Reader Mailbag, Part 1: Oli Marmol's future, college football, walk-up and entrance music, ballparks, guessing at the 2026 lineup, offseason trades, and more

Readers have questions, writer has answers -- some of them possibly correct and coherent

You, gentle readers, replied in abundance to the recent call for mailbag submissions, so I’ll be breaking up my responses into two episodes. The first can be found just below, and the second will be dropping soon. Onward …

Jay writes:

The local media has been very protective of Marmol in 2025, not sure why but my guess is that it's because he has made himself very available and has been very candid this season. As a result there hasn't been a lot of public pressure on him despite the results, as most media members have tied this season's failures to Mozeliak and the roster construction. Still, 2-4 against the Rockies, 6-7 against the Pirates, and the very damning 48-63 record since the start of June matters, even with a marginal roster (that was being celebrated in May FYI). Add in the number of players who have not taken the next step in development, and it is tough to say that a change shouldn't be considered. I look at the Reds who finished 77-85 in 2024, fired Bell, and now they are 70-69 under Francona, and the off-season personnel upgrades were minimal. I was curious how you assess Oli's 2025 performance, what you would do about next year, and if you aren't going to fire him then do you extend him beyond 2026?

I’ve been of the opinion for a while that Marmol isn’t the Cardinals’ problem, and that’s still the case. I think he’s tactically sound (if not elite in that regard), and he’s been handed some very complicated rosters over the last two seasons and especially this year. From afar, I think he strikes a good balance between being a players’ manager and a “willing to have direct conversations” type. In general, it’s difficult for me to land on any strong opinions when it comes to baseball managers. It’s a “first do no harm” role, and there’s a lot of homogeneity to the guild these days. In the absence of evidence that Marmol is harming the team’s future somehow, I have a hard time calling for his job. There’s just too much that’s unknowable about the role. On the development front, the failures are largely confined to Jordan Walker (still developing, since he’s just 23) and maybe Andre Pallante. It also can’t be overlooked that it’s been quite challenging to get all the “runway” players regular playing time thanks to the offseason failures to clear roster and role space. I guess I see ownership, John Mozeliak’s weary leadership, and the neglected player-development apparatus (finally addressed but too recently to bear much fruit) as bigger concerns than Marmol.

Eric writes:

I am ready for the Chaim Bloom era and think he will revive our farm system/player development. Is this the year we finally see the active offseason we should have had 1-2 years ago with trades that reduce our well-documented roster redundancies? What about trying harder to move Arenado by agreeing to eat a substantial portion (i.e., 75% or more) of his contract? Any chance of extensions for young players like Winn or Wetherholt, or do they wait that out to save money in the short term?

I do think Chaim Bloom’s first offseason at the helm will be an active one on the trade front. There’s really not much of a choice, as the position-player depth chart is way too crowded when there aren’t injuries opening things up. No doubt Arenado discussions will be revisited, and I assume he’ll be asked if his list of acceptable trade destinations has expanded at all. The other obstacle is his declining performance at the plate and, as you hint, substantial remaining salary commitments. Given Arenado’s persistent struggles with the bat, I do think the DeWitts need to consider eating more of his contract than they’d like. They just badly need third base open, assuming the young core is still the young core for 2026. JJ Wetherholt needs an every-day job at one position from the jump next season, and the infield is too crowded even before you consider him.

Speaking of which, like many of you I have a gnawing suspicion that we may one or more of those runway players moved because Bloom and company don’t see him as a sustainable long-term fixture. It also wouldn’t surprise me if Brendan Donovan is moved given his high value in trade. I think we’ll see a lot of deals, and I think we’ll be surprised by some of them. I see almost no chance that ownership spends meaningfully on the free-agent market, but trades aplenty are in the offing. That work has been put off for too long.

Keith writes:

1) Decide (trade or keep) Arenado and Contreras 2) Fix the roster logjam. Decide who stays (Winn, JJ, Herrera) 4) Who catches? Pages, Pozo, Contreras, Herrera, Crooks…5 guys “could” catch. 5) Overhaul the starting staff 6) Does Marmol stay? 7) Invest in ML and Latin America scouting Holy crap that’s a LOT. It’s a mess.

1 - Trade both, assuming there’s interest and no-trade clauses are waived. It’s that important to clear space, especially in the infield.

2 - Winn and Herrera should be retained. Wetherholt is obviously not going anywhere. We still have three weeks of data remaining, but for now I’m inclined to keep Scott, Burleson, Gorman, and Walker. Donovan and Nootbaar should be traded.

