%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20991.1%20200%22%20style%3D%22enable-background%3Anew%200%200%20991.1%20200%3B%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cstyle%20type%3D%22text%2Fcss%22%3E%0A%09.st0%7Bfill%3A%23231F20%3B%7D%0A%09.st1%7Bfill%3A%23C41E3A%3B%7D%0A%09.st2%7Bfill%3A%23FFFFFF%3B%7D%0A%09.st3%7Bopacity%3A0.2%3B%7D%0A%09.st4%7Bfill%3A%23A7A9AC%3B%7D%0A%09.st5%7Bfill%3A%23002A5C%3B%7D%0A%09.st6%7Bfill%3A%23808080%3B%7D%0A%3C%2Fstyle%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Template%22%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Layer_2%22%3E%0A%09%3Cg%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M124.1%2C143.5c-2.6-5.9-2.8-15-3.9-24.5c-0.3-2.8-2.3-14.5-7.9-20.6c-5.5-6.1-12.5-8.6-13.6-9.2%0A%09%09%09c10-3.7%2C16-8.4%2C19.9-15.6c6.5-12.8%2C7.2-26.8-5-38.9c-3-3-7.5-5.3-13.4-7.3c-22.6-7.9-61.5%2C2.5-82.1-4.4c-6.5-2.2-7.8-7-8.6-10.6%0A%09%09%09c-0.6-3.4-5.1-0.6-6.9%2C2C0.1%2C18.8-3%2C27.8%2C6.2%2C34.4c11.1%2C7.8%2C46.3%2C4.4%2C68.2%2C4.7c23.7%2C0.3%2C27.4%2C18.4%2C18.4%2C34.7%0A%09%09%09c-7%2C12.3-23.2%2C11.4-25.9%2C10.6C68%2C80.6%2C76.1%2C56%2C77%2C52.8c1.7-5.5-2.3-9.5-6.9-8.3c-6.1%2C2-5%2C4.8-24.8%2C9.8c-6.7%2C1.7-3.6%2C5.6-1.7%2C9.2%0A%09%09%09c0.6%2C1.1%2C0.5%2C3.3%2C0%2C5.4c-0.3%2C1.2-13.9%2C47.8-17.9%2C60c-1.2%2C3.6-3.3%2C4.5-5.8%2C6.4c-5.6%2C3.9-6.7%2C9.5%2C0.8%2C9.5c11.8-0.2%2C22.7%2C0%2C33.8%2C0%0A%09%09%09c3%2C0%2C5-1.4%2C5.1-4.4c0-5.1-6.1-5.1-6.2-8.1c2.3-9.3%2C6.7-26.6%2C9.5-35.7c8.6-0.6%2C15.3%2C1.4%2C19.8%2C4.7c5.6%2C4%2C6.2%2C12.5%2C6.5%2C15.7%0A%09%09%09c0.9%2C10.9%2C1.6%2C26.2%2C4.5%2C34.6c2%2C5.6%2C5.1%2C11.1%2C10.1%2C13.7c12.8%2C6.7%2C28.8%2C1.2%2C34.3-2.2c4.2-2.3%2C5.5-5.5%2C3.9-8.3%0A%09%09%09C140.2%2C151.5%2C130.1%2C156.9%2C124.1%2C143.5z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M380.3%2C65.7c6.4%2C0%2C12.1-4.8%2C12.9-10.9c0.9-6.2-3.6-11.1-9.8-11.1c-6.4%2C0-12.1%2C4.8-13.1%2C11.1%0A%09%09%09C369.5%2C60.8%2C373.9%2C65.7%2C380.3%2C65.7z