Since that article appeared, Molina ducked the Cardinals Winter Warm-Up fan festival for the second consecutive year amid speculation that he was upset over the departure of his friend Albert Pujols via free agency.

Said to be looking trim and fit, Molina reported to Cardinals spring training camp in Jupiter, Fla. a week early. The Post-Dispatch’s Joe Strauss was there to ask the contract questions I and probably every other reporter at Winter Warm-Up wanted to pose; questions whose answers so many have been yearning to hear.

Readers could find both the positive and the negative in the catcher’s response. For me, the entire situation was summed up in two consecutive paragraphs.

“I’m open to staying here. I love the city. I love the fans. I love the ballpark. But it’s out of my hands,” Molina said. “Whatever they like to do is how it is. They let Albert go. It’s business for the team, too. It’s out of my hands.”

The Cardinals have engaged Molina’s agent, Melvin Roman, in preliminary talks about an extension. Though Molina would prefer the matter be resolved before opening day, he won’t enforce Pujols’ mandate that negotiations be resolved before his official report date to camp.

Those already worried that Molina will follow his friend Albert’s free-agent path out of St. Louis this fall immediately lodged onto the dually-emphasized phrase, “It’s out of my hands,” words very similar to ones Pujols uttered more than once in recent years.

Even before this latest news, almost one in every five Cardinals fans were worried enough to consider trading Molina, according to a January 20 poll here. I expect that polarized minority will grow in size and volume as 2012 unfolds.

On the positive side, Molina’s agent and the Cardinals will apparently continue to talk about a new deal throughout the season if necessary. That is very important and should not be under-emphasized.

On one level, Molina saying his future is out of hands is laughable, on another, it is completely understandable.

It is out of his hands until the Cardinals make a fair offer for his continued services – though there are certainly actions he and his agent can take to facilitate the process both before and after an offer is on the table.

The Cardinals have to be careful, too, as they try to assess whether Molina’s asking price resides within their comfort zone. At this stage of the game, making an offer perceived as insulting can be more damaging than not making one at all. Those who think the Cardinals are in control of the situation – willing to snap their fingers and close the deal – are incredibly naive.

There is plenty of time remaining for both sides to talk. The fact that Molina is in spring camp early, seemingly in good shape and ready to play baseball is a positive sign.

The fact that he is apparently willing to let his agent and the Cardinals work on his contract while he focuses on his job is another good thing, as far as I am concerned.

It is most unlikely that either side will be providing regular updates on the progress of their negotiations, so the impatient need to deal with that. Still, at some point this year, it would not be surprising to me for a press conference to be announced out of the blue during which a new deal is announced.

Yet if that doesn’t happen and Molina ultimately decides to test free agency this fall – as did Pujols and Matt Holliday among others before him – that is his right; just as it is the right of the Cardinals to set a limit as to how much they will offer their catcher and to determine the best time to make their move(s). (Through a recent set of polls here, a five-year, $65 million offer won out as the fans’ best offer to Molina.)

In the meantime, I would find it hard to believe that anyone worth listening to does not believe the 2012 Cardinals will be a better team with Molina than without. Right now, isn’t that what it is all about – fielding the 25 players that give the team the best chance of repeating as World Champions?

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The card is labeled as Schumaker’s, but only a small part of the player’s right leg and foot are visible, as the squirrel is the featured performer. This drew mounds of attention on the internet over the past few days, with some people having expressed amusement while others exhibited anger over a perceived slight to the Cardinals’ 2011 second baseman.

One thing is for sure; it led to an avalanche of publicity the trading card company could not buy. As noted by a pleased Topps spokesman I reached on Tuesday, “This thing has really blown up.”

Concerned members of the public can stand down now, as contrary to a number of news stories, the Rally Squirrel card is an extra and does not replace Schumaker’s regular 2012 baseball card.

“Schumaker has a standard base card where he’s sliding into home plate,” the Topps representative affirmed. “The squirrel is a short printed fun card.”

As a reassurance to Cardinals fans and collectors alike, the Topps spokeman closed with the following. “There will be way, way more of his standard card available though for all the St. Louis Cardinals fans.”

Update: Enterprising private business people are already listing the Rally Squirrel card for sale in the secondary market. For example, through the online auction website ebay.com, starting prices for the special card are $200 or more.

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To keep that survey manageable, the dollar amounts and years were split into separate questions. That made it difficult to bring the two together into one clear conclusion, so that is the purpose of this post.

Almost 70 percent of the earlier voters selected either a four- or five-year deal. Over 60 percent of those voting would offer Molina a contract with an average annual value (AAV) somewhere between $9 million and $13 million per year.

Assuming we round to the nearest million, that creates a possible ten answers. From them, you can choose your definitive best offer to the catcher for his four or five seasons starting in 2013 at age 30-31.

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Now we hear it from the angle of the Angels, primarily general manager Jerry Dipoto. That story is entitled “How to Land the Big One, the Inside Story of Signing Albert Pujols.” It will appear in print in the Feb. 6, 2012 “Recruiting Issue” of ESPN The Magazine, but is already posted online for ESPN subscribers. (Cover photo shoot video is also included.)

Written by Sam Miller, who covers the Angels for the Orange County Register, the piece describes the interrelation of the club’s successful quest to sign left-handed pitcher C.J. Wilson with their pursuit of Pujols.

The article includes many already-known details about the telephone bonding between Halos owner Arte Moreno and Pujols along with a few mild surprises.

Pujols defended the short courtship.

“I only spend five minutes talking to or meeting a guy and I know pretty much,” Pujols said after he signed. “God has given me that wisdom. I don’t even know [Moreno], and he called me one of his partners. That means a lot.”

Very little was written about the Cardinals position but what was said, I found most interesting.

“The Cardinals had made Pujols and his wife, Deidre, feel almost unwanted with their offers, the first of which was for just five years… It was as though the Cardinals could see only the downside to signing a 31-year-old Albert Pujols while the Angels saw opportunity,” Miller states.

I guess St. Louis’ rumored first offer this past fall is what was meant, which was reportedly for just five years. Though it was not mentioned that proposal was for a salary of $26 million per year, a higher average annual value than the 10-year, $240 million deal Pujols and the Angels later agreed upon. Also not referenced were earlier or later bids made by the Cardinals, which reportedly went up to as much as ten years, though at a lower AAV and with deferred money. Since the ESPN story was admittedly written from the Angels’ perspective, it should not be too surprising those details are missing.

Last week, Cardinals president Bill DeWitt III had the following to say about the Pujols situation.

“Our fan base is so knowledgeable that there were some things that we were tempted to say about how things went down. Not so much negative against Pujols or anything like that, but just defending the way we approached it, going back over time – having given it a good shot two years ago, one year ago, then in this off-season.  I think there were some accusations about if we should have done it earlier and things of that nature.

“You can go back in time and I think the instinct we had was to lay it all out there. But then, we saw the reaction. And the reaction was overwhelmingly, I think, sympathetic to the way we handled it. And given that reaction, we just decided to let it go. Let the last word be theirs. I think that was probably a good move because any time you just get into a ‘he said, she said’ pissing match, it doesn’t leave a good taste,” DeWitt III said.

It will be interesting to see how this story evolves over time as to which offers are remembered and in what sequence. The ESPN-Angels version clearly hits hard the damage caused by the perceived lack of respect shown Pujols by the Cardinals.

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Carmona is now/back-to-being Roberto Hernandez Heredia, age 31 instead of 28. He is certainly neither the first nor probably the last player to be outed this way. Carmona/Heredia was arrested when trying to secure a visa to re-enter the United States.

This news has intensified ongoing questions about former St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols, long suspected by some to be older than his reported age of 32. Where Pujols clearly differs from Heredia is that he became a US citizen and can more easily travel between the two nations as a result. In fact, Pujols was back in his homeland this past weekend, along with former teammates Yadier Molina and Rafael Furcal.

A member of The Cardinal Nation message board community speculated that if one day Pujols was caught like Carmona/Heredia, it might keep him out of Baseball’s Hall of Fame.

In my book, it gets down to whether or not all varieties of cheating are worthy of the same punishment.

At one end of the spectrum, we have gambling on one’s team. That lifetime ban is clearly spelled out in baseball’s rules. No debate is needed. Sorry, Pete Rose.

Then, we have another area which also led to concerns about the integrity of the game itself, steroid usage. Though we will know more next year with a new class of eligible players, Mark McGwire’s roughly 20 percent showing year after year in the Hall voting indicates how the writers seem to feel about this matter.

Near the other end, we have the admitted spitballer Gaylord Perry. There was so little concern about his transgressions that he was honored with a plaque in Cooperstown.

Lying about one’s identity and age is illegal. There can be no doubt about that. On the other hand, a player’s reported age is irrelevant to his hitting, pitching, playing defense or baserunning. I submit that Pujols’ numbers would have been the same no matter what date of birth was printed in game programs for the last 11 years.

I am not condoning age falsification, but I also don’t see it as being worthy of the death penalty, either. If Pujols’ age/identity were proven to be false, I could see the sportswriters penalizing him by not voting him into the Hall on the first ballot. Yet I would be very surprised if they would keep Pujols out indefinitely – even if he never played another game.

In my book, the only person who would have a clear right to take action following a Pujols disclosure is Angels owner Arte Moreno. More than one jilted Cardinals fan would relish seeing that still-hypothetical scenario play out.

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The New York chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) bestowed The Babe Ruth Award upon Freese. The award is given annually to the Major League Baseball player with the best performance in the postseason. It was created in honor of New York Yankees Hall of Famer Babe Ruth in 1949.

In the following clip, posted by MLB.com, Freese accepts his newest award after having been introduced by Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.

(Some of Freese’s television appearances earlier this off-season can be viewed here.)

