Upon further review, John Mozeliak never took responsibility for failing Cardinals

John Mozeliak had some interesting comments on Sunday about his future and the job security of St. Louis Cardinals' manager Oli Marmol, stating that if things don't change quickly for his club, people would be held accountable, including himself.

"These times are difficult. I still think Oli understands the job, I think he knows how to manage, and I think he's trying to put the right combination of players in, but at some level you've got to see some performance," Mozeliak said.

"I understand fans are not happy with myself, and they're not happy with Oli. I don't think anything I say here today is going to change that. We have to keep trying to go back and get this to work, and we understand if it doesn't, people are going to be held accountable and ultimately that starts with me."

This has led many fans to believe that perhaps Mozeliak and Marmol were on the hot seat, and that very well could be the case.

However, as noted by Cardinals' insider Bernie Miklasz, Mozeliak is the one who never seems to be held accountable, and it's important to note that if Marmol is fired, the next manager, unless Mozeliak were to step down, would be chosen by the same people who fired Mike Shildt after a 17-game winning streak.

John Mozeliak continues to dodge accountability with Cardinals

As Miklasz noted, if Marmol is fired, it might be a welcome change, but it would be yet another case of Mozeliak and the front office dodging accountability. Also, it's highly unlikely that the team's ownership group headed by Bill DeWitt Jr. would actually think to fire Mozeliak, especially after he was given a two-year extension before 2023.

The best chance the Cardinals have of getting things right is if Mozeliak were to step down before his contract expires. That current deal is set to expire following the 2025 season. While firing Marmol might help fix a few things, that would still leave Mozeliak in power, and if Marmol goes, Mozeliak is going to have to leave with him.

Until then, Mozeliak will not be held accountable for his mistakes, and his mistakes are largely what have led the Cardinals to wear they are, seven games out of first place and seven games below the .500 mark.

Why haven't the Cardinals fired John Mozeliak yet?

A large part of the responsibility also falls on DeWitt, who truly has the final say in all matters. He is unlikely to fire Mozeliak. So in the end, if what Mozeliak said is true, he is going to have to hold himself accountable and walk away, understanding that he has lost touch with the modern game and contributed heavily to the downfall of the organization.

If that happens, then the Cardinals can have a different set of eyes on the Baseball Operations aspect and have someone else choose Marmol's successor, which ideally would be somebody from outside the organization. Options such as Joe Maddon and Buck Showalter are currently available. Three additional options will emerge at the end of the season in former Cardinal Skip Schumaker, Alex Cora, and Terry Francona, who reportedly wants to manage again.

Francona won two World Series titles with the Boston Red Sox, while Cora led Boston to a World Series title in 2018, and Schumaker was chosen as the National League Manager of the Year last year. Schumaker also won two World Series titles with St. Louis as a player.

Chaim Bloom is the likely candidate to take over for Mozeliak should he ultimately walk away, and he has a connection with Cora, having worked as the Chief Baseball Officer during his time with the Red Sox.