So the Cards potentially getting a pick is much ado about nothing. I agree that the Tigers getting a pick is a joke though.

With 13 eligible teams and 12 picks, it would have been hard for both to whiff.

EDIT: Apologies, 14 eligible teams, so it would have been possible. Looks like Rays were the other eligible team not picked.

Of course, the Cards have an additional advantage: Location. KC is 250 miles away, and is the only team within 300 miles. Detroit, for instance, has Cleveland (170), Cinci (265), 2XChicago (285), and Pittsburgh (286). Heck, Detroit has as many teams within 300 miles as St. Louis has within 550 (KC, 2XCHI, CIN, MIL).

That said, I agree that they should be included if they're one of the 10 smallest markets regardless of their revenues/success. I just don't agree that their potential fan base ("market") = their TV market.

Cleveland is a great example of this. Even though they're a bigger TV market than STL, they have Detroit, Pittsburgh (135) and Cinci (250) on 3 sides and Lake Erie/Canada on the 4th.

Should they be punished for actually doing a good job in a less than ideal market?

Speaking as a Cub fan ... yes, yes they should.

Detroit, for instance, has Cleveland (170), Cinci (265), 2XChicago (285), and Pittsburgh (286).

Did we nuke Canada? About damn time.

St. Louis has no NBA team and little NCAA competition for corporate luxury box tickets. Denver, Detroit and the Twin Cities are all pretty saturated with pro and NCAA competition despite being just slightly larger markets.

Was this article posted twice? I swear I was the second person to comment on it last night.