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Central issue: Once a model empire, Cardinals are playing catch-up to division rivals

Milwaukee Brewers general manager David Stearns stood nearby, on the grass, as his club took batting practice at Busch Stadium and surveyed the landscape of the National League Central, tracing a line from the team that had been king to the team that would soon be.

“The truth is we never really put a time frame on any of this,” he admitted. “We sought to get younger. We sought to get talent that could be together for a long time. We did that via trades and minor-league acquisitions and waiver claims. For a long time it was the Cubs, Cardinals, Pirates.