Among panelists analyzing the top five trades in New York history are none other than agent Scott Boras and retired St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa.  The moderator is former Mets catcher Fran Healy and author Dave Kaplan also participates.

No word on whether Boras and La Russa will be packing information binders. The agent is known for thick dossiers selling the virtues of his free agents, while La Russa relied on Dave Duncan and his binders stuffed with pitching and hitting information for over three decades.

Sadly, one of the featured trades during the special involved the Cardinals, that being Keith Hernandez’ acquisition by the Mets in 1983. Back in 2006, I ranked the trade, in which the Cardinals received pitchers Neil Allen and Rick Ownbey, as the second-worst deal made by St. Louis in the last 40 years.

The series continues for seven additional nights through Sunday, March 18 with these subjects: “Mets Best Trades, “Yankees Best Trades,” “Worst Trades – Yankees and Mets,” “Yankees Best Free Agent,” “Mets Best Free Agent,” Yankees Worst Free Agent,” and “Mets Worst Free Agent.” The final episode will feature the panel discussing the current state of the game.

Full schedule details (all times Eastern).

* Sunday, March 11: “Mets Best Trades” (10:00 p.m.)
* Monday, March 12: “Yankees Best Trades” (11:00 p.m.)
* Tuesday, March 13: “Worst Trades – Mets & Yankees (10:30 p.m.)
* Wednesday, March 14: “Yankees Best Free Agent” (10:30 p.m.)
* Thursday, March 15: “Mets Best Free Agent” (10:00 p.m.)
* Friday, March 16: “Yankees Worst Free Agent” (10:30 p.m.)
* Saturday, March 17: “Mets Worst Free Agent” (10:00 p.m.)
* Sunday, March 18: “The State of Baseball” (9:30 p.m.)

Check out the following preview of the first episode.

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It feels like a hot stove event that would be more suitable in January, but then again, this comes from the perspective of a baseball writer. The Conference, while perhaps baseball-centric, includes speakers and topics from all the major sports.

I caught a few stray tweets from event participants this past weekend, though most seemed to originate from admirers of Bill James, quoting the gospel from the sabermetric guru now employed by the Boston Red Sox.

Looking for a more comprehensive review of the proceedings, I ran across an excellent recap from a writer named Evan Brunell at opposingviews.com. For those interested in the business side of baseball, I recommend you give it a read.

Highlights include agent Scott Boras explaining how he and the clubs with which he negotiates use metrics. Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow discusses his deployment of analytics while with St. Louis and his plans to move Houston ahead in that area.

New studies on predicting next pitches to be thrown, what is following the groundbreaking PITCHf/x system and a look at natural alternatives to steroids through identifying deficiencies via blood testing are also reviewed.

The article concludes with Boras (and James) predictably blasting the new restrictions on spending for both amateur talent and international free agents.

Just maybe I will make time to attend next year…

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Recently, I posted a series of photos and a recap of the St. Louis Cardinals Legends Camp, held in Jupiter, Fla. two weeks ago. One of the 21 former Cardinals who came back together for fun with each other and with the fans who paid for the opportunity to take the field with them was LaPoint.

The now-52-year-old pitched for the Cards from 1981-1984 and again for a half-season in 1987. LaPoint first arrived from Milwaukee in the Ted Simmons deal and departed for San Francisco as part of the cost of acquiring Jack Clark, both mega-trades engineered by Whitey Herzog.

In between, at the age of 22, the left-hander threw 8 1/3 innings in the 1982 World Series, allowing just three runs. Overall, LaPoint went 35-23 with a 3.90 ERA in his five years with St. Louis and pitched a dozen seasons in the majors with nine different clubs.

Back in 2006-2007, Rodriguez, a mysterious Cuban, passed through Argentina, Nicaragua and then the Dominican Republic before signing with the Cardinals. His bonus of $460,000 was the highest paid by the organization for an international signing to that date and is still the fifth-largest in team history (link to subscriber-only article with details).

At 6-foot-3 and 232 pounds, the outfielder has the chiseled look of an athlete, but could not put it together on the diamond. Rodriguez advanced only as far as A-Advanced Palm Beach before his release last May. He played in 259 games over four seasons as a Cardinal with a line of .276/.317/.374/.691. His long awaited power never developed.

Last July, Rodriguez signed a contract and joined LaPoint, manager of the Rockland (County NY) Boulders of the independent CanAm League. The right-handed hitter, now 24 years of age, batted .267 in 56 games and slugged .393. Rodriguez is on the club’s 2012 roster as well.

LaPoint, a native of Glens Falls, NY, is entering his 11^th season coaching or managing in independent ball. From 2002-2005, he served the pitching coach for the Long Island Ducks, and then went on to manage the Bridgeport Bluefish, both in the Atlantic League. LaPoint returned to Long Island in 2007 as manager and also served in that role in 2009-2010. In between, he was the club’s pitching coach in 2008.

Last season, LaPoint became the Boulders’ first manager, leading them to a 40-52 seventh-place finish in their inaugural campaign. The club recently announced he is coming back for 2012.

Here is hoping both LaPoint and Rodriguez find what they are looking for while in a place far from St. Louis and Cuba.

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After five seasons of trying, the former Baylor star, taken 46^th overall in 2005, was released by the Cardinals in December 2009. The right-hander had spent most of the interim period either injured or rehabbing. The Texan had missed all of the 2009 season after his fifth surgery, intended to relieve arthritis in his pitching shoulder.

McCormick is now attempting a comeback by undergoing a controversial and unproven stem cell procedure in the Grand Cayman Islands. The treatment, illegal in the USA, involves the replanting of a person’s own stem cells to enhance the body’s healing.

This procedure received considerable attention this last season when Bartolo Colon revived his MLB career to the point he could throw 95 MPH. At age 38, Colon pitched 164 innings for the Yankees with a 4.00 ERA after having sat out all of the 2010 season.

McCormick was featured in a recent feature of ESPN’s Outside the Lines. It follows. Then, weigh in on the poll below.

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With the untimely passing of Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson, one of two men to have won World Series titles in both leagues, I had planned to write about his period as a minor league manager in the St. Louis Cardinals organization during the 1960’s.

After one prior year of managing, Anderson really cut his managerial teeth starting at the age of 33 under then-Cardinals general manager Bob Howsam and after three years, followed Howsam to the Cincinnati organization. As they say, the rest is history.

Sparky had taken over the Rock Hill Cardinals of the Western Carolinas League in 1965, moved to St. Petersburg of the Florida State League the next season and ended his time in the system with Modesto of the California League in 1967. The three clubs finished with an aggregate .575 winning mark.

Like I said, I had planned to dig into Anderson’s tenure, but in researching it, I found a great article by Mark Tomasik of TCPalm.com. That piece, with some excellent stories, stands on its own as an excellent resource.

Make sure you check out the full view of the 1966 photo of Sparky at the age of 34. He always seemed to look the same. It is hard to believe he is gone. Rest in peace!

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Making a quick playoff exit was not what the St. Louis Cardinals had in mind when giving up three top prospects for the final two and a half months of Matt Holliday’s expiring contract. Making matters even worse was the reality that the outfielder’s agent, Scott Boras, was plotting the course, a man with a well-deserved reputation for finding top dollar for his clients via free agency.

The situation would remain front and center on the minds of the Cardinal Nation from July through the end of 2009. In fact, it remained topical right up until January 5, when Holliday came to terms on a new, seven-year, $120 million deal with an eighth-year option to remain with St. Louis.

It was a long and painful journey to get there.

From his very first meeting with the press as a Cardinal, a session I attended on July 24, Holliday was asked, then later asked and re-asked about his future plans. The now-30-year-old made it clear from the start that he was in no hurry to discuss a long-term contract.

As the Cardinals season moved toward its close, it was unclear whether or not Boras and the club had yet spoken regarding the matter. On September 24, Boras laid down the law by telling the media he was looking for a Mark Teixeira-like, eight-year, $180 million deal for the man he labeled a “blue-collar superstar”.

Holliday Cardinals futures took a severe beating in fan markets as a result. Into the off-season, Boras hoped to interest the deepest-pocketed teams in New York, Boston and Los Angeles in the bidding.

By early November, when Holliday officially filed for free agency, the Cardinals had seemingly lost whatever small advantage they previously may have enjoyed. Holliday was rumored to have said he would not be giving the club preferential treatment. Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. acknowledged his Cardinals would not be the high bidder even as the Angels, Giants and Braves stated they were not interested.

The Cardinals offered Holliday arbitration at the start of December, which was rejected as expected. Boras toughened his stance, pulling the St. Louis future of Albert Pujols into the fray. By mid-month, the Cards made their first reported formal offer, rumored to be five years at about $16 million per year, but apparently received no reply.

As the Jason Bay talks with the Red Sox stumbled, that club expressed interest in Holliday. In fact, it later came out that Boston made him a five-year, $82.5 million offer before giving the same deal to pitcher John Lackey, who accepted. Their AL East competitors from New York never got into the mix, though the Mets at least tried to leverage Holliday in their own Bay negotiations before finally landing their initial target.

As December came to a close, a rumor surfaced that Baltimore offered Holliday eight-years, $130 million guaranteed. A number of other sources, including the Orioles team president, shot down the report. In hindsight, a number of industry-watchers felt the Cardinals gave the outfielder too many years, therefore spending too much in total. Perhaps the Baltimore rumor hastened that.

After a meeting between Cardinals executives and Boras in Austin, Texas the first weekend of January, it took only a few more days to lock down the deal, thus ending one of the most up-and-down free agent sagas the Cardinal Nation has ever had to endure – until Pujols nears free agency, that is…

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

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In reaction to the mass emotion exhibited at the time of the St. Louis Cardinals’ July 24 acquisition of Matt Holliday and $1.5 million from Oakland in return for Brett Wallace, Clayton Mortensen and Shane Peterson, I wrote an article entitled, “Will the Holliday trade be good, bad or neutral?”

In it, I tried valiantly to remove the initial excitement, whether positive or negative, and develop a structured, rational view of how I would consider the trade, both that day and over the long haul. The idea grew out of a long discussion with the Post-Dispatch’s Derrick Goold in the press box of Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park that evening.

To that end, I prepared a detailed decision tree with multiple conditions. We now have two of the three answers to my questions:

1. Win the 2009 World Series – no
2. Holliday re-signs below market value – no
3. One or more of the traded players become a star – TBD
   • If yes, my score will be that the trade was bad.
   • If no, my score will be that the trade was neutral.

Let’s take the points in order.

1. The Cardinals did not win the World Series. I doubt anyone would disagree that the driving force behind the trade was to improve the team in 2009. One step was to get the club into the post-season, then once there, improve their chances of going all the way.

For me, it wasn’t good enough to just make the playoffs. Though the Cardinals were in first place at the time of the trade, their lead was tenuous. No doubt Holliday played a key role in the 36-24 (.600) record posted by the club after his arrival. Yet the team went three and out in the NLDS, losing the pivotal second game on a Holliday error.

2. Holliday clearly did not sign below market value. That means the Cardinals conceivably could have pursued him just as doggedly this winter had they not traded for him first. Offering him $120 million was just as possible had he reached the open market as a most recent member of the A’s or wherever else he might have been traded last summer instead of St. Louis. One thing we know about agent Scott Boras is that he takes his players to free agency, no matter what team they are on or how much that club wants the player back.

There would have been an additional cost in losing their first-round 2010 draft pick for signing Holliday in that manner, but the Cardinals would still likely be ahead in the prospect side of the equation because they would still have the three players traded for Holliday.

Though supposedly disavowed by Holliday earlier in the fall, the Cardinals may have achieved some re-signing benefit through the comfort and familiarity Holliday gained as a player with the Cardinals and his family achieved in being a part of the organization. Was that the game-changer? Asking Boras, I can bet his answer would be “no”. In reality, it probably mattered, but not in a measurable manner.

Since we are talking about money, I want to delve into the terms a bit, as I am seeing a lot of mixed reports.

As I believe from multiple sources, there is a $17 million per year salary with $2 million deferred annually without interest. The eighth year at $17 million vests if Holliday places among top ten in NL MVP voting in year seven or there is a year eight buyout for $1 million. Full no-trade protection was provided.

The deal is stated as seven years/$120 million and could grow to eight years/$136 million. I have not seen mention of the deferral timeframe, but the AP said the present value of the deal is about $16 million.

