A generic handshake clip-art to go with my bad title.

This is going to be a current events type rambling post. I guess similar to most of my stuff so not sure why I’m even clearing that up. The Cardinals just completed the first nine games of the 2013 schedule with a 5-4 record. If you would have told me going into a 9 game stretch that included a West Coast stint to start with 3 in Arizona (Opening Day Festivities), 3 in SF (Home Opener with weekend long WS Championship Celebration), and 3 hosting Cincinnati (The favorite by most to win the Central) with the home opener pressure that they’d be 5-4 I would have been very pleased. So I’m very pleased.

Way more positives than negatives aside from the Jason Motte news. I assumed the worst right away based on how he pitches and the fact it’s an elbow injury anyway though.  Still sucks. Oh well, hoping for a full and fast recovery.

So let’s talk shortstops and pitching depth. A hot topic that’s been tossed around the internets and water coolers is the black cloud of mediocrity that  seems to always hang over the shortstop position and the never ending stable of young power arms the Cardinals have to choose from. By the way, do people actually stand around water coolers at work? Anyway.  A common practice for a GM is to take a position of strength and use pieces of it to help build up the weakness. In the Cardinals case it would be young pitcher(s) for a proven shortstop. Now I know the few people who do read this blog already know the scenarios that have been out there for the most part (Elvis Andrus who signed a big boy contract with Texas recently), Asdrubal Cabrera, and also Stephen Drew (signed with Boston for a lot of money) who was a free agent. Some mentioned Troy Tulowitzki but I never saw that as a realistic possibility. And also that Rafael Furcal is done for the year but is on the current payroll.

I really just want to just talk about the Cards. In other words, let’s look at some of the players who would possibly be involved in such a transaction. I’m assuming interested team’s would pull name’s from this group’s hat and in most cases it would probably take more than one of these guys or another starting big league shortstop.

Matt Adams: Here’s a guy who made the big club based on his ability to hit in pretty much any situation. Once Allen Craig signed his new deal the possibility of trading Matt Adams was an obvious thought considering he can only play 1st base aside from DH with no exceptions and Allen Craig’s knee concerns make him primarily a 1st baseman. The problem is, and this will be true with the others I list, is do the Cardinals know what they have in Matt Adams? Coming into the season I think they knew he could hit but he’s been more than impressive early.  Absolutely no need to rush a trade that includes Adams. Find this guy some at bats Mike Matheny!

Oscar Taveras: No

Shelby Miller: A very nice outing in San Francisco on a tough assignment. He pitched well for the Cardinals at the end of last season as well and looks to be on his way development wise. Again though, it’s early and do the Cardinals have a good idea as to what they have in Miller? Maybe, but it’s harder to sell potential than it is results. He has an Ace ceiling but is still a work in progress.

Trevor Rosenthal: Really raw talent with an extreme power arm. If I’m a team like say the Indians and you offer Rosenthal in a deal I’ll come back with how raw he is and the possibility of him never making the transition to MLB starter. I’m certainly not a GM but it’s a pretty easy rebuttal.  Again having to sell potential and not getting appropriate value.

Joe Kelly: Strong arm with the proven ability to start at the big league level. Teams will, and should rate him under Miller, Rosenthal, Martinez and Wacha. The Cards would have to sweeten the pot for sure.

Carlos Martinez and Michael Wacha: I’m pairing these two because neither has pitched in an MLB game and I’m lazy. Wacha’s stock shot up this Spring with very impressive outings and a glowing review from catcher Yadier Molina. Wacha’s an example of someone who can go from a player to watch as a middle -rotation guy to a possible top of the rotation guy in a short time. And then there’s Carlos Martinez who some believe to be a future Ace and others think he’ll be an elite Closer but definitely leaving room for trade partners to leverage the unproven route. So again, no need to rush.

There’s other guys on this list as well but this is a good start. Lance Lynn would be another guy to include but I think my point has been established.

So what is that point? My point is this. Pete Kozma is probably not going to be preparing a speech for Cooperstown unless he’s helping someone else.  Hell, the way it is now not many do anyway but that’s for another time. The Cardinals do not and very rarely will have All-Stars at every position. I realize shortstop is on the extreme side of the defensive matrix but Kozma will manage and is also very cost effective along with the players listed above. Give him a chance to at least be around replacement level. If he can do so the Cardinals will be in really good shape. Plus, Kozma has been hitting the ball pretty damn well. His defense will struggle and his offense will probably regress but just let things play out for a bit. Make other teams call the Cardinals about trades. The team on the receiving end of a phone call regarding a trade always has the upper hand.

In closing I realize a lot of trades are made with teams trading a prospect without a definite idea of what that player may develop into for a player to help immediately. In the Cardinals case I just don’t see the need for any sort of desperation. Plus, there’s always the possibility of injuries in the rotation. Hope for the best but plan for the worst. So grab a beer or your drink of choice and put your feet up and just relax and enjoy the fact you support a great organization with a bright future and intelligent people running it.

A common pitcher, typically used for juice or possibly punch.

So the St. Louis Cardinals pitchers and catchers plus pretty much everyone else has reported to camp. That’s good right? I mean I don’t get as fired up as some but it’s still nice to have a light at the end of the tunnel in regards to the off-season for sure. Speaking of the off-season it’s been a pretty quiet one for the Cardinals as far as fresh faces go. I’m not wasting time breaking down the acquisitions but Ty Wiggington, Randy Choate and Ronny Cedeno are now Cardinals. Nothing groundbreaking for sure but that’s alright. Sometimes quiet is just fine.

Moving to the reason I’ve decided to come out of my shell and type some words is in regards to some uncertainty that’s surfaced with the team’s pitching. With the news of Chris Carpenter last week it’s opened some discussion on who’s going to fill certain roles on the staff. And real quick if you know me personally you already know the Carp news hit me pretty hard and it sucks ass but it is what it is and I hope Chris can remain involved with the team in some capacity.

Ok, I’m going to list my predictions for the rotation and bullpen and in somewhat of an order from Ace to 5 rotation wise and high leverage (closer) down in the pen and this is all assuming health. Rotation: Wainwright, Garcia, Lynn, Westbrook and Miller. Bullpen: Motte, Boggs, Mujica, Salas, Kelly, Rzepczynski and Choate. This is what I highly expect the pitching staff to look like on Opening Day. The topic of conversation recently seems to lie on where Trevor Rosenthal, Shelby Miller and Joe Kelly should end up role wise. Also as current as yesterday some Cardinals fans didn’t take some Lance Lynn comments in regard to his status in the rotation so hot. So here’s some thoughts on each.

Let’s go Lance Lynn first since this topic is fresh and also stupid. Some have already touched on this subject and have similar views but I’m not really sure what he did wrong. Oh yeah, what he said. Not quoting exactly because I’m too lazy to look it up but essentially he stated that he was an All-Star and an 18 game winner last season and that a spot in the rotation was his to lose. Good for him. Where exactly is the issue? As far as the wins and all-star game I really don’t care but as far as his ability I’m on board. Should he say oh shucks, darn I really hope I have what it takes to scratch out a spot in the rotation? Maybe he should open a twitter account so he can tweet Rise and Grind every morning as well. Look, if you haven’t seen the pictures yet Lance Lynn has dropped some serious pounds and was obviously on a conditioning program more than likely to help with fatigue late in the season AS A STARTER. He needs to be getting ready for the season by refining his pitches not going balls out to win a spot.  He’s comfortably in.

Shelby Miller has been on track to be in the rotation for a couple seasons now with 2013 widely recognized as the target for him to enter the rotation. Joe Kelly did a nice job filling in last season but the reason it was him and not Miller was due to the fact they wanted to continue to groom Miller so he’d have all the tools needed at the MLB level. When Miller struggled last season fans were ready to dump him with no clue as to what was going on. I’m not trying to be a smart ass or know it all type but come on. Miller had been used to dominating  and what happened last season is his development was calling for him to be able to effectively throw his secondary pitches for strikes in hitter’s counts against higher level hitters.  He struggled with that. Remember when we heard they weren’t going to allow him to shake off the catcher? It just forced him to learn how to pitch at a high level out of his comfort zone. Then as the season progressed down the stretch he got better and better topped off with effective outings in STL at the end of the season. He’s in.

