The St. Louis Cardinals didn't score a lone run over three full games in Pittsburgh. Cardinals fans, notoriously some of the most passionate in baseball in both times good and bad, were furious. Yet, Marmol could even say the lines right. "We have to be better" is such an easy out, and Marmol couldn't muster it. This is a man who hasn't struggled to call out his players in the past, but was rightly chastised for it. Now, when a wake-up call would be appreciate, Marmol is nowhere to be found. Read the room, man!
St. Louis in particular struggled with runners on base or in scoring position. The Cardinals aren't going to beat you with the long ball, instead it's death by a thousand paper cuts – veteran hitters who work the count paired with young, scrappy future stars ready to jump on the first pitch – but neither came through when the Cards needed them most in Pittsburgh.
“Those are three key parts to our offense and when you don’t have them, it's tough to score,” Marmol said. “I felt like we actually put some decent swings on the ball today, we just couldn't find grass. Everything we hit found a glove. With those guys not in the lineup, it made it that much tougher.”
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Oli Marmol's comment after scoreless Cardinals series won't cut it
The Cardinals were playing without Willson Contreras and Nolan Arenado for some of this series, that much is true. Marmol was sure to take note of it, which is why he didn't want to overreact to one series sweep. Yet, it's not exactly like the Pirates are a buzzsaw, either. There is no shame in failing to score a run against Paul Skenes, but when you know him out in the fifth inning? That changes things. What about against fellow Pittsburgh starting pitchers Andrew Heaney and Mitch Keller? Both are solid mid-rotation starting pitchers, and could be traded at the deadline. Neither ought to shut down the Cardinals over seven-plus innings.
Following their series against the Cardinals lineup, the Pirates bullpen ERA ranks ninth in baseball. Their team ERA ranks 20th at 4.15. Pittsburgh is beatable, and in last place in the NL Central. By losing half of their last 10 games, the Cardinals have fallen five games behind the division-leading Cubs, essentially undoing much of their progress in recent weeks.
Brendan Donovan says what Oli Marmol won't about the Cardinals
If Marmol won't acknowledge that, someone ought to. Brendan Donovan was able to do what his manager wouldn't.
“Obviously the series is frustrating, but it’s just one little blip on the radar of 162 [games],” Donovan said. “So, is it frustrating? Absolutely. But they just beat us. They’re playing good ball. We were playing good ball and they shut us down, so, [we’re] on to Chicago.”
A great manager can take the heat, while keeping everything in perspective. Yes, the Cardinals still control their own destiny and are only five games back of the Cubs. However, by getting swept in Pittsburgh, they eliminated a chance to make an even bigger statement at Wrigley over the weekend.