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Brian Walton's news and commentary on the St. Louis Cardinals (TM) and their minor league system

New Cardinals minor league segment on Channel 5

Catch Brian Walton and Katie Felts talking Cardinals minor leaguers during KSDK’s Sunday post-game show.

Starting Sunday, July 11, KSDK Newschannel 5, the Sunday home of the St. Louis Cardinals, will be adding a new feature to their post-game show. Following away games for the remainder of the season, KSDK will air a segment focused on news from the Cardinals minor league system.

I am pleased to announce that I will be providing the content for that segment, delivered in discussion format with Channel 5’s Katie Felts. The first installment will follow the Cardinals at Houston Astros game on Sunday afternoon.

For those outside the viewing area of KSDK and its Cardinals network, the clip of this feature will be posted and a link will be provided here on Monday.

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166 Responses to “New Cardinals minor league segment on Channel 5”

  1. Nutlaw says:

    Very cool. Glad that we can can get a clip later.

  2. CardFanSince57 says:

    Indeed, the clips are very much appreciated, especially by those of us who are unable (too “technically challenged”) to tune-in to the various radio shows and television appearances.

  3. CardFanSince57 says:

    An item of interest from an earlier thread:

    Although Jumbeau takes issue with a perceived necessity to loosen the clubhouse, he accurately calls attention to the Reds’ superior rotation, saying; “The Reds look strong, in terms of rotation. Even if the Cards match up at 1-3, the Reds have the advantage at 4-5″. He then joined all other Cardinal fans in bewailing our failure to obtain the services of Cliff Lee. May I suggest the pitcher who beat us last night? Aye, Brett Myers is available and his contract would be much less expensive than Lee’s.

  4. CardFanSince57 says:

    There’s no need to let the apparent equality of ERAs in tonight’s match-up to fool us. As the Warrior mentioned last night, Wandy has been “electric” of late. In fact, in his past few outings, he’s looked very much like the dominant force that he was in 2008 (9-7, 3.54) and last year (14-12, 3.02). As our offense failed in it’s support of Suppan’s weak pitching last night, it must somehow solve Wandy tonight. Although Blake is becoming a ground ball pitcher and strike-out artist, he’s still a couple of years away from full development: We need desperately for our offense to give us at least 6 runs tonight!

  5. Brian Walton says:

    Minor correction, 57. Sunday’s game is an afternoon tilt, 1:05 PM Central, not evening.

  6. CardFanSince57 says:

    I’ve got my handy-dandy ESPN Scoreboard prepared to “watch” the Reds-Phillies game on the GameCast for a half-hour, before switching-over to our game. Believe me, Brian: I really did mean to say, “this afternoon’s match-up”…

  7. WestCoastbirdWatcher says:

    Vegas line opened even……….Houston is now a dime favorite and going up….. they been right for quite awhile. I wonder what they’re think?

  8. RCWarrior says:

    WC they think Wandy has been a beast his last 3 or 4 starts.

  9. JumboShrimp says:

    Dahmerboy, your claim Jumbeau “bewailed” our failure to land Cliff Lee is fantasy. Since I had zero expectation the Cards had tradeable assets to land Lee, it was impossible for me to be disappointed.
    I thought we would like Suppan, over your objections, when he became available. On this point, I turned out to be correct.

  10. Brian Walton says:

    Per KTRS: 3B Lopez, CF Jay, 1B Pujols, LF Holliday, RF Stavinoha, C Molina, SS Greene, P Hawksworth, 2B Schu.

  11. CardFanSince57 says:

    Westy’s “Vegas line” is just as scary as the thought of Wandy’s dominance. Which do you think that the odds-makers are counting on most; Wandy continuing to be “a beast” or our offense continuing to fail? Here’s hoping that Matt and Albert will beat the odds…

  12. CardFanSince57 says:

    Jumbeau: Let me remind you that this is a forum where we speak of baseball, not a place to insult someone’s attempt to compliment you.

  13. crdswmn says:

    Thanks for the lineup Brian. I didn’t think to look at KTRS.

  14. Nutlaw says:

    Given who is playing, I like Jay batting second a lot.

  15. CardFanSince57 says:

    It was a pleasant sight to see Jon at number 2 today and I am ardently hoping that his hit streak will extend to 11..

