Call me a Cards hater if you must, but it's simply not true. I *am* a Cubs fan despite their best efforts, so it wouldn't be a surprise if I dogged the Cards. Still, I think I do it no more and no less than they deserve. I'm the same with credit and with every other team. At least I try.

That said, I think their offseason has been a massive bust. Walt Jocketty, who's clearly been one of the top GM's in the business over the past decade, seemed lost this off-season. His biggest move was bringing in Mark Mulder, a pitcher with a bad wing, questionable back, and entering his expensive arb years. To get this guy, he gave up a good young pitcher (Dan Haren), a solid pen guy (Kiko Calero), and a guy who'll be on a lot of Top Ten lists this spring (Daric Barton.)
Add in the loss of Edgar Renteria, replaced by scrappy David Eckstein, and the push that is losing Tony Womack and replacing with a platoon of Roberto Alomar and Mark Grudzielanek and it's bad. I *like* the swap of Yadier Molina for Mike Matheny - it's tough not to be an upgrade, even considering Matheny's defense.

The Cards are still good, mind you, and assuming the move of Carlos Beltran to some team outside the division, they're still the preseason favorite. It just doesn't take much to say that they won't be a few games worse and a lot of other teams a few games better. Cincinnati, Milwaukee, and Pittsburgh improved, Chicago figures to be healthier, and Houston will be significantly worse (no Beltran = no Roger Clemens.)

I don't like betting against Jocketty or agreeing with Phil Rogers, yet it's clear that I have to do both here. The last year in Old Busch will not have the same results as 2004. I'm calling Plexiglass here.