Redbirds report card: Grading the Cardinals' moves over the offseason

Cardinals hire Chaim Bloom

The Cardinals have long operated as an insular organization, promoting staff from within and not venturing outside the comfort of what works. But after a season gone horribly awry, the front office realized that it needed a new perspective. Enter Chaim Bloom, one of the architects behind the Tampa Bay Rays' successful rebuild and the chief baseball officer for the Boston Red Sox until his firing at the end of the 2023 season.

Bloom, in his role as a consultant, should give the Cardinals new insight on what the state of the franchise looks like and how it stacks up to other teams. He will also assist with the team's pitching development, a category in which other franchises have lapped the Cardinals over the past several seasons.

Some of Bloom's moves with the Red Sox did not turn out well, and I wrote an article in November about how the Cardinals would need to be cautious if they were to hire him to handle responsibilities beyond pitching development, such as tinkering with the offense or providing advice for major transactions.

Bloom is not at a point where he is ready to vacate his family's home in the Boston area, so most of his meetings with Mozeliak and company will likely be virtual. If Bloom decides to take a long-term job with the Cardinals after this season, he might become more involved with the team's inner workings, which could be a cause for concern. But if most of Bloom's duties revolve around pitching and providing a new voice, this hire looks to be a good one for St. Louis.

Grade: B+