  16. blingboy says:

    Except for the .220 no power no speed in a slump guy hitting 6th, and except for our only speed asset hitting right where it can be of least use, except for that it makes some sense. IMO TLR could give the team a better chance to win.

  17. CardFanSince57 says:

    No one has said anything about those issues, blingboy, because they’ve been mentioned time and again to no avail. Tony’s pride maintains the PH8 and God only knows what reasoning is maintaining his insistence upon batting Yadier 6th. It’s good, however, that you addressed them again today; lest anyone should think that the issues are no longer of concern to us…

  18. CardFanSince57 says:

    Yes, and even a “disinterested party”, such as your wife, knows that there is no future in putting the cart before the horse..

  19. blingboy says:

    Yadi is hitting .110 for July. At that rate, he’s an automatic out. Often two outs. Hitting him 6th is absurd. In fact, I doubt his defense and pitcher management skills outweigh an automatic out in the lineup. Not that LaRue is better. Anderson maybe.

    Mo, and everyone else, saw last year that Tony likes to play his favorites no matter what, so having a better hitting catcher on the roster is not the answer, the guy would just sit. If Mo were to make a surprise move in this area, man, what a powderkeg that would set off.

  20. CardFanSince57 says:

    Talk about “scary”: If Albert had no fought the Beast so valiantly, driving-up his pitch count, he would have made quick work of striking-out the side…

  21. blingboy says:

    Mo is in a tough spot. Yadi is an asset, he’s popular with some fans, he’s Albert’s buddy. But it is tough to go anywhere with an automatic out in the lineup, and especially so when the manager insists on hitting him 6th.

  22. CardFanSince57 says:

    Just when I was about to say, “This game is starting on the wrong foot”, Blake not only challenges Berkman; but strikes him out. Now, let’s see if he can induce a DP grounder…

  23. CardFanSince57 says:

    How was it that someone as slow as El Cabayo had managed an infield hit?

  24. CardFanSince57 says:

    Yes, this game is indeed starting on the wrong foot!

  25. CardFanSince57 says:

    Two strikeouts and a groundout, but at what price? That was a hurtful 35-pitch inning. As our enemies chuckle to themselves, the odds-makers in Vegas smile knowingly…

  26. CardFanSince57 says:

    Before allowing himself to get jammed-up like that, Matt could have at least driven-up the count… damn it!

  27. CardFanSince57 says:

    Wandy’s been throwing more balls than strikes, but our impatient hitters are eagerly swining at anything!

  28. crdswmn says:

    This game is gonna suck.

  29. CardFanSince57 says:

    By swinging at anything and everything, we gave Wandy the gift of an 11 pitch inning…

  30. CardFanSince57 says:

    The Astros know how to play small ball…

  31. CardFanSince57 says:

    After the 35-pitch fiasco, it is refreshing to see Blake enjoy a brief -pitch affair…

  32. CardFanSince57 says:

    Wandy consistently pitched to Greene’s weakness (low and away) – and won…

  33. CardFanSince57 says:

    After striking out the side at the bottom of our order, the Beast has racked-up 5 k’s in only 3 hitless innings…

  34. crdswmn says:

    We have a shortstop problem.

  35. CardFanSince57 says:

    I agree, crdswmn: That was the 2nd fielder’s choice of the game: What does it take for us to execute a DP? Blake is inducing the grounders necessary…

  36. CardFanSince57 says:

    Leave it to speedy Jon, not only to get the game’s first hit, but also to extend his hit streak to 11 games!

  37. crdswmn says:

    Okay, now that’s better.

  38. CardFanSince57 says:

    Wow! Albert knocked that one a mile!

  39. CardFanSince57 says:

    Thanks to Matt’s bold badness, the enemies are no longer chuckling and the odds-makers in Vegas are concerned…

  40. CardFanSince57 says:

    Yeah, Nick popped-out, but he also drove-up the count with his patient 11-pitch at bat…

  41. crdswmn says:

    Not an automatic out this time.

  42. CardFanSince57 says:

    How ’bout that? Ya gotta figure that Jon and Matt are just plain inspiring! Attaboy Yadier!

