Why must the Cardinals front office miscommunicate with fans once again?

St. Louis Cardinals' fans hoped to see the rampant miscommunication from last season kept in 2023. But, John Mozeliak has already dashed that hope for fans.

In his Cardinals' Beat newsletter, John Denton wrote that Tommy Edman is recuperating from arthroscopic surgery on his right wrist in October. Edman had missed time with right wrist inflammation in July, and nothing more was said about the issue once he returned to the lineup.

Mozeliak hopes Edman is fully recovered for Spring Training where he is expected to take on the duties of everyday centerfielder for the Cardinals. If Masyn Winn doesn't have a good start to his 2024 season, though, Edman could transition back to shortstop.

Edman is an important piece to the Cardinals' success in 2024. Being open about how he is doing would be a good thing.

Mozeliak added that Brendan Donovan is recovering from ligament repair surgery and is expected to be good to go for Spring Training. Donovan cut short his 2023 season. According to Denton's newsletter, "Instead of undergoing ligament replacement, known as Tommy John surgery, Donovan opted for a ligament repair -- an internal brace procedure -- that should allow him to be back in time for the start of Spring Training."

Not the first time the Cardinals have been unclear about a procedure a player was undergoing.

All of this talk could leave one feeling skeptical about the Cardinals. Then, Denton adds this about slugger Nolan Gorman regarding his lingering back pain. Denton reported that Mozeliak feels that Gorman will eventually figure out ways to manage the lingering issue better.

"“I think we’re cognizant of it, but I wouldn’t say I’m worried about it,” Mozeliak said. “It’s not keeping me up at night. I think he’s a player who is learning the rigors of the day-to-day life in the big leagues and what is required. But when you look at guys who have long careers in this game, they tend to find a way to go pole to pole and stay healthy.”"

- John Denton, MLB.com

For several seasons, it seems fans learn about a health concern the team wasn't forthcoming about. If the player wants to keep their privacy, so be it. There are laws for that. But to lie and say there is no concern when there is? Think Adam Wainwright and his back last season, Jaime Garcia on multiple occasions during his time with the Cardinals, and countless other players you can probably remember over the years. It's a trend the Cardinals have, and it's concerning.

Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat posted this on X, formerly known as Twitter:

It is frustrating to see the issue of honesty regarding injury concerns come up each season. It is consistent that each summer, you will see a story about an injury they were not honest about coming up.

Rather than say there is no issue at all or everything is fine, at least be honest that there is a concern. I think that would be more appreciated by fans who travel to St. Louis each summer to see their favorite team play.

While we know there have been numerous communications issues over recent seasons, this serves as a nasty reminder that this seems to be just how the Cardinals conduct business with their fan base, and it's disgusting. The question will remain: why do they consistently handle things this way? One thing is certain: Mozeliak and the company need to be better. A loyal fan base deserves it.