6 things to watch out for as the Cardinals skid into September

2. Seeing the young players get play time

It's been fun to see younger players get extended looks during this time. Hopefully, it will continue with more good surprises.

It's so fun to see Victor Scott II patrol centerfield. During Tuesday's game against the Padres, Scott made such a spectacular play off the centerfield wall it impressed the player who lost out on a base hit - Jackson Merrill.

Merrill's reaction to congratulate Scott on the play was equally impressive.

Luken Baker and Ivan Herrera did well in Memphis and earned another shot in St. Louis. Baker is primarily off the bench, even coming up clutch in his first at-bat back with a home run. He is doing quite well with the opportunities he's getting. Herrera has just returned after Contreras's injury. Once he reacclimates himself to St. Louis, it should be fun to watch him step up.

Memphis infielder Thomas Saggese is another athlete I'd love to see play for St. Louis this season. However, he's not on the 40-man roster, so a move would have to be made for him to get that opportunity. He's hitting .247/.308/.429 with 20 doubles, three triples, 18 home runs, 68 runs scored and 60 RBIs. Having that available would be awesome, but we may be more likely to see a return for Nolan Gorman or Jordan Walker.

3. Starting rotation decisions

The 2024 offseason brought hope with the acquisition of Sonny Gray and Kyle Gibson and the return of Lance Lynn. Steven Matz struggled with his health, allowing Zack Thompson, Matthew Liberatore, and Andre Pallante to compete for a spot in the rotation.

Gray was expected to be the staff ace. Fans still need him to be the staff ace. However, Gray has not lived up to expectations, which makes one wonder if he's hurt. He started the season on the injured list with a hamstring injury. Now, he is out of sorts and lost on the mound. After he started talking to the media, he said he knew what he needed to do, and we would see it. But we still need to see it. Hopefully, he makes the best of his last starts of this season and returns fresh and ready for the 2025 season.

Lynn and Gibson have been helpful, but the Cardinals will likely move on from one or both as they try to determine whether Matz is the pitcher they've hoped he would be.

Since returning to a starting role, Pallante has been so good that the team must keep him in the rotation. Pallante is cool, calm, and collected as he gets outs and eats up innings. He's been an excellent addition to the rotation, and the Cardinals would be foolish to remove him after getting him into such a good groove.

After throwing a shutout in July, Michael McGreevy should get another shot at starting this season. Gordon Graceffo should as well. The team has many talented young arms in the minor leagues, such as Tink Hence, Cooper Hjerpe, and Quinn Mathews, who we should look forward to watching.

4. Could coaching changes be on the way?

While many would like to see the Cardinals move on from manager Oli Marmol due to the team's terrible play, he isn't going anywhere after signing a contract extension. Fans can only hope to see changes to his support staff.

He is part of the Cardinals maintaining continuity throughout the system, but Pop Warner should step into another role this offseason. Warner has made questionable calls as third base coach for a couple of seasons. He was at the heart of the Tyler O'Neill saga in 2023 when he was called out for a lack of hustle. A new, younger, fresh set of eyes should take over as third base coach. The team's ability to run and score depends on it.

The hitting coach team needs a complete revamp. Jordan Walker, Nolan Gorman, Nolan Arenado, and Paul Goldschmidt's struggles during the past two seasons speak volumes about the need for massive change. They all try to improve during the offseason by going to different coaches or facilities, but once they return to St. Louis, they need help to put it all together.

This has been an issue dating back to John Mabry during the Mike Matheny years and just continued with Jeff Albert and Ward.

Change is so needed.

5. Paul Goldschmidt decision

It would be great to have a healthy Goldschmidt back with the team in 2025. The question must be answered: What kind of role will he want with the Cardinals, and at what cost?

He has declined at the plate since his 2022 MVP season. But he's still Goldy, and you want to see what he can do. He can still perform at Gold Glove-caliber levels at first base; he's just experiencing the hitting issues the entire team suffers.

If the team must move on from Goldschmidt, it has internal options in Alec Burleson and Luken Baker. And there will also be some free-agent first-basemen on the market, some of whom are already connected to the Cardinals.

It will likely depend on what Goldschmidt wants to do moving forward. He is a clubhouse favorite who has significantly impacted the community and is adored by the fan base. Goldschmidt's future with the Cardinals will be a challenging decision.

6. What will the John Mozeliak transition out look like?

It was reported this week that Mozeliak will likely complete his contract with the Cardinals. Mo's current contract expires at the end of the 2025 season, allowing him to work with his replacement to get a feel for the organization.

Chaim Bloom's role could be expanded to a POBO-in-waiting type of role, or Mozeliak could have a POBO emeritus role. Either way, Bloom is expected to be tapped this off-season to show Mozeliak and Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. his plans for the future.

Much of the fanbase has clamored for significant change in the front office after some questionable decisions. A fresh take will be appreciated by fans who need their favorite team to return to its winning ways soon.

Bloom and the front office should also consider changing the player development team. Randy Flores has drafted some excellent players. However, players such as recent draftees Jordan Walker, Nolan Gorman, and Dylan Carlson need help once they get into the system. The player development team practices less current standards and procedures than are seen league-wide. The need for an update to standards is holding the Cardinals back. Bloom's background has included player development, so hopefully, the team will see some change.