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This weekend, Molina is out and about, joining current teammate Rafael Furcal and good friend and ex-teammate Albert Pujols in the Dominican Republic. Molina lives in Puerto Rico, while Furcal and Pujols are native Dominicans.

The three Major Leaguers are scheduled to play in a softball game on Saturday in Loma de Cabrera, near the frontier of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, reports ESPN Deportes’ Enrique Rojas.

Pujols left the Cardinals last month, making a 20-year commitment to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Likely re-deploying some of the cash earmarked for the first baseman, St. Louis quickly signed shortstop Furcal to a two-year extension. Molina is on schedule to become a free agent himself following the 2012 season.

The Pujols Family Foundation explains more about why Pujols is in the area in a Saturday post on their Facebook page. The other players are not mentioned as being a part of the relief mission.

“Albert and Deidre Pujols are currently on the ground in the Dominican Republic providing beds for families who have no place to sleep. ‘Project Sound Asleep III’ rolls out today, delivering beds to over 70 families over the course of three days…”

“They are concentrating this trip on the Bateys around Consuelo, San Pedro de Macoris.”

A member of the Pujols traveling party, Ramon D. Carmona, has been posting photos of the players’ travels.

(My interpretation of Carmona’s captions: Pujols, Furcal, Fernando Villalona and Molina; The group posing by a river; Furcal driving with Pujols as passenger and Molina in the back; Furcal at the wheel; Pujols and Molina playing dominoes.)

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The logical follow-on question to those voters is to ask where they would draw the line in terms of dollars and years. That is the purpose of this post.

Here are a few data points to consider.

Molina currently makes $7 million in the fifth and final year of his contract signed with the Cardinals prior to the 2008 season. He will celebrate his 30^th birthday in July.

Minnesota’s Joe Mauer has the largest contract in MLB history for a catcher, eight years, $184 million. It started in 2011, his age 28 year, and pays him an even $23 million per season.

Detroit’s Victor Martinez, who recently suffered a season-ending injury, signed a four-year, $50 million free agent deal one year ago. The average annual value (AAV) of his deal, covering his age 32-35 seasons, works out to $12.5 million, just over half of Mauer’s annual take.

A number of front-line catchers could hit the market next fall, including Russell Martin, Miguel Montero and Mike Napoli. Others with 2013 club options include Brian McCann ($12 million) and Carlos Ruiz ($5 million).

Against that backdrop, what are your limits? Please vote and explain below.

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Articles are popping up, in which the merits of trading away the catcher before he “does a Pujols” to the Gateway City are being weighed. Speculation about what was behind his decision to skip the Cardinals Winter Warm-Up for the second consecutive year continues.

In terms of value, Molina seems to be a player at the peak of his game. He is coming off his best offensive year in addition to already being the game’s best defensive backstop. As he moves into his age 29-30 season, the time to act would seem to be now. But, what should the act be?

Re-signing Molina would please many, but is that likely? Is it the best business decision for the franchise? Is a trade any more feasible? Would any other club be willing to acquire the four-time Gold Glover without first securing a commitment to an extension?

Waiting until mid-season to trade Molina no longer seems an attractive option. The new collective bargaining agreement specifies that a club acquiring an impending free agent during his final season will not receive draft pick compensation if the player signs elsewhere.

More importantly, knowing what he could potentially make in the open market next fall, at this time why would Molina commit long-term to a new team, let alone the Cardinals?

Just like Pujols and Matt Holliday before him, Molina has earned the right to gauge his worth across the game. He gave the Cardinals two of his potential free agent years when signing his last contract, but no longer has that motivation. With financial security and being at his optimal age, this is his time.

I would not fault Molina one bit for taking that path. Free agency is the model defined by the game.

Still, just as in the case of Pujols, I suspect the Cardinals will not trade Molina in the interim. He is a very popular player and a crucial one, called “our captain on the field” by Skip Schumaker this past weekend. Via trade, Molina would not fetch a replacement of the same level of skill. There would be quantity and potential quality, but likely no single player currently as good as him.

Nor is there an heir apparent in the minor league system ready to step in. I think the Cardinals will be focused on keeping the best possible team together in hopes of a repeat title in 2012. That would seem to include Molina wearing the Birds on the Bat.

Though I did not deeply consider the Pujols situation in this context earlier on, I do now. With the benefit of hindsight, winning the 2011 World Championship made the gamble of keeping Pujols until the end pay off, in my opinion.

That was a very long opening for the real motivation I had for writing this post.

This winter, I have been reading/re-reading various Stan Musial-related books, having started with the recent George Vescey-authored, “Stan Musial: An American Life.”

Next up will be The Man’s own biography, written with/by legendary sportswriter Bob Broeg back in 1964, “Stan Musial: The Man’s Own Story.”

In between is my current subject, James Giglio’s 2001 book, “Musial: From Stash to Stan the Man.”

In the latter, just last night, I read a passage that, while from another era, reminded me of what the loss of a true game-changing catcher could mean to the franchise.

On page 124, as he discussed the post-World War II make up of the Cardinals, Giglio wrote this.

“The greatest Cardinal loss remained Walker Cooper, however, who went to the New York Giants in January 1946 for $175,000. The right-handed Cooper, the best catcher in the National League, had excellent seasons with the Giants and the Cincinnati Reds in the late 1940’s. Both Musial and (Enos) Slaughter contended than the loss of Cooper cost the Redbirds several pennants, for neither (Joe) Garagiola, Ken O’Dea or Del Rice came close to equaling Cooper’s offensive production or matching his leadership on the field. Cooper’s departure cost the Cardinals not only a long-ball threat but also balance at the plate, enabling opponents to challenge Musial’s and Slaughter’s left-handed power with southpaw pitching.

“(Owner Sam) Breadon used Cooper’s dislike of (new manager Eddie) Dyer, who managed him in the minors, as a pretext for selling him despite Dyer’s plea that he would work things out. Money remained the main motive; Breadon, tired of Cooper’s constant haggling over salary, also wanted to ensure that he came out financially ahead in 1946 in the face of higher salaries.”

The Cardinals did win the Series in 1946, but clearly hurt themselves in the long haul by disposing of Cooper. Though there were certainly other contributing factors, it would be the club’s last pennant for 18 long years, including Musial’s final 17 seasons.

Cooper was sent away three days before his 30^th birthday, the same age as Molina will be this coming winter. Just like Molina, he played in three World Series with St. Louis, with his club winning twice. At the time, Cooper was a three-time NL All-Star, same as Molina today. After leaving St. Louis, Cooper went on to play another dozen years, including his final two back with the Cardinals as a reserve in 1956 and 1957. He added five more All-Star selections for a career total of eight.

Yes, this is a different time; yet the issue, then and now, is money. There is no way of knowing if the Cardinals will offer enough of it to Molina to satisfy him. Without Pujols, they may have the budget, but do they want to pay? If not, Molina will leave, perhaps of his own volition. All things considered, is trying for another title in 2012 better than the alternative?

At this point, I can only wonder how the books of the future will treat this time in Cardinals history and in Yadier Molina’s career.

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Another one rides the bus (not)

After interviewing about 30 players and executives over the course of the weekend, it got to be kind of funny as the same media members tended to ask the same questions over and over. One of them was if the player had the opportunity to talk with new manager Mike Matheny yet.

Mitchell Boggs replied that he and Mike were on one of the Caravans together so they chatted a bit. One writer followed up by asking if they had a lot of extra time to talk on the bus. Boggs turned very serious and said, “The manager of the St. Louis Cardinals does not ride the bus!” Of course, we all laughed.

How can I find… ?

Each of the interviews from WWU is posted at TheCardinalNation.com in its entirety for subscribers interested in hearing what everyone said in detail. Bits and pieces are elsewhere around the net, but I worked very hard to get everything in one place. I also have some special articles ahead this week. In addition, a group of player photos is coming that is far superior to anything I could have taken.

I was amazed that several hundred people were lined up in the hotel lobby for multiple hours ahead of WWU opening each day. Team officials did not release a count but seemed happy with attendance. The only blemish was Yadier Molina‘s no-show.

The end for TLR

Tony La Russa, likely in his Cardinals swan song, signed autographs for at least an extra hour and perhaps even longer on Monday, but decided to skip talking with the media. He did make a nice speech at the end of Sunday night’s Baseball Writers Dinner.

After a number of jokes at the expense of Albert Pujols were thrown out by presenters, two dinner speakers came out loud and strong in telling fans to respect what the new Angel had accomplished during his 11 years with St. Louis. The two were La Russa and his successor.

La Russa was among those who skipped Tuesday’s White House visit. 21 members of the 2011 Champions were scheduled to attend. I did not count them all in the White House video.

The Writers’ Dinner went extra innings

Held Sunday evening, The Baseball Writers’ Association of America 54^th Annual Dinner is one of the last three of its type in the country that remains. The proceeds go to scholarships, a worthy cause, and with a reported 1,400 in attendance, it should have been a financial success. With so much to celebrate, this year’s program ran 3 ½ hours, considerably past what organizers had planned.

When asked the next day for his impression of the evening, Kyle McClellan’s reply was initially blunt, but he quickly tempered his comments.

“Long. It was very lengthy,” the local product said. “It was good though to see everybody again… that is one of the cool things about St. Louis, the history. To have guys like Ozzie and Lou Brock there, you don’t have that with a lot of organizations.”

The audio of the entire dinner program can he heard at KMOX.com.

Pujols: Wash, rinse, repeat

On Monday, team president Bill DeWitt III mentioned his father, club chairman Bill DeWitt, Jr., was caught a little off guard by the large turnout of reporters awaiting him on Sunday. To his credit, the chairman patiently answered questions for almost 20 minutes. Most of the time was spent rehashing the Pujols situation rather than looking forward. It seemed every time a question was asked in a new direction, the next ones returned to number 5. At least that is what I remember thinking at the time.

