Cards add former Red Sox exec Bloom as adviser
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Jeff Passan, ESPN
The St. Louis Cardinals hired former Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom as an adviser Monday, bulking up their front office after the team’s worst season in nearly 30 years.
Bloom, 40, was fired by Boston in September after the Red Sox were nearing their third last-place finish in four years. In the other season, 2021, Boston advanced to the American League Championship Series.
During his five seasons with the Red Sox, the team went 351-340 and turned around a moribund farm system Bloom inherited. But with fierce competition in the AL East, Red Sox ownership — which has pared payroll in recent years — pivoted from Bloom and hired Craig Breslow as the new chief baseball officer.
Bloom joins a Cardinals organization that entered 2023 with hopes of a second consecutive National League Central title only to crater, finishing 71-91. While president of baseball operations John Mozeliak and manager Oliver Marmol kept their jobs, owner Bill DeWitt Jr. sought an outside voice to help the organization right itself.
“I have known Chaim for a long time and feel that this is a great opportunity for the St. Louis Cardinals,” Mozeliak said in a news release announcing the hire. “It will be good to get an outside perspective of our organization from someone who is as well-respected as Chaim. Having a fresh set of eyes on all aspects of our baseball operations should be helpful.”
The Cardinals valued Bloom’s experience with the Red Sox and before that the Tampa Bay Rays, whom he joined in 2005 as an intern. Bloom steadily moved up in the ranks, and when Andrew Friedman left to become president of baseball operations for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Bloom and Erik Neander were promoted to run the organization. They saw the Rays through a rebuilding period that set the stage for their recent excellence, going 421-287 over the last five years, all of which were playoff seasons.
The Cardinals, long one of the model franchises in baseball, faltered last year after four consecutive playoff appearances themselves. With a pitching staff beset by injuries and ineffectiveness, and a lineup filled with talent but too many redundancies, the Cardinals sputtered to a 10-19 April and never recovered.
They were aggressive in free agency this winter, signing right-hander Lance Lynn to a one-year, $11 million contract and right-hander Kyle Gibson to a one-year, $13 million deal before guaranteeing right-hander Sonny Gray $75 million over three seasons. Since those late-November moves, their only transactions have been a pair of trades, sending outfielder Tyler O’Neill to Boston for right-handers Nick Robertson and Victor Santos, and this week acquiring right-handed reliever Andrew Kittredge for outfielder Richie Palacios.
“I’m excited to join the Cardinals and to be a part of this great organization,” Bloom said in the news release. “Mo and his team have given me such a warm welcome, and I’m eager to build relationships here and to learn, contribute and help us win.”
St. Louis had remained a steady presence near the top of the NL Central until 2023 despite a number of trades that had gone poorly, including a deal that sent All-Star outfielder Randy Arozarena to Tampa Bay and All-Star right-handers Sandy Alcantara and Zac Gallen to Miami.
Bloom’s expertise goes well beyond the statistical analysis he first displayed writing for Baseball Prospectus and then brought to Tampa Bay. He served as director of baseball operations for the Rays, with a wide swath of responsibilities, and in Boston executed massive contracts (Rafael Devers for 11 years and $331 million), trades (the lamented Mookie Betts-to-the-Dodgers deal) and hirings (Alex Cora as manager).
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Greg Wyshynski
SUNRISE, Fla. — Florida Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen was ejected from Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals after a boarding major against forward Jackson Blake of the Carolina Hurricanes.
With 3:01 left in the first period, Blake was chasing the puck back in his own zone with Luostarinen behind him. As Luostarinen reached out with his stick, Blake stopped short of the boards and Luostarinen hit through him. Luostarinen drove Blake’s head into the boards, bloodying the Carolina forward.
The on-ice officials gave Luostarinen a five-minute major and then reviewed the hit. They confirmed the call on the ice. Per NHL Rule 41.5, when a major penalty for boarding is called, a game misconduct is automatic. A major penalty for boarding is determined by “the degree of violence of the impact with the boards.”
Luostarinen was tied for the team lead with 13 points entering Game 3, with 4 goals and 9 assists. He scored 12 of those points on the road. Blake returned to action in the second period.
The Panthers lead the series 2-0 and had a 1-0 lead in Game 3 when the major penalty was called.
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Eric Karabell
Boston Red Sox SS prospect Marcelo Mayer is getting the call to the major leagues, as starting 3B Alex Bregman (calf) is headed to the injured list. Fantasy managers should not expect Mayer, 22, to replace Bregman’s excellent numbers (.938 OPS), but he should see opportunity for playing time over the likes of Nick Sogard and Abraham Toro. Mayer is an excellent defensive shortstop, but he has played second base and third base at Triple-A Worcester as well this season.
Ranked No. 6 in Kiley McDaniels’ recently updated top 50 prospect rankings, Mayer hit .265/.342/.465 over 43 games and 193 plate appearances at Triple-A, with 9 home runs, 43 RBI and 2 stolen bases. The No. 4 pick in the 2021 amateur draft, Mayer hits left-handed, makes solid contact and drew a 10.4% walk rate this season. There is power upside, but as with most prospects, fantasy managers should keep initial expectations well in check.
Everyone loves the prospects until they reach the majors and alter their narrative (as most do). Chicago Cubs rookie IF Matt Shaw struggled earlier this season and was sent back to Triple-A, though he has returned to the majors. Arizona Diamondbacks SS Jordan Lawlar remains hitless in the majors this season. New Red Sox teammate Kristian Campbell is hitting .225 with a 27% strikeout rate. Hitting big league pitching can be problematic even for long-time veterans. In ESPN’s shallow standard leagues, with no middle infield spot and only nine active hitting spots, it is tough to make an argument to rush out and add Mayer. At the time of the promotion announcement, he was available in 94% of ESPN standard leagues.
Those needing to replace Bregman at third base should look at the Texas Rangers‘ Josh Jung and Jake Burger, and the Philadelphia Phillies‘ Alec Bohm, proven players with job security. For those looking at adding Mayer as their shortstop, Angels star Zach Neto somehow remains available in 71% of leagues, and he certainly comes recommended over Mayer, as does Colorado Rockies starter Ezequiel Tovar. Mayer will likely hit near the bottom of the Boston lineup. If he hits well, he might move up, and he might keep his roster spot even when Bregman returns to health.
It is exciting when one of the top prospects in the sport earns a promotion, but hitting a baseball against top pitching can be challenging for all. Those in deeper formats can make a better case to add Mayer and hope for the best.
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