…and it’s root, root, root for the CARDINALS ~ Jack Buck – with his rendition of Take Me Out To The Ballgame at Wrigley Field as he tossed his Cubs hat to the bums below

It’s been a while, friends.  I could talk about a lot in this space; The Cardinals have a 3 game lead in the NL Central early after winning every series thus far (happy flight, indeed), I’ve gotten engaged since we last spoke and the Urge are back together and better than ever, judging by their concert at the Blue Note in Columbia, MO two weekends back.  But, last night’s come-from-ahead loss to the hated rivals and tonight’s nail-biter have me thinking, Why do I hate the Cubs so much?

The answer is, at once, simple and complex. We hate the Cubs because we love the Cardinals.  It comes with the territory.  They hate us too. And it doesn’t help, I’m sure, that the Birds and their fans are still celebrating another World Series win while they ‘celebrate’ their famous futility. In the last decade, the Astros, Brewers and Reds have all risen up in the division to form new rivalries and take exception to the way the Cards (and Tony La Russa) go about their business.  Meanwhile, the Cubs don’t care how we go about our business. Their hate is pure and unadulterated. And the feeling is mutual. But why? The question goes to what drives rivalries all over sports.

In my case, the answer is that I was born.  To be more specific, I was born in Central Missouri (where the Cardinals have a decided edge over the Royals in fandom) to two huge Cardinals fans.  Nature and Nurture conspired to brand me from birth as a fan of the Birds on the Bat. Likewise, I learned quickly that we don’t like that team in blue.  Whether it was the cursing of my Dad and his friends whenever Shawon Dunston or Andre Dawson or (ugh) Ryne Sandburg was brought up or just the extra juice in the air when the two teams played, I inevitably learned to get amped every time the two clashed because you don’t want to be the outcast that says, ‘you know, the Cubs aren’t that bad.’

Plus, like a budding member of the Dark Side, I embraced the hate. No movie has ever succeeded with all heroes…you need a villain. It makes the heroes’ triumph all the more sweet.  So, even as we celebrate the still fresh 11 in ’11, we can’t let last night go.  We stewed in our juices all day because Joe Mather (He use to be one of us!) hit a sharp single to win a game that brought the Cubs to within 6 games in mid-April of a rebuilding year. And, we’ll be pissed again if the Cubs somehow find a way to ruin Matt Holliday’s homer in the bottom of the ninth tonight – because that’s the way we like it.

Well, how am I doin’ since you did what you done to me? ~ Dierks Bentley – How Am I Doin’

What a roller coaster off-season to follow a roller coaster World Series season.  First, Tony La Russa retires. Then, the club replaces him with unproven but well-liked Mike Matheny. Follow that up with a December that saw Albert Pujols spurning the Birds to get PAID by the Angels.  The team then whiled away their winter by signing JC Romero, Rafael Furcal, and Carlos Beltran; and letting Ryan Theriot, Nick Punto and Octavio Dotel walk. Oh, and in news that may affect the Cardinals, the Astros will move to the American League and as early as this year, there will be an extra Wild Card in each league. Let’s look at each of these individually.

The Managerial Switch

It’s tough to go from one of the best skippers of all time to a man that hasn’t managed at any level above little league: but the Cards are trying to make the transition as seamless as possible. They will keep much of the coaching staff in tact (although losing pitching coach Dave Duncan, who is taking leave to be with his ailing wife, will be the biggest blow). Honesty, I’ll be relieved to see less over-managing, but even with the smoothest transition, this can’t be viewed as anything but a downgrade.

Roster Transition

No brainer – losing Pujols is a huge blow. Nobody living today could fill the hole left at first base, but Lance Berkman will at least be serviceable. As for the offense without El Hombre, I’m not as sold on Beltran as everyone else. But I do like the idea of Furcal playing a full season at short and leading off.  Really, the success depends on the maturation of youngsters like David Freese, Allen Craig and Jon Jay.  If they all take a full regular season step forward, Beltran won’t have to produce as much as his salary would suggest. Regardless of who steps up, the roster is a downgrade without #5 in the three-hole. It should be mentioned that you potentially add an ace pitcher with a healthy Adam Wainwright and I expect a big season from a young fiery bullpen.

