now that's what I'm talking about

It's good news, Cardinals fans!

The Cardinals are bringing back the amazing Flip.

F-Lo. Fe-Lo. Lo-deck.

Finally.


No, that's all.


Just the news I've been waiting for all off-season.


Ready for some baseball? Me, too.

planet Schumaker

Yay! Skip "the second baseman" Schumaker is ours for the next TWO years. Arbitration avoided. Negotiations done. Trato hecho. And for quite a reasonable price, as well.

Ooh, buddy. I gotta tell you, there are a lot of our guys whom I would hate to see playing somewhere else--Albert, Yadi, Wainwright, and Carp come to mind--but none any more so than Skippy, er, Jared. (Whatever.) He has quickly become one of my most favorite Cardinals.

Last off-season, after some confusion regarding the second base position, Schu stepped up and made us all question our concerns. "Were we concerned?" we questioned ourselves, some of us aloud. And after waiting an acceptable period of time for a response, we gave up (and just as well since we knew the answer all along anyway). The answer was, well, yes, but that's not the point, actually. The point is that we needn't have been concerned at all. We needn't have worried. We needn't have run out into the street, stopping traffic, concern showing plainly on our faces as we wondered, some of us aloud, "It's a week before Spring Training and we don't have a second baseman?"

But, as I may have mentioned, Skip rescued us. He came through when we needed him the most (a week before Spring Training without a second baseman), and gave us not only a replacement, but a pretty darn decent second baseman. 

So darn decent, in fact, that I named him my intermedista of the 00s. What? Me worry?

give me all you've got... I won't break your heart

Right. Okay. Well, then....

So I've been mulling over this latest development at Camp Cardinals, and trying desperately to put into words all that I'm thinking, but (as you might imagine) it's pretty difficult.

I love Big Mac.

No, not the sandwich. (I actually don't like Big Macs.)

I don't really care what you think of me regarding that love, and I completely understand that I'm in the minority with my feelings.

But still, I love him.

I've written about this before, and I don't particularly want to revisit it right now, especially considering that the 2010 pre-season promises to be chock full of MacGoodness until we're all vomiting blood and cursing the national sports media with our dying breaths. So there's no need to burn it all out this early. Best to save some bile for later.

Don't get me wrong, I like Hal McRae. I like recognizing him when his infamous "Royal Rant" is played on the "Top Most Outrageous Sports Meltdowns". I like seeing his hat perched precariously on the peak of his head, ready to fall at any moment. I like his enormous and slightly mischievous smile. Unfortunately, when you're the hitting coach and your team gets swept out of the playoffs due largely to a complete lack of hitting, you probably shouldn't make any plans for redecorating your office.

Mark McGwire may not be the answer, but the better half of the Bash Brothers belongs in a Cardinals uniform for the rest of time, as far as I'm concerned, and if he has to actually wear the uniform for the rest of time to make that a reality (rather than the immortalization I'm hoping for), well, then, so be it.

If nothing else, I guess this effectively settles the question of who will next wear number 25. It will be none other than number 25 himself.

Welcome back, Mac.

hope springs eternal

Okay, no more talk of he-who-shall-not-be-named, no more controversy, no more bologna. We're in the final days before the new season takes flight, and the world is just much too wonderful a place right now to stay bogged down with ugliness and idle gossip any longer. 

The weather is a-warming, the birds are a-singing, and the players are a-heading south. 

I've never been to a Spring Training game before, and I'd really like to see one someday. Maybe next year. (If for nothing more than a little Florida sunshine.) 

Can't you just feel the warmth on your face? Smell the field? Hear the crowd? Well, thanks to C70, I can, and I'm ready to spread the joy. Imagine yourself at the park. It's dusk, and the last traces of sunset are disappearing behind the stands. The heat from the day is slowly replaced by a cool evening breeze. The stadium lights shine down on the field below, and the players take their positions. The announcer calls out names over the loudspeaker, and the crowd responds with wild applause and loud stomps as the players wave in acknowledgement. Taste your cold beer. Smell the hot dogs grilling. Hear the chatter and laughter as fans file into their seats. Ahhh, baseball. 

Here are some of my favorite baseball onomatopoeias/ideophones (AKA words that are fun to say): 

The slap of his hand in the glove; 

The rustle of feet in the dirt; 

The tap of the bat on the ground; 

The thud of the ball into the catcher's mitt; 

The bark of the umpire; 

The flash of the cameras; 

The crack of the bat; 

The roar of the crowd; 

The boom of the fireworks; 

The flap of the flags; 

The pulse of Cardinal Nation. 

