The St. Louis Cardinals offseason summarized in 7 quotes

"I’ve always had a lot of confidence in Oli." - John Mozeliak

Perhaps one of the most maligned moves of the offseason wasn't even with a player. In a surprise move late in spring training, Oliver Marmol was given a two-year contract extension.

Marmol was initially promoted to manager due to his strong rapport with management and ownership. He had an understanding of sabermetrics, and his leadership qualities were touted by those around him. Marmol's rookie campaign was stellar; the Cardinals finished 2022 with 93 wins and a division title. He placed 4th in National League Manager of the Year voting that year.

2023 was a different story. Marmol isn't fully to blame for the team's failures last year, but he certainly holds enough of the blame to not deserve a contract extension right after the season. His managerial career has been a tale of two stories.

During a press conference announcing Marmol's extension, John Mozeliak spoke glowingly about his field manager. Mo spoke about Marmol's growth in a season of struggles. He also doubled down on his confidence in Marmol to lead the team to success in 2024.

Along with these glowing remarks, Mozeliak spoke about the importance of signing the extension now. This way, the pressure is lessened on the young manager. Rather than having his status up in the air for next year, Marmol has assurance and comfort. Hopefully, this allows him to let loose a little and focus more on managing the team in front of him rather than always looking over his shoulder.

With a contract extension in tow, Marmol now can focus on leading his 26 players to success next year. This extension is questionable, so Oli must now prove the doubters wrong.