JUPITER, Fla. — Standing outside the Starbucks in the lobby of a Grand Hyatt with his iPhone handy, St. Louis Cardinals executive John Mozeliak prepared to make the definitive decision for just another name-brand franchise trying to live up to the logo despite soaring inflation and supply chain concerns.
The Cardinals sought a starting catcher for the first time in a generation and choices were limited. The trade market stalled with Oakland and Toronto eyeballing young players from the Cardinals’ lineup and not blinking. An avenue of proven success in recent years, trades had been Mozeliak’s focus until he spotted a detour.