Update: The AP has published the final details:

The Cardinals must decide whether to exercise the 2017 option within five days of the end of the 2016 World Series. As already noted, the option would become guaranteed if Holliday finishes among the top 10 in 2016 NL MVP voting.

Depending on whether the option is exercised, Holliday will receive $1.4 million or $1.6 million each July 15 from 2020 until 2029.

Holliday receives a full no-trade provision, a hotel suite on the road and the same award bonus opportunities that Cardinals teammate Albert Pujols has: $50,000 for election to the NL All-Star team, $25,000 for All-Star selection, $50,000 for division series MVP (an award that doesn’t yet exist), $100,000 for league championship series MVP, $150,000 for World Series MVP, $200,000 for NL MVP and $50,000 each for Gold Glove and Silver Slugger.

Let’s consider the winners and losers.

Boras originally wanted eight years, $180 million. It was alleged he later dropped his expectations to $18 million per year. Since the Red Sox reportedly offered Holliday $16.5 million per year and Jason Bay received that same average annual value (AAV) from the Mets, it provided the lower ceiling. It only seemed logical that the Cardinals could not skate by paying less than $16.5 million per year.

Like in Teixeira’s deal, Boras did not settle for lower annual values in the later years of the contract.  Therefore, Boras’ wins were there and in the term of the contract, as he ended up with seven, perhaps eight years.

The Cardinals seemed to want to hold to five years and around $16 million early on. Once they were willing to go seven or eight years, they were penned in.

Buster Olney from ESPN is one of the many questioning the deal, quoting a rival GM who said this, “They (the Cardinals) look like they spent about $30 million more than they needed to.”

To me, the viewpoint seems off base, as the AAV factor was not separated out from the number of years factor. I believe the former to be reasonable. What the other GM should have said is “The Cardinals look like they went two years too long, compared to other bidders.” That, I could understand, though the hotly-disputed rumor of Baltimore’s mystery bid of eight years, $130 million guaranteed may have been leaked to head off that avenue.

On one hand, paying $17 million for a 36- or 37-year-old outfielder is concerning. On the other, what will the 2017 market be like? What will $17 million in 2017 money buy? Will it be a bad contract then? Only time will tell.

Now to the final question.

3. Will any of the traded players become a star? It is still far too early to know.

Wallace has the best chance, but has been traded again and seems destined for first base, rather than third. His value is down since July 24. Mortensen had a very rough debut for the A’s, but it is still too soon to gauge. After the trade, Peterson continued to post a .730-ish OPS in the Texas League, a good home for hitters. He lacks size along with punch.

In summary:

• Taking everything into account, if one of the three traded players becomes a star, I would consider the July Holliday trade gamble to have been a bad deal for the Cardinals.

• If none of the three traded players come through, I will call the Holliday trade a wash.

Don’t get me wrong. I applauded the Cardinals for their bold move and still do. If the World Series was the objective, which I think it should have been, it was not achieved, however. Ultimately, the effort must be judged by the end result.

Assuming his new no-trade clause is not bought out later, Holliday will remain a Cardinal for the next seven or eight years. I believe that to be a good thing overall, but the trade itself may not have been the best precursor to secure the long-term contract.

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As most St. Louis Cardinals fans know, the club remains in a contract stalemate with free agent Matt Holliday and his agent Scott Boras. For weeks, rumors of a five-year offer in the $80 million vicinity have supposedly been on the table.

In terms of years and total value, the Cardinals’ proposal is less than the seven-year, $107.5 million bid made in spring 2008 by Holliday’s club two back, the Colorado Rockies, though the annual value of St. Louis’ rumored offer is slightly higher. Boras seems unwilling or at least unready to admit the market has not grown to meet his inflated expectations, keeping many more across baseball than just his client and the Cardinals in a holding pattern.

Even with Tuesday’s news of Jason Bay going to the Mets for a reported four years, $66 million and a vesting option for a fifth season, closing off one more potential avenue for Holliday, there is no assurance that Boras will alter his negotiating stance any time soon. Among his other free agents still looking for work are Johnny Damon, Xavier Nady, Felipe Lopez and Adrian Beltre.

That doesn’t mean The Cardinal Nation isn’t working on alternatives. Recent discussions here and elsewhere have suggested the idea of the Cardinals modifying their bid to a higher annual value in return for fewer years. For example, a two-year deal for $34 million up to as much as $38 million, or from $17 million to $19 million per year.

If I was Boras presented with that structure, I would push for at least the same annual value over a longer period, four or probably five years minimum. A major risk for the Cardinals is that if Boras is ever ready to entertain a shorter-term contract, it could re-interest other clubs in Holliday’s services.

Later on, if Boras wanted to try to align with the Cardinals while also positioning Holliday to take advantage of a better future market, he might consider teeing up an escape clause after two years. That would not necessarily be an immediate card to play and assumes he could first get an annual value to his liking.

Putting on Cards general manager John Mozeliak’s hat instead, I might counter by asking for a comparable club out after two seasons. In essence, that would just shorten the deal to two years.

After all, two years down the road, it is likely that one side or the other would perceive benefit in ending the contract early. If the player and the market continue to improve, Boras will be a winner, just as he was with J.D. Drew and the Dodgers. If Holliday doesn’t deliver, then the Cardinals might be inclined to cut their losses and exit the deal.

Two years may make sense for a number of external reasons as well. Following the 2011 season, the leadership of the St. Louis Cardinals could be very different than today.

Tony La Russa is just starting his first-ever one-year contract with the team and if he doesn’t retire after the 2010 campaign, his own comments suggest the odds of staying will drop substantially in each passing year. In other words, his end as manager is approaching.

2011 will be Chris Carpenter’s last guaranteed season under his current contract. A perennial injury risk, the ace of the staff will turn 37 years of age during the first month of the 2012 season, an option year for the team.

Last and far from least, the franchise, Albert Pujols, is not under contract after 2011. Trying to figure out how to satisfy Albert in terms of dollars while affording the optimal combination of complimentary players around him remains the single largest challenge for the franchise.

One can debate whether signing Holliday to any deal, long-term or short, helps or hurts the Pujols situation. In a two-year scenario, an immediate concern over Holliday making more than Albert in 2010 and 2011 would arise, a potential problem that could be avoided in a longer-term deal by backend-loading Holliday’s contract.

In a two-year Holliday plan, this would have to be addressed by making Pujols a specific offer now. Even if he is not ready to entertain it, the club would demonstrate their proper respect to Pujols as the team leader.

Given all the above, if the money and terms are right, the parties involved in the Holliday situation just might find a way to settle on two years as a workable compromise, but even if so, will it be with St. Louis?

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In Saturday’s post, I included a Jack Clark quote noting the pressure he received way back in 1987 from the union, the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), to take the largest contract offered him. It required a very uncomfortable move from the environment he and his family favored, St. Louis and the Cardinals, to New York and the Yankees. It was a decision Clark still regrets to this day.

This important factor in free agent negotiations and deliberations never seems to draw the publicity that the high-profile agents in chase of the best camera angles, biggest headlines and highest dollars receive.

Of course, that has to be the way the union wants it. Just as the owners have their collusion, uh collaboration, so do the players. I call your collusion and raise you one.

The most eye-opening piece I have ever read about the subject was written by former National League pitcher Mark Knudson and ran in the Ft. Collins Coloradoan on July 20, 2008. Knudson had spent parts of eight seasons in the majors with Houston, Milwaukee and Colorado, where he ended his career in 1993.

Unfortunately, the article has since been taken down*, but following are some of my summary points from Knudson, repeated from a July 23, 2008 subscriber-only article I wrote about Rick Ankiel at Scout.com.

* This post is being pre-empted by an Andy Rooney moment. Why do so many papers take down relatively-recent articles? Good luck trying to find a Post-Dispatch article from 2008, for example. I know money is tight for the mainstreamers, but someone needs to inform them that archival disk storage is really inexpensive these days.

…Knudson probes a little-understood angle – that of slotting and pressure by the Major League Baseball Players Association.

Fans are most familiar with the term “slotting” as it relates to the First-Year Player (amateur) Draft. In that case, MLB sets “suggested” bounds for the clubs to follow in awarding player bonuses…

In the case of free agents, the MLBPA plays a comparable enforcer role to stamp out hometown discounts and ensure that the big money players get their fair share compared to others. It is the old analogy that a rising tide lifts all boats.

Thereby, the Players Association help all their constituents earn more money, if not today, then down the road. Interestingly, the former MLB pitcher Knudson characterizes Boras as merely the “front man” behind the powerful Players Association.

Over the years, I have been as critical as anyone about the negotiating tactics of free agent Matt Holliday’s agent, Scott Boras, and will surely continue to be. Yet, if Knudson was anywhere close to the truth, and I have no reason to question him, the aggregate anger of Cardinal Nation aimed at Boras should at least be shared with new MLBPA executive director Michael Weiner (pictured) and his associates. Instead, the union leaders remain behind the curtain likely pushing their share of the buttons.

I can envision Holliday and his sequestered family huddled up in a bomb shelter somewhere waiting to be told by all those making decisions for them when sirens have sounded the all-clear, indicating it is safe to re-emerge from the nuclear winter.

And here we thought the game was so simple. Just see the ball and hit it.

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One of this week’s prevailing storylines regarding free agent Matt Holliday is the supposed “mystery bidder” who will swoop in and whisk the outfielder away from the patiently-waiting St. Louis Cardinals to his new home for the next five to eight years.

While teams like the Mets and Orioles have been linked to the 29-year-old, neither of their offers, if even made, seem to be in the range of the Cardinals’ bid to retain him.

The fear is that the mystery team is none other than the club with the deepest pockets of all – New York Yankees. This is the feeling despite the fact that not only have the Bombers expressed a lack of interest in Holliday, word from their camp is that they will not be engaging. As recently as two days ago, ESPN reported the Yankees “cannot see a situation in which they will become involved” with Holliday.

Few in the Cardinal Nation apparently believe the reports, their fear fueled by general, but deep-seated distrust of the Yankees and a revisionist view of the events of one year ago. At that time, first baseman Mark Teixeira, late of the Angels, was being hotly pursued by his old club as well as the Red Sox, Nationals and Orioles.

As the yarn goes, the Yankees feigned disinterest virtually until the day Teixeira’s signing with New York was announced… and so it will occur again with Holliday.

I didn’t remember the chain of events occurring in that manner, so went back to news reports from last winter. While it is true that at least one point, it seemed Teixiera was very close to joining the Red Sox, and there were zigs, zags and apparently incorrect rumors along the way, the basic fact is that the Yankees’ interest in the first baseman had been long-reported.

Here is a partial timeline summarizing press accounts of the Yankees’ courting of Tex. Again, it is far from the full set of rumors regarding the player. It is the only the subset I could locate that mentions New York specifically.

Note how the level of activity and the timeline differ from 2009.

• December 7, 2008: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports Yankees general manager Brian Cashman met with Teixeira and his agent Scott Boras at Baseball’s Winter Meetings on December 5.

• December 10: Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports the Yankees’ interest in Teixeira has waned after their signing of C.C. Sabathia.

• December 11: SI.com’s Jon Heyman reports the Yankees have entered the sweepstakes for Teixeira.

• December 15: The New York Post reports that Manny Ramirez would be a fallback option for the Yankees if they do not sign Teixeira.

• December 15: Lyle Spencer of MLB.com reports the Yankees have turned their attention to Teixeira and are interested in signing him.

• December 17: Spencer reports the Yankees have not made an offer or a proposal to Teixeira.

• December 18: George King III of the Post reports that the Yankees were not the team to outbid the Red Sox for Teixeira. “Not us,” was the response from Cashman when contacted by the paper.

• December 22: Kevin Kernan of the Post reports the Yankees have had serious discussions with Boras but have yet to make a contract offer.

• December 22: Buster Olney and Peter Gammons of ESPN.com report the Yankees made an initial offer to Teixeira but then withdrew their bid because it was not close to other teams’ offers.

• December 23: Teixeira’s agreement in principle with the Yankees is announced.

Does the above timeline preclude New York from going after Holliday? Of course not, but it does illustrate that they are being far more stealthy in 2009 if they want Holliday than they were in 2008 with Teixeira.