  43. CardFanSince57 says:

    We have only 4 innings completed and yet we are sending that Beast back into his dugout with a 75-pitch count!

  44. CardFanSince57 says:

    There’s no shame in walking a pitcher who can hit…

  45. CardFanSince57 says:

    It seems that Flip either goes 4-for-4 or 0-for-4

  46. CardFanSince57 says:

    It seems that Jon either goes 3-for-4 or 1-for-4….

  47. CardFanSince57 says:

    We never know what our boppers are going to do (and neither does the opposition or the odds-makers in Vegas).

  48. CardFanSince57 says:

    I was hoping that Blake would go 6 for us…

  49. CardFanSince57 says:

    With 87 pitches after 5 (giving-up only 2 runs), Tony may keep him in for another inning…

  50. CardFanSince57 says:

    It’s time now for our boppers to chase the Beast…

  51. CardFanSince57 says:

    Was he SURE that he wanted to pitch around Albert?

  52. CardFanSince57 says:

    Up and in is where Matt is batting the lowest (.295) and that’s where the Beast got him…

  53. CardFanSince57 says:

    Well, after 6, Wandy is nigh unto 100 pitches… I wonder if he will come back for the 7th…

  54. CardFanSince57 says:

    I suppose Michaels’ presence at the plate is the answer to my question about the Beast…

  55. crdswmn says:

    Apparently not.

  56. CardFanSince57 says:

    Fly balls make me nervous… I hope that McClellan can preserve Blake’s good showing…

  57. blingboy says:

    That was a nice one by Yadi earlier. Nice job by Hawk. Our starting pitching continues to keep us in games most of the time.

  58. CardFanSince57 says:

    We can give McClellan a hand and we can certainly give Blake a standing ovation for another good outing…

  59. CardFanSince57 says:

    Is that Winn that I see on deck?

  60. CardFanSince57 says:

    Yeah, Tyler! THAT is how we compensate for fielding weakness!

  61. CardFanSince57 says:

    Why did Houston bring in another reliever at this point?

  62. blingboy says:

    Cincy continues to not score any runs. Down 1-0 in bottom of eighth.

  63. CardFanSince57 says:

    I suppose it must be that Byrdak is more adept at inducing grounders than Lopez…

  64. CardFanSince57 says:

    I was right, but the Astros are just as impotent to execute a DP today as we are…

  65. blingboy says:

    Having no bench hurts. Be good to get some guys back from injuries.

  66. CardFanSince57 says:

    By being too eager, Brendan continues to be impotent at the plate…

  67. CardFanSince57 says:

    Brendan was your case-in-point, blingboy

  68. CardFanSince57 says:

    That was the 3rd infield single we’ve given up in this game…

  69. blingboy says:

    Lack of focus at plate and in the field. Sad. Lack of reliable fielding from short can create awkward situations. At least with Ryan we know he can do it, Greene just seems to be so-so.

  70. CardFanSince57 says:

    Considering this day’s infield hits and fielders’ choices, are we that sluggish or are the Astros that speedy?

  71. CardFanSince57 says:

    Your answer was supplied at the exact moment I had asked (3:13 PM)

  72. CardFanSince57 says:

    ANOTHER inflield single?

  73. blingboy says:

    Nobody covered second. Perfect.

  74. CardFanSince57 says:

    With all the grounders that McClellan has induced, if they score this inning, it will be said to see those “earned runs” on his account.

  75. CardFanSince57 says:

    Good! A fly-out ended the comedy of errors and there was no harm done…

  76. blingboy says:

    Cincy lost.

  77. CardFanSince57 says:

    There is HOPE that we will go into the break only a measly game behind…

  78. CardFanSince57 says:

    When you diminish the chance of a DP, knocking the runner over to second, it is considered a “productive out”. Attaboy, Jon!

  79. CardFanSince57 says:

    You also allow them to walk Albert….

  80. CardFanSince57 says:

    …so that Colby can knock one of them home!

  81. Brian Walton says:

    RC, apparently they patched Colby up enough to pinch hit. The insurance run was huge. He done good…

  82. CardFanSince57 says:

    Put a pinch runner in for Colby and give that lad pat on the back!

  83. CardFanSince57 says:

    …no infield hits for us!

