8 steps the Cardinals should take to retool for 2025 if they fail again this year

Make changes to coaching staff and consider a managerial change

We are getting close to the end of my plan here, and it's fair to say that the Cardinals if things go south again in 2024, will need to consider making significant changes to their coaching staff.

Turner Ward and Dusty Blake, the Cardinals' hitting and pitching coaches, have received a lot of criticism from fans and media alike for the club's performance over the last two years, and it would not surprise me at all to see changes with those two roles or other roles on the coaching staff.

The big decision for the club though would obviously be what to do with manager Oliver Marmol. Marmol just signed an extension with the Cardinals during Spring Training through the 2026 season, and while that does give him some security, it certainly won't stop the Cardinals from making a change if they feel it is needed.

It's no secret that there are a lot of interesting names that the Cardinals could pursue to be their manager. Former bench coach Skip Schumaker looks like he'll be on his way out of Miami just one year after winning National League Manager of the Year. The Cardinals had an opportunity to hire Schumaker after they let go of former manager Mike Shildt but opted to hire Marmol instead.

Former catcher and future Hall of Famer Yadier Molina would love to manage at some point, and although he's been noticeably absent from his advisor role with the club this year, he would likely jump at the opportunity to manage the club and has been gaining experience managing internationally.

Another future Hall of Famer in Albert Pujols is considering managing at some point as well, and could be the perfect leader for the Cardinals clubhouse. Pujols has always been well respected by other players and is someone that players have learned a lot from when playing with him. Pujols is also an excellent communicator, someone who would likely work well with the players, other coaches, the front office, and the media.

But still, the Cardinals really like Marmol, and just because they do poorly in 2024 does not mean he will be gone from the club. A lot of it will depend on how he manages through that. If they feel like he's contributed to the issues or can't handle the role of guiding this club through difficult times, then they'll likely make a change in leadership.