The Cardinal Nation blog

Comparing St. Louis Cardinals spring vs. regular season batting average and ERA during the 2000-2009 period.

St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa didn’t mince words when asked about the Ryan Howard-Albert Pujols trade rumor.

The man behind the Mark McGwire media plan has lost a couple of high-profile gigs.

Long-time St. Louis Cardinals scout received his profession’s highest honor.

Offering up some links to interesting St. Louis Cardinals-related reading around the web.

St. Louis Cardinals prospects stack up very differently when looking at potential contribution at the major league level this season.

Just for fun, not for keeps, we’ll take a quick look at where the 2010 Cardinals line up with the gamblers.

The St. Louis Cardinals’ GM isn’t considered by a Sports Illustrated writer to be among the top half in his field.

With Thursday’s first spring training game upon us, I looked at St. Louis Cardinals spring records during the La Russa era with an eye toward the regular season.

Catch me talking St. Louis Cardinals spring training baseball news with Matt Perrault and Ken Miller on KXnO FOX Sports Radio 1460 in Des Moines today (Wednesday) at 5:45 p.m. Central.

Joe Torre recounts the story of how the Yankees wanted him as GM and Tony La Russa as manager back in October 1995. Imagine how the MLB landscape might have changed.

The name of the venerable author and humorist may be added to the highway currently honoring the former St. Louis Cardinals slugger.

Having last pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals in October, John Smoltz was in the news this weekend – on the political pages.

In an odd twist, the wrong McGwire may turn out to be the family’s anti-steroid spokesman.

St. Louis Cardinals prospect Mark Hamilton may be just as blocked in the outfield as he is at his natural position, first base.

McGwire family story and association with Yardbarker leads to repeat national exposure for St. Louis Cardinals-oriented blog.

Jay McGwire’s book is coming out. Here is hoping his family members aren’t actually surprised.

The St. Louis Cardinals full system rosters are refreshed to reflect spring training camps, both major and minor league.

Reaction to MLB’s new weapons policy beyond St. Louis Cardinal Ryan Franklin’s widely-reported remarks.

One man’s view of those to consider following on Twitter for St. Louis Cardinals-major and minor league-related information.

Stan Musial isn’t the oldest or even second-oldest former St. Louis Cardinals player living. The latter is the relatively-unknown Freddie Schmidt.

The St. Louis Cardinals have announced a new program to add money to tickets for spending at the ballpark. Like anything, there are both benefits and risks.

The St. Louis Cardinals coaching staff is full of former middle infielders, starting with the manager.

A look at St. Louis Cardinals second base non-roster invitees over the last five seasons.

The drunken driver who killed a St. Louis Cardinals fan and seriously injured another in Philadelphia last summer accepts a pair of guilty pleas.

A series of short news items including a serious plea with a bit of self-promotion sprinkled in.

Spring training television and radio plans for the 2010 St. Louis Cardinals.

A St. Louis Cardinals promotional program new to some has them strangely angry.

A series of somewhat-related, somewhat non-related newspaper-oriented items in the news.

Former Giants media relations director labels any plan “naïve” that keeps Mark McGwire from answering further questions about his past.

What might the St. Louis Cardinals have seen in the second base market next year had they not locked up Skip Schumaker for 2011?

In addition to a change in personnel, the St. Louis Cardinals Midwest League affiliate’s games will no longer be on radio.

A quick check of recent news items pertaining to the St. Louis Cardinals’ chief rivals from Chicago.

Recent remarks by Tony La Russa rekindle questions about his post-managing future.

Trying to make the St. Louis Cardinals rotation in 2010, Kyle McClellan’s results in his first two major league camps were dramatically different.

Wanting to set the record straight about his contract status, the Cardinals first baseman takes his story directly to the fans.

FOX Sports will carry eight St. Louis Cardinals Saturday afternoon games during the 2010 season.

Those working for and around the St. Louis Cardinals today reach back to the 1940’s.

A look ahead to the top projected stories across the Cardinal Nation in 2010.

Each year Rochester Community Baseball operates the Batavia Muckdogs, they pick up five percent ownership – but there is a catch.

A look back at the top projected stories across the Cardinal Nation in 2009 from one year ago.

The addition of Mark DeRosa, then Matt Holliday defined the 2009 St. Louis Cardinals season.

It is once again time for my view of the top 20 stores across the St. Louis Cardinals Nation during this past year.

One report has St. Louis Cardinals second base prospect Daniel Descalso joining the spring third base scrum, but it seems an isolated thought.

The continued greatness of Albert Pujols was not taken for granted as he earned his third NL Most Valuable Player Award in 2009.

New and changed uniform numbers for players invited to St. Louis Cardinals major league spring training.

A search through baseball history is underway to identify a most unusual Stan Musial photo.

Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright led the St. Louis Cardinals pitching staff all season long but fell short in individual recognition.

Diffusing the ongoing outrage over Mark McGwire may require a clarification of the end objective.

For the ongoing services of outfielder Matt Holliday, the St. Louis Cardinals and agent Scott Boras carried out an intricate dance for months.

The 2009 St. Louis Cardinals won their division handily, but carried a final-month slump into a quick post-season exit.

Working together, the manager and GM brought great results for the 2009 St. Louis Cardinals.

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright tells those who value baserunners more than runs scored where they can stick their views.

