2012 Was An Exciting Year…2013 Will Be As Well

The year 2012 was a bittersweet year for Cardinal Nation. After losing one of their star players and their manager retiring, many pundits predicted a disastrous beginning and end for the St. Louis Cardinals. And though they didn’t make the World Series, they reached the finals of

the NL Playoffs and the other teams in the NL Central continue to play catch up to remain competitive with the Cardinals.

So, I’ve listed good and bad and in no particular order, some of the more momentous events that happened to the Cardinals this year. I think you’ll see that, all things considered, this wasn’t too bad a year after all.

• Cardinals lose Albert Pujols to the American League, Los Angeles Angels for a record breaking contract.
• Tony LaRussa retires and Mike Matheny is named Manager
• Dave Duncan leaves the Cardinals to take care of his ill wife
• Chris Carpenter returns to the Cardinals starting rotation sooner than expected
• Yadier Molina has a career year and becomes the “leader” on the Cardinals club
• Mark McGuire leaves the Cardinals to be closer to family and becomes Hitting Coach for Los Angeles Dodgers
• John Mabry is the Cardinals’ new Hitting Coach
• Bengie Molina joins his brother and becomes the Cardinals’ Asst. Hitting Coach
• Cardinals trade Skip Schumaker to the Dodgers and sign Ty Wiggington as a backup infielder
• Raphael Furcal is deemed healthy and should be the Cards’ starting shortstop in 2013
• Cards lose in the playoffs and fail to reach the World Series
• David Freese is healthy for the year and emerges as a star
• Shelby Miller emerges as bona fide starter
• Trevor Rosenthal excites and adds punch to the bullpen

I think you’ll see the year 2013 an exciting year for our Cardinals.

Thanks for reading and Happy New Year!