Welcome To Baseball Heaven…

Beautiful Busch Stadium

As you may or may not know members of the United Cardinal Bloggers have spent the month of February participating in another edition of the UCB Roundtable. A brief description: Each member is assigned a particular day to submit a question via email to the group, each individual blogger has the day to submit a response back. Once all responses are received that particular blogger posts the transcript on his or her blog. Links to all UCB blogs and roundtable questions can be found at www.unitedcardinalbloggers.com.  

I would like to take a second and thank everyone who took the time to submit a response to my question. Alright, so anyway without further delay here’s my question with responses to follow.

With all the doom and gloom surrounding the Pujols non signing, the season ending Wainwright injury, and I’ll even throw in the Nick Punto injury Cardinals fans have had a rough stretch. The good news is the season will go on. My question for all of you is what are some things you are looking forward to the most this season? It can be team related, family related, or just on a personal level. Some examples could be going to Opening Day at Busch, anticipating the first series with the Reds, or watching a particular player’s season unfold. Opening Day is almost upon us! The floor is yours.

Daniel Shoptaw – C70 At The Bat

I think what I look forward to every year is the presence of baseball.  By that I mean I can come home from work, flip on the TV, leave it on while I go back and forth getting dinner ready, kids to bed, etc.  It’s always there, filling my evenings with great plays, long balls, exciting rallies and, yes, frustrating losses.

More specifically, though, Opening Day is always a highlight.  Before I die, I’d love to actually be in Busch for the opener, because the pageantry is second to none.  The red convertibles, the Hall of Famers, the Clydesdales….. So much awesome packed in there.

Finally, I’m looking forward to seeing what the Cards come up with for the sequel to Social Media Night.  I have a feeling that, if this becomes an annual event, it’s going to be a highlight of a lot of UCB members as we get a chance to meet and greet each other and have a load of fun!

Dennis Lawson – Pitchers Hit Eighth

I just look forward to baseball, and I don’t worry about how good the Cardinals are projected to be.  I savor every pitch from the first to the last, and I’ll be there on opening day and on the last day of the regular season (and many games in-between).  I’ve never left a Cardinal game feeling worse off for the experience, and I’ve never felt that the hours spent watching one on tv was time wasted. 

More so than ever, I’m looking forward to the banter on Twitter, the fantastic writing from bloggers (both new and established), Mike Shannon speaking without a filter, overpriced nachos, standing ovations for returning ex-Cardinals, and watching opposite field homers fly off of Cardinal bats.  If those things don’t make you happy, you simply can’t play in my sandbox, even if you have the coolest Tonka trucks in the world.

Erika Lynn – Cardinal Diamond Diaries

As I write this email listening to the first Cardinal Spring Training game of the 2011 season, I am beyond happy.  The sounds of baseball coupled with a Matt Holliday 2-run homerun erase any irritants in life. I’ve waited patiently (ok, maybe not so patiently) all winter for the constancy of baseball.  Daily games, daily news, daily baseball chatter with great folks on twitter – It all makes me smile.  This season I’m actually looking forward to the uncertainty and watching what unfolds. (I still think good things are in store.) There are a few new faces to learn and I’ve been told I’ll fall in love with Theriot and Berkman.  We shall see…  

But I’m also spreading my wings this season in order to keep an eye on Brendan over in Seattle, Luddy with the Padres and hoping Joey Bombs gets some playing time with the Braves.  Hubby says it’s good, that I am maturing as a baseball fan.  I don’t know about that, but what could be wrong with following more baseball? 

With my Spring Training trip a few weeks away, I am already dreaming of Florida baseball heaven.  It will be my third Spring Training trip in three years, but even though I’ve been there and done that, I could not be more excited. The warm Florida breeze, watching morning practices at Roger Dean, the joy of sharing the stands with fans who like us, are there for the love of baseball – it is glorious! And since Busch Stadium is quite a road trip for my family, we do most of our regular season cheering in front of the tv or with the sounds of Mike Shannon and John Rooney calling the game over our patio speakers. Throw in a few trips to our Oklahoma City AAA ballpark whenever the Memphis Redbirds come to town, and you have the highlights of my 2011 Cardinals season all lined up! 

Well, I’ve babbled on enough now, and what it all comes down to is my love of the game and the Cardinals… and my favorite former Cardinals… and the babybirds… and summer.  Yep, that’s about it. 