For what it's worth, I think it's going to be a good season. I'm done complaining. It's officially time to turn the roster and playbook over to Tony. Let's play some ball. (Or rather, let's watch people far more talented play some ball while we live and die by every pitch.)

which planet am I on again?

Huh????

Wha...????

Who????

How????

When did...????

The Cardinals released Adam Kennedy????

Sorry. I'm gonna need a minute to, um... do some stuff... in my head. You know.

Where????

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Okay, I've almost fully recovered. I can't say I have the foggiest idea where this came from (cough, Tony), or why now of all times, but there you go. If I were AK I'd be sorely ticked. Not that he didn't ask for it, but still. A week before ST. Not only did he not get the off-season to look for work or plan his retirement or whatever, but he also doesn't even get an opportunity to earn the job after all this.

To clarify, I wish they'd have traded him earlier. I was under the impression that we didn't go after an intermedista this off-season because of the $4 million we are going to be paying AK anyway. As though to say, "The job is Kennedy's to lose." Well, I've learned my lesson. I'll never presume to know what Mozeliak is thinking ever again. Promise.

A week before ST and we don't have a second baseman.

A week before ST and we don't have a second baseman.

A week before ST and... you get the picture.

Somebody tell me this was a good idea. (Cue the minor league experts and their lists of prospects...)

And what the fudge about Aaron Miles????

(Did I say I was done complaining?)

el mejor de esta maldita baina

Just because I have nothing better to talk about, here are five random things that I'm thinking about this morning (baseball-related, anyway). 

1. Well, who does have any money these days? (Although I thought Dustin made an excellent point last night about agents and car salesmen.) 

2. Edinson Vólquez has Reds fans and the front office a little worried. For what it's worth, my take on the situation: They were shooting a music video and having a little fun. No one was threatened. The gun may very well have been a prop. The car as well. Maceo spends the whole video talking about what good friends he and "Vol" are, that Vol is the best pitcher and he is the best mambo singer, and that the gun is for those who are "talking s***." (When he holds it up to his mouth, he's making a "shhhh" gesture.) It looked to me like it was just a couple of guys goofing off. The slang is pretty heavy, but overall they just seem to be playing around. Guns are not toys, but I think maybe the whole issue has been blown just the slightest bit out of proportion. You know!? (Oh, and I learned some fun new dominican slang! Yay!) 

3. Manny, Manny, Manny. $25 million for a one-year deal? I hope for his sake there's some realistic possibility of someone offering better than that, but my common sense won't believe it 'til we see it. Seriously, though, why not take the one-year deal and then fish around for another deal next year? Is there some fairy godmother waiting to turn him back into a pumpkin when the clock strikes 2010? Sheesh. 

4. Ankiel's arb hearing is set for February 12, and Ludwick's is the 17th. Super-duper. I still haven't decided how I want this to go. Guess it's a good thing they aren't waiting for my input, eh? 

5. Finally, Pitchers Hit Eighth spent what must have been waaaay too much time working on his how-the-Cardinals-stack-up-against-the-run-game project, and it is awesome. He breaks down everything from stolen base percentages to how the catchers influence attempts. It is definitely worth a read. If you haven't already, be sure to head over and have a look. 

Well, that's about it. We're in the single-digits until pitchers and catchers report! Bring on the exhibition baseball, mang! 

all over the outfield

So I'm sitting here on this very melty first of febrero, sipping my coffee-hot chocolate blend (you should try it--it's really the only way to drink coffee), ignoring the pre-Superbowl festivities, and trying to decide which direction to take the John Mozeliak/shoe shopping story, and it occurred to me that there hasn't been much news regarding Ankiel and Ludwick and their arbitration issues. I sincerely hope that it doesn't come to a hearing for either of them, but in the event that it does, I'm wondering which side we as Cardinals fans should be on. 

Actually, maybe we should take it back even further than that. If the team lets this go to hearings, will the players feel unappreciated? Disrespected? Would that affect their willingness to give a "hometown discount" to the Cards when (especially in the case of Ankiel) and if they become free agents? I know all players spout the "I understand that it's a business..." line when in the middle of negotiations, but nothing is ever that simple. (Which is why the line is usually followed by "but....") 

But if the unfortunate does happen, what's the official stance of Cardinal Nation? 

Maybe as a blogger I should automatically have a strong opinion, but I can't decide. I keep going back and forth between the good of the team (at least financially, seeing as every dollar saved could theoretically go back into the pot and possibly show return in the form of, say, a starting pitcher) and the importance of showing players that they are valued and respected (which could also show return in the form of the previously mentioned "discount" or building general goodwill with the players). 

