10 burning questions the Cardinals must answer if they want to win back their fans

Question #9 - Where do the Cardinals rank among their NL Central counterparts long-term, let alone the rest of the National League?

We can talk all day about the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, and Arizona Diamondbacks - but how confident are we that the Cardinals even have the brightest future in their own division?

The Milwaukee Brewers are the class of the National League Central right now. They do more with less, they make smart trades and free-agent signings, and they are constantly pumping out talent from their farm system. They may not be a World Series contender, but no one in the NL Central can touch their operation right now.

The Cincinnati Reds have a young MVP candidate in Elly De La Cruz and have surrounded him with promising young bats. Their rotation features a stud in Hunter Greene, and he is also surrounded by some intriguing young arms. Many around baseball believe the Reds are a powerhouse in the making, but they need to continue to prove they can develop their talent and make wise moves as well.

The Chicago Cubs have been extremely dissapointing this year but still feature a roster with interesting big leaguers and a loaded farm system. They also operated with the largest payroll in the division and have the potential to sign big fish any winter.

The Pittsburgh Pirates appear to be the new pitching factory in Major League Baseball, with Paul Skenes leading a young staff of Jared Jones, Mitch Keller, and others. Their young team seems ready to compete in the near future as well and they have some interesting prospects as well.

So, where do the Cardinals slot in here currently? Can they drastically change their standing within the NL Central in one offseason? They need to find a way to do so, because if the Cardinals cannot be trusted in the NL Central, then they are many years away from being a favorite in the National League.