Quickly on Kelly he’s just simply not Miller. He’s good but will most likely fill the long roll in the pen and there’s nothing wrong with that at all. If a starter gets in trouble early and Matheny feels the game slipping Joe Kelly can come in and give the team extended innings and a chance. He’ll also get opportunities to step into other rolls in the pen as well I’m pretty sure. Plus, who really thinks this rotation will last the entire season without a couple DL stints? Kelly will get opportunities don’t worry.

Lastly Trevor Rosenthal. For those who want to see Rosenthal in the pen just know that’s the floor of his potential. ESPN’s Keith Law was on the radio in St. Louis last week and he believes Rosenthal may actually have a higher ceiling than Shelby Miller. Now that doesn’t mean he’s going to be better it just means there’s the potential. And with Miller projected as a top of the rotation guy why on earth would you have Rosenthal come out of the pen for 1 inning stints in games in April and May when he could be going through development to start similar to what Miller did last season. Again for me it’s easy, Rosenthal to Memphis.

And of course I could be completely wrong about everything.

Think about this though. If the Cardinals can work out a deal with Adam Wainwright which I think (really hope) happens look at this potential rotation next season: Wainwright, Miller, Garcia, Lynn, Rosenthal with Martinez, Wacha and maybe Maness or more in the mix.  If that doesn’t excite you then I don’t know. Heck, go look at Milwaukee’s rotation or Chicago’s. Feel better about the future yet?

In closing I know some are anxious about what the Cardinals front office did (didn’t do) this off-season as far as personnel but you have to look at the strength of the farm system and also the competition in the Central Division and NL as a whole. Similar to the Reds the Cardinals are in a really good spot to take either the division or at least a wild card this season and most importantly will be for seasons to come.

Lastly and then I’m really done. No more pitching talk. Keith Law brought up what I thought to be a great idea. A 4 man outfield rotation. Holliday, Jay, Beltran and Oscar Taveras. And I don’t mean having Taveras as a 4th outfielder but having each player sit every 4th day. This would get each guy plenty of AB’s while hopefully keeping them healthy and in good shape for the stretch run. Obviously it could be tweaked as they went if say Beltran needed extra days or whatever but I really liked the idea. Maybe not right away but who knows possibly call up Taveras in May, start of June? If he’s hitting in Memphis why not? He can play centerfield so get him up here. Alright that’s enough from me. Take care.

It’s roundtable time! If for whatever reason my blog is the only blog you read (I wouldn’t know why) and you don’t remember the format I’ll lay it out quickly. We do this twice a year, before and after the season, where as a UCB group each blogger has a day in which they submit a question to the others via our Google Group. They then compile the responses and post them on his or her respective blog. Below I’ll show you my question and follow with the responses including my own. You can visit UnitedCardinalBloggers.com for the other roundtable Q&A.

My question involves a scenario: MLB has contacted you regarding the work you do on your blog and would like to offer you a job for 1 season covering any team of your choosing EXCEPT the Cardinals (Don’t worry you’ll have MLB.TV). They’ve made arrangements with all other 29 teams and you get to select the one of your choosing. The team you select would then give you full access to their club.  Essentially anything you wanted to see or anyone you wanted to talk to and pick their brain you would have including players, coaches, front office, tv and radio personnel and even the fans. You’d start in Spring Training and go until their last MLB game is played. Your job would also include travel and stadium accommodations to their Minor League clubs as well. The only stipulation is you would need to blog at least once per day discussing your experiences and that given team.

So my question is: Which club would you choose and why? The direction you take your answer is completely up to you. Examples could be because of certain players, front offices you’d love to see work, geography, or maybe they are your second favorite team and/or an organization you just respect. You do have the option to turn the opportunity down as well. The choice is yours. Oh, and your regular job will be there when you get back and your family can come see you anytime on MLB’s dime.

My response would be the Washington Nationals. Coming off a very disappointing loss to the Cardinals in the NLDS in which Stephen Strasburg made zero appearances I’d love to follow the drama. They’ll have not only Strasburg back but also Bryce Harper in his second season and an overall solid team. I wanted to stay in the National League and cover a competitive team as well.

The rest of the group:

Daniel Solzman:

If I can’t choose the Cardinals, I would turn it down.

Dennis Lawson:

I would pick the Astros simply for the opportunity to cover the team’s transition to the AL.  As a bonus, spending time hanging around Luhnow and Goldstein would be entertaining, especially when they do their war room for the amateur draft at a local Fuddrucker’s.

Just imagine all the young talent set to go through Houston during the next few years.  They have a lot of interesting players and young talent, and then there is Tyler Greene.

Christine Coleman:

Interesting question, Dustin.

My choice would be the Astros as well. The fact the team is switching leagues next season, and going into the AL West, would certainly offer plenty of interesting fodder to write about daily. But the rebuilding process starting with the minor leagues, and with the front office personnel they’ve brought in to help with that like Kevin Goldstein, would be fascinating to see and learn about and write about — although the story will take years to completely unfold.

I had the opportunity to watch a River Bandits game with Jeff Luhnow in June 2011 and it was an unbelievably great experience. Obviously he was still with the Cardinals at that time, so I was able to learn much about the current Cardinals and the future as well. Overall he’s a very cool and engaging guy too, so having the chance to spend more time talking with him, learning from him and seeing him in action would be welcome (and terrific to write about).

Plus, in learning more about their minor league system, I’d have the chance to be home and go to games at my favorite minor league ballpark.

Mark Tomasik:

Dustin:

The Reds _ because I’d want the chance to spend each day learning how Walt Jocketty operates, how he goes about putting together a big-league team, a farm system and a staff, and to get him to talk about his remarkable time as Cardinals’ general manager and what that was like in leading the transition from Joe Torre to Tony La Russa and building the Cardinals clubs of the Mark McGwire-Albert Pujols eras.

Tom Knuppel:

The Dodgers- always been a class organization and love the weather.

Rodney Knuppel:

Definitely the Cubs. Because then I could see how NOT to do things. But, I would only do it if I could have a bottle of hand sanitizer with me at all times to keep me from getting the nasty germs of Wrigley Field and the surrounding areas. During this entire process, I would laugh at their decision making knowing that no matter what happens – the Cubs Suck.

Daniel Shopaw:

I’m such a homebody that I’m not sure I’d care for traveling much for a team, but if I had to do my regular blogging routine (with a little more access) for another team for the next year, it might be the Nationals.  You’ve got some great talent, a historic city, seeing how they rebound after a devastating playoff loss.  Lots of good possibilities, but that’d likely be my choice.

Wes Keene:

I would select the Texas Rangers for this assignment. In addition to appreciating the geography of the team, I would like to cover the team itself. How must it feel to be an organization that has been “this close” three years in a row. Two world series losses in back to back years followed by a heartbreaking theft of the division title at the tail end of the season have to be devastating.

I would want to cover a team that has to recover not just from injuries, loss of free agents, and the struggles every team has to cope with, but also has the mental hurdle to overcome. The Cardinals are more on the opposite end of the spectrum where the impossible always seems possible to fans just because the Cardinals *can*. In Texas it must feel a lot more like “no matter what we do, we’ll end up blowing it at the last moment”. In short, I’d like to see how the other half lives.

Bob Netherton:

I’d pick the Nationals.  On top of what Daniel has alread said, the intrigue around the decision to shut down Strasburg last year would make for some fascinating stories.  It would also be interesting to follow Bryce Harper as he transitions from prospect to franchise player, and the demands and maturity that requires.

Mary Clausen:

What a great question! Problem is, I’m not real sure.  If I had to pick a team that would be enjoyable to write about, I think I’d pick the Chicago Cubs.  My website is all about Fun! & they would be Fun! to write about – I think.

Matt Whitener:

This is a good question. I write a full league column now, and really
try to avoid the Cardinals as much as I can when I’m there. So of all
the teams in baseball I cover throughout the year, the one I would
choose?