With Tex, Cashman met with both the player and agent at the Winter Meetings and while the club focused on signing Sabathia first, their interest was reported regularly during the 18 days between the face-to-face meeting and the announcement.

Bottom line, while it was a surprise when the Yankees wrested Teixeira away from the Red Sox, their genuine interest in the player should not have been news to anyone who was paying attention. At least as of yet, the reports about the Yankees and Holliday in 2009 have been just the opposite.

Footnote: Boras may have a very good reason to step lightly with New York regarding Holliday. Incumbent left fielder Johnny Damon, also a Boras client, is reportedly demanding $13 million per season to return to the Yankees while the club is unwilling to go above $10 million. Number of years may also be an issue.

Like Holliday with the Cardinals, at this point, Damon seems to have only one team openly interested in his services. So even if Boras can somehow manage to hook the Yankees with Holliday, he creates another problem in the process, having to start over finding a new home for Damon. It may not be an easy task to interest another taker in the past-his-prime 36-year-old at a price anywhere near the amounts being discussed.

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In multiple reports, St. Louis Cardinals officials have expressed no interest whatsoever in signing free agent outfielder Jason Bay, late of the Boston Red Sox. Yet the 31-year-old may hold the key to the route taken in building, and perhaps the ultimate success of, the 2010 Cardinals roster. It isn’t a stretch to consider its impact to the future of Albert Pujols in the organization.

How can that be?

I see Bay as the trigger for the slow-moving outfield market. The big-spending Red Sox seem to want their free agent back, having made him an early off-season offer of four years, $60 million. The Canadian native turned it down.

Apparently Boston hasn’t made another strike since and seems in no hurry to do so. Bay’s home-area club, the Seattle Mariners, are rumored to be interested as are the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The New York Mets reportedly made a four-year, $65 million offer during the just-completed winter meetings.

That is all noise on the line. If the Red Sox ultimately want to be the high bidder for Bay, they can and will. Yet their slow pace in ramping up and wrapping up negotiations leaves the most important free agent outfielder in play, Matt Holliday. Though Holliday is considered the superior player by most, he appears to be the Sox’ fallback plan if they can’t get a Bay deal done.

Until/unless that occurs, agent Scott Boras seems unable to unearth any public bidders to leverage up the Cardinals’ price for Holliday. The agent continues to expect Mark Teixeira-money for Holliday, eight years, $180 million. To date, there seems no market interest in making that kind of commitment.

The Sox are really in the driver’s seat. They can outwait Bay and even if they lose him, they can just dig a bit deeper in their pockets and snare Holliday. Unless Boras can flush additional potential buyers for his client out of the bushes, he may have to wait for Boston, as well.

The Cardinals are the ones who will probably have to blink first in this four-way stare down. If they wait too long, they will miss other opportunities to retool their club for 2010. The Cards are clearly aware of this, but the optimal time to apply a hard and fast deadline to Boras was unclear – until Friday morning, at least.

The way I see it, it isn’t Boras and Holliday who will determine whether the latter remains a Cardinal as much as it is Bay and even more so, the Red Sox. It is not a good place to be for the St. Louis brain trust. Yet there has been some movement in the one aspect of this situation they can control.

On the Bernie Miklasz radio show Friday morning, Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak confirmed he has made a formal offer to Boras for Holliday’s services and expects a response within 48 hours (that would appear to be Sunday). Details were not disclosed.

Here is hoping Mozeliak draws a firm line in the sand very soon with Boras and either lands Holliday or moves on. Mo suggested to Miklasz that mid-week next week as a probable timeframe when he may do just that.

Unless the offer is Teixeira-type money, which we know it isn’t, Boras will likely reject the Cardinals’ proposal, gambling that Boston or one of the other Bay suitors will eventually ante up more for Holliday.

Though it may be painful at first to say goodbye, the Cardinals can live without Holliday. Let the new killer B’s – Bay, Boston and Boras – play their games for the rest of the winter if need be.

It’s that season once again – the rhetoric season – the annual pre-second-guessing of St. Louis Cardinals ownership and management. It occurs every year at this time, no matter how the previous campaign ended on the field, what the outlook for the next might be or what has transpired during the off-season to date.

Granted, this is an uneasy time for writers on deadlines, needing something spicy about which to opine during a traditional period of low activity across Major League Baseball. (For a great graphical representation of recent years’ trades and free agent signings by winter day, see this post on the Fungoes blog.)

People starving for news seem to hang on every word spoken by club officials and agents alike, as if it is the accurate and only word. They don’t seem to understand or accept that these figures are professionals that know how to leverage the media to further their own interests and negotiating stance.

The hungry public gobble up the spin as translated by the writers as if it is a gourmet meal instead of the table scraps they usually are.

Other times rumors magically leak out, unattributed to any reputable source, yet the breathless rumor-chasing world can turn on its ear as a result.

Let’s take an example.

Some are currently worked up because the Cardinals have supposedly misled their fans regarding their chances of re-signing Matt Holliday, setting expectations unrealistically high. The storyline continues that the club is now trying to let the public down easily that they may be unable to keep the free agent outfielder. That is being passed off as news.

Apparently, the Cardinals should never have said they would do their best to re-sign the outfielder because some fans cannot sort through the clutter to logically think this through for themselves.

Others more romantically inclined, previously became convinced that Holliday would fall in love with St. Louis and sign for a below-top dollar amount just for the privilege to remain with the Cardinals. Their starry-eyed logic was based on several other players having done that in the past under entirely different circumstances.

How naïve is all that?

Anyone with any knowledge of the free agent market and the consistent tactics of agent Scott Boras over the years could easily forecast how the Holliday situation would evolve from the very day in July the Cardinals traded for him. In fact, many of us did just that.

After acquiring Holliday and seeing him in action, the Cardinals expressed interest in bringing him back, but openly acknowledged some time ago that they do not want to allocate the resources to be the highest bidder if it gets to that point. That seems pretty clear.

The Cardinals have not yet made Holliday an offer likely in part because they knew no matter how good it would be, Boras would turn around and use it to try to secure even more cash from another deeper-pocketed organization. This is not surprising.

If Boras can locate another suitor with more money, he will surely take Holliday there for 2010 and beyond. No matter what Bill DeWitt, John Mozeliak, Boras or any writer says, that is most likely what will happen. Again, this is not a news flash.

Other rabble-rousers suggest the Cardinals brass only recently realized it will cost them a substantial percentage of their player payroll to re-sign Albert Pujols as well as Holliday – perhaps more than the club believes they can afford. It seems a change of tune from these inciteful (not insightful) pundits who previously applauded the organization’s efforts in acquiring Holliday in the first place.

Despite the charges to the contrary, those running the team are not stupid nor are a majority of readers for that matter. Yet the extremists – the torches and pitchforks crowd – seem to enjoy getting worked into a frenzy – even before anything actually happens.

If the Cardinals play their hand well, serious competition does not surface and a significant amount of luck is on their side, there is still a chance Holliday could return. Timing is crucial though the club is certainly not in control of all variables.

Having the best of intentions could still lead the Cardinals to undesirable results. That is a very realistic possibility that has been known for months.

Maybe it won’t be anyone’s fault, but that won’t stop those on the sidelines from identifying a black-hatted target to take the blame. It could be the stereotypical cheap owner, the overly-optimistic GM, the money-grubbing agent or the passive player. Not knowing the true facts to be able to properly assign the blame won’t stop it from occurring, including a healthy dose of the usual name-calling.

In the meantime, all the inflammatory headlines and “he said, she said” stuff being written between now and when Holliday’s decision is disclosed is just noise on the line. Some eagerly soak that up. I guess it is good to fill in the time with the talk radio crowd when the obligatory Tiger Woods jokes are exhausted, but to me it is maddening.

Taking it one step further, can you imagine what it will be like with potentially two more years, over 700 days, of Pujols speculation ahead of us to deal with each and every morning, afternoon and evening?

Bottom line, if you feel misled or confused by any part of the Holliday situation, then you just aren’t paying enough attention.

Such is the case currently in Washington. When the Nationals removed the “interim” tag and anointed Jim Riggleman their manager for 2010, the next step for the former Cardinals minor league field coordinator was to hand-pick his coaching staff.

As had been rumored, Cardinals minor league hitting coordinator Dan Radison received Riggleman’s call and will be taking over the Nats’ first base coaching box.

In all fairness, Radison, a highly-respected teacher, had worked with Riggleman during the latter’s previous managerial stints in San Diego and with the Cubs, including 1995-1999 in Chicago. The 59-year-old had also been employed by the Dodgers and both New York organizations in a coaching and scouting career that began in 1984.

Radison returned to the Cardinals in 2006 as Johnson City manager after having been away from the organization for 15 years. He moved into roving instructor duties in 2007 and was named coordinator the next season.

With the Cardinals, Radison was the 2007 winner of the George Kissell Award, given annually to the person across the organization who exhibits the highest level of excellence in player development. He was rewarded for his efforts by taking a September tour with the major league club in at least each of the last two seasons.

In his first tour of duty with the Cards, the St. Louis native managed at Johnson City, Hamilton and then-Double-A Springfield, Illinois from 1986 through 1989. Both his JC clubs finished in first place. Overall, Radison has a dozen years of experience as a minor league skipper with a career record of 622-552 (.530). In his playing days, Radison spent three years in the Cardinals system as a catcher after having been drafted in the 10th round in 1972 out of SIU-Carbondale.

With Radison’s departure, only one member of the Cardinals’ top seven in-uniform minor league coordinators and instructors that were in place in 2007 remains today. Decades of experience have been lost as the dean Kissell passed away, Riggleman, former minor league hitting coordinator Gene Tenace and minor league pitching coordinator Mark Riggins moved on and then-baserunning/outfield instructor Tom Spencer‘s contract was not renewed after he managed Palm Beach last season. Of the seven, only new Batavia manager Dann Bilardello, then the minor league catching coordinator, is still in the organization.

Riggleman and the Nats also retained hitting coach Rick Eckstein, the brother of the former Cardinals shortstop and the 2007 hitting coach in Triple-A Memphis.

Keeping good men down

The Detroit News has a nice article on the Tigers’ version of Ron “Pop” Warner, rising managerial candidate Tom Brookens. Detroit manager Jim Leyland is given props for hiring up-and-comer Brookens, the former Detroit third baseman, to his 2010 coaching staff. Brookens had moved up the Tigers’ minor league managerial food chain, one level at a time.

The article delves into the rarely-discussed fear many managers apparently have in employing their potential replacement. Leyland was offered as an example of having been blocked this way, as the rising star in the Tigers’ system was passed over for openings by then-manager Sparky Anderson in the late 1970′s and early 1980’s.

In contrast, Tony La Russa, who did give Leyland his first MLB coaching job in his Chicago days in 1982, was called “confident and secure” for initially hiring Leyland.

I find that characterization most interesting given that in the last 20 years, La Russa has groomed a total of zero MLB managers. Current third base coach Jose Oquendo has a chance to make the big step, but seems to be getting fewer external interviews for openings this winter compared to last.

La Russa’s staff continuity means deserving candidates on the way up like Warner either have to wait or consider leaving the organization. The last promotion of a minor league coach/instructor/coordinator to St. Louis was Joe Pettini in 2002. Mark McGwire’s recent hire as major league hitting coach was obviously a very unique situation.

I looked into the details of La Russa’s coaches back in May in a two-part series: “La Russa’s coaching legacy”.

Ozzie wants to manage/coach

A logical follow up is to check in on the anti-La Russa protégé, Ozzie Smith. Having managed in this past summer’s Futures Game put The Wizard in control in one Busch Stadium dugout, for three hours at least.

In Springfield, Illinois for an autograph signing session on Saturday, Smith told the State Journal-Register this:

“I will (manage or coach) at some point in time when the time is right,” said Smith, who is 54. “It’s a natural transition to move from the field. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way for me. I look forward to the day when I can.”

It is unclear at what level Ozzie wants to manage. One might assume it is at the major league level. Attempting to do so without minor league grooming would seem to be a big step for anyone, even a Hall of Famer. Have to wonder how he would get along with his players after carrying his La Russa grudge for 13 years running.

Coaching would seem more reasonable. As a point of comparison, Oquendo has only one season of minor league instructing and another one managing, but has since added 11 seasons on the major league staff.

