Buffa’s Buffet: 5 things on my mind about the Cardinals

They’re losing again as I start to write this.

St. Louis sports fans aren’t used to their teams having losing records. They’re really not. Around here, the Blues and Cardinals are pretty close to perennial playoff participants-or at least one of them is picking up the slack when the other is running low.

2023 hasn’t been kind to that ideal. The Blues’ season was officially headed downhill not too far into the year, and it’s taken the Cardinals a little over a month into their new season to fall eleven games less than .500. The hockey team’s chances for next season rest on their GM’s ability to finagle value from a draft and slim financial margins. The Cards just hate spending big cash on starting pitching.

They must be really hurting from that near acquisition of David Price, or the six year deal they handed to an older Chris Carpenter before he ran into a series of injuries. With a weak rotation heading into the offseason, they did zip. Instead, they got a new catcher for their pitchers to throw to.

Here’s five things about this 10-22 team.

5) No Way Out

They’re last in the division and in the basement of the National League. It’s still early, but burying yourself in a Central Division that looks stronger than advertised (PITTSBURGH!) isn’t a wise idea. A lower payroll has led to a worse record. Not a nice job, Mr. Bill DeWitt Jr. and John Mozeliak. You can’t lay it all on only one of them; both need the blame as a joint venture.

The scariest thing is the exit route out of this maddening play for a division favorite. As in, there really isn’t an easy route. Trading Tyler O’Neill will happen eventually this season. More on him later, but that bridge is burned and he can’t regain the power stroke. Jordan Walker can return, but won’t fix a rotation that Adam Wainwright and Matthew Liberatore can’t save. Bill and John didn’t make another move after Willson Contreras-who has been good early on-and it’s biting them in the ass.

Same story, different year.

4) What’s up, Jack?

If this guy is supposed to be the ace, let’s formulate that soon. Screw his off-field thoughts. What can he do on a pitching mound? I respect the outspokenness he has, but it won’t matter if he continues pitching like Jekyll and Hyde. The good Jack is a six-inning outing with limited runs and walks. High strikeout total.

But the rough Jack is either a lot of walks, or completely beat to pieces. The Los Angeles Angels took it to him for ten earned runs today. That’s a slaughter. If he is the team’s only true hope for an ace, they’re in trouble.

In other words, please look into the Jeff Passan-reported trade proposal between the New York Yankees and Cardinals. Luis Severino. Yes please. Jack Flaherty can’t afford to pitch like a #3 or #4. He needs to be a top dog. At 27 years of age, time is ticking. Unlike Wainwright, he’s been a starter since his MLB birth.

If he wants the contract, pitch like the money you so desire.

3) Bye, Mr. O’Neill?

I think so. The Yankees do have a real need for outfield, and the injury-proneness of Severino could be scaring them away from an extension. He’s a free agent next year, so the trade would be a rental. O’Neill could thrive in the short porches of New York and the AL East. St. Louis gets a very good starter--when healthy, that is.

Severino has had a couple of very good seasons. O’Neill has an MVP-type season and another decent year. Problem children they are not, but the pair could use a switch of scenery.

Here’s the thing. The Oliver Marmol-Tyler O’Neill public dispute was a continued simmering of the relationship between player and team. The Cards want a repeat of 2019, and he wants cash up front. No deal. Hit for it, and please slug more at the very least. O’Neill won’t get the big contract for having Gold Gloves won in left field. Start slugging, or get packing.

2) No fault on Lars Nootbaar and Willson Contreras

The enthusiastic “Noot” had four hits today, and can be a fine leadoff hitter. Contreras gave the team an early 2-0 lead. He’s producing the offense that went missing from Yadier Molina’s bat years ago. The catching is adequate as advertised.

If the rest could play like this, the wins would come. As a unit, the Cardinals are doing well offensively. They’re tenth in batting average, 13th in OPS, and 11th in doubles. While the perception of their home run output may seem very low, their 34 home runs rank 16th in baseball. Slightly less-than-average, but not living near awful.

1) Marmol won’t be fired

First, it would make the organization look like a joke after firing a division-winning first year manager. That’s what Marmol is, bad start included. After firing NL Manager of the Year, Mike Shildt, that would look silly. B&J aren’t that stupid. Trust me.

Marmol is managing like a rookie with zero MLB managerial experience. He’s like Shildt early on: flashes of greatness but flawed. A losing team can reveal the deck of cards that this well-spoken and fiery man has at the moment, but the flaws are expected. New guys don’t enjoy a smooth ride managing at this level.

He deserves blame for pitching decisions and lineup construction, as well as in-game challenges and strategy. But the MLB is taking individualism of managers with the blocking of the shift and pitch clocks. It’s a speed game, and everybody is adjusting.

The Cardinals are drowning, and that will always reflect a nasty light on managers and coaches, especially younger ones. Firing Marmol does nothing. Challenging O’Neill and calling out Steven Matz for his crappy first inning doesn’t mean he’s lost the clubhouse. That takes time.

Give him some starting pitching, front office suits.

Goodnight.

P.S. Don’t Giovanny Gallegos close games. He turns into latter day Garrett Stephenson when attempting a save.