  84. CardFanSince57 says:

    I hope that Jason is allowed to give ‘em Hellfire and brimstone!

  85. CardFanSince57 says:

    Was that line-out the result of a slider?

  86. CardFanSince57 says:

    If so, it was a very, very lucky out.

  87. CardFanSince57 says:

    Two of those “balls” were actually strikes…

  88. CardFanSince57 says:

    Johnson must’ve gotten a tiny piece of that blurr

  89. CardFanSince57 says:

    I hope that the weak hitters coming to bat can come through and give us some clutch support… We need at least one more insurance run.

  90. CardFanSince57 says:

    That’s what you’re supposed to do with a 5.68 pitcher! Attaboy, Tyler!

  91. CardFanSince57 says:

    That’s what you’re NOT supposed to do with a 5.68 pitcher! Go, sit down, Winn…

  92. CardFanSince57 says:

    C’est la vie… Now, we need to get past their big boppers.

  93. crdswmn says:

    Come on 57. He was supposed to bunt and he did.

  94. blingboy says:

    Turn out the lights, its Frankie time. I’m sitting in the dark.

  95. CardFanSince57 says:

    Sorry, crdswmn, my ESPN Gamecast gave me the wrong impression… I am thus “viewing” the game blind…

  96. CardFanSince57 says:

    A groundout! There’s hope!

  97. CardFanSince57 says:

    Franky Boy struck out the mighty Berkman! Damn it! If I could, I’d buy him a beer!

  98. Brian Walton says:

    Franklin’s 16-of-17 (.941) in save situations leads the NL. Hawks gets the win.

    Too bad Reds get time to regroup after losing four straight in Philly.

  99. blingboy says:

    How sweet it is ! ! !

  100. CardFanSince57 says:

    A groundout to end the inning! Franky Boy was nigh unto faultless and we’re going into the break only a single game behind!

  101. crdswmn says:

    Who would have believed we would be 2-4 on the road trip and only be 1 game back?

  102. CardFanSince57 says:

    As you are aware, Brian: we are also regrouping after a rather disasterous road trip…

  103. CardFanSince57 says:

    We can be thankful to the Phillies for the necessary buzz saw on the Reds…

  104. CardFanSince57 says:

    To keep our playoff hopes alive we must now sweep a minimum of half the 22 series remaining.

  105. CardFanSince57 says:

    Our enemies are not very pleased with today’s result and the odds-makers in Vega can thank Matt for thwarting their projection…

  106. Nutlaw says:

    I … think that it would be fair to say that the Cardinals will not be sweeping 11 series yet will still stay in playoff contention.

  107. Brian Walton says:

    Mo was on the post game show on Channel 5. Summary:

    Ended 1H on positive note. Big innings by Hawk and big hit by Holliday.
    Team not very consistent in 1H, players can improve.
    Key is to get healthy.
    Some ways can also improve with deadline 7/31 approaching.
    Hard to guarantee any moves. Takes two teams to make deal.
    If had one bullet, it would probably be on pitching.
    A little of (chemistry?) talk was misstated, but guy like DeRosa contributed in positive way last year.
    Acquisition cost can be money and players – willing to part with both…
    But won’t give up future for short-term gains.
    Pujols is iconic player. Hope he never gets to point to test free agency.

  108. blingboy says:

    Sounds like Mo and BDW are on the same page.

    I thought Brian was going to be live on camera.

  109. CardFanSince57 says:

    Nutlaw: According a very informative article posted not too long ago in The Cardinal Nation blog, if we go to the playoffs without taking at least 10 sweeps, we will be the first modern era Cardinal team ever to do it…

  110. CardFanSince57 says:

    Admittedly, 10 sweeps out of 22 series is rather ambitious, but we’ve certainly got what it takes to do it (as long as our starters hold up and as long as our offense can consistently perform according to their career stats)…

  111. Brian Walton says:

    No, bb, just audio. TV may not be ready for my face yet… ;-)

  112. CardFanSince57 says:

    Ah, another man like myself (with a great face for radio)!

  113. Nutlaw says:

    CFS, I’d wager on a first in this case. Cause and effect are maybe getting muddled here.