You can read stories about that all over the web and I have the complete audio of Bill DeWitt Jr’s remarks posted on the main site (audio is subscriber-only).

The next day, DeWitt III perhaps correctly noted the fans seem to have accepted the Pujols situation better than the media, in fact more positively than the club executives expected.

“8 out of 10 of the questions were about the Pujols situation,” DeWitt III recalled. “It is a subject of endless fascination, I think, mostly with the media. Because I think what is amazing about it is that our fans get it. The reaction that I saw following the decision kind of surprised me in a way – that it was really so understanding. Usually you kind of get beat up for whatever decision you make one way or the other. There are two camps. These are decisions that are not easy and I think people understood that we gave it our best shot.

“As Tony (La Russa) said last night at the Writers’ Dinner, it is just a tough system that is created that would allow a player to end up somewhere else after he made such a great contribution to one club. He was saying, ‘Don’t blame the Cardinals. Don’t blame Albert.’ I think there is something to that,” DeWitt III said.

At this point, the team president went into what the Cardinals considered doing, but did not.

“Our fan base is so knowledgeable that there were some things that we were tempted to say about how things went down. Not so much negative against Pujols or anything like that, but just defending the way we approached it, going back over time – having given it a good shot two years ago, one year ago, then in this off-season.  I think there were some accusations about if we should have done it earlier and things of that nature.

“You can go back in time and I think the instinct we had was to lay it all out there. But then, we saw the reaction. And the reaction was overwhelmingly, I think, sympathetic to the way we handled it. And given that reaction, we just decided to let it go. Let the last word be theirs. I think that was probably a good move because any time you just get into a ‘he said, she said’ pissing match, it doesn’t leave a good taste,” DeWitt III said.

The team president suspects time will heal some of the wounds.

“I still think in my heart of hearts – even though he signed a personal services agreement with Anaheim which commits him to wearing an Angels cap forever, it seems – something about it makes me wonder or just think if he will have a reception back here at some point some day that will be better than the way it left. So, we will see. We wish him well,” DeWitt III concluded.

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Included in row order below are Allen Craig, Kyle McClellan, Kyle Lohse, David Freese, Carlos Beltran and Skip Schumaker.

The Cardinal Nation subscribers should check out on the main site where I loaded the comments from each of the above speakers. I did the same Saturday and Sunday as well. Over two dozen interviews are posted.

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Pictured in order by rows: John Mozeliak, John Vuch, Lance Lynn, Matt Carpenter, Tyler Greene, Zack Cox, Rafael Furcal, Adam Wainwright.

The Cardinal Nation subscribers should check out my article on the main site where I posted audio from each of the above and others. I expect to do the same for Sunday and Monday as well.

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So it is in baseball and the subject of performance enhancing drugs. Years of seeing gargantuan sluggers, reading the Mitchell Report and more have made us cynical. Just ask Jeff Bagwell, who despite Hall of Fame-type numbers has received less than 50 percent of the Hall vote. The reason stated by many writers is the mere suspicion that the former Houston first baseman was a steroid user.

In the long-running PED case of J.C. Romero, there is news, in fact closure. Yet one cannot determine the specifics of its resolution. What we do know is that the pitcher has settled his lawsuit over a tainted, legal supplement that had led to his suspension by Major League Baseball.

In late 2008, Romero, then of the Philadelphia Phillies, tested positive for the presence of a banned substance. He received a 50-game suspension that was served at the start of the 2009 season. In between, he pitched for the Phils as they won the World Series.

The left-hander blamed the problem on a tainted supplement. Tests ordered by the Players Union confirmed his charge, yet the suspension stood. In April 2009, Romero sued the drug’s suppliers. Among them were companies once owned by a chemist from Illinois who served time in federal prison as part of the BALCO case.

Before the case went to trial, the parties settled last month, Romero’s lawyer explained to the New York Daily News.

Romero told the Daily News he believes that “justice is served” and that the resolution “gives closure to the fans in (Philadelphia).” Some angry fans in the City of Brotherly Love considered the Phillies’ 2008 title to have been tainted by Romero’s participation.

However, with no specifics of the legal settlement having been released, including responsibility accepted and financial terms, it seems any of the parties could celebrate victory. Perhaps Romero is just weary after spending the better part of three years trying to clear his name.

The 35-year-old, a native of Puerto Rico, signed a one-year contract with St. Louis on December 15.

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I put a lot of thought into those selections and take them very seriously. As a result, they end up being solid choices, but conservative in nature, by definition hardly bold. In conjunction, I have been encouraged to take another run at the subject – from a much different perspective.

I would not call the following “predictions” as much as I might label them longer-shot, lower-importance (non-top five), but still interesting potential stories of 2012. I have no idea if none or all seven of the ideas detailed below will actually come to pass, but they each represent ideas that have been bouncing around my head.

Cox passes Adams

Coming off his superb 2011, during which he was named Texas League Player of the Year, Matt Adams is being viewed by some as the heir apparent to Lance Berkman at first base for 2013. While that may happen, I have an alternative thought.

What if Cox continues to hit in Triple-A and Adams slows down? David Freese seems locked at third for St. Louis and Daniel Descalso can cover as a reserve. Matt Carpenter may be a secondary competitor for a bench spot down the line as a third baseman or maybe even a corner outfielder.

So, where would Cox fit in St. Louis? How about a move to first base, where he, not Adams, could become the starter in 2013? An alternate scenario would be for Freese to take his questionable ankles over to first, but I remain skeptical that Cox’ defense at third will be satisfactory at the major league level.

The possibility also exists for either Cox or Adams to be traded, but if the race is close, Cox has a major league contract and a spot already on the 40-man roster. For that reason, under the right conditions, I could see him making his MLB debut ahead of the more-heralded Adams.

Miller forces his way into the bigs in 2012

Many observers see top prospect Shelby Miller’s name penciled into the Cardinals 2013 rotation as a replacement for either Kyle Lohse or Jake Westbrook. Here is how it might happen even sooner.

The identity of the team’s current unofficial sixth starter is unclear. Lance Lynn would perhaps be the most likely candidate, but it appears that he will go to camp with a good shot at holding down a relief spot in St. Louis.

My current projected Memphis rotation is uninspiring – Brandon Dickson, Nick Additon, Brian Broderick, Michael Blazek and Maikel Cleto. Then, there is Miller.

I can envision a scenario in which Miller pitches well in the first half for Memphis and if/when a second-half opening appears in St. Louis’ rotation, the 22-year-old receives the call. Would it be aggressive? Yes. Would I recommend it? Maybe not, but I could see it happening.

In recent years, the Cardinals have typically let young starters acclimate to the majors in a relief role before subjecting them to the pressures of starting. Then again, Miller isn’t a typical pitcher.

Motte becomes team’s oldest reliever

That title seemed more eye-catching and exciting than the original title, “Romero sleeps with the fishes.” The Cardinals’ second bullpen left-hander was with four organizations last summer and couldn’t make the major league roster of two of them.

I don’t have to go too far out on a limb to suggest a Brian Tallet-like year is ahead for the 35-year-old, one in which he is gone no later than mid-season. It could be sooner.

Where I might be reaching a bit more is to suggest the Cards may go with an in-house right-hander to replace Romero. This would depend on a bit of a rebound from Kyle McClellan, especially recovering his past ability to retire left-handed hitters.

As the opening day roster currently looks, there is not enough room for all the experienced relievers. One pitcher from the group of Eduardo Sanchez, Lance Lynn and Mitchell Boggs may have to go back down to Memphis – at least until there is an opening.

None of the non-Romero relievers on the roster have yet reached 30 years of age, but Motte is closest. A Romero departure would make Motte the grand old man of the pen – not counting 65-year-old bullpen coach Dyar Miller, that is.

Speaking of Motte…

Sanchez becomes closer

Anyone who has read my minor league writings over the past few years knows that I have been a big backer of Venezuelan right-hander Eduardo Sanchez. Unlike almost every other reliever who has come up in recent years, the 22-year-old was not shuttled back and forth between St. Louis and Memphis in 2011. When he arrived, he was ready.

Only a shoulder injury kept Sanchez out of the second-half relief picture. He came back to pitch briefly at the end of the season and also threw a few innings in winter ball to ensure he is sound.

Jason Motte did a spectacular job in a set up role last summer before taking over the ninth inning role for the final month of the season and the playoffs. He comes into 2012 camp as the incumbent closer and should leave Florida with the job.

I just have the funny feeling that when Motte’s inevitable bump in the road is encountered, Sanchez will be ready, and this time, won’t relinquish the job.

Komatsu lasts longer than expected

As of right now, the Cardinals bench is sorely lacking in veteran presence. With Allen Craig slated to start the season on the disabled list, the five position player reserves will look something like this:

C Tony Cruz or Bryan Anderson
MIF Tyler Greene
IF/OF Skip Schumaker
1B/OF Mark Hamilton
OF Erik Komatsu

The only other player close would seem to be outfielder Adron Chambers. When the Cards selected Komatsu in the Rule 5 Draft, they said they would prefer to keep Chambers in Memphis playing every day.

I do think the Cardinals will end up inviting a few on-the-way-down major leaguers to camp on minor league contracts to compete for bench jobs, but I have no idea who they might be. So here, I am going with the guys we know.

In this scenario, Komatsu would get to hang around at least until Craig comes off the disabled list. He might even last longer if he hits and Hamilton doesn’t. An injury or two to others would improve his chances even more. Hamilton has the advantage of long-ball potential, though that was strangely missing in 2011. (A variation on the theme would have Matt Carpenter making the team instead of Hamilton, but it wouldn’t change Komatsu’s standing.)

Komatsu has no career at-bats above Double-A, so is hardly a lock for anything. Yet, if he plays well enough, he may log more major league service time than anyone might expect. Remember Brian Barton?

