Cards Starting Strong

The Cardinals won their third straight game of the spring today with a 5-4 victory over the Mets on the road. Three in a row is what we call a winning streak.

There was a lot of hype going into this game.  It was the Mets' debut of their new ace Johan Santana.  The Cards got to him early, tagging him for three runs in the first, courtesy of a Juan Gonzalez home run.  Other highlights from today's action include a double and a homer from Albert Pujols, and a 2 for 3 day from Brendan Ryan.  Derrick Goold has more notes from the game.  Here's the box score.

So far, Gonzalez has been hitting the ball well.  At first, I was secretly rooting against him, and hated the idea of a 38 year old has-been taking at-bats away from the younger players.  Erik at Future Redbirds shares my sentiment.  All things being equal, you'd have to give the nod to the younger player, maybe a guy like Brian Barton.  I'm afraid that Tony La Russa will see it differently.  We know how much he loves his veterans. Anyway, after thinking it over a bit more, I just want the 25 guys that give the Cardinals the best chance to win.  If Juan Gone is one of them, then I'm all for it.

Brendan Ryan continues to make his case for one of the roster spots.  One of his two hits today was triple. There were a couple of interesting stories on Ryan floating around recently.  Joe Strauss revealed some more of Ryan's personality, as well as his attention deficit disorder, in his article last Friday.  The other story was news to me.  Apparently, Ryan was kicked off his college baseball team four times.  Jim Masilak had the story way back in July of last year.  I don't know how I missed that one, but either way, hat tip to Ronnie Dobbs, a frequenter of the forums in the Post Dispatch.

Finally, Matthew Leach of MLB.com shares his latest interview with La Russa.  Find it here.

The Cardinals hope to continue their winning ways tomorrow when they face the Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium.  The Cards will be the visiting team.  Let's hope the streak continues.

Cards Win First Grapefruit Game

The Cardinals opened their Grapefruit League play with a win over the New York Mets today by the score of 7-0.  After yesterday's beating of St. Louis University, the Cards are now 2-0 in the early going.

I was at the opener for the second straight year.  It's a fun time to be a Cardinal fan.  A fresh season brings new hope.  Although the Redbirds aren't predicted to contend for the division title, I can never discard a team in the spring, especially one managed by Tony La Russa.

It was cold in Jupiter today.  With the temperature only getting into the mid sixties, I had a hard time holding onto my beer.  I got to watch the end of the Cards' batting practice and all of the Mets'.  Anthony Reyes took the mound for the first pitch at 1:05. Knowing how much is riding on a productive Reyes, I was anxious to see how he'd do today.  He did great. Reyes went 3 innings, allowing two hits, and striking out one.  He escaped trouble in the first when Mets' third baseman David Wright drilled a ball to deep center, but was robbed of extra bases by Rick Ankiel's acrobatic catch at the track.  Reyes walks away from today's game with something good to build on.  He needs to continue to boost his confidence throughout the spring, and today was certainly a step in the right direction.

The defense to start the game for La Russa could closely resemble the one we'll see on opening day.  Yadier Molina was the only regular who didn't start.  Backup catcher Jason Larue took his place, hitting ninth.  Old timer Juan Gonzalez was penciled in as the DH, and went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored.

The most exciting part of the day was when Colby Rasmus came into the game.  Rasmus reached base in all four of his plate appearances in yesterday's game.  He entered today's game as a pinch runner for Albert Pujols in the fifth.  He doubled in his first at-bat, and walked the next time up.  Rasmus has now reached base in all six of his appearances.  He'll be with the big club sometime in '08, but if this keeps up you'd have to think he'll be heading for St. Louis when the team breaks camp at the end of March.

A few other notes from today's game:

• Troy Glaus had a nice barehanded play but the throw wasn't in time - three people around me simultaneously said, "Rolen would have made that play."
• Skip Schumaker was 3 for 4 with a stolen base.
• Hugo Castellanos pitched well but I wouldn't mind seeing the radar gun on him - looks very slow.
• Girls that drink beer are more attractive than ones that don't.
• Mets fans were pleasant.

Aside from the cold, it was a great day at the ballpark.  Feel free to check out some of my pictures.  For all the stats from today's game, check out the box score.  Tomorrow the Cardinals will head to Port St. Lucie to play the Mets again.  The starting pitchers will be Adam Wainwright and Johan Santana.  Go Cards!

Spiezio Released

Shortly after the Cardinals learned of a warrant being issued for the arrest of utility man Scott Spiezio, the team officially released him.  Sources say that Spiezio is wanted in Orange County, California on six different charges, including driving under the influence and assault, all stemming from an incident in late December.

Spiezio missed over a month of the 2007 season while receiving treatment for substance abuse.  It was thought that he had gotten past those problems and was ready to take back his role with the '08 squad.

"I was out of control for a while," Spiezio said late last season.  "I learned a lot and I'm ready to start contributing in a good way now."

I wish Scott the best and hope he can get the treatment he needs to get his life in order.  I also think this was a smart move for the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. There were too many non-baseball stories accompanying last year's team, and more off the field trouble is the last thing La Russa and the Redbirds need.

With Spiezio now out of the picture, an opportunity presents itself for one of the other infielders to make the club out of camp.  It would seem that no one has quite the flexibility of a Scott Spiezio, but there are some candidates that can play multiple positions, including Brendan Ryan and D'Angelo Jimenez.  We'll soon have a better idea of what the opening day roster will look like.  The Post Dispatch has more on the Spiezio story here.

