Five St. Louis Cardinals related things to be thankful for this year

ThThis year, the St. Louis Cardinals provided us with a lot to be thankful for. Here are five that I am especially thankful for.

For as much as we love our St. Louis Cardinals, it is really easy to get into the mode of criticism and cynicism when it comes to our favorite team. That comes with the nature of such a passionate fan base though and the level of success and excellence both fans and the organization expects. Still, it’s good to be reminded of all the joy and memories that this club provides it’s fans.

Honestly, there was a ton to be thankful for this year specifically as a Cardinals fan. It is really hard to narrow it down to just five things, but I decided to go with the five things that I am most thankful for when it comes to the Cardinals this year. Please comment yours down below!

New manager Oli Marmol (plus bench coaches Skip Schumaker/Matt Holliday!)

One of the underrated aspects of “The Cardinal Way” is how that has been instilled in the organization top-down by people who have dedicated decades of their lives to this organization. It looks like the Cardinals have found a great manager in the form of manager Oli Marmol.

Marmol, 36, was drafted and developed by St. Louis but quickly realized his future in baseball was in the coaching ranks. Since 2011, Marmol rose through the organization in various roles, eventually being appointed the 51st manager in Cardinals franchise history. The organization had high hopes and expectations with Marmol, and he really delivered in his first season.

Marmol finished 93-69 and brought a level of leadership and structure to the clubhouse that is incredible for a manager who was younger than some of his players. Marmol was calculated in decisions, honest with both his players and media alike, and gave fans a confidence that Marmol was ready to do what was right for the club, while continuing to stand by his players.

Fans were also lucky to have fan-favorite Skip Schumaker return to St. Louis as their bench coach, and after losing him to the Miami Marlins as their new manager, will now see Cardinals Hall of Famer Matt Holliday join Marmol in the dugout this year. Exciting times in the coaching realm for the team.