Dry powder used on second base

As folks know, the 2011 mid-season adjustment approach taken was to sacrifice offense (Colby Rasmus) to strengthen both the rotation (Edwin Jackson) and bullpen (Octavio Dotel and Marc Rzepczynski). While that remains a possible scenario in 2012 as well, my gut tells me there will be a higher priority elsewhere.

I suspect that second base will become the Cardinals 2012 trade deadline target for improvement. While I recognize Daniel Descalso’s 2011 contributions, especially in filling the David Freese injury gap at third base, I am less convinced the steady but unspectacular Descalso will hit enough to be an above-average MLB second baseman.

The other in-house options are not necessarily better. Schumaker has given the job his all, but would be better deployed as a reserve outfielder and utilityman than a starting second baseman. Greene has the potential, but we’ve been saying that ever since he was drafted number 30 overall in 2005, just two picks after Rasmus.

Kolten Wong is the best second baseman in the system. Since the 2011 first-rounder is still a few years away, following the Rafael Furcal model again would not be out of the question. In other words, take a chance on a veteran, perhaps in the final months of his current contract, and if he works out, try to convince him to hang around for a year or two more.

Skip logs most starts in center

How this one might come to pass is actually pretty easy to envision. Carlos Beltran’s body, specifically his aged knees, overrules his head. As a result, the hopes of him playing centerfield on a semi-regular basis, at least against left-handed pitching, are scuttled.

While some will call for Allen Craig to play there, think about how Chris Carpenter and the other pitchers would feel about an outfield behind them that consists from left to right of Matt Holliday, Craig and a hobbled Beltran? Trying the Musial statue out there might be comparable.

The centerfield incumbent, Jon Jay, has shown the ability to handle the position defensively, but goes through long stretches where his offense is sub-par.

My thought is that when all is said and done, given the current roster, Schumaker ends up making the most starts of any Cardinal in center in 2012. We don’t yet know the managerial tendencies of Mike Matheny, so I readily admit that I would feel more strongly about this idea had Tony La Russa remained at the helm.

It would take much of the second half for this to play out, and require the club to remain in playoff contention to unfold. (Otherwise, we might see Adron Chambers receive more time.)

OK, so there they are. Seven ideas of potential 2012 stories that should generate some discussion, if nothing else. Vote for your most likely and least likely from this list and comment below.

Link to The Cardinal Nation Blog’s top 20 stories of 2011 countdown

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In the process of searching for something, I sometimes come across unusual items completely unrelated to my immediate objective. Interest in the following photo knocked me off my original quest, at least temporarily.

It was taken by photographer-supreme Scott Rovak on July 10, 2007. Members of the defending World Champions were assembled during batting practice prior to the All-Star Game at AT&T Park in San Francisco. It was customary that the coaching staffs of the World Series teams from the previous year received all-star supporting duties for their respective leagues.

Despite having won it all the previous fall, the Cardinals had just one player selected to the 2007 All-Star Game, and he was a reserve. At the time, St. Louis was just 40-45. The club was already 7 ½ games out in the National League Central, en route to a sub-.500 record and a third-place showing.

What makes this photo so telling is that not a one of the seven Redbirds pictured – six coaches and one player – remains in his job today. The seven are (from left to right) bullpen coach Marty Mason, bench coach Joe Pettini, manager Tony La Russa, first baseman Albert Pujols, first base coach Dave McKay, bullpen catcher Jeff Murphy and pitching coach Dave Duncan.

Hitting coach Hal McRae, also now-long-gone, had been invited to the AT&T Park festivities as well, but is not pictured. He would have made it eight. Jose Oquendo was on the staff at that time as he is today, but was not included in this photo, either.

Mason was let go following the 2010 season amid concern that his criticism of the player development organization had been too vocal. He now works in the Chicago Cubs system. Pettini was ousted as bench coach following the 2011 season. Though it was announced he would have an undefined job in baseball operations in 2012, one would have to assume that Pettini is looking elsewhere. La Russa announced his retirement at the conclusion of the World Championship parade but expects to continue in baseball in an as-of-yet undefined role.

As the entire world knows by now, Pujols is a very wealthy new member of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and is expected to be for the next decade or more. McKay was dumped along with Pettini, but has since been hired as the Cubs’ first base coach by new manager Dale Sveum. Murphy was let go following the 2011 World Championship as well.

Duncan was the last to depart. He has been dealing with his wife’s serious health issues and is unable to return for the second year of a two-year contract (with a third-year option) signed last off-season. When his indefinite leave of absence was granted, the last survivor from this 2007 All-Star Game photo took off his Cardinals uniform.

At this point, it is unclear whether La Russa will manage at the 2012 All-Star Game despite having earned it as the leader of the 2011 National League champions. Even if he does, he may or may not attempt to get (at least part of) the old band back together. By now, they are pretty much scattered to the winds. (Update: On January 24, MLB commissioner Bud Selig announced that La Russa will manage in the 2012 Mid-Summer Classic.)

Of course, Pujols is the most likely one of the seven to actually be at the game, anyway. As a bonus, it is to be held in his adopted home town of Kansas City. In a potential once-in-a-lifetime oddity, the first baseman would be in the other dugout, trying to defeat La Russa, who was Pujols’ only manager over his entire 11-year MLB career to date.

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Note to readers: I wrote this post prior to year-end, obviously long before Thursday evening’s news that Dave Duncan is taking an indefinite leave of absence as Cardinals pitching coach. Rather than update this article, I decided to leave it in its original form. After all, the Duncan news is clearly a 2012 story.

This announcement has the potential of impacting several top stories beyond just number five. Depending on how and in what manner the team decides to replace Duncan, a Derek Lilliquist move would affect the bullpen, story number four, and potentially Mike Matheny’s first year as well (honorable mention).

First, we looked at the top 20 stories affecting the St. Louis Cardinals this past year. Not surprisingly, the list was dominated by the late- and post-season success of the club, along with the departures of the team’s manager and best player. Quite a lot to consume!

Now it is time for me to make my annual predictions for the top story lines of this New Year, as well.

Right up front, I will set aside the easiest and most logical entry – the results of the 2012 team on the field. The nature of that story has yet to be determined, shaped by the items discussed here and many more plot lines not yet developed.

As I compiled my list and rankings, I considered the staying power of the story, how long it might remain in the headlines as well as its potential short- and long-term impact – on the 2012 Cardinals and the organization’s future.

Without further ado, here are my projected top five St. Louis Cardinals stories of 2012. As always, your comments are welcome below.

1. Wainwright’s comeback

As most everyone knows, last spring, the Cardinals’ co-ace required season-ending Tommy John surgery to reconstruct the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow. Adam Wainwright is now working his way back and is said to be ahead of schedule – assumed by many to be poised to pick up right where he left off in 2010.

The bar is high as his most recent season included a career-best 20 wins and a second-place showing in the National League Cy Young Award voting. It remains to be seen how quickly the 30-year-old can live up to those lofty expectations, but it could be a major swing point for the 2012 Cardinals season.

The Cardinals have an interesting challenge with Wainwright’s contract situation. While his 2012 and 2013 options have been picked up, the time may be right to try to secure a new long-term deal – from a buy-low perspective. The price should only go up once Wainwright returns to his past dominance. Yet that is the very reason I question why the pitcher would consider negotiating a new contract now. He should be in the absolute prime of his career and can likely only expect more money later on.

2. Molina’s contract

Just as his friend and former teammate Albert Pujols held all the contract cards in his negotiations with the Cardinals, so does catcher Yadier Molina. The 29-year-old is entering the final year of his contract signed prior to the 2008 season and could decide to test free agency for the first time. As such, his situation is more pressing than Wainwright’s.

Coming off his best season offensively in 2011 and already considered the top defensive catcher in the game, Molina is positioned perfectly to score a big payday – if that is what the elite backstop desires.

Watching to see how closely Molina’s situation parallels Pujols’ and of course, what the end result will be, should be one of the most-talked about storylines of 2012.

3. Killer B’s reunion (sort of)

Put aside the fact that Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell are long gone from the game. The Cardinals have re-assembled the two remaining active members of the Houston Astros’ ‘Killer B’s’ from last decade.

Both Carlos Beltran, signed by the Cardinals to a two-year deal as a free agent in December, and Lance Berkman, back for a second year with St. Louis in 2012, are mid-30’s players with checkered health histories.

Likely to bat second and third in Mike Matheny’s lineup, the late-career productivity of the two should be a prime determiner of how far this season’s Cardinals will go.

Looking ahead 12 months, the player most affected by the second year of Beltran’s contract may be his old-new teammate Berkman. If Allen Craig continues to improve, Berkman may find himself pushed out of a job in 2013, as Matt Holliday carries a long-term contract. But, first things first.

4. Young bullpen

Even if veteran left-hander J.C. Romero makes the 2012 Cardinals’ opening day bullpen, the relief corps will be among the youngest, if not the youngest, in MLB. Barring any signings or trades between now and then, the other six members will all be under 30 years old. The pen should consist of some combination of Eduardo Sanchez (22), Lance Lynn (24), Marc Rzepczynski (25), Fernando Salas (26), Mitchell Boggs (27), Kyle McClellan (27) and Jason Motte (29).

Motte seems to have a hold on the closer’s job, but four of the others also picked up saves last season. The ability of this very young (and low-cost) bullpen to deliver consistent results may be a big story in this upcoming season.

5. Duncan’s future

Speaking of ensuring those relatively inexperienced pitchers contribute at the level expected, the man most responsible from a guidance perspective is the subject of my next top story prediction.

In my opinion, the key transitional figure between the La Russa and Matheny coaching administrations isn’t Jose Oquendo or Mark McGwire. It has to be pitching coach Dave Duncan. While the 66-year-old is under contract for 2012 and has a 2013 option, some combination of his wife’s poor health and the considerable changes occurring around him on the job could create unstable conditions regarding his future outlook.