Let the Games Begin

Tomorrow is the big day.  It's the first Spring Training game for the Cardinals.  They'll play Saint Louis University at Roger Dean Stadium Wednesday afternoon.  Mitchell Boggs is scheduled to start, and pitch two innings.  P.J. Walters, Clayton Mortensen, and Jamie Garcia will follow, getting two innings each, with Chris Perez to pitch the final frame.  It'll be nice to finally have some real baseball.  The first Grapefruit League game for the Cardinals will be on Thursday, at home against the Mets.  Anthony Reyes will get the start.  I'll be at Thursday's game and of course will share my experience here, along with a bunch of pictures, so be sure to check back.  I'm also attending the game next Thursday, March 6th, at Roger Dean against the Marlins, as well as the game against L.A. from Dodgertown the following day.

Derrick Goold has all the latest developments from Jupiter over at Bird Land, including trouble with Brian Barton's knee, and the news that La Russa will again be batting the pitcher eighth.  The numbers support Tony's lineup.  The team record, runs scored per game, and the pitcher's average and on-base percentage have all been higher when the pitcher is in the eighth slot.  Interestingly, the idea might finally catch on elsewhere.  Ned Yost, the manager of the Milwaukee Brewers, is also contemplating batting the pitcher eighth.  Anthony Witrado of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has more.

From here on out, the news should be plentiful.  We'll begin to see how the young players are coming along, how our injured players are recovering, and how the roster will shape out.  I'll continue blogging daily, doing my best to keep everyone informed, and of course throwing in my two cents.  Let the games begin!

Cards Pass on Bonds

There were confirmed reports from Cardinals camp today that manager Tony La Russa was quietly lobbying for Barry Bonds.  Spring Training games start this week and the home run king still remains a free agent.  There has been little interest in the 43 year old slugger, as an investigation continues with possible perjury charges hanging overhead.

La Russa discussed the notion with his coaching staff, where he received a mixed response, then took the idea to general manager John Mozeliak.

"When you look at somebody dangerous to hit behind Albert, Barry was the guy I thought of," said La Russa. "For whatever reason, at the general manager or ownership level, they didn't agree."

Barry Bonds doesn't fit into the plans of Cardinal team trying to get younger.  Certainly he would be asking for more than the club would be willing to pay, and would take away precious at-bats from the young outfielders already in camp.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of Bonds.  However, I think he was one of the best baseball players of my generation.  Bonds has always carried an intimidating bat.  His on-base percentage is one of the greatest, and combined with his power potential, it's hard to imagine him not yet having a team for the upcoming campaign.  Unfortunately, Barry's bat is the only part of his game that is still attractive to teams.  A National League team like the Redbirds would have to stick him in right field, where he would be a defensive liability.

Although it's fun to speculate the production of a lineup that includes Pujols, Bonds, Troy Glaus, Chris Duncan, and Rick Ankiel, the reality is that it just doesn't make sense for the ballclub.  Joe Strauss and Jeff Gordon have more on the story.

It's Reyes' Time To Shine

Cardinals pitcher Anthony Reyes has a momentous opportunity in front of him in 2008.  He's in a competition with at least two of his teammates to win one of a couple of open spots in the starting rotation.  This position is nothing new for Reyes, as he was also competing for a spot with the '06 and '07 clubs.  The difference this time around however, is that if he's unsuccessful, he could pitch his way out of the Cardinals' organization altogether.

Reyes, 26, was drafted by the Cards out of USC in the 15th round in 2003. He quickly moved up the ranks, pitching in 7 games for the Palm Beach Cardinals and 12 for the AA Tennessee Smokies in 2004.  He had a good year with the AAA Memphis Redbirds in '05, and was considered the Cardinals' top pitching prospect.  His success earned him his first call-up in August of  '05, where he earned the win against the Milwaukee Brewers, pitching 6 1/3 innings and giving up just two runs on two hits.  He was even more impressive in his second call-up in June of '06, where he pitched an eight inning complete game one-hitter against the World Champion White Sox in Chicago.  The lone hit was a solo home run to Jim Thome, and Reyes took the loss.  Reyes also dominated the first game of the '06 World Series against the Tigers, going 8 innings and giving up two runs on four hits, and setting a rookie record by retiring 17 consecutive batters.  View all of Reyes stats here.

Aside from a few flashes of brilliance, Reyes has had a tough time translating his minor league success to the big leagues.  In 2007, he finished with a very forgettable 2-14 record and a 6.04 ERA.  The lack of run support that Reyes got only partially attributed to his abysmal season.  Many fans believe Reyes isn't on the same page as pitching coach Dave Duncan, and the debate on whether to throw the two or four-seam fastball never ends.

Reyes' competition, both Todd Wellemeyer and Brad Thompson, could end up in the bullpen if they fail to make the rotation.  Reyes, on the other hand, is more suited to be a starter.  Although he still has an option year, and Memphis is again a possibility, it's more likely that if he doesn't make the cut, a trade would be forthcoming.

According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Reyes had an intense workout regimen this off-season, and spent a lot of time working on locating his pitches and keeping the ball down.  Anthony apparently feels good this spring, and his comfort level and optimism is encouragingly high.

"I feel like my old self again," Reyes said.  "I'm doing things I used to be comfortable doing."

