A Time Of Thanks

""This is my place.  This is where I want to be.  I don't hide that.  I'm still going to be a Cardinal for two more years and hopefully 15 more years--if I can play for that long--and retire as a Cardinal."
"

• An ownership who cares about winning and is cognizant of their fan base.  The owners could have hoped the team could win the division, but they went out and made the Matt Holliday trade to make sure of it.  It's also a smart organization, who isn't sold on throwing just everything at Holliday in free agency just because they traded for him.
• Wonderful pitching.  Watching Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright, even Joel Pineiro running off strong start after strong start this season was a wonder to behold.  I know we won't see that (to that level) next year, which makes the run they had this year, when they went seemingly weeks without allowing even three runs a game, so much more memorable.
• Yadier Molina.  His offense will never carry him into that "must draft in your rotisserie league" status, but when you combine that with his defense, you have just about a good of a catcher as you can imagine.  I love those throw downs to Pujols trying to pick a runner off.  I can't believe that they still are able to do it--you'd think the league would just stay on the bag by now!
• A solid team, both on and off the field.  For the most part, the Cardinals seem to have good people that make up the roster and the organization.  Granted, some people have negative opinions of the personalities of some of the players, but others will gush over them.  Last I checked, none of them were perfect.  However, most of the debate about players involves how they are producing between the lines, not what they are doing on their time off.

• Matt Holliday is thankful that he didn't spend all year in Oakland and that some people are focused on what Ryan Franklin did in NLDS Game 2.
• Ryan Franklin is thankful he got that extension signed early and that some people are focused on what Matt Holliday did in NLDS Game 2.
• Kyle McClellan is thankful that Adam Wainwright doesn't hold grudges, especially since a 20th win could have put Waino's name in the history books.
• Keith Law is thankful that he doesn't live anywhere close to St. Louis, so he hasn't had to clean his house and lawn this week.
• Kyle Lohse is thankful that 2008 was his free agent year, not 2009.
• Joel Pineiro is thankful Jose Oquendo didn't let him pitch for Puerto Rico, motivating him for a great year.
• Mark McGwire is thankful that the Cardinals had award nominees, allowing his press conference to be pushed back.
• Tony LaRussa is thankful he doesn't have to train a new pitching coach.
• Fredbird is thankful that no one has yet to mistake him for a turkey.