Another St. Louis Cardinals legend encourages fans to celebrate John Mozeliak

The adage "You don't know what you have until it's gone" isn't one that has been on the lips of St. Louis Cardinals fans these last few years.

With President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak set to ride out into the sunset at the end of the 2025 season, the rebuild for the organization will be underway. However, Mozeliak has one final homestand before he hangs up the bow ties.

Mozeliak's tenure with the Cardinals will almost certainly be tainted by the last three years. The club has missed the postseason in three straight years. They also finished with a record below .500 in 2023 for the first time since 2007, and attendance has plummeted below 3 million fans, something ownership took great pride in. It's been an ugly departure for Mo, but we shouldn't forget his early success.

Former Cardinal starter Lance Lynn echoed this sentiment earlier in the week. On a podcast with Jim Hayes, Lynn was clear with his message for fans. Lynn said it's "horses**t" if fans boo Mozeliak and blame him for the 2025 season.

Lynn has a solid point. It was ownership, not Mozeliak, that wanted to cut payroll this year. It was also messaging by ownership that turned fans off. John Mozeliak certainly let the farm system fall off over the last half-decade, but the issues we are seeing today are not solely his fault. It took an entire organizational effort to wreck the organization.

Lynn is now being joined by another Cardinal legend in his plea for fans to support John Mozeliak in his swan song.

Adam Wainwright calls for St. Louis Cardinals fans to celebrate John Mozeliak in his departure.

"If you look at, objectively, Cardinals' history, this has been one of the best runs of any era ever. We've had incredible success for the last few decades. We have been to four World Series in the last two decades, we've won a couple of World Series titles, been to numerous NLCSs, put tons of players in the All-Star Game."

Wainwright continued to list organizational success stories such as various award winners and one of the greatest players of all time in Albert Pujols. "I think what (John Mozeliak) should be known for is the passing on of the continued success and great legacy that the Cardinals fans and organization is known for, but also the thing that the fans crave and deserve is a great winning product," said Wainwright. "You have to celebrate the incredible work that he and his group did accomplish here."

Since Mozeliak ascended to the highest level of baseball operations in October of 2007, the Cardinals have gone 1,518-1,286 for the third-best winning percentage of that time behind only the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees. St. Louis has attended the postseason 10 times in the last 18 years, they've made it to five National League Championship Series, and they have a World Series ring (2011) to show for it.

Let's also not forget Mozeliak's success prior to becoming the general manager and POBO. He was appointed assistant scouting director in 1998. He was promoted to scouting director in 1999, and he played a hand in drafting players like Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina, among others.

The Cardinals' lack of success over the last few years will certainly cloud fans' judgment of the long-time executive as he enters his final week on the job. However, two former players in Lance Lynn and Adam Wainwright have now spoken out in support of John Mozeliak. Perhaps we should heed their advice and be grateful for the last three decades of Cardinal baseball.