Mr. Rogers loves Boras

A Sunday column from the Chicago Tribune’s Phil Rogers is always good for getting my blood moving. His current lovefest is for Scott Boras, apparently because the agent recruits the best players and sells them to the highest bidder. Now, that is quite the angle.

Rogers rubs the Yankees’ World Series win in the Red Sox’ collective noses by pointing out the Bostonians passed on last year’s Matt Holliday – then-free agent first baseman Mark Teixeira. He paints Cards GM John Mozeliak as this year’s Boras stooge.

What fools those Red Sox were in offering a mere $170 million when the Yanks bid $180! Now, I am not a big fan of Boston’s big-spending ways either, but after having been burned by Boras more than once, at least they appear to be learning.

Here’s hoping Mo has as much backbone as the Sox did in drawing a line and sticking to it.

Pirates replace Reds in Florida State League

The Pittsburgh Pirates have received approval to purchase the Cincinnati Reds’ A-Advanced Florida State League team, which was in Sarasota, Florida, and move it to their spring home in Bradenton.

The Reds needed to make a change in the FSL after relocating their spring camp to Goodyear, Arizona starting in 2010. Their former facility in Sarasota has been taken over by the Orioles, whose A-Advanced club is the Frederick Keys of the Carolina League.

To complete the deal with Pittsburgh, Cincinnati has moved their Single-A affiliate to the Pirates’ former home in Lynchburg, Virginia. The Pirates had been affiliated with the Lynchburg Hillcats of the Carolina League for the last 15 years.

The Palm Beach Cardinals compete in the FSL, where they have been since 1966 with the exception of six years in the Carolina League. They fielded clubs in Prince William in 1997 and 1998 and in Potomac from 1999 through 2002. Details on the Cardinals FSL/CL league history can be found here.

Riggleman had to leave the St. Louis Cardinals organization to get a shot at managing again only to find La Russa still in his way. Yet Riggleman has apparently been successful in his attempt to have the “interim” tag removed from his job as the skipper of the Washington Nationals.

It wasn’t quick or easy as the Nats stretched and strained to reach high up to the top shelf in their exhaustive managerial search, approaching the long-time St. Louis manager to gauge his interest in taking on the woeful National League East club, according to MLB.com.

“La Russa was honored to be considered, but told the Nationals he would retire if he didn’t manage the Cardinals,” a source told the writer.

No offense, but if La Russa wasn’t ready to retire, having to try to instill winning baseball in the Nationals would be enough to drive any man into a rocking chair.

Then again, it didn’t hurt to ask, as the Washingtonians are most familiar with disappointment.

The club finished 59-103 last season, coming off a 102-loss 2008. That is the worst two-year stretch in franchise history that reaches back to the 1969 Montreal Expos, losers of 107 games. The organization has enjoyed exactly one playoff series in 41 years of aggregate .476 baseball.

You can’t blame the Nats for drooling all over themselves over the prospect of pitching guru Dave Duncan working with “draft pick of the decade” Steven Strasburg and the rest of the Nats’ litter. Yet if Duncan was still angry about his lot in life with St. Louis, that shot of Washington consideration may have been all he needed to snap back into reality over just how good he has it in his current situation.

I have nothing specific against the Nats other than their long period of futile efforts on and off the field, though I do find their elongated managerial search disrespectful to the incumbent Riggleman. The former Cardinals minor league player and coach had to endure the same “hanging in limbo” treatment in Seattle one year ago. In that case, the job was given to first-time skipper Don Wakamatsu instead.

It is probably nothing against Riggleman personally, but instead a reflection of the plodding Nationals organization.

Riggleman, who has prior MLB managerial experience with San Diego and Chicago, had returned to the Cardinals in December 2004 and served as their Minor League Field Coordinator until leaving to become Seattle’s bench coach in October 2007.

At the time, the now-57-year-old made it clear his desire was to again manage in the Major Leagues, something he could not accomplish in St. Louis as long as La Russa remained.

Riggleman had spent twelve years playing and coaching in the Cardinals minor league system before becoming the organization’s Director of Player Development in 1988. Whitey Herzog added the former Arkansas manager and to his coaching staff for the White Rat’s final two seasons on the bench, 1989 and 1990.

From there, Riggleman’s travels took him to San Diego and Chicago, where he managed at the major league level for almost seven years, followed by coaching stops with Cleveland and the Dodgers. Including his 33-42 interim stint with the Nats in 2009, Riggleman’s career MLB managerial record is 555-694 (.444).

“The Toronto Blue Jays claimed minor league infielder Mike McCoy off waivers from the Colorado Rockies.”

St. Louis Cardinals fans probably remember McCoy, 28. During spring training 2008, he was traded by the Cardinals to the Baltimore Orioles’ Triple-A affiliate in return for future considerations.

McCoy was originally taken by the Cardinals in the 34th round of the 2002 draft. Primarily a second baseman and shortstop, the versatile right-hander is the consummate utilityman, having also played at third base as well as in the outfield and even pitched in a pinch.

In his sixth season in the Cardinals system, 2007, McCoy reached Triple-A Memphis for the first time, where he batted .247 in 239 at-bats. Overall in his Cardinals career, McCoy posted a .256/.360/.339 line in 2070 minor league ABs.

McCoy moved to Colorado in a trade in June, 2008 and re-signed with the Rockies organization this January. He hit .307 with two home runs, 52 RBIs, 102 runs and 40 steals at Triple-A Colorado Springs in 2009 and was rewarded with his first-ever promotion to the Majors on September 8.

He played winter ball in Mexico each of the last two winters, including this one. We are tracking McCoy’s results in the subscriber-only Winter Leagues Notebook on the main TheCardinalNation.com site.

But this post isn’t about McCoy as much as what he represents – another example of the high value the Toronto Blue Jays seem to place on Cardinals farmhands.

The actions began under former Toronto Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi, and are continuing under his home-grown successor, Alex Antopoulos. The new GM was quoted in Canada’s National Post as saying his team needs to rebuild again, saying they “have to be open-minded to anything.”

Apparently, that includes stocking up on former Cardinals infielders, as they grabbed second baseman Jarrett Hoffpauir off the waiver wire just last week.

Going back further, former Cardinals prospect Cody Haerther was claimed by Toronto from St. Louis two different times. The first was off waivers two years ago, only to have the Cardinals take him back when Toronto tried to clear him the next week.

Last winter, Haerther was left exposed to the Rule 5 draft on the Springfield roster, where he was again claimed by the Jays. At that point, he was not required to be placed onto the 40-man roster and remained in Toronto’s system.

It happened again one year ago when the Cardinals lost reliever Kelvin Jimenez to Toronto on another waiver claim. That time, the Jays waited two weeks to try to slip Jimenez through waivers, but the Chicago White Sox nabbed him.

The focus of the National Post article from where I extracted the Antopoulos quote above was not waiver claims, but instead the future of Jays’ ace Roy Halladay. Perhaps Ricciardi’s final failure was to dangle his 2003 Cy Young Award-winning pitcher in the trade market this summer only to pull him back.

The Canadian paper thinks Toronto is still trying to deal Halladay, who is under contract through the 2010 season at $15.75 million. Four clubs are identified as being the favorites, the Red Sox, Mets, Dodgers and Angels. St. Louis appears as the first name in the second tier, called “Possibilities”.

The writer notes the Cardinals have the financial resources to assume Halladay’s contract and he is a former teammate of Chris Carpenter. He does not mention the money tied up in the Cardinals’ top three starters, their dwindling stash of minor league trade chips nor the fact that most of the excess payroll will probably be applied to the offense, however.

While anything is possible, the idea of the Cardinals taking on Halladay seem far-fetched to me – unless the Jays would like to assume the final three years of Kyle Lohse’s contract, that is.

There is a slight precedence. The Cards saved a year in the Scott Rolen-Troy Glaus trade between the two clubs during the 2007-2008 off-season. Rolen had three years remaining at the time while Glaus had just two in his then-current deal.

The clubs are not common trade partners though. Their last deal prior to the third baseman swap was the Pat Hentgen trade in late 1999. Hentgen, like Halladay a former American League Cy Young Award winner (1996), became a Tony La Russa favorite despite playing in St. Louis just one season, 2000.

Could Halladay be next?

Last winter, the first baseman signed with the Yankees for eight-years, $180 million. That may be a neighborhood in which the Cardinals would not want to live, especially with an Albert Pujols extension that looms even larger still in the planning stages.

From the Cardinals perspective, their direction for next two years seems clear, but things get fuzzy after that. Pujols, who may not be motivated to sign a new offer any time soon, has two years remaining on his current deal.

What happens after 2011?

Manager Tony La Russa is not under contract for 2010, but is expected to return. For at least the last 20 years, he has always signed either two or three-year deals. A new two-year commitment would take La Russa through 2011, like Pujols.

Chris Carpenter is also locked up through 2011, though the club holds a 2012 option. Early in the 2012 season, the ace will turn 37 and has a history of physical problems. Ryan Ludwick will be first-time free agent eligible following the 2011 season, as well.

No matter what happens, the Cardinals 2012 cupboard should not be entirely bare, however. Catcher Yadier Molina and emerging co-ace Adam Wainwright should be around through at least 2012 and 2013, respectively.

Still, in deciding whether or not to sign with St. Louis, could Holliday have concerns about the club’s competitiveness following the 2011 season? Though he would likely never settle for a two-year deal only, there is another possibility – build an early out into a longer-term contract.

It is a strategy Boras has used to his advantage in the recent past.

Boras clients and opting out

During the 2007 World Series, the agent announced that Alex Rodriguez was opting out of his contract with the Yankees due to concerns over the club’s future direction. Of course, it was merely a negotiating ploy to get the New Yorkers to pay more for A-Rod’s services.

It worked to the tune of ten years, $275 million, a new MLB record. It eclipsed Rodriguez’ own ten-year, $252 million deal signed with Texas, of which he completed seven years before tearing it up and starting over.

A year earlier, Boras left the Dodgers high and dry when he sold high on former Cardinals outfielder J.D. Drew. Having led Los Angeles with 100 RBI in 2006, Drew then bailed out of the final three years, $33 million remaining on his five-year, $55 million Dodgers contract.

Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti was understandably angry, stating that Drew had “changed his word”. He also noted that Boras never asked for Drew’s contract to be re-negotiated before they bolted onto the open market.

A free agent again as he was two years earlier, Drew re-emerged as a member of the Boston Red Sox. His new deal was for five years, $70 million.

I have often wondered if Boras’ and Manny Ramirez’ shady act to get Manny out of Boston and into a Dodger uniform wasn’t some kind of payback for the Drew escapade. Even if not, every new contract means a bigger cut for the agent. He never loses – he just wins less on rare occasions.

But back to Holliday and the Cardinals.

Could the wishes of the player, his agent and the club come together to enable a four-, five- or even six-year contract with an out after just two years? Why not?

The slippery slope

If the Cards gave such a deal to Holliday, why would not Albert Pujols expect the same kind of structure? After all, Pujols has been the most vocal of Cardinals players about wanting to ensure the organization fields a competitive team on an ongoing basis.

In fact, maybe Holiday and Pujols could time their perpetual two-year outs to align, regularly holding a pair of big guns to the heads of Cardinals ownership to keep the team strong – or else! La Russa could hang with the bi-annual plan as long as cares to, as well.

The deep pockets of Sox principal owner John Henry and his partners enable them to eat massive contracts like Big Papi consumes… t-bones. It amazes me that while his growing number of mistakes get run out of town, Boston GM Theo Epstein continues to be issued free passes.

A lower-revenue team like St. Louis cannot afford nearly as many missteps. It seems for every Tino Martinez or Adam Kennedy contract the Cardinals have to swallow, the Sox quietly dispose of a handful of Edgar Renterias. The former St. Louis shortstop was sent away from Boston after one year of a four-year deal with $11 million cash pinned to the front of his uniform.

In just the last two years alone, the Cardinals have picked up three Beantown busts. Oddly, the first name of each of the three begin with the letter “J”.

At the 2007 deadline, the Sox were happy to send Joel Pineiro to St. Louis in return for a minor leaguer, Sean Danielson. The former Seattle starter had been signed to a $4 million base deal loaded with closer-type incentives that previous winter.

After failing in Boston, Pineiro had been optioned to the minors at the time of the trade. Less than 90 days after joining St. Louis, he signed a two-year deal for $13 million that looked like a mistake in the first year but is a bargain today.