The other thing on my mind is the Manny Ramirez speculation. If you've been under a rock (or a snow bank), then maybe you missed the news of Albert lobbying for his dominican compatriota and teammate to play in St Louis. You'd think that Moze's unambiguous and definitive "no" would have closed the case and put the issue to bed, but as is so often the case on the internet (and especially with nothing else remarkable to talk about), it didn't. In fact, it's like he never said anything. 

This got me thinking. 

Primero, I love Man-Ram. All other things equal, I would love to have him. I love his bat and I love his energy. (And no, neither of those is a euphemism.) 

Segundo, I do not think it's a good idea for Ramirez to play here (or for that matter, for any NL club, but that's beside the point, I suppose). No matter what kind of bargain he might give the team, he's just not a good enough outfielder for this to make any sense. 

Now I know there's some question that Ludwick or Ankiel will put up the kind of numbers (minus injury time) that they did last year, that Schu will ever figure out left-handed pitchers, that Duncan will be able to play again, or that the minor leaguers will live up to their hype (and yes, that last one may be all me). But with the possibility that they could, how can we seriously consider letting go of two or more (in all likelihood) of these guys in favor of a player who will bring a lot of baggage along with his offense, and would only eat up any money (even with the "discount") that might be used for a more pressing need. (Five O'Clock Blogger said it a lot better.) 

But back to my original point. The latest post over at C70 at the bat made me think. He basically says that if the Cards were to sign Ramirez, it would only further limit their ability to trade from the glut of outfielders on the roster because it would put a big flashing sign on our foreheads, announcing to every other team out there that we're desperate to get rid of overstock. It would effectively drive down the price for guys like Ankiel, and tie our hands as far as bringing up prospects. 

What I was thinking was that if Moze was seriously considering bringing him in (which, again, I protest), he would need to make the trade first, without the big flashing sign. He would need other clubs to believe that there's no way we're making that deal. 

So maybe all the chatter out there in cyberspace has a point. Maybe we shouldn't just take the "no" at face value. Maybe we should wait until all the cards are on the table. Again, I'm not encouraging this deal. I'm just thinking out loud.

chit-chatting

First of all, it was gracious of John to do the whole "chat live with fans" bit, and I appreciate his willingness to answer pre-screened (if not completely coherent) questions. 

That being said, once you get right down to it, I'm not sure what the point is, seeing as he never really says anything of substance or use. (I also worry a little about the impression he's getting of Cardinals fans based on the sample.) 

I'm not trying to belittle the idea, though. Please don't confuse me with Mr. "I hate Bill Dewitt!!" 

Here's my breakdown of what he shared: 

Rotation: set for now, but once we get into ST and determine once and for all how effective Carp will be, there could possibly be a trade for a starter. Don't look for any moves before the end of March. 

Shumaker: will get a look in the infield, but will probably only play there if he gets on some crazy offensive tear and needs to be in the lineup every day and that's the only way to get it done. 

Fans' outrage: deep in their hearts, fans understand the system (and wouldn't want this job for a second if they knew half of what goes on). 

Payroll/economy: you can't judge (or predict) a team's success solely on spending. And stop asking. 

Rebuilding: not here. Rebuilding means a change in philosophy and re-working the system from the ground up. We're not starting over, we're simply carrying on. The plan is what it has always been: winning. 

TLR in 2010: still unknown. 

Low-hanging fruit: it helps to have a good sense of humor about these things. 

His own awesomeness: aw, shucks. 

All in all, he basically confirmed what we've all guessed: don't hold your breath for any big moves. I think his outlook is reasonable, and maybe there is a point to this excercise after all. Maybe it was a reminder that GMs don't get paid nearly enough for the BS they have to put up with.

béisbol mundial

So we've all heard by now that ba-Dunc-a-dunc ($850K with $500K incentives) and Wellemeyer ($4.05 million) have agreed to one-year deals with the Cardinals, and now we're all waiting on pins and needles to hear how discussions go with Thompson, Ankiel, and Ludwick.

In the meantime, I'm anxious for the World Baseball Classic. MLB.com released the list of players on their respective 45-man rosters. (Apparently, no one can be added after today, and the list will be whittled down to 28 before February 24.)

From the Cardinals (and I assume those of you more familiar with the minors will have a better idea who some of these guys are):

García, Isa (PAN)
Hawksworth, Blake (CAN)
Ludwick, Ryan (USA)
Molina, Yadier (PUR)
Nieto, Arquimedes (PAN)
Ottavino, Adam (ITA)
Piñeiro, Joel (PUR)
Pujols, Albert (DOM)
Smith, Curt (NED)

I could've sworn that I'd heard mention of Ankiel playing for team USA, but no Ankiel.

p.s. - Sounds like Albert won't be playing after all.

