Few MLB franchises have earned more benefit of the doubt than the St. Louis Cardinals. Their penchant for defying the odds and snagging a playoff berth has fueled the exasperation of rival fans for more than 20 years. Though, this model of competency and consistency suffered a rare crack in 2023.
The Cards finished in last place in the National League Central at 71-91, lumbering their way to their first losing season of this century. The abnormal struggles began in April, accentuated by Tyler O'Neill's benching and manager Oliver Marmol's subsequent explanation, and persisted throughout the campaign.
Such futility was a legitimate jolt for younger fans who are accustomed to seeing St. Louis grind its way through misfortune. But they are also conditioned to have some faith in the process. A longstanding tradition of success buys the organization time to learn from the pitfalls of last season and correct them going into 2024.
But not much time. Cardinals president Bill DeWitt III knows there is a sense of urgency filling Busch Stadium.
Can Cardinals prove that 2023 was just a fluke?
“This doesn’t feel like a year that can’t be fixed at this point,” he told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold, ahead of the club's annual Winter Warm-Up fundraiser event. “Everybody is entitled to a bad year now and again. We just had ours. Now, if we have another bad year, OK, yeah, that starts to feel like a trend.”
DeWitt, whose father Bill DeWitt Jr. is the franchise's chairman, is well-aware of what is expected from this team. The offseason has proven that to a decent degree. While there are still questions surrounding some of the younger players, the front office has actively tried to address its biggest need. American League Cy Young runner-up Sonny Gray headlines a group of pitchers that have been brought in to help the Cardinals compete next season.
The results must be reflected on the field, but a more credible starting rotation, promising prospects like Jordan Walker and Masyn Winn, and perhaps most importantly, a reputable culture should give the Cardinals a reasonable chance to turn things around. Otherwise, a serious reflection period might be needed.