Shortstop Julio Lugo, like Renteria before him, wore out his welcome with the tough Red Sox crowd. After having designated him for assignment, the Sox ate the remaining $13.5 million on Lugo’s four-year, $36 million deal signed before the 2007 season.

In return for slumping outfielder Chris Duncan, who has since been removed from Boston’s 40-man roster, the Cardinals picked up a year and a half of Lugo’s services with no salary obligation attached. So far, Lugo has posted a line of .343/.392/.567 in spot duty for the Cardinals.

Desperate for shortstop help since dumping Lugo, the Sox unsuccessfully tried journeyman Chris Woodward and now have acquired veteran Alex Gonzalez from Cincinnati. Both are lesser players than the one they already had – Lugo.

Then of course we have Wednesday’s addition of right-hander John Smoltz. The 42-year-old, coming off June 2008 shoulder surgery, signed with the Sox this past winter. He struggled as a starter and did not want to go to the minor leagues to return to relieving, a role in which he excelled previously.

When the Sox released Smoltz, they remained responsible for the remainder of his contract. It has a $5.5 million base, with the Cardinals only liable for a prorated portion of the $400,000 per year minimum salary, about $100,000.

I am conveniently forgetting about a fourth Red Sox reject, pitcher Matt Clement, a name I thought I would never write about again. After having rehabbed him for the better part of two years, the Sox made no effort to re-sign Clement following the 2007 season. The Cards snapped up the former Cubs starter in January, 2008 for $1.5 million. Clement never reached St. Louis and was released from Triple-A Memphis that August after underwhelming results on the mound.

The right-hander had an audition with Toronto this spring, but is now retired from baseball. Clement has become the coach of the men’s basketball team at Butler (PA) High School, his alma mater.

Still, three of four successes wouldn’t be bad, would it? Getting another shot at the Sox with a chance to atone for the 2004 World Series disappointment would be the icing on the cake. No doubt the three jilted “J’s” would receive special satisfaction from participating in an October beatdown of the Beantowners.

Having covered the Colorado Rockies since its inception, the Rocky Mountain News’ Tracy Ringolsby remains well connected with the club and its players, current and past. Writing for FOXSports.com, the Baseball Hall of Fame writer notes that agent Scott Boras is likely in for a busy weekend as six of the remaining 18 unsigned first round draft picks are his clients.

Down the page was a tidbit that could be both concerning and encouraging to St. Louis Cardinals fans.

Revisiting Matt Holliday’s departure from Colorado and his trade to Oakland, Ringolsby noted the Rockies’ failed bid of four years, $72 million with a reminder that his representatives (read that the Boras Corporation) were looking for a “Mark Teixeira-type deal”.

As a footnote, the Yankees first baseman and Boras extracted a commitment of $180 million for eight seasons from New York after jilting the Boston Red Sox.

Looking at Holliday’s results with St. Louis cause one to wonder if he isn’t playing himself back into Teixeira’s price range. His .493/.523/.813 line as a Cardinal is superb. Even though his lofty numbers are not sustainable, Holliday’s impact is indisputable.

In terms of the past, this was Ringlosby’s summary: “Holliday had enjoyed his career with Colorado, and then got a wake-up slap in the face when he was dealt to Oakland.”

Holliday’s poor play with the A’s this season gave critics further ammunition in asserting he was an over-inflated product of Coors Field. Ringolsby offered this quote to help explain the outfielder’s substandard stint with Oakland:

“I think the Rockies looked for the most miserable place possible and dealt him there,” said one (Rockies) teammate.

But here is the quote that may offer St. Louis fans hope:

“Now that he has escaped and landed in St. Louis, there are friends of Holliday who think he will be more aggressive in directing his pending free-agency negotiations.”

Of course, the definition of “more aggressive” remains to be seen, but it could signal intent on Holliday’s part to not sit back and let Boras play his hand.

I am not going to revisit Boras’ history, as I have done that adequately already. Suffice it to say that in a vast majority of the time, 88% by my research, Boras’ free agents not only test the market, they usually change clubs, ala Teixeira.

Optimistic Cardinals fans happily point to the exception to the rule – Kyle Lohse, who by most accounts ordered Boras to settle with the Cards last fall rather than take the risk of being disadvantaged in free agency again.

Lohse was on firm ground as Boras had turned down three years, $21 million for the pitcher to return to the Phillies in 2008. When Boras found no other takers the rest of the winter, Lohse had to accept a cut-rate one-year, $4.5 million deal with the Cardinals with two weeks remaining in spring training. Fast forwarding to when the market contracted last winter, both Boras and Lohse ultimately won with his four-year, $41 million deal signed last September.

Yet other Boras clients have left the Cardinals, such as 2006 post-season star Jeff Weaver. Despite Weaver wanting to return to St. Louis, Boras took him to a disastrous stint in Seattle for more money after turning down St. Louis’ offer.

Perhaps Holliday has wizened to the realities of the business of baseball as a result of the failed negotiations with Colorado and the subsequent bad experience in Oakland.

On the other hand, Holliday’s strong play and the looming spectre of Albert Pujols’ contract extension could mean that with every hit, Holliday further prices himself out of St. Louis’ willingness to pay. While the early vibes from ownership have been positive, there is a lot of ground to be covered before any celebrations can be planned.

In the meantime, Cardinals fans can only wait and wonder.

Dear Sir,

A reader of my website sent me a copies of your articles “Joe Williams: Not Your Normal Prospect” posted on May 18, 2009 and “Does the Cardinals’ signing of Joe Williams have a deeper meaning?”, May 21, 2009.

After fourteen years of pitching major league baseball, I know that writers do not verify everything that they write and I am too old to care. Nevertheless, I have to take exception to something that Mr. Strauss said.

Mr. Strauss wrote,

“Marshall has been seeking audiences with numerous major-league organizations trying to regain a toe-hold in the industry.”

I am working as hard as I can to teach those in professional baseball how to eliminate all pitching injuries. However, I am not trying to regain a toe-hold in the industry, as though I ever had a toe-hold in professional baseball.

However, in your May 18, 2009 article, you got it right.

You wrote,

“Apparently not every organization is constrained by tradition, which has a direct relation to how Williams became a Cardinal. St. Louis Vice President of Scouting and Player Development Jeff Luhnow recently asked Marshall to come down to Extended Spring Training (EST) in Jupiter, FL to meet with his staff.”

The Cardinals invited me to explain how to eliminate pitching injuries. Actually, before spring training 2006, to learn how I train baseball pitchers, the Cardinals sent someone to my Baseball Pitching Research/Training Center. At the end of that session, I had convinced this young man that I knew how to eliminate pitching injuries.

Unfortunately, they decided to go another way.

Then, this spring, Mr. Luhnow invited me to Jupiter, FL and, after my presentation, as you wrote,

“Shortly after, Williams was invited to participate in the Cardinals’ camp, where he must have shown enough to the coaches to snag a contract.”

Joe’s mission was to prove that baseball pitchers I train can pitch every day without discomfort.

That Joe successfully pitched in eight of the thirteen games available apparently convinced the Cardinals that Joe had sufficient talent to invite Joe back into professional baseball.

I believe that, considering the circumstances, Joe did exceptionally well.

That they terminated Joe’s opportunity is unfortunate, nevertheless, it showed Joe that, with a real opportunity, he could become a major league pitcher. Where we go from here is the question.

Lastly, I want to thank you for writing,

“Even that may seem threatening to some, but I wonder what harm could be caused in being open-minded about new and different ways to teach and learn. Still, in a tradition-laden environment like baseball or journalism for that matter, old ways die hard and new ones are notoriously slow to take root.”

Sincerely,

Dr. Mike Marshall

Marshall seems to be a popular subject in the media recently. On Wednesday, The Discovery Channel – Canada ran a seven-minute feature that provides a glimpse of Marshall’s modest Florida facilities and stars Williams in his usual demonstration role. As opposed to the video I ran on Scout which shows Williams throwing various offerings, these clips illustrate a number of the exercises Marshall prescribes.

Marshall is a polarizing figure in organized ball as his methodologies are in conflict with traditional pitching teaching methods. Yet other than the low-risk signing of the 28-year-old Williams, I have seen no indication that the Cardinals are doing anything other than looking into what Marshall has to say.

Even that may seem threatening to some, but I wonder what harm could be caused in being open-minded about new and different ways to teach and learn. Still, in a tradition-laden environment like baseball or journalism for that matter, old ways die hard and new ones are notoriously slow to take root.

This Marshall-Williams situation seems to have resurfaced ongoing problems within the Cardinals organization. In the midst of sharing always-interesting details in his weekly chat on Wednesday, the Post-Dispatch’s Joe Strauss said this in response to a question about Williams:

“Your information is correct and represents an obvious split between player development and the major-league staff. Marshall has been seeking audiences with numerous major-league organizations trying to regain a toe-hold in the industry. A former colleague at the P-D has been working on a tome with Marshall. The Williams signing caught the attention of many in the system and served as a reminder that pitching philosophies are becoming increasingly factionalized. The “classic mechanics” was tested on Adam Ottavino last year with less than positive results. Others in the system believe the concept has value. Minor league pitching instructor Brent Strom also has ideas considered unconventional by many. To the Kool-Aid drinkers, this has little meaning. But to those with eyes wide open, it’s an example of an organization operating on different pages writing different chapters.”

The first and last sentences really make it clear. Strauss, who has as frequent access to the major league staff as anyone not employed by the Cardinals, is clearly pointing out a continuing rift between the Tony La Russa – Dave Duncan staff and the administration of Luhnow.

Later, in response to another question, Strauss came back to the subject, pointing out there are dissenters in other places than just St. Louis.

“Some organizations install a vertical flow chart where major league philosophy is implemented throughout the system. That does not apply with the Cardinals. The defection and firing of a number of instructors since Walt Jocketty’s ouster underscores “new” organizational thinking. The Cardinals retain a number of solid instructors and coaches, especially on the pitching side. However, those instructors are not consulted in crafting philosophy.”

There is no reason to believe that this is an exception to the old line, “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire”. The most relevant question may be to wonder “What will be done about it?”

As many Cardinals fans know, La Russa is in his 14^th season managing in St. Louis and he and his coaches are not under contract for 2010 and beyond.

Luhnow has been with the organization for 5 ½ years with his first draft considered to be the Class of 2005. Of that group, five players have made the majors to date, including the top two picks reaching this season, Colby Rasmus and Tyler Greene. The others are Mitchell Boggs, Nick Stavinoha and Jaime Garcia, all first called up in 2008.

2006 has delivered Chris Perez, Shane Robinson and P.J. Walters to the majors so far. No players from 2007 or 2008 have arrived in St. Louis, though Jess Todd from the former year and Brett Wallace from last June may be closest. None are yet impact players, with Rasmus generally considered to have the best chance.

In a related vein, I must admit that I have received several notes from readers and bloggers alike in recent weeks questioning negative language from certain P-D writers that at times borders on condescending when referring to the farm system and those who cover it. For example, during Strauss’ Wednesday chat, he said the following in addition to the quote above:

“Depth is an issue here, despite what you may have heard about the burgeoning farm system from various media outlets and team mouthpieces.”

“It’s dangerous to drink Kool-Aid while reading your Baseball America.”

“There is NO support within the dugout for promoting Wallace any time soon. It probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to give the kid more than 50 at-bats at Memphis before pulling that trigger. To Wallace’s credit, he has no problem insisting his bat is major league-ready. Apparently he’s been reading a number of Cardinal-related Teen Beat-type blogs.”

At first blush, I admit it was disappointing to read such comments from a pro like Strauss. On the other hand, the “JSL (Live)” format allows Strauss to express himself in a more direct, new-school manner than his traditional articles can likely allow – not unlike a blogger blogging.

Perhaps most importantly, I come back to a point I made above about organizational contacts and orientation. Are these Strauss’ personal feelings, is he reporting the kinds of things he is hearing from the major league staff or some indistinguishable blend of the two?

I’ve discussed minor league coverage with Joe as recently as earlier this month, but didn’t come away with a definitive reading. In hindsight, does it really matter?

It is clear that the Post-Dispatch writers do not speak with one voice, which is certainly good. I still felt it necessary to point out to Joe that Baseball America’s Cardinals writer is one of his P-D peers and one of the fluffiest articles I can recall reading about the Cardinals farm system in the last few years recently ran in his own very newspaper.

