3 thoughts after Cardinals get swept by the Angels

Jack Flaherty
Jack Flaherty / Dilip Vishwanat/GettyImages
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With the worst record in the NL, no one saw this awful start coming for the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Cardinals have kicked off the 2023 season with their worst start in over 50 years. The Cardinals have lost two consecutive series, getting swept by the Dodgers and the Angels. The Cardinals lost to the Angels on Tuesday 5-1, Wednesday 6-4 and Thursday 11-7.

All three were gut-punching losses. The Cardinals make an effort and then get walloped to defeat. Fans could be heard booing their beloved Cardinals. And while it feels wrong for fans to boo their team, especially the Cardinals, it's nearing understandable.

Wednesday's defeat included Giovanny Gallegos giving up home runs to Jake Lamb and Mike Trout. These homers were followed up with a single from Anthony Rendon to score Shohei Ohtani.

Marmol missing the point of fan frustrations

After the game, reporters questioned manager Oli Marmol's decision-making and the fans' vocal response to the loss. Marmol's reaction didn't seem to come from a place of understanding.

Yes, the players are frustrated. Absolutely. But Marmol doesn't seem to get why they are frustrated. Many St. Louis Cardinals fans have been fans for their entire lives. Their fandom has been passed down through generations. The fans have grown used to winning. Fans from other teams would tell you Cardinal fans are spoiled by their winning ways.

After the team lost in the NL Wild Card series in a similarly terrible luck fashion this off-season, the fans were told by management that they would raise payroll this off-season to improve. The Cardinals did get their coveted new catcher in Willson Contreras. They did not, however, make the desperately needed changes to the pitching staff, instead depending on the status quo and hopes of improvement.

These pitching concerns have been status quo for several season now. And it's getting old.

Fans from the Midwest and South will use their hard-earned money to travel to St. Louis, stay in hotels, and get tickets hoping to see their beloved Cardinals win. Considering our culture and combining that with the economy and real life, it has to be frustrating for fans hoping to come to a baseball game to escape and have a good time.

I'd hold off on the booing, but I get why a fan would do it.