Goold says that Reyes looked good in camp today, and is scheduled to make the start against the Mets on Thursday.  Check out all of his notes from Jupiter here.

The bottom line:  Reyes needs to forget about last season, pitch the way he knows he's capable, and show Cardinals' fans the reason he was once a top prospect.

Leftover Links

Short post today.  I'll point you in the right direction for a few good reads about our Birds.  As usual, Derrick Goold is blogging from Cardinals camp, and gives some insight on today's simulated game.  Check it out here. Yesterday, Goold had a gem of a story about some of the pitchers taking a road trip to Daytona in an RV to see some NASCAR action.  It's a must read.  If you missed it, find it here.

And if that gets you thinking about which Cardinals might be rednecks, Tim McKernan of InsideSTL.com has all the answers here.

Next, more steroid news.  Cards' minor league pitcher Scott Vander Weg has tested positive for an unspecified performance enhancing drug.  He'll receive a 50 game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy effective at the start of the 2008 season.  Here's the full press release.

Finally, Bob Elliot of the Toronto Sun was in Jupiter asking some of the Redbirds about their former teammates Scott Rolen and David Eckstein.  His post is loaded with great quotes.  Find it here.

Weaver a Possibility?

The Cardinals have shown a mild interest in adding another arm to the competition for the available spots in the starting rotation.  Coming into camp, three pitchers were vying for the fifth spot, at least until Mark Mulder's return.  Now, with the news on Matt Clement, the trio of Reyes, Wellemeyer, and Thompson would be competing for two rotation slots.

According to the Joe Strauss, of the Post Dispatch, the Cardinals have contacted the agent of former Redbird Jeff Weaver.  Weaver is one on a short list of available pitchers.  Read Strauss' article here.

I'm in favor of adding to the competition in Spring Training, but I'm not if favor of adding any of the retread arms that are left in the bargain bin, including Weaver.  Don't get me wrong, Weaver eventually got back on track late in 2006 and had a great stretch run.  Without him, the Cards wouldn't have won the World Series. I just question whether or not a guy like Weaver would be any better than the previously mentioned threesome.

Remember, Weaver had a terrible time in '06 with the Angels, and when the Cardinals first acquired him, he was still terrible.  It took a while for Dave Duncan and staff to get him better results.  After turning down the Cardinals' two year offer, Weaver had an equally poor year with Seattle in '07.  View his stats here.

Ideally, the Cards will get back Clement and/or Mulder in May.  Certainly a guy like Wellemeyer can make a few starts until then, and likely, make them better than Weaver could.  On the other hand, with the track record of Dr. Paletta and company, we might not see any of the injured pitchers back this season.  Could Weaver come in handy then?  Maybe.  But I think that the guys already in camp have just as good a chance to succeed as he does.  For more on this story, check out Jeff Gordon's article, here.

My Visit to Cardinal Camp

I spent some time at Cardinals camp yesterday, and as promised, I'll use this post to share my experience.

There was more traffic than I anticipated, so I didn't arrive at camp until 9:45.  Although it was raining when I left my place, the weather was great in Jupiter (Today I can really feel the sunburn).  I easily found a parking place in front of Roger Dean Stadium and made the short walk around to the back fields.  If you've never been to the complex, it's a beautiful place to see.  Behind the stadium, there are twelve full-size ball fields, and a couple of small ones, all shared by the Cardinals and Marlins.  When I arrived, the team was just finishing their stretching and throwing.

I quickly found the workout schedule, made by Tony La Russa, posted  on one of the backstops.  Upon first glance, I thought I'd need Tony's secret decoder ring to decipher the mess on the page, but after a little studying, I figured it out (at least in part).  The schedule is complex and precise.  Every player and coach is put into a group.  The groups rotate between fields and stations at certain times.  Everyone has a place to be, and everyone really hustles from field to field.  It's fun to watch.

I started by watching some fielding practice.  All of the catchers, and Mike Matheny of course, gathered in the small field between fields 1 and 6.  The catchers took turns blocking balls in the dirt fed from a pitching machine.  Matheny painted a half-circle in the dirt, and the idea was to keep the ball within the arc.  The machine was putting some serious spin on the balls, and bouncing them several feet in front of the catchers.  It was funny to see the guys block the ball and then dive after the ricochet.  Molina even threw his mask at a ball.

During this same time, the pitchers were also doing fielding drills.  Most of the big leaguers were on field 1, while the younger guys were on 6.  Both groups were fielding ground balls after a simulated delivery, and throwing them to either first or second.  Then there were rounds of grounders to Pujols, with the pitchers covering first.

On the far fields, the outfielders and infielders were also doing drills, but I didn't make my way over there. Since the interior paths are blocked off for the players to use, the only way to get to the far fields is to walk around the outfield fences, or take a trolley, which has a few stops along the way.

After a short meeting with La Russa on the small field, the pitchers broke off into more groups, and a catcher or two headed to each station.  Some pitchers were throwing bullpen sessions, some were doing more fielding, this time in front of a big wall, and others were practicing bunting.  They had to lay several bunts down each line, then had to show bunt and swing away.  There was a lot of smack-talking between the pitchers during the swinging away part.

Next, I watched a little situational infielding practice with the "B" squad.  Included in the group was Brian Barden, Rico Washington, David Freese, and surprisingly, Brendan Ryan.  The drills were about reading the batter for bunt coverage with runners on.  If you're wondering, Jarrett Hoffpauir was in the group with Cesar Izturis, Adam Kennedy, and Aaron Miles.