MLB Changes

I like both of them…I really do. I’m a fan of interleague play and with an odd number of teams in both leagues, there will always be one going on. Logistically it’s a nightmare for schedulers, but it’s constantly interesting for me. Plus, you won’t be inundated with interleague games all at once. And to me, the way they’re doing the extra Wild Card is perfect.  I want to hate it, because you get closer to the marathons of the NBA and NHL with every playoff team that you add. But, you’re only adding one game, with the two non-division winners ostensibly giving up their ace in an all-or-nothing situation.  I always root for game 163 – now it will be automatic. Sure, there wouldn’t have been the drama we had this last season, but imagine if the surging Rays played the strugging Bo Sox and the on-fire Cardinals played the hapless Braves in winner-take-all scenarios. Besides, that kind of magic happens once in a blue moon anyway. I view what MLB is doing as an upgrade.

So heading into spring 2012, the Cardinals will probably not be as good on paper as 2011. But let’s face it –  the team is coming off of a World Championship.  Anything but a repeat is going to be a disappointment anyway.  One thing you can say about the upcoming season: whether your watching the new manager or the re-vamped offense, this team will keep you interested.

This is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on, my friend ~ Lamb Chop – Children’s Song

Well: the results are in and, as predicted by SBOTB, Barry Larkin is your only 2012 Hall of Fame Inductee and Bernie Williams is the only newcomer to receive enough votes to stay on the ballot. Former Cardinals Brian Jordan and Tony Womack did not receive a single vote. Every single player received more votes than the previous year, except Mark McGwire and Juan Gonzalez, who after receiving 4% is off the ballot.  So, that’s this year – let’s talk about the future.

2013′s ballot is just sick.  Poor Jack Morris and Jeff Bagwell, et al, will have to take a back seat…or will they? The two heavyweights to join the party are Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens who -no doubt about it – have as much talent as any player in the Hall. Bonds has the 2nd most Wins Above Replacement (or WAR) of any position player EVER (to some guy named Babe Ruth) and Clemens has the 2nd most of any pitcher EVER (to some guy named Cy Young). But all eyes will be on them not only because they’re the best at what the do, but also because they’re the poster boys for the steroid era. Without PED’s, they’d be locks. But voters have obviously shied away from those even associated with Roids (How else do you explain Jeff Bagwell not making it in yet?).

Speaking of the Killer B’s, Bags’ running mate, Craig Biggio, will join Bonds and Clemens, making for the possibility that the two lifetime Astros could be inducted together. Elsewhere on the ballot, Clemens old nemesis, Mike Piazza, will also join the ballot. Piazza, in all likelihood, will be the surest bet to be voted in on his first try. Also joining will be Sammy Sosa, whom you’d have to think will get the McGwire treatment. After only two pitchers joined the ballot in 2012, a whopping 15 will added next year, led by Clemens and Curt ‘Bloody Sock’ Schilling. Former Cardinals will include Royce Clayton, Steve Kline, Woody Williams and Reggie Sanders.

Then, the competition only gets tougher in 2014 as sure-fires Greg Maddux, Frank Thomas and Tom Glavine are joined by probables Jeff Kent and Mike Mussina. Former Cardinals include Dmitri Young, Matt Morris and Mike Timlin. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, 2015 gives us Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz along with Gary Sheffield, Nomar and Carlos Delgado. And if you wanna get crazy, there’s those that retired last year like Ken Griffey Jr., Trevor Hoffman, Billy Wagner and Andy Pettite, assuming they all stay retired. 

