Could it be deja vu all over again?
When the St. Louis Cardinals opened their 2007 season as the defending World Series champions, top starting pitcher Chris Carpenter left his first outing early with right elbow pain and went on to miss the remainder of the year with Tommy John surgery.
St. Louis finished that season 78-84, good enough for third place in the National League Central division.
Fast-forward to 2012, where the Redbirds are set to defend their 2011 World Series title. And wouldn't you know, Carpenter is dealing with a bulging disc injury that could sideline him for a prolonged period of time.
Could this spell doom for St. Louis just like it did in 2007? No way, Jose.
I'm not saying the Cardinals will repeat as champions. I'm merely predicting a playoff berth for the birds on the bat.
Let's start with the pitching.