The Yankees

It’s unbelivably fun to cover a team that has only one option every
year, if for no other reason, than to get to write extremes non-stop
everyday. You don’t have to be measured when you assess them and the
expectation of competition lets me be able to rip and praise them just
the same. Plus, there’s a ton of really, really good players to watch
all the time.

I love to write Hot Stove too, and they are constantly at the middle
of it all year round. Great gig to have.

Dathan Brooks:

Definitely not a clown question, bro.

I’d be inclined to choose the Rays.  I think it’d offer perspectives that may not be found many other places.  It would be a good exercise to see how truly difficult it is to try to compete in the AL East with the likes of NYY & BOS on a payroll that’s a fraction of those teams you face.  You’d get to spend time with Joe Maddon and his hair, which would make the whole thing worth it, by itself.  …unless he’s really Clint Hurdle–think about it, have you ever seen the two of them in the same place at the same time?  An opportunity to be around some of the game’s young stars, and gain a better understanding of the unique challenges that are brought forth by things like low attendance, & a less-than-ideal ballpark, to name a couple.  It would also provide good opportunities to possibly see some really interesting trades take place.

Chris Mallonee:

I’d like to cover the angels for many reasons. See if there’s any tension between Pujols and trout, what kind of guy Pujols really is behind the scenes, watch trumbo hit everyday, and just watch a team with lot of pressure on it to win. Covering the best hitter and rookie of our generation on the same team, would be pretty sweet.

Tara Wellman:

Great question!

I’d have to think long and hard about which team I’d want to spend a season with. But, because of their current, shall we say, “situation,” I’d be inclined to choose the Red Sox. I wouldn’t have any kind of emotional connection to the team, and there is so much chaos in that organization right now, that I’d never be short a headline or an eyebrow-raising soundbite! Plus, my curiousity makes me wonder what you do when you’ve hit rock bottom,and how you keep the demanding Boston fans from totally turning on you.

At the very least, it would be an interesting summer.

And I’m told there’s all the fried chicken you can eat …

Nick from Pitchers Hit Eighth

Pirates for me. An (in theory) up and coming organization with still interesting minor league teams – and I get to watch 81 games at PNC to boot!

My favorite team the St. Louis Cardinals were beaten in a game of baseball tonight 9-0. And by beaten I mean p*ss pounded. Jake Westbrook was hammered and Pedro ‘Babe Ruth Ted Williams’ Alvarez continued to destroy Cardinals pitching for some unknown reason. Now the outcome of the game sucked but I’d be completely content with moving on to tomorrow with the series tied at 1 had that been the biggest storyline to come out of tonight. But it’s not.

Oh no, not at all. The biggest, bestest story to come out of tonight’s game was Yadier Molina getting barreled over at home plate by Pittsburgh’s Josh Harrison in the 2nd inning of a 1-0 game. Yadi of course left the game and was diagnosed with neck, back and shoulder pain or something like that. Concussion tests and x-rays were fortunately negative.

My point in writing this is not to recap the beating the Cardinals just took but to voice my opinion on the absurd fact that a baserunner in an attempt to reach home plate still has the option to lower his shoulder and destroy a defenseless catcher in order to do so. In almost any sport if you were to ask any given commissioner, chairman or high ranking individual representing that sport what their number 1 priority is they would more than likely say ‘safety of the players.’ Well Bud Selig may just drool but regardless he’d think it I suppose. And why? Because when the good players stay healthy the game thrives and people watch which in turn makes that given league more $$$$$$$$$.

When a league puts safety 1st it not only protects it’s players but also it’s product. Cutting to the chase with regards to tonight  there is absolutely no reason Molina should have to try and catch a ball and apply a tag while having a grown man plow into him shoulder to head at full speed. That’s not hard nosed baseball it’s garbage. I mean look at the play! Molina is getting ready to try and tag the runner but instead the runner crushes Molina’s face with his shoulder!

I’m not quite sure why just because a catcher has a thin piece of foam on his chest and plastic shin guards on that the powers that be continue to think they can take full speed defenseless collisions. Absurd. Just like the morons last season who blamed Buster Posey for not being in a better position to absorb the collision and fall back.

For what it’s worth deep down I don’t completely blame Harrison. It’s the game’s fault for giving him the option of barreling into the catcher. And if a goober so called ‘baseball purist’ tries to argue that collisions at the plate are part of the game I’ll punch them right in the eye. In 1920 players weren’t 3 percent body fat build like tanks. Athletes are way more evolved.

In closing I understand that there’s 2 sides to every argument but if you honestly think defenseless catchers getting destroyed at the plate is just good baseball then, well, I bid you adieu.

Heads it’s Carp, Tails it’s Robinson?

Welcome back folks. Or folk not really sure what my readership actually looks like these days but if you’re reading then thank you and if you’re new welcome aboard! Anyway, this post is basically a continuation of my last post. Or at least the same train of thought. When I was last seen typing Allen Craig was on his way back into the lineup. I sorta speculated on who would be on their way out to clear a spot and the answer was Erik Komatsu. 

After the news broke it immediately clicked in my brain and I really wasn’t surprised at all. You see the job of the General Manager is to give the Field Manager the opportunity to have the best 25 players available to him. They saw Komatsu as player 26 and was released knowing full well he wouldn’t clear waivers which he didn’t. I doubt they saw Komatsu as anything other than an extra outfielder anyway.  Fast forward to now which is Thursday night May 10th or it could be the next day depending on when I publish and of course when you’re reading. Lance Berkman is set to be in the lineup tomorrow night (Friday) coming off the calf issue which means another roster move will need to be made.

I’m not going to just recycle thoughts from my last post but the situation still really intrigues me. You see quite a case can be made for all 3 of the remaining suspects. (Greene, Matt Carp and Robinson) In fact I have absolutely zero clue as to the direction they’ll go. On 1 hand you could send Robinson down and have Beltran shift to center and Craig play right against left handed pitching. Then you could give Berkman the day off and have Carp play since he hangs well against left handers but Berkman is a switch hitter so yeah there’s that. Of course it doesn’t have to just be against left handed pitching to give someone a day off.

You could also send Carp down and have Robinson play center against lefties and have either Berkman or Craig play first on that given night. I know Matheny really likes Carp but not sure of the mobility of Craig or Berkman and Carp’s still finding his way as an outfield option. Again doesn’t have to just be against lefties. Plus I wouldn’t be shocked to see Berkman getting days off similar to how the Braves are handling Chipper Jones. If that would indeed be the case or similar it wouldn’t be overly complicated getting Craig’s bat into the lineup on a semi-regular basis. That’s all just pure speculation on my part of course but hey that’s what makes this fun.

I don’t see a move made with Greene so just refer to my last post for my thought process on his situation.

So this is going to be 1 of those shorter posts I’d talked about when I jumped back on the blog wagon. The Cardinals are playing wonderful baseball and are facing a decision of choosing a player that’s playing well to remove from the roster to make room for Lance Berkman. I mean look at this possible f*ck!ng lineup!

1. Furcal
2. Beltran
3. Holliday
4. Berkman
5. Freese
6. Molina
7. Craig
8. Schumaker
9. Pitcher

And that’s with Jon Jay on the bench who’s currently hitting .379. That’s a fantastic lineup. Allen Craig would be the best 7 hitter in all of baseball. Inter-league play will actually benefit the Birds on the road so they can utilize the stupid DH. Stupid AL and their stupid DH. Alright that’s enough, cheers.

Blame Tyler Greene! The guy really can’t catch a break can he? As I’m sitting here typing on this fine Sunday evening the Cards have completed a nice series win over the Brewers. But boy they should have swept. Good weekend of baseball nonetheless but I really can’t figure out why anyone’s pointing a disapproving finger at Mr. Greene for the outcome of Sunday’s game. One out hit and run with Yadi at the plate, he misses for strike 3 and that leaves Beltran hung out to dry between 1st and 2nd. Greene tries to sneak home before Carlos is tagged and game over. People complained TLR wasn’t aggressive enough and now Matheny’s reckless and Greene’s and idiot. And yes I’m just referring to this instance with Matheny. Quickly summed up then I’ll move along: Yadi’s not fleet of foot, he’s a very good contact hitter, want to stay out of the double play, hit and run put on, swings through, Beltran screwed, Greene breaks for home and is tagged. Now if Yadi hits one in the gap Matheny’s a genius. Can’t please everyone, obviously.

