In the offseason’s ninth inning, with the Cubs still bearing down on the division, the Cardinals’ front office made its final counter before games began.
Greg Holland will be a Cardinal, pending a passed physical and a finalized contract that will pay the righthander $14 million for a season of his service.
This is how you show, not tell, a frustrated fan base that snapping a two-year postseason skid means as much to the decision makers as it does to the ticket buyers.
This is how you pepper a prudent approach that prioritizes long-term success with a dash of urgency to win now.