40 Card Shuffle

I am watching the 2004 World Series Cardinals disappear. Apparently we don't have enough money. Our 40 man roster is getting a shake up. My playoff hopes seem to be getting the shake down. I don't know what the Cardinals' plans are for the coming season, but hopefully it will lead to more wins. It just seems like we can't ever get the players we want. Yes we have a lot of money tied up in players like Albert Pujols, Jim Edmonds, and Scott Rolen, and I'm not complaining about that. When their healthy, they simply murder. We saw that in 2003 when they all finished in the top 5 in the MVP race. They need help though.

What doesn't make a lot of sense to me, though is how we're handling the pitching staff. We obviously need bullpen help, and we let Julian Tavarez go. As crazy as he may be, he still pitched. I won't forget the 2004 playoffs when he broke his hand hitting the phone, but I also won't forget how he came back a few days later and pitched. It was a valiant performance. I will agree that Al Reyes won the setup man position from him last year, but we don't have Al Reyes this year. Injuries stink, but Julian Tavarez doesn't.

I want to see Anthony Reyes in the starting rotation next season. I like Jason Marquis. He has shown that he is good enough. Yes he griped a little about going to the bullpen, but he's good. How soon we forget that the only two pitchers that pitched well against the Red Sox in the World Series were Marquis and Danny Haren. He's young and cocky, and he can throw it 96 mph. Put him in there.

For the outfield, give me So, Jim, and what about Juan Encarnacion. He's good. He'd be great. I don't understand why there hasn't been more talk about him. Get him in St. Louis. I want to win the World Series. The Curse of Keith Hernandez must be erased.