Oli Marmol points to surprise choice for Cardinals' clubhouse leader

St. Louis Cardinals manager Oli Marmol met with the media during a 30-minute spot at the 29th Winter Warm-Up taking place at Busch Stadium and Ballpark Village. He used that time to answer questions about the direction of the club and how the team is handling all of the changes.

Oli Marmol pointed to Alec Burleson as the next leader of the Cardinals' clubhouse

Marmol's interview showed his typical personality that some may dislike, but I found it fun and engaging while sitting in the room. He answered some questions with sarcasm, but was as honest as he could be given the circumstances he is facing this upcoming season as manager. One question he did the best he could do with was when he was asked about how the clubhouse is going to deal with the departures of veteran leaders and who would step up if Brendan Donovan is traded.

Referring to him as a "long-haired infielder" in response to the question, Marmol said that it will be a collective effort for the entire roster to work together. Standing out among the others, though, is one of the few remaining "veterans" of the group and the manager pointed to Alec Burleson as someone who can lead the youngsters. After being proud of the growth that Burly showed on the field, Marmol also said that the lefty is a leader, but in a different way than those typically in that role.

""From a leadership standpoint, he does it differently and it's super effective. His personality is one where he doesn't have to always be the one talking, doesn't have to be the loudest in the room, but he does it in a way where guys listen to him because of the way he goes about his business and how prepared he is and how he goes about his work. So there's credibility when he speaks.""

Oli Marmol on Burleson's leadership

When thinking of clubhouse leaders, we tend to think of those who play with energy or are vocal in the dugout. For the past few seasons, the Cardinals have leaned on veterans like Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt to pace the players, but their leadership style was more lead-by-example rather than taking charge. Willson Contreras had the emotional impact, but with him being in Boston along with Sonny Gray, the experience in the clubhouse is thin.

As Oli said, Burly does let his play speak for itself when it comes to leading the clubhouse, but it is clear that the first baseman will have more on his shoulders this year. Speaking to the media during the second day of Winter Warm-Up, Burly confirmed what Marmol was saying and agreed that he will be the leader this year. When asked, Burleson quickly responded with "someone has to do it" when referencing how young the roster is, but he followed up by saying he is excited for that opportunity and looks forward to being that veteran presence for younger guys to come to with questions.