I spent most of the rest of my time watching live batting practice.  I watched four groups.  The pitchers were Adam Ottavino, Chris Perez, Tyler Herron, and Todd Wellemeyer.  I know that early on in camp the pitchers have the advantage, and that was certainly the case with Ottavino.  He pitched to a group of Colby Rasmus, Brian Barton, Josh Phelps, Cody Hearther, and Jason LaRue.  I think I only saw one ball get hit fair, and it was a soft liner to short.  The first time through there were several swing and misses.

There wasn't a lot of excitement from the "power" group, which included Albert Pujols, Troy Glaus, Juan Gonzalez, and Scott Spiezio.  Pujols smashed one back up the middle off of Wellemeyer, but it was pretty quiet otherwise.

By far, the most impressive hitting group was the outfielders Rick Ankiel, Chris Duncan, Ryan Ludwick, and Skip Schumaker.  Maybe they're ahead of the rest because they were in camp early.  All hit the ball hard, and all over the field.  Edit (02/23):  I thought the pitcher during this group was Herron, but I guess I was mistaken.

I noticed a lot of other interesting things yesterday too.  Here are some:

• Chris Perez throws hard.
• Brian Barton is very athletic, but doesn't look it.
• Troy Glaus is a much bigger guy than I thought he was.
• Ryan Franklin needs a haircut.
• They sell beer and hotdogs.  Big plus in my book!
• "Professional" autograph hounds piss me off.  Let the kids get a ball signed.
• Mickey the munchkin from The Wizard of Oz was there signing autographs.
• Red was cruising around in his golf cart.
• Chris Carpenter was jogging the neighborhood and nearly ran me over as I was leaving.
• The team store was open and I wanted one of everything.

Overall, it was a great day.  I think it's neat to see major league ballplayers doing the same kind of drills that you do in high school and Legion ball.  Although nothing profound, take a look at the some of my pictures.  I had a lot of fun, and would recommend it to any baseball fan.  If you haven't been to camp, go.  It's free. Six more days until the first Spring Training game.

Without Sports

I spent a lot of time at Cardinals camp in Jupiter, Fl today, and while I finish working on a lengthy post about my experience, enjoy this old ad from ESPN.

Cards Add Villone

The Cardinals signed veteran left-hander Ron Villone to a minor league contract today.  Villone, 38, is a journeyman reliever coming off a two-year stint with the New York Yankees.  St. Louis will be his 11th team since first making it to the big leagues in 1995.  For his career, Villone is 55-57, with a 4.76 Earned Run Average.  Used mostly as a reliever, he's appeared in 580 games, with 93 starts.  He pitched 42 innings in '07, compiling an ERA of 4.25.  View all of his stats here.

Of course the minor league deal includes an invite to Spring Training, where he could challenge Randy Flores and Tyler Johnson for a spot in the bullpen.  Earlier this offseason, the Cards brought in Randy's brother Ron Flores, also a lefty reliever.  If nothing else, he and Villone add depth from the left side.  For more on the story, check out the Matthew Leach article.

There's not much to say about this signing.  It isn't much to get excited about, but it never hurts to add depth and create more competition.  Also, if the Cardinals are trying to sign everyone listed in the Mitchell Report, they're off to a good start.

Tomorrow is an exciting day for me.  I'm going to make the short drive up to Jupiter to watch some of the club's workouts.  I'm most eager to see the new guys, especially the youngsters.  I'll be sure to take plenty of pictures, and I'll report anything interesting, so be sure to check back.

Clement Behind Schedule

The Cardinals' newest starting pitcher Matt Clement might not be ready for the start of the 2008 season. Clement's shoulder surgery and subsequent rehab have kept him off a major league mound since June of '06. Reports from camp in Jupiter say he's behind schedule, and needs to build back his arm strength.  Pitching coach Dave Duncan is now altering Clement's schedule, which will now include long toss sessions between bullpen throwing days.  It's likely that Matt won't start the season in the Cards' rotation.

"In all honesty, I will be surprised if he's ready for opening day," Duncan said.  "And I'm not too sure even if he is ready, we wouldn't likely have him compete somewhere else just to get him in the swing of things. He's behind.  How far?  Don't know yet."

This could mean that the three pitchers competing for the last spot in the rotation, Todd Wellemeyer, Brad Thompson, and Anthony Reyes, will now be competing for two rotation spots.  A May return for Mark Mulder is still hopeful.  Barring any setbacks, Chris Carpenter should return sometime mid-season.

Cardinals' GM John Mozeliak remains content with the current pitching staff, and despite the news on Clement, has no plans of pursuing any of the remaining free-agent arms.

"If I felt this was something that was a major setback or some guaranteed uncertainty, then I think obviously we'd have to re-evaluate where we are," said Mozeliak.

For more on this story, read Derrick Goold's article in the Post Dispatch here, and Matthew Leach's on MLB.com here.

There are plenty of reactions to the news throughout Cardinal cyberspace.  Check out my favorites from Cardinals Diaspora and Bernie's Extra Points.

Marlins New Ballpark a Reality

I'm a die hard Cardinal fan, and have been for as long as I can remember. When I was five years old, living in Germany, my earliest memory was a Christmas gift from my grandparents stateside: a St. Louis Cardinals 1982 World Series Champion t-shirt. For the past two years, however, I've been a die hard Cardinal fan living in South Florida. I moved from St. Louis to Miami in February of '06. Although I'm a Cardinal fan first, I'm still a baseball fan second. Naturally, I have an interest in the Florida Marlins.

