ST. LOUIS – After three decades in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, nearly two at the helm of the front office, John Mozeliak is set to step down at the end of the 2025 MLB season.
The Cardinals will move forward with a bold new vision in the not-so-distant future. Chaim Bloom, a former Red Sox and Rays executive with a big background in analytics and player development, will take over Mozeliak’s role as the President of Baseball Operations after the 2025 season. The franchise has also welcomed a few new faces for the coaching staff and front office in recent weeks while anticipating a reduced payroll from previous seasons.
For a franchise as storied as the Cardinals, these changes, paired with recent seasons falling below expectations, have raised concerns within much of the fanbase over when and how they might recapture a winning edge. The 11-time World Series champions have won only one postseason series over the last decade and are coming off back-to-back seasons without playoffs, including a shocking season with a losing record in 2023.
Turning the team around, or at least paving the foundation for it, is the challenge ahead for Mozeliak as he prepares for his final season as the Cardinals lead executive.
Initially calling the Cardinals’ reshaped approach a “reset,” Mozeliak sat down for a one-on-one interview with FOX 2 Sports Director Martin Kilcoyne to discuss the franchise’s path forward, his personal reflections and what to expect in seasons ahead.
Below is the full transcript of a 13-minute conversation between John Mozeliak and Martin Kilcoyne. The video story attached above touches upon key talking points within the interview.
The Interview (Martin and Mozeliak)
Martin: “How do you approach this offseason? Is this strange for you knowing it’s the last year contract, knowing there’s a lot of work to be done? Tell me how this feels versus other offseasons?”
Mozeliak: “It’s definitely different. I don’t think just because it’s my final year that’s making [this offseason] so different. In the past, we were always aggressively looking at free agency, how we can improve our club, and we’ve already stated that this offseason, we’re going to take a step back.”
“We’re certainly excited about the roster that we’re potentially going to have, but it is different in the sense of preparation. I’m sitting here talking with you. A week from now, we’ll be at the GM meetings, and usually what I’d be ramping up for is a lot different than than what I’m currently working on. Needless to say, we are looking at a build up internally with our infrastructure, and so the last three or four weeks have really been spent trying to identify people to come into our company, to add to our company, and to really revamp our current baseball operations.”
Martin: “How do you phrase it to fans? Because you’re not saying ‘rebuild,’ but you’re not going out and signing a high-price free agent. What’s the right way to look at next year and how the roster will look?”
Mozeliak: “It’s a fair question, and one I think we have to be very transparent about. I hope people find the product is still entertaining. I hope people find it a fun team to watch, but it is going to look a little different, and how we approach this offseason is going to be different than what we’ve seen under the do it ownership for the last three years. As we approach our 2025 club, I still think this is going to be about opportunity, giving young players a chance to play and see what they can do.”
Martin: “When did you come to the realization [of] ‘Hey, we’ve been kind of doing patchwork the last couple years,’ [and] ‘It’s just time to stop and kind of reassess?’”
Mozeliak: “I think last year, we invested pretty heavily in our starting rotation, and it still wasn’t enough to put us over the top. When you look at some of what else is happening in the league, you see other teams that have less of a payroll, but their commitment to development has proven to be fruitful. And so, you know, we really took a hard look at what we’re doing. I don’t feel like our player development system or our scouting amateur scouting department has not been productive. But I do think we look at the business right now, and everybody’s fighting on the margins, you have to be getting the most out of your talent.
“Ultimately, these changes we’re making is really to do that. As we take a step back in the next couple years in terms of like how we think about investing in our roster, it’s not that we’re not investing in an organization. We will be deploying resources down below. That’s going to look like human capital. That’s going to look like technology [and] innovation, and we’re really going to push that so in the next couple years, ultimately, the Cardinals can hit their stride and get back to where we once were competing in October, year in a year out.”
Martin: “Is it a nervous thing with the fans already a little bit restless, that you’re going to say, ‘Hey, we’re not kind of going all in?’ It’s a balance you guys have to walk. Are you worried about fans supporting that mission?
Mozeliak: “I mean, I’m always worried in this job, but I would say I feel like one thing you have to do is be honest. You have to be transparent in what you’re doing. I think over the last few years, people start to question that, and so I want our fan base to know that we’re still excited about what we’re going to see next year, but we’re doing it differently, and there’s no guarantees that we’re going to be chasing that next shiny object out there.”