Bill Ivie – I-70 Baseball

This summer…

This will be a big one for me personally and professionally.  Changes are happening in the personal life that are putting me into a better place to continue chasing a dream.

What am I looking forward to?  Meeting some great baseball people for one. Already on my calendar are games in Springfield, MO (Cards/SCards), St. Louis, MO (Cards/Padres), Milwaukee, WI (Brewers/Cubs), Chicago White Sox (Sox/Rays), and Kansas City (undecided).  I also hope to make it down to Arkansas to catch a NW Arkansas Naturals game.

Other than that (Shameless Self Promotion Warning) we are launching the two sites plus at least one more during the all star break.  The radio broadcasts are fun and engaging and baseball is back in full swing.  Is there a better time of year then this?

Tom Knuppel – CardinalsGM

I look forward to my next Spring Training trip March 22-29.

Opening day with the tickets in hand.

I plan my days around watching Cardinal baseball on TV

I look forward to the Cubs/Cardinal rivalries (living in Central Illinois, this is intense)

I look forward to post-season in STL.

Good time of the year.

Bob Netherton – On The Outside Corner

Dennis said this one earlier – I look forward to sharing the Cardinals games with all my Twitter buddies.  The enjoyment factor is several orders of magnitude above what it was in pre-Twitter days.   The only thing that will make it better is getting a chance to meet more of you in future tweet-ups or social media events. 

The other thing I look forward to are the two trips that the Springfield Cardinals will make to Frisco, Tx.  They open the Roughrider’s home season, as they did last year, and come back around Independence Day.  Getting to watch the future of the franchise is a treat, especially this year as Zack Cox and Shelby Miller may make the jump to AA.   The same holds true when Memphis visits Oklahoma City – it’s worth every minute of the drive.

Viva el Baby Birdos. 

Mark Tomasik – Retrosimba

I look forward to late-night Cardinals games from the West Coast on lazy, long summer nights, when it seems everything slows down and baseball can be savored and absorbed at one’s own pace.

Michael Metzger – Stan Musial’s Stance

I’m looking forward to:

- wasting an ungodly amount of time analyzing both the games and the Cardinal front-office moves in 2011.

- getting a new phone so I can see Twitter updates in a timely manner and actually participate in game discussions with all you knuckleheads.

- spending 45 days and nights at Petco Park.

But I’m most looking forward to taking my sons to their second-ever pro baseball games and continuing to pass on my love of baseball

Dathan Brooks – Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Goodnight

I think the things I’m most looking forward to include a few trips to other cities/stadiums this season–it’s always fun to “see how the other 29/30ths live” and enjoy those experiences with friends.  CIN, MIL, KC, and either TB & FLA or MIN are on the list for this year.  (Jupiter was just shot down this afternoon)  Also very much looking forward to engaging many of you in, and reading your thoughts on matters pertinent to our Cardinals this summer.  It’s always nice to have fellow fans with enough intelligence to carry on an in-depth baseball conversation.  30 more days, folks.  30 more days.

Christine Coleman – Aaron Miles’ Fastball

I am most looking forward to simply having the Cardinals as part of my daily life and routine again. The games definitely help define the spring, summer and (hopefully) fall.

In addition, I definitely pay very close attention to Chris Carpenter and how he does – his starts are appointment viewing for me (if not live, then definitely DVR).

Another thing I love about baseball season is the opportunity to go see the Quad Cities River Bandits regularly. While the vast majority of the guys I spend my summers watching and following here in the Quad Cities don’t ever make it to the big leagues and Busch Stadium, some do (and I’ve had the opportunity to see Jaime Garcia, Colby Rasmus, Rick Ankiel and more play here). Beyond that, though, is just going to games at the beautiful Modern Woodmen Park. It’s right on the banks of the Mississippi River in Davenport, Iowa – see a picture of it here – and is just a terrific place to watch a ball game. Derrick Goold wrote about it in his “100 Things” book too (and if I wasn’t out of town right now, I’d tell you the number it is on his list).. If anyone is ever traveling through the Midwest and wants to meet up at a game, just let me know!