  114. blingboy says:

    It’s the inability to put together a winning streak, ie the inability to get hot, that is reflected in the lack of sweeps. If we develop that ability in September we should be OK, however few sweeps we end up with. As mentioned recently, the 2006 team didn’t really tear it up during the regular season.

  115. CariocaCardinal says:

    57, if you could show me that the 10 series sweeps was a minimum for all playoff teams (not just the Cardinals) I’d consider your premise.

  116. Nutlaw says:

    Hey, there was the Carlos Silva we all know and love.

  117. crdswmn says:

    I watched that game. Ole Carlos was p-oed! The guy was out but Carlos still should have got his ass over there.

  118. Nutlaw says:

    The P-D is saying that Cards are looking into Toronto’s SS Alex Gonzalez? Ugh. Please no. That’s not an upgrade.

  119. crdswmn says:

    Maybe he is the only ss available. We need another starting pitcher.

  120. CardFanSince57 says:

    Bernie’s take…
    “* Alex Gonzalez? Interesting note in Monday’s Post-Dispatch from Joe Strauss, who mentioned that the Toronto Blue Jays had a scout in Houston on Sunday, apparently for a viewing of some Cardinals players. We can only guess what the Blue Jays were scouting, but the Cardinals do have two shortstops — Brendan Ryan and Tyler Greene. And Strauss speculated that Ryan could be of interest to Toronto. Gonzalez, 33, is the natural object of the Cardinals’ attention. He has 17 homers and 50 RBIs at the break; this is his fifth MLB season of having double-digit HRs. Gonzalez is a free swinger with a poor career onbase percentage of .294. He takes the grip-and-rip approach; according to FanGraphs, 41 percent of Gonzalez’s swings this season have been on pitches out of the strike zone. Poor plate discipline has been one of the Cardinals’ main problems. So yes, Gonzalez would hit some home runs. He’ll also strike out a bunch, once every 5.35 at-bats. What about his defense? It’s outstanding so far this season. Gonzalez is a + 14 in John Dewan’s Fielding Bible system; that’s the fourth-best rating among MLB shortstops.”

    Should we mortgage our future in exchange for a cheap half-season lift? Despite all the impressive power stats of the past and despite the season that Alex Gonzalez is enjoying now, 33 years of age seems to be the pinnacle of production for today’s baseball player. It would be absurd to think that his natural decline will not become manifestly evident by next season. Whatever Nutlaw’s reasons are for rejecting the idea, I am definitely in agreement.

  121. CardFanSince57 says:

    Carioca: If I were the statistician who prepared the findings with regard to the Cardinals, perhaps I would find the time necessary for a similar study of all the other teams. All I can do is to compliment the evident authority of the statistician used by Brian for our blog. You are as free to reject it as I am to accept it. I am not disappointed if no one is persuaded by my argument, but frustrated when they don’t supply a viable argument for rebuttal. Perhaps the question ought to be turned around: if you could show me that the 10 series sweeps was NOT a minimum for all playoff teams (not just the Cardinals) I’d consider YOUR premise…

  122. crdswmn says:

    The people who post comments on the MLB website crack me up. There is a fight going on about Ubaldo Jimenez starting. So what? I predict Jimemez will have a meltdown before the season is over anyway because he is a rookie and not likely to be able to take the pressure.

  123. crdswmn says:

    Lineup for All Star game has Albert batting 3rd and Yadi batting 9th. Unfortunately, the 9 hole is where Yadi belongs. I just hope he improves in the second half.

  124. Brian Walton says:

    Ubaldo Jimenez made his MLB debut in 2006…

  125. crdswmn says:

    My bad. An article I read referred to him as a rookie. Serves me right for believing what I read. :)

  126. crdswmn says:

    I need my eyes checked. The article said “Rockie” and I read “rookie” Duh.

  127. CardFanSince57 says:

    It happens to the best of us, crdswmn. And I’m proof that it also happens to the worst of us!

  128. crdswmn says:

    57, I’ve been a baseball fan since I was 5. I should have known better.

  129. CardFanSince57 says:

    I could care less that the Home Run Derby is an ESPN sham and I could care less who wins it: I’m tuning in for the purpose of watching Matt Holliday! I want to see what blingboy and his sons have seen so many times during BP at Busch Stadium.