Martin: “Do you think you’ll hear from players who are older or maybe bigger, I know you won’t get into specifics, but that may or may not be a fit with this sort of movement? Do you think that’s a likely thing down the line?”
Mozeliak: “I can say this. I’ve had some early discussions, and I would say for the most part, people seem like they’re excited about what we’re trying to do.”
Martin: “Has [future successor] Chaim Bloom said anything that was eye-opening to you? Or did he point anything out that you’re like, ‘Wow, we were missing the boat there?’ Tell me about his assessment over the past year.”
Mozeliak: “I really just wanted someone that has experienced other organizations and to give us just a fresh set of eyes. There was nothing that was surprising from his report in terms of what we need to start doing or start focusing on. Obviously ownership, and I, Mr. [Bill] DeWitt [Jr.], and I have talked about this for about three years now, in terms of how we think about our current infrastructure versus what we’ve been able to accomplish over the last 29 years to where we think we need to go in the future. And even though it’s my final year, I’m still excited to be a part of helping build some of those initial building blocks.”
Martin: “Is that strange for you? Because you’re used to contending for pennants. And like in your last year, maybe [the team’s outlook is] not similar to almost any of your other years?”
Mozeliak: “It’s different. But, I think, like the one thing I’ve learned in this game is you got to adapt and adjust, or ultimately go away. And I think for me, I’m going to use 2025 [as] a time to learn, reflect and also appreciate the past 30 years [in the Cardinals organization].”
Martin: “What will ultimately [be Bloom’s role]? Will he be the president of baseball operations? Will that be, ultimately, where ends up?
Mozeliak: “I guess, in one year and four days, he will take over that seat, and I certainly wish him well. In the meantime, [there’s] a lot of work between now and then.”
Martin: “What did you learn about him or his resume that helps you and Mr. [Bill] DeWitt [Jr.] say, ‘Okay, he’s the guy. We want to get better. We want to fix things.’ How do you come to the decision he’s the guy?”
Mozeliak: “Well, it was really about the diversity of what he experienced. Right? When you think about walking, working in a small market in Tampa and having the success they had. No he wasn’t the head person, but he was definitely part of a key member of that front office staff. And then ultimately getting the head job in Boston. These are two extreme markets relative to how the St Louis Cardinals operate, and we thought having the skill sets and the experience of what he learned from both could ultimately help him get the Cardinals back to where they want to go.”
Martin: “How do you think he got to this point? If you go back 2011 through 2014, that’s four straight NLCS trips. I think there were five straight playoff trips. How did it fall off? Have you been able to assess that or figure that out?”
Mozeliak: “I think the biggest thing is, you have to end up having that impact-type player. And when you think back to, and I can all use my time as an experience, but I can also reflect on what I see other teams doing, but we had [Albert] Pujols for a decade, and we could then build around it. And then you think back to 2013, and we had young Mr. [Oscar] Tavares emerging as we thought would be that type of impact bat. He passes away. I think that’s when things really shifted for us, because we didn’t have anything coming up in the pipeline. So what did we end up doing? We ended up going out and trading for [Marcell] Ozuna, trading for [Paul] Goldschmidt, trading for [Nolan] Arenado. I think what it tells you is it’s hard to build a team strictly based on trades and free agency. You organically need to be producing some level, or really some elite level of talent. And you know, unfortunately, in that time period, we just haven’t been able to do it. It is kind of exciting to see somebody like a Masyn Winn emerge. Is he going to be that generational type of player that creates that kind of change? Time to tell. But based on what we saw after this past year, it certainly feels like a pretty good place to start. But ultimately, you need that sort of bat that sits in the middle of lineup that you can build around.”
Martin: “You look at [Nolan] Gorman, you look at [Jordan] Walker. These are going to be pieces you guys need to be productive at the big league level. Is it concerning that they’re not producing yet? How do you analyze that, too, when it’s a high pick and you need them to sort of pay off for things to be successful?”
Mozeliak: “That’s right, and you’re always as good as how they play. And you know, this past year was not a year that went well for us in terms of performance, think we learned a lot. We realized there’s some things that have to be done differently, and hopefully, now that we have a different voice on the hitting side, it might make changes. But ultimately, players have to go out and do what they’re expected to do. And you know, last year, you look back, we just underperformed from an offensive standpoint.”
