Cardinals ad plugs opposing Dodgers in stunning admission of mediocrity

Busch Stadium has seen more fans donning seat costumes in 2024 than in recent years, as attendance for the St. Louis Cardinals is on pace to reach fewer than 3 million fans for the first time since 2003, not counting the 2020 and 2021 seasons, where attendance was affected by COVID-19.

The Cardinals' recent skid has seen their record dwindle to 60-61, and the team's marketing department has recognized that the Cardinals are in a bind. To that end, the Cardinals did the unthinkable ahead of their series at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers, airing an MLB.tv commercial urging fans to go to Busch Stadium to see Shohei Ohtani and other Dodgers superstars.

I get it. Ohtani is a unicorn of a player, even in a year in which he isn't pitching. But the marketing team's attempt to persuade fans to attend Cardinals games to see the Cardinals' opponent feels jarringly unfamiliar to a fanbase that is used to being the headliner even at most road games, let alone at Busch Stadium.

The promotion of the Dodgers' impending arrival in St. Louis is further confirmation that the Cardinals have no marquee attraction. Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado are shells of their former power-hitting selves, and even Sonny Gray, who at the beginning of the season looked like the ace the Cardinals had been desperately searching for, has been shakier on the mound as of late. The struggles of recently promoted former top prospect Jordan Walker have removed some of his allure, and fan-favorite outfielder Lars Nootbaar has been dismal since he returned from the injured list.

The Dodgers have earned their stripes, as they are one of the sport's model franchises. Their minor league development is among the best in baseball, whereas the Cardinals have only recently opened their eyes to technology such as Trackman to analyze launch angles and spin rates.

Another aspect to the Dodgers' success is their deep pockets. They are not afraid to splash the cash on high-priced free agents and luxurious trades. By contrast, the Cardinals are content to wade in the shallow end, signing low-risk, low-reward players. This will likely only get worse, as the Cardinals ownership has said that if fans don't buy tickets, the team won't be able to spend as much money. Of course, this creates a vicious cycle of fewer tickets sold leading to less money, which leads to a worse team, which leads to fewer tickets.

The more casual Cardinals fans who only tune in to a couple of games per season are used to seeing their players put on a pedestal. These include the legendary power of Albert Pujols, the cannon arm of Yadier Molina, and the wily craftiness of Adam Wainwright. Now they're seeing faces who have never worn the birds on the bat in their careers. That's not how baseball should be represented in St. Louis.