So how do you build upon perfection -- or winning a World Series title -- you try to repeat and I did the best I could to build a team that could do that.
* Some players are gone.
* Gerrit Cole was a solid starter (9-8, 4.18 ERA) and had a nice postseason. But he's 30-years-old, he wanted a seven-year deal (he got three) and he was on the DL twice in 2020.
* Matt Carpenter was a great Cardinal. He didn't have the average (.259) in 2020, but thanks to all the walks he drew his OBP (.402) was great and he hit 22 home runs. An important part of the championship. But he wanted a long deal (ended up getting three) and is 35-years old.
* Yadier Molina retired. Nothing I could do to bring him back. His leadership will be missed, but by the end of the season Austin Hedges was the starting catcher and Molina did not play in the World Series.
* Their replacements look good.
* The Cardinals have a handful of young starters in the minors. One of them, Thomas Hatch, was traded, but Lewis Thorpe and Oscar De La Rosa are going to get a shot to show what they can do in the majors.
* The Cardinals took a risk -- giving up left-handed reliever Ryan Sherriff and AA third baseman John Aiello -- and and made a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays for a young slugging first baseman Rowdy Tellez, who has nothing but hit for power and a decent average all through the minors.
* They signed one of the biggest free agents in left-handed reliever Jayden Cullingworth. He could have the stuff to be a left-handed shutdown against anyone he faces. This made Sherriff, along with the emergence of Gabriel Moya, expendable.
* Hatch and AAA left field prospect Yusniel Diaz were sent to Colorado for catcher Jake Roberts. He should combine with incumbent Austin Hedges to give St. Louis two of the better defensive catchers in the game.
As for now, the rest of the team is back. Luke Weaver, Carlos Martinez and Jon Gray anchor the top of the rotation.
On the field, MVP Bryce Harper and third baseman Nolan Arenado, who I think was fifth in the MVP voting, give the Cardinals one of the best middle of the orders in baseball.
The bullpen, Michael Feliz in the closer's role and Drew Steckenrider and Cullingworth as his setups, should be one of baseball's best.
Let the game's begin.