The January edition of our United Cardinal Bloggers project has us taking our best shot at predicting future headlines we may see this upcoming season. As you’ll soon read I’ve done my best at mixing realistic scenarios’ with a slight hint of sarcasm. So without further delay I give you mine in no particular order:

The Cardinals Are ‘Skip’ping Along At The Top Of The Central

I’m going to make every effort possible this season to maintain a positive attitude in regards to Skip Schumaker. I might even stop referring to him as Roger Dorn. In all honesty I’m expecting a bounce back year of sorts from him. All signs point to Ryan Theriot filling the leadoff spot which should position Skip in the 9 hole of the TLR flavored lineup. He’s never going to be a gold glove second baseman or a candidate for the Silver Slugger, but I think he’ll have a +WAR season and will help contribute to a Central title.

David Freese Spontaneously Bursts Into Flames And Lands On DL

Does anyone else think that David Freese should be wrapped head to toe with bubble wrap? I’m going to go ahead and assume that the front office believes last season’s injury woes were nothing more than hard luck and that there isn’t a dark cloud of doom lingering over him. I sure hope this holds true because otherwise we might be looking at Nick Punto as our starting 3^rd baseman for an extended period of time. A healthy David Freese could go a long way towards a division title and a strong playoff run.

Ryan Theriot Flips Wrigley Faithful The Bird In Return Appearance

Major League Baseball is just as much of a business as it is a sport. I’ve spoken of this previously. When the Cardinals completed the deal with the Dodgers to bring the former Cub to St. Louis I expected to hear the usual canned answers from Theriot in regards to his time in Chicago. Something like this: “I’m really excited for my new opportunity with the (insert team). My time in (insert city) was great and I really appreciate everything the (insert team) did for me while I was there.” I wasn’t surprised with Theriot’s enthusiasm towards playing in St. Louis but I was surprised with his comments in regards to his feelings towards his former team. To keep things simple I’m just going to assume Theriot wasn’t a fan of Starlin Castro being made the everyday shortstop, didn’t have a healthy relationship with Carlos ‘psycho’ Zambrano, and like many believes the Cubs will never ever win another World Series. You can bet the Old Style will be flowin’ at Wrigley when the Cardinals make their first appearance next season.

Adam Wainwright Becomes First 40 Game Winner To Finish Second In Cy Young Voting

For the record I did agree on the choice of Roy Halladay for the honor last season. I can’t really say enough good things about Adam. With the NL Central slowly becoming the land of the awesome starting pitcher the Cardinals will once again saddle Waino with the responsibility of leading the staff. I have no doubt that he’ll do just that with another outstanding season.

It’s Official: Albert Will Forever Be A Cardinal

Why am I still talking about this anyway? This deal should have been completed 2 seasons ago. I’m still riding the optimistic train with little doubt the 2 sides will come to an agreement sooner or later. Like most of us I’ve been tossing around numbers in my head trying to come to a conclusion that best suits me. I’ve read a number of articles, comments, tweets, etc. and I have taken all those into consideration when arriving at this: Just pay the Mang. There’s just so much more to this situation than just on field production. Albert is an icon and the face of the franchise and arguably the face of MLB. He’s a once in a generation kind of player. I realize it’s not my money and 10yrs/300mil is a truck load of cash, but replacing his on the field production is only the tip of the iceberg in my opinion. Measuring the impact of his departure is an impossible task with an outcome I never want to experience.

 Until next time…

For more Cardinal related reading visit www.unitedcardinalbloggers.com

Hit me up on twitter at www.twitter.com/DJ_McClure

Tony LaRussa and Mark McGwire (Photo by Getty Images)

It’s UCB project time! The December edition features members listing what they feel were the top five storylines of the 2010 campaign. Mine are as follows in countdown format of course since it’s New Year’s Eve:

5. I’ll kick off my countdown with Jaime Garcia earning his spot in the rotation. Going into spring training it was believed the battle would be between Rich Hill and Kyle McClellan for the 5^th spot. Garcia was brilliant in the spring winning the spot against the odds and continued his masterful pitching during the season to solidify his spot as the Cardinals number 3 starter.

4. The Cardinals lack of depth within the organization came to light early in the season. Injuries and under performance prompted the organization to bring in Jeff Suppan, Aaron Miles and Randy Winn respectively to fill the voids. This is an issue I don’t believe has been resolved and could play a roll in the 2011 season as well.

3. The Colby Rasmus drama was and still is a topic floating around St. Louis. The mid-season trade request along with the consistent trade rumors floating around have become a thorn in the side to most Cardinal fans. I believe a group hug involving Colby, TLR and Colby’s father may be in order.

