Guess Who's back

I am, and Matt Holliday is. And I am thrilled.


Maybe I am not being a realist, but foremost I am a fan. A Cardinals fan. I make no apologies, I am, always have been, and I always will be a Cardinals fan. And as a fan I am thrilled at the re-signing of Holliday. The Cardinals opened up the wallet and spent some money on THE best free agent available. Period.


You can tell me all you want about how they spent too much, about how the contract is too long, and about how now they won’t be able to sign Pujols. I will have none of it. NONE.


My colleague (I guess I can call him that) Randy Karraker made a perfect point last night prior to the SIUE basketball game, just hours after the Holliday announcement: If the Cardinals say they can afford it, then they can afford it. Bill Dewitt is a business man and if he believes this is good business then it is. It was what it took to get him locked up and the Birds should be applauded for doing what was necessary to get it done. To the injury possibility I say so what. In six years in the Majors he has proven to be durable and healthy and there is nothing to suggest he won’t stay that way. Yes I get it there is always the possibility of an injury, so be it. That possibility exists with every player that steps on the field. If we were so worried about POSSIBLE injury then no one would be signing anything but one-year deals. And if you think this means that now that may not sign Pujols I will disagree with you there too. It goes back to the business thing again. Now the Cardinals have proven that they WILL do what it takes to sign the best free agent available. When the time comes there won’t be a better free agent out there. Bill Dewitt understands that Pujols should be a Cardinal for life. Now we have the precedent set that the Cardinals will pull the trigger on a deal. The fact that Holliday signed for a 17 Million and change a year, which is a little less than everyone originally thought the per-year deal would be is another good sign. Maybe it means it will bring the average value of the Pujols deal down. Maybe not, but as I said that shouldn’t make a difference. I have more confidence than ever that there should be no issues inking him when the time comes.


You may as well hand the NL Central Division title to the Cardinals now. Barring some unforeseen circumstances the Cards should be the prohibitive favorite for the foreseeable future. Two of the best starters in the league, two of the best hitters in the game. Case closed. Now what it means for the post-season is a little less clear. Certainly nothing is guaranteed in October, but you have to get to the “tournament” if you want to win, and the Cardinals certainly appear to have punched their dance card.


I am a Cardinals fan, and I am thrilled.