With one bold move, John Mozeliak addressed his near-term starting pitching shortage and his long-term budget concerns.

He sacrificed significant offense – power-hitting outfielder Ryan Ludwick – to add veteran starting pitcher Jake Westbrook to his rotation. He also added Padres pitching prospect Nick Greenwood in the three-way deal with Cleveland and San Diego.

This was a stiff price to pay for a No. 4 starter. Even with the surgically repaired Kyle Lohse on the cusp of returning, the Cardinals did not have enough starting pitching to win the National League Central.

Now they do.

Westbrook (6-7, 4.65 ERA in Cleveland this season) fits the Cardinal mode. He is a ground-ball pitcher who will benefit from switching from a bad American League team to a contending National League squad.

From 2004-06, Westbrook won 44 games for the Indians. He appears to be healthy this summer and his previous outing was strong – eight innings against the Yankees with just three runs allowed.

With Westbrook and Lohse fitting in behind Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter and Jaime Garcia, the Cards have regained the starting pitching depth that served them so well earlier this season.

Sacrificing Ludwick was painful, but he didn’t seem to fit the team puzzle for 2011 and beyond. So Mozeliak opted to play that chip now rather than wait for the off-season.

Here are some other thoughts about the deal:

The bidding for starting pitching is fierce. The Astros are demanding the moon for Brett Myers, who becomes the lead man in their rotation with Roy Oswalt gone. The Cubs got plenty for Ted Lilly. The arms race is heating up. Buyers had to dig deep.

The Cardinals believe Jon Jay is for real. The hot-hitting outfielder becomes the full-time right fielder with Ludwick’s departure. Allen Craig gains importance as the long-range fourth outfielder/spare corner infielder – unless he gets shipped out in another deal.

Colby Rasmus regains his everyday spot. With Ludwick gone, his run production becomes absolutely essential. Many fans suggested the Cards should Rasmus to reshape the roster, but the kid offers way too much growth potential for that.

The Cards expect to re-sign Albert Pujols to an extension. How else could this team afford to move out a proven power source with Albert’s situation unresolved?

The Pujols Issue forces the Cards to spend strategically. When Matt Holliday got his $120 million deal, Ludwick was doomed. He was about to become an $8 million- to $10 million-per-year player and there is room for only so many big-money hitters in St. Louis.

Brad Penny is toast. If he had any realistic hope of pitching any time soon, the Cards would not have paid such a big price to land Westbrook. Mozeliak officially lost his offseason free-agent bet on the injury-plagued Penny.

The Cards could spend more on their infield. Third baseman David Freese should become a fixture at third base, but what about the middle infield slots? Don’t forget the organization’s possible interest in Diamondbacks shortstop Stephen Drew. If Mozeliak uses his newfound payroll flexibility wisely, that would make the Ludwick deal more palatable to fans.

Westbrook could stick around. He is a pending free agent, but the marketplace is dicey for mid-level veteran starting pitchers. If fits the rotation snugly, the Cards would have to consider offering him an extension. That would put this deal in a different light.

Greenwood isn’t a hot prospect. But he IS a lefthanded pitcher, a commodity in short supply in the Cards organization. He provides long-range depth. He reports to Class A Quad Cities.

Mozeliak isn’t afraid to make big moves. Some, like the Holliday deal, worked well. Others, like moves for Khalil Greene and Mark DeRosa last year, did not. But nobody can accuse him of sitting on his hands.

Ludwick gets a fresh start. He will play every day in San Diego. He will have an opportunity to take the Next Step in his career, albeit in a park unfriendly to sluggers. He never attained "core player" status here, which I never understood.

The Cards will miss him, but something had to give. This team failed to play up to its full potential this season. Change became mandatory. More could be forthcoming, too, so stay tuned to STLtoday.com.