2. The “Basebrawl” series with Cincinnati checks in at number two. The Cardinals swept the series and departed Cincinnati at the top of the standings in the Central Division. This series would have been highly regarded as the turning point of the season had the Cardinals went on to win the division. Instead their inability to defeat bad teams and score runs against bad pitching reared its ugly head down the stretch. The Reds were able to consistently win games against teams with records below .500 while the Cardinals fell flat.

1. I’ve chosen the departure of Ryan Ludwick as the number one storyline. In a move of desperation the organization moved the fan favorite in exchange for pitcher Jake Westbrook. As a player Luddy modeled the ‘Play Like A Cardinal’ way while being a strong pillar in the clubhouse. The move was prompted by injuries and the emergence of outfielder Jon Jay. The re-signing of Westbrook this off-season has helped shed positive light on the situation.

The Cardinals and their fans had high expectations going into last season. Things just don’t always work out the way they’re supposed to. Like all things in life good and bad it’s time to move forward. A great way to kick off the 2011 headlines would be locking up Albert for a long, long time. Until next time….

Be sure to check out www.unitedcardinalbloggers.com

www.twitter.com/DJ_McClure

Jaime Garcia (Photo by Getty Images)

The title of this post is a question I’m sure a lot of us have asked ourselves recently in regards to the team the St. Louis Cardinals will be putting on the field in 2011. It’s also a blanket question of sorts regarding our competitors in the NL Central and the league as a whole. More so now that the Milwaukee Brewers have added former Cy Young winner Zack Greinke via trade from Kansas City. Thanks for that KC.

With the off season additions of Zach Greinke and former Blue Jays pitcher Shaun Marcum the Brewers have placed their rotation among the elite in the National League while almost certainly taking strides to close the gap between themselves and the Cincinnati Reds, who have essentially stood pat this off season with their roster. Assuming that the Reds don’t regress from their 91 wins a season ago, the Cardinals and Brewers have 5 and 14 games to make up in the win column respectively.

With that said the purpose of this post is to give myself a platform to ramble with my thoughts both positive and negative in regards to what the Cardinals have constructed this off season.

Over the course of last season and right into the current off season when asked my opinion on the Cardinals struggles regarding their non playoff campaign I always seemed to echo the front office: The inability to score runs and put guys on in front of Albert and Matt. We can also add the countless games in which our offense was shut down by mediocre and fringe starting pitchers (Karstens, Bush, Narveson, Norris, etc.)

The checklist for this winter seemed fairly straight forward from my view:

Sign Jake Westbrook to complete the rotation.

Acquire a more offensive minded middle infielder.

Add roster depth.

RE-SIGN ALBERT!

Of course there were some other odds and ends to address, but I’ve deemed the list above the most important. So how have we done?

The Cardinals were able to sign Jake Westbrook to a 2 year 16.5 mil deal. It was a nice sign as I think he could’ve obtained an additional year had he held out and went elsewhere. On the negative side it added additional payroll to an already expensive rotation. A couple weeks later the Cardinals and Dodgers swapped Blake Hawksworth for Ryan Theriot. Initially when the trade was announced I incorrectly assumed Theriot would play second and move Skip to a utility role. Wishful thinking for sure. In fact, Theriot was quickly announced as the starting shortstop which smashed Brendan Ryan’s trade value into pieces. So I guess Brendan’s going to come off the bench and possibly compete for starts right? Then less than a week later in a semi-surprising move the Cardinals signed free agent Lance Berkman to a one year 8 mil deal to play right field. This bumped the Jon Jay and Allen Craig platoon to backup rolls and added much needed depth on the bench.

Looking back at last year’s opening day roster we’ve replaced Penny, Ludwick and Ryan with Westbrook, Berkman and Theriot.

Projected 2011 Opening Day Lineup:

1. Theriot SS
2. Rasmus CF
3. Pujols 1B
4. Holliday LF
5. Berkman RF
6. Freese 3B
7. Molina C
8. Wainwright P
9. Skip 2B

We’ve absolutely sacrificed defense for offense with Theriot and Berkman, but also have addressed a couple glaring offensive needs. Theriot fills the leadoff need while Berkman can be slotted in the 5 spot which takes some pressure off Colby and should give him the opportunity to see good pitches in front of Albert. So all is well right? TLR has his veteran leadership in place and there’s good mix of young talent coming off the bench along with Brendan Ryan as a late inning defensive sub. Dave Duncan also has a complete rotation and bullpen to work with. Jupiter here we come!………..Not so fast.

