DownSwinging.com

This morning the St. Louis Cardinals pulled off a deal for the second-largest player on the trading block this season, Oakland A’s left fielder Matt Holliday. Although Holliday has struggled a little this season in Oakland, a better lineup and more hitter-friendly ballpark in Busch Stadium should get him back on track. The Cardinals didn’t get him for free, however, giving up 22-year old third basemen prospect Brett Wallace, the team’s first-round pick in the 2008 draft. Wallace is currently in AAA. The move is just further evidence that Cardinals have marked this year as one to go for it all–and why not? The team has the talent to get to the playoffs and beyond.

In a hotly-contested NL Central, however, the playoffs were no sure thing, so this was the right move for the Cards, boosting their lineup and giving them some extra power. Maybe more important however, is getting some production into the cleanup spot of the Cardinals lineup, where they rank 12th in the National League in OPS. It’s incredible that Albert Pujols has had the season he has had considering the lack of a threat behind him. Expect Pujols to continue to rake for the rest of the season, as he should see more balls fly into the zone.