The St. Louis Cardinals and manager Oliver Marmol have been left with a small bench at crucial times on many occasions this season. Third baseman Nolan Arenado played on July 4th, July 9th, July 10th, and July 11th in early July. He then had a week off and returned to action on July 18th.
Arenado’s shoulder issue ultimately led to his placement on the Injured List on August 1. Because of Arenado’s discomfort and the executive office’s reluctance to make a roster change, the Cardinals played down a man on the bench throughout the first part of July. Due to persistent soreness, Arenado would hit.175 with a.440 OPS.
We are currently witnessing the same scenario unfold.
Willson Contreras and Brendan Donovan are both in anguish. Neither player has participated in the last two games against the New York Yankees due to foot problems. Additionally, Donovan only appeared in the opening game of the series against the Colorado Rockies and missed two games against the Chicago Cubs last week. For the last three games, Contreras has not played.
John Mozeliak, president of baseball operations, has chosen to give manager Oli Marmol a short bench rather than put either or both players on the injured list to create way for replacements. Yohel Pozo, a catcher, and Garrett Hampson, a utility guy, have been those two bench players.
John Mozeliak’s unwillingness to make roster moves has handcuffed manager Oli Marmol
It’s become increasingly clear how bad John Mozeliak’s lame duck season is.
Fears of removing players from the 40-man roster are the main reason Mozeliak is reluctant to make a roster change. More skilled players like Jimmy Crooks or JJ Wetherholt might replace Garrett Hampson, Matt Koperniak, and Jose Fermin on the roster.
Nathan Church, who has a.921 OPS with Memphis, can play all outfield positions if you’re not into elite prospects.
A lack of organizational depth may also be the cause of this readiness to play shorthanded. The only actual minor league players that have a chance of being called up are the three prospects mentioned above: Wetherholt, Crooks, and Church.
It appears that the front office would rather have no choices than call up minor league players to cover for Willson Contreras and Brendan Donovan, who are both unwell.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Derrick Goold did a good job of describing this short bench and its consequences. “The Cardinals (61-62) are barely outside the wild-card race’s environment and are in the latter part of the regular season, circling.500. They have a disjointed lineup.
“Against a Yankees club that had former MVP Paul Goldschmidt available off the bench, former MVP Giancarlo Stanton on the bench, and reigning MVP Aaron Judge batting beside former MVP Cody Bellinger in the lineup, the Cardinals did not have a former All-Star as a starter.”
All week long, the St. Louis Cardinals have been outmanned and outmatched. John Mozeliak has chosen to sit on his hands and wait out the year without creating too much of a stir inside the organization, rather than providing Oli Marmol with reinforcements and a fighting chance.
He must make squad changes to create the greatest possible lineup if he hopes to end on a high note and give his team a chance to win. It’s not ideal for athletes to play with injuries or, in this situation, not play at all. Mozeliak needs to take a stand and provide his manager with a strong and comprehensive squad.