I think it's sad, really, to watch a major league franchise, in one of the larger cities in the country, try to compete every day in front of only a few thousand fans. I've seen more fans at Spring Training games than I've seen supporting the Marlins. Since their inception in 1993, the Fish have had to share a stadium with the Miami Dolphins football team. Starting in '08, Dolphin Stadium will also be the home of the University of Miami Hurricanes football team.

Over the years, there's been talk of moving the Marlins to another city, or perhaps expunging the club in an MLB retraction altogether. The hopes of a new stadium have come and gone for the franchise several times over the course of the last decade.

Finally, the dream has become a reality. According to the Sun-Sentinel, an agreement for the new ballpark has been reached. The stadium, a $515 million facility, complete with a retractable roof, will be built at the site of the old Orange Bowl. The park is said to be designed and devolped by HOK Sport, the same architectual firm that constructed St. Louis' Busch Stadium, Jupiter's Roger Dean Stadium, as well as countless other professional sports venues.

For more news, and all the specifics of the new stadium, check out capefish.blogspot.com.  They're the experts in all things related to the new park, and have been blogging about the idea for quite some time. From what I understand, the first depiction might not be the final design for the park.  View a video of the original model here.

Groundbreaking for the new ballpark is scheduled to begin in November of this year, and the facility should be ready for major league action by the start of the 2011 season.  The Florida Marlins will then change their name to the Miami Marlins.

2008 Team Projection

As we all know, the Cardinals finished under .500 in 2007, with a record of 78-84.  It was the team's first losing season since 1999, when they went 75-86.  Most Cardinal fans aren't expecting a World Championship in '08, and many aren't holding out for a division title either.  I'd guess most of us would be happy to be in the hunt come September, and finish with at least 81 wins to avoid back-to-back losing seasons.

Springtime always brings new optimism and a clean slate.  Every team is even.  Every team is a legitimate contender.  Then Baseball Prospectus releases their team projections, based on PECOTA, a sabermetric system for predicting player performance.  The system is rather accurate each year, and picked the Cards to finish third behind Chicago and Milwaukee last season.  They've done it again.  This time, they predict a 72-90 record for this year's Birds, finishing only ahead of Pittsburgh in the division.  For some, the optimism dwindles.  Not for me.

Sure there's a lot of question marks penciled throughout the Cardinals' roster.  We don't know what to expect from guys like Clement, Mulder, Reyes, Izturis, Kennedy, and maybe some others.  What if Albert needs surgery and is shut down for the year?  What if Looper or Pineiro can't continue to improve as major assets in the rotation?  What if Ankiel and Duncan can't better their plate discipline?  The questions could go on.  They way I see it, however, is that if a few things can go right this season, the 2008 Cardinals will be a better team than the one that lost 86 games last year.  Don't count this club out before the games are played.  Look for a few surprise performances from some unexpected contributors.  No team in the Central is going to run away with the division.  I'm still optimistic.  The Cardinals will contend.

Check out the full projected standings from Baseball Prospectus here, and view each of the Cardinal players projections here.

Minor News

It was just as beautiful a day today in South Florida as it was yesterday.  Day two of Spring Training went as expected.  It was the first full scheduled workout for pitchers and catchers.  As I've said before, there are a lot of new faces this spring, many of whom are getting their first taste of a big league camp.  Tony La Russa took note of the many young players.

"Shouldn't be any sleepy spring training games," he said.  "Guys will be out there playing for their major-league lives."

I know how much Tony prefers the veteran guys, and emphasizes the value of situational and pressure filled experience, but it would be nice to see a rookie or two break camp with the Cardinals this March.  I think the younger guys, especially the ones playing for the league minimum, can really bring some much needed energy to a stagnant ball club.  It was great during the stretch run of the '06 World Championship season to see some of the unseasoned guys step into big roles.  Guys like Adam Wainwright, Anthony Reyes, Tyler Johnson, and Josh Kinney stepped up when the team needed them to, and the Cardinals wouldn't have brought home the trophy without them.

Speaking of Kinney,  today was his third time throwing off a mound this spring.  Although his rehab is going well, it looks as though he might not see any game action for a while longer.  Matthew Leach has more.

Cardinals' hitting coach Hal McRae was involved in drills with some of the hitters today decked out in his new #15 jersey.  Remember my thoughts on that?

According to Derrick Goold, Colby Rasmus arrived to camp today.  "The Chosen One" has an outside shot of making the club, but more than likely he'll start the year in Memphis.  Don't forget to check out Goold's Bird Land, for all the inside happenings down (up for me) in Jupiter.  Today he discusses a possible Mark McGwire appearance, as well as the "save the bullets" rule.  Find it all here.

And Chris Lee has more eye-popping photographs to share, this time of Mike Matheny instructing the catchers.  Find them here.  It's great to see Mike with the Birds on the Bat.

It's Time For Baseball!

It's here.  No more waiting.  Today is the official day for pitchers and catchers to report.  Any that weren't already at the Spring Training complex in Jupiter, Fl are there now.  There are also several position players in camp, even though they're not required to be there until next week.