A little over week later after acquiring Berkman the Cardinals traded Brendan to the Seattle Mariners for a guy who supposedly throws really hard batting practice. We all knew it was still coming though, right? I think we did.

So who will replace Brendan on the bench? Yep, Tyler Greene. Instead of getting all sorts of pissed I’ve chosen to view this as an opportunity for Tyler. He’s got the tools to hit at the MLB level he just needs to put it together. I wish Boog all the best in Seattle. (End Subject)

While we continue to look forward to the day in which the Cardinals announce that Albert Pujols will be a Cardinal for life we can at least look ahead to next season. To be honest I’m actually happy that the Brewers have brought in Greinke and Marcum to the division. As a fan of the Cardinals and the game in general I want to see competitive baseball in the Central. Do you want to win the division? Earn it.

In closing I’ll just say I’m putting my trust in the front office. With such a thin free agent class I believe they did what they could to address the team’s needs. Before I go I wanted to share some quick footage of Skip Schumaker working on his defense here. The new team slogan: Just Hit Baby! Until next time.

www.unitedcardinalbloggers.com and new android app search: United Cardinal Bloggers

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Ryan Theriot (Photo by Getty Images)

Earlier this week the Cardinals came to terms with the Dodgers in a deal that sent pitcher Blake Hawksworth to L.A. in exchange for middle infielder Ryan Theriot. I’d posted on twitter when news broke that I liked the trade and still feel the same way. Many sent replies my way that was quite the opposite including a couple Cubs fans taunting my positive outlook of what Theriot would bring to St. Louis. Many of my fellow bloggers have already given their thoughts and takeaways on the subject and I’m sure are on the edge of their seats eagerly waiting for mine. *tons of sarcasm*

Before I continue I’d like to say that I’m a huge Brendan Ryan fan. I like his goofy personality, his shoulder licking at the plate, his ability to make plays at short that make grown men blush, and of course his ability to spin and grow a moustache. Please keep this in mind as I continue.

Blake Hawksworth was a serviceable pitcher for the Cardinals along with being an all around good guy. He was never the guy you wanted on the mound with the game on the line though. With relievers such as Motte, McClellan, Boggs, Franklin, and Salas available from the right side Hawksworth became expendable. So we essentially traded a replacement level reliever for a replacement level middle infielder right? I’m sorry but I’ve got to feel good about that considering our lack of depth in the middle infield. I don’t feel good about immediately slotting Theriot in as the starting shortstop but as far as the actual trade I’m good.

One thing missing from the Cardinals lineup last season was someone who I’d consider a true leadoff hitter. I can’t remember the final tally but I know TLR used double digit different leadoff hitters last season in an attempt to put guys on in front of Albert and Matt. This is where Theriot comes in. He’s a singles hitter that doesn’t strike out often and has some speed along with being regarded as a good base runner. A little like David Eckstein I guess, but a little taller and with more speed.

So with all that said then why is a healthy portion of Cardinal Nation so up in arms? Well, you see, shortly after the deal was completed John Mozeliak wasted little time in saying that as of now Ryan Theriot would be the Cardinals starting shortstop. Most think Theriot is not enough of an offensive upgrade to overcome the defense we would lose. Mo also made it clear that they would be pursuing options as far as dealing Brendan Ryan. When asked if there was a chance that Brendan would remain part of the team Mo stated the concerns within the organization towards Brendan’s attitude and whether or not he was a fit for the clubhouse. Give me a break! Anyone else sick of hearing this same song and dance regarding clubhouse chemistry and attitude? I sure am. Chemistry is for relationships and marriage, not Major League Baseball teams.

I’m tired of Tony filling out his lineup card based on mindset and not ability.  Again I’m good with bringing in Theriot but let’s not ship out the best defensive shortstop in the game based on flightiness and lack of clubhouse chemistry. Brendan wants another shot in St. Louis and I’m hopeful he’ll get it one way or another. We need some non Aaron Miles depth off the bench and Brendan would be a fantastic defensive replacement late in games along with getting his share of opportunities to spot start.

In closing I’m guessing Brendan’s fate may well be decided at the upcoming winter meetings or shortly after. I’m sure Mo will be heading Kevin Towers’ direction to discuss Stephen Drew and Kelly Johnson. The Cardinals also have J.J. Hardy, Jason Bartlett (N0), Marco Scutaro, Orlando Hudson (A free agent every year),  and others on the radar. All we can really do is just wait and see. Regardless of whether Brendan’s a member of the Cardinals or not next season we just need to remember it’s the General Manager’s job to represent the name on the front of the jersey and not the back. It’s nothing personal, just business.

