Cardinals fans look forward to another winner

For some, it's a holiday.

Opening Day of Major League Baseball begins Sunday. Cardinals fans, who number in the thousands in Southeast Missouri, will celebrate as their beloved team begins another quest for a World Series title. This season starts with plenty of intrigue as St. Louis takes on the (on paper) much-improved Cubs.

The Cardinals are coming off a strange season in which they underachieved in some ways, yet still made a deep playoff run, falling just short of the World Series.

Last season, the Cardinals' pitching carried the team, while the offense sputtered. Several key offensive players had subpar years, or at least worse years than in 2013.

This year's group appears to be strong on the pitching side once more. The starting rotation is crowded with very talented arms. The bullpen has been solidified, even while losing a key reliever from last year's team. The Cardinals, if healthy, look poised to keep runs to a minimum.

But the offense remains a big question mark, particularly the team's power. A key addition to the team this year is Jason Heyward, a right fielder whom St. Louis acquired in a trade with the Atlanta Braves. Cardinals fans can't wait to see how Heyward and team pillars Yadier Molina, Matt Holliday, Adam Wainwright and Matt Capenter perform. It could be a struggle to win the division this year, or the Cardinals could run away with the division. It's all a guess at this point.

One thing is certain, though. Cardinal Nation will follow the team religiously.

Here's hoping for health and success for the St. Louis squad.