After having one inductee this year, two last year, one in 2010, and two in 2009, we could see five a year for the next few years and it’ll be exciting to talk about. Who knows, you may be looking at five-part Blogs! Just kidding…I think.

A day late, a buck short…I’m writing the report ~ Blink 182 – Dammit

Below is my Top 10 in order of how deserving I feel each player is.  Since I don’t have a rating system/minimum score in which a player would be voted in, I would pick a certain number to vote in each year.  All 10 would be too many, so for now, I will officially ‘vote’ for my Top 5 every year, until I come up with a system.  Each player is linked to his baseball-reference page.

1. Jeff Bagwell – The original Killer B spent his whole career with the Astros, was a perennial All-Star and as any Cards fan can tell you, just crushed the ball.  But, he was also a great all around player.  He played great defense, could steal a base and was a lifetime .297 hitter. Plus, he received MVP votes in 10 different years, finishing in the top 10 in voting 6 times, and winning it in 1994

2. Barry Larkin – Another great all-around player; started the revolution, with Cal Ripken, to make shortstop an offensive position. Won nine (!) Silver Slugger awards for shortstop, along with three Gold Gloves (he would have won more if it weren’t for a certain Wizard in St. Louis). 

3. Larry Walker – Can I get some love for my man, Larry? I know he spent a majority of years in Colorado which boosted offensive numbers, but he also spent his early years in Montreal where offense lived in obscurity.  Along with Bags and Larkin, Walker won an MVP award, his coming in 1997.  He also won seven Gold Gloves to go with his three Silver Sluggers and has the 2nd highest OPS of all the candidates this year (his .965 trails only Mark McGwire’s .982) Give it up for the Canadian.

4. Jack Morris – A lot has been made of his ‘pitching to the score’ method where he didn’t try as hard when the team was way up or way down, explaining his higher ERA. But, he was an ace on three different World Series teams, and while in that role for the Twins had one of the greatest starts in Series history with his 10-inning shut-out of the Braves in 1991′s Game 7. Plus he was in the Top 10 in Cy Young voting seven times and he ranks 32nd all-time with 2,478 strikeouts.

5. Rafael Palmeiro – I know, he’s a finger-pointing hypocrite…but, steroids or no, 3,000 hits, 500 home runs and 1800 RBI’s is hard to argue with. Even if you take some of that away, it’s still pretty damn good. He also won three Gold Gloves and received voting for MVP eleven times.  I would feel perfectly fine with this if he weren’t such a d-bag.

So, those are my five votes this year. Here’s the rest of the Top 10 

6. Tim Raines – I think the debate about Raines comes down to how highly you rank stolen bases. It’s not that I don’t appreciate a good theft, it’s just that there isn’t much to go with them.  Raines is often compared to Lou Brock, but Brock was a better defensive outfielder and had more pop. Rock just doesn’t have enough.

7. Mark McGwire – If chicks dig the long ball, Big Mac must be a sex magnet. Per 162 games, McGwire had 50 home runs.  That’s insane…even if you take the steroids into account, he still averages what, 35 or 40 homers.  My problem wasn’t that he was a one-trick pony or that he was linked to steroids – it was that the PED’s enhanced his one trick. Cardinals fans may disagree with me but I think McGwire was more of a detriment to his teams than a help. McGwire was a lifetime .263 hitter, he struck out way too much and it always looked like he was swinging for the fence. But I digress…

8. Edgar Martinez – My God, Edgar could hit, but who knows if he could have put up the numbers he did if he had to play a position his whole career. There’s a reason they put him at DH. You shouldn’t be penalized for playing a position that exists in a league (even though that league is stupid for having it), but you should be evaluated for it.  Martinez just didn’t contribute as much as those that helped win games in the field. 

9. Fred McGriff - God love the Crime Dog, he tried so hard. And he was a five-time All-Star, a three-time Silver Slugger winner and a multiple MVP vote-getter.  Alas, I think he was consistently good, but never great.  He was over-shadowed by guys like Bagwell, Palmeiro and McGwire.