Anyway, Puerto Rico's team looks like this:

PITCHERS
Alvarado, Giancarlo
Baéz, Federico
Cabrera, Fernando
Calero, Enrique ("Kiko")
Feliciano, Pedro
Figueroa, Nelson
Gutiérrez, Carlos
López, Javier
Maldonado, Iván
Matos, Josué
Padilla, Juan
Piñeiro, Joel
Rivera, Saúl ("Monaguillo")
Roman, Orlando
Romero, J.C.
Sánchez, Jonathan
Santiago, José ("Iche")
Santiago, Tomás
Snell, Ian
Vázquez, Javier

CATCHERS
Casanova, Raúl
Molina, Bengie
Molina, Yadier
Rodríguez, Iván
Soto, Geovany
Valentín, Javier

INFIELDERS
Avilés, Mike
Cora, Alex
De Jesús, Iván
Delgado, Carlos
Figueroa, Luis ("Wicho")
González, Andy
López, Felipe
Lowell, Mike
Valentín, José ("Tony")
Vázquez, Ramón

OUTFIELDERS
Beltrán, Carlos
Bocachica, Hiram
Feliciano, Jesús ("Motorita")
Matos, Luis
Montañez, Lou
Padilla, Jorge
Ríos, Alex
Torres, Andrés
Williams, Bernie

MANAGER
Oquendo, José ("Cheíto")

Pool A gets us started March 5 (with China and Japan). USA and Puerto Rico each have their first game March 7 (versus Canada and Panamá, repectively).

snoitciderp

What a fabulous idea! (Are you allowed to use the word fabulous on a baseball blog? Ah well....) John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer has written a list of predictions, but it's not exactly what you think. He predicts what the Reds aren't going to do as the off-season progresses. Yes! I thought so too!

So sin más preámbulos, here's what I predict the Cardinals aren't going to do between now and, say, the beginning of Spring Training.

I'll start off with some easy ones.

(1) The Cardinals aren't going to bring Russ Springer back. Maybe this is cheating since they just officially announced it, but after reading his remarks, I think this will turn out to have been a mistake. However, as I may have mentioned before, no one ever asks me.

(2) The Cards won't sign any more middle infielders. Short is set. Second is all but set. The role of the utility man (formerly played by Supermiles) will now be played by someone who's already on the payroll. What with the salaries we have and the surplus of young talent, the only thing yet to be decided is how Tony's going to work 154 different lineups out of what he's got.

(3) The Cards won't bring back Izzy. As much as it saddens me to admit, I don't think Jason has a home in the organization anymore. I won't get up on my soap box right now, though. I'll spare you that.*

*This doesn't mean I'm ready to take his name off the roster, however.

(4) The Cards won't sign any of the big name free agents still on the market. Sheesh. Did I startle you with that one? If so, you haven't been paying attention. (Just to clarify, if the 'Birds do bring in another starter, it'll be someone nearly unheard of.*)

*I'm still hoping for Andy Pettitte, but I'm trying to be realistic here.

Now on to the harder stuff.

(5) The Cards won't sign Ankiel to a long-term contract. Even if he does get a one-year arb deal for more money than he made last year, he is (a) represented by the baby-eater, and (b) far too valuable for the likes of our outfield. Either he'll get traded for some pitching help, or this will be his last season with the club that grew him.

(6) The Cards won't designate a "closer". This will continue to be a sore spot with both management and fans, but lacking a veteran with big league closing experience, Tony will allow the duties to be split between Perez, Motte, and Franklin, much like last year.

(7) The Cards won't trade Schumaker. Ludwick had a spectacular season last year, and Ankiel is our own little living piece of history, but either of them is worth more than Skip overall. Therefore, his head is safe as long as the outfielder market isn't completely dried up.

(8) The Cards won't count out Carpenter until his arm literally falls off on the mound. And can't be sewn back on. Or duct taped. And he can't learn to pitch left-handed. You will never hear Mozeliak (even as prone as he is to choosing the wrong words) say that Carp is done unless he is really, truly, completely done. And by that I mean dead.

It's hard to imagine things going any more slowly, but I also know that there's still plenty of time, and it's not like the Cards haven't done anything. I'm just trying to stay awake.

you didn't see anything...