Again, I want to be clear that this isn’t about Joe Strauss or any other writer personally. Look at their words and consider where they’re coming from. Everyone has an angle and a perspective.

As Strauss noted on Wednesday in response to another question about the 2010 Cardinals:

“Some of what happens will be dependent on who is managing the club.”

Certainly food for thought.

Over half the staff, seven of the 12, are receiving their initial taste of Double-A ball. Seven of Springfield’s pitchers – the entire bullpen – are making their first career appearances at the level this season, though one, Trey Hearne, pitched in the Mexican League last year. The other six: Tyler Norrick, Kristiam Linares, Elvis Hernandez, Pete Parise, Francisco Samuel (pictured) and Kenny Maiques.

The Double-A Cardinals’ hurlers passed out eight free passes on Friday night and not surprisingly lead the league in walks issued. The alarming total is 58 in just nine games.

It isn’t even close, as the nearest team has issued “just” 46 bases on balls. The number one club, San Antonio, has just given out exactly half the walks of Springfield at 29. Only half of the team’s 12-man staff have more strikeouts than walks.

Too many of those walked batters are crossing the plate too, as the Cardinals pitching staff is carrying an ERA of 5.44. That is sixth in the eight-team Texas League.

While league-leader Corpus Christi’s staff has a solid WHIP of 1.30, the Cardinals are dead last at 1.79. That means Springfield’s pitchers are playing with fire by putting one more runner on base every two innings than are the Hooks.

Springfield’s 4-2 win over Frisco on Saturday indicates a considerable improvement over the previous eight games, for one night at least. Coming into the day, the Cardinals’ ERA of 6.00 was last in the circuit.

Starter Brad Furnish actually saw his 2009 ERA increase to 0.77 despite allowing just one earned run in 6 2/3 innings. The bullpen, specifically Norrick and Samuel, finished up. Norrick allowed an inherited run to cross the plate, but that was it.

One key to the victory was that the three hurlers issued just two bases on balls in total all evening and neither runner scored. Samuel did make things interesting as the game ended with the two Friscans on base as the potential winning runner was retired on a popup.

Despite all the pitching challenges, Springfield has managed a winning record to date by outscoring the opposition. Their 59 runs scored top the Texas League and their 5-4 mark is tied for the lead in the North Division.

One cannot yet consider the corner having been turned based on just a single good evening, however.

Strugglers in the early action are not just limited to the pen. Three of the five members of the rotation, Justin Fiske (8.68), Kyle Mura (11.57) and Tyler Herron (8.44) are pulling high ERAs. To be fair to them, the first two each have just a pair of starts under their belts, while the latter makes his second regular-season start on Sunday at Midland.

Among the new Double-A relievers, only Norrick and Hernandez have WHIPs under 1.74. Norrick (2.57), Linares (2.84) and Parise (3.38) are the only ones with ERAs under 5.50. The latter two may be living on borrowed time however, unless they put fewer runners on base (WHIPs of 1.74 and 1.88 respectively, for Linares and Parise).

Two pen members have ERAs in the double digits, closer Samuel (10.80) and Kenny Maiques (13.50). Maiques leads the walk parade with nine in 2 2/3 innings.

Link to Springfield Cardinals player stats

Link to Texas League team pitching stats

Where are they now?

Check out Cardinals Best News Links for a series on where former Cardinals major and minor leaguers have landed for 2009. So far, US, Mexico and Indy leagues are covered.

Perdomo, the Cardinals’ entire take from Cleveland in the dump trade of former top prospect Anthony Reyes last summer, then pitched for Double-A Springfield last season. The 24-year-old seemed to have assumed Reyes’ role as a prime organizational enigma, while the original, Reyes, can now be found in the Indians’ starting rotation.

In 2009 major league spring training, Perdomo did a credible job for San Francisco, and seemed to have made the team. Instead, he struggled in his last couple of outings and ended up being a surprise late cut.

When not making the Giants and before being able to return to the Cardinals, the right-hander had to be placed on irrevocable waivers, where he was nabbed by the Padres. The Dominican republic native is still required to remain in the majors for the remainder of the 2009 regular season or the waiver process will be repeated.

San Diego has been a popular recent destination for Cardinals relievers that appeared with Double-A Springfield. In addition to Perdomo, now-injured Mark Worrell and Luke Gregerson headed West in the Khalil Greene trade.

Given the struggling status of the Padres, if Perdomo pitches as well for them as he did with the Giants, he has a very good chance of sticking with the West Division club, winners of just 63 games last season and projected by some to be just as bad or worse in 2009.

Cardinals GM John Mozeliak was recently quoted as saying that given the opportunity, his organization would take Perdomo back and assign him to the Triple-A Memphis bullpen. Despite Perdomo not being required to be placed on the 40-man roster if returned, the Cards say they would do it, anyway.

That statement implicitly acknowledges the mistake made by the Cardinals in not protecting Perdomo in the first place. If he is good enough to be placed on the Cardinals’ 40-man roster now, why wasn’t he back in December?

There was room on the roster at that time, just as there is today. The Cardinals protected Matt Scherer, who was one of the first cuts in spring training camp, while Perdomo has proven to be an asset valuable enough to have been wanted by at least two other organizations to compete at the major league level.

If the Cards felt the two relievers were worthy, why weren’t both kept? At a minimum, it is clear that Perdomo had trade value that was wasted by the organization. Instead, all the Cardinals have to show for Perdomo (and therefore, Reyes) is the paltry Rule 5 sum of $50,000.

Other than closer Chris Perez and perhaps recently-converted starter Jess Todd, Memphis seems short of right-handed relievers that could be considered major league ready, a statement that excludes Scherer at this time. Therefore, to suggest Perdomo was redundant or unneeded seems inconsistent with reality.

Note: For those interested in where former Cardinals major and minor leaguers are landing in 2009, make sure you check out Cardinals Best News Links daily.

Glaus out for a long time no matter what you call it

After the big summit meeting this morning that included the Cardinals, doctors and Troy Glaus, the “fresh approach” to treat the slow-to-heal muscle in his right shoulder was set.

Glaus is heading to Arizona to work with a physical therapist. The Cardinals announced the third baseman’s next medical check up would be scheduled around June 1. In case you missed it – that is two months from now.

Even if he would be ready then to pick up a bat and ball, most of June would be lost in rehabbing. Our original estimate of somewhere between June 1 and mid-season for Glaus’ return looks more and more accurate every day.

Glaus had begun to throw as well as hit from a tee but had to cease all baseball-related activities two weeks ago. Yet the Cardinals had recently been playing word games, insisting the recent problem was a “plateau” instead of a setback.

What would you call it when a mid-April return turns into a “sometime after June 1” estimate? How about “disappointing”?

Glaus himself said early in camp that his goal was to play in Florida and be ready to start the season. How about mid-season, Troy?

Knoedler upset

Assigned to Memphis in the first cuts of the spring, catcher Justin Knoedler was upset when he learned of his release Tuesday morning by checking the posted minor league rosters and noticing his name was missing.

The Cardinals must have had a mix-up as I know from personal experience that they do not release names to the media until after players have been contacted. I would imagine that also applies to posting rosters.

It is a shame for Knoedler, but that isn’t business-as-usual for the organization.

“Cardinals Backing Colby Rasmus into a Corner”

It is an interesting title, designed to grab reader attention, I guess. The whole focus of the P-D article is how Colby Rasmus, a centerfielder his entire career, is now being asked to play the corners as well.

I am not sure of the news here, as it has been going on all spring. Surely some of Rasmus’ defensive bumps in Florida have been due to playing left and right, but he needs to be versatile enough to handle all three positions if he wants to be a major leaguer, IMHO.

Redbirds sales lack energy

The Memphis paper appealed to local civic pride in asking residents to come out to games with the Cardinals on Friday night and Saturday afternoon. Two years ago, the last time the Cards played there at AutoZone Park, attendance was over 15,000. Current pace is about half that.

Redbirds president Dave Chase implied the low level of activity over the winter by the MLB club is what is behind the slow sales, rather than the economy, as other local sports are still drawing well.

“This year it’s been so quiet. That same energy’s not there,” Chase told the Commercial-Appeal.

My take is that if there is no energy, then someone needs to create it. The Redbirds should have their best team in some time and are coming off a very good 2008 season.

Over on Scout.com this morning, I wrote about the Friday pitching match up of Chris Carpenter and P.J. Walters. If that won’t generate local interest, someone should check their collective pulse.

Update: Carpenter has been scratched from Friday’s start due to a mild and previously-unknown calf injury that does not put his game four start in jeopardy. Interesting. Walters will still start on Friday, but for St. Louis instead, against a bullpen crew for Memphis. Saturday is Joel Pineiro versus Mitchell Boggs.

Spivey’s comeback over

Second baseman Junior Spivey, attempting a comeback after apparently being out of baseball last year, was released by the New York Mets from their minor league camp on Tuesday. He played for Memphis in 2006.

2008 Cardinals left-handed reliever Ron Villone was released by the Mets earlier in the week.

Ludwick an anomaly

I ran across an interesting article in the Palm Beach Post that says only 21 players who hit right-handed and throw left-handed have appeared in MLB over the last 40 years since baseball split into divisions.

Two of them are active today and both are outfielders currently training in Jupiter, Florida – Cody Ross of the Florida Marlins and Ryan Ludwick of the Cardinals.

Yadi hitting second – not an April Fool’s joke

Tony La Russa told MLB.com that he might consider continuing to use Yadier Molina in the number two spot in his batting order during the regular season. Given Molina’s lack of foot speed, it seems a most odd choice to hit him behind leadoff man Skip Schumaker and in front of Albert Pujols.

Batting sixth or seventh much of last season, Molina ground into a team-leading 21 double plays in 2008 and has 68 in a career that began in 2004.

“It’s an issue,” La Russa said to MLB.com. “But everything’s an issue in front of Albert [Pujols]. If he moves him over to second and the base is open, then you need a fourth-place hitter [to protect Pujols].”

I have to admit that I don’t understand La Russa’s logic and hope he forgets the idea quickly.

“Is Motte the man?”

This is the question the Post-Dispatch posed to a group of their writers the other day. Is Jason Motte the one to be the Cardinals closer?

One of the columnists actually said the following. Honest.

“TLR could test him in the “Marmol Role” a few times while seeing if Ryan Franklin is more prepared this season to close. If Franklin gets it done, the veteran could stay there for a stretch.”

Raise your hand if you think Franklin’s preparation is the reason why he failed as closer in 2008.

Not a single one of the writers mentioned what I believe to be the most important factor behind La Russa not naming Motte.

If I was Tony and Dave Duncan, I would want to see how the unproven Motte reacts to the inevitable blown save. How does he handle it on the mound, in the clubhouse and the next day?

There is no stat line or radar gun that measures how a player deals with adversity.

• Justin Knoedler
• Ricky Noland
• Dylan Gonzalez
• Davis Bilardello
• Ryan Bird
• J.D. Stambaugh
• Josh Hester (pictured)

Of the list, the first two are catchers while the other five are pitchers. Two of them are left-handed.

It was a bad day for second-generation Cardinals as two sons of team employees were among the released players, Bilardello and Gonzalez.

Knoedler was on Memphis’ working roster, Bird, Bilardello and Stambaugh were competing for spots with Palm Beach while the others were fighting for a place on the Quad Cities club and apparently were considered too old and/or did not show enough to compete for one of the short-season clubs in extended spring training coming up.

Justin Knoedler, 28, was seemingly brought in to become the Cardinals’ third catcher, ready in Memphis for a call, as was veteran Mark Johnson last season. He had cups of coffee with the San Francisco Giants in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Yet amid whispers of being a defensive disappointment, Knoedler was a surprise name among the first cuts from major league camp.

With Matt Pagnozzi, Bryan Anderson, Steven Hill, Tony Cruz and Brandon Yarbrough all at the top two levels of the system, there seemed no place for Knoedler to go, other than to be released. I am not surprised by this move in the least.

Also a catcher, Rickey Noland was signed by the Cardinals as a non-drafted free agent last June from Division II Delta State University. The 23-year-old batted .231 in just 39 at-bats for Johnson City of the Appalachian League during 2008.

