Even from a background role in 2025, Cardinals need to let fans hear from Chaim Bloom

When the St. Louis Cardinals held their end-of-the-season press conference this past Monday, the majority of our attention was always going to be on the specific plans they laid out for the future of the organization, as well as the things they notably left out. But as I've relistened to their media availability a few times now, one thing continues to stick out to me above the rest:

Chaim Bloom is a breath of fresh air, and fans need to hear more from him.

Four men sat before the St. Louis media to present the upcoming changes and field questions from the room. Two of them seemed out of touch with the fanbase and failed to take true ownership (get it?) of their issues. One of them made it a point to dig at those who wanted him to be removed from his position leading baseball operations. The newest face of the bunch was well-spoken, thoughtful, and deliberate with the messages he conveyed that day.

If you have not had the chance to listen to the presser yet, I linked it above and highly encourage you to do so. But I do want to draw specific attention to a portion of his opening remarks, which I have italicized below.

"I also saw in many of our staff a hunger to learn, to grow, to get better, to change. And that's a good thing because that's what we need. That's what this game demands. The competition in this area of our industry has been absolutely relentless over the past decade. It takes boldness and humility to get on top and to stay there. And if you stand still and you rest on your laurels for even a moment, you get beaten.

So as you've heard, to catalyze that change, the ownership has given the green light for us to make real investments across the department, now and going forward. That starts with finding and empowering new leadership in player development, which is a process that has already begun. I'm excited for what can happen when we combine the right new faces and new ideas with the potential of the folks who are already here, and the values and the culture that have sustained this great organization.

There's a lot of work ahead of us. These days, given that competition, the bar for excellence in this area keeps getting higher. But the St. Louis Cardinals at our best are the organization that sets the bar for everyone else, and we can be again. It's not gonna be easy. There will be successes, there will be bumps in the road, but we want it, we know our fans want it. I'm confident that we can get there, and I'm excited for the challenge."

At the end of the day, results are what is going to dictate how Cardinals fans feel about Bloom during his tenure in St. Louis. But man, it's been a long time since I've heard that kind of fire from Cardinals' leadership. I'm not trying to act like ownership and Mozeliak do not care about winning, but it is clear that Bloom is someone who is passionate about doing everything in his power to outclass the rest of baseball, and that kind of bar setting has not been the case in St. Louis for awhile.

I wrote yesterday about how there are some advantages to Bloom focusing on player development during a transition year in 2025, where Mozeliak gets his final year in the chair. Yes, my preference is that Bloom just gets to start that job now, but practically speaking, if player development is in need of that much overhaul, why not let the guy who specializes in it oversee it for a while? And yes, there will be a lot of fans who get angry at the Cardinals for how this offseason will unfold, so why not let Mozeliak take those blows instead of that being fans' first impression of Bloom like it was in Boston?

Anyway, go read that story if you want a longer thought process on that, but what I wanted to point out today is that even though Bloom having a background role can help him "start well" in the eyes of Cardinals fans, the organization would be foolish not to allow Bloom to be a prominent voice publically over the next year.

Now, before you say I'm speaking out of both sides of my mouth, let me explain. No, Bloom does not need to come out and be the one to explain why they traded away Ryan Helsley when that eventually happens, or why payroll is significantly lower if they trade away any of Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras, and Sonny Gray. No, Bloom does not need to address the uncertainty around revenue with the club or any of the other things fans may get frustrated by this year.

But Bloom should be consistently updating the fanbase on how things are going in regard to the player development overhaul. Explain some of the areas he is revamping. Talk about some of the new technology they are embracing. When he hires a new director of player development, allow Bloom to be the one to introduce that new executive and talk about why he made that hire. Consistently highlight Bloom and the work he is doing throughout the organization, and make sure he is the one presenting those changes.

Why? As you could hear during the press conference or read in the quotes from that, Bloom's excitement for this new role and the changes he is already working on are things that should excite Cardinals fans. And honestly, if you want this fanbase to buy into his leadership long-term, they need to feel like they can trust Bloom's long-term plan as the Cardinals embrace some potentially difficult years.

I also think as the season goes on, Mozeliak's public presence should lessen and lessen while Bloom's should grow, even when it does come to the major league operation. Allow fans to see Bloom taking the reigns from Mozeliak. Let Bloom share his excitement for their draft class come July. All of these things are going to be of vital importance to getting fans to tune into baseball games and come to the ballpark after how alienated many feel right now.

Frankly, his tone and demeanor are necessary for this fanbase to hear as well. I don't envy the position Mozeliak has been in the last number of years and the venomous language people throw his way. It would be very difficult and require world-class restraint to not acknowledge the hatred thrown your way. I don't like how Mozeliak embraces the fan frustration the way he does or takes digs at reporters who have been pointed about him, but I have some grace for the guy knowing that he's basically a human punching bag for this fanbase.

Still, many fans are sick of his tone and statements. And I don't blame them either. But when Bloom talks, at least so far, he sounds like a guy that I think fans will gravitate toward. He's articulate, kind, quick to raise the bar for himself and direct about where things need to be heading. Will he always be like that? We'll see. But at least for now, Bloom seems to be in the perfect position to excite fans from the seat he sits in this year.

The Cardinals have a lot going against them right now, and yet, Bloom seems to be a positive agent for change that fans have been dying to see for a long time. Yes, shield him from unnecessary criticism, but do not dim the light he is shining so far. Let Bloom be a voice of hope for a fanbase who really needs that right now.

It's going to be a long year either way, but you might as well seek those small wins and let Bloom's early successes be known loud and clear this next year.