10. Bernie Williams – It says a lot about the first-timers of 2012 when Williams is by far and away the best of the class and he’s only the 10th best on the ballot.  Williams is another player in the mold of McGriff who was consistently good but never great.  And spare me the playoff argument. He shouldn’t be rewarded because he happened to be on some great teams.

I’ll look at the others that I kept off the list and the crazy amount of talent coming to the 2013 and 2014 ballots tomorrow.

Arms Entwined, The Chosen Few ~ U2 – New Year’s Day

Happy 2012…

January means two things for baseball: Nobody is paying attention and those that are are talking Hall of Fame, as the official ballots are submitted by the Baseball Writers Association. Probably because of the lull, debate about who deserves to be in and who should be kept out really heats up.  It’s no different around here – I’ll debate with anyone about all things Hall.

And so, dear reader, you will be inundated with a three-part January blog discussing the process, this year’s ballot and the excitement to come. First of all, for the second year in a row, this is a down year for candidates. If anyone makes it in, it will be holdovers Barry Larkin, Jack Morris, Lee Smith or Jeff Bagwell. In fact, if I were a betting man, I’d say Larkin (who had 62% in his 2nd year of eligibility last year) is the only one to squeak in with the required 75% n 2012. 

Others who got the necessary minimum of 5% and are returning include Tim Raines (38%), Edgar Martinez (33%), Alan Trammell (24%), Larry Walker (20%), Mark McGwire (20%), Fred McGriff (18%), Don Mattingly (14%), Dale Murphy (13%), Rafael Palmeiro (11%), and Juan Gonzalez (5%). Of the first year candidates, only Bernie Williams has a legit shot at the Hall. In fact, Vinny Castilla, Javy Lopez and Ruben Sierra have the only real shot of staying on the ballot for more this year.

The rest of the first-timers are former Cardinals Brian Jordan and Tony Womack along with Jeremy Burnitz, Tim Salmon, Phil Nevin, Eric Young, Bill Mueller, Terry Mulholland and Brad Radke. There hasn’t been a year without an inductee from the writers since 1996, although we could see it again this year. BTW, Ron Santo was already voted in by the Veteran’s Committee for 2012.

Writers can vote for up to 10 players a year and don’t have to vote for any if they so choose. Obviously, being the basement journalist that I am, I don’t have a vote. Plus, at 30, I don’t necessarily remember Dale Murphy’s, Alan Trammell’s and Jack Morris’ glory days.  Nevertheless, it’s always fun to pretend. So, armed with Baseball Reference (as you should be too) I can rank this year’s candidates in my own Top 10…which I will tomorrow. See you then.

Carve the turkey, put the ballgame on…It’s margaritas, when the eggnog’s gone ~ Robert Earl Keene – Merry Christmas From the Family

So, a few weeks back, I did a blog about Blasts from the Past and mentioned seeing an uncut sheet of ’93 Cardinals at an antique store, but didn’t buy it.  Well, opening up a present from my girlfriend, Kelly, I saw the same uncut sheet of what were actually the 1994 Cards (including Hard Hittin’ Mark Whiten).  Not only had she read the whole Blog AND paid attention to it, but she tracked down the booth at the antique store and snatched it up for me.  It was a very thoughtful gift and it got me thinking…

As I looked over one of the worst teams the Birds have had in the last 25 years, from aging stars (Ozzie and uh, Rick Sutcliffe) to what we thought were budding stars (Gregg Jefferies, Brian Jordan) to relative unknowns (Tom Urbani, Rene Arocha…this list could go on for awhile) to absolute unknowns (remember Rich Batchelor? Me neither, although Kelly was intrigued), I asked myself, ‘Why do these guys resonate with me so much?’ And then it dawned on me – because it’s when I cut my teeth as a true Card’s fan.