I've decided I'm not going to get my hopes up anymore this off-season. I'm not going to jump at every rumored trade or implied offer. I'm not going to let my heart skip a beat every time I hear that a certain zurdo still hasn't signed a contract for next year. I'm not going to get all excited about the possibilities of players coming to St Louis (or others leaving St Louis), at least until such time as something actually happens. Therefore, I am not going to re-publish what Matthew Leach wrote about the free agent pitching market and its appeal to the Cardinals, specifically concerning that certain zurdo and his impressive inning counts throughout his impressive career....

Andy Pettitte: In some ways, he's a perfect fit. A left-hander would add some balance to the St. Louis rotation, and Pettitte reconsiders his desire to keep pitching each winter -- so he could likely be had on a one-year deal. He's the only remaining free agent who reached 200 innings in 2008. In fact, he's hit that milestone four years running. Pettitte would likely cost quite a bit -- he reportedly turned down $10 million from the Yankees -- but also might well be worth it.

Of course, I'm also not going to mention the other starters whose attributes he breaks down, because I'm just not going there anymore.

Garland: not really a ground ball pitcher

I don't know much about this guy. He did recently turn down an offer from Arizona (maybe in the one-year/$4 million range), but with the pitching that the D'backs have, I'm sure they weren't offering the moon. He apparently made $12 million in 2008, then rejected an arbitration offer from the Angels. Either he's looking for a long-term deal that he anticipated LA (Anaheim?) wasn't willing to give, or he's completely off his rocker.

Looper: dependable

We all know what Looper can and can't do. I wouldn't be averse to bringing him back, but again, could you really call that improvement?

Wolf: coming off his first season of more than 23 starts or 136 2/3 innings since 2003

Honestly, maybe we could turn him into a reliever. Other than that, I'm not interested.

Sheets: elbow trouble... probably won't be cheap

Ha! Probably? Sounds like the Mets are sniffing him, and with the injury history, he won't be worth whatever he ends up signing for.

Odalis Perez: Albert Pujols' personal punching bag

The only benefit I can see is that we could probably get him cheaper than any of the others.

Oliver Perez: in line for one of the bigger pitching deals this winter

Busch Birds pretty well summed up the importance of limiting any deal to one year in order to provide some flexibility in the rotation in seasons to come. If we give Wellemeyer a three-year contract, it would be nice to have a place for some of our pitching prospects (yes, I said prospects) to spread their wings.

But you didn't hear that from me.

my kinda numbers

I have zero comment on the HoF voting. If anything more needs to be said, someone else can cover it. I'm not sure I agree with the way a lot of awards are determined in MLB, and this is no exception. Take that for what it's worth. I'm also very disappointed with the Mets. Have you seen the patch? Wow. You should see it.

Impressive, no?

Mets spokesperson: "It's a very understated design. Eloquent in its simplicity, even. Asymmetrical yet balanced. As inspirational as a blank page."

Fan: "It looks like the Domino's pizza logo."

Spokesperson: "Yes, but navy and orange."

The Sports Hernia shows us some of the rejected options. And finally, in an effort to avoid thinking about this article (which is so conveniently posted on STLtoday.com and which is truly and deeply ticking me off), I decided to take a cue from another article (from DG) and have a look at the jersey numbers that will be available for all our big signings this season. (Did you pick up on the sarcasm there? Yeah.)

1 - OOC 2 - OOC 3 - Greene (Izturis) 4 - Molina 5 - Pujols 6 - OOC 7 - Kennedy 8 - Glaus 9 - OOC 10 - TLR 11 - Oquendo 12 ______ (Miles) 13 - Ryan 14 - OOC 15 - OOC / (McRae) 16 - C. Duncan 17 - OOC 18 - D. Duncan 19______ (T. Johnson) 20 - OOC 21 - LaRue 22______ (López) 23 - Barden 24 - Ankiel 25 - OOC

26 - Lohse 27______ (Villone) 28______ 29 - Carpenter 30______ (Mulder) 31 - Franklin 32 - OOC 33______ (Clement) 34 - Ring* (Flores) 35 - Piñeiro 36 - Manning* (Springer) 37 - Wellemeyer 38 - (Mason) 39 - (McKay) 40______ 41______ (Looper) 42 - OOC 43 - Miller 44º 45 - OOC 46 - McClellan 47 - Ludwick 48 - Thompson 49 - (Pettini) 50 - Wainwright

51 - OOC 52 - Kinney 53 - M. Johnson? 54 - Barton 55 - Schumaker 56______ (Jiménez) 57 - OOC 58______ 59______ 60 - Motte 61 - Stavinoha 62 - Mather 63 - Pérez 64 - García 65______ 66______ 67______ 68 - Boggs 69______ 70 - Hoffpauir 71-76______ 77 - Hawksworth 78-84______ 85 - OOC 86-99______

OOC = Out Of Commission 

* According to Yahoo!Sports 

º I will be forced to completely ignore any player who dares wear this number

Let me know if I missed any. 

