OPINION

By Richard Justice

updated 9:31 p.m. ET Dec. 11, 2008

OK, so the Milwaukee Brewers are going to miss those 24 victories and 329 innings they got from CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets in 2008. No use sugarcoating that part of the story.

The Brewers put all of their chips on the table when they acquired Sabathia this past July. Good for them. It was the right thing to do, even though they didn't win the World Series. Franchises have only so many realistic chances of winning a championship. The Brewers knew they would lose Sheets in free agency, so instead of trading him early, they did something bold.

General manager Doug Melvin knew the Sabathia trade didn't come with a guarantee. All it did was increase his team's odds of making, and winning in, the postseason. After 26 years without a playoff appearance, that was enough.

Now Melvin is retooling his roster around young pitchers and affordable free agent options.

"We'll go back to the drawing board," Melvin said. "We've got some holes to fill."

If you're inclined to feel sorry for Melvin, don't. He is one of baseball's best general managers and is building an organization that will be in contention for years. He'll need some of his young players to perform well in 2009, but that was going to be the case even if Sabathia had returned.

The Brewers will be a lot better than people think, and the National League Central will be much more competitive than it now appears. So save your sympathy.

The Brewers, Cardinals, Reds and Pirates can't play in the same economic arena as the Yankees, Mets and Red Sox. No problem there, because it's not just about the money. Maybe the Yankees will buy a championship in 2009. When was the last time they won one anyway? Wasn't it 2000? They've spent the most money every season since and have gone home disappointed every single year.

For most teams, there's still some artistry to constructing a roster. It's still about having great scouts and competent minor league instructors. It's about having a general manager who understands building a roster is more an art than a science.

So don't feel sorry for the NL Central. The Brewers have a different kind of challenge, but that doesn't mean they can't compete. It also doesn't mean that the Cubs, who have spent all that money, are guaranteed of anything.

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The Brewers are going to give young starting pitchers Yovani Gallardo and Manny Parra every opportunity to prove those glowing scouting reports are on the money. There's just a smaller margin for error without Sheets and Sabathia.

Veteran right-hander Jeff Suppan must be the pitcher Melvin hoped he would be. Right-hander Dave Bush needs to be solid. Melvin will be shopping for a closer (Trevor Hoffman, Brian Fuentes) and for affordable starting pitching (Randy Johnson).

The Brewers still will be competitive. That young lineup is going to get better, and there are interesting options in the minor leagues. It's going to be different without Sabathia and Sheets, but Milwaukee didn't advance past the first round of the playoffs with them.

The St. Louis Cardinals also will be competitive. Write it down. Hold me to it. Almost every year, people like me count them out. Almost every year, they prove us wrong. St. Louis desperately needs a closer and at least one starting pitcher, and it will be a player for Fuentes.

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General manager John Mozeliak has trimmed money from his payroll, and for the first time in years, the Cardinals could have some flexibility to make moves. The Cardinals' farm system has an array of players close to being ready for the big leagues. All manager Tony La Russa needs is a competitive roster. He can take it from there.

The Cardinals still have baseball's best player — first baseman Albert Pujols — in the middle of the lineup and a healthy Adam Wainwright at the front of the rotation. Like the Brewers, the Cards have holes to fill, but they're also better than people think.

The Cardinals have an impressive organizational confidence. Let the Cubs continue to build a huge payroll. Money guarantees them of nothing. Don't bet against La Russa.

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