Insider Says What Cardinals Fans Don't Want To Hear

The Major League Baseball playoffs are in full swing right now and the St. Louis Cardinals aren't involved.

That has been the case over the last three seasons. St. Louis has quickly gone from one of the most winningest franchises in the National League to a team that hasn't been able to land the No. 3 Wild Card spot. The Milwaukee Brewers have passed the Cardinals over the last few years as the most dominant team in the division and the Chicago Cubs are right up there as well. This year, the Cincinnati Reds even took a step forward, but the Cardinals are behind right now.

That's what Chaim Bloom will try to fix. But, it may not be quick. Jeff Jones, Cardinals insider of the Belleville News-Democrat, discussed Bloom's recent press conference and how it seems to acknowledge "acceptance of short-term losses in hopes of permanent flags."

The Cardinals have a long road ahead

Feb 26, 2021; Jupiter, Florida, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals logo on the stadium at Roger Dean Stadium during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images | Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

"Indeed, Bloom barely mentioned individual players, except when directly asked," Jones said. "It was clear Tuesday’s meeting was meant to reset the tone and clear the board, introducing a fresh approach without outlining detailed plans — both by strategic necessity and because some specifics are likely to prompt tough questions about how long it will be until fans can expect a return to winning baseball at Busch Stadium. That is the long-term goal, and short-term successes will not be allowed to conflict with it. The Cardinals, as Bloom reminded everyone, have been and will remain a draft-and-develop organization.

"That process does not happen overnight, or even in a single offseason. Bloom’s five-year contract begins next season. He is in this for the long haul. It will be a long haul. 'The mindset should always be to win,' Bloom said. 'I think if you let that standard slip, it’s not a light switch that you can just flip. That, to me, is more cultural, that we should always aspire to do that. But our strategy in terms of how we go about our roster building, we don’t want to get distracted from our bigger goal.' If that sounds like acceptance of short-term losses in hopes of permanent flags, bingo."

Now, that's not the most shocking thing in the world. But, still, it's not fun to read. The Cardinals have been known as one of the top overall teams in baseball for a long time. These last three years haven't gone as planned and although Bloom does seem to be the guy for the job to fix things, there won't be an immediate fix meaning potentially more missed playoffs in Cardinals fans' future.

More MLB: Mets Urged To Pursue Cardinals $87 Million Slugger