MLB Writer Lays Out Strict Deadline Plan For Cardinals: 'The Only Option'

The St. Louis Cardinals are in a hideous rut.

The Cardinals surrendered 28 runs in three games versus the Chicago Cubs this weekend after getting swept by the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier in the week.

Days ago, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said that he’d wait and see how the club did in July before deciding on how to approach the trade deadline. Does Mozeliak already have an answer, one week into the month? FanSided’s Mack Baltes certainly thinks so, arguing that it’s time for St. Louis to commit to selling in a big way.

“In these last six matchups, Cardinals pitching surrendered 6+ runs in four out of six matchups, while the Cardinals offense also scored zero runs in four out of six games,” Baltes wrote. “If this isn’t a sign to waive the white flag on “contending” or “overachieving”, I’m not sure what is.”

“The Cardinals are faced with what now seems to be an easy decision as the July trade deadline approaches,” Baltes continued. “The Cardinals' front office should decide to sell. Instead of trading for players on expiring contracts with questions surrounding their impending free agency, St. Louis would be smart to offload their expiring contracts in exchange for prospects.”

“Additionally, the Cardinals' front office should inquire on whether or not their players with no-trade clauses would be open to waiving them in order to be moved," Baltes continued. "If this were to happen, the Cardinals could maximize their assets, offload players not within their timeline, and create financial flexibility for the future. … This is the only option. If John Mozeliak decides against this line of thought, he’ll only be handcuffing his successor Chaim Bloom for years to come.”

While Baltes’ insistence that Mozeliak’s decisions in July could affect Bloom’s entire future is a tad heavy-handed, the overarching argument here that the Cardinals should sell is a sound one, especially when looking at the standings. St. Louis entered Monday 6.5 games back of the first-place Cubs in a crowded division. The Cards are also 2.5 games back of second place (Milwaukee Brewers) and just 1.5 games in front of fourth place (Cincinnati Reds).

Speaking of crowded, consider the National League Wild Card situation, as noted by Baltes: "Although the Cardinals remain one game back of the third wild card position, this is a heavily contested position, and the San Francisco Giants remain ahead of them despite also trailing San Diego for the final spot.”

Indeed, Mozeliak might be having some difficult conversations in the coming days. Will he speak with Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray, and Miles Mikolas about waiving their no-trade clauses?

We’ll know soon enough.