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M551%2C104.8c2-4.7-2.8-8.5-7.2-8.2c-3.7%2C0.3-7.5%2C2.2-7.8%2C7.9c0%2C1.8%2C0.4%2C3.2%2C1.1%2C4.5%0A%09%09%09c-3.6%2C7.7-7.8%2C17.3-14.1%2C16.6c-5.3-0.6-0.8-13.6-0.8-13.6c2.6-8.3%2C17.3-51.9%2C22.9-69.5c1.4-4.5-2-7.9-5.8-6.9%0A%09%09%09c-2.8%2C0.9-5%2C3-8.3%2C4.4c-4.2%2C1.9-8.3%2C2.6-12.5%2C3.9c-5.3%2C1.6-3%2C4.7-1.4%2C7.6c0.8%2C1.6%2C0%2C5.3-0.8%2C7.9c-4.7%2C13.6-10.6%2C30.1-14.8%2C41.7%0A%09%09%09c-1.6%2C4-6.9%2C20.1-7.5%2C21.6c-8.1%2C20.4-17.3%2C10.1-16.2-1.7c0.3-4.7%2C1.1-10.3%2C3.1-15.9c5-14.8%2C9.8-20.2%2C16-20.4%0A%09%09%09c0.9%2C1.4%2C2.3%2C2.3%2C4%2C2.3c2.6%2C0%2C4.7-2.2%2C4.8-4.8c0.3-3.6-2.6-7-12.5-6.2c-16.8%2C1.2-33.8%2C15-38.9%2C33c-3.6%2C7.9-7.8%2C17.4-14.2%2C16.7%0A%09%09%09c-5.1-0.6-0.8-13.5-0.8-13.5c0.6-1.7%2C3-10.9%2C3.7-14.5c2.5-10.3%2C0-19.9-7.9-21.5c-4-0.8-7.9%2C1.1-13.4%2C0.3c0.6-1.9%2C1.1-3.4%2C1.1-5.5%0A%09%09%09c0-7.2-5.3-12-12-12c-6.5%2C0-12%2C5.4-12%2C12c0%2C3.9%2C1.9%2C7.5%2C4.8%2C9.7c0.5%2C8.9-7.2%2C24.1-10.6%2C31.3c-0.3%2C0.6-0.5%2C1.2-0.6%2C1.7%0A%09%09%09c-3.1%2C6.2-6.9%2C12.3-12.1%2C12.8c-1.4%2C0-2.5-0.3-3.4-1.4c-1.1-1.2-1.6-4.5%2C1.1-13.1c4-12.8%2C8.1-23.2%2C9.3-25.7c2.8-5.6%2C4.4-6.4%2C4.7-9%0A%09%09%09c0.3-1.9-0.9-3.1-1.9-3.3c-3.1-0.8-4.8%2C1.4-9%2C2.2c-5.3%2C0.9-14-1.2-14.5%2C2c-0.8%2C5.3-2.2%2C9.5-4.8%2C16.5c-1.7%2C4.8-5.6%2C15.1-7%2C19%0A%09%09%09c-2.2%2C4.1-5.3%2C8.5-9.5%2C12c-1.7%2C1.4-5.8%2C3.9-8.6%2C3c5-4.8%2C7.5-8.9%2C10.3-15c3.3-7.2%2C5.1-14.8%2C3.7-22.7c-1.2-7.8-8.6-15-17.6-15.4%0A%09%09%09c-5-0.3-10.1%2C0.5-15.3%2C0.9c5-15%2C9-27.7%2C10.9-33.5c1.4-4.5-2-8.1-5.8-7c-3.7%2C1.1-6.1%2C3.7-11.5%2C5.8c-3.3%2C1.2-6.4%2C1.9-9.2%2C2.6%0A%09%09%09c-5.5%2C1.4-3.1%2C4.7-1.6%2C7.8c0.9%2C1.6%2C0.2%2C5.3-0.6%2C7.9c-2.8%2C8.1-8.9%2C25.9-14.8%2C43.3c-0.5%2C1-1.2%2C2.5-2.2%2C4.5%0A%09%09%09c-3.7%2C7.8-7.9%2C18.2-14.5%2C17.4c-5.3-0.6-0.8-13.6-0.8-13.6c2.6-8.3%2C17.3-51.9%2C22.9-69.5c1.4-4.5-2-7.9-5.8-6.9%0A%09%09%09c-2.8%2C0.9-5%2C3-8.3%2C4.4c-4.2%2C1.9-8.3%2C2.6-12.5%2C3.9c-5.3%2C1.6-3%2C4.7-1.4