Chaim Bloom will focus heavily on the huge project of getting the Cardinals' minor league and player development system up to date and up to speed to give the franchise a better talent pipeline with more prospects who are fully prepared for the big leagues. And that hasn't been the case with St. Louis for too long.

Bloom is content to take over as president of baseball operations after the 2025 season. Until then, the job -- and the authority that comes with it -- belongs to John Mozeliak.

But as the Cardinals ponder trades and other roster moves this offseason, will Bloom have a major voice? Or will he defer and hang in the background -- giving advice only when asked? The decisions made by Mozeliak over the next few months will not only shape the team's outlook for 2025 -- but will significantly impact the state of Cardinals baseball as the Bloom regime begins in a year.

Any bad decisions made by Mozeliak can have a lingering and negative effect on Bloom's ability to reshape the Cardinals as he prepares for the 2026 season. That includes signings, trades, and making a decisions on the value of multiple trade proposals. Shouldn't Bloom have a major say in these decisions? And what if Bloom and Mozeliak disagree on some things? Who wins?