Chaim Bloom already has a free agent need in mind for the Cardinals

Chaim Bloom was introduced as the St. Louis Cardinals' next president of baseball operations on Tuesday. After three seasons of disappointment, it appears Cardinals fans may have some things to cheer for soon.

Bloom discussed drawing lessons from the past, such as those from Branch Rickey and George Kissell, to combine with current strategies and implement a plan specifically for the Cardinals to return to their winning culture. The Dewitt ownership appears excited to work with Bloom and promises to provide the resources necessary for Bloom to do his job.

While this has always been a philosophy of the Dewitt family, they appeared reluctant in recent seasons. Bill DeWitt III said that if this season's low attendance numbers were a lesson for the ownership group, they heard it. The family appeared ready to do what it takes to bring back that winning culture.

It makes you wonder, had the Dewitt family grown reluctant to former POBO John Mozeliak's poor decision-making in recent years? Could that be why the payroll was tight? We will probably never know, but it is nice to see the Dewitts be open-minded.

Jeff Jones of the Bellville News-Democrat noted in his reporting, "Whether that goal is achievable in 2026 will be determined in the coming weeks and months, but Bloom said the boldness of his vision should not be mistaken for recklessness. The team, he noted, intends to pursue roster changes in the short term “as long as they also serve our ultimate goal.”

Jones later posted to X:

Last season, the Cardinals only acquired Phil Maton in free agency. He was later traded for minor league depth to the Texas Rangers at the trade deadline. Before that, Mozeliak used free agency to acquire Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras recently. Mozeliak has made trades with rebuilding the minor leagues in mind. It's left Cardinals' fans traumatized and maybe a little reluctant about a hopeful future for this club.

But for Bloom to say that he expects the Cardinals to pursue pitching depth, specifically starting pitching, is significant. Keeping this in mind, Bloom was specific in saying he would make moves that made sense for both the present and the future. Remember, fans, Bloom and Mozeliak are different, so we are not likely to see a return of Miles Mikolas or other "low-hanging fruit."

This means the Cardinals are unlikely to pursue top-tier starting pitching. They aim to continue developing top-tier starting pitching from their own minor league system, such as Michael McGreevy and Quinn Mathews. They will, instead, go after veteran starting pitching that can provide innings, strikes, and leadership. In turn, they may use what they acquire to attract more help at the trade deadline.

It seems the Cardinals will be more interested in developing their young talent while bringing in pieces to help them. This is excellent news. This has been what has worked for the Cardinals in the past. The club developed young stars, such as Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina, and brought in veterans, including Matt Holliday, Lance Berkman, and Mark McGwire, to help them. It worked and was an exciting brand of baseball.

It will bring excitement for a Cardinals' fan base primed to see a product worth coming to the ballpark to see. Having that winning culture and exciting players to watch is essential.

The Cardinals have missed the playoffs for three seasons. It's fantastic to see that Bloom and ownership want to shift gears and bring back that winning culture. Get your popcorn ready for an interesting offseason!