The 10 Cardinals with the most to prove during Spring Training

Oliver Marmol

Last year's club had high expectations, and although roster construction played a major role in their demise, manager Oliver Marmol enters the 2024 season with a lot to prove.

Marmol has been impressive this offseason when talking to the media about what went wrong and how things can be better in 2024, but he will have to get results on the field in order to prove he's the right man for the job. Marmol knows that, and he invites that level of accountability.

Spring Training is the first opportunity for Marmol to set the tone for 2024. Last spring, things got derailed by the World Baseball Classic, but even so, many noticed a lack of urgency from the coaching staff and players regarding the level of disruption that could cause them. They almost seemed to shrug off the negative impacts that could have on them, and it ended up coming back to bite them.

Beyond the attention to detail that Marmol and his staff need to show in camp, fans and media will be hanging on his words and the rhetoric of players to see what the mentality of the club is heading into April. Are they prepared for the early season gauntlet they have in store? Are they hungry and eager to prove their doubters wrong? The tone set in Spring Training can have major ramifications come the regular season.

Not to mention, at some point in the next few weeks, club icon Yadier Molina will be showing up to camp in an advisory role, and soon after the chatter will ramp up again regarding Molina's future role as a manager in Major League Baseball. A strong spring from Marmol and his staff is needed in a big way.