Recommended reading on this subject at Fungoes.net along with www.unitedcardinalbloggers.com

www.twitter.com/DJ_McClure

Also as I write this the Red Sox are in the midst of finalizing a deal with the Padres that will send 1^st baseman Adrian Gonzalez to the Sox in exchange for some of Boston’s top prospects. Gonzalez is seeking and is expected to receive a Ryan Howard like deal. I’m bringing this up now because I felt Boston was the #1 contender to sign Albert Pujols if he were to become a free agent. With this development I think it’s almost certain that the Yankees and Red Sox would not be involved in any sort of bidding war for the superstar. To me this leaves the Mets, Angels, and possibly the Dodgers left. I’m not saying other teams couldn’t jump in the mix but it’s looking better and better that Albert remains in St. Louis. I’m still banking a deal is done in the next couple months.

1. Player of the Year

–Matt Holliday
–Albert Pujols (X)
–Colby Rasmus
–Write-in: _______________

I’m choosing Albert, but Matt had an outstanding season as well.

2. Pitcher of the Year

–Chris Carpenter
–Jaime Garcia
–Adam Wainwright (X)
–Write-in: _______________

Can’t really go wrong with any pitcher listed here.

3. Game of the Year

–April 5 at Cincinnati–Opening Day, 2 HR from Pujols, slam from Molina
–May 30 at Chicago–Pujols three home runs
–July 18 vs. Los Angeles–Five runs in eight and ninth to win
–July 19 vs. Philadelphia–Four home runs
–August 10 at Cincinnati–Brawl, home run from Molina (X)
–Write-in: _________________

Coming out of the All-Star break strong against LA and Philly was great, but I chose the brawl game in Cincy. If the Cardinals would have went on to win the division this series would have been highly regarded as the turning point.

4. Surprise Player of the Year

–David Freese
–Jaime Garcia (X)
–Jon Jay
–Write-in: ________________

Jaime gets the nod here but who knows what could have been for Mr. Freese. Hopefully his health holds this next season.

5. Disappointing Player of the Year

–Kyle Lohse (X)
–Dennys Reyes
–Brendan Ryan
–Write-in: _________________

For me this one’s a toss up. I realize Kyle’s not going to be a twenty game winner but to be sidelined once again with such an odd injury was frustrating. Brendan shined defensively at short but fizzled at the plate. I’m very hopeful he gets another shot but the front office and TLR seem content replacing the Gold Glove caliber shortstop with offense.

Honorable Mention: Brad Penny

6. Rookie of the Year

–Jaime Garcia (X)
–Jon Jay
–Fernando Salas
–Write-in: ________________

Honk Honk. Can’t say enough good things about Jaime’s season

7. Acquisition of the Year

–Aaron Miles
–Brad Penny
–Jake Westbrook (X)
–Write-in: ________________

Jake was very solid and I’m happy he’ll be in St. Louis the next two seasons.

8. Biggest Off-Field Story

–Jaime Garcia’s shutdown without him knowing
–Mark McGwire’s return to baseball
–Colby Rasmus’s trade request (X)
–Write-in: _____________

Once Big Mac addressed the media in Spring Training his story passed. Colby’s rocky relationship with TLR continues to linger.

9. Most Anticipated Cardinal

–Zack Cox
–Lance Lynn
–Shelby Miller (X)
–Write-in: ________________

10. Best Individual Cardinal Blog

–Write-in: Throatwarbler’s Blog

11. Best Team Cardinal Blog

–Write-in: Pitchers Hit Eighth

12. Best Media Blog

–Bird Land
–Cardinal Beat
–Obviously, You’re Not A Golfer
–Write-in: _______________

Not a real preference here.

13. Best UCB Project

–Cardinal All-Decade Team
–Progressive Game Blog
–Roundtables (X)
–Write-in: ______________

I’m a newer member so the Post-Season Roundtable was my first project.

14. Most Optimistic Cardinal Blog

–Write-in: Cardinal Diamond Diaries and C70

15. Funniest Cardinal Blog

–Write-in: N/A. This is serious business folks.