On a definite positive it’s sounding good that “The Wrench” Mr. Allen Craig will be back in the Cardinals lineup as soon as Tuesday against the Bucs with Lance Berkman hopefully not far behind. That means 2 roster moves will be needed to accommodate. Someone’s feelings are heading for Hurtsville but it’s really not clear who. I’m not going to necessarily make a case for anyone but I’ll sum up who it could be and just say I was right after the fact.

Shane Robinson: Alright so I’ll take one guess and assume Shane’s heading back to Memphis. Not for a lack of effort or even results he’s just an odd man out and probably the 1st move made. He’s got the options and will benefit not only himself but the Redbirds by seeing regular playing time there. I’m guessing he’s on a plane to Memphis Tuesday.

Matt Carpenter: There’s no way they send Matt to Memphis right? He’s been strong at the plate and can play 1st base and the outfield. Just get rid of that Greene guy! Not so fast. Carpenter will more than likely stay with the big club when Craig gets back. Then I assume Craig will play 1st and Carpenter will head to the bench. Then when Berkman gets back it gets murky. See next 2 names as to why.

Erik Komatsu: As a rule 5 selection he’s either in or out. In case you’re not familiar with the terms he must remain on the Cardinals 25 man all season or else be placed on waivers. If he clears they would then have to offer him back to his original team which is the Washington Nationals I believe. In other words he’s gone. Obviously not an easy choice especially if the team believes he has upside.

Tyler Greene: So sick of this subject. Eerily similar to the Colby Rasmus fiasco the last couple seasons. Again though not a cut and dry situation. First off he’s out of options so they’d have to cut ties. No Memphis. Let’s not forget Matheny tried to give the 2nd base job to him in Spring Training and he just couldn’t take it and run. On a quick side note 2 of the least confident guys on the 2011 edition of the Cardinals were probably Boggs and Greene and Matheny tried to give both a boost of confidence in the Spring. Telling Boggs he was the man in the 8th and basically giving Greene the 2nd base job to lose. I like that. Wow sweet story right?

Moving on…

Let’s play a game called Be Objective Negative Pants. Awful name I know but it gets my point across. Let’s begin. 1. When Daniel Descalso starts at 2nd you only have Greene and Schumaker as backup middle infielders and Skip’s well Skip in the infield. 2. He’s fast. This team can use his speed. 3. They’re 1 injury in the infield away from an alarming situation if they release Greene.

In other words other than possibly Robinson a really tough decision will have to be made. If you had to beat a guess out of me I’d say they send Carpenter to Memphis. He’ll get regular AB’s there and then it’s easier to get Jay and Craig regular AB’s in St. Louis with Craig rotating between the outfield and 1st. Just a guess though.

In closing who in the world saw the Los Angeles San Jose Compton Anaheim Angels starting 7-15 and 9 games back of the Texas Rangers? And then of course Albert Pujols hitting .216 with 4 RBI and 0 HR in 88 AB’s. Now I’ll admit I wanted him to scuffle at least for awhile and would love the Angels to miss the playoffs but it’s a little troubling. Well, on second thought I could care less about the the Angels but I can’t just act like I never watched 1 of the greatest decades ever for a player wearing the Birds on the Bat. He just looks clueless at the plate right now. Maybe when Stan Musial put up the stop sign and told Albert to stay in St. Louis it’s one he should have listened to. Whatever, later skaters.

WTF is that?

So uh, yeah I’m going to pretend that I haven’t posted anything to the site in forever and write this post just like any other. Cool?  I’m going to change it up a little bit from what I tried doing back when I started this whole blog thing. Basically I’m going to try and make this a weekly thing or at worst bi-weekly. Hell, I may even throw two posts at you some weeks. I really need to get in shape before I attempt those kinds of shenanigans though.  Some posts will be longer than others. I may write one paragraph or one hundred paragraphs. (that was stupid but I’m not re-writing it)

Big Shoes to Fill 

I guess I’m going to start with the biggest off-season stuff and work my way to the present. I don’t want to spend a ton of time re-hashing old news but since this was a massive change for the organization I suppose I can spare a minute or two. I’m referring to the departures of Albert, Tony and Dunc. Just typing that is pretty weird.  As far as Tony LaRussa and Dave Duncan are concerned it couldn’t have ended any better. Not a ton to say on the topic besides I wish them both the best. I think it was almost poetic that they removed the birds on the bat at the same time (I know Dunc’s decision came a little later). I believe it was the right choice for both.

And then there’s Albert. I’m not going to lie I’ve written this post about Albert over and over in my head since the decision went public. I was on the there’s no way he’ll leave St. Louis train like a lot of people. We crashed. To keep it short I really admired how the Cardinals as an organization handled themselves and quite the opposite as far as Albert goes.  Dude got paid. Good for him. That’s a lot of In-and-Out burgers. I hate the Angels. Go Rangers! Pujols is a weird name. Whatever I’m over it.

Greene Acres and Stuff

I’m so tired of hearing about Tyler Greene. It’s like a cult following. I’m not a hater I like Tyler Greene. He’s going to get an extended opportunity this season. Chill. Actually a funny thing happened today that I’d like to share. When the Cardinals posted their Tyler Greeneless lineup for the game against the Marlins tomorrow I saw numerous people on twitter complaining about it. Really? Pretty sure Josh Johnson’s on the mound for the Marlins. I think Tyler will be just fine sitting this one out. But again he’ll get his opportunity so I’m asking to please not kill it with Tyler Greene stuff this season. Thanks.

Let’s see what else; well I really liked the Carlos Beltran and Rafael Furcal signings. They were the best available at positions we needed filled. Really excited for Allen Craig to get some more regular AB’s this season. Hopefully the knee is strong because I think if all goes well an outfield of Holliday, Beltran and Craig would be pretty freaking fantastic even if it’s not an everyday thing.

Just A little More

I’m really excited about our farm system. As most if not all of you know the Cardinals were highly ranked by both Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus and Keith Law of ESPN. I’m not going to ramble off every prospect I’m excited about but I will say Matt Adams hits taters. With first basemen getting giant stacks of cash daily it’s nice to have a guy like Adams on his way. Can you believe how much the Reds just paid Joey Votto?!?! Take it easy Uncle Walt.

And on a couple final notes I really, really hope for the best regarding Chris Carpenter. If we can take a positive from his injury it’s that he pitched 2000 innings last season so a late start may not be the worst thing. He’ll be ready come October.

I know there’s a lot more off-season stuff I didn’t touch on but I’m ready to move on and get back to writing about present day happenings. Albert’s gone, TLR’s gone and wouldn’t you know it, MLB is still allowing the St. Louis Cardinals to continue to operate. Real baseball tomorrow or today depends on when this posts. Cards / Marlins, later.

Tony LaRussa (Source: Getty Images)

Now that the season has finally concluded, in grand fashion of course it’s allowed the UCB to finally get to our post season roundtable. For those of you who do know me or have read my limited posts you know that the roundtables are my favorite project to participate in. With the timing of my question it’s been a challenge for me to get the post live but I’m finally able to do so and below is my question followed by the group’s responses.

When the name Tony LaRussa is mentioned around Cardinal Nation it tends to draw a battle line in the sand. It was a love/hate relationship with most fans leaving a small percentage somewhere in the middle. On Tuesday Mark had us discussing who we would like to see as the successor to Tony. Today I ask you to tell us what your lasting impression will be of him: positive or negative.  You can use a short story like a favorite moment to help paint a picture or simply give us a few short words. And if you need to go to your bullpen for help finishing your answer that’s fine as well.

Bill Ivie – I-70 Baseball

This is a solid question…

As a fan and someone rooting for this team, Tony caused me to pull my hair out.  I hated the way he micromanaged, the way he ran players out of town, and the way he seemingly got caught up in the chess match of the game.  All that being said, the man was a class act, funny when the time called for it, and a game changer.

Think about this for a minute: the LOOGY, a hitter with some pop in the two spot, the best hitter on the team hitting third, the pitcher hitting eighth, and -to a lesser extent- the closer.  All of these things TLR had a major hand in making the status quo in different environments.  The man literally changed the game that we know and love.  Very few men can claim to be innovators of a professional sport.  We witnessed one for sixteen years in St. Louis.