Tony La Russa seems excited to get back to work.  He was in good spirits as he arrived to camp today.  Tony loves competition this time of year, and it looks like there will be plenty this spring, as several players are trying to win a roster spot with the big club.  One such player, infielder Brendan Ryan, arrived today to get a jump on his routine.  He is one of nine infielders fighting for only six spots.

Also arriving today were former Cardinals Mike Matheny and Cal Eldred.  Both are in camp to help instruct the catchers and pitchers.

Be sure to check out Derrick Goold's Bird Land for more on the start of Spring Training.  Also, for the must see pictures from today, courtesy of Chris Lee, click here.

There should be plenty of news coming out of Cardinal camp over the next couple of weeks.  Workouts will continue until the first exhibition game, scheduled for February 27th, against St. Louis University.  I'll keep you posted.

Natural Talents

These guys didn't take steroids.

Odds and Ends

First and foremost, Cardinals' outfielder Rick Ankiel was kind enough to take part in a live chat with fans earlier today courtesy of mlb.com.  Although I was unable to participate, I did manage to pull some of the highlights:

• He will not pitch again
• He prefers hitting home runs over than giving them up
• He and Chris Duncan plan to hit a combined 60 homers this year
• The return to the big leagues as an outfielder is his greatest achievement thus far
• He has a strong and respectful relationship with Tony La Russa
• He loves playing in St. Louis and feels a strong connection to the fans there
  

Update (02/13):  Find the full transcript of the Ankiel chat here.

In my opinion, the highlight of the session was the plug by Ankiel for his new website, rickankielonline.  I previewed the site earlier today and really liked what I saw.  I highly recommend checking it out, and be sure to view all the pictures.  Great stuff.

Next, Derrick Goold has been blogging from Cardinals camp for the last few days.  Today, he reports the progress of pitchers Matt Clement and Mark Mulder.  Here's the link to his blog.

This got me thinking.  Since I'm off work later this weekend, I'm thinking of making the short drive up to camp in Jupiter for my first visit of the spring.  By then, most of the players will have arrived, although the first scheduled full squad workout isn't planned until Monday.  Of course I'll post all my thoughts, along with pictures from the complex, so be sure to check back.

Finally, the folks at Fungoes have an interesting analysis of the different outfield combinations.  I was a little surprised with their results.  Check it out here.

Concern Over Pujols

The talk of the town lately has been the health of Cardinal slugger Albert Pujols. Everyone knows Albert's been dealing with elbow soreness in his throwing arm for some time now.  He played through pain for much of the 2007 season.  Eventually, he could require Tommy John surgery, which would cause him to miss nearly a year of baseball.  For now, Pujols and the club have elected not to green light the surgery, although there have been reports that he may decide to undergo the procedure if the pain persists.

"I was in pain," Pujols said.  "I'm telling myself that I ain't going through the same pain that I went through last year."

The obvious question here is how will the Cardinals fare without their most valuable player?  I suspect a Cardinal team without Pujols would struggle badly.  An easy comparison would be to look at how the starting pitching performed last year without staff ace Chris Carpenter.  Not only did the Redbirds lose their best pitcher, but also a clubhouse leader. We know how it turned out for the rest of the starters in '07, so no need to revisit it.  Pujols is the team's best player, and a leader as well.  I'd rather not see him on the DL.

On the other hand, if surgery is imminent, wouldn't it be wise to have Albert miss the "transition" season of '08 rather than the far more optimistic looking season that follows?  Not only should Carpenter be back at full strength by 2009, but top prospect Colby Rasmus will have cemented himself in the everyday lineup by then too.  Any holes in that year's team could be filled from a much better looking free agent class than the one we saw this winter.  A healthy Pujols would be very important to a run at another division title.

It's a tough call.  I'd hate to practically concede the upcoming season by shelving El Hombre, but if we look at the bigger picture, maybe it's best after all.

For now, let's just hope Albert's elbow stays together and the decision doesn't have to be made.  I'm looking forward to some exciting baseball this year, and would like him to be a part of it.  Pitchers and catchers report on Thursday!

Quick Reading

Pitchers and catchers will report to Jupiter, Fl for Spring Training in just over three days now.  There are already a few members of the ball club in camp, including Chris Carpenter, Rick Ankiel, and Chris Duncan. The anticipation has been building all winter.  As we wait just a few more days, I'll direct you to a couple of good articles about our beloved Birds.

Three different journalists wrote about the Cardinals roster turnover this weekend.  First, Tony La Russa believes the team is going to contend this season and shrugs off the "transition" label.  Read all about it from Mathew Leach here.

Next, a great story in the Post Dispatch by Joe Stauss answers all the big questions surrounding the club, including those about Albert's elbow and who bats lead-off.  Here's the link.

And then, Brian Walton compares the 2008 roster turnover to that of years past over at The Birdhouse.  With the loss of fan favorites Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen, and David Eckstein, it seems like the clubhouse will be full of unfamiliar faces, but it's easy to forget how many more players were lost before other seasons, including the two National League Championship years.  Check out the full story here.

We'll have to acquaint ourselves with some new faces this spring, but one that is most familiar, Rick Ankiel, is now the only player on the roster that was playing in St. Louis in 2000.  Bizarre.

NL Central All-Star Team

Continuing the theme from Wednesday's post, I thought it might be fun to try to construct a team of all-stars from only the National League Central.  The Central has a lot of talented ball players, but lacks a team with a 100 win potential.