I remember the final Whitey years, but I remember them only because my Dad was into them and he let me watch with him.  But then, in the early ’90′s, a perfect storm happened where my understanding of the game coming together, my baseball card collection starting to expand, and I actually went to Busch Stadium. My true love had begun…and you never forget your first love.  It’s the reason Bernard Gilkey was my favorite Cardinal for a long time and the reason I thought Joe Torre sucked as a manager even when he was winning World Series with the Yankees – I didn’t know any better.

It’s the same with music. 1994 was the year I stopped listening to the Oldies my parents listened to and discovered Alternative music, along with Country and Rap.  To this day, when I need to be cheered up, I listen to the Presidents of the United States of America’s self-titled album: not because it’s a masterpiece because it takes me back to a time when that kind of music was fresh and new and I wasn’t so cynical. In my mind, Lil Wayne and T.I. are no Biggie and Tupac; Brad Paisley and Rascal Flatts can’t compete with Garth Brooks and George Straight; and today’s Rock is complete crap compared to Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Smashing Pumpkins (I think we can all agree with that).

While 1994 hearkens me back to a simpler time, however, 2011 is holding its own. Along with the sheet of cards, I also got commemorative publications representing the Cardinals World Series championship from THIS year and whenever I get depressed about today’s music I can always pop a little POTUSA into the c.d. player and drift away. And that makes this a merry Christmas.  So, however you celebrate, I hope you also have a wonderful holiday season.

A tournament,a tournament, a tournament of lies. Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives
and I decline. ~ R.E.M. – It’s the End of the World as We Know It

Here we are at the beginning of an almost month long bowl season to finally find out who the National Champion of College Football is, in a game that was already decided earlier this season.  Most fans would like to see a tournament to decide the champion, even if it’s a plus-one system.  And while we wait for Playoff PAC to finally finish the BCS off, I like to dream of what could be if cooler heads prevailed.

My system follows, to a tee, the NCAA Tournament for basketball.  Each of the eleven Division 1-A conference winners (This year that would be Clemson, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Southern Miss, Northern Illinois, TCU, Oregon, LSU, Arkansas St., and Louisiana Tech, as determined by the conferences) get automatic bids. Then a committee (or in this case, since I have no such committee, the BCS standings) will choose the remaining five teams and rank them all to round out a 16-team tourney, that could add seven bowls to an already crowded field to keep money flowing. 

Before I lay out this year’s match-ups, let me stress: I know this will never happen.  If anything, a few years down the line, we will start with a plus-one system and hope to work it out from there.  But, what it does is mirrors itself after the most perfect post-season that sports has to offer, where every conference winner and those counting themselves worry get a shot.  So, here’s what the match-ups would look like this year:

1. LSU   VS.  16. La Tech

8. Kansas St. VS. 9. Wisconsin

4. Stanford  VS. 13. West Virginia

5. Oregon  VS.  12. Southern Miss

3. Oklahoma St.  VS.  14. Northern Illinois

6. Arkansas  VS. 11. TCU

7. Boise St.  VS.  10. Clemson

2. Alabama  VS. 15. Arkansas St.

Good first round games in Arkansas/TCU and K. St./Wisconsin and potentially good second round match-ups in Alabama/Boise St and LSU/winner of K. St./Sconsin. 

As always, it wouldn’t be perfect.  In this scenario, South Carolina, Virginia Tech and Baylor would be the first teams left out, so you would hear some complaining from their fans.  Stanford and Oregon probably wouldn’t be allowed to play each other in the second round.  Etc, etc.  But how great would it be to watch.  If you really think LSU and Alabama are worthy of a rematch for the Championship, let them earn their way there.  Let me know what you think. 

