Cardinals' Michael McGreevy echoes manager Oli Marmol's excitement for the future

Last week, St. Louis Cardinals manager Oli Marmol made the case that, despite four straight playoff absences and now a broken streak, it's a good time to be a fan of the club. This week, one of his players echoed that sentiment. Michael McGreevy, one of the clubhouse leaders, said that this is an exciting time to be a Cardinals fan.

Following their loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, the Cardinals lost one of the longest streaks in Major League Baseball. They had not had consecutive losing full seasons since 1958 and 1959, the longest active streak in the majors. With their fourth straight playoff-less season now, they've entered territory that the franchise hasn't seen in over 30 years.

Despite these downfalls, several people within the Cardinals have exuded confidence about the future of the franchise. Manager Oli Marmol said as much himself last week.

“This is the most excited I’ve been about our system in a long time, as far as what’s currently in the room and what’s coming,” said manager Oli Marmol, in response to a question about the success young players have had in the majors. “It’s a really good time to be a Cardinal fan, because what’s coming is real, and what’s in that room is real, and we know where the holes are.”

One of his young pitchers exuded the same confidence in an interview with MLB Network recently.

St. Louis Cardinals starter Michael McGreevy believes there's a lot to look forward to for Cardinals fans.

Michael McGreevy has become a point man of sorts for the Cardinals on the national stage. When the club has visited New York this year, he's been brought on MLB Network and other large-stage shows to discuss both his work this year and the team's growth and culture.

McGreevy has shown good growth this year on the mound as well. He's made 30 starts (164 innings pitched) with a 3.84 ERA and a 4.24 FIP. He's bumped up his strikeout rate to 16.7% with a 1.25 WHIP. He, along with Andre Pallante and Kyle Leahy, has made for a reliable trio of starting pitchers for the Cardinals this year.

He spoke with several MLB Network hosts on Thursday about his personal growth and the state of the franchise.

"This last month, a lot of guys have been making their debuts...they're not fazed by anything. They come up with a lot of poise," said McGreevy of the debuts of players like Joshua Baez, Leonardo Bernal, and Cooper Hjerpe. "It's a lot to look forward to if you're a St. Louis Cardinals fan."

Not only have those who debuted brought excitement to Cardinals fans, but the club's Triple-A and Double-A affiliates both made it to their leagues' respective championship series this year. While neither team was able to bring home the trophy, their presence in the championship should make fans very excited.

Liam Doyle, Rainiel Rodriguez, Josiah Ragsdale, Jesus Baez, Tai Peete, and several other players could be making real contributions to the Cardinals next year, potentially even helping in a playoff push in late September. While things at the highest level haven't been excellent these last few years in St. Louis, there's certainly a lot to be excited for in the near future.

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