And before I get all the hate mail, I have a lot of respect for the man, but I was one of his biggest detractors.  I stand by everything I said about him then and now.  I never liked him, but I respected the results he got. LaGenius, indeed.

Dathan Brooks – Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Goodnight

Positive.  I read someone earlier today who said saying “LaRussa” in St. Louis is like saying “Obama” anywhere else in the country.  Both sides dig in, and battle the other with point, counter-point, counter-totally-unrelated-point.  It’s a long, pointless (often heated) battle of “You’re not changing my mind, and I’m not changing yours”.  I don’t consider myself a huge TLR honk, but it often comes across that way.  I’ve told this story before, but will share it again, because I think it bears repeating, particularly given your question, Dustin.

Last summer, one member of the three-headed-TLR-hating beast that make up some friends of mine & I went to a Giants/Cards game.  Whoever started that game got one out in the 7th, but couldn’t finish the job.  TLR calls for Trever Miller to come in.  Miller struck out the next two batters, to end the top of the 7th.  Miller returned in the top of the 8th, and struck out the first two batters he faced, then Tony came out and brought a right-hander in to face Andres Torres.

Him: See, that’s what I’m talking about right there.  Why wouldn’t you leave Miller in?

Me:  What are Torres’ career numbers against Miller?

Him: I don’t know.

Me:  Is he 11-13 with 6 doubles, and 12 RBI?

Him: I have no idea.

Me:  Do you think Dave Duncan & Tony LaRussa know?

My point is not that TLR always makes the right move, or the smartest, most conventional decision.  I don’t agree with everything he did, and while I did trust him, he didn’t have a blank check of endorsement from me on any & all decisions.  My point is always the same:  I’m not saying he’s right or he’s wrong.  All I’m saying is that there’s a pretty good chance he has access to more information about the situation than we do.

One of my fantasy baseball leagues is crawling with haters, and I’m constantly listening to how TLR isn’t a good manager.  We’ve all heard the same things: He overmanages and blah, blah, blah.  Finally, I posed the question to others in my league:  What makes a manager a good manager?  Is it how many championships he’s won?  Is it trips to the postseason?  Career winning percentage?  Years as a manager?  Making decisions on the field that you agree with from your recliner?  The message board got pretty quiet after that.

My point is that he’s a very polarizing figure, as you pointed out.  Most folks love him or hate him, and few of those people, if any, will ever change their mind.  He managed the Cardinals for almost half of my life, and during that time made a habit out of getting to the postseason, and he added two World Championship flags to the Cardinals collection. That’s a plus in my book.

Daniel Shoptaw – C70 At The Bat

I was a Tony La Russa fan while he was in Oakland.  I remember getting the George Will book Men At Work (and, if you’ve never read it, I encourage you to.  I’ve read my copy so often that the pages are falling out) and being excited that a couple of my favorites (La Russa and Orel Hershiser) were featured in the book.

When I heard that he was coming to St. Louis, I was ecstatic.  There aren’t too many managers that are legends, and TLR was at that time (and still is).  It showed a commitment to the team that I felt had been lacking the last couple of years of Brewery ownership.

Was it all that I expected?  Yeah, pretty much.  I mean, we fussed at Tony.  We didn’t understand why players like Anthony Reyes didn’t get a fair shake.  We didn’t want to see another old guy take the job of an up and comer.  We didn’t see the necessity of using a left-handed reliever when the Cards were up by three with two outs in the ninth.  We anguished over the Rolen and Rasmus feuds.

And yet, it all worked.  Three World Series appearances with two wins in 16 years is a record that anyone can approve of, but especially an organization that wandered in the wilderness for close to 20 years.  Tony’s teams were rarely not competitive, something that couldn’t be said for the Torre years.  Winning baseball games is what matters and La Russa, for all of his quirks, did that at a level we hadn’t seen in a long while in St. Louis.

I’m glad that he went out with a Series win and I’ve got to say that I am going to miss him more than I thought I would earlier in the year, when the team looked out of touch.  I’ve no doubt he’ll do something baseball related and I look forward to him returning to St. Louis when they retire his number sometime in the future.

Tom Knuppel – CardinalsGM

I will remember Tony LaRussa as a manager that knew how to use an entire squad. Look back at several years yields the fact that his player appeared “sharper” in September/October than players on other teams due to his constantly resting players throughout the season and the use of an entire 25 man and sometimes the Memphis roster for that to happen.

Daniel Solzman

There’s no doubt in my mind that he’s going down as one of the top 5 managers of all time.  While I was not happy with some of his decisions like taking away Ozzie’s playing time with Royce Clayton in 1996, when I made my first trip to Busch Stadium during Tony’s first season as manager, I’m happy with the results of his time in the long run.

Am I sad that Rolen and Tony did not get a long?  Yes, you can sure bet on that.  Am I sad that Edmonds got traded towards the end of his career?  Of course, I am.  If those things don’t happen, along with trading away Colby Rasmus to Toronto, do I get to see one of the most memorable games of all time?  I don’t know.  It’s hard to say.

We can nitpick about minor details all we want but in the end, during his 16 seasons in St. Louis, he took us to the postseason 9 times where the Cardinals reached the NLCS 8 times, including 3 NL pennants and 2 World Series titles.  As a fan, you can’t ask for more and I look forward to the 2014 Hall of Fame inductions.

Bob Netherton – On The Outside Corner

Positive, with a capital P, but that doesn’t come close to doing La Russa’s tenure in St. Louis justice.  You need words more like transformational, innovative, and competitive.   Those will be the lasting impressions of Tony La Russa.

Although we are the best fans in baseball, we are also a most fortunate lot, because we have had so much to cheer about.   Three times in the last half century, it wasn’t that way.  In fact, each time the franchise came dangerously close to becoming another Pittsburgh Pirates or Cincinnati Reds, much more so than recapturing the legacy of the Gashouse Gang.   All three times, a transformational manager came to the rescue and turned the team around, creating champions.  Those three were Johnny Keane, Whitey Herzog and Tony La Russa.   Behind each of these was a successful general manager and an ownership team willing to invest to get a championship, but it was these three men that made that happen.   In case you are wondering, I do put Red Schoendienst in his own special category that transcends all of this.
With 16 years of competitive baseball and post-season success, it is far too easy to forget about the doldrums that were the Torre years (1990-1995) when just reaching .500 was considered a monumental success.     Then there was the Vern Rapp era (1977-1978).  He had been successful in the minor leagues, and had a hand in the 1967 success, but failed to adapt to the new free agent era of players rebelling against authority.   Ken Boyer did not have much success either, but might have become a great manager had his illness not claimed his life so early.
Like Whitey Herzog did in 1980, Tony La Russa tore apart the team and rebuilt it around a core of players, some of which he brought over from his previous team – Todd Stottlemyre, Dennis Eckersley, Rick Honeycutt and later, Mark McGwire.  There were some new faces as well, Andy Benes, Gary Gaetti, Ron Gant, Royce Clayton.   The 1995 team was well on its way to 100 losses, and La Russa turned it into a team that won the NL Central, and came very close to advancing to the World Series.

Sure, he micro-managed every aspect of the game, but we forget there was a rather crusty old white haired cuss in the dugout that used to do the exact same thing.  How many times did we see a pitcher in the outfield, just because there was a favorable match-up coming up in a few batters.  That was Herzog, not La Russa.   If given the choice, I’d rather have La Russa’s methods than Joe Torre, who watched Jose DeLeon fall apart night after night at nearly the exact same pitch count.  Every time it happened, it seemed to catch Torre totally unprepared.

Oh, La Russa did some things that could make you fill a cuss jar, but he also took his team into postseason with regularity, made it to the final series three times, and brought it all home twice – that’s one more than Whitey Herzog, Johnny Keane and Red Schoendienst.

While I look forward to the next year, I will miss Tony La Russa, just as much as I did when Whitey Herzog stepped down in 1990.   And end of a very exciting era of Cardinals baseball.  It will be a happy day in Cardinals history when his #10 is added to the list of retired numbers and his likeness takes its place alongside Herzog and Red.