As far as the unofficially retired numbers, I don't think 57 will ever be back on the table (at least not for many, many years). 32 needs a couple more seasons, and should be worn first either by someone who shared the field with Josh or whom other players have deemed worthy. 15 could go back into circulation this season, as far as I'm concerned (although McRae's wearing it now). 51 will be officially retired someday, so that's not an issue. I won't say anything else about 44. I think you know how I feel.

pensamientos revueltos

I have written another spastic post. I'd thought I'd give a little forewarning this time. Read at your own risk.

David Brown has made a plea for MLB to bring back the stirrups, and I wholeheartedly second this suggestion. (And not just because David appealed to my love for A-Rey, I promise.)

Indians right-hander Anthony Reyes is one of my favorite ballplayers. Oh, not because he can pitch.... No, Reyes exudes coolness to me because of his socks, specifically that he wears old-fashioned stirrups over them. He wears 'em long and he wears 'em thick. Can we say "badass" here on the Yahoo!? Because that's what Reyes' socks are. They're badass.

Yes! Yes! A million times Yes! 

Okay, it hurts a little bit to read about Anthony as the "Indians right-hander", but other than that, I think DB is on to something. 

The stirrups were bold. 

They were tight. 

They kept players' pants legs from getting caught in their bicycle gears as they rode to the ice cream parlor after Sunday games. (Isn't that a darling picture?) 

Oh, and can you imagine how ridiculous Prince Fielder would look in them? That alone would be enough of a reason.

Other things on my mind (and yes, there are a lot, because of all the empty space up there, but I'll try to narrow it down to the comprehensible stuff):

I still want Pettitte. We probably (ha ha!) aren't going to sign him (or even try), but such reasons have never been enough to stop me from wanting Bonnie Hunt's hair or a car that runs on Sweetgum fruit a.k.a. gumballs from hell (anybody know what I'm talking about?), and they won't stop me now. I tell you what, I wanted him before the wave of calm washed over Cardinal Nation, and even though he's (a) old, and (b) not the best hitting pitcher (though he's not the worst either), I still want him. (As much as anyone can want a 36-year old LHSP with 14 years of ML experience including two All Star selections, two 20+ win seasons, a lifetime ERA of 3.89, and a 215-inning per 162 games average, anyway.) I won't give in to the peer pressure.

So what if he's been linked to "steroids"? How many other Cardinals are on that same list?

So what if he's got a history of arm problems? Obviously he used HGH and fixed them. (But in all seriousness, HGH is bad and no one should ever use it unless that person happens to be a young boy with a hormone deficiency. And now back to your regularly scheduled program.)

So what if he's a disloyal cretin (although considering his height maybe this is a misleading insult) whose best friend is a cheating pendejo? We wouldn't be paying him to be a good person, just a good pitcher. Besides which, being disloyal to the Yankees is like telling Corky Simpson that you didn't mean to forget his birthday (and heck if you wouldn't get him something if you had it to do over again).

Not that it matters. Obviously Mozeliak is done shopping and has decided that he's good for shoes. But that's okay, because the only thing that matters now is that Spring Training starts soon (36 days until pitchers and catchers report, 47 days until the first game against the Marlins), which means there will finally be some real baseball to talk about again.

You know, when all is said and done, the trades and acquisitions during the off-season really don't mean much. I know all us fans and bloggers spend a lot of energy thinking about them and a lot of time discussing them, but when you get right down to it, baseball's not about how much money each player is making or how many minor leaguers get traded, or even which team spends the most. When you get down to the heart of it, baseball is about nine guys and twenty-seven outs and a bat and a ball. Heaven help me, but I'm ready for some baseball.

a minor issue

I feel I should address one particular issue first, and that is the rage. It's just been boiling and bubbling, and it's about to consume us. 

Cardinals' fans are incensed. Bloggers are at the ready with pitchforks in hand and torches burning. The revolution is coming, and it won't be televised (it'll be blogged). 

Yes, here it comes. Wait for it, wait for it.... ummmm.... 

Well, keep waiting while I address some other issues. I may have mentioned somewhere along the way that (1) I'm a Tony follower (and you can take that however you like), and (2) I'm not super-familiar with the farm system. 

Oh, I've heard about the farm system. I'd even go as far as to say that I think it's pretty swell for a farm system (as farm systems go). In fact, I'd buy it a soda if we were at the same soda shop and it realized it forgot its wallet. (And it's always forgetting its wallet, isn't it?) And I wouldn't even expect to be paid back. (Not that it would do any good, anyway.) But other than what I read on the interweb and in the paper (just kidding! who reads the paper anymore?), I know very little about it. 