Dylan Gonzalez was taken by the Cardinals in the 31^st round in the 2007 Draft from Pepperdine. The 24-year-old right-hander posted a 2.66 ERA in 20 games of relief for Johnson City in 2007, but struggled at times with Quad Cities last season. There, his ERA was 5.31 as he fanned 41 in 42 1/3 innings while walking 15. Dylan is the son of Cards area scout Charlie Gonzalez..

The son of Cardinals minor league catching coordinator Dann Bilardello, Davis Bilardello is a 24-year-old left-handed pitcher taken in the 43^rd round of the 2007 Draft from the University of South Florida. Between Batavia in 2007 and Palm Beach in 2008, his ERA was 4.21 as he struck out 45 but issued 31 free passes in 72 2/3 career innings.

A minor league free agent signing last October, Ryan Bird was a 2008 standout in the independent Frontier League, where he paced the circuit in wins and strikeouts and was third in ERA. The 24-year-old right-hander from St. Louis University apparently couldn’t carry over that indy ball success to his time with the Cardinals.

J.D. Stambaugh is a 24-year-old lefty originally taken in the 25^th round of the 2007 Draft from Brigham Young. His 3.15 ERA during 2007 with Batavia ranked in the top ten of the New York-Penn League, but he found less success with Quad Cities in 2008. There he registered a 6.43 ERA over 35 innings, with four starts and 11 relief appearances and missed time due to injury.

Josh Hester was the earliest draft pick of the group, having been selected in the 16^th round of the 2008 Draft from Freed Hardeman University. The 23-year-old righty was a tandem starter for short-season Batavia last summer, where he appeared in 14 games, including seven starts. He posted a 2-2 record with a 4.31 ERA, striking out 47 and walking just nine in 48 innings with better results as a reliever than as a starter.

Two are newcomers to the organization, four are former free agent signings, two are from the 2007 Draft (rounds 20 and 45) and one was taken in last June’s Draft (round 24). Seven of the nine are right-handed relievers, one is a left and the only position player in the group is a third baseman.

The Korean right-hander Choi had previous minor league experience in the Cleveland system in 2007. The Cardinals organization had signed the 37-year-old at the end of February.

Haltiwanger, 24, was selected by the Cardinals from the Kansas City Royals in the minor league phase of last December’s Rule 5 Draft and as such, should be offered back to them. The right-hander was originally taken by the Reds in the 29th round of the 2005 Draft.

Mikrut (pictured), 26, was signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2005. The right-hander started out strongly with Palm Beach last season, earning a promotion to Double-A Springfield. There, he posted a 4.25 ERA in 65 2/3 innings over 44 games. He fanned 46 and walked 20.

The 23-year-old third baseman Cartie spent the entire 2008 season with the A-Advanced Palm Beach Cardinals where he batted .264 with three home runs and 35 RBIs in 77 games. He became a Cardinal via the 20th round of the 2007 Draft.

Pitts, 23, was taken in the 24th round of the 2008 Draft from Louisville. The right-handed pitcher went 0-4 for Batavia of the New York-Penn League with a 2.70 ERA and an opposing batting average .207 compiled while starting and relieving.

After signing with the Cards in June 2007 as a non-drafted free agent, left-handed reliever Matt Spade pitched in the Gulf Coast League, for Johnson City and Quad Cites, where he ended 2007 and pitched for all of 2008. The 21-year-old had a 3.61 ERA in 47 games last season. He struck out 48 and walked 24 in 52 1/3 innings.

Daman, 24, a right-handed reliever, also signed as a free agent in June 2007. Between Palm Beach and Quad Cities, he pitched in 40 games last season, posting a 3.29 ERA while fanning 57 and walking 24 in 68 1/3 innings.

Right-hander Jose Mateo, 22, was signed back in 2005 as a non-drafted free agent from the Dominican Republic. He spent all of the 2008 season with Johnson City except for a end-of-season start with Palm Beach. With JC, he had a 3-1 record with a 3.63 ERA and two saves. He walked seven batters in 34 2/3 innings pitched, and struck out 29 batters.

Maj was taken in the 45th round of the 2007 Draft out of Abilene Christian. The 23-year-old right-handed reliever reached Quad Cities last season after starting the season with Batavia. Across the two stops, he walked just eight batters while striking out 54 in 60 innings last season. His combined ERA was 4.20.

Tuesday’s opponents: Camp day as the MLB team is off, too. Games will be in the morning, at 10:15 a.m. plus or minus 15 minutes – or plus more if there is rain. Guess I will find out for sure then…

Memphis lost to New Orleans, 9-4

Memphis pitching

Brandon Dickson, 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K’s

Hyang-Nam Choi was the losing pitcher – 2 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 2 K’s

Katsuiko Maekawa – 1.2 IP, 5 H, 4 unearned runs, 1 BB, 2 K’s

Ian Ostlund – 2.1 perfect innings with a K

Memphis hitting

Mark Shorey – 2-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI

Jarrett Hoffpauir, 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI

Mike Folli doubled and walked

Bryan Anderson and Casey Rowlett singled

Springfield lost to Jacksonville, 7-2

Springfield pitching

Shaun Garceau started and took the loss – 3 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 1 BB

Tyler Herron threw two perfect innings with 3 K’s

Russ Haltiwanger allowed three runs on two hits and two walks in his inning of work

Pete Parise and Francisco Samuel each pitched a perfect inning

Springfield hitting

Donovan Solano was 2-for-3 with an RBI with the only multi-hit game for Springfield

Jim Rapoport and Tyler Henley doubled

Brett Wallace, Tony Cruz, Andrew Brown, and Brandon Buckman all singled

Palm Beach lost to Jupiter, 15-12

Palm Beach pitching

Ryan Bird allowed two earned runs on two hits in his two innings

Jared Bradford – 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K’s

Thomas Eager – 2 IP, 4 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 1 K

Wayne Damon – 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K’s

Adam Reifer allowed one run on back-to-back opposite field doubles that both kicked up chalk, fanned two hitters in one IP.

Palm Beach hitting

Curt Smith 2-for-3 with a walk, double, homer and 3 RBIs

Colt Sedbrook 2-for-3 with 2 runs scored, a walk,  SB and HR

Adron Chambers was 2-for-3 with a triple, a SB and 5 RBIs

Oliver Marmol wsa 2-for-4 with a run scored and RBI

Tommy Pham and Jon Edwards each doubled

Bryan Cartie singled and had two walks

Quad Cities #1 lost to Greensboro, 9-6

QC #1 pitching

Scott McGregor 2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K’s

Jameson Maj, 2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K’s

Dylan Gonzalez, 2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K’s

Jose Mateo, 2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

David Carpenter, one shutout inning, 1 H, 1 K

QC#1 hitting

Rickey Noland 3-for-3

Chris Swauger had an RBI triple and two walks

Brian Buck walked twice, had a single and scored three runs

Brett Lilley, Domnit Bolivar and Beau Riportella all singled and walked.  Bolivar also had a backhand diving play at 3^rd

Jose Garcia tripled and scored a run

Quad Cities #2 defeated Marlins 5^th team, 5-3

QC #2 pitching

Josh Hester two shutout innings, 2 hits, 1 BB, 2 K’s

Santo Maertz 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K’s

LaCurtis Mayes 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 2 K’s

Joel Pichardo 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K’s and was the winner

Jose Rada earned the save with a scoreless 9^th with two K’s

QC #2 hitting

Paul Cruz 3-for-3 with two doubles and a walk

Roberto De La Cruz homered and had two RBIs

Edwin Gomez and Luis Polanco doubled

Michael Swinson singled and had three walks

Yunior Castillo, Edgar Lara and Jairo Martinez all singled

These reports are provided through the courtesy of the St. Louis Cardinals by Director of Minor League Operations John Vuch. My observations follow.

As mentioned earlier, five minor league players were released this morning. They include second baseman Isa Garcia, left-handed pitcher Joe Rogers, right-handed pitcher Miguel Flores, catcher Christian Rosa and third baseman Nick Vera.

It is just coincidental yet interesting in a symmetric sort of way that the minor league camp picked up five players the same day they jettisoned five others. That all changed after the game, as noted in the Memphis section below. The re-assigned players are typically given a day off when that occurs. Expect a couple more sets of cuts before camp breaks.

Following are the lineups and scheduled pitchers from the five games on the day. Memphis played on a single field with the other four clubs playing in a quad that made viewing those multiple games a bit easier.

Lineup	Memphis	Springfield	Palm Beach	Quad Cities 1	QC 2
1	Barton cf	Rapoport cf	Pham	Lilley 2b	Castellanos 2b
2	Hoffpauir 2b	Solano ss	Sedbrook	Buck cf	Cruz dh
3	Stavinoha lf	Wallace 3b	Smith 1b	Swauger lf	Lara rf
4	Craig 3b	Cruz dh	Peterson	Scruggs 1b	Martinez 1b
5	Hamilton 1b	Jones lf	Luna 2b	Bolivar 3b	De La Cruz 3b
6	Shorey rf	Hill c	Edwards	Parejo rf	Gomez lf
7	Anderson c	Descalso 2b	Curtis 3b	Rodriguez dh	Swinson cf
8	Rowlett ss	Brown rf	Cartie	Noland c	Polanco c
9	Knoedler dh	Buckman 1b	Derba c	Garcia ss	Castillo ss
10	Yarbrough dhh		Marmol	Riportella dh	Moscatel dh
11			Chambers
Pitchers	Dickson	Garceau	Bird	McGregor	Hester
	Choi	Herron	Bradford	Maj	Maertz
	Maekawa	Haltiwanger	Eager	Gonzalez	Mayes
	Ostlund	Parise	King	Mateo	Pichardo
	Salas	Samuel	Daman	Carpenter	Rada
			Reifer

Since I spent Sunday with Memphis and Springfield, I watched more of Palm Beach here on Monday than I might normally do.

Memphis notes

Jarrett Hoffpauir moved over to his normal second base post, swapping back with Casey Rowlett to shortstop. I imagine Tyler Greene will be in the latter position tomorrow.

P.J. Walters was sent down from the major league camp following his three shutout inning performance on Monday. By Tuesday morning, Scout.com subscribers should look for an interview I did with him today.

Earlier in the day, it was announced that right-handed reliever Luke Gregerson was the second player, the player to be named later, in the Khalil Greene trade with San Diego.

Springfield notes

Note Andrew Brown in right field for Springfield. That might help to suggest how the Cardinals will deal with the Brown-Brandon Buckman-Mark Hamilton logjam at first base.

Palm Beach notes

I realize there are 11 players listed for Palm Beach and I cannot explain why, short of three designated hitters. The line-ups also did not list positions, so I labeled the infielders, the only ones I am sure of.

Even before his big day offensively on Monday, Adron Chambers is a player mentioned to me as a potential surprise of the spring. During the part of the game that I saw, he plated five runs on a bases-loaded triple and later added a two-run single. It will be interesting to see if he can break out this season.

Speaking of triples, Chris Swauger added a two-run three-bagger of his own.

As noted above, Ryan Bird was the starter. He yielded a two-run home run early, but the wind was blowing out to right.

Aaron Luna was at second base and the most current working roster has him there instead of in the outfield. Probably because I was watching, he made a fielding error. Another potential member of the 2009 Palm Beach infield is third baseman Jermaine Curtis, who is not being tried at second.

Colt Sedbrook and Curt Smith (see photos) went back-to-back, both to left field. Sedbrook’s home run was up in the breeze, while Smith’s was more of a line drive.

Injury updates

There were questions about some of the players listed in the “rehab” category yesterday in the Minors spring training groups post. The good news is there are no surgeries involved and all players are working their way back.

Jon Bravo suffered a bit of shoulder soreness earlier, but is just behind in his preparation. Nothing serious.

Josh Dew had some elbow soreness. He is playing catch, but has not progressed to the mound. As a result, he may not be ready for the start of the season.

Matt Arburr suffered an ACL injury (knee ligament) in the off-season and is just doing light activities so far. He is not hitting yet, so will not be ready for the start of the season.

Mark McCormick is progressing to the point he will be able to pitch live batting practice. Obviously, he is not yet game ready.

The lighter side of the news

If you’ve read this far, you probably are still wondering what the lead photo is about. Around 5:30 p.m., Brendan Ryan and Joe Mather passed the media room at Roger Dean by on a pair of loaned bicycles on their way to a local sandwich shop. The fun-loving guys posed for this very intense photo. (That’s a toothbrush behind Ryan’s ear.)