Kevin Reynolds

Wow…what a heavy question…specifically because Tony La Russa is such a polarizing, independent figure. He did things his own way so much that you would be hard-pressed to find a single, solitary fan that absolutely loved everything Tony did during his time here. You may count yourself as a TLR supporter…but you know you had your “DAMN IT, TONY!” moments, too.

I think that’s where my memory of Tony starts…in fact, you could say there are 3 components to my memory of Tony. The first is his independent, multi-faceted nature. I count myself as a Tony supporter…but you’ve all seen me rant and call for his head season to season and various times. There are things I absolutely love about him…and things I can’t stand about him…and those things tend to shift from week to week. One week, I love the match-up crazy approach he takes to the mound…the next week, I’m begging him to leave “so and so” in for another batter. One week I’m ripping him for letting Skip face a lefty…the next week I’m ripping him for “pulling the night’s best hitter!” Point is, Tony always did things his own way…regardless of the fan/media/etc. reaction…and THAT, above all else, is what drove fans nuts. They just couldn’t apply a conventional, predictable wisdom/method to Tony’s actions and decisions…because he seemed to have no guiding principal other than his own internal compass.

The second component revolves around his polarizing reputation. Dathan touched on this a bit earlier, but let me talk a bit on it too. I always hear people across the country talk about Tony’s arrogant, self-centered nature. They seem to villianize the man outrageously at times…and I can certainly understand that from another fan’s perspective. But the Tony I got to know from the other side of a TV screen was anything but arrogant…nor was he self-centered. I remember the Reds’ announcer/writer/whatever saying Tony thinks he invented the game. No…he just carries an amazing level of respect for the game…and feels a responsibility to pass on what he’s learned/knows as it was passed on to him. I think that’s it…what others see as arrogant, self-centeredness…many of us in Cardinal Nation know as respect, humility, and overwhelming responsibility to his place in the game’s history and future. That’s it right there…I’ll remember Tony’s duality. To those who “knew him”…he was a completely different man than he came across as to those who did not. I look forward to the rest of the world getting to know the REAL Tony now that he’s not in the thick of things any longer.

Finally, the third component is perhaps a result of the second…what Tony taught me about major league baseball. Yeah, I’ve been a fan since the early Whitey years…but I was VERY young. When I really started getting into the details of the game, how it’s prepared for, how it’s executed, etc….that was during the Tony years. What I learned about a major league baseball team, game, and season was filtered through watching TLR night after night for over a decade. Things like constructing a ‘pen with two lefty specialists and a shutdown closer…potential damage in the two hole…building a roster with 12/13 pitchers…using the entire roster…configuring lineups with a dual purpose – to play match-ups for that day and to keep the entire roster fresh…and on and on…that all came from TLR. Bill already touched on this a bit…but let me say this…I don’t think Cardinal Nation fully appreciates – especially the younger generation – just how much they “know” about the game is due to Tony La Russa’s influence. He not only changed the game…he changed the fan’s perception and “knowledge” of the game. Perhaps that will only be evident in the years to come as we find ourselves screaming at the new manager to “put a lefty in, dummy!!!!” Or scratching our heads at the near paralysis of bench players who seem to never enter the game – “Why have ‘em if you ain’t gonna’ use ‘em, Coach?!” What I know of the game…I know in large part because of Tony La Russa. I think that is what I’ll remember most.

So, I guess I will remember him in a positive light – as others have said – with a capital “P”. Tony did so much for this organization…3 World Series appearances, 2 titles, multiple Division titles, 3 NL pennants, multiple playoff appearances…and a constant expectation of contending…over 16 years! Sure, at times it feels as if we could have…perhaps should have…gotten just a bit more…but that’s how it goes. Tony deserves his place on the wall in left field. His red jacket cannot come soon enough, and I look forward to seeing him wear it in the near future.

Aaron Hooks – Cards Diaspora

This isn’t a hard question.

Tony LaRussa is the best manager the Cardinals have ever had.

Ray DeRousse – STLCardinal Baseball

You’re asking a guy who wore a “Fire LaRussa” shirt to the ballpark on August 26th in protest over his disastrous handling of Carpenter’s start the previous Monday. And, I might add, I received almost universal praise for that shirt and its message.

I was as thrilled as anyone by the Cardinals’ incredible run and triumph. But how much of that success came from TLR? Meanwhile, I can point to five games during that stretch that TLR completely pissed away with his ridiculous tinkering. How many games did he lose all by himself simply from being involved and obstinate?

My overwhelming feeling is that TLR decided too many games for someone not actually playing on the field. I prefer my manager to make sound moves and get the hell out of the way, something TLR never did. That, his lying, and his peculiar inability to get along with certain talented individuals, will be his lasting legacy to me.

Still trying to explain away those championships, though.

Mary Claussen

Positive.  When he joined our organization back in 1996, of course I was unsure about him.  Whiteyball had been so prevalent that I couldn’t imagine another manager with our Cards.  I definitely had doubts about Tony.  It took a while but he did it and won over the loyalty of all of us Herzog fans (& that was difficult to do).  Overall, TLR will remain positive with fans.  He brought us these 2 World Championships and like Herzog and his Whiteyball, he taught us about his Tonyball (we gotta come up with something better).

Kevin Reynolds

I will point out…the “how much of that success came from TLR?” question comes out all the time…national and local…fans and media…and I think the reason is, it’s a nearly impossible question to answer…making it a safe one to pose. On the other hand, in hindsight, decisions made by TLR that did not work out and contributed to games we lost are very simple to point to but can sometimes suffer from a much too narrow focus on a single decision versus other factors (underperforming offense, etc.).

I think, however, the “how much of that success came from TLR” question is perhaps interesting here…given the many postseason pitching changes, PH scenarios, etc. that popped up during the playoffs. I can think of many games in the postseason in which Tony’s decisions could have easily saved the game/season for us…especially decisions to pull starters/etc. so early.

I’m not disagreeing with you, Ray…I just think the “how much of that success” question is an unfair one often times simply because it is nearly impossible to answer…because we don’t know what MIGHT have happened if he hadn’t made a decision or “tinkered”. I think the asking of that question deserves to be challenged a bit more than it is for the sake of discussion…especially because the opposite – how many games did he cost us by moves/non-moves – can be “supported” (if often out of context) by actual events rather than supposition.

Erika Lynn – Cardinal Diamond Diaries

I love this question & the responses so far.  Whether fans loved him
or hated him (or both), Tony La Russa will forever hold a special
place in my heart.  TLR is the only Cardinal manager I’ve known, and I
consider myself lucky in that regard.  My introduction to baseball’s
rules & idiosyncrasies was born in the La Russa Era, and I am a more
intelligent fan because of it.
I have spent much of the last 5 years asking “why?”…  Why is the
lineup so goofy tonight?  Why is Tony taking out the pitcher here?
Why is so-and-so in the game instead of ___?   Well, each of those
befuddled, bewildered “why’s” led me to the discovery of more
fascinating nuggets of baseball strategy: loogy’s, late inning
defensive substitutions, double switches, lineups favoring southpaws
vs righties, etc.  On closer evaluation, those intricate TLR battle
plans revealed the magic of game-changing potential in every single
matchup, in every pitch.  Learning baseball through following a La
Russa team was baptism by fire.

Tony’s legacy to me will be that of strategic genius who challenged me
to stretch my imagination and wrap my mind around the beauty of each
unique game within a game.  Retiring on the high of another World
Series Championship is the perfect parting shot for this man who has
forever left his mark on the St. Louis Cardinals and the game
itself.

Admiration – yes.
Respect – absolutely.
Lovable, endearing, friendly dancing-in-the-dugout type manager — see
Ron Washington.
Positive legacy – without a doubt; and winning championships certainly
helps.  :)

Tara Wellman – Aaron Miles’ Fastball

I’m another one of those with a complicated answer to this question, almost entirely because my opinion hasn’t been a constant, and I’ve learned and grown with each experience.