Just as his Cardinals centerfield predecessor Ray Lankford did, Jim Edmonds wants to return after a year out of the game.

The St. Louis Cardinals wouldn’t have to wait until their arbitration cases are settled to make their next move, but they may have good reasons for doing so.

Preliminary spring training television and radio plans for the 2010 St. Louis Cardinals.

Will Brad Penny become the 2010 St. Louis Cardinals’ version of 2009’s Joel Pineiro, the unsung hero?

Just as when Mark McGwire spoke out, St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is catching considerable heat for what he said and did not say.

A big question turned into a strength of the 2009 Cardinals as Ryan Franklin seized the closer’s job and solidified the bullpen.

In a major surprise, former slugger Mark McGwire was introduced in October as the club’s new hitting coach, and in early 2010, stepped out of the shadows.

Autograph prices at the St. Louis Cardinals fan event, Winter Warm-Up, demonstrate an appreciation of the down economy.

After the St. Louis Cardinals ate the final year of Adam Kennedy’s contract, they turned second base over to neophyte Skip Schumaker – and it worked!

If the Cardinals ever reach the point of considering the unthinkable, trading Albert Pujols, Mark Teixeira’s history provides an important lesson.

McGwire story and association with Yardbarker leads to national exposure for Cardinals-oriented blog.

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa wants Mark McGwire to become a late-season pinch-hitter and expects him in St. Louis next weekend.

Why the conditions may be right for the St. Louis Cardinals to move to lock up Albert Pujols.

Now that the Cardinals have agreed to terms with outfielder Matt Holliday on a record-setting new contract, is the jury in on the big trade that brought him to St. Louis in the first place?

Eight different players had a piece of the St. Louis Cardinals’ starting third base job in 2009. None of them did much of anything with it.

Trying to return from disc replacement surgery in his neck proved to be too much for Chris Duncan, who was traded to Boston in late July for middle infielder Julio Lugo in a move that unearthed a number of issues.

The youngest Triple-A and Double-A clubs in baseball both made the playoffs, the first time that was accomplished by Cardinals’ clubs in a quarter of a century.

Whitey Herzog, the leader of the 1980’s St. Louis Cardinals, was elected to Baseball’s Hall of Fame.

No one could have predicted how the shortstop position would have evolved for the 2009 St. Louis Cardinals.

Erroneous news on a supposed new Matt Holliday offer from the St. Louis Cardinals is amplified all over cyberspace before being pulled.

Why might both Scott Boras and the St. Louis Cardinals consider a shorter-term contact for free agent Matt Holliday?

Is Mark DeRosa’s reported two year, $12 million deal with the San Francisco Giants out of line with the market? If not, why didn’t the St. Louis Cardinals jump in?

Using unearned runs to measure fielding prowess, St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers don’t measure up to par.

Some major league clubs have advantageous leases that offer flexibility but shackle their communities. Others carry stadium-related debt.

The 2009 St. Louis Cardinals’ centerfield featured a transition from the veteran to the kid along with some interesting twists.

The St. Louis Cardinals again added a future Hall of Fame pitcher nearing the end of his career but it didn’t end like in 1926.

Why has Mark McGwire’s coming out party remained in his most familiar place – limboland?

St. Louis 2009-drafted outfielder Tyler Bighames tests positive for drug of abuse.

The St. Louis Cardinals ventured into unfamiliar territory when making their first-round pick in the 2009 draft.

The agent of former Cardinals outfielder Chris Duncan is making some interesting claims.

The MLB Players Association plays a powerful, but almost-invisible role in placement of top free agents.

There may be something for Matt Holliday to learn from this week’s Johnny Damon saga and a similar story from over two decades ago.

Major changes occurred among the Cardinals minor league coaching ranks following an uneven 2009 season.

Can the St. Louis Cardinals learn anything from a dissection of the New York Yankees’ 2008 pursuit of Mark Teixeira?

The sweetest amateur free agent signing in St. Louis Cardinals team history quickly went sour.

The St. Louis Cardinals are getting to the point where they need to force Scott Boras to declare his hand regarding Matt Holliday.

Rankings for the entire Cardinals team, not just their free agents, offer some interesting comparisons.

A pair of former big bats from the Colorado Rockies are now free agents. The St. Louis Cardinals are thinking about at least one of them.

The St. Louis Cardinals are experiencing some extra spice in their Holliday cooking due to an unwanted touch of Bay while the GM puts the heat on the super agent.

Brian Walton joins Friday “Sportsnight” on St. Louis’ KTRS 550 at 8:05 p.m. Central.

The progression of St. Louis Cardinals spring training ticket prices since 2000.

Passed over in the Hall of Fame veterans committee vote was the winningest St. Louis Cardinals owner ever, Sam Breadon.

Rather than retiring the number of every new Hall of Famer, the St. Louis Cardinals need a two-tiered system.

Whitey Herzog and the other six most-winning St. Louis Cardinals managers in club history are either in or locks for the Hall of Fame.

St. Louis Cardinals history remains in mothballs while development project flounders.

Why is the Matt Holliday contract situation causing heightened emotions across Cardinal Nation?

St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguer Jefferson Segundo receives a 50-day suspension, the second from the organization since the season ended, fifth in 2009 and 16th in the last five years.