…Eyes like an Angel, smiles like the Devil ~ Big Bad Voodoo Daddy – Simple Songs

Well, here we are four days after I felt like I was punched in the gut.  I thought I was prepared for the possibility of Albert Pujols leaving after the season. At that point I thought it was about 50/50 that he would stay.  But then, the Hot Stove for #5 was cold – nobody wanted to offer Pujols a contract. The Cubs backed out, the Marlins did a dog-and-pony show, but they backed off and it started to look more like 80/20 that he was coming back. But then, obviously, Pujols signed with the Angels for slightly less than a gazillion dollars.  

I’m not mad at the Cardinals or Pujols or the Angels…just disappointed the ride is over. I truly think that John Mozeliak and the Birds ownership group did the best they thought they could do – not the best they actually could have done; the best they thought they could do. And I can’t blame them for that. They came up with a number that was larger with more years attached than they wanted and somebody outbid them. Thems the breaks,  but it definitely hurts from a St. Louis perspective. 

I also thought the Cardinals would be fine without Pujols, if he decide to go elsewhere, but I’m starting to question that too. This team seems to be a few injuries away from being bad without Albert in the middle of the line-up. Allen Craig is already recovering from surgery, Lance Berkman is old and Matt Holliday is always a sneeze away from injuring several body parts. In past years, you would have said ‘Oh, Tony La Russa will find a way to work with what he’s got,’ But whoops, he’s gone too and Mike Matheny all of a sudden has to actually manage. 

The good news is that the NL Central, with no Prince Fielder (and 50 juice-less games without Ryan Braun) in Milwaukee, is weak and the Birds actually have some walking around money.  Some of that the spent over the weekend for Rafeal Furcal, which was a good move. Like I mentioned a few blogs back, the team could use a Michael Cuddyer to fill in for Craig in Right, Berkman at First, and Freese at Third whenever he inevitably gets hurt too. But now, I also think the Cards need an outfielder with some juice.  I jokingly said in that blog that the team should look at picking at Ryan Ludwick, but now it doesn’t look so crazy.  He’s a fan favorite and could provide a nice transition to Allen Craig.  

A lot of talk has been bandied about for Carlos Beltran, but I don’t he’s as good a fit as people think.  Plus, he was crap down the stretch last year with the Giants. Thinking outside the box, it would be nice to see a Coco Crisp in a Cardinals’ uniform.  First of all, he has an awesome name. He can also play all three outfield positions and it would be nice to see the team have some speed that Matheny could play with a little bit. Also available? Johnny Damon. Cardinals fans may still have a bad taste in their mouth after the Caveman helped the Red Sox sweep the Birds right out of the 2004 World Series, plus he’s old. But, if you can get him cheap, he’s always been a winner wherever he’s gone and he’ll help in the clubhouse and he’s a hits machine.

I will say if the club re-signs JD Drew, I would throw up in my mouth a little. The team obviously also needs some left handed relief help and a backup catcher, but these are the pieces the team needs to fill the immense hole left by El Hombre. If I can stomach it, I’ll go over the signing from Albert and the Angels standpoint.  

Only time will tell if we stand the test of time ~ Van Halen – Why Can’t This Be Love

While I wait to see what happens at the Winter Meetings to affect the Cardinals’ future, I’ve recently seen a lot of Ghosts of Cardinals Past.

1. Last week, I caught Game 7 of the 1987 World Series on ESPN Classic. The game brought back several memories, mainly because it was the first World Series I remember watching intently (I was six). Plus the Cardinals and Twins were the two dominant teams from RBI Baseball. A few thoughts from the refresher course:

• Whitey Herzog’s teams were built for turf and a hell of a lot of fun to watch
• The triumphorant of Willie, Vince and Ozzie deserved better than two World Series losses in three years
• The turf at the Metrodome was ridiculous – a routine groundball to the left side rocketed to the outfield and the ball bounced off the ground like it was hit on the moon.
• Watching him play the turf, it made me realize that Kirby Puckett was even better than he gets credit for, running his chubby self all over centerfield
• Finally, I was astonished to hear Tim McCarver on the call.  That means this guy has been saying ridiculous things for at least 24 (!) years and nobody has said ‘maybe next year we should look for a replacement.’

