The St. Louis Cardinals have been caught in a slow but unmistakable downturn since the start of the 2016, missing the playoffs five times in the last eight full seasons. The fan base is justifiably disillusioned, and some of the more irate fans have implored Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. to sell the team. I'm not telling anybody they're wrong to feel that way.

But I will say this: be careful of what you wish for. Should the Cardinals be sold, there are no guarantees about the ownership that moves in. I've been through these franchise sales before, and most of the new owners (in my experience) have made the franchise and the product much worse than before. A new "dream" owner on the surface can become a nightmare.