I will address this now because this retort is coming, and it is irrefutable.
St. Louis Cardinals fans are spoiled.
They have seen four National League pennants and two World Series titles in the last twenty years and had players such as Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright to call their own.
They even have ‘Game 6’, an instant classic in the 2011 World Series that every St. Louisan remembers where they were for and who they watched with.
That said, early 2000s success has given way to lean years of late. The Cardinals have five postseason victories and one series win in the last ten years, a rather measly showing for a team with the expectations they have.
No fanbase in sports has a divine right to see their team win.
However, they have a valid and legitimate expectation that the owners of their teams will act in the best interest of the fans and the team, prioritizing on-field success.
In the DeWitt family, the Cardinals have owners who consistently fall short. They are more motivated by the health of their financial statements than by the pursuit of bringing a World Series trophy back to ‘Baseball Heaven’ and the ‘Best Fans in Baseball.’
I hate those ridiculous monikers more than anyone. Trust me.
Look no further than Max Scherzer’s 2014 free agency for a prime example of the DeWitt family’s unwillingness to splash the necessary cash to build an elite team.
With a Cy Young award to his name and approaching his peak years, ‘Mad Max’ was not short of suitors that winter.
At the time, Scherzer was a perfect fit for the Cardinals, almost too perfect. They needed an ace like Scherzer to spearhead their rotation, and they had the financial capabilities to bring him in.
Capabilities, not desire. More on this later.
Beyond his prowess on the field, Scherzer had obvious ties to the Cardinals. He grew up a fan in the St. Louis suburb of Chesterfield and didn’t go far for college, starring at the University of Missouri.
Ultimately, Scherzer ventured east, signing with the Nationals. He was a hit in our nation’s capital, making his 7-year, $210 million deal look like peanuts.
The Cardinals showed no interest in the Missourian, though he tried to make the homecoming happen.
Scherzer is said to have contacted Adam Wainwright and told him he wanted to pitch in St. Louis. He provided Wainwright with the details of his offer from Washington and told him to relay those figures to the Cardinals brass, even saying that they did not even have to match the offer, just come near it.
His pleas fell on deaf ears. The Cardinals did not even contact Scherzer or his agent and, ironically, have been chasing a power pitcher like him ever since.
Most ownership groups would have jumped on this opportunity. A star who wants to come home and pitch in front of his town for less money is something out of a movie.
Bringing Scherzer home should have been a slam dunk.
The DeWitt’s do not see things this way. They are terrified of breaching the $100 million mark for free agent contracts, preferring that the team make do with developed talent and second-rate free agents.
Their favorite is perhaps the reclamation project, specializing in bringing back American pitchers who ventured to Japan to rebuild their reputation. This perplexing and inconsistent strategy born from frugality and trying to be the smartest people in the room leads to issues like being stuck with Miles Mikolas’ albatross of a contract.
Their cheapness does not stop with player contracts. It has become embedded in the very infrastructure of the organization.
Bill DeWitt Jr. cried poor during the pandemic, making sure to let disgruntled fans know that owning a baseball team “isn’t very profitable.”
Boo-hoo.
With this surely in mind, the DeWitts cut costs at any opportunity and every level.
Coaching staff numbers have dwindled, and facilities are lagging behind.
As a result, player development has stagnated.
This erosion of player development is the silent killer of the Cardinals. For years, they relied on a perpetual influx of major-league-ready prospects to supplement their stars.
Now, players make their debuts after being mismanaged and are ill-equipped for success, leading to mediocrity on the field and many young players blossoming elsewhere after running for the hills away from St. Louis.
With the appointment of Chaim Bloom, there is hope that the Cardinals will return to winning ways, though how much of an impact Bloom can have is capped by the financial imitations the DeWitts place on him.
If an extended period of non-contention is the price for the priceless memories the Cardinals gave me growing up, I will pay up with a smile on my face.
It is not that simple.
It would be easier to accept if this barren run resulted from untimely injuries or players being brought in and floundering.
This is not the case. The gradual slide of the Cardinals is down to the DeWitts and their propensity to prioritize the almighty dollar over division titles.
Fans are not asking for the moon-just a commitment to success matching that of the fans.
The DeWitts do not share this winning desire; instead, they seem intent on turning ‘Baseball Heaven’ into more of a purgatory.
