Since he left town to play for the Chicago Cubs, much of the sports talk in St. Louis has been about Jason Heyward.
Before he made that decision, he was presented as precious cargo, even a division-winning talent. Post-decision, his skills are marginal, his motives questionable, his impact minimal. It's a natural process, the reverse caterpillar-to-butterfly mutation.
But there are other aspects to the migration north that shouldn't be ignored. This has been yet another winter where the Cardinals have been promoted as serious suitors for free agents, another where they essentially came home empty-handed. Sorry, Jonathan Broxton, no reflection on your 6 feet 4 inches and 310 pounds.