16. Rookie Cardinal Blog of the Year

–Cardinal Diamond Diaries (X)
–i70baseball (X)
–RetroSimba (X)
–Welcome To Baseball Heaven
–Write-in: _______________

I wanted to vote for my blog so at least I’d receive one vote but it wasn’t allowed. So I had a tie with CDD, RetroSimba and I-70 Baseball. It would be unfair to vote for only one since I visit these sites weekly. Hopefully Daniel doesn’t frown on my 3 way split.

I wanted to also recognize the work done at Fungoes.net and Play A Hard Nine. Blogs dedicated to addressing Cardinals and MLB news and happenings from a sabermetric point of view.

And of course there’s plenty of fantastic UCB blogs I didn’t have the time to mention.

A photo of Brendan Ryan because I like Brendan Ryan (Photo by Getty Images)

With the 2010 season officially in our rear view mirror our full attention now turns to the off season or ‘The Hot Stove Season.’ Coming off a somewhat disappointing season for the Cardinals in which they failed to qualify for post season play for the 3^rd time in the last 4 years this off season is very pivotal for a number of reasons.

The hottest topics weighing on the minds of Cardinal fans are: Will Albert sign an extension this winter? / Who’s the odd man out in the middle infield and who will we sign? / Will Albert sign an extension this winter? / Will the team come to terms with Jake Westbrook or look elsewhere to fill the rotation vacancy? / Will Albert sign an extension this winter? In that order of course.

I won’t spend much time on the Westbrook situation since I’ve already covered the subject previously. I’ve heard through the grapevine that both sides were very interested in getting a deal finalized. This was a couple of weeks ago via Joe Strauss from the Post Dispatch during one of his weekly chats. My stance has not changed in the fact I’m very hopeful a deal is struck and Jake Westbrook is slated as the team’s #4 starter heading into spring training.

The middle infield for the Cardinals has been right smack in the middle of everyone’s crosshairs since oh, about the middle of May or so. Skip can’t field, now Skip can’t hit, and what the $5#@ is Brendan doing at the plate! He looks like a slinky up there! (Alright I made that one up) A portion of blame for the team’s performance has been cast upon the pair and a lot speculation is going on as to who should stay and who should go.

With such a weak free agent class the Cardinals may have to look in the direction of a trade to fill their needs at the plate. What this means to me is the fact that 2B, SS, and corner outfielders could all be in play. A couple names that have surfaced as possible trade targets are Diamondbacks infielders Stephen Drew and Kelly Johnson.

Stephen Drew SS:  Drew seems to be a popular name around St. Louis. I’m not sure if it’s Stephen’s ability or if fans just want to see if a Drew can actually produce in the Lou. *cheapshot* Looking at Stephen from strictly a business stand point he seems like a pretty safe bet. He’s under team control the next 2 seasons via the arbitration process. In other words if the Cardinals acquired him he wouldn’t be eligible for free agency until 2013. He’s also a solid on base guy with a little bit of pop in his bat.

Kelly Johnson 2B: Here’s a real opportunity for Mo to add that 15-20 HR guy that he’s mentioned and I’ve beat to death recently. He’s a left handed stick that could be slotted at the top of the lineup and play 2B. This would allow Skip to fill the utility roll and be available in the infield and outfield. The biggest downfall is the Cardinals would only have control of him for one season before his free agent eligibility unless they negotiate an extension of course.

Dan Uggla Update: Last week it was reported that the Florida Marlins offered Uggla a 4 year extension worth $48 million total. I’m actually pretty surprised that Florida made that kind of offer but I’m not shocked Uggla turned them down although I do think the offer was very fair. As mentioned previously Uggla is seeking 5yrs/58mil. The variable I believe that’s not reported is playing for a contender. It’s not far fetched to think that Uggla believes he can get Chase Utley type money and play for a team that will contend for the duration of his contract. Here’s where the Cardinals would sit. Uggla is still under the control of the Marlins for next season. He’s expected to make somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 mil upon an arbitration hearing. The Marlins would be wise to hang on to the 2^nd baseman until the trade deadline next season unless they are very content with an offer this off season. From the Cardinals point of view it wouldn’t be very intelligent to give up a lot for a player they would only have guaranteed control of for one season. Maybe a trade for a player like Kelly Johnson would make more sense on the basis he could be obtained for a lot less and then see if Uggla hits the market next season or move on from there. I’ll still hold on to hope Uggla has the birds on the bat on his chest at some point. We’ll see.

