And then you get moments like I had this morning – the chance to actually hold an amazingly well-crafted piece of championship swag in my hands. The item – The Year of the St. Louis Cardinals: Celebrating the 2011 World Series Champions.

As soon as the World Series was over, magazines and special print editions of collectible books of all kinds were overwhelming newsstands. But simply picking up this version – the Official MLB Collector’s Edition – made it clear it was far and away a different breed. With a thick, trade paperback binding  and smooth, muted texture, the make and style of the book immediately speaks to its quality.

Honestly, the heft, feel, and general appearance reminds me of a team yearbook, although less dime-store glossy and clearly more carefully considered. But perhaps the best way to describe this edition is to tell you just what sets it apart from other, cheaper books.

Scope: Inside, the book attempts to cover the entire St. Louis Cardinals postseason using an easy to read, comprehensive approach…but it doesn’t stop there. In what appears to be a clear attempt to provide perspective, the editors included pieces specifically designed to properly place the Cardinals’ historic run in context with the rest of the MLB season. Month-by-month recaps of the regular season discuss runs and injuries by the Giants, Yankees, and other teams alongside monthly check-ins with the Champion Cardinals. One page features profile a number of topics, including the “greatest night of baseball’s regular season,” a behind-the-scenes look at World Series ticketing prices, and a brief look at the history and identity of the current incarnation of Busch Stadium. And the book’s presentation is ultimately fleshed out by tables and snapshots of statistical performances and player data that, as Bilbo Baggins would say, “fills up the corners” nicely.

Photos: It’s easy to see that the contributors of this book placed a premium on high-quality photographs. From the outset, large, high-definition shots dominate the pages in an attempt to chronicle not only the players, but the overall experience of the season. Picture quality is so high that even the weave and pattern of the player’s uniforms can be made out in most shots. When references to the rally squirrel and pics of the World Series logo being painted on the Busch Stadium grass appear side by side in the same photo spread…that’s a win.

Quality: From page one, this book stands out as the result of painstaking effort and attention to detail. The presentation, the format, the accuracy, and the content is top-notch…but what really does it for me is the anchor piece near the end of the book by Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports. Passan is one of the most talented – and one of my favorite – sports writers in the industry today. His down-to-earth perspective blended with lofty idealism and gritty reality makes for truly unique and entertaining reads. In this article, he takes on the special stature of Albert Pujols. As much as I can’t stand reading Pujols stories now, Passan’s piece deserves to be the centerpiece of such a memorable collection of World Series content. The editing team should be commended for having the wisdom to include such a young, talented baseball writer.

When it comes down to it, I can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed flipping through this book. There were predictable pieces – like postseason game recaps – and pleasant surprises such as a look at the design process behind the World Series logo. If you are a Cardinals fan intent on collecting World Series memorabilia, and you find yourself dithering in front of the newsstand trying to decide between the hundreds of magazines and spur-of-the-moment publications…save yourself some time, get online, and grab a copy of The Year of the St. Louis Cardinals: Celebrating the 2011 World Series Champions. You won’t be disappointed.

Wrap-Up

Of course, no review would be complete without a list of suggested improvements…so here it goes:

1. More Meat: The content found within the book is extensive and honestly leaves very little room for more at the current price point…but it would be nice to have a bit more, anyway. Simply adding three or four multiple page articles from newspapers from around the country could really fatten things up a bit. Maybe a bit of reaction from the Post Dispatch after Game 6 of the World Series, or an original piece or two on the context and place of this World Series in history. Just a bit more.

2. Photo Section: The book does an excellent job with the photos it includes – and there are quite a few – but they were so good that they left me wanting more. I would like to see an entire section near the end of the book dedicated just to telling the story of the Series in pictures. No words…just candid shot after candid shot of players, fans, and anyone/thing else that helps capture the visual flavor of #11 in ’11.

3. Hardcover: The book is such a high quality piece, it seems a shame it’s only available in paperback (unless I missed it). It would be nice if Random House Canada offered the same edition in hard back for serious collectors – maybe even a leather slipcase edition? I know, I know…overkill…but for truly rabid St. Louis fans, is there really such a thing as “overkill”? I don’t think so.

GO CARDS!!!

And in case you missed it…CLICK HERE to buy your copy today.

Rookie manager Mike Matheny has a tall order in front of him – continue Cardinals greatness while leading a re-tooled, Pujols-less lineup into a new era of St. Louis baseball. The task was difficult enough as it was, but then Albert had to up and desert us over a few million bucks (okay…it was more than a “few” million…but still…). Now, things are a bit more complicated.

What was once a simple lineup construction strategy – insert Albert in the #3 hole, Holliday in the #4 hole, Berkman in the #5 hole, Freese in the #6 hole…fill in the rest of the holes…wash, rinse, repeat – is now a conundrum of possibilities. Does Lance hit third? Holliday? Is Freese ready for regular time in the 5 hole? Can Yadi stick in the 6 spot? Where in the world does Beltran hit?

