Cardinals' John Mozeliak has built the best team in baseball this year...from 2015

Let's hop in a time machine and go back nearly a decade to 2015. Mike Matheny is still managing for the St. Louis Cardinals, Adam Wainwright is coming off back-to-back top-3 Cy Young finishes, and Jordan Walker is still just in middle school, five years away from being drafted.

Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, Brandon Crawford, Lance Lynn, and Matt Carpenter are five of the best players in the National League. Paul Goldschmidt will finish second in the MVP race along with an All-Star appearance, a Gold Glove, and a Silver Slugger award. Brandon Crawford will be awarded a Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, and All-Star berth. Nolan Arenado, in just his third season in the league, will receive a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger award paired with an All-Star appearance of his own. Matt Carpenter's reign of terror in the National League Central is reaching its apex this year as well. He finished 2015 12th in MVP votes with a .272/.365/.505 slash line, a league-leading 44 doubles, and an OPS+ of 135.

Sonny Gray, in his third year in the league with Oakland, would have a 14-7 record, a 2.72 ERA, 2 shutouts, and an ERA+ of 143. Gray finished third in AL Cy Young voting in 2015. Lance Lynn will finish 2015 with a 12-11 record, a 3.03 ERA, and a 129 ERA+.

If you're keeping count, Crawford, Goldschmidt, Arenado, Lynn, Gray, and Carpenter accounted for three starting spots in the National League All-Star Game, three Silver Slugger awards, three Gold Glovers, 3 MVP Candidates, and a Cy Young finalist. Sonny Gray was one of the best pitchers in the American League that year. Lance Lynn and Brandon Crawford also had some of the best seasons of their career in 2015.

With the signing of Brandon Crawford, the #STLCards have accumulated the best infield in baseball...from 2015. Goldy, Nado, Crawford, and Marp would've accounted for 3 Gold Gloves, 3 Silver Sluggers, 3 All Stars, and 3 MVP candidates. Sonny Gray also finished 3rd in AL Cy Young.
— Thomas Gauvain (@thomasgauvain) February 28, 2024

An infield in 2015 of Paul Goldschmidt at first, Matt Carpenter at second, Brandon Crawford at shortstop, and Nolan Arenado at third would've been a historically great infield. Throw in Lance Lynn, Adam Wainwright, and Sonny Gray in the rotation, and the Cardinals would be able to field the greatest team in baseball that year.

The issue, however, is that we are in the year 2024, not 2015. While these players will provide value in 2024, especially Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, and Sonny Gray, the fact that John Mozeliak has added this many players who were amazing in 2015 is quite humorous.

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