Why John Mozeliak and Oli Marmol are staying in 2025

Both president of baseball operations John Mozeliak and manager Oli Marmol are retaining their positions for the 2025 season. While others like Gary LaRocque (retirement) and Turner Ward (fired) -- along with others who have yet to be announced -- aren't returning, these two leaders are being allowed to stay in their positions.

The St. Louis Cardinals' lack of success these past two years can be attributed to a number of problems, but Marmol and Mozeliak deserve at least a portion of the blame. In 2023, Marmol struggled with handling the clubhouse culture. Since 2019, the Cardinals' allocation of money via free agency has been lackluster, and that's on Mozeliak.

Despite these downfalls, the two fearless leaders will retain their positions in 2025. Why? There are four primary reasons in my opinion.

2025 will be a year of transition in multiple ways. The organization is transitioning its focus to player development rather than player acquisition. Chaim Bloom is growing in his influence in the organization. There is change coming throughout the organization, and maintaining Marmol and Mo in their roles maintains a sense on constancy during an otherwise transitory period.

Keeping Marmol and Mozeliak in their current roles also shields Chaim Bloom, the organization's future president of baseball operations, from being blamed for the team's probable underperformance in 2025. If the Cardinals once again fail to make the postseason in 2025, fans can take their frustrations out on Marmol and Mozeliak rather than the potential savior in Bloom.

This interim period of Marmol being manager gives Chaim Bloom the chance to pick his own manager in 2026 when Bloom takes the highest spot on the totem pole in baseball operations. Hiring a new manager this offseason would be a joint decision between Mozeliak and Bloom. If the organization waits until next year to fire -- or retain if all goes well in 2025 -- Oli, then Chaim Bloom can find a manager he really wants to work with in 2026 and beyond or stick with Marmol.

Finally, I truly believe John Mozeliak has plenty of wisdom to impart on Chaim Bloom and others in the front office. While the last few years of Mozeliak's tenure have been rocky, from the time he took over as general manager in 2007 through 2015, the Cardinals were one of the best-run organizations in baseball. Mozeliak's experience as the top man in baseball operations allows him to pass his wisdom on to his successor.