Over the past two free agency periods, the St. Louis Cardinals have said goodbye to more than a handful of guys that were brought up through the organization, guys who made Major League debuts with the club.
While they each had varying levels of success, and wide-ranging impacts on the club while they were here, each guy undoubtedly made a positive contribution to the organization while they were Cardinals.
In the end, it was determined that parting ways was the best option for each player, the Cardinals, or for both parties together. Whether guys decided to move on in search of more playing time, or if they were dealt to acquire more talent in line with the Cardinals’ needs at the time, it is never easy seeing a player go that you watched develop through the Cardinal system.