I am thankful for the St. Louis Cardinals

Happy Thanksgiving. Not everyone reading this celebrates Thanksgiving I’m sure, but that’s okay. If you don’t, you can use today as an excuse to buy exorbitant amounts of your favorite food, pour gravy all over it, and then eat too much. That’s pretty much the gist. Another popular Thanksgiving tradition can be giving thanks. So here you go with a Cardinals twist.

I am thankful the Cardinals haven’t had a losing record since 2007. As much as we like to complain about missing the playoffs, the fact that a winning record and missing the playoffs is considered a bad season is pretty great.

I am thankful that Mike Matheny is no longer manager of the Cardinals. He has his faults, but it is infinitely more enjoyable to watch a game managed by Mike Shildt than one by Mike Matheny.

I am thankful for this blog, that I get to write about the sport I love, that I get to read the wonderful writers who have graced this blog both past and present, and for the VEB community at large.

I am thankful for Matt Carpenter, who will forever harm my perception of interesting fringe minor league prospects, because if Matt Carpenter can do it, maybe they can too.

I am thankful for my parents, who introduced me to baseball and the Cardinals when I was less than one-years-old. Probably. I don’t remember my first introduction, that’s how long I’ve known baseball.

I am thankful for Kolten Wong and Paul DeJong, who together probably form the best middle infield combo the Cards have had since... Edgar Renteria and Fernando Vina? Though it looks like the two weren’t both good at the same time at any point, so maybe Ozzie Smith and Tommy Herr? Help me out here.

I am thankful for Jedd Gyorko, who everyone wants to replace as starter, but it’s not you Jedd, it’s us. After being wildly inconsistent in San Diego, Gyorko has become one of the most consistent hitters in baseball with the Cards, with wRC+ of 112, 112, and 110 the past three years.

I am thankful for Miles Mikolas, because I don’t know where the Cardinals staff would be without him and I hope he decides to be here a bit longer than 2019.

Lastly, I’m thankful for Rick Ankiel. I hope he can add to his improbable career and shock us all one more time.

And... I think I’ll end it there. I could go on and mention more players. I missed some obvious ones, but I think I’ll leave that for the comments. Happy Thanksgiving! Unless you don’t celebrate it because you’re not American, in which case, Happy Food Stuffing Day!