Honorable mention: Matheny’s maiden voyage

In reality, the fortune of the new manager will most likely be intertwined with the on-field results of his club, a topic assumed to be among the top stories of the year by default.

Still, there is potential for newsworthiness in how Matheny personally deals with the inevitable ups and downs during his first year in a most pressure-filled job. Replacing a future Hall-of-Famer and leading the defending champion without baseball’s best player present formidable challenges to the new skipper.

Hopefully, his team will be the story, not him.

Link to The Cardinal Nation Blog’s top 20 stories of 2011 countdown

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The original top five projections follow, along with where the stories actually ended up, including links to the before and after articles. I won’t be repeating my 2011 summaries here, so click on the links if you’d like to read those detailed stories.

My predictive powers were only so-so. While all five of my guesses from one year ago made the top 20, I sidestepped the possibility of Tony La Russa retiring, the eventual number three story.

As always, I also did not predict how the season would end up, which turned out to provide the subjects of four more of the eventual top six stores (along with La Russa’s departure). Albert Pujols’ contract situation was a no-brainer, then and now.

My original top five predictions:

1. Pujols’ pending payday

All it took was a World Championship to knock this story out of the final number one position. While this subject has been talked to death already, I thought it was at least somewhat interesting to note that this was my number one story prediction in each of the last two years. One thing is clear – a three-peat is definitely out.

2. Berkman’s stand

One year ago, I said we would either look back at the signing of Lance Berkman as “a bold move or a bad risk.” Clearly, I feared the latter, while it was the former that came to pass. Berkman was a leader both on and off the field in 2011. Perhaps his story ranking ninth is taking him for granted a bit.

One must hope the Cardinals have not pushed their luck by showing faith (via a one-year, $12 million contract) that their (and Berkman’s) good fortune will continue in 2012.

3. Third and last time for third base?

2011 was David Freese’s third shot at holding down the third base position. 12 months ago, it was his chronic ankle problems that were causing the greatest concern. It turned out that Freese once again did serve major disabled list time last season, though it was primarily due to a fluke hit-by-pitch broken hand.

All that was forgotten by the post-season, a time in which Freese put on a historic performance. It was legendary, not just in comparison to past Cardinals stars, but in the history of Major League Baseball. That is what caused Freese to make the top story list – not his injuries.

Needless to say, Freese has solidified his job and seems aligned to bat just behind Matt Holliday and Berkman in 2012.

4. Keeping Carpenter

Last year at this time, I expressed concern that Chris Carpenter’s career may be nearing its end. With the added pressure of losing his co-ace, Adam Wainwright, for the entire year, all he did was lead the league in innings pitched and win some of the biggest games of the regular- and post-season.

In between, there were rumors of an in-season trade that intensified as the Cardinals seemed to slip out of playoff contention. Those whispers never became anything more.

Before last season, I also worried that the Cardinals would not pick up Carpenter’s pricey option for 2012, but noted the two sides could agree to a lower-cost extension. I did get that part right.

In hindsight, I may have done Carpenter an injustice by placing his 2011 down at story number 19. He should never be taken for granted.

5. Who follows Franklin?

The former closer was heading into the final year of his contract and hinting about retirement afterward, so a change was clearly in the air. Of course, none of us expected Ryan Franklin’s demise would begin on opening day and be completely over less than 90 days later.

Four different relievers followed as closer, with Jason Motte, the most likely choice coming in, seizing the job over the final month of the regular season and through the playoffs.

Next up: In my final article of this series, I will outline my predictions for the top five Cardinals stories of 2012.

Link to The Cardinal Nation Blog’s top 20 stories of the year countdown

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Yet in terms of long-term ramifications to both the player and his former club, the 31-year-old’s decision to sign a 20-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will be felt long after the 2011 Cardinals become ex-champions.

Announced on December 8, the new deal is for the next 10 years followed by a personal services contract for the next decade and could yield the first baseman $260 million. This fall, Pujols had become a free agent for the first time after 11 record-breaking years with the Cardinals.

Up until almost the end, many baseball observers and therefore, many fans, felt that Pujols and the Cardinals would eventually come to a satisfactory agreement.

In the spring, Pujols had reportedly turned down an offer from St. Louis that was worth $198 million over nine years, instead preferring to test the open market. The club later also made a $26 million per year offer over five years that apparently insulted the native of the Dominican Republic, despite its annual amount being second-highest in baseball history. The club also extended its nine-year offer to a tenth year. That $210 million proposal reportedly included $30 million deferred without interest, however, falling far short of the Anaheim offer in cash.

While shocked the day finally come, many Cardinals observers were still prepared for the reality that St. Louis was not willing to top all offers. A majority of fans may have accepted both sides’ positions had Pujols and his wife not damaged their credibility by asserting their decision was not about the money. 82 percent of fans voting at this site attributed Pujols to be the primary reason for the split.

As compensation for the loss of Pujols, the Cardinals will receive a draft pick from the Angels, their frst-rounder, 19th overall, as well as a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft. Of course, that is small consolation for losing arguably the best player in the game.

On the other side of the coin, had Pujols remained, there were worries that without a significant payroll increase over time, the Cardinals may have had trouble fielding a competitive team. Near-term concerns include re-signing Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright.

Rather than try to summarize Pujols’ many contributions here, I will simply assert that Pujols’ first ten years as a major leaguer may be the most dominant single decade registered by any player in the history of Major League Baseball. Sadly, Pujols will not be around to challenge Stan Musial as the greatest Cardinals player ever.

Where the next ten years will lead Pujols and the Cardinals remain to be seen, but one thing is clear. Their respective futures are no longer linked.

Footnote: Because I had finalized this top 20 before the signing of Carlos Beltran, that story is not included in the countdown. Since the move was in direct response to Pujols’ departure, it seems appropriate to acknowledge it here.

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Few, if anyone, thought St. Louis had a chance against the 102-win Phils. In fact, they were seeded eighth of the eight playoff teams by every source I recall reading. At ESPN, for example, the Phillies were predicted to defeat the Cardinals by all two dozen of their personalities.

As the old line goes, “That is why they play the games.” In the hard-fought five-game series, St. Louis prevailed. Faced with two consecutive elimination games, the Cards took both, including the deciding match at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park.

The best-of-five series began with a pair in Philly. The Cards got out on top in Game 1, but gave back a three-run lead behind Kyle Lohse and fell 11-6. Some of the writers were probably already starting their “Phillies Sweep Cards in Three” articles.

It was the home club that squandered a four-run edge in Game 2, however, as the Cards came back for a 5-4 win despite Chris Carpenter pitching ineffectively on three days rest. Albert Pujols drove in the lead run in the top of the seventh and the pen held the rest of the way.

Having taken away the home field advantage, St. Louis returned home for Game 3. The Phils quickly took back the high ground as Ben Francisco’s three-run home run off an obviously-spent Jaime Garcia in the seventh inning powered them to a 3-2 win.

The Cardinals held off elimination in Game 4 as David Freese plated four in the 5-3 St. Louis victory. Edwin Jackson pitched very well, allowing only two runs over six innings for the victory in the first of two must-win games for St. Louis.

In the deciding Game 5 in Philadelphia, Carpenter pitched perhaps the most clutch elimination game in Cardinals playoff history. He bested another former Cy Young Award winner, Roy Halladay, in a three-hit complete-game shutout, walking none. The tense 1-0 win propelled the Cardinals into the Championship Series. Carpenter, who induced 17 ground ball outs, became just the third pitcher in MLB post-season history to throw a shutout and allow three-or-fewer hits in a winner-take-all game.

Oddly, MLB does not select a MVP for any of their opening round series. I helped fill the gap, naming Carpenter The Cardinal Nation/Scout.com 2011 National League Division Series Most Valuable Player.

The Cards had been at full strength in the NLDS with one notable exception. Matt Holliday was active, but a non-factor in the first three games, reduced to pinch hitting because of a finger injury.

Pujols batted .350 (7-for-20) while Ryan Theriot and Skip Schumaker both went 6-for-10 (.600) with two doubles, but the latter suffered an oblique injury that kept him out of the upcoming League Championship Series. Freese led the team with five RBI.

Even those whose numbers did not stand out on the stat sheet found ways to contribute. For example, Lance Berkman scored four times and drove in four despite batting just .167. Allen Craig, subbing for Holliday in Games 1-3, went just 1-for-10 at the plate, but also drew a club-best four walks and crossed home plate three times.

Rafael Furcal handled two dozen chances flawlessly, including six putouts and 18 assists. He was involved in two double plays and was especially sharp behind Carpenter in Game 5. Furcal led off three of the games with a hit, including two triples.

Setting a pattern for the rest of the post-season, the bullpen was as dependable as it was busy. Jason Motte saved two games, throwing one-hit ball over 3 1/3 innings. Octavio Dotel added 2 2/3 shutout innings. Fernando Salas allowed one run in 3 2/3 innings and deserves special note for stabilizing pivotal Game 2 with two important shutout innings after Carpenter’s early departure.

Link to NLDS boxscores

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As 2011 unfolded, Rasmus’ highs seemed higher but his lows also appeared to be lower and more prolonged. For example, in the early going, the then-24-year-old endured a 116 at-bat streak without a long ball. The left-handed hitter batted .253 in May, fell to .213 in June and was .147 (5-for-34) in July when La Russa unloaded on the 10th.

The frustrated manager made it clear in an interview on KMOX Radio that his hitting coaches should not be held responsible for Rasmus’ troubles at the plate, suggesting the player’s outside assistance should be accountable. One of the final shots had been fired in a stormy relationship that began with Rasmus being taken 28^th overall in the 2005 draft.

Rasmus’ inconsistency also led to highs. He often flashed evidence of his talent, almost up until the end of his time with St. Louis. For example, Rasmus drove in six runs with a grand slam and a triple against the Giants on July 2. It tied for the third-best RBI game in the entire National League in 2011.

