St. Louis Cardinals fans shower retiring executive with boos during opening day tribute
The face of the St. Louis Cardinals was good-natured and optimistic on Thursday morning as he was asked about the reaction he was anticipating from the crowd pouring into Busch Stadium for opening day festivities.
“When they boo me,” president of baseball operations John Mozeliak offered, “I can say, ‘I’m leaving!’ Celebrate the moment! Let’s not yell at me.”
It was worth a thought, anyway.
The Cardinals prepared a special tribute video for Mozeliak which highlighted the organization’s success during his tenure, pointing out his 15 consecutive winning seasons and franchise record five straight years in the postseason. Then he climbed the dugout steps, waving, greeted by an unrelenting chorus of boos.
Mozeliak arrived at the ballpark at around 7 a.m. on Thursday, by his estimation a shade earlier than he has in years prior. His final opening day with the Cardinals – at least in his current role – is the start of the end of a story which began at the dawn of the 1996 season with his having arrived from Colorado as a scouting assistant.
“I’ve been going a little slower than probably normal, making sure to say as many hellos as possible,” he said. “Just a little, like, kind of sad, when you think about it being the final final. But look, it’s my choice, and so I can’t get too sad.”
His choices have come to define the last three decades of franchise history perhaps more than anyone other than Bill DeWitt, Jr., and whatever public opinion exists around him on his last opening day, his place in the franchise’s past and future are secured. The day will come when he’s awarded a red jacket and a plaque in the team’s Hall of Fame, and when his return to the ballpark will come with celebration and appreciation.
That day was not Thursday, which did not come as a surprise to anyone involved. A winter of many silent nights came by design, but it did not come with surpassing joy from the throngs of red-clad supporters who filled seats under gray, drizzling skies.
The only major league free agent the club signed before opening day was reliever Phil Maton, who grew up in Chatham, Illinois, in the Springfield metro area. His brother, Nick, is a utility player who made the Chicago White Sox at the last minute, creating a travel dilemma
for a family which suddenly has sons stationed at opposite ends of Interstate 55.
Maton said that his family would be at Busch Stadium for Thursday’s festivities before heading back to the highway and seeing his brother over the weekend in Chicago. His
presence here was a great deal more predictable than his brother’s at Rate Field, and the family made the choice not to break pre-existing plans.
Catcher Pedro Pagés was added to the active roster before last season’s home opener, but did not arrive – memorably, via Uber – until late in the 8-5 victory over the Miami Marlins. He woke up that morning in freezing cold Indianapolis, prepared to take at bats against Paul
Skenes in a Triple-A game, before getting the call to the big leagues. As matchups go, that’s not the worst for a hitter to miss.
Victor Scott II hit leadoff for the Cardinals in the 2024 home opener, but he arrives at this year’s celebration seemingly a different hitter. No longer forced into the lineup by injury, he instead fought his way here with a brilliant spring that followed a productive winter. Mozeliak
admitted that as recently as a week before camp broke in Florida, he would not have predicted Scott heading north with the team. By forcing the issue, he created his own path of opportunity, holding the Cardinals to their collective word and commitment to turning over a new roster leaf.
“I had a conversation with Vic…during Winter Warm-Up,” manager Oli Marmol recalled, “and I remember texting either Mo or Daniel (Descalso) right after, like, this dude’s dialed in. Like, he’s coming. That’s when it first hit me, like, this guy’s coming at this at a completely different approach to the way he was going about it.”
Scott was huddled up with José Oquendo at the entrance to the team’s indoor batting cage on Thursday, working through as much last minute coaching as he could cram in before the curtain came down. His opportunity may not have been one the Cardinals anticipated this winter, but it was one they were not able to deny when it arrived.
“Hard not to reward a guy that took it to everybody,” Marmol admitted. “Bottom line.”
The unrelenting march of the calendar was going to bring Thursday’s festivities, prepared or not, rain or shine. The squirrely afternoon weather was a reminder of all the things which can go awry despite all planning to the contrary. The Cardinals and Mozeliak certainly know all about that, given their winter and the presence of players who they certainly did not expect to be around for the parade.
That parade began about 90 minutes late courtesy of a stubborn rainstorm which sat over St. Louis and threatened to drown out the day’s excitement. Rather than a washout, though, the weather seemingly only built anticipation, and even a light drizzle didn’t stop seats from steadily filling in.
The season’s own momentum will carry it through, and while the work’s not done, Mozeliak’s own finish line is in sight. Despite himself, he was ultimately reflective, and whatever his reception, he was clear in his gratitude.
“It is a special place,” he said. “As I was walking up to my office, it’s something I want to make sure I don’t ever forget. I’m really lucky, really fortunate to be a part of this.”
