Are the St. Louis Cardinals Setting the Table for a Bigger Blockbuster?

The St. Louis Cardinals have completed a trade sending three minor leaguers, including top prospect Brett Wallace, to the Oakland Athletics for Matt Holliday.

Earlier this week, they traded outfielder Chris Duncan to the Boston Red Sox for Julio Lugo.

Just before the All-Star Break, they made a deal with the Cleveland Indians to bring in Mark DeRosa.

What do all three of these guys have in common?

You guessed it: They're veterans who's contracts expire after this season.

Does that sound like an organization looking to the future, or going for broke and trying to win it all in 2009?

Which leads to my next question: What would be the biggest, and boldest, move the Cardinals could make to put their stamp on the title of "Team to Beat" in the National League?

Roy Halladay.

I understand that trading Wallace to Oakland takes the top prospect out of their organization, but let's take a step back for a moment. This is a Cardinals team that's making moves at break-neck speed to build a winner this year. They are showing, in some regards, contempt for their future by shooting for the moon now.

Some Cardinals fans are undoubtedly shouting into a beer right now, calling Wallace "another Dan Haren." We'll see. But if Holliday is wearing a nice new piece of jewelry next April, I'm pretty sure Red Bird fans won't be complaining down the road.

So, if the Cardinals are playing for right now, what could they do to make the Blue Jays want to begin their fire sale by sending Halladay to St. Louis?

How about a major league outfielder to replace Vernon Wells/Alex Rios, a young major league shortstop to replace Marco Scutaro, and a couple pitching prospects?

The Cardinals now have the same problem they've had for the last three years: too many outfielders. Even after moving Chris Duncan, the Cardinals now have Matt Holliday playing one corner outfield position and Ryan Ludwick the other, while Rookie of the Year candidate Colby Rasmus plays between them.

That is, of course, when Rick Ankiel isn't playing center.

And DeRosa could play a pretty good corner outfield spot, too.

The Cardinals also have too many infielders. If they get Troy Glaus back at some point, they'll have him to play third, the King at first, and a mix of Brendan Ryan, DeRosa, Lugo, and converted outfielder Skip Schumaker around their middle infield.

What a luxury to have so many good options to choose from!

But I think the deeper question, in light of the apparent philosophical movement in the Cardinals' front office to win in 2009 and worry about 2010 in November, is what's keeping them from moving more young pieces?

Would the Blue Jays be enticed by a package that included Ryan, Ludwick, and a couple of young pitchers, possibly including Jason Motte? I would have to think so.

This might be something to watch for in the coming four or five days.

The Cardinals might be building a veteran foundation from which they can move younger, less-expensive players to Canada for another ace. If the Cardinals added Halladay, they would certainly be the team to beat this October in the National League.