4 - I expect the catching arrangement for 2026 will be Pagés and Crooks. I’m more open to keeping Pagés around given his improved production at the plate, which coincides with changes to his stride. I adore Pozo, but right now he seems to be the one who should be moved. I’m open to switching my opinion yet again on this and saying Pagés should be dealt, but for now this is where I’m at. It’s all too fluid.

5 - I’d be inclined to keep Sonny Gray around, just because he’s not going to be immediately blocking anyone after Mikolas walks/retires. My 2026 rotation, assuming health, would be Gray, Liberatore, McGreevy, Leahy, Quinn Mathews. Pallante is a reliever, there for depth, or the sixth starter if we indulge in that rising trend. I’m not sold on Leahy as a starter given his middling K rates as a reliever and the fact that he’s never made an MLB start. Maybe he’s a placeholder for Liam Doyle, or maybe he sticks. If Gray wants out and is traded, then I’d like to see Bloom and Rob Cerfolio find a low-cost retread project from outside the organization. That’s a good test of where the player-dev rebuild and tech-and-lab buildout stand.

6 - Yeah. He’s under contract for 2026, and see above.

7 - Co-sign.

Jibby writes:

What is your walk-up music if you're a MLB position player? And what is your closer entrance music if you're a high leverage reliever?

Walk-up music:

That’s rock and or roll music from my favorite band, and it sets the tone for my three-pitch strikeout all on called strikes. Entrance music:

I should note I would commission the Drive-By Truckers to re-record the above as “The Boys from Mississippi.” They have no choice in this matter.

Jibby writes:

Of the serious contenders, who are you rooting for to win the World Series? (And yes, we know anyone but the Cubs, but pick a team you want to win.)

I believe I support the Tigers’ efforts. They haven’t won one in a minute or two, I adore their home uniforms, and when I moved to Chicago more than 20 years ago I fell in with a Michigan diaspora and developed a secondary affection for Detroit sports teams.

Jibby writes:

If you could transport any MLB stadium to STL and replace Busch with said stadium, which one would it be? Now to be clear, you'd be focusing on the stadium's architecture and design because you don't get to take the local geography with you.

PNC Park in Pittsburgh is my favorite current ballpark, and I would happily transport it. If I get to choose one from the past, it’s Shibe Park. Look at this glorious exterior:

(Image: BallparksOfBaseball.com)

Look at that beauty. Be still my heart and loins.

Russ writes:

To change the subject a bit. A couple of questions about the first weekend of the CFB season? Does NC have buyers remorse with Bill Belichick? Is Kalen Deboer now on the hot seat?

College football is probably my second-favorite sport, but I have an entirely unhealthy relationship with it. By this I mean, I am hate-motivated in my college-football consumption. I watch mostly to see teams lose, not win. I grew up an Ole Miss fan, and my hatred for Alabama football is deep and abiding. This is somewhat complicated by the fact that DeBoer strikes me as a decent sort and someone I’d otherwise pull for, unlike the loathsome Nick Saban. That said, my regard for DeBoer doesn’t stop me taking immense delight in what’s going on in Alabama right now. As things currently stand, yeah, I can see him not getting to year three in Tuscaloosa.

As for Belichick, I dunno, it always seemed too cute from afar. Given the circus he brought with him, I’m not displeased that they got wood-shedded by TCU. It’s too soon for buyer’s remorse, of course, but the pairing of coach and team gets F grade thus far. I do love the bathos of an emotionally devastated home crowd, so I appreciated the end-of-game vibes in Chapel Hill for this one.

Aaron writes:

If you were GM, what would be your Cardinals opening day lineup for 2026 using anyone currently in the organization, majors or minors?

Ignore considerations like, “If Arenado is on the team, he has to start at third.” Oli might have to worry about that in reality, but it doesn’t have to be a part of this thought exercise.

Good question. Here goes nothing:

C - Jimmy Crooks
1B - Alec Burleson
2B - JJ Wetherholt
3B - Nolan Gorman
SS - Masyn Winn
LF - Carson Benge (we acquired him from the Mets as part of the five-player Brendan Donovan trade)
CF - Victor Scott II
RF - Jordan Walker
DH - Iván Herrera

Yes, you said anyone currently in the organization, but I’m at heart a buccaneering and defiant sort, as proved by my tattoos and flinty stares into the middle distance.

That’ll do it for this round. Back soon with Part 2 of this mailbag.