    For that matter, I could care less if the All-Star game is actually nothing more than a meaningless exhibition: I’ll get to see five of my favorite ball players among all the rest of Major League Baseball’s very best!

    Come Thursday, when we host the Dodgers, I’m gonna be fulla feel-good and loaded for bear!

  130. CardFanSince57 says:

    crdswmn, all of us kick ourselves in the butt when we make the least mistake. You’re in good company!

  131. crdswmn says:

    I hope Matt doesn’t exhaust himself.

  132. CardFanSince57 says:

    At least Matt is going into the competition with his eyes wide-open: It ain’t his first rodeo. I only hope that he is just as successful in the half-season afterward as he was the last time that he appeared in the Home Run Derby.

  133. CardFanSince57 says:

    (I would love for him to exceed the 13 that he jacked the last time around…)

  134. blingboy says:

    The American League lineup is brutal. Will be fun to see what Jiminez does with it. If the NL wins it will be a miracle.

    Lets go Matt.

  135. crdswmn says:

    I don’t expect the NL to win. I never do. ;)

  136. blingboy says:

    I expect the good guys to win all the games, miracle or not. As for tonight, it will be Matt for sure.

    I’ve got the brats ready here and my wife is attempting home made funnel cakes (I smell smoke) Gotta go.

  137. WestCoastbirdWatcher says:

    I look for MH to make a statement here……………..he asked for it…………….. if he gets good pitching, he has enough.

  138. WestCoastbirdWatcher says:

    Young comes in with no clue……………… I like MH in this………..he will be uppercutting at lower pitches…………….

  139. WestCoastbirdWatcher says:

    The biggest fallacy in this contest is that the pitcher needs to supply something. When Josh went crazy in NY………..the old man he brought had a 2 ft of ark in every pitch……………he got so tired he started over throwing in the finals and Josh could hit it . A slow pitch softball player would destroy these guys.

  140. WestCoastbirdWatcher says:

    Hart is just looping his wrist using a softball swing…………it the way to win.

  141. crdswmn says:

    I wouldn’t be surprised to see Hart win this thing.

  142. crdswmn says:

    There’s A-Roid :)

  143. WestCoastbirdWatcher says:

    He will go to the second round……………he has the long swing and the slow pitch………he could win.

  144. crdswmn says:

    I don’t think Matt’s going to make it.

  145. WestCoastbirdWatcher says:

    I think your right…………….

  146. crdswmn says:

    Tony didn’t want him to go beyond first round. Looks like he is going to get his wish.

  147. crdswmn says:

    Matt swung at too many bad pitches early.

  148. WestCoastbirdWatcher says:

    I’m disappointed…………..good night…..

  149. CariocaCardinal says:

    57, I’d be more than happy to do that research if I knew of a data base that I have access to that has that info.

    However, even without looking I’m more than willing to bet large sums that their have been multiple playoff teams without 10 series sweeps.

  150. CardFanSince57 says:

    ‘Twas enough for me that the most impressive (and longest) home run of all that were hit tonight was Matt Holliday’s 497 ft blast!

    Carioca: Without looking first, I’m not willing to bet anything! It is enough for me, for the time being, to go with the impressive data supplied on our blog concerning the Cardinals. You may be correct in your belief that our team is the exception, rather than the rule, but (for now), I think that the data supplied represents a reasonable composite.

    When cometh the first day of September, I would like to acknowledge that our data will be skewed with the first exception to it’s hitherto indisputable findings.

  151. blingboy says:

    I am a neutral and appreciative observer in the sweeps debate, but I hope that the whole thing is rendered moot due the the Cards having a blistering hot second half and winning more than enough series’.

  152. CardFanSince57 says:

    Hear! Hear!

  153. crdswmn says:

    I think Matt was nervous. By the time he got his groove he had too many outs. My guess is that he would have won if he had taken his time.

  154. JumboShrimp says:

    On the rumor of the Cards talking about trading with the Blue Jays for Alex Gonzalez….
    A lot of names are going to mentioned in the next few weeks. The Blue Jays will want to be aggressive. Gonzalez could stabilize SS, provide offense, and his salary is not bad. His rumor cannot be ruled out.