Here’s a link to a very good read regarding the Cardinals middle infield situation at fungoes.net if you’re interested as it goes into a lot more depth and analysis than I do.

The Elephant In The Room: This is the off season all Cardinal fans have had marked on their calendars for some time now. This will be the last off season that the Cardinals have exclusive negotiating rights with the slugger before he becomes a free agent next year. Ok, so we all knew that. Here’s what’s really on my mind. Cardinals beat writer for the St. Louis Post Dispatch Joe Strauss has publically stated via twitter and on his weekly chat that he believes the chances of the Cardinals signing Albert to an extension this off season is less than 50%. No real reason of course. I respect Strauss a lot because of his willingness to talk about tough subjects no one else wants to but I’m not so sure whether I’m on board in this case. He’s gotta sell papers somehow I suppose.

There is something that troubles me about Albert though. Ever since Albert signed his 7 year extension in ’04 he’s been quoted on several occasions as putting winning ahead of money. He also throws in the fact that he’d love to finish his career in St. Louis. Fast forward to last week when he had a brief interview while in the Dominican Republic. He again states his desire to stay in St. Louis and get an extension done but that it’s not up to him. He gives me the impression that the Cardinals haven’t made much effort in getting a deal done. I really find that hard to believe. Call me crazy but this really shouldn’t be that complicated. Should it?

Mo: Welcome gentlemen let’s get down to the business at hand.

Mo: What are you guys thinking in terms of money and structure?

Albert and Dan Lazano: What are you thinking?

Mo: What are you thinking?

Albert and Dan Lazano: What are you thinking?

Mo: What are you thinking?

Albert and Dan Lazano: What are you thinking?

Mo: What are you thinking?

Albert and Dan Lazano: What are you thinking?

Mo: What are you thinking?

Albert and Dan Lazano: Time’s up we’re done here.

Alright so maybe I’m getting carried away but that’s the feeling I get. I really don’t know what’s going on but both sides seem ready for the negotiation process to commence. SO LET’S DO IT ALREADY! Whenever I hear Albert talk about the importance of winning my mind fills with Edgar Renteria’s statements after signing a free agent deal with Boston after the ’04 season : “The biggest reason was that Boston is a traditional team,” Renteria said poolside from his home in Colombia. “They won the Series this year and I like to play on a winning team like Boston.”  That quote came from the Boston Globe. He did mention the Cardinals as well but fresh off the World Series sweep that statement punched me square in the face. Back to Albert I’m honestly not convinced that the Cardinals would get outbid for him on the free agent market anyway. I’m not saying it wouldn’t happen but everyone thought the Cardinals would get outbid for Holliday and the next thing you knew they were supposedly bidding against themselves. So who’s to say that the Red Sox, Mets, Yankees etc are willing to shell out $30mil per to a 32 year old 1^st baseman? Just saying. Most “experts” had Holliday going to the Mets, Jason Bay staying in Boston and the Cardinals ending up with Xavier Nady. Hmm. I look for the Cardinals to offer Albert somewhere in the neighborhood of 8yrs and 25-27mil per. I’ve heard some creativity will also be involved in the contract, whatever that means. Regardless of the structure it will involve a lot of coin.

I wanted to also touch on the Colby Rasmus situation very quickly. Ever since Colby reportedly requested a trade in July rumors have been flying about his relationship with TLR and possible trade destinations. Look, I understand that Rasmus Inc. would probably prefer to be dealt. I get it. The truth is that Colby won’t be eligible for free agency until 2015. He will hit arbitration in 2012 but the Cardinals hold all the cards so to speak. In other words he’s a very talented cost controlled player. So yes, we will see plenty of reports of teams “interested” in a deal for Rasmus. You might see reports on various trade rumor outlets such as Steve Whocares from the Chicago Print Press report the Chicago White Sox are in serious talks with the Cardinals over a trade involving Colby Rasmus. Translated: Kenny Williams placed a phone call to John Mozeliak to discuss the possibility of a deal. Heck all 29 teams are “interested” I would think. I’m “interested” in owning a maserati. It won’t happen but I’m “interested” in one. We just need to get used to teams offering players such as Carlos Quentin for Colby’s services and the Cardinals should listen to the offers. No reason not to. I’ll trust that in the end Mo and TLR will make the correct decision and Colby will be in center field everyday for the Cardinals for at least a few years.

Alright that’s everything that’s been weighing me down lately. Until next time….

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