As Erika said, Tony’s the only Cardinal manager I remember, so all of my personal understanding of “Cardinals baseball” developed watching the Genius at work. Yes, I do believe wholeheartedly that TLR is a baseball genius. His mind works in a way that is so foreign to most other baseball guys — much less average fans! — that it’s perplexing on many occasions. Thus, we shout and complain about all the “whys” Erika mentioned.

His moves don’t often make sense. When they fail, you may be inclined to question his sanity. But when they succeed, you likely have that light-bulb moment, the one where you say, “AH! That’s what he was doing!”

The last few years, I’ve questioned him as much as I have praised him. Some times he simply out-manages himself. He toys too much. He thinks one too many moves ahead. The proverbial chess match gets a little too complicated, and it doesn’t work out. And when it fails, it looks really bad.

Then he starts Miguel Batista against the Reds, banking on an impending rain delay, saves his real starter, and infuriates Dusty Baker in the process. Because it worked … and it was brilliant.

Just as this wild and wacky World Series run couldn’t have happened with out each of the players contributing, it also wouldn’t have happened without Tony La Russa. Just listen to the way the players talk about him — they trust him, respect him, and believe 100% in the system that got them through the most improbable comeback in baseball history. Is he solely responsible? No. But neither is Carp, Pujols, Freese, Berkman, etc.

Ultimately, my lasting impression of Tony is this: Tony is a part of the team, and he’s more than willing to make himself the scapegoat to protect his players. He’s brilliant, focused, and as competitive as anyone out there. He’s scrappy — just like he likes his players to be — and he’s not afraid to take risks, change the status quo, and try his luck. That, and he simply loves this game. It’s not always pretty (or fun to watch!), but the results — and his impact on the players — can’t be denied. The man is one of the best.

Miranda Remaklus

Tony’s micromanaging could induce serious stress. But there is no denying the positive impact he’s had on the Cardinals. And therefore, my answer is definitely positive.

Even when you consider the aspects of La Russa that many were annoyed by, they even generated positive. His rivalry with Rolen? Had you not traded Rolen, there may not be an opening at third base. La Russa and Edmonds had a strained relationship at times. Had you not traded him, would David Freese be in St. Louis hitting the game 6 walk-off? And Colby Rasmus. Who’s to say this kid is ever going to be successful? LaRussa or not, the kid has an attitude that won’t be adjusted for the positive. But you can not deny, trading him and getting Jackson, Zepper and Dotel … and even Patterson … was positive.

Brendan Ryan? Sure, we had to deal with the Ryan Theriot experiment, but you can not even deny Rafael Furcal’s impact. And per the bylaws of AMF’s Ryan Theriot Fan Club, I must add even Theriot did some OK things at times.

OK, enough of that…

TLR brought two World Series titles and lots of excitement in his 16 years with the Cardinals. He brought his teams through some of the darkest times with the club after the passing of Jack Buck, DK and Josh Hancock. He had an innovative way of managing. And after these 16 years, it’s going to be hard not seeing some of the crazy things he would do. Double switching? Bringing in specialists? That’s all on him. And while it was quite frustrating at times, it was his style and he was successful with it.

Mark Tomasik – Retrosimba

My lasting impression of Tony La Russa is how he would sign autographs between innings of spring training games at Jupiter, Fla. La Russa watched the games from a folding chair outside the dugout along a short fence just in front of the stands. Between innings, fans walked down to the fence and handed La Russa items to sign. I have attended many games at Jupiter since 2000 and never saw him fail to sign between innings. For a manager often criticized for his intenseness and seriousness, I prefer to remember this other side of him and to remember that with Tony, like everyone, there often are more sides to a person than meets the eye.

Malcolm Pierce – The Redbird Menace

Truly a complicated question.  Over the years, I’ve found myself on both sides of that battle line.  I didn’t really forgive La Russa for putting Ankiel in against the Mets in the 2000 NLCS for a long time.  I hated him for a lot time after that.  Of course, as we eventually saw, La Russa didn’t forgive himself either.

Not long before the 2006 World Series, I grew tired of the complaints most people had against him.  He really wasn’t a worse field manager than others in the league.  His infuriating decisions were easily matched with the infuriating decisions and indecisions of other skippers.  He helmed two incredible teams in 2004 and 2005, then took a weak team to a title.  I couldn’t complain and found myself defending him against his detractors.

Starting in 2010, his bizarre relationship with Rasmus started getting on my nerves.  His decisions became more and more erratic and unpredictable.  He forced out a brilliant fielding shortstop in Brendan Ryan, then replaced him with a guy who couldn’t play the position anymore. Theriot and Schumaker shouldn’t have been playing behind a ground ball staff.  I couldn’t believe how long he stuck with Ryan Franklin and allowed him to pitch in actual, meaningful baseball games.  As wondrous as the September comeback was, some better decisions early in the season might have made it unnecessary.

If I had to add up his entire career, I would say that I will have a positive memory of him.  We won a lot of games.  We went to a lot of postseasons. But I will always wonder if it’s La Russa I’m fondly remembering or his place besides the accomplishments of Walt Jocketty, Dave Duncan, Mark McGwire, Jim Edmonds, and Albert Pujols.

Aaron  Wood – El Maquino

I always thought Tony got way worse a wrap than he deserved, which I cannot help but think stems from something deeper than a dislike for his management style–TLR had a lot of harsh critics, but the only reason to be harsh about a baseball manager is if you have a beef with him as a person, not a manager.

That said, I think I am one of Tony’s biggest fans.  I constantly made it an effort to answer why he was doing what he was doing, and in doing so, I became much smarter about the ins and outs of the game.  I will always look at baseball like I think Tony would look at it, and I am thankful that I got to see him at work, even for a short time.

Ray DeRousse

Kevin,

I ask that question “how much of the success came from TLR?” only because so many are apparently eager and willing to lay all of the credit at his feet. Really, when a manager is doing his job correctly, his influence should be imperceptible. He puts the obvious people in their correct places in the lineup, and changes pitchers when they need to be changed.

TLR was anything but imperceptible. There are so many games I can remember just from this season in which TLR made changes that were obviously bad that resulted in losses arising solely from his machinations. I remember 40,000 fans booing him loudly on August 22 when he pulled Carp in the ninth … somehow the fans knew what TLR didn’t. I just think a manager’s fingerprints shouldn’t be so obviously seen in a game.

Additionally, TLR was so very obstinate about certain things. For instance, Holliday batting fourth in the World Series when it was so obviously killing us and he simply refused to acknowledge it until the last game. Or pitching Ryan Franklin over and over again when it was obviously detrimental, Or pitching Rhodes against people he should never face.

I’m inclined to believe that this team succeeded DESPITE TLR rather than BECAUSE of TLR.

Christine Coleman – Aaron Miles’ Fastball

While I’ve been a baseball fan most of my life, I’ve only been a Cardinals fan since the 2000 season. I was of course aware of Tony La Russa before that, starting with his days as the White Sox manager, and quickly learned upon becoming a Cards fan how widely the opinions of him among the fan base varied.

Personally, I admire and respect him. I learned much about baseball from watching how he manages a team and a game, and learned even more from reading about him in “Men at Work” and “Three Nights in August.” Of course I was at times frustrated and confused about moves he made during particular games and, at the end of the 2010 season, was ready for him to retire. But I’m glad he didn’t.

The job he did in bringing the team together this year from the end of August through the end of October – I know we all spent a lot of time yesterday discussing who was the most valuable Cardinal during the stretch run. I mentioned La Russa in my answer and said that leaders lead … and make the right moves at the right times to allow the players to respond. He made the moves, the players responded and now he gets to ride off into the sunset of retirement on the ultimate high note. And, it probably goes without saying but I will anyway that my last impression is positive.

Love him or hate him, his legacy over the past 33 years should be unquestionable. He’s without a doubt a Hall of Famer.

Nick – Pitchers Hit Eighth

I’ll be cheering when they put #10 on the wall at Busch III.

JE Powell – STL Fear The Red

I have been critical of La Russa many times in the best. From “hindsight is 20/20″ point of view, some of the moves he has made have been questionable. But the one thing that I have always loved about La Russa is his surliness. He reminds me of the old neighbor who yells at kids to get off his grass, when they are clearly on the sidewalk. I am going to miss him pacing the dugout with an expressionless or frowny face, even when thing were going well. La Russa had a very successful run as the Cardinals skipper and I cannot wait for his number to be retired and his enshrinement into Cooperstown.