I'm the last person who should be picked to answer the question about prospects when we're all sitting in the VFW on Thursday night playing trivia for a $50 Wal-Mart gift card and a new set of wiper blades. In other words, is Todd his first name or his last name? That's right. (Okay, so maybe it's not quite that bad, but you get the idea.) 

Anyway, my point is that while I may not exactly be the pitchfork-wielding, hang-em-high type, I do have my reservations when it comes to the ability of the minor leaguers to save us all from ourselves. 

Colby "self-aggrandizing" Rasmus may end up being the greatest outfielder of all time (and somehow incorporate that into his uniform). 

The aforementioned Todd (and, yes, I do know that his first name is Jess) could redefine pitching excellence for our generation. (Ha ha, I even know that he's a pitcher!) 

Brett Wallace could put the likes of Hank Aaron and (forgive me for this) Mark McGwire to shame with his bat. (Completely naturally too, I'm sure.) 

But what if they don't? What if we count on these guys and they don't come through? Now I know that the whole point of Spring Training (besides getting to spend February and March anywhere besides Missouri) is to give them a chance to prove themselves. 

Tony and the staff will put the players through all kinds of tests (probably baseball-related, although who knows?), and they will decide who is best fit to play each position. They will (as Mr. Leach so eloquently explained last night) take into account seemingly extraneous factors such as who has produced and proven themselves in the past, as well as sportsmanship, attitude, and willingness to do whatever it takes. (No, Matthew did not mention these things specifically, but I could tell that he was implying them.) 

Based on performance (and these other factors), Tony and his coaches will formulate an opening day lineup (and fill up the 25-man roster) with (hopefully) the best options available. 

Great. That sounds like a super plan, right? The only problem is, if certain free agent players are available now, what would be so wrong with improving the team now? It's unlikely that we would be so lucky as to find another Kyle Lohse-like situation come spring, and it would be irresponsible to make plans around such a fantasy. 

Now, I'm not saying I don't ever want the young (or rather, inexperienced) guys to get a shot. I'm not endorsing using veteran free agents for every empty spot (and heaven forbid turning into the Yankees). I'm just saying that when September call-ups come around (or if we have room earlier than that, so be it), that would be my first choice for introducing the baby 'Birds to the big club. 

Maybe this should have been done last year for some (not to second-guess anyone), and maybe there will be an injury or other misfortune that allows one of the prospects to come around early (as we saw so many come around last year). 

The point is, it's hard for me to imagine placing all my faith in a player (or players) who hasn't (or haven't) actually played at the show. There are guys in the system who have been up to the show and had that taste of the big leagues. These guys, in my opinion, have passed the most important test, and they deserve a shot at starting. Perez, Motte, Mather, et cetera. (Of course, what do I know?) 

I'm also not saying that I'm disgruntled or enraged or anything. I'm not going to stop watching games if Moze doesn't make a big move soon. I'm not going to burn my BP jersey if he doesn't spend crazy amounts of money on a starting pitcher. I'm not going to light up my torch and march down to the stadium if we go into Spring Training with the team we have now. And I'm certainly not going to write a long blog post about how I would run the team if I were in charge. That would just be silly. 

I guess what I'm asking for is compromise. Just a little balance between the newbies and veterans. Maybe we already have that. Maybe I'm just blowing hot air. (Does that apply to writing?) Maybe we'll go into the season and have exactly what we need. Maybe this team--what we have right now--is the next world champion. And then maybe we'll have this exact same discussion next off-season. 

Okay, I'll stop now, since I probably stopped making sense (or using real words) a few paragraphs ago. If you'd like to explain to me how ridiculous (or just plain stupid) my thoughts are, please do so in the comments section. I promise I can take it.

there's gotta be a cute title in here somewhere

This is what I wrote regarding the Braves (specifically el pitcheo) after we faced them at the end of July...

It's funny, but watching the Braves pitchers (sadly) reminds me of our staff. The starters are (for the most part) solid, but the bullpen tends to give up damaging runs late in the game.

I don't remember Royce Ring in particular, but maybe that's because there was nothing memorable about him.

Well, now the lefty reliever is ours. He pitched reasonably well (albeit a small sample) in '06 and '07, but had a terrible year last year, posting an 8+ ERA before being designated for assignment in early August (shortly after the series with the Cards). He hasn't pitched in the majors since then.