%2C7.6c0.8%2C1.6%2C0%2C5.3-0.8%2C7.9c-4.7%2C13.6-10.6%2C30.1-14.8%2C41.7%0A%09%09%09c-1.6%2C4-6.9%2C20.1-7.5%2C21.6c-8.1%2C20.4-17.3%2C10.1-16.2-1.7c0.3-4.7%2C1.1-10.3%2C3.1-15.9c5-14.8%2C9.8-20.2%2C16-20.4%0A%09%09%09c0.9%2C1.4%2C2.3%2C2.3%2C4%2C2.3c2.6%2C0%2C4.7-2.2%2C4.8-4.8c0.3-3.6-2.6-7-12.5-6.2c-16.1%2C1.2-32.4%2C13.9-38.2%2C30.8c-0.9%2C1.4-2%2C2.8-3.2%2C4.2%0A%09%09%09c-4.4%2C5.3-14.6%2C15.4-28.8%2C14.8c-4-0.2-6.9-2.5-8.6-5.5c8.6-3.3%2C27.4-11.1%2C34.3-22.1c7.5-11.7%2C1.6-23.8-15.7-23%0A%09%09%09c-23.4%2C1.1-41.9%2C20.4-44.7%2C38.3c-2.8%2C18.1%2C4.5%2C31.1%2C23.5%2C31.1c10%2C0%2C18.7-2.6%2C26.5-7.2c5.6-3.3%2C10.8-7.3%2C15.3-11.9%0A%09%09%09c1%2C4.4%2C3.1%2C8.3%2C6.2%2C11.4c11.4%2C11.7%2C29.1%2C6.9%2C36-1.6c0.3%2C0.8%2C0.6%2C1.4%2C1.1%2C1.9c5.4%2C7.4%2C17.5%2C10.1%2C30.8%2C0.6c-0.9%2C3.3%2C1.5%2C6.7%2C5%2C6.7%0A%09%09%09c4.4%2C0%2C9.7%2C0%2C13.1%2C0c2%2C0%2C3.7-1.1%2C4.7-2.8c3%2C1.6%2C6.7%2C3%2C11.5%2C2.8c4.4-0.2%2C6.9-1.2%2C10.3-2.6c12.5%2C6.3%2C25%2C0.3%2C34.4-8.2%0A%09%09%09c0.5%2C2.1%2C1.1%2C3.6%2C1.8%2C4.5c7.3%2C10%2C26.2%2C11.5%2C44.1-12.8c5.2-7.1%2C6.6-10.8%2C8.2-14.6c3.2-6%2C6.2-12.9%2C11.2-25c2.3%2C0.5%2C6.7%2C0.2%2C3.9%2C7.2%0A%09%09%09c-4.4%2C11.5-7.5%2C21.3-7.6%2C21.3c-1.2%2C4.4-2.2%2C11.1-2.2%2C13.1c-0.2%2C5.1%2C1.2%2C8.4%2C2.3%2C10.1c6.7%2C9.2%2C23.6%2C11.1%2C40.5-8.3%0A%09%09%09c1.2%2C2.9%2C2.8%2C5.5%2C5%2C7.7c11.4%2C11.7%2C29.1%2C6.9%2C36-1.6c0.3%2C0.8%2C0.6%2C1.4%2C1.1%2C1.9c7.2%2C9.8%2C26%2C11.4%2C43.9-12.8c1.4-1.9%2C2.6-3.6%2C3.5-5.1%0A%09%09%09c1.1%2C2.5%2C1.8%2C5%2C2.1%2C7.5c2.6%2C20.1-18.2%2C39.9-45.9%2C39.9c-28.2%2C0-251.5-18.4-294-9.3c-5.6%2C1.2-28.7%2C5.9-29.3%2C24%0A%09%09%09c-0.5%2C10.1%2C8.3%2C17.6%2C18.4%2C18.4c17.4%2C1.2%2C22.4-14.2%2C41.1-19.6c33.8-9.7%2C238%2C1.9%2C263.2%2C1.9c34.1%2C0%2C58.1-21.5%2C58.1-50.6%0A%09%09%09c0-10.3-3.2-20.9-7.6-25.2C550.9%2C105.9%2C551%2C105.3%2C551%2C104.8z%20M169.7%2C87.3c5.3-3.9%2C12.1-4.1%2C12.3%2C1.2c0.3%2C10.6-15.3%2C19.2-23.5%2C23%0A%09%09%09C158.2%2C103.8%2C160.8%2C93.6%2C169.