Ignoring the fact that the Cardinals don’t have an elite defensive shortstop, the gaping holes at the back end of Mike Matheny's bullpen are too great for the team to overcome.
The Cardinals’ bullpen is a mess, and that’s putting it mildly. At this rate, the bullpen will push the front office into a seller's role at the non-waiver July 31 trade deadline.
Relievers prefer defined roles almost as much as managers love knowing they can trust a pitcher in a set role. Unfortunately for Matheny and the Cardinals, nobody has taken ownership of the closer’s role this year.