3 thoughts after Cardinals get swept by the Angels

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.

Jack Flaherty vocally frustrated

Flaherty had a terrible start on Wednesday. He pitched 2.1 innings, and he gave up nine hits, a walk, and ten runs, including a home run to Rengifo. He did strike out three.

Flaherty was removed from the game after a comeback hit his hand. He was completely frustrated after the game and let those frustrations be known in talking with the media.

That's an understatement. This was not Flaherty's most remarkable performance. He has struggled all season, even in his two wins. He's attributed it to just throwing and not pitching. Wednesday, he called out the entire pitching staff, noting they were all throwing.

I appreciate Flaherty's honesty about the situation. It's unbelievable how the pitching staff has been unable to perform well. It makes matters worse that the entire team has these moments and that it trickles down to the relief staff, which compounds the issue.

The issue arose when legendary catcher Yadier Molina was behind the plate. It almost seems like an outside source needs to come in and shake things up. Pitching to contact maybe shouldn't be the strict philosophy. A pitching staff that throws strikes in several innings would be great. Unfortunately, it won't happen with current management, but it's an idea.