Cardinals Opening Day 2013 Questions

Busch Stadium

So, here we are...CardsMerch blog celebrates its second Opening Day with you...the fans. Can you smell the freshly cut grass of the ballparks across the nation? The team is in Phoenix ready to battle the Diamondbacks tonight, but back in St. Louis and across Cardinals Nation there is a great anticipation along with many questions.


What will the season hold?

Will Yadi be in the run for MVP again?

Can Wainwright gain the wins to return to pre-surgery form?
How long will Shelby Miller be in the rotation? 
Will Chris Carpenter join us on the bench in St. Louis?

How many hours will Matt Holliday put in the gym each day?
Will Matt Carpenter have to play at second base consistently?
Where does Matt Adams find his place in the lineup?
How many players named Matt will be in the lineup during the season?

Will we see Oscar Taveras in the outfield?
Will Kolten Wong join the middle infield?

What other David Freese and Allen Craig type players are going to join us?
After his big spring training, how will Shane Robinson do?

These and many other questions remain to be seen throughout the season.

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Play catch (up) with the St. Louis Cardinals?

If you haven't been paying attention to the Cardinals off season, then here's the way to get most of the news quickly.
I'll provide some links and a quick recap of the story. Stories are mostly called from MLB.com, but if you haven't been following their feed then this should get you up to date on some of my picks for the greatest news have this offseason.

David Freese avoids arbitration - David Freese signed a 1 year deal to avoid arbitration.

Carpenter out - Chris Carpenter most likely out for the year with continued problems in his throwing arm. It could force his retirement.

1/29/2013 | Taveras ranked No. 3 among Top 100 Prospects Outfielder Oscar Taveras has been named baseball's third-best prospect in MLB.com's Top 100 rankings. 1/28/2013 | Cardinals agree to one-year deal with Cedeno Seeking a veteran middle infielder to provide depth and insurance behind shortstop Rafael Furcal, the Cardinals, after sifting through a thin free-agent market, have signed Ronny Cedeno. 1/24/2013 | Thousands pay respects to Musial at visitation A six-hour public visitation for Hall of Famer Stan Musial, who died at the age of 92 on Saturday, brought thousands of people out to the Cathedral Basilica in St. Louis on Thursday. 1/24/2013 | Musial's 1942 club was Cardinals' best Stan Musial played on three World Series winners and watched many, many more. However, the Hall of Famer, who passed away Saturday, said the 1942 Cardinals were the best in franchise history. 1/22/2013 | Motte, Cardinals reach two-year agreement Closer Jason Motte has inked a two-year contract with the Cardinals that will buy out his final two seasons of arbitration-eligibility. At the end of the deal, Motte will be a free agent. 1/21/2013 | Molina excited to have brother as Cards coach Having never had the opportunity to play professionally with his older brother Bengie, Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina spoke Monday about his anticipation over the prospect of donning the same uniform this season. Along with that came an endorsement as well. What do you think the biggest news of the offseason has been?