Over the previous three weeks, the centerfielder had a five-walk contest and another outing in which he had four hits, including a pair of triples. Yet in a perfect illustration of the overall slide, during the same time, Rasmus went hitless in 12 of 16 games as his batting average dropped more than 30 points.

He also seemed to have problems defensively, appearing tentative when running down or judging balls that were near the wall. His throwing was inconsistent at best, leading to calls from some for more playing time for Jon Jay.

On July 27, the Cardinals made a bold move, sending Rasmus to Toronto in an eight-player trade in which St. Louis was widely criticized by baseball observers. Many felt the Blue Jays scored a major coup, landing a blue-chip talent for spare parts.

The deal brought the Cardinals three pitchers, starter Edwin Jackson and relievers Octavio Dotel and Marc Rzepczynski, plus outfielder Corey Patterson along with cash. Along with Rasmus, relievers Brian Tallet and Trever Miller plus pitcher P.J. Walters headed north.

Most of those ‘parts’ seemed to be just what the Cardinals engine needed. The move helped shore up the Cardinals’ rotation and bullpen with the additional benefit of moving out a player who could apparently not coexist with La Russa. Some might argue as to which were the primary and secondary motivations of the trade.

The deal certainly proved to be a good move for St. Louis in the short term, as all three acquired pitchers contributed to St. Louis’ final-month playoff push and eventual World Championship.

Jackson moved into the rotation and pitched well in place of struggling Kyle McClellan, who had gone winless for more than two months. Rzepczynski took over as the primary bullpen lefty, a role he is expected to reprise in 2012. Dotel became a valuable set up man. Though Patterson was a bust, rookie Adron Chambers proved ready to step into the void.

Rasmus did not immediately improve his hitting after the trade. None of the three pitchers received by the Jays were still employed by their new organization by the end of the year, leaving the outfielder as Toronto’s remaining take from the deal.

On the other side, of the four then-new Cardinals, only Rzepczynski is still with St. Louis, the others becoming free agents. La Russa retired after the World Series. There are future considerations from the trade, as well. The Cards will receive a compensatory draft pick once Jackson signs elsewhere for 2012. They also picked up a draft choice for the loss of Dotel, who will pitch for Detroit next season.

Most importantly, flags fly forever. Many believe this trade was a key turning point in the eventual World Champions’ march to the top.

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Never considered svelte, the added pounds in recent years and his droopy-eyed look led some to tag him with the moniker, “Fat Elvis.” Berkman attempted to head that off by christening himself “Big Puma.” I find it a little sad when anyone has to coin their own nickname, but so it was in Houston.

Slowed by injury and heading toward free agency, Berkman was dealt to the New York Yankees at the July 2010 guideline. The five-time National League All-Star departed Texas after 12 ½ years as an Astro. The move to the American League did not revitalize Berkman, and he was not asked back to New York. Further, the Houston native almost begged his hometown team to re-sign him for 2011 and was turned down.

The St. Louis Cardinals, in need of a right fielder, made a surprise signing of Berkman to a one-year contract for $8 million last December. It seemed a big risk. In addition to his recent struggles, he was a 34-year-old with a history of knee injuries that kept him away from regular outfield duty since 2004.

Seeing Berkman up close and in person for the first time at Winter Warm-Up last January, I was very impressed with him in several dimensions. First, he had lost considerable weight and looked to be in very good shape. Second, he had an air about him that I had not seen since the days of Larry Walker – a veteran familiar with success elsewhere who is comfortable both with himself and the media.

In the midst of a rare sub-.500 spring by the Cardinals at 14-16, Berkman batted just .182 and drove in only three runs. The switch-hitter’s bat looked slow and I was among those questioning the wisdom of the signing. It was yet another reminder to neither get too high nor too low over spring training results.

When the bell rang for the regular season, Berkman was ready. In fact, he got out of the gate so quickly that he earned the NL Player of the Week award twice in the season’s first four weeks. Berkman maintained that momentum through the first half, being voted into the All-Star Game as a starting outfielder. It was his sixth All-Star Game and third start.

In August, as the Cardinals apparently slid out of contention, the club considered trading Berkman away, just as the Astros had done the year before. A waiver deal to the Texas Rangers was rumored, but the right-fielder made it clear he would not consider returning to St. Louis in 2012 as a free agent if that occurred.

Berkman not only stayed, he excelled. During the team’s final-month comeback, he ranked fourth in the NL in batting (.374). On September 22, the club re-signed him for the 2012 season at $12 million. It seemed a wise move at the time and assumed an even greater importance when Albert Pujols departed as a free agent. Berkman is poised to take over Pujols’ old post at first base in 2012, increasing his likelihood of remaining healthier than if he had to play another season in right field.

In 2011, Berkman enjoyed his first 30-home run campaign since 2007 after hitting just 14 long balls in 2010. 145 games played was his highest total since 2008. Berkman ranked among National League leaders in home runs (31, tied for ninth), RBI (94, tied for 11th), walks (92, fourth), slugging (.547, fifth) and on-base percentage (.412, third). His 4.2 WAR was just 0.2 behind team leader Pujols.

In the post-season, Berkman had one of the biggest hits of all. Down to his and his team’s final strike of the World Series in the 10^th inning of Game 6, his single to centerfield scoring Jon Jay set the stage for David Freese’s walkoff home run an inning later. Overall, Berkman batted .423 in the Series, drove in five and scored a team-high nine times as he finally earned his first championship ring.

Berkman was named both the 2011 National League Comeback Player of the Year as well as the winner of the Darryl Kile Award. The latter was voted upon by his teammates for being “a good teammate, a great friend, a fine father and a humble man,” speaking volumes about the broad contribution of the first-year Cardinal to a most special season.

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Ankle problems that were feared to be chronic shorted Freese’s 2009 and ruined his 2010 campaign. His primary injury this past season was a May 1 hit-by-pitch broken hand that could have happened to anyone. Still, despite the reason, Freese played in barely half his team’s games over the last two seasons – just 97 regular-season games this season after 70 the year before.

As the 2011 Cardinals unexpectedly entered the playoffs, Freese became a big contributor, arguably their very biggest.

The best-of-five National League Division Series began with the Cardinals down one game to two to the team with the best regular-season record in baseball, the Philadelphia Phillies. St. Louis held off elimination in Game 4 as Freese plated four in St. Louis’ 5-3 victory. The Cards then won Game 5 to advance.

Moving into the League Championship Series against the NL Central champion Brewers, Freese heated up against his familiar opponent. Freese hit safely in all six CS games, batting .545, including three doubles, three home runs, nine RBI and six runs scored.

In what became the final CS contest, Game 6, held in Milwaukee, Freese set the pace. He launched a three-run home run in the first inning and the Cardinals breezed to the 12-6 clincher. After the game, Freese was named LCS Most Valuable Player.

Game 6 was once again Freese’s pivotal contest, this time in the World Series. With the Cards down to their final strike in the ninth against Texas, Freese’s two-run triple sent the game into extra innings. After a pair of lead changes, he came through again. In the bottom of the 11^th, Freese’s home run to dead center ended one of the most exciting World Series games ever by a 10-9 score.

Following the Cardinals’ Game 7 victory over the Rangers, Freese was voted MVP for the second consecutive series. It was certainly justified as he batted .348 (8-for-23) with three doubles, a triple, home run, seven RBI and four runs scored.

Putting it all together, over the entire post-season, Freese was 9-for-19 (.474) with runners in scoring position, including seven extra-base hits. He set all-time MLB post-season marks in RBI with 21, extra-base hits with 14 and total bases with 50 and tied for the most post-season doubles ever with eight and hits with 25.

It was clearly a post-season to remember for the St. Louis native. He was then given the rock star treatment, making television appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the Country Music Association Awards, a spot on a network sitcom and more.

Now that Freese’s relatively lower profile has been shattered, the pressure will be on for him to deliver more of the same kind of results in 2012. A regular turn in the fifth spot of new manager Mike Matheny’s lineup would mean an expectation of regular run production from the 2011 playoff hero.

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It isn’t as if they hadn’t pitched well in spring training, because they did. Augenstein had an ERA of 0.77 while Batista was at 1.59. It is just that we have seen many times before when a period of short-lived success passes and what remains is not nearly as interesting. Not surprisingly, such was the case for these two.

Augenstein was injured in mid-April and after a long rehab, remained in Memphis for the rest of the 2011 season. He was removed from the 40-man roster in July and released in November.

Batista lasted longer, but was given his release on June 23. He then signed with the Mets and pitched in both the majors and minors over the remainder of the summer.

At least three inexperienced pitchers (in MLB terms) took advantage of the opportunities given them, contributing to the Cardinals’ recovery that culminated in a playoff berth and two cases, the World Championship as well.

They were each ranked among our top 14 Cardinals prospects one year ago, so their emergence should not be considered a surprise. They are Lance Lynn (number three prospect), Eduardo Sanchez (number four) and Fernando Salas (number 14). Each should be in the middle of the mix for a pen spot in 2012.

The pitcher taking Batista’s spot on the Cardinals’ 25-man roster in June was Lynn. The 24-year-old right-hander, a successful starter in the minors, quickly established himself as a reliable reliever before suffering a left oblique injury on August 10.

That injury kept him out until his surprise return in the NLCS. Lynn pitched in five games in both the CS and World Series, tying him for the team lead. He yielded four earned runs in 11 innings for a 3.27 ERA.

When Augenstein went down, Salas received another chance with St. Louis. After having been sent down six times in 2010, this time he stuck. The right-hander from Mexico spent several months as the closer, logging 24 saves in 30 opportunities. Appearing in 68 games overall, he fanned one batter per inning (75 in 75) and walked just 21. His ERA was 2.28.