  155. JumboShrimp says:

    Mo may talk trade with 15 teams. The Cards will want to have a lot of options to consider, in order to find the best available deals.

  156. WestCoastbirdWatcher says:

    http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/article_671d5f81-c608-51d6-9d07-cdc42f7e6b26

    An honest appraisal by AP?………………………..some of it I think…………..

    I think the word that applies to the upcoming offseason is “optimal.” That’s the best time for us to negotiate something to keep Albert in town for a long time. Those negotiations aren’t easy for a player of Albert’s stature. It remains to be seen what we can do. But we’ll make every effort to see where it goes. I don’t have a crystal ball to say if it can get done in 24 hours or if we would go the entire winter without getting something done. It’s tough. The market can change in either direction.

    BD isn’t different than most wealth conservatives I know…………… they gain satisfaction from telling the truth with so many veils of insider arrogance, it makes them feel “honest” where others might think that subterfuge would be expected. In the above statement, he is telling you exactly what his play will be…………thinking his openness hides his ulterior motives……………

    In case you’re struggling with some of the finer points………………… ” The market can change in either direction.’…………………. Albert’s contract will reflect market forces??………. not a bridge to his island………………..or his mythological status…….. BD is so proud of the agreements that have been reached surrounding AP’s future, that he can’t help but trumpet the approaching collusion. That statement was made for local consumption…………..it doesn’t read well any where else. This will come down like the Holiday deal………….. Albert has enjoyed being a ML poster boy. He will suffer the down side of that to. Lozano will be trying to score in the collusion settlement, not the contract itself……………..It isn’t in anyone’s interest to bid against ST Louis……………….as the Cards didn’t make an offer to Holiday till late………same will be true for Albert…………….. After the 31, the Cards know his future…………it’s just how long it takes for him to give into the inevitable………………..5/6 solid years with deferments……….a couple of option yrs based on nebulous performance requirements to make it sound larger…………it shouldn’t reach 200 large. There isn’t one team out there that wants to deal with the insurance premiums on a contract like that.

  157. JumboShrimp says:

    Molina is having a tough season with the bat. You would like to add someone to help out Yadier, but he cannot be so good fans want him to be the regular. OTOH, he have to be a better hitter than LaRue.

  158. crdswmn says:

    I don’t think getting another catcher is a #1 priority. Yadi could very well have a productive second half, Why jump the gun? We need a starting pitcher and a SS.

  159. Nutlaw says:

    I would be as okay with an upgrade at 2B or 3B as I would with one at SS.

  160. crdswmn says:

    Freese will play 3b when he comes off the DL. I think he has done an admirable job.

  161. CardFanSince57 says:

    I can’t see a problem at all at 3B… unless there is a complication of which I have not been informed, possibly arising from David’s ankle sprain. Since a platoon of Skip and Flip at 2B seems to be catching-on positively, the only weakness I see is at SS (defensively). Using my limited Baseball wisdom, it seems to me that, if there was an “either/or” proposition, we are in greater need of another marquee Starter than a SS.

  162. Nutlaw says:

    Freese is an inoffensive third baseman, but he’s shown a lack of power for a major league third baseman. I wouldn’t mind if they upgraded that position.

    And yeah, CFS, Alex Gonzalez is an older free swinger who would be a downgrade defensively and has gotten lucky in his power production so far this season. It would make him overpriced. Why buy high on him?

  163. CariocaCardinal says:

    Nut, why do say Gonzalez would be a fielding downgrade. The defensive stats people are throwing out on the Scout board show differently.

  164. Nutlaw says:

    UZR, fielding runs above average, age. Brendan Ryan is my choice any day. Fortunately, the Braves made the move for Gonzalez instead.

  165. JumboShrimp says:

    Freese missed much of 2009 with a foot problem that required an operation. Now, he has some sort of foot problem again (though I havent read much about it). I wonder how much of a question mark his return to health is.

  166. blingboy says:

    When Freese got hurt I looked into it a little and found out its the other foot this time, not the one that got operated on. Of course, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t injured at all in the car accident. Of course the fans will not get accurate info, if the organization even knows. With injuries, they don’t seem to be able to assess their way out of a wet paper bag.

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