That the St. Louis Cardinals finished above .500 in 2024 is nothing short of a miracle.
Keep in mind, the team is on the cusp of some major changes. John Mozeliak, the Cards’ general manager since 2007, is retiring at season’s end. Former Rays and Red Sox executive Chaim Bloom is waiting in the wings. Oliver Marmol remains the manager despite having the baseball acumen of a stale toasted ravioli.
None of this is to say the Cardinals are a god-awful team who lucked into 83 wins last year. They have a lot of talent on paper and a long history of developing great players.