of months we have leadership in place,” he added.
Cardinals vice president and GM Mike Girsch is entering the final year of his contract in 2025. He has been with the team since 2007. Randy Flores, who has overseen scouting since 2015, signed a multi-year extension in 2022 along with Girsch.
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