Cardinals fans should see John Mozeliak in a new light amid Mike Shildt revelations

The St. Louis Cardinals' dismissal of Mike Shildt following the 2021 season was among the most sudden and baffling developments among the team in the past several years. The Cardinals had just made the postseason and were fresh off of a 17-game winning streak. Shildt appeared to be the long-term solution. Then the Cardinals whisked him away.

John Mozeliak, then the Cardinals' president of baseball operations, was lambasted from all directions for the decision. But after the recent news that has come to light regarding Shildt and the conflicts he reportedly created with multiple members of the Cardinals and later San Diego Padres staff, those who roasted Mozeliak to a crisp online may need to line up for an apology.

Mozeliak's choice to can Shildt was the correct one.

After Mozeliak carried out the firing, many fans saw Shildt as a martyr. The narrative became one where Shildt wanted a better roster and Mozeliak refused to comply, so Shildt stood up for the team and was given the heave-ho because of it.

Mozeliak's reason behind the dismissal was "philosophical differences" between him and Shildt, and that lack of transparency understandably rubbed Cardinals fans the wrong way, especially after Shildt had led the team to success. In an interview with 101 ESPN, Mozeliak said that he was unable to divulge more info about for legal reasons about Shildt's termination, so he and Shildt may have signed some sort of non-disclosure agreement about his firing. But to fans, it appeared to be another public relations blunder by the Cardinals and a reason to confirm further hatred for the front office.

According to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, who penned the article on the reasons for Shildt's firing in San Diego, several members of the Cardinals coaching staff threatened to depart from the organization if Shildt were retained. So although players frequently gushed about Shildt and loved playing under him, Mozeliak needed to preserve the cohesiveness of the coaches and other members of the club. Acee said in a 101 ESPN interview that several people who worked in the Cardinals organization talked to him about Shildt and that many of their discussions turned into "support group situations."

Mozeliak was between a rock and a hard place when it came to deciding what to do with Shildt. If Mozeliak kept him, the staff morale would have likely continued to plummet. It was telling that none of the coaches followed Shildt to San Diego upon his hiring there. If Mozeliak fired him, fans would revolt and protest what was seen as an unjust move, and Mozeliak was unable to defend himself and reveal his side of the story.

Remaining tight-lipped on the situation also allowed Mozeliak to throw a bone to Shildt. Although the parting of ways was ugly, Shildt had been with the Cardinals organization for more than 20 years, and there was clearly mutual respect between the two. Had Mozeliak spilled more about Shildt, it's unlikely that Shildt would have received a managing job with the Padres or any other team. Mozeliak's reticence about the situation allowed Shildt to preserve his dignity and continue his career.

There were plenty of missteps in Mozeliak's tenure with the Cardinals, especially in the latter portion of his time at the helm. But perhaps with this new information, more fans can appreciate how Mozeliak balanced a delicate situation. He didn't leave Shildt hanging out to dry, and he fell on the sword and absorbed the wrath of Cardinals supporters while seeing the bigger picture and attempting to preserve the health of the organization. That's the type of professionalism that fans should want to see from the person leading their team.