7%2C87.3z%20M323%2C115c-0.6-0.2-1.4-0.2-2-0.2c-6.7%2C0-12.1%2C5.5-12.1%2C12.1c0%2C3.9%2C1.2%2C6.1%2C2.2%2C7.8%0A%09%09%09c-1.9%2C0.9-4%2C1.2-6.2%2C0c-1.7-1.4-3.4-2.5-3.1-7c3.7-11.4%2C8.6-26.3%2C13.2-40.8c0.9-1.1%2C2-2.2%2C3-3.1c3.1-2.6%2C12.1-2.8%2C11.7%2C7.8%0A%09%09%09C328.7%2C99.9%2C326.1%2C107.6%2C323%2C115z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M675.2%2C143.5c-2.6-5.9-2.8-15-3.9-24.5c-0.3-2.8-2.3-14.5-7.9-20.6c-5.5-6.1-12.5-8.6-13.6-9.2%0A%09%09%09c10-3.7%2C16-8.4%2C19.9-15.6c6.5-12.8%2C7.2-26.8-5-38.9c-3-3-7.5-5.3-13.4-7.3c-22.6-7.9-61.5%2C2.5-82.1-4.4c-6.5-2.2-7.8-7-8.6-10.6%0A%09%09%09c-0.6-3.4-5.1-0.6-6.9%2C2c-2.6%2C4.2-5.8%2C13.2%2C3.4%2C19.8c11.1%2C7.8%2C46.3%2C4.4%2C68.2%2C4.7c23.7%2C0.3%2C27.4%2C18.4%2C18.4%2C34.7%0A%09%09%09c-7%2C12.3-23.2%2C11.4-25.9%2C10.6c1.1-3.7%2C9.2-28.3%2C10.1-31.6c1.7-5.5-2.3-9.5-6.9-8.3c-6.1%2C2-5%2C4.8-24.8%2C9.8%0A%09%09%09c-6.7%2C1.7-3.6%2C5.6-1.7%2C9.2c0.6%2C1.1%2C0.5%2C3.3%2C0%2C5.4c-0.3%2C1.2-13.9%2C47.8-17.9%2C60c-1.2%2C3.6-3.3%2C4.5-5.8%2C6.4c-5.6%2C3.9-6.7%2C9.5%2C0.8%2C9.5%0A%09%09%09c11.8-0.2%2C22.7%2C0%2C33.8%2C0c3%2C0%2C5-1.4%2C5.1-4.4c0-5.1-6.1-5.1-6.2-8.1c2.3-9.3%2C6.7-26.6%2C9.5-35.7c8.6-0.6%2C15.3%2C1.4%2C19.8%2C4.7%0A%09%09%09c5.6%2C4%2C6.2%2C12.5%2C6.5%2C15.7c0.9%2C10.9%2C1.6%2C26.2%2C4.5%2C34.6c2%2C5.6%2C5.1%2C11.1%2C10.1%2C13.7c12.8%2C6.7%2C28.8%2C1.2%2C34.3-2.2%0A%09%09%09c4.2-2.3%2C5.5-5.5%2C3.9-8.3C691.4%2C151.5%2C681.3%2C156.9%2C675.2%2C143.5z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M987%2C47c-4-10.1-10.9-21-27.7-31.5c-9-5.6-20.4-8.3-30.7-9.3C888%2C2%2C846.5%2C23.6%2C810.2%2C30.6%0A%09%09%09c-9.7%2C1.9-29.7%2C0.6-31.1-12c-0.8-5.3-1.6-10.9-5-14.5c-4.8-5.1-15.4-5.8-22.4-0.5c-15.9%2C11.7-5.8%2C34.3%2C10.6%2C43.8%0A%09%09%09c13.9%2C7.9%2C30.5%2C6.9%2C42.5%2C4.7C851%2C43.6%2C887%2C17.2%2C929.5%2C20.8c52.6%2C4.5%2C60%2C65.9%2C27.3%2C95.9c-1.7%2C1.6-3.6%2C3.1-5.5%2C4.5%0A%09%09%09c-0.6-6.2-5-12.6-12.9-17.6c-2.8-1.9-5.9-3.6-8.6-5.3c-3.4-2.2-4.5-5.8-3.6-10c1.6-7.3%2C13.4