It's been a tough season for the St. Louis Cardinals, and it just got even rougher in the Home Run Derby with two former players taking centerstage.
Randy Arozarena and Adolis Garcia were matched up against one another in the first round of the Home Run Derby. It was an impressive performance that Arozarena and his Cowboy boots won, as FanSided's Kevin Henry summed up quite well:
"Arozarena came out in cowboy boots and did his patented stare and crossed arms when introduced. However, came out with a slow start. Called a time out with 1:32 left. Had 10 hit and longest was 438 feet at that point. Finished with 19 but gets bonus time. Longest was 442, with five HRs in 30 seconds of bonus time," Henry wrote.
However, watching Randy and Adolis Garcia face off against each other serves as just another remainder of the mistakes this St. Louis front office has made over the years. The Cards dealt Arozarena and Jose Martinez to the Rays in January 2020 in exchange for pitching prospect Matthew Liberatore. Garcia, meanwhile, was DFA'd in December of 2019 despite some increased power production in the minor leagues. Both have since resurrected their careers elsewhere.
Why do the Cardinals swing and miss with prospects?
Unlike both Randy and Adolis, who earned their way into the All-Star conversation as well as the Home Run Derby, the Cards can't seem to catch a break. Every trade, minus deals for surefire stars like Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt, is the wrong one.
Both Zac Gallen and Sandy Alcantara are former Cards. Yet, the team's rotation is a mess. What gives?
Every front office is bound to make some mistakes, but the misses by John Mozeliak and Co. ought to concern the masses. They need to turn things around, and fast.
