St Louis Cardinals

Baseball's best franchise is about to be tested.

Matt Holliday has always been in an odd place as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals.

While plenty of fans recognize him for what he has done, there is a certain faction that seems to always be looking for a reason to complain about Holliday.

For St. Louis Cardinals fans, it's been a long wait to see top prospect Oscar Taveras in action. The 21-year-old Dominican Republic outfielder was ranked as the No.

Down on the farm, a vast majority of the St. Louis Cardinals' top 10 prospects are having noteworthy seasons.

Earning a spot on the big league roster is the ultimate goal for these young players, and the future certainly looks bright with the vast assortment of raw talent the Cardinals boast in their minor league system.

Outfielders Oscar Taveras and Stephen Piscotty are among the Cardinals prospects that are flourishing this season at Triple-A Memphis.

Few if any would’ve envisioned the St. Louis Cardinals to be hovering around .500 a month-and-a-half into the regular season. The Cardinals are the reigning National League champions, the team many picked to run away with the Central Division.

Yes, the season is young, but the Cardinals’ unexpected slump to begin 2014 is reason enough to believe general manager John Mozeliak could make a few moves at the trade deadline.

After reaching the World Series last season, the St. Louis Cardinals have decided to extend the contract of general manager John Mozeliak.

According to Major League Baseball on Twitter, the two-year extension means that Mozeliak is now contracted through the 2018 season:

While perusing this list of the top MLB salaries in 2014, you have to travel down 22 spots before seeing the first St. Louis Cardinals player. Adam Wainwright checks in there with his $19.5 million payday this season.

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Michael Wacha never wanted to be called “Wacha Flocka Flame.”

“I guess it’s just something I have to get used to,” he said on Friday before the Cardinals played the Pittsburgh Pirates.

St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Matt Adams, by most accounts, had a solid opening series against the Cincinnati Reds. He produced with the bat, proved that a defensive shift will not always work against him and played adequate defense. Then he tried to catch a foul ball as it flew into the stands down the right field line.

That play seems to be all anyone can talk about now.

The St. Louis Cardinals were tabbed by Baseball America in 2013 as the top minor league system in Major League Baseball. That marked a massive turnaround for an organization that had been consistently ranked near the bottom over the past 15 years.