-6.5%2C15.4-3.3%0A%09%09%09c-2.6%2C1.7-5.6%2C4.8-5.8%2C8.3c-0.2%2C5.6%2C4.2%2C10.4%2C9.8%2C10.6c9.8%2C0%2C14.2-10%2C11.1-17.9c-3.4-8.7-13.1-11.8-22.3-12.1%0A%09%09%09c-8.9-0.3-17.9%2C1.4-25.9%2C6.4c-7.2%2C4.5-10.3%2C10.7-10.9%2C17.1c-0.1%2C1-0.1%2C1.9%2C0%2C2.8c-0.5%2C0.4-1%2C1-1.4%2C1.5c-0.6%2C1.1-2.3%2C4.4-6.7%2C9.8%0A%09%09%09c-5%2C6.1-13.1%2C15.6-18.8%2C13.5c-2.3-0.8-3.9-3.3-1.4-12.1c0.3-1.1%2C5.3-15%2C10.6-29.9c6.2%2C0.2%2C10.9%2C0.2%2C10.9%2C0.2c1.4%2C0%2C2.6-0.8%2C3.3-2%0A%09%09%09l1.2-2.8c0.9-2.3-0.6-4.8-3.1-4.8l-9%2C0.2c1.4-3.9%2C3.9-11.1%2C3.9-11.1c0.3-1.1%2C0.6-2%2C0.9-3c1.4-4.5-2.3-7.9-6.1-6.9%0A%09%09%09c-2.5%2C0.9-8.7%2C8.4-16.5%2C13.7c-7.2%2C5-15.6%2C7.5-17.3%2C9.2c-1.1%2C1.2-1.4%2C3-1.2%2C4c0.5%2C3%2C3.9%2C3.3%2C9%2C3.3c-2.9%2C7.9-5.8%2C15.6-7.9%2C21.3%0A%09%09%09c-4.2%2C7.9-8.9%2C23.2-16.7%2C22.2c-3.1-0.3-3-4.7-2.2-8.4c0.5-2.8%2C4.5-15.1%2C4.7-22.1c0.2-8.7-5.8-18.8-18.1-19.3%0A%09%09%09c-5-0.2-9.3%2C2.2-13.2%2C5.3c1.2-1.9%2C1.9-2.8%2C2.2-4.5c0.2-1.7-1.1-3.1-2-3.3c-3-0.8-4.8%2C1.6-8.9%2C2.2c-5.3%2C0.9-14-1.1-14.6%2C2.2%0A%09%09%09c-0.8%2C5.1-2.2%2C9.5-4.8%2C16.5c-2.2%2C6.1-4.4%2C12-6.5%2C17.8c-3.1%2C6.2-7%2C12.3-12.3%2C12.7c-1.2%2C0.2-2.3-0.3-3.3-1.2%0A%09%09%09c-1.1-1.2-1.6-4.5%2C1.1-13.1c3.9-12.8%2C8.1-23.2%2C9.3-25.7c2.8-5.6%2C4.4-6.5%2C4.7-9c0.3-1.9-0.9-3.1-2-3.4c-3-0.6-4.7%2C1.6-8.9%2C2.2%0A%09%09%09c-5.3%2C0.9-14-1.1-14.5%2C2.2c-0.8%2C5.3-2.5%2C9.5-4.8%2C16.5c-6.9%2C20.1-9.2%2C25.5-9.8%2C27.4c-8.3%2C20.6-18.2%2C13.1-17-0.3%0A%09%09%09c0.5-4.7%2C1.2-10.4%2C3.1-16.2c5.1-15%2C10-20.4%2C16.2-20.6c2.3%2C4%2C8.7%2C2.6%2C9-2.3c0.2-3.7-2.8-7.3-12.6-6.5C709%2C76.7%2C692%2C90.9%2C687%2C109.6%0A%09%09%09c-3.1%2C11.2-0.9%2C21.2%2C5.5%2C27.7c11.5%2C12%2C29.1%2C6.9%2C36.1-1.7c3.1%2C7.8%2C15.7%2C13.3%2C30.6%2C3.6c-0.2%2C2.9%2C2.2%2C5.6%2C5.3%2C5.6h13.1%0A%09%09%09c2.2%2C0%2C4.2-1.6%2C5-3.7c5-13.9%2C8.7-26.2%2C14-38.8c1.7-4%2C4.2-8.4%2C6.1-11.1c4.8-6.7%2C13.9-9%2C9.8%2C3.7c-6.5%2C20.7-12.8%2C35.5-7%2C43.6%0A%09%09%09c6.5%2C8.8%2C22.1%2C10.9%2C38-