Signing Pujols was the Cards' winter highlight

Baseball season is almost here, though I won't be playing.

Nevertheless, I'm ready.

Albert Pujols, it seems, is ready too.

Pujols, in his flashy green tie (no doubt chosen for its symbolic color), stood with Walt Jocketty in front of the media on Friday to announce his new seven-year, $100 million deal.

Signing Pujols to a long-term deal was the Cardinals' biggest offseason achievement by far. But it doesn't seem like much when it's compared to the offseasons other teams had (ahem, Yanks and Sox) because the Cardinals didn't acquire any "big name" players. But the Cardinals will have one of the best players in baseball for the next seven years, and that is huge.

St. Louis now has, literally, two cornerstones for their franchise on opposite sides of the diamond because Scott Rolen is also signed through 2011.

The deal allows the Cardinals the versatility to acquire more players in the next few years and still compete this year.

And the Cardinals will compete. They finished just three games out of the top spot in the National League Central last year and have improved their pitching.

I'll admit Greg Maddux would have been nice but not at his price. And anybody is better than Garrett Stephenson and Brett Tomko, who both stunk the joint out last year. Heck, you could have thrown me out there.

But when you sort through all of the big names and gaudy contracts that arrived in the NL Central, you'll find a pretty good team between Chicago and Houston that might just steal the whole darn thing.

Besides, who needs Maddux and A-Rod when you have Ray Lankford starting in left field? Look out.

Take a look at the rest of one of the most underrated columns between Houston and Chicago, in your week ahead:

Tuesday

"Sold out" is the message that was on Southern Illinois University's athletics Web site for this game. You can't find tickets even if you're a student. Creighton at SIU at 7 p.m.

Thursday

The Class 5 District 1 finals will be held in Farmington. The girls play at 6 p.m. and the boys will follow at 7:30. Don't look now, but if the Poplar Bluff boys win this thing, they might not stop there. They're a major threat to win the whole thing.

Friday

The finals for the Class 4 District 1 tournament. Notre Dame Regional High School is hosting the tournament with action each day this week. Dexter is the top seed for the boys; Notre Dame for the girls. Championship times are 6 p.m. for the boys and 7:45 p.m. for the girls.

Saturday

If the Salukis do win on Tuesday, Bradley is the only team that stands between Southern Illinois and an undefeated conference record. Bradley at SIU at 7 p.m.

Sunday

I liked our six-week gymnastics unit in PE way back in elementary school. And I won't forget what my coach used to tell me. He said, "David, if you fall off of the horse, get up and go to the rings." Southeast Missouri State hosts Illinois State in gymnastics at 1 p.m.

David Wilson is a sportswriter for the Southeast Missourian and a student at Central High School. His column appears every Monday.