2. Then, I read an interview with former manager (That will sound weird for a while) Tony La Russa in last week’s ESPN the Magazine.  While I think the Mag sensationalizes things a bit much (think Rolling Stone for sports fans), I got a lot out of this article.  Tony was pretty open and honest, which doesn’t happen a lot and it was also interesting to learn how he pretty much lucked into his professional career. But I also enjoyed it from the interviewer’s perspective.  Being a journalism nerd, I’m always intrigued by people that get the most out of interviews.

3. And, over the weekend, while wearing my #3 Brian Jordan shirt (best Goodwill purchase ever!) and doing a little Christmas shopping at the antique mall, I saw an uncut cardboard team set of the 1993 Cardinals.  It had all your favorites from Rene Arocha to Bernard Gilkey to Joe Torre to Tom Urbani. Sadly, I did not see any Hard Hittin’ Mark Whitens. For that reason, and the fact that they were $15, no one will getting that for X-Mas.  Maybe next year.

I would love to keep reminiscing, but the Birds have made an offer to Albert Pujols and I have to figure out whether he’s going to be a Ghost of Cardinals Past, Present or Future.

The man in the coonskin cap wants eleven dollar bills … you only got ten ~ Bob Dylan – Subterranean Homesick Blues

We’re getting ready to embark on the Winter Meetings; one of the most exciting times of the off season for fans of most teams when all the wheelings and dealings happen. But this year, Cardinals fans are a little on edge. There’s only one free agent the team cares about at this point: their first baseman, who’s been the face of the franchise for a decade. And, unfortunately, all their eggs are in Albert Pujols basket.

They can’t pursue other free agents until they know what Pujols is doing and they can’t force him to make a decision because they don’t want to jeopardize signing him. Luckily, not many other suitors are emerging due to financial timing and the lack of the big boys need for a first baseman. As I see it, there are two scenarios that play out…the Cardinals sign Pujols for a Prince-ly sum (see what I did there?) and then do little else to an already good team or Pujols signs elsewhere and the Birds hit the scrap heap pretty hard or even make a trade or two. Here’s how I would like to see the scenarios play out and in which order.

1. They sign Pujols…Duh

I totally feel for general managers and owners not loosening their purse strings to overpay a player and most of the time I agree with it. But this is possibly the greatest player of all time. I say that with no irony. If he continues the way he has been going, whether he’s 31 or not, I won’t be the only one saying that. Figure out what amount of money he wants for however many years and give it to him. This sounds simple, but even when the man across the table is Albert Pujols, baseball men don’t want to give up any leverage. Maybe you get creative, the man makes money for the team, but also the city – have St. Louis pony up some dough. I don’t care what you do, just get it done.

2. They don’t…D’oh

Sign Rafeal Furcal…the team may get lucky and Jose Reyes and Jimmy Rollins get teams bidding against each other long enough for Albert to make his decision and Furcal is still looking for a team. Raf proved he could play with the Cards and is a huge upgrade over Theriot/Greene/Descalso/whoever else you wanna throw in there. If El Hombre leaves and Lance Berkman takes over first base, you may need a stop gap in right field until Allen Craig is ready. Enter – are you ready for this? – Ryan Ludwick! He won’t be as good as when he left but he’s a pro, a fan favorite and he’s the perfect guys to get Craig ready for the job.

Also, whether Pujols signs or not, the Cardinals could really use a guy like Michael Cuddyer. He can play first, second, right field…in other words, all the positions the Cards could use a back-up. He’s like Nick Punto, only good. That’s really all the Birds need, although if Mark Buehrle weren’t such a hot commodity, it would be nice to add him, since he really wants to be a Cardinal. I’ll talk more about Free Agents when things look a little more clear and the dust is settling.