Arenado, Contreras speak out with one week left in Cardinals season

With a week left in the season, it's a bit jarring to see the St. Louis Cardinals' returning star players already speaking out on what the team needs this offseason. This was an unusually disappointing season, so players speaking out is refreshing. It means they want the change required for this organization to return to its successful roots.

Sunday was the Cardinals' home finale at Busch Stadium, and it brought with it the disappointment that there will be no baseball in St. Louis this October. With the frustration that the team would not return to St. Louis to start the playoffs looming large, some of the team's top players took the opportunity to speak out.

Willson Contreras and Nolan Arenado acknowledged that the front office would need to step up to make changes to the team. The front office is expected to make some changes this offseason, which should make for an exciting time ahead.

Arenado took some of the blame on himself but said the team needed help. He noted the team has a significant youth presence, which brings its unique struggles as younger players don't have that veteran experience needed to get through a long summer of baseball. "We're all open to a little help," Arenado said. "I don't know if that's going to happen. ... But we're going to have to find a way to get better, and I think we will."

Contreras noted the team's inconsistencies on offense and how the lineup was never able to bring it together. "There are some areas that need to be addressed. I don't know if the front office will, but we didn't come as an offense all year. There are a lot of holes in that lineup, 1-9. We can only control showing up next year and keep on trying. I would be hungry to own this division if I were the front office. As a group, we need to adjust for next year."

It's nice to see two of the Cardinals' highest-paid players on the same page regarding their needs. With a very young roster, the team does need veteran leadership to get them through the season. It's nice to say you want to see the young guys play, but even giving them time to figure things out does not compare with having a veteran impart their wisdom on a younger player to show them how to do their business. Or a veteran to help with a huge hit to impact the game.

Arenado and Contreras seemed to agree that they weren't sure the front office would move to help the team, but the team needed the help.

The team added Matt Carpenter, Brandon Crawford, Kyle Gibson, and Lance Lynn as veterans. Carpenter and Lynn were more sentimental moves. Crawford was not a serious move for the Cardinals, given the team's desire to see Masyn Winn take over at shortstop. Gibson helped with starter Andre Pallante and was a good clubhouse presence.

When these players say they need help, they obviously mean more than a veteran on their last hurrah.

It was frustrating to see a lineup filled with young players just trying to figure out what they were trying to do from a coaching staff that needed to learn how to speak to the younger players. Younger players like Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman struggled to replicate the good things they were doing at AAA Memphis when they got instruction from coaches at St. Louis. While a veteran could impart wisdom, there was a disconnect between these two that was significant enough for both to make trips back and forth from Memphis to St. Louis. They didn't have coaching to adapt to their needs.

Coaching should be one of the front office's goals to help the club's struggling offense. The next step will be adding some viable veteran additions to the lineup and starting rotation.

This team desperately needs help to return to the level it wants to reach next season. It's excellent that two-star players are on the same page about this need. Hopefully, the front office will take steps to meet the team's needs in the future. Scraping by will not be acceptable.