The roommates don’t have specific plans for the day off Tuesday. Here’s hoping they stay off the streets of Jupiter!

On Friday, Colorado’s Brad Hawpe injured his hand when it was stepped on and spiked on a play at second base. (Note to Skip Schumaker: Please stop sliding head-first!) As a result, Hawpe, previously named a starting outfielder, bowed out of the World Baseball Classic.

Hawpe’s move was on the heels of Cleveland’s Grady Sizemore also suffering a injury that will keep him out of the WBC. With two of Davey Johnson’s starting outfielders out, do you suppose Ryan Ludwick regrets his decision to not join Team USA because he was not guaranteed a starting role?

Villone joins Mets

On Saturday, free agent left-handed reliever Ron Villone signed a minor league deal with a spring training invite from the New York Mets. Was it just coincidence the contract was announced the day after the Cardinals spanked the Mets staff for one run per inning?

It is a deal just like he signed with the Cardinals last spring. To make the Mets, Villone may require another break like he received last spring when Tyler Johnson couldn’t answer the bell.

Mulder still looking

With the Villone signing, only Mark Mulder remains unsigned from the group of six Cardinals free agent pitchers. The list included Braden Looper (Milwaukee), Jason Isringhausen (Tampa Bay), Russ Springer (Oakland), Randy Flores (Colorado), and Tyler Johnson (Seattle).

In January, ESPN’s Buster Olney wrote that Mulder could be a “hidden gem” among this year’s crop of free agents. Apparently the cost of diamonds is depressed as Mulder is still jobless. Returning to his initial club of Oakland is rumored once the lefty actually throws for scouts.

Choi gets NRI

A repeat of the embarrassing situation that resulted when Tony La Russa publicly complained about not having enough arms in camp to the point he floated the idea of borrowing pitchers from his team’s opponent was apparently averted when Hyang-Nam Choi was added to major league spring training.

The 37-year-old Korean was signed just last month. He previously pitched in the minors for Cleveland in 2006.

I’ve kept my Cardinals NRI list up to date, which notes seven additional pitchers since the original rosters were announced. With that, there are now 61 players in camp, which is just one away from the team’s average from 1996 through 2008.

Mortensen’s MRI was negative

Choi’s NRI was due to Clayton Mortensen’s MRI. OK, not exactly, but the former supplemental first rounder is on the sidelines indefinitely due to elbow discomfort. Choi was added to offer another arm.

Harris salutes Cards

13^th round draft pick Mitch Harris, a right-handed pitcher from Navy, signed a minor league deal with the Cardinals on Saturday. Currently on active duty and committed to four more years of the same, Harris and the Cardinals have to hope the Navy changes their policy sooner. Otherwise, Harris will have quite the challenge as a pushing-30 year old first-time professional.

17 “agree to terms”

The Cardinals “came to terms” on 2009 contracts with 17 players with less than three years of MLB service time. These players technically can negotiate, but realistically were obligated to take what was offered as long as they receive the major league minimum. That will change when they become arbitration eligible in a year or more down the road.

In a subscriber-only article at Scout.com on Saturday, I listed the service time of all 17 and forecasted when each will become arbitration eligible.

Spring training schedule update

On Saturday, I updated the master Cardinals spring training radio and television schedule to include additional XM satellite radio broadcasts. Keep checking back there all month long as more games are added to Gameday audio, XM and MLB.TV.

My opening day roster predictions

I went on record last week at Scout.com with my forecast for the opening day Cardinals roster (subscription required). Rather than list all 25, here are the players I have on the outside looking in:

Pitchers: Boggs, Hawskworth, Manning, Motte, Ostlund (NRI), Scherer

Infielders: T. Greene, Hoffpauir, Wallace (NRI)

Outfielders: Barton, Stavinoha, Rasmus (NRI)

Photo day

I’ve posted the results of 2009 photo day for the Cardinals pitchers/catchers and position players. If you’re not a Scout.com subscriber, you can still access the new photos from each individual player profile page.

Speaking to USAToday, Selig was asked about the rekindled steroids furor.

“This is breaking my heart, I don’t mind telling you that,” the commissioner said.

Asked if he would consider reinstating Hank Aaron as the all-time home run king and adding an asterisk or some other notation to the statistics of Barry Bonds, Rodriguez and others involved in baseball’s steroid controversy, Selig offered faint hope.

“Once you start tinkering, you can create more problems. But I’m not dismissing it. I’m concerned. I’d like to get some more evidence,” Selig said.

That suggestion caused a furor all over the game as foxholes were dug even deeper over the wide-ranging potential impact of re-writing the record books. Among the reactions was from Aaron himself. Secure in his legacy and always graceful even as there is turmoil all around, Hammerin’ Hank simply said that Bonds can keep his record.

Selig was also asked what he might do about A-Rod.

“It was against the law, so I would have to think about that,” Selig said of possible action against Rodriguez. “It’s very hard. I’ve got to think about all that kind of stuff.”

Of course, there seems no chance A-Rod will be punished any more than any of the other players named in previous steroid cases did. Selig knows any action would be akin to declaring war against the Players Union, something that just isn’t going to happen.

He knows that. We all know that. So why not be open and honest about it?

Instead, the master of the “I’ll have to study this” continues to feed his personal brand of pablum to the hungry masses. I, for one, am not eating it up.

Selig has a long and consistent history in terms of dealing with controversial matters, using time-tested techniques of conflict avoidance.

Step one: Express deep-felt personal concern.

Step two: Make vague comments suggesting the matter might be resolved.

Step three: Vow to study the issue.

Step four: If at all possible, avoid ever discussing it again.

Step five: If pressed, state progress is being made.

Step six: Repeat steps one through five as necessary.

Step seven: Finally take action only if absolutely forced to do so, preferably by appointing a study committee. Rinse and repeat.

Without going anywhere near the Mitchell Report or any further into other steroids-related subjects, here is a look at some key topics in recent times and Selig’s responses.

May 2006 – Fans nationwide are outraged over complicated and illogical MLB television blackout rules.

“I don’t understand (blackouts) myself,” Selig said at a luncheon with the Baseball Writers Association of America. “I get blacked out from some games.”

“Right now,” he said, “I don’t know what to do about it. We’ll figure it out.”

“I hear more about people who can’t get the game,” Selig said, “and, yes, I’ve already told our people we have to do something about it.”

Almost three years later, despite being “spurred on by thousands of letters from angry fans”, according to Yahoo Sports, the blackout policy has been tabled in multiple ownership meetings over the last several years and is not on track to be resolved for 2009.

Result: No resolution

November 2007 – GMs endorse instant replay by 25-5 vote.

For years an outspoken opponent of instant replay in any form, Selig was seemingly finally outgunned by the clubs when in November 2007, general managers voted 25-5 in favor of exploring the use of instant replay on a limited basis.

Still dragging his feet despite the clear mandate, as recently as a July 15 “Town Hall Meeting” on MLB.com, Selig was asked directly if he was going to institute instant replay in 2008.

“I am not,” Selig said flatly.

While acknowledging the matter was under study, his comments remained guarded and non-committal.

Selig finally caved after several embarrassing high-profile blown calls on home runs affected game outcomes. On September 3, instant replay was used for the first time in MLB history. Most ironically, the first call was to reaffirm an Alex Rodriguez home run in Tampa.

Result: Stall until being forced into action

July 2008 – 15 inning All-Star Game exposes rosters with too few players – again.

Stung by his embarrassing decision to have to declare the 2002 All-Star Game in his own Miller Park in Milwaukee a tie (remember the unfortunately timed “This time it really counts” marketing slogan?), Selig had a flashback this past summer, as both teams nearly ran out of pitchers during the 15-inning All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium.

Selig told the AP that he was considering expanding All-Star rosters by two pitchers to ensure that position players wouldn’t have to take the mound if the game again goes well into extra innings.

In a positive, the commissioner did rule out gimmicky alterations of the rules to conclude an extra-inning All-Star game more quickly such as the approach tested at the Beijing Olympics. There, each team’s at-bat starting in the 11th inning began with runners on first and second.

“It’s meant to be played to completion,” Selig said. “I thought we had forever solved the problem, and we had. Everything we did worked, but we may put an additional safeguard in.”

Result: No resolution

August 2008 – Manny Ramirez dogs his way out of Boston so he and agent Scott Boras can hit the free agent market.

The Boston Red Sox held club options at $20 million per season for the services of outfielder Manny Ramirez in both 2009 and 2010. His new agent Scott Boras would not receive commission on those options if exercised. Both agent and player likely saw the opportunity to make more on the open market.

Allegations included Boras telling the Sox that Manny would play hard for the rest of the 2008 season if they would agree to not to pick up the options, a claim Boras of course denied.

When the Sox were forced to trade Manny, a condition of the deal with the Dodgers was to decline the two option years. Ramirez and Boras are reportedly asking for $25 million per season over three years, but as of now, Manny is unsigned.

From the Boston Globe last August:

“…Bud Selig directed Major League Baseball executive vice president Rob Manfred to contact all parties for an explanation of how things unfolded around last week’s trading deadline.”

Result: No action

My final example epitomizes the “no-decision” reign of Selig.

January 1973 – Owners vote in the use of the designated hitter in the American League for a three-year trial.

Sort of like Gilligan and the Skipper on their seemingly-endless three-hour cruise, the issue of the designated hitter remains lost at sea after 36 years.

I am not here to debate the merits of or concerns about the DH, though I admit that I do have strong personal opinions. Instead, my point is that an entire generation of fans has grown up with a rule that is inconsistent across the two leagues, something that is clearly unique in sports.

There have been many resulting complications, including artificial interleague and post-season play advantages received as a result of the lack of standardization.

Instead of getting to the bottom of the inequity, in 2005, Selig made the ridiculous suggestion of using AL rules in NL parks during interleague play and vice-versa, as if that would solve anything. Needless to say, that generated little to no support from anyone.

In the same “Town Hall Meeting” this past July noted above, Selig re-affirmed the non-status status of the DH. He doesn’t even call this issue a back-burner one.

“(The DH) Hasn’t been debated for at least 25 to 30 years,” Selig concluded.

“So other than some catalytic event occurring, I think that’s the way it’s going to stay. I think, look, the game has grown like it never has. We’re going to set another attendance record. So I guess I have to say our fans accepted it pretty well.”

Result: No action planned

There you have it. Whether broken or not, the game has been making gobs of money, so that tells Selig and the owners that fans are accepting of pretty much everything.

I could go on, but you get the idea. These issues and many more that have been festering for months and in some cases, years, will soon be pushed back into the headlines as the 2009 season approaches.

For those currently worried that Selig will seriously try to change baseball records or discipline A-Rod. Forget it.

If the pressure gets really strong, expect a committee to nowhere to be assigned. Add in generous amounts of additional time to deal with owners or the Players Union or the umpires association or Congress or whoever else has an opinion.

In the meantime, be prepared for more concerned quotes being generated with precious little results to follow.

That represents the midpoint between the $3.3 million Ankiel and agent Scott Boras requested and the $2.35 million the Cardinals originally offered. The 29-year-old pitcher-turned-outfielder hit 25 home runs in 413 at-bats in his first season as a full-time outfielder in the majors in 2008. The left-handed hitter can become a free agent following the 2009 season.

Even in compromise, Ankiel came out a winner. The increase of $1.85 million is 190%, or just under twice the amount of his 2008 salary of $975,000. Put another way, Ankiel came just $100,000 short of tripling his previous season’s pay.

In a press release Thursday, Cardinals’ Vice President/General Manager John Mozeliak said, “We are excited to get this deal done and put the process behind us. Everyone felt that this agreement was fair to both parties and we can now look forward to another strong season of play from Rick.”

I am surprised, but positively so. I had expected the two sides to battle it out and let the arbiters decide. Instead, settling at the midpoint seems most fair for both sides. It is refreshing to see the arbitration process work as designed – to encourage compromise rather than conflict.

Outfielder Ryan Ludwick is the last of the five Cardinals arbitration-eligible players to come to terms. His hearing is scheduled in Phoenix next Tuesday, February 17. Ludwick has requested $4.25 million while the Cardinals have offered $2.8 million.