Let’s start there. Below is a possible lineup configuration for Opening Day in Florida. Take a look as we unpack the latest and greatest Cardinals team.

1. Rafael Furcal – SS
While his postseason performance was less than inspiring, Furcal is still the best everyday option in the leadoff spot. A case can be made for Jon Jay to hit here against righties, but let’s consider the following: A) Jay has never really shown he can step up in the leadoff role. He’s been much better when simply allowed to get comfortable elsewhere and settle in. B) Jay is only a viable option against righties. Furcal offers the switch-hitting flexibility to solidify the top spot and provide needed stability in front of a run of All-Stars and MVPs. C) Furcal is not playing for a contract now. I hope that means he’ll stop swinging for power and just stroke the ball to all fields. When Furcal swings from his heels…it’s embarrassing.

2. Carlos Beltran – RF
Matheny has already hinted at Carlos in the two spot. As a student of TLR, Mike is naturally inclined to stick a good hitter with power ahead of his best hitter – especially a veteran All-Star who knows how to work an at-bat. And let’s face it…sticking Furcal and Beltran ahead of Holliday with Berkman behind him means the batting champion from Colorado is surrounded by switch-hitters. Talk about difficult to pitch to! An opposing pitching staff must navigate its way around two switch-hitting, MVP-caliber All-Stars to pitch to Matt Holliday. That’s just scary.

3. Matt Holliday – LF
Make no mistake…the departure of Albert Pujols makes Matt Holliday the best hitter on the team. He deserves the three spot. Berkman’s 2011 performance was inspiring, but let’s not anoint him the golden bat just yet. An expected drop-off for 2012 and his susceptibility to left-handed pitching makes Berkman the right man for the clean-up position…not the number three hole.

4. Lance Berkman – 1B
Aaahhh…that fits just right. Lance isn’t the sure-fire threat he once was, but he’s a helluva bat in the middle of the lineup. He fits comfortably into the four spot for many obvious reasons…but perhaps the most subtle is his OBP and ability to work an at-bat in front of emerging third baseman David Freese. Big Puma’s vulnerability to left-handed pitching is a liability in the three hole – necessitating a shift down a spot or two against southpaws – but his skills as a veteran switch-hitter are an asset in the clean-up spot. Not only does it make it more difficult to pitch around Holliday, but it should also allow David “Mr. RBI” Freese greater opportunities to drive in runs. As a number three hitter, Berkman would be a nomad, sliding up and down as the pitching matchup dictates, but as a clean-up hitter…he becomes a significant RBI threat and OBP asset on an everyday basis.

5. David Freese – 3B
With Berkman holding down the number four spot in the order with regularity, Freese is allowed to comfortably squat in the five spot and clean up the scraps. The fifth spot in the order – comfortably positioned behind four veteran All-Stars – offers The Iceman plenty of opportunity to contribute offensively without over-exposing the young, injury-prone World Series MVP (does it feel like I’m over-using hyphens today? I think I am…ah well). His opposite-field power and uncanny composure will complement the big guns nicely from the shotgun position in the lineup.

6. Yadier Molina – C
For my money, this is the big question mark in the order. Yadi is fresh off his best offensive season – albeit a down defensive year – and just so happens to be in the walk year of his contract the year after his good buddy (Albert “The Betrayer”) fled for LA. With AP out of the picture, more pressure will fall on Molina to establish himself as an offensive weapon. The question is, was 2011 a fluke? Or an indicator of things to come? On his side are his career numbers hitting sixth (BA .299 / OBP .353) versus seventh (BA .280 / OBP .339) in the order, but with Pujols gone, this team no longer has the offensive cushion it once enjoyed. If even one member of the two through five hitters is out for a significant period of time (without a fully healthy and effective Allen Craig), then Yadi gets pushed to the five hole. For his career, he’s a .242 hitter with an OBP of .298 in the fifth spot. That’s not good.

7. Jon Jay – CF
As long as no one is injured (and Craig isn’t playing), Jay in the seven spot is a no-brainer. But again, if a member of the big bopper parade goes down, Jay likely goes up. Because of Yadi’s noted struggles in the five spot, I have to believe Beltran would move down and open up the two hole for Jay. As long as he’s getting on base, that formula could work long enough to allow the injured hitter to return to the lineup.

8. Daniel Descalso – 2B
As much as I believe in Skip Schumaker, it appears the end of the Tony LaRussa era in St. Louis also ended Skip’s run at second base. Chatter coming out of the Busch Stadium offices indicates Daniel Descalso gets the upper hand in Spring Training. I don’t think I have a problem with the move – defensive range at second should improve noticeably – but I am concerned about Dirty Dan’s ability to offensively contribute every day. Does it matter much in the eighth spot? I guess we’ll find out. Maybe Double D’s defensive contributions will save enough runs to make the offensive drop palatable.

