The strategy in assembling the bullpen by John Mozeliak has put Oli Marmol's choices under scrutiny

A Troublesome Offseason for the St. Louis Cardinals Bullpen

The St. Louis Cardinals budgeted only $2M for the bullpen this offseason, assigning it to veteran relief pitcher Phil Maton. So far, it's been a solid investment. However, unlike last year's powerhouse lineup, no further moves were made to solidify the strongest part of the team.

John Mozeliak and the Cardinals opted to rely on internal improvements and the continued production from young guns like Ryan Helsley, JoJo Romero, and Ryan Fernandez. I was high on the bullpen heading into the season, expecting reinforcements at the manager's disposal with depth pieces like Kyle Leahy, Riley O'Brien, and Chris Roycroft backing up Helsley, Romero, and Fernandez.

But the bullpen has proven to be the most unstable part of the team this year.

A Recipe for Disaster

JoJo Romero was primed for regression last year. His ERA skyrocketed from 2.43 in the first half to 5.40 in the second half. Hitters slashed .223/.280/.345 in the first half versus .264/.346/.500 in the second half. During that period, Romero gave up the same number of home runs in half as many games. The warning signs for regression were everywhere for Romero.

Instead of addressing the potential regression by adding a left-handed reliever to back up Romero, Mozeliak elected to stand pat.

Ryan Fernandez has struggled all season long. His ERA ballooned to 11.42 after surrendering a three-run home run to the Atlanta Braves in the eighth inning on Wednesday. John King's performance hasn't been consistent, and he blew a one-run lead against the Braves on Wednesday in the seventh inning.

While Mozeliak wisely benched Chris Roycroft after a rocky start, he's been reluctant to do the same for other relievers like Fernandez, John King, and even Romero to a certain degree.

If the Cardinals want to compete this year, as Mozeliak has emphasized for months, he needs to activate the Memphis shuttle more frequently. A couple of tweaks for Roddery Munoz and Matt Svanson - who's been waiting in the wings for a week now - aren't enough to bolster a reeling bullpen.

Riley O'Brien has been a force in Memphis, striking out 14 batters in only seven innings. Roycroft's adjustments have spiced things up in his brief time down. He's set to return to the major-league roster as early as April 26th. Andre Granillo - who isn't on the 40-man roster - has also shined in Memphis. The list goes on for relievers who could be called up to relieve some of the struggling players, yet Mozeliak hesitates to make changes quickly.

Another questionable decision that has undermined the bullpen was the brief utilization of a six-man rotation. Typically, teams bring up a starting pitcher for a spot start, giving the regular rotation a breather for a day. Instead, the Cardinals shifted Steven Matz, their best left-handed reliever so far, from the bullpen to the rotation for one or two starts.

Why isn't Michael McGreevy, the club's top starting pitcher depth choice, getting a spot start like he did last year? After all, this is the year to see what our young players can do for the future.

Placing the Blame

Oli Marmol can't escape blame either. He's held back using Ryan Helsley in high-pressure situations, like during Saturday's game against the New York Mets. He's only used Matt Svanson - last year's saves leader in the Texas League - once in a week. When you only have three reliable relievers, deciding when and where to use them without burning them out can be challenging, especially in April.

The bullpen for the Cardinals has been mismanaged this offseason by John Mozeliak, and it continues to be handled poorly. Marmol is left with three legitimate relievers. While Marmol is not entirely blameless here, the bullpen's underperformance mainly falls on Mozeliak and the pitchers themselves.

Despite the Cardinals' budgeting only $2M for the bullpen, their reliance on internal improvements and young guns like Romero, Helsley, and Fernandez has not been enough to solidify the MLB team's strongest part.
The inconsistent performance of relievers such as Fernandez, John King, and even Romero, combined with Mozeliak's reluctance to make quick changes, has made the bullpen the most unstable part of the team this year.
With Riley O'Brien striking out batters at an impressive rate in Memphis and Roycroft ready to return, Mozeliak needs to activate the Memphis shuttle more frequently to bolster the reeling bullpen.
Oli Marmol's decision to hold back using Ryan Helsley in high-pressure situations, in addition to Mozeliak's decisions regarding the bullpen, make him partially responsible for the underperformance of the Cardinals' bullpen this season.