The End of the Brendan Ryan Era.

The biggest concern after the 2010 season was discovering why the Cardinals underperformed for the talent level. They have a history of getting the most out of players, not of having seasons where their record is lower than the what the sum of their parts says it should be. It seems that the front office decided that a big part of it was clubhouse chemistry, and I tend to agree. The Cardinals are, for lack of a better word, a very business like team. They are very intense. They don't have many guys that bring levity to the season. They are all very stoic, workmanlike and just go about their business. Brendan Ryan was just not good in the clubhouse. He just never really grew up. He routinely made mental mistakes, and his personality is the type that just grates on the nerves. The organization gave him a chance, and I am sure, given that it was talked about in the media, was made aware that he needed to calm down. It was just time for him to move on and he might very well thrive with a new team, but St. Louis was not the place for him. He is a top flight defensive shortstop. One of the best, if not THE best in baseball. This should give some idea of how much of a distraction he was in the clubhouse if a team that values defense the way the Cardinals do were willing to move him for next to nothing. The signings and trades they have made this offseason show that the clubhouse chemistry was an issue. They go out and make a trade for Ryan Theriot, who is a definite downgrade defensively at short, but is known as being a great clubhouse guy. Then they sign Lance Berkman, even though he really wasn't a great fit, and lo and behold, he is another that is known as a great clubhouse guy. The kind of guy that can keep a team loose in August. This also of course, seems to create an issue in the outfield. The Cardinals seemed to be pretty sure they were willing to give Jon Jay a shot in the outfield. This seems to make him the 4th outfielder. Maybe the Berkman signing was a indicator that maybe the Cardinals other biggest clubhouse issue with be traded as well, Colby Rasmus. Good Luck to Brendan Ryan, I hope this situation will be a wake up call that will allow you to make the changes you need to, to become an everyday shortstop in the Major Leagues.