Leaves are changing, summer has faded away and Cardinal’s baseball is back with energy from an array of new faces bringing swagger that St. Louis hasn’t seen for some time.
      Having clinched the NL Central, the Cardinals are doing a last minute honing of their skills before a potential World Series run.
      Mid-season acquisitions of outfielder Matt Holliday, third baseman and outfielder Mark DeRosa and second baseman Julio Lugo have provided the Cardinals with some youth and intensity reminiscent of the 2006 World Series team.
      That trio, complemented by young studs and mustached heroes Skip Schumacher and Brendan Ryan, and clean-shaven rookie Colby Rasmus make up a killer batting lineup loaded with solid hitters.
      An avid baseball fan, senior Derek Pon agrees.
     “Pujols and Holliday batting three and four is one of the best one-two combinations in the major leagues,” said Pon.
       But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
      The Cardinals will face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first round, with hitting sensations Andre Ethier and Manny Ramirez leading the way. Don’t expect the Cardinals to get off easy. The durability of the Redbird pitching staff will be tested.
      Coming off of a stellar, 20-win in August, the Cardinals finished up September with only 13 wins. Cardinal’s fans can only hope that their team is only slowing up because they’re conscious of having a playoff birth.
      “We’ve been pretty solid,” said senior Jaryd Manley.  “A little weak as of late but we’ll pick it up.”
      One thing is for sure.  “GO CARDS” will be written in lights of downtown St. Louis office buildings, and Cardinal Nation will rise to the occasion as the Redbirds try to repeat a magical 2006.