NASHVILLE, Tenn. — When it comes to reestablishing themselves as contenders after a dreadful season, the urgency the Cardinals sought to convey this winter has been financial as owners must invigorate ticket sales, palpable as the front office raced to sign starters and then there’s the contractual.
With obvious pressure, both external and internal, for a swift turnaround and limited patience for another losing spell, manager Oliver Marmol is entering the final season of his current contract.
It is not on his mind, he insists.
“I truly don’t get concerned with it,†Marmol told the Post-Dispatch on Tuesday at MLB’s winter meetings. “And I’m being honest. At the end of the day, I am highly focused on continuing to create a good culture within our clubhouse. And this industry is pretty simple. If you’re good, they keep you. If you’re not good, they don’t.â€
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When announced as the 51st manager in Cardinals history, Marmol received a three-year contract and promptly piloted the 90-win wild-card team he inherited into a 93-win division champion. He finished fourth in the voting for the National League’s Manager of the Year Award in 2022 and, now 37, the youngest manager became one of the rising managers. This past season, the Cardinals crumbled quickly and completely into a 91-loss club that lost its footing early, could not catch up due to pitching deficits and has publicly acknowledged some missteps with its decisions.
That puts Marmol in an unusual spot for a Cardinals manager when club leadership values stability and continuity: He’s entering a season without security beyond the next calendar. He has only the next season remaining on his contract, a shorter commitment than at least one coach, and to date, there have not been substantive discussions about an extension.
“All of us understand the year we just came from,†said John Mozeliak, president of baseball operations. “And I’m very bullish on him. But I also work for an owner, and we want things to get turned around. And by no means is this putting all of the pressure on him. I don’t want that done. We are a team. And as a team, we have to change our trajectory from what happened in 2023. I’m very optimistic that Oli is someone who is going to be around for a long time.â€
Such confidence comes at a time of notable additions.
Already this winter, the Cardinals hired a new bench coach, former infielder and World Series champion Daniel Descalso. He signed a multiyear contract, per a source. On Tuesday, Marmol lauded his new bench coach and former minor league teammate, suggesting that “one day he’s going to manage.†The Cardinals hope to soon finalize a role and title for former catcher Yadier Molina, though it won’t be a daily position on the major league staff and instead will be more of a part-time or adviser role. Molina has expressed an interest in someday managing in the majors, and his presence on the staff would have invited questions the Cardinals won’t face now considering he told them he wants flexibility in his new role to be with family in Puerto Rico.
Beyond the Cardinals dugout, there’s reigning National League Manager of the Year Skip Schumaker, the Cardinals bench coach in 2022, whose current contract with the Marlins is guaranteed through 2024 with a team option for 2025.
Mozeliak was asked if a manager’s contract — long-term or short — influences how he commands a clubhouse or how a clubhouse responds.
“For the most part, I don’t think it’s that big of an issue,†Mozeliak told the Post-Dispatch on Tuesday evening. “If it starts to become one, or we start to hear things, then we’ll have to address it. I think, head on, right now, we’ve got to get through the next couple of weeks, a month. But honestly, I’m sure things will work out.â€
Marmol was more bottom-line when presented the same question.
“You lead well regardless of what the manager’s contract is,†he said. “This game is relational. I have relationships within that clubhouse. I’m not concerned with my contract. If you’re good, you do this for a while. If you’re not, they let you go.â€
An undercurrent to the moves the Cardinals have made this offseason — and the ones they’ve yet to make, too — is addressing the climate in the clubhouse. Marmol acknowledged there was a reason Mozeliak and his staff moved aggressively to sign three veteran free-agent starters before Dec. 1. The Cardinals sought Sonny Gray to lead a rotation into a season and around the clubhouse. ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ wanted Lance Lynn to return because of the “accountability†they know he brings to the room, and veteran right-hander and Mizzou product Kyle Gibson has a reputation for being a steadying presence and tutor for young pitchers.
In the team suite Monday night, Mozeliak said in hindsight the Cardinals did not accurately calculate how much the absence of Molina and Albert Pujols after 2022 would impact the clubhouse. And they should have, considering how young the group veered.
“When you talk about culture, it’s important to have guys who have been around, that aren’t only thinking about themselves,†Marmol said. “They’re thinking about the club. Those three (starters) are known for that. So it’s extremely important.â€
On Tuesday, Mozeliak and his staff met with several agents representing free-agent relievers and believe that could be the route for the two additions they want to make.
Experience, reputation, similar traits are sought in that move, too.
At the same time, the Cardinals are outfitting their roster for this turnaround, the front office and Marmol are looking at ways to learn from last year and augment his staff. In addition to Descalso as bench coach and Molina in some capacity, the Cardinals continue to discuss internal and external candidates for two positions or more on Marmol’s staff. The Cardinals want to add to their pitching support, giving pitching coach Dusty Blake an additional assist with game preparation, game-to-game scouting of opponents and analytics as well as some of the mechanics and pitch-craft that are now de rigueur for big league staffs. Marmol said scouring habits for “pitching tipping†will also be a focus of an addition.
Due to some promotions, some departures and previous reductions coming out of the pandemic, the Cardinals had one of the smaller coaching staffs in 2023.
“Staffs are growing throughout the league for the right reason,†Marmol said. “There’s a lot more information to go through and figuring out what’s simple and actionable. So yes, we’re continuing to add.â€
In the closing hours of the 2023 season, Marmol spoke candidly and sharply about some of the changes he wanted to see, and those included a focus on the clubhouse and wanting to fill it with “guys who have one thing on their minds, and it’s not themselves. It’s winning a championship.â€
He was asked Tuesday, after the additions of three veteran starters, how those changes would manifest in the clubhouse.
“The Cardinals have had a really good culture for a long time,†Marmol said. “Last year sucked from a performance standpoint. And when you’re losing, nothing’s fun, OK? What I don’t want to do is also blow this up as like, oh, the culture was — that’s far from reality. The conversations that were taking place toward the end of the year were unbelievable. I wish I could sit here and walk you through the (Paul Goldschmidts) and (Brendan) Donovans and (Tommy Edmans) and (Lars) Nootbaars. I can go down the list — it was incredible as to what this looks like moving forward.
“This offseason has been a lot of fun to jump on Zoom with these guys and start to talk through some of the expectations and accountability.â€
Which are both as clear as the standard Marmol set forth for managers.
The industry is simple, as he said.
Wins are the leading metric for both expectations and accountability.
The obvious answer to most contract questions is the same.
Win and, to quote the manager, they keep you.
“I have a feeling things will be just fine,†Mozeliak said. “Right now, we want to get our team set and then at some point we will talk contract. I’m optimistic everything works out.â€