St Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals have been blessed with the gift of pitching over the last few seasons. So much so that Trevor Rosenthal, once viewed as having a future in the starting rotation, has seemingly settled in to his role as the team's closer. He pitched well there at times last season, but he still has a plan to improve in 2015.

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The St. Louis Cardinals have a reputation for making astute moves, and they furthered it Thursday by re-signing starting pitcher Lance Lynn to a three-year contract.    

According to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, the 27-year-old righty will earn an average of over $7 million per season:

The once-stocked Cardinals system isn’t as strong as previous years, though that was to be expected after the team graduated Kolten Wong and Carlos Martinez to the major leagues last season and tragically lost a future star in Oscar Taveras.

The St. Louis Cardinals have found success over the last few seasons with a strong pitching staff. The rotation, while successful, has been a source of injury concern. The team has seemed confident that the starting pitchers are healthy for the 2015 season. Their rumored interest in top-tier starters may suggest otherwise.

The St. Louis Cardinals have been quiet ever since starting their winter off with a bang by acquiring Jason Heyward. A bit too quiet.

As the world prepares to turn the final calendar page of 2014, it creates a time of reflection. The 2014 calendar year was a busy one for the sport of baseball, and the St. Louis Cardinals are no exception. The top five stories of 2014 give a snapshot of a dynamic time in St. Louis.

The Cardinals have been one of baseball's most successful teams in recent memory. Consistently finding their way to the postseason, developing talent from within the organization and being strong-willed enough to make trades to try and improve the team have all become standard operation for the team.

History suggests the St. Louis Cardinals rarely go all-in during the offseason.

The St. Louis Cardinals were escorted into the offseason short of winning their 12th World Series championship. Looking ahead, the core of the team remains intact, and the Cardinals will need to make some cost-effective adjustments to their roster this winter.

Big spending is out of the question. Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. hasn't operated like that since he took the reigns of the organization in 1996.

The St. Louis Cardinals face a few questions during the offseason as they prepare for 2015. The team has found a successful formula by cultivating talent in their minor league system. General Manager John Mozeliak has also shown that he is not afraid to go out and find a complimentary piece on the free agent market or in trades.