It only gets better from here

Everyday I think about how wonderful the Cardinals are. They are coming off a NL Championship season and already have the best record in the National League this year. I, like most Cards fans, would take a championship this year even if it means five years of being the worst team in the league. The good news is that the Cards do not have to sacrifice the future to be good now.

Reasons the Cards should be good for another five years:

• Albert Pujols is 25, the best hitter in baseball and signed long term. Any team with this guy on it is going to have a chance. Also, his contract is not too large to prevent signing other big talent.
  
• Scott Rolen is 30, the best thirdbaseman in baseball and signed long term. He is just hitting his prime and has at least five more years of top tier baseball in him.
  
• Yadier Molina is 22 and turning in to a great catcher already. All of you doubters who were out there in April are finding out what your shoe tastes like. He hit over 300 in May and every year I expect him to add a little more power. Not to mention he already has to be considered one of the best arms behind the plate in the game. The rate at which he picks off and throws out base runners is crazy. He also learned a thing or two about blocking balls last year from the master .
  
• The starting rotation is all 30 years old or younger. Mulder is 27, Marquis is 26, everyone else is only 30. None of them are signed for more than 2006, but that will be the focus of Jocketty over the next two years. Even if he fails to sign one or two of them:
  
• There are a handful of starters in the minors, lead by Anthony Reyes waiting for a chance. Adam Wainwright is also looking better this year after his injury. Last year's pick Chris Lambert is on the right track for 2008 maybe. Also, the Chris Gissell guy that managed to pitch well for the Rockies system in Colorado Springs is tearing it up so far in Memphis.
  
• Walt Jocketty is the man.
• To make it totally unfair, the Cards have seven picks in the first three rounds of the draft this week, including four in the first/supplemental first round. I am anxiously awaiting the draft so that I can become overly optimistic about some kids that may or may not ever make it to the Cardinals. But with so many early round picks the Cards are bound to make one or two good ones. The Jocketty system is to develop the talent and then trade it away for established stars. In a dream scenario, the Cards would have a good hitting college outfielder fall into their laps for the 28th pick and he would be ready to play in a couple years when Edmonds contract is done and Reggie and Larry are long gone.