Nine instances of doubt-driven imprudent choices under John Mozeliak's leadership with the Cardinals.
Rewritten Article:
Steer clear of the John Mozeliak saga with the St. Louis Cardinals if you're seeking a straight-up, triumphant tale. This era can be split into two distinct acts: an inaugural eight years of Hall-of-Fame caliber plays, followed by a mediocre, decade-long slump.
From 2008 to 2015, the Cardinals dazzled with a 728-568 (.562 win%) record, averaging a whopping 91 wins per season and bagging four NL Central division titles, four NLCS appearances, two World Series outings, and a championship in 2011. This streak ranks among the finest in the Cardinals' storied history.
But fast forward to 2016 to 2024, and the cards didn't fair so well: a record of 715-639 (.528 win%), an average of 85 wins throughout full seasons, only two division titles and one NLCS appearance, and just four playoff victories since 2016 – with five missed playoff appearances in the past nine seasons. Ouch, indeed!
Questions swirl about why the Cardinals have floundered in the last decade in comparison to the first half of Mozeliak's tenure. There's a plethora of factors to discuss, and here's a rundown on eleven key decisions that perpetuated a downturn under Mozeliak's leadership, chief among them fear-fueled decision-making.
Here are 11 fear-driven missteps in the Cardinals' decision-making under John Mozeliak:
Fear-based decision #1 - Tapping Mike Matheny over Terry Francona after the 2011 season
As Tony La Russa, a Hall of Fame manager and the Cardinals' icon, retired from baseball in 2011, and future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols joined the Los Angeles Angels in free agency, the Cardinals found themselves in an enviable position: the most sought-after managerial opening across all baseball.
Interviews took place with candidates like Jose Oquendo, Ryan Sandberg, Joe McEwing, Chris Maloney, among others, but two front-runners emerged to captain the ship: two-time World Series winner manager Terry Francona and former Cardinals' player Mike Matheny.
Francona was the mastermind behind the Boston Red Sox's 2004 World Series victory against the Cardinals, ending their 86-year championship drought, and racked up another World Series title in 2007. Francona's record as the Red Sox's manager stood at 744-552, with a remarkable 8-0 record in the World Series.
However, his tenure with the Red Sox came to a sour end, with accusations of his clubhouse behavior, such as excessive drinking and fast food, overshadowing his achievements. These contentions may have significantly impacted the Cardinals' decision-making, as some sources allege that Francona's interview was merely a "courtesy" meeting with the Cardinals favouring Matheny as their leader.
Matheny supported the Cardinals' run of high-performance play between 2012 to 2015, but many fans believe he hindered the team's full potential and was eventually dismissed in 2018 as the team was trending toward a third straight season of playoff absence.
Francona, on the other hand, steered the Cleveland Guardians for several years, transforming them into one of baseball's top teams, and reaching the World Series in 2016. Francona is widely regarded as one of the game's best managers and could have propelled the Cardinals to multiple championships during the 2010s.
Though it's uncertain whether this was the first fear-driven move by the Cardinals under Mozeliak, it was certainly one of the initial significant choices with far-reaching effects for the organization. Yet, the most divisive decision within the fanbase remains the enigma referenced at the beginning of this article and remains one of the biggest mysteries in Cardinals history.
- The decision to hire Mike Matheny as manager in 2011 instead of Terry Francona, despite Francona's impressive track record with the Boston Red Sox, was a fear-based choice that potentially compromised the St. Louis Cardinals' success.
- The Cardinals' failure to preserve the services of a proven manager like Terry Francona, who won two World Series with the Red Sox, could have contributed to their underwhelming performances in the 2010s.
- The selection of Mike Matheny, over the highly-regarded Terry Francona, to manage the Cardinals, may have been influenced by concerns about Francona's controversies in the Red Sox clubhouse.
- The choice not to hire Terry Francona, a two-time World Series winner, as the Cardinals' manager following Tony La Russa's retirement in 2011, might be an instance of irony in the annals of sports, as he led the Cleveland Guardians to success in the years that followed.