In the post-season, Salas was called upon a total of 11 times. He gave up five earned runs in 13 1/3 innings for a 3.38 ERA. Salas fanned 12 and walked four.

Sanchez, a 22-year-old Venezuelan, made his MLB debut in April, after coming up from Memphis at the same time as Salas. Like Lynn, the hard-thrower seemed ready, but needed the opportunity to show his stuff in the majors.

Sanchez threw 30 innings over 26 games for St. Louis. He struck out 35 and walked 16. The right-hander won three games, lost one, and was 5-for-7 in save opportunities. His ERA was 1.80.

Unfortunately, Sanchez’ season was scuttled when he was placed on the 15-day DL retroactive to June 13 with what was called at the time a “mild right shoulder strain.” His original late July estimated return ended up extending well into September. Sanchez made just one token late-September appearance. The injury likely cost him a shot at post-season action.

The emergence of these 2011 rookies will help the Cardinals go younger and cheaper in their bullpen going ahead. That frees up salary to potentially strengthen other positions as necessary. With other notables on the horizon such as Adam Reifer, Maikel Cleto, Brandon Dickson, Chuckie Fick and Adam Ottavino, some of the team’s right-handed relief surplus could also be used as trade chips.

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The right-hander finished second in the National League in wins (20), ERA (2.42) and complete games (five) that summer. He tied for second in shutouts, was third in innings pitched and fourth in strikeouts, while allowing the third-fewest walks per nine innings in the NL.

After Wainwright came close in 2009 with 19 victories, it became his first 20-win season. He was named a National League All-Star and improved from his 2009 third-place showing in the NL Cy Young Award voting to finish second.

Wainwright seemed to run out of gas late in the season, however. In six starts between August 18 and September 14, he went 1-5 with a 4.73 ERA, a stretch that may have cost him the Cy Young.

On September 27, it was disclosed that Wainwright had been dealing with right elbow stiffness in his prior two starts. Could it have been even longer? The next day, the problem was labeled as not being serious, and was attributed to Wainwright simply having slept awkwardly on his arm.

It did not end there, however. After an MRI and examination by team physician Dr. George Paletta, it was decided that Wainwright would skip his final start of the 2010 season due to what was then called a right forearm muscle strain. A slight tear remaining in the elbow ligament was also noted, a problem first identified in 2004. A rehab route was initially recommended and taken.

Though five months of off-season calendar time then elapsed, it was the briefest time possible on a baseball field. Not long after reporting to spring training camp, on February 21, Wainwright experienced elbow discomfort. One week later, he underwent season-ending Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery, formally known as ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction.

In hindsight, having the procedure late in 2010 would have been the ideal route. However, at least the surgery was required early the following spring. That allowed the club – and Kyle McClellan specifically – to prepare for the season knowing Wainwright was out. In July, Edwin Jackson was acquired and essentially filled Wainwright’s rotation spot the rest of the season.

Though surely numerically fitting, the fact this story could rank only number 13 is a tribute to the resiliency demonstrated by the other players on the Cardinals 2011 roster. After all, they went ahead and achieved the ultimate, a World Championship, anyway. (Wainwright still had his place in the victory parade, as the above photo documents.)

The time that passes until Wainwright returns to peak efficiency could be one of the most important Cardinals questions of 2012.

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For 2009-10, the Cardinals had that in shortstop Brendan Ryan, one of the game’s very best defenders. Yet the organization could not deal with Ryan’s personality and sent him packing last winter.

Shortstop Ryan Theriot had bounced from the Chicago Cubs to the Dodgers in 2010 and didn’t perform particularly well at either stop. Arbitration-eligible, he seemed destined to be non-tendered last fall. Instead, the Cardinals acquired him for reliever Blake Hawksworth and named Theriot their 2011 starting shortstop.

Theriot contributed some key hits for the Cardinals, but his defensive shortcomings became painfully obvious. Manager Tony La Russa initially refused to move Theriot to second base, perhaps because he felt he had no better options at short.

Solid-fielding veteran Nick Punto had been signed prior to last season and could have been a credible alternative to Theriot. The problem was that the former Minnesota Twin could not stay healthy, missing big chunks of the season during three disabled list stints.

On July 31, GM John Mozeliak made another deal with the Dodgers, this time shooting much higher in acquiring veteran shortstop Rafael Furcal.

The 34-year-old solidified the middle infield and served as the Cardinals’ new leadoff hitter. Furcal began slowly with the bat, with a .667 OPS in August before posting a strong .819 OPS in the final month of the season. He struggled in the post-season, with a paltry .569 OPS, but overall was considered a key ingredient in the World Series push.

An energetic performer and enthusiastic teammate, Furcal was re-signed by St. Louis for $14 million for the next two years in a deal announced ten days ago. With few obvious alternatives on the market, the Cardinals are considered by some to have overpaid.

Dogged by injuries in recent seasons, Furcal is no longer an offensive force. Once having stolen 46 bases in a season, his total dropped to nine in 2011. The switch-hitter’s on-base percentage of .316 as a Cardinal was 50 points lower than his .366 mark in Los Angeles the season prior. His career OBP is .348, with the overall annual trend downward.

The club’s main alternative at short is 28-year-old Tyler Greene, a strong performer in Triple-A. After three years of trials with the Cardinals, however, he has yet to prove he should remain in the bigs, let alone be given a starting job. Greene is out of option years, so would either need to stick in 2012 or his time in the organization may be over.

The two veteran middle infield reserves departed following the season. Theriot, again eligible for arbitration, was cut loose by the Cardinals earlier this month. Punto signed with Boston for 2012, doubling his Cardinals salary in the process. Essentially, their role on the team will be assumed by some combination of Furcal, Greene and Daniel Descalso.

For the five years following the Fernando Vina era, which ran from 2000-03, the Cardinals’ second base position was a revolving door of players on low-cost, short-term deals. Tony Womack, Mark Grudzelanek and Adam Kennedy each had their days, augmented by journeymen like Scott Spiezio and Aaron Miles to help hold down the fort.

That changed prior to the 2009 season when La Russa announced Skip Schumaker would become his team’s starting second baseman despite the outfielder’s lack of infield experience. After three years of maximum effort but below-average results defensively, the club seems ready to take another direction in 2012.

Descalso, a 25-year-old rookie in 2011, proved himself as a solid reserve at third base and second last season. If the left-handed hitter proves worthy in spring camp, he seems positioned to take over for Schumaker at second, his primary position as a minor leaguer.

In that scenario, Schumaker, also a left-handed batter, would probably spend more time as an outfield reserve. His roster spot was assured when the Cardinals rewarded him with a new, two-year contract announced earlier this month.

Though Allen Craig also saw action at second base in eight games last season, he would seemingly be considered more of an emergency option than a primary solution there.

Time still remains in the off-season for the Cardinals to acquire another second baseman either as a free agent or via trade, propelling Descalso into a utility infield role along with Greene. Still, given the club’s recent history of low-budget choices at second base, they may just as well decide to ride with what they have up the middle.

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The group of now-ex-Cardinals in the opening day bullpen included Ryan Franklin and Trever Miller, both 38, and Miguel Batista, 40, and Brian Tallet, 33.

As the incumbent closer, Franklin had the furthest to fall. He flamed out quickly, losing the ninth-inning job in April. By the end of June, he was released with an 8.46 ERA. Franklin did not re-sign elsewhere and announced his retirement after the season.

Batista often seemed to be playing with fire as he walked 19 in 29 1/3 innings before his release on June 22. He then signed on with the Mets and pitched for them both in the minors and majors before again becoming a free agent after the season.

Tallet was injured in mid-April and upon his return was undependable. He logged an 8.31 ERA in 18 games. Miller lost his ability to execute his primary assignment, consistently retiring first batters, as evidenced by 10 walks in 15 2/3 innings. Both lefties were sent to Toronto in trade in late July. Not surprisingly, each continued to struggle, and were quickly released by the Jays. Miller signed with Boston, but is now a free agent.

Among the in-season additions to the pen were four much younger pitchers who became solid contributors down the stretch for St. Louis: Eduardo Sanchez, 22, Lance Lynn, 24, Marc Rzepczynski, 25 and Fernando Salas, 26. Other than “Scrabble,” they all came up through the Cardinals farm system.

The smooth transition from ineffective veterans to young guns, occurring during a push toward the post-season, was a factor in the team’s ability to go on to take the World Championship.

In all fairness, the new formula was not all youth driven, as Octavio Dotel, 37, was a big addition for the second half. Dotel and Rzepczynski arrived in the same trade as Miller and Tallet departed. 41-year-old Arthur Rhodes signed on starting in August, but was less productive. Neither Dotel nor Rhodes will be back for 2012.

Looking ahead to next season, seven of the Cardinals relievers will be under the age of 30. The four younger men noted above will be joined in the competition by Kyle McClellan and Mitchell Boggs, both 27, and closer Jason Motte, 29. In pitching age, the former catcher Motte is the least experienced of the lot. All three are also homegrown Cardinals.

The club did make one move to add veteran presence to the pen when they signed left-hander J.C. Romero last week. The 35-year-old may be kept busy sharing his experiences with his new seven under-30 pen-mates.

Note: To view detailed stats of all the Cardinals’ 2011 relievers, click here to be taken to the article, “St. Louis Cardinals 2011 Reliever of the Year” at TheCardinalNation.com.

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Every time the team seemed to struggle behind one pitcher throwing regularly in the ninth inning, a new hurler stepped up to handle the job.

Of their 90 wins, the 2011 Cardinals accumulated a save in 47 of them, fifth-most in the National League. The history books will forever indicate that eight different hurlers recorded at least one save. Five of the relievers unofficially held the job at one point over the six-plus months.