5.6c0.6%2C2.1%2C1.3%2C3.7%2C2%2C4.6c7.2%2C10%2C25.9%2C10.9%2C46.4-12.5c5.5-6.1%2C8.9-11.2%2C10.9-15.1%0A%09%09%09c7.6%2C8.2%2C21.2%2C13.6%2C21.5%2C19.3c0.2%2C3.7-1.4%2C6.1-4.2%2C6.9c-3.4%2C0.9-5.9-0.3-6.9-3.9c-0.6-2.2-1.7-6.5-5.8-9%0A%09%09%09c-3.1-1.9-11.5-2.6-14.6%2C5.6c-1.6%2C7.3%2C3.1%2C12.3%2C9.2%2C14.3c7.5%2C2.3%2C16.8%2C2.3%2C17.9%2C2.3c6.1%2C0.2%2C11.7-0.2%2C17.1-1.4%0A%09%09%09c10.6-2.3%2C21.8-8.4%2C28.8-14.6c10.4-9.3%2C18.4-26%2C20.6-32.9C991.8%2C80.6%2C993.2%2C63.5%2C987%2C47z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
Schedule Realignment
This news made me very excited when it was announced. Rob Manfred announced after the CBA agreement that interleague play will be utilized more going forward. Prior, the schedules were dominated by inner-division play and close rivals. Now it is open to any market. This will explain why you are watching the Cardinals play the Toronto Blue Jays this weekend. So what is so significant about this? The greatest fans in baseball will now have the chance to witness greatness that you have not before. Mike Trout has played one series in St Louis in his 11-year career. Now you get to see him as soon as May of 2023. How awesome is that!?
The Roster Depth
From 2018 to 2022, we have witnessed competitive starting lineups each season with a trend going upward for the quality of players and team wins. One thing that always slacked has been the depth of the rosters. The bench players used have not been great at all. For example, we have seen (I am sorry): Justin Williams on opening day, Corey Dickerson used during injury spells, Ben Deluizo, Max Moroff, Jose Rondon, Austin Dean, and the list can go on. These players will make Cardinals fans’ eyes roll in frustration with challenging the competitive mindset of this organization. But now………..we have insane depth. Alec Burleson, Dylan Carlson, Jordan Walker, Nolan Gorman, and a resurgence from Taylor Motter. This team is exciting if you only look at the backups!