More details about the deal are due today. Will he be a AAAer or a big leaguer? Does it matter?

snippet

From MLBTradeRumors.com:

Brad Penny may soon decide where he wants to pitch next year. He's weighing "an overture from the Cardinals" against other options.

I'm curious what exactly "an overture" means. A hint? An offer? A pinch on the backside?

Yes, please.

Update: I find the AL East despicable. Utterly despicable.

'tis the off-season

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Cardinals' fans! 

Between finals, graduation, holiday shopping, family coming in from across the Atlantic, and n-o-t-h-i-n-g happening with the roster, I may have neglected my blogging duties for a while, but I'm back now, so breathe easy. I just wish there was something really exciting and interesting to write about. Even if it was negative. But no such luck. 

The one thing that is developing (and has been for some time) is the Brian Fuentes saga. Sounds like we're not getting the lefty/closer after all, but I'm okay with that. In fact, I'm more than okay. I've made peace with the fact that we aren't going to be pulling in any big names this off-season, and to be honest, I'm not sure why I ever thought it was possible. I guess maybe there was eggnog involved. The whole situation was being manipulated from start on by Mr. Disreputable himself, Scott Boras, and it all comes down to where Mark Teixeira signs. 

Long story short, with the Angels out of the Tex-mix, that leaves them free to finally truly pursue Fuentes, and in effect, ruin any miserable chance the Cards had to lure him to STL. Like I said, fine with me. So with all this extra non-Fuentes money we've got, where do we go with it? The other possible closer options have mostly been grabbed up, although Hoffman is still available. 

I doubt very sincerely that Tony's New Year's resolutions will include giving the younger guys a chance, so do we paddle around with the same leaky pontoon boat of a bullpen we had last year and hope the patches hold? Or do we focus our efforts on finding someone to come in and cover the gap while we wait for the newbies to come into their own? Tough choice? I'll give you two guesses. 

I still have more shopping to do, but things have settled down, so I promise to come up with something exciting and interesting soon! Even if I have to make it up....

not so fast

Another short post, but this one's on-topic at least.

I'm dreaming that the mystery bidder interested in Pettitte's services is in fact our team. I'm thinking it's between us, the Dodgers, and the Braves. And maybe the BoSox. Or possibly the Jays. And I wouldn't count out Cleveland. Or San Francisco. So basically, it could be anyone, but I would be very excited to hear that John Mozeliak has been running up his phone bill calling wherever it is that Andy lives during the off season. 3 years $36 million wouldn't be so bad for the lefty, as far as I'm concerned. He's probably got 3 good years left. And if we're going to spend the money, I'd rather spend it on him than on Fuentes, to be frank.

the last dusty fountain

From Matthew Leach over on The Site:

Fuentes is the guy, and the Cardinals believe they can get it done. Other clubs believed to have expressed interest in the left-hander include the Tigers, Brewers and Angels.

"I don't get into offers and that type of thing," Mozeliak said, "but I would characterize it as, it's more than just exploration at this point."

Brian Fuentes wants 3 years/$33 million. The Angels are probably offering close to that. Mozeliak has indicated that he doesn't want to give any more than 2 years/$20 million.

"...believe they can get it done," eh? It makes me wonder if we have some kind of incriminating photos of him....

Actually, maybe that's the way to go. Instead of scouts, the Cards could hire private investigators to follow around other teams' biggest prospects, then in a few years, when they're ready to become free agents, we could swoop in with evidence that they'd had an affair or used drugs or cheated at Scrabble, and presto! Top notch players at bargain basement prices. Heck, if it wouldn't draw too much attention we could probably have them for the league minimum.

Speaking of closers, I think we should have gone after Wood when he was still available. Oh, and since I'm playing that game, I don't think we ever should have given up Dan Haren for that Mulder guy.

a eulogy of sorts

The resounding sentiment out there is that with the recent loss of Perdomo to the Rule V draft, we have basically erased all memory of the dearly departed A-Rey. I guess in a way that's true. 

Perdomo was the final physical remnant of Anthony's existence in Cardinal Red. We don't have a blossoming superstar's shoulder to lean on, nor a miserable excuse for a player on whom to vent our frustrations. We have nothing left to mourn over except our fading memories of a promising young talent and a world championship game. 

Someday, with other things on our minds, we will catch a glimpse of red and blue striped stirrups or a cap with an ironed-flat bill. At that moment, for just the briefest instant, a long-buried memory will stir our souls and warm our hearts. We will stop in our tracks and try to hold on to that feeling. 

Time may steal from us the details of your wind-up and the special way you toed the rubber, but nothing will ever take away the flashes of brilliance we saw when we watched you take the mound. 

So here's to you, Anthony. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.