5 truths about the St. Louis Cardinals fans do not want to hear

As we head into September, the St. Louis Cardinals did try to make things interesting but ultimately couldn't hide from their truth. Without moves to bolster their roster last offseason, the team was doomed to repeat the disappointments of the past couple of seasons.

The Cardinals look to have an interesting offseason with Chaim Bloom taking over as president of baseball operations at the end of this season. Fans wonder if they will finally see some new activity to help their Cardinals or if it will just be a continuation of current POBO John Mozeliak.

While we will likely see some help and new ways of doing things, there is still time to reflect on this season as it comes to a close. What truths have we learned about the 2025 Cardinals?

1. Oli Marmol has been a good manager this season.

I know this is hard for some fans. Believe me. Considering a system-wide change toward player development and more coaches around the team, Marmol has taken all of the input from the coaching staff and improved his approach. He's even a little bit better at communication.

Marmol does seem to have a good rapport with his coaching staff, and his players seem to appreciate him and all he does. It will be interesting to see if Marmol will remain with the Cardinals when Bloom takes over. It seems likely that he will, as Marmol is playing the hand he's been dealt and he's making the best of it. How he handles a team with Bloom will be the key.

2. It was good the team didn't trade Nolan Arenado.

Sure, the Cardinals couldn't trade Arenado after he declined a move to the Houston Astros. He valued the comforts of home in St. Louis, and that's great. He had some good moments, but he also hasn't had the best of health this season. He's currently rehabbing his shoulder at the organization's complex in Jupiter. Hopefully, we haven't seen the last of him.

While Arenado could return during the club's trip to Florida to play the Miami Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays, nothing is set in stone.

Arenado was passionate about playing for the Cardinals when he arrived via trade in 2021. He wanted to win championships. It's disappointing that the Cardinals haven't won. As long as he remains with the Cardinals, there remains a chance that he could still win a tournament with them. When and if he leaves, that's it.

Arenado has two seasons remaining on his current contract. He will be a free agent in 2028. Mozeliak's primary goal last offseason was to trade Arenado to save money and make way for younger players. He couldn't do it. Nolan Gorman and Thomas Saggese are getting opportunities to show what they have while Arenado is on the injured list.

It seems this is the time Bloom will use to see how the Cardinals want to proceed with Arenado and the runway guys in Gorman and Saggese.

3. Starting pitching has been lucky.

The Cardinals have been lucky to avoid significant stints on the injured list for their pitching staff. Sonny Gray, Erick Fedde, Matthew Liberatore, Miles Mikolas, Michael McGreevy, and Andre Pallante may have had their struggles. But they have been healthy. They do have their significant struggles, though.

McGreevy had to wait to land a permanent spot in the starting rotation after Fedde was designated for assignment and picked up by the Atlanta Braves.

But still, not enough was done this offseason to help this pitching staff. Hopefully, some adjustments will be made when Bloom takes over. A team can never have enough pitching.

4. Brant Brown hiring is better late than never.

Since John Mabry was hired as hitting coach under Mike Matheny, the Cardinals' hitting has been very suspect. From Jeff Albert and Turner Ward, things didn't get better. Mozeliak stepped up and hired a real hitting coach in Brant Brown. And thank goodness he did.

Brown immediately began working with young stars Nolan Gorman and Jordan Walker. He can be seen working with hitters in the dugout throughout the games. Its great to see a hands-on coach working with the hitters, unlocking something to improve their at-bats.

It took a while for Mozeliak to hire a capable hitting coach, but thank goodness he did.

5. Time to move on from some youngsters who aren't who we think they are.

While Mozeliak may have wanted to hold off on moving some of the glut and redundancies from the roster, it's clear there are some youngsters it's time to move on from to improve. The team needs veteran leadership in the pitching and hitting departments.

Lars Nootbaar, for example, is a fan favorite, but he isn't consistently productive when he is actually healthy. Brendan Donovan, the Cardinals' only All-Star in 2025, is a talented player. If the Cardinals decide to refrain from signing him to a long-term deal, why not trade him for talent to help now? Alec Burleson seems to have earned a spot as a favorite of Marmol. He can play multiple positions and can be good when he's hitting consistently.

While moving these players isn't likely, there are some moves that just need to be considered.

The Cardinals technically have four catchers on their roster. Willson Contreras is playing first base. Pedro Pagés has become the everyday catcher, as Ivan Herrera is the team's designated hitter and occasional left fielder to avoid injury. Yohel Pozo has been an excellent find for the backup catcher.

It will be great to see what changes are made when Bloom takes over. If there aren't some significant changes, fans may revolt. Fans are ready for change after three frustrating seasons in a row.