At first, I thought this would be an easy task.  Picking eight position players and five starting pitchers from our lowly division couldn't possibly be tough.  I was surprised.  A few positions were no-brainers, first base for instance.  Others, like the outfield, were a lot more difficult.

Here's what I came up with:

•  C  Yadier Molina  -  Cardinals
• 1B Albert Pujols  -  Cardinals
• 2B Brandon Phillips  -  Reds
• SS J.J. Hardy  -  Brewers
• 3B Aramis Ramirez  -  Cubs
• LF Alfonso Soriano  -  Cubs
• CF Hunter Pence  -  Astros
• RF Ken Griffey Jr.  -  Reds

• SP Carlos Zambrano  -  Cubs
• SP Roy Oswalt  -  Astros
• SP Aaron Harang  -  Reds
• SP Adam Wainwright  -  Cardinals
• SP Tom Gorzelanny  -  Pirates

There are a ton of great players not named in my list.  As a matter of fact, you could easily construct a second all-star team just from the players left over.  Let's just say we could take five of the best position players to fill out the bench, and there's plenty of talented relief pitchers to build a stellar bullpen.  It's interesting to me that I chose only one player each from both Pittsburgh and Milwaukee.  As I said earlier, I'd pick the Pirates to finish last, and the Brewers to compete for the division title.

You've seen my picks, now let's hear yours.  Comments?

Bob Gibson Strikes Out 17

He still holds the record for the most strikeouts in a World Series game.  Maybe the Cardinals could bring Gibby out of retirement to help stabilize the rotation.  Enjoy!

Amazing!

Carpenter on the Mend

Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter seems optimistic about his return to the rotation this year.  Carpenter hasn't pitched since last opening day, and is still recovering from last summer's Tommy John surgery.  According to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Carpenter had a "lengthy" workout yesterday at Roger Dean Stadium that included throwing from 90 feet. Strauss says the plan is to increase the throwing distances throughout the spring and eventually throw off a mound before the end of camp.

"I'd love to be back the first week or two of June," Carpenter said.

That would be an ideal timetable, but it really all depends on the number and frequency of setbacks. Typical recovery time for pitchers that have had the surgery is 10-12 months.  Read more on Carpenter's forecast here.

The news is encouraging, but we've come to take the team's optimism with a grain of salt.  Dealing with player injuries, and pushed back return dates has been very frustrating for Cardinal fans.  I think Josh Bacott at St. Louis Sports Magazine speaks for all of us.  Check out his post here.

Previewing the NL Central

It's time to take a closer look around the rest of the division.  Now that we're just about a week away from the start of Spring Training, most roster shaping has been completed, and we'll have a pretty good idea of who we'll be competing against in the Central.

In 2007, The Milwaukee Brewers got off to a hot start, but fell on their faces during the stretch run, handing the division crown to the Chicago Cubs.  The Cards were still in the race going into the final month, but came up well short when all was said and done.  The Houston Astros and Cincinnati Reds finished a game apart for fourth and fifth in the standings, while the Pittsburgh Pirates finished last, with the worst record in the National League.

What about this year?  It looks like the Brew Crew and the Baby Bears are favored once again, with the Cards projected to finish somewhere in the middle of the pack.

First, let's take a quick look at the Cubbies.  They've added to their already potent offense with the pick up of outfielder Kosuke Fukudome, their first Japanese player in franchise history.  He, along with Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez, Derrek Lee, and young catcher Geovany Soto, should provide plenty of pop for the cursed club.  They've added veteran starting pitcher Jon Lieber as well.  The rotation should continue to impress in '08. Lieber joins staff ace Carlos Zambrano, Rich Hill, Ted Lilly, and former Cardinal, Jason Marquis. Look for the Cubs to be right there at the end.  Skipper Lou Piniella, now in his second year with Chicago, will surely have his team in contention for the division title again.

Milwaukee had a very good team in '07.  Now that the youngsters have another year under their belt, they should be able to stay focused for the entire season.  Their offense will once again be led by first baseman Prince Fielder, who hit 50 home runs last season. Newcomer Mike Cameron will join Fielder, Ryan Braun, Bill Hall, and J.J. Hardy, as the run producers in the lineup.  The Brewers should have a healthy Ben Sheets atop their rotation, followed by some combination of talent and durability in Yovani Gallardo, Jeff Suppan, Carlos Villanueva, and others.  The Brewers also added Eric Gagne to assume the closers role.  He and Derrick Turnbow could prove to be as effective as the Cards' eighth and ninth inning duo last year.  There's no reason to think that Milwaukee won't take the '08 race right down to the wire.

The Houston Astros have just as tough a lineup as anybody.  J.R. Towles should take the reigns at catcher after hitting .375 in 40 at-bats last year.  Carlos Lee, Lance Berkman, Miguel Tejada, Hunter Pence, and Ty Wiggington should have no trouble driving in runs in Playskool (I mean Minute Maid) Park.  Besides their new-look left side of the infield, two other everyday players have joined the Astros.  Both Kazuo Matsui and Michael Bourn are capable of batting leadoff.  Houston's pitching, however, doesn't look so great.  Other than ace Roy Oswalt, the rotation appears to be a short list of mediocrity.  If we as Cards fans have learned anything from last season, it's that you'll only go as far as your starting pitching will take you. While the Astros will certainly score a lot of runs in '08, they're likely to allow a lot too.  I'd guess they'll finish well behind Chicago and Milwaukee.