In terms of raw numbers, Fernando Salas led the way with 24 saves, followed by Jason Motte with nine, Eduardo Sanchez with five and Mitchell Boggs with four. The other stray saves were picked up by non-closers Octavio Dotel (two), Trever Miller and Lance Lynn (one each).

Then there was Ryan Franklin, also with one save. I would hazard a guess that coming into the season, no one would have forecast the incumbent closer if healthy would end up with just a single save. Yet, that is precisely what happened.

The 38-year-old had entered 2011 with 82 saves accumulated over the previous three seasons and a firm hold on the closer’s spot. Before June was out, Franklin not only had lost the ninth-inning job, he was unemployed, his playing career over.

Franklin’s bookend in the role was Motte. After an impressive run of 29 consecutive outings without having allowed an earned run, Motte picked up his very first save of the season on August 29th. He held the role during the final month and through the post-season despite never having been named the closer by manager Tony La Russa.

In a clear departure from La Russa’s coyness, new skipper Mike Matheny stated the obvious when he recently identified Motte as the incumbent closer heading into 2012 camp.

In between, here is how a most eventful 2011 unfolded for the Cardinals’ ninth-inning corps.

The Cardinals stumbled on opening day in 11 innings versus San Diego as Franklin blew the save. He absorbed two defeats and blew three more saves through game 16 as the Cards lost their first three series. At that point, Franklin was removed as closer. His appearances dramatically dwindled over time until his June 29 release.

Boggs’ reign as closer passed in the blink of an eye. The right-hander logged three saves at home in late April but lost the job after a meltdown in Houston on April 26. In an odd move, Boggs was optioned to Memphis on May 23 to become a starter and work on his secondary pitches. After three weeks in exile, he returned to St. Louis’ bullpen, but never had another shot at closing, or starting, for that matter.

Sanchez, the youngest of the group at 22 years of age, next held the job briefly. His first save was on April 27, the very next night after Boggs’ Waterloo. Sanchez added four more saves over the next four weeks, but also took a loss and two blown saves.

Sanchez was placed on the 15-day DL retroactive to June 13 with what was called at the time a “mild right shoulder strain.” His original late July estimated return ended up extending well into September. It cost him another shot at the closers job and kept him off the post-season roster.

Salas, St. Louis’ version of Rodney Dangerfield, was next in the barrel. After being sent down to Triple-A Memphis six times in 2010, Salas did not make the Cardinals out of spring training in 2011, either. He did all he could as his ERA in Florida spring games was 0.73.

After being recalled in mid-April, Salas saved his first game of the season on April 28. It also happened to be the third game of that fateful Houston series. Over the last 12 games of May, Salas was a perfect 6-for-6 and had a total of 10 saves heading into June.

By August 11, the native of Mexico had converted 22 of 25 save opportunities (88 percent) and had a record of 5-4. Then came two blown saves in his next two outings. Though he allowed just one run in each game, Salas was out. He was given just three more opportunities the rest of the season as Motte took control.

Despite Motte ending the year as the club’s closer after that very strong stretch as set-up man, Salas actually logged a higher save percentage (80%) than Motte (69.2%) over the course of the regular season.

Still, Motte was a big part of the Cardinals September resurgence as he saved nine of ten opportunities and added two holds, two wins and three no-decisions in his final 17 regular season appearances after taking over.

Overall, the pen had evolved to the point it was a strength in the post-season. Motte appeared 12 times. He went 5-for-5 in save opportunities, though he took one loss, in Game 2 of the World Series. His post-season ERA was 2.19.

Heading into 2012, it is clear the job that no one could seem to hold is now Motte’s to either solidify or lose.

Note: To view detailed stats of all the Cardinals’ 2011 relievers, click here to be taken to the article “St. Louis Cardinals 2011 Reliever of the Year” at TheCardinalNation.com.

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With the departure of Albert Pujols, catcher Yadier Molina has become the longest-tenured position player on the St. Louis Cardinals roster. Having joined the team in June 2004, he is second only to his battery-mate Chris Carpenter among all Cardinals. Ironically, after a half-season as an apprentice, Molina replaced his new manager, Mike Matheny, as St. Louis’ starting catcher to start the 2005 season.

Seven years later, Molina is widely recognized as the game’s top defensive catcher. However, he actually had a better 2011 with the bat.

The 29-year-old native of Puerto Rico posted a line of .305/.349/.465/.814, all career bests. He registered career-highs of 32 doubles, 14 home runs and 65 RBI during the regular season for the World Champions.

Molina was a key post-season contributor, as well. He set a new record for a Cardinals catcher with nine RBI in the World Series, including bases-loaded walks in consecutive games. It tied him with Gary Carter (1986) for the most RBI all-time by a National League player at his position in a single World Series.

The catcher continued to be recognized by those in and out of uniform. He was selected via the players vote to the All-Star Game as a reserve, his third-straight All-Star appearance. Following the season, he picked up his fourth consecutive NL Gold Glove Award. In 2011, Molina threw out just 25% of opposing base runners (15 of 60), though he picked off two more. His fielding percentage was .995 (five errors in 927 chances).

Molina remains extremely durable, appearing in 139 games last season, just one game off his career high. It might have been even higher had Molina not experienced an uncharacteristic lapse in sportsmanship in August. He missed five games due to suspension after inadvertently spitting on umpire Rob Drake during a heated argument over balls and strikes.

As was long expected, the Cardinals are exercising their $7 million option to retain Molina’s services for 2012. It is the final year of a deal signed before the 2008 season. At that time, the Cardinals and Molina avoided arbitration when they agreed to a four-year, $15.5 million contract plus the additional option year now being exercised. That covered his three arbitration-eligible years plus two potential free agent seasons.

What is coming next? Especially after the Pujols melodrama of 2011, Molina’s future with St. Louis will be one of the top discussion topics of the upcoming year. How far will the Cardinals stretch to keep one of their most popular players, a catcher moving into his 30’s? What is Molina’s mindset and how will that guide him? Stay tuned…

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For much of the summer, corners of the baseball world were abuzz about the prospect of St. Louis Cardinals long-time rotation anchor Chris Carpenter being traded to a contender. The New York Yankees were one of the clubs most often mentioned as a possible destination.

Carpenter, 36, was in the final months of a contract signed prior to the 2007 season. He was already afforded full no-trade protection as a ten-and-five man, but that didn’t seem to matter. The Cardinals did not make public comments suggesting in any way that Carpenter was available, but the speculation continued.

The trade deadlines passed and Carpenter remained a Cardinal. Further, on September 12, in the midst of St. Louis’ dramatic comeback in the standings, he and the Cardinals announced a two-year extension for a total of $21 million. To read more about his background, what I said at the time and view the results of a reader poll on the deal, click here.

Of course, Carpenter’s season and that of his teammates culminated a month later with the World Championship. The Yankees lost in the first round, with pitching depth a primary culprit.

Though he struggled for wins in the first half, Carpenter heated up when the trade rumors were hottest and more importantly, when the Cardinals needed him the most. From June 23 until the conclusion of the regular season, he went 10-2 with a 2.73 ERA in 19 starts. The 10 wins were tied for fourth-most in the majors during that span and the 2.73 ERA was eighth-lowest in the National League.

Carpenter and the Cardinals came into the final day of the season with a chance to win the NL Wild Card. Setting a tone for the post-season ahead, that is what they did as Carp struck out a season-high 11 batters at Houston. His two-hit complete game shutout was his 10th as a Cardinal.

A player whose durability has been a career-long question, Carpenter was a rock in 2011. In fact, he made 34 or more starts for the second consecutive year, marking the first time in his 14-year career he has accomplished the feat. 30 of his 34 starts in 2011 were at least six innings in duration, including 21 of seven innings or longer.

Carpenter logged a team-best 21 quality starts while receiving the lowest run support among Cardinals starters – just 4.0 runs per nine innings (team average was 4.7). That and shaky relief were factors in his 11-9 record and the club’s 16-18 record in his starts.

For the first time in his career, Carp led the National League in innings pitched at 237 1/3 and he also tied for tops in the league with his 34 games started. Among National League pitchers, he finished tied for 11th in strikeouts (191), 17th in ERA (3.45), fourth in complete games (4), tied for second in shutouts, sixth in stolen base percentage (45.5%), 13th with 2.09 walks per nine innings pitched, 10th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.47) and tied for 10th in double plays induced (20).

Carpenter’s NLDS Game 5 performance should never be forgotten. He was given just one run of support so went out and tossed a three-hit complete game shutout – on the road against the regular season MLB wins leader, Philadelphia, and their ace Roy Halladay. The win powered the underdog Cardinals into the NLCS.

To finish off his fine season, Carpenter made three World Series starts, pitching 19 innings. He won two contests, including Game 7, and logged a 2.84 ERA.

With co-ace Adam Wainwright out all year, Carpenter “extended” himself more than expected with superb results, both for him personally and for his team. He is now assured of being back for at least two more chances to again finish on top.

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The Cardinals and left-handed pitcher Jaime Garcia came to terms on a four-year contract with two club options for 2016 and 2017. The deal is worth $27 million over its first four years and could grow to $49.5 million over six.

This deal follows a formula the club used earlier with Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina. Garcia’s salary is now set for his three arbitration eligible years and he remains under team control for as many as three of his potential free agent seasons as well. In return, the player receives earlier financial security.

Garcia, 25, had established considerable momentum coming into the negotiations. He was 9-3 with a 3.23 ERA during the first half of the season. That came on the heels of one of the best rookie campaigns in 2010 where he was 13–8 with a 2.70 ERA (fourth in the National League), ranking not only among top rookie pitchers, but also the top Major League pitchers in several categories.

Garcia’s career mark is 27–16, with a 3.27 ERA and 296 strikeouts in 374 innings. In 2010, his 2.70 ERA was the lowest by a Cardinals’ left-handed starter since John Tudor recorded a 2.40 ERA in 22 starts (25 games) during 1990.

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