BERNIE BITS 1. Oli Marmol is preparing for this third year as manager of the Cardinals. But Oli’s contract expires after the 2024 season, and I’d be a little surprised if the team lets him wander into a lame-duck season. That would work against Marmol’s fervent desire...
There’s no need to grump and growl over St. Louis City SC’s unsightly expulsion from the MLS playoffs — even if the two-game sweep by Sporting KC was a harsh and brutal way to end City’s enchanting inaugural season. The outcome was disappointing. If you’re good...
Congratulations to the Texas Rangers, the World Series champions for 2023. And with that, MLB’s offseason is officially underway. It will take a while for the baseball’s traditional Hot Stove League to heat up. But there’s always time for Hot Takes. What will we...
Two weeks ago I wrote about the possibility of Yadier Molina rejoining the Cardinals as a coach. Not to rehash all of the particulars, but there are plenty of valuable and meaningful reasons for the hire including his impact on game planning and the pitching staff,...
THE REDBIRD REVIEW Now that the World Series matchup is set – Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Texas Rangers – let’s have another “Can The Cardinals Learn Anything?” session. We did this earlier in the postseason and it’s time for a sequel. I’ll leave out the “Hit Ball Far In...
THE REDBIRD REVIEW Here’s my latest offering in a series of analyses that identify the Cardinals’ top players during the 28 seasons of franchise ownership by chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. The period encompasses 1996 through 2023. So far, I’ve made the Top 10 picks...
THE REDBIRD REVIEW I think it would be an overstatement to say that John Mozeliak’s legacy is totally on the line as he begins the process of resetting the Cardinals to pull them from a downward trend. But the president of baseball operations is in a tenuous spot,...
THE REDBIRD REVIEW The Cardinals are messing with John Mozeliak’s mind. They’re winning games and winning series. They’re pitching with authority early in games. Their relievers are reliable late in games, preserving victories without setting fire to hazardous...
Greetings. It’s been too long. My apologies. But without further delay, let’s get to a choice selection from the “Ask Bernie” email box. What is your opinion on Oli Marmol in his first season as manager? Up front let me say that I was upset by...