Mary Clausen

Yes it’s a complicated question for a complicated man.  he was so good at winning our love and then right after that doing something to piss us off.  It was definitely a love/hate thing with that man.  I’m one of those Tony fans & have spent many hours defending him & wondering did the right thing. Overall, he makes me feel good.  Down deep he’s a good guy.

Follow me on twitter at twitter.com/DJ_McClure

If you can't guess Bill is on the left.

Before I get started I’d like to first apologize for my lack of posts. Writing has taken a backseat to some pretty cool things in my personal life but nonetheless I’m back with another UCB project entry. This month’s edition has the member’s of the group conducting interviews with questions of our choice via email. The pairings are completely random and I had the pleasure of interviewing Bill Ivie of I70baseball.com. Also known as the “King of Shameless Self Promotion”

- Where do you currently live?  Originally from?

I currently live in Kansas City, Missouri.  Originally from is a bit of a fun one.  I was an army brat when I was younger, born in Germany and traveled all over the United States.  I would say I refer to “home” as two places: Potosi, Missouri (about an hour south of St. Louis) and Vacaville, California where all my family is from.

- What made you follow/become a fan of the Cards?

Jack Buck.  Pure and simple.  I arrived in Missouri at eight years old during the 1985 season and I was just discovering baseball.  His description of the game, which allowed fans to see it through his eyes, caused me to fall in love with the national pastime.

 - Who was your favorite player as a child?  Now?

I am going to use a loose definition of “child” and go to the teenage years.  I followed Ken Griffey, Jr. from his debut until his retirement.  As for right now, I’m not sure I have a favorite player.  I have guys all over the league that I pull for, but I am not sure one stands out for me currently.

- What do you wish the team would do different?

I wish they would manufacture runs.  I miss the stolen base, the hit and run, the suicide squeeze that seems to help playoff hopeful teams into run machines that cannot be stopped.

 - What do you think the team does well now?

This team, more than any Cards team that I can remember, does a great job of pissing off opponents.  These guys seem to be able to rub opposing players, teams and fans the wrong way very quickly.

- When someone goes to your site, what can they expect (Shameless Self Promotion)?

New, fresh, and exciting content constantly.  We run a minimum of two articles a day with many more on other days.  From official press releases to opinion based articles on the team, we have some of the most talented writers I have had the pleasure of working with.

- Do you write or appear on other sites?

I do, and I am always looking for more.  I write over at BaseballDigest.com and More Hardball on a regular basis.  But I love doing guest posts with other sites and you really have no idea where you will find me next (unless you follow my Tweets).

 - Give me one Cardinal, current or past, that you just never liked..

You know, I never liked Todd Zeile.  I have heard he was a good guy, but I never seen it.  He was brash with the fans, rude to kids, and really fielded his position horribly (though it’s hard to fault him for the team moving him).  It all starts with defense on the field for me and he drove me nuts.

 - same questions for any MLB player…

I would have to say Barry Bonds.  Again, it was the interaction with the fans that made it hard for me to like him.  He seem to feel entitled and abrasive to everyone.

- What do you do professionally (“real job”)?

Professionally, I am a marketing a sales professional with an emphasis on technology.  I also do some tech support and web design work from my home.

- What would your dream job be?

I always wanted to play this game, but an injury put an end to that pretty quickly.  Honestly, I would love to be running the site(s) and covering baseball on a constant basis.  Turning the hobby into a job would be a dream come true.

- What is your ultimate goal regarding your blog(s)/websites including Blog Talk radio shows?

The goal, more than anything, is to be involved at the forefront of New Media and gain recognition for the people that are putting in a lot of work towards the job now.  When my writers and radio hosts succeed and turn this into a career, then I have achieved something.

If you’re interested in reading the interview of myself conducted by Bill you can find it here. Before you pass judgment on the photo Bill selected of myself just know that it involved a Blues game, gallons of beer and Hooters (The restaurant of course). Rare form for sure. Also be sure to check out the United Cardinal Bloggers website for the other interviews and of course links to all of our blogs.

What my head feels like after a Ryan Franklin blown save.

Coming off this weekend’s series win against the Cincinnati Reds the Cardinals now find themselves in 1^st place and currently a ½ game up on the Reds. After starting the season   2-6 the Cardinals have rallied to a record of 12-10 and appear to be hitting on all cylinders heading into a division matchup with the Astros.

A portion of the blame for the slow start has to rest on the shoulders of now demoted closer Ryan Franklin. Franky has entered the game in the 9^th on 5 occasions with the lead and has only delivered 1 save. Out of the 4 blown saves 3 of them have resulted in walk off wins for the opposition. He also surrendered the lead in a tie game on Saturday by allowing a 2 run go ahead single in the 8th inning (2 outs and a 0-2 count by the way) off the bat of Miguel Cairo. Uh, that’s not good.

Flash back to this past Wednesday when Franklin was asked to hold the fort in the 7^th and 8^th innings against the Nats in which the Cardinals trailed 7-5. After pitching a scoreless 7^th he surrendered a solo shot to Laynce Nix in the 8th. After the inning as Franklin exited the field he was greeted with some boos and allegedly had some offensive language directed at him. Mind you there were only about 500 people in attendance being this was a make-up from the postponed game the night before. After the game Franklin voiced his displeasure with the Busch crowd and ended with the comment: “Best fans in baseball, yeah right.” I’m pretty neutral on the whole booing your own team issue. I’m definitely against any offensive language but as a professional you just need to let it go.

He later apologized for his comments and explained he was just frustrated and…blah…… My question is where did all this “Best Fans in Baseball” stuff originate anyway? Who nominated us for this imaginary honor that gets us nothing? The organization? The media? Us as fans? And come on Franky you’re going to take a shot at the entire fan base because of a few tools? The next couple days after Franklin’s comments I ran into numerous articles and blogs that poked fun at Cardinals fans and the BFIB tag. Well you know what? I don’t want it. How about “Baseballs 5^th Best Fans?” Who cares? And I definitely don’t want to hear guy from losing team say “Try being a fan of (insert losing franchise) we’re real fans because our team sucks.” Just not in the mood. Every team has good and bad fans. Cardinal Nation has a lot of great fans but we don’t need the tag. I love going to Busch Stadium. To me it’s my “Baseball Heaven” but maybe it’s Fenway for someone else or Petco Park and so on. Oh, and can we please stop booing Brandon Phillips? I think he gets it. Moving on.

Just some quick positives from the last 4 series (D’Backs, Dodgers, Nats and Reds): 1. Lance Berkman is raking at the plate. 2. Motte, Sanchez, and Boggs in innings 7-9 has been a breath of fresh air. 3. I love the approach of Theriot and Rasmus at the plate in front of Albert and Co. 4. Our starting pitching has been very good.  Feel good stories with Lohse and McClellan continuing to excel. 5. We’re now in 1^st place.

Overall I feel really good about this team’s chances. I can’t really put my finger on why but I like this team a lot more than last season’s edition. Actually read this. I think this pretty much sums it up.

Oh I almost forgot. The Cardinals will be hosting their 2^nd Social Media Night on May 17^th vs. the Phillies. They’ve asked us as bloggers to help spread the word.  Here’s the details:

Details about the event:

• Tickets go on sale at noon, Friday, April 22
• Date of Event: Tuesday, May 17 vs. Phillies

$20 price includes the following:

• Field Box ticket to the game
• “Tweet Me In St. Louis” T-Shirt 
• Access to a Pre-Game Social Hour

Pre-Game Social Hour:

• 6 PM – 7 PM in the Group Sales Corner (located across from the Champions Club entrance)
• Chance to “Tweet Up” with your Twitter Followers and get together with your Facebook Friends
• Drinks will be available for purchase at the event

I went to the 1^st event last season and it was a lot of fun. Heck $20 for a field box ticket and a tee? Sign me up!

If you have any additional questions about what the event’s like or just want to give me a hard time you can hit me up at www.twitter.com/DJ_McClure