Martin: “You’ve been tight with [Cardinals chairman Bill] DeWitt [Jr.] for a long time. Does he ever express frustration with you, or the product, or put it on you if the team doesn’t do well, ‘Whoa, what the heck’s going on? I’m not picturing [former New York Yankees owner] George Steinbrenner running around the building, but give me an idea of what his level of frustration has been as things have dropped?”
Mozeliak: “Oh, I think he’s he’s frustrated. He obviously created these standards. He has a very high level of thinking about this organization, but also high level of expectations. I think for him, he understands even my frustration. I don’t think he ever really gets mad at me, but there’s definitely been times where we both want to cry on each other’s shoulder, because it’s just not going the way we had hoped. And he’s a special guy, like, you know, I’ve had a long-term relationship with him. I’ve known him a long time, and he truly cares about the St Louis Cardinals. He cares about this city, and he does want them to be good. But he also understands, like, he isn’t like some other owners, where he just has unlimited resources. He has to, we have to deploy them correctly to maximize our roster, and ultimately, that’s why we’re going to do this reset, and hopefully we can get back on the tracks for that success. And really, when you look back at his tenure, it’s pretty impressive, especially when you think about where we started and where we got to.”
Martin: “When people say the Cardinals are cheap, it doesn’t add up if you look at payroll. Now, it’s dropped off a little bit in recent years, but isn’t it more about spending it correctly? Have you ever felt limited in your funds to go out and pursue players?”
Mozeliak: “Not really. I mean, there’s obviously been some players, or marquee players, out on the market that I knew we weren’t going to go chase, but I’m not even sure that would have made sense anyway. Having said that, like, usually, if we’ve had a need, Mr. DeWitt and that family have had said yes. I’ve always felt like I’ve had their support.”
Martin: “In terms of the long-term now, I feel like the DeWitts have owned [the St. Louis Cardinals franchise] for a long time. I feel like day one, we all said, ‘Oh, they’re going to sell the team.’ At one point, Mike Shannon said, ‘They’re going to sell the team.’ I feel like it’s coming up again. Are you of the belief it’ll be long-term in the DeWitt family, that the Cardinals aren’t necessarily going anywhere, but at least for sale?”
Mozeliak: “As you and I know, we’ve spoken about this offline, but I think I would know if they were being sold, but I do not believe they’re going to be sold. I hear those rumors as well. I recently spoke with Bill. I did not get any indication that this team was going to be sold again. I think he takes great pride in owning a baseball team, and I think he wants to continue to do so.”
Martin: “How have you handled all of this? You’re the target of bunch of the criticism. Oli [Marmol] gets a fair amount, Bill gets some, but you get, I think, the brunt of it. We’re all human. How do you handle that?”
Mozeliak: “Well, I’m careful of what I read, which is very limited. Careful what I listen to, which is almost nothing. I ultimately understand the frustration, but it is different. Like when you’re out in public, most people don’t yell at you to your face. So I am, perhaps I’m a little bit protected in the bubble I live in, so to speak. But you know, overall, sometimes when I’m at the grocery store or something like that, I hear some things from time to time, and I understand. Like you think I like losing? You know, over the 17 years I’ve run this team, we’ve had one losing season. So, it’s not something we set out to do. And you know, when you think about the reason we’re successful is because players end up doing either what’s expected or over perform. When we’re not it’s the opposite, and ultimately, it’s our job to try to find that right combination to get us back to where we need to be from a winning perspective.”
Martin: “Was it hard last year seeing nights when there weren’t a lot of fans? Some of the out-of-town announcers would comment on it, it was sort of jarring at times. You’re up in the box, you have a great view of that. Did that hit pretty hard?
Mozeliak: “It’s definitely something you notice, and it makes you wonder, like, exactly what’s going on and why. But, you know, if it comes simply down to winning, then we got to get back to winning.”
Martin: “What do you think your legacy should be? Have you thought about it a little bit about it right in your final year?
Mozeliak: “I haven’t thought much about that yet. You know, obviously I would like to think it’ll be, when I reflect on it, that it was a success. In the end, we won more than we lost. In the end, we did bring a championship. But, you know, ultimately, I think I’m going to save the that thought process for another least 10 months, and then I’ll be happy to answer that.”
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