9. Chris Carpenter – P
This isn’t significant from an offensive standpoint, of course, but with the return of Adam Wainwright, many may raise a few eyebrows at my choice for Carpenter on Opening Day. I don’t care. Carp’s performance in the World Series and the rest of the postseason – as well as his career contributions to the Cardinals – more than earns him the spot of Staff Ace for a day. Plus, many managers are notorious for trying to restrict young pitchers returning from surgery. I have to believe Matheny is going to err on the side of caution with young Mr. Wainwright. The extra adrenaline of Opening Day after a Championship season may be a bit too much to lay on a surgically repaired elbow. Besides…Carp started and finished the 2011 season. Isn’t it appropriate for him to open the 2012 season as well?

Strengths of the 2012 Team

Flexibility:  With three switch-hitters, three right-handed hitters, and two left-handed hitters in the everyday lineup, the Cardinals could deploy a number of different looks against any matchup.

Chemistry:  A lot was made of the 2010 team’s lack of chemistry and the 2011 team’s abundance of the same…but when it comes right down to it, many don’t really know what kind of role it played in either team’s fate. But one thing is for sure…the 2012 Cardinals will have plenty of veteran leadership in Berkman, Holliday, Molina, Furcal, Beltran, and Carpenter. Motivation, perspective, and perseverance should not be a problem.

Bullpen:  Barring some sort of unforeseen trade, the bullpen depth is much improved since the start of last season. Guys like Motte, Sanchez, Salas, and Rzepcynski should solidify a young, nasty staff, and Kyle McClellan should be back to his typically effective self with a full Spring Training as a reliever under his belt. Throw in Lance Lynn and things are looking rather bright.

The Big Three:  The return of Adam Wainwright means the return of The Big Three at the top of the St. Louis rotation. Wainwright, Carpenter, and Garcia are once again free to terrorize a weakened NL Central, and Westbrook can settle in as a low pressure number five option. In 2011, Jake was asked to shoulder a number two or three spot in the absence of Adam Wainwright. The result was not pretty. This year, he gets to return to a more appropriate bottom of the rotation slot. The benefits should be immediate.

Weaknesses of the 2012 Team

Depth:  With Allen Craig injured, the St. Louis offense has little margin for error. Hell…even when he returns, how much can truly be expected of him with an overhauled knee in the outfield? Many have suggested he’ll spell Berkman at first base to ease the strain on his knee, but what about Lance’s own statements that the infield is actually more strenuous on achy knees than the outfield? For that matter, what about Berkman’s knees with a full season of first base? And have we already forgotten about Allen Craig’s infield hi-jinx in 2011? Eek.

Health:  The 2012 Cardinals are relying heavily on players who have missed significant time due to injuries in the last couple seasons. Furcal hasn’t been able to cobble together a complete season since 2009…and he only appeared in 36 games the year before that in ’08! Beltran isn’t much better. In 2008, he played in more games (161) than in 2009 (81) and 2010 (64) combined (145). Even 2011 was injury-shortened to only 142 games. David Freese’s ankle issues are well-documented, but even a strong performance from both legs couldn’t avoid a broken hand in 2011. And let’s not forget that Lance Berkman won the Comeback Player of the Year award for the National League for a reason. Add all that to Matt Holliday’s preference for quirky injuries, Adam Wainwright’s first year back from TJ surgery, and Allen Craig’s bionic knee…and suddenly Chris Carpenter’s 270+ innings in 2011 at 37 years old seems downright reliable.

Rotation Questions:  If Carp can hold up, Wainwright can return to form, and Garcia can settle down…the STL Big Three has a shot to be something special. But more than likely, at least two of those will not happen consistently. In that case, the success of the 2012 starting rotation falls to Kyle Lohse and Jake Westbrook. Lohse can be “good enough,” but Jake is a roll of the dice. No one knows which Westbrook will show up. Yes, Lance Lynn can reinforce the starting five…but won’t he be entrenched in the bullpen next season? If not, how much worse is the ‘pen with Mitchell Boggs holding down a critical role? Uncertainty abounds.

Wrap-Up!

That’ll do it for this peek at the future. I hate to end it with a gloomy list of concerns, so let’s just end it with this:

No matter what happens, one thing is for sure. The St. Louis Cardinals are the reigning World Series Champions during the entire 2012 season!!!

GO CARDS!!!

P.S. Think about this…if Craig comes back healthy and effective, and Beltran can play CF reliably…how crazy does this lineup look:  1. Furcal SS  2. Beltran CF  3. Holliday LF  4. Berkman 1B  5. Craig RF  6. Freese 3B  7. Molina C  8. Descalso 2B  9. Pitcher………..eek.