Cardinals Seem Distracted, Focused On Next Season

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Lance Berkman is among a parade of players who will be a
free agent at the end that seem to be more focused on where
 they will be next year rather than winning right now. -
Photo courtesy of Associated Press
For the second consecutive day a St. Louis Cardinals player has spoke to the media about their plans for next season.

Correct me if I am wrong, but are the Cardinals not currently in a pennant race and losing ground on the Milwaukee Brewers THIS YEAR?  

Shouldn't the Cardinals be focused on their rival in the Windy City, who have swept the first two games of the series?

Has this team completely lost focus and thrown in the towel on 2011?

On Friday, Lance Berkman told Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that St. Louis seems like a place he could play next season if there are not any other attractive offers.
"At this stage of my career it's safe to say that if I'm not thrilled with the opportunities out there for me after this season, this would be it." 
On Saturday, it was Skip Schumaker who spoke with Strauss about his options for next season.
"I don't expect to be their priority.  This club has so many decisions to make about the future, I'll hear from them when I hear from them...  This is the only organization I've known.  They've treated me very well. I'd really prefer to stay here if that can happen."
It seems to me that some of the veteran leadership on this team has already turned its attention to next season.  The club has so many free agents that they all are worried about where they will end up next season rather than winning together this season.

It explains the team's inability to score a run over their last 15 innings of play against the lowly Cubs.  The Cardinals have collected just 10 hits in the first two games of their series against the Cubs.

It explains the team's mediocre 17-17 record since the All-Star break.  

Maybe it explains the fact that the Cardinals will likely miss the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons since winning the World Series in 2006.

This team has lost focus and the drive to win this season and it is dreadfully obvious if you watched the first two games of their series this weekend against the Cubs.

The way the team has been playing, I guess they are right to worry about next season.  When you are 8.5 games behind the Brewers and worried about where next year's paycheck will come from, its hard to focus on making up ground in the National League Central Division.

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