No player is bigger than the organization itself

Following the departure of one of the all-time Saint Louis Cardinals' greats, Albert Pujols, Cardinals' newest general manager John Mozeliak did an amazing job of showing "Cardinal Nation", as well as the entire baseball world, that no matter how good you are or have been--you're nowhere near as big as the organization itself.

Looking back at the recent-past of professional sports, when a team loses such a big superstar as Albert Pujols was to this team, and the sport of Major League Baseball, a lot of organizations crumble. (The Cavaliers are a great example of this following there departure of hometown superstar LeBron James when he exited Cleveland for the likes of the Miami Heat).

There is no doubt whatsoever that the very second that the news broke world-wide that Pujols' was indeed leaving Saint Louis for the Los Angeles Angels of Anahiem, everybody that is apart of "Cardinal Nation" had a broken heart and couldn't believe it at all. Albert did so many things for this team, which included two World Series championships for the greatest baseball town in the entire world--and even though he decided that St. Louis wasn't where he wanted to finish out his insanely-good career, I am very happy and truly satisfied with the way the front office took care of business and went about the whole departure.

The front office handled it the way that any true championship organization should have. Sure, since the moment that the Cardinals even thought about Pujols leaving, which was the second he signed his last contract with the team, they knew that they couldn't let him go. He has been a notorious-icon for Cardinal Nation since the first time he stepped onto the field for the birds on the bat. He is the type of player that only comes around once in a lifetime--and that specific player that any true baseball fan would actually pay the big bucks to go see play.

Also, Pujols was the type of player that any manager would be amazed to manage. A guy that can play as well as he does, and that can make such a big difference in the club house and behind closed doors, you just don't let walk away from your team. He could truly define a career with even very little talent behind him--and why? Because he forces the best out of not only himself, but out of every teammate of his as well.

The exact-instant that Mozeliak was informed that his superstar wasn't returning could have very well ended his short-tenured managing career--but it didn't--and not only did he lose possibly the greatest hitter of all-time, he also lost arguably the greatest manager of all time in Tony LaRussa as well.

Last season was one of the greatest seasons in Cardinal history--but as the record books prove, not many teams have even come close to doing what 2011's team did. With both losses in Pujols and LaRussa, months following the championship, nobody in there right mind could have been very high on the 2012 squad--except for Mo.

He went out and got himself a great upside-potentialed manager, convinced Dave Duncan (who has been a huge factor in the Cardinals' success under La Russa) to stay as the team's pitching coach, and even went out and got this team some power at the plate--as well as some big time help in a very thin bullpen.

He resigned Rafael Furcal to a two-year deal, which has been the Cardinals best lead-off hitter in years, resigned an improving Skip Schumaker for a cheap price, and also went out and signed an absolute Cardinal-killer from the recent past for two years in Carlos Beltran. A few days later, he proved he wasn't done when he signed J.C. Romero to a one year contract, and while he wasn't the absolute best avaliable at the time, but is another guy that has been nasty in the past--and if there is one thing that we all know, Dave Duncan has had very good luck in working magic to bring out the best in a lot of pitchers that were struggling before hand.

Then on March 1st, Mo probably made his biggest and most important move when he announced the resigning of Yadier Molina to a five-year, $75 million dollar contract, making him the second-highest catcher in all of baseball behind just Joe Mauer of Minnesota, who won the AL MVP award just two seasons ago. Despite what a lot of people believe, I truly do believe that Molina is the biggest commadity that this team has. He not only has been dominant behind the plate blocking balls and throwing out base-runners trying to steal, but he calls the pitches for every pitch thrown and knows how to win games being a players type of coach. He can change games in three different ways--which I can't think of any other player in the league that can do that.

Mozeliak did one heck of a job at keeping together a championship team that lost the valuable pieces that we did. As he stated in the press-conference following the Pujols-departure, "I made the move because it's what was best for my team and the future." For the price that Pujols wanted--as well as recieved, would have made the future of this team for the next ten seasons sink quicker than a weight in water.

What Mo did for the Cardinals, the fans, and for all of the sports world was a valuable lesson learned. No matter the talent, the records, or the name on the back of the jersey is bigger than the symbol on the front of the jersey. Oh, and for Albert Pujols himself, we won championships before you came--and we will win championships after you. (little bitter, but can you blame me?)