The World Champion Saint Louis Cardinals face a daunting task in the upcoming 2007 baseball season but not an impossible one if they want to repeat their spectacular accomplishments of 2006. Not since the 1975-76 seasons has a National League team won back to back World Series’ and the Cardinals face 9/1 odds of repeating at Cardinals face 9 to 1 odds (Bet $100 to win $900) for repeating as World Series Champs at Bodog.com.
“Repeating is difficult,” says shortstop David Eckstein also a member of the 2002 World Champions Anaheim Angels. “Because you are champions, you become a target and you have to be able to handle that.”
“You try to put your best team together for the regular season because there’s really no way to project what things will look like by October,” Cardinals general manager Walt Jockety said. We went into the playoffs with a better record in 2004-2005 and we didn’t win. Last year we did. Things came together for us.”
The Cardinals roster has changed little from the team that won the championship. They have signed as a fee agent Adam Kennedy to replace Ronnie Belliard as the only major change. The bullpen and bench show very little change.Saint Louis retained all but one position player who received 100 at bats and every reliever who made at least 20 appearances which contrasts with the purge some organizations experience after winning a championship.
The team lost starting pitchers Jeff Suppan and Jeff Weaver to free agency but bring back staff ace Chris Carpenter along with Mark Mulder and Anthony Reyes. The trio accounted for a third of the starts last year; however, Mulder is coming off surgery to his rotator cuff and isn’t expected to contribute until mid-season.
The Cardinals need another starter and they have plenty of arms competing for the position this spring. Kip Wells, signed as a free agent from the Pirates, will be guaranteed a starting position while Adam Wainwright, Ryan Franklin and Brandon Looper will be competing for a number four or five starters role.
Arizona Diamondbacks: 50/1
Atlanta Braves: 30/1
Baltimore Orioles: 90/1
Boston Red Sox: 9/1
Chicago Cubs: 9/1
Chicago White Sox: 90/1
Cincinnati Reds: 45/1
Cleveland Indians: 20/1
Colorado Rockies: 100/1
Detroit Tigers: 5/1
Florida Marlins: 35/1
Houston Astros: 35/1
Kansas City Royals: 85/1
Los Angeles Angels: 10/1
Los Angeles Dodgers: 15/1
Milwaukee Brewers: 45/1
Minnesota Twins: 22/1
New York Mets: 9/1
New York Yankees: 7/2
Oakland Athletics: 20/1
Philadelphia Phillies: 15/1
Pittsburgh Pirates: 100/1
San Diego Padres: 30/1
San Francisco Giants: 10/1
Seattle Mariners: 100/1
St Louis Cardinals: 9/1
Tampa Bay Devil Rays: 200/1
Texas Rangers: 40/1
Toronto Blue Jays: 15/1
Washington Nationals: 150/1