It's tough to gauge what to expect from Cincinnati.  The Reds have some talented ball players. Most are carryovers from last season when they couldn't put it all together. They'll again be led by the bats of Adam Dunn, Brandon Phillips, and Hall of Fame bound Ken Griffey Jr.  The starting rotation, which includes Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo, and Homer Bailey, doesn't look too bad either.  With manager Dusty Baker now calling the shots, maybe Cincinnati can make it an interesting race.

Then, there's Pittsburgh.  They haven't had a winning season in 15 years, and did virtually nothing to improve their club this offseason.  They hope outfielder Jason Bay can have a bounce back year.  Despite the good arms of Tom Gorzelanny and Ian Snell, the Pirates are projected to finish in the cellar once again in 2008.  But, you never know.  That's why they play the games.

Where do the Cardinals fit?  That's a question that's impossible to answer.  Last season, the Cards had a never-ending list of injuries, including a career ending one to Juan Encarnacion.  Combine that with the death of pitcher Josh Hancock, the arrest of their manager in Spring Training, and the substance abuse that kept Scott Spiezio off the field, and the Redbirds should have finished last.  They didn't.  The NL Central was a three horse race all the way to September.  No manager gets more from his players than Tony La Russa.  So any team with him at the helm has a shot.

"People are looking at other clubs and liking them better than ours," La Russa said.  "But I look at our club and see some real possibility."

While the Cards lost a few fan favorites, they've also added a couple of intriguing guys, and you can never count out a team that has Albert Pujols.  For a closer look at the club, check out my other '08 Outlook posts:  the infield, outfield, rotation, and bullpen.

Any way you slice it, the upcoming season should be an exciting one.  I can't wait!

Around The Cardinal Blogosphere

I've got a pretty lengthy post about ready for tomorrow, so today, I'll keep it short.  There are a couple of interesting tidbits out around Cardinal Nation worth checking out.

First, a little news.  It seems the Cards have extended their agreement with Quad Cities, their Midwest League affiliate.  The Single-A club has been tied to St. Louis for three years now, and the River Bandits have reached the postseason in all three.  Read the entire press release here.

Next, for anyone like me, who can't get enough Rick Ankiel info, the folks at Fungoes have a nice analysis. Projecting Ankiel's numbers isn't easy.  He appeared in only 47 games in his storybook return to the majors last season.  Check out their "skeptical" assessment here.

And finally, with all the discussion about who'll bat leadoff for the Redbirds this season, Ryan at Cardinals Diaspora weighs in and reveals the unimpressive walk rates by each of the candidates.

Keep counting, Cards fans.  Only nine more days until pitchers and catchers report.

Cards Sign Juan Gonzalez

So much for getting younger.  Today the Cardinals signed 38 year old outfielder, Juan Gonzalez, to a minor league contract.  It's said to be worth less than $1 million, and includes an invite to Spring Training.

Although Gonzalez is a two-time American League MVP, he hasn't played in the bigs in a while.  He appeared in only one game for Cleveland in 2005, and 33 games for Kansas City in '04.  He does, however, offer a potential right-handed power bat.  For his career, Gonzalez is a .295 hitter, with 434 home runs.  He's hit over 40 long balls in five different seasons.  View all his stats here.

It seems the signing came from a recommendation by Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, and Jose Oquendo, who took note of the slugger's workouts and batting practice at former Cardinal, Eduardo Perez's Winter Training Program in Puerto Rico.  Joe Strauss has the full story here.

Super Bowl Sunday

As I sit here with my beer, waiting for this over-hyped game to begin, I can't help but feel nauseated by the endless hours of pre-game coverage.  By game time I'll be so sick of football I might not stay tuned long after the kickoff.

During the coverage, I was surprised to see most of the fans bundled up in sweatshirts and jackets, after all, the Big Game is in Arizona.  I checked the weather online and found it's only 50 degrees there, with a 60 percent chance of rain.  Bummer.  Here in South Florida, the temperature just outside my door is a mild 83 degrees, and it's sunny.

What does this have to do with Cardinal baseball?  Well, pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training in Jupiter, FL in just eleven days.  So, get your butts down here, Cards fans!  The weather is perfect for baseball.

No-Nonsense Tony

Anyone remember this old ad?  Enjoy!

Almost There

February is here.  That means baseball.  Pitchers and catchers report in fourteen days.  Until then, we'll keep passing the time checking out what little news comes out of Cardinal Nation.

Just as we thought, the Cardinals will fill their lead off void in house.  Mathew Leach discusses each of the candidates here.  Tony La Russa prefers a high OBP.

"On-base percentage is the highest thing on the list," La Russa said.  "If you've proven that you can get on base, that will give you the best chance to lead off."

Personally, I like Skip Schumaker, but I'm hoping to be surprised by Rule 5 draftee, Brian Barton.  He seems to have all the tools to bat lead off, but is an unproven major leaguer.  I'm looking forward to seeing how the competition pans out in Spring Training.

According to reports by Ken Rosenthal, the Cards are content with their starting pitching, and don't plan to add another arm.  General manager, John Mozeliak, is "encouraged" by the reports on Mark Mulder's progress.  Read the full story here.

This is a bit surprising to me, and I'm not the only one.  According to the results of the poll question I posted, the expectations for Mulder are somber.  Out of 72 total voters, a surprising 30 believe he'll make fewer than 10 starts in 2008.  For a few more days, you can view the complete results in the sidebar.