The Cardinal Nation blog

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

Tag archive for ‘St. Louis Cardinals’

No long-term solution for substandard Johnson City ballpark

There is little money to undertake long-postponed, but needed repairs to the home of the Johnson City Cardinals of the rookie-level Appalachian League.

A rookie manager and the media

First-year St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny will be dealing with the media in a more intense manner than ever before. How will both sides react?

Red Schoendienst celebrates his 89th birthday

St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer Red Schoendienst is still in uniform after 70 seasons in professional baseball.

St. Louis Cardinals winter topic fatigue

Vote on which recent St. Louis Cardinals-related topic has been most beaten to death in your opinion.

Topps: Rally Squirrel card does not replace Schumaker

Despite reports to the contrary, the Topps Rally Squirrel baseball card does not replace Skip Schumaker’s regular 2012 card.

St. Louis Cardinals open virtual museum

The St. Louis Cardinals have a new online museum designed to help fill the gap until the physical one is re-opened someday.

Former Cardinals prospect McCormick attempts controversial comeback

In an attempt to revitalize his pitching career, a former top draft pick of the St. Louis Cardinals is undergoing a procedure illegal in the US.

Roy Oswalt and Cardinals number 44

If pitcher Roy Oswalt signs with the St. Louis Cardinals, will his familiar number 44 be available?

Finalizing the fans’ contract offer to Yadier Molina

Readers can vote for salary and number of years making up their best contract offer to St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina.

Pujols to be ESPN The Magazine’s cover boy

Now we can learn the inside story of Albert Pujols’ signing from the perspective of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

What if Albert Pujols isn’t Albert Pujols?

Should Albert Pujols be kept out of the Hall of Fame if he was found to have lied about his age and identity?

Cardinals organization roster matrix: 2012 spring training

The St. Louis Cardinals full system view reflects rosters for 2012 spring training with all organization players listed by level and position.

Video: David Freese takes Babe Ruth Award

St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese was recognized again for his 2011 post-season, this time by the New York chapter of the BBWAA.

Who cares about a face of the Cardinals franchise?

Some apparently believe the St. Louis Cardinals need a clear leader to replace Albert Pujols. I am not one of them.

Where’s Molina? Playing softball with Pujols

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina and shortstop Rafael Furcal are with their ex-teammate Albert Pujols in the Dominican Republic.

Buy your St. Louis Cardinals spring training tickets now

St. Louis Cardinals 2012 Spring Training single game tickets go on sale to the public today, Saturday, January 21.

How much should the Cardinals offer Yadier Molina?

Readers can vote for their salary and number of years limits in their hypothetical offers for St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina.

Yadier Molina and Walker Cooper

What might we learn from a time in history when the St. Louis Cardinals got rid of the best catcher in the National League instead of paying him what he deserved?

Cardinals 2012 Winter Warm-Up leftovers

Some final thoughts from this past weekend’s annual St. Louis Cardinals fan festival.

Cardinals Winter Warm-Up photos: Monday, 1/16

St. Louis Cardinals photos from Monday’s third and final session of the 2012 Winter Warm-Up at St. Louis’ Hyatt Regency at the Arch.

Cardinals Winter Warm-Up photos: Sunday, 1/15

St. Louis Cardinals photos from Sunday’s second session of the 2012 Winter Warm-Up at St. Louis’ Hyatt Regency at the Arch.

Cardinals Winter Warm-Up photos: Saturday, 1/14

Selected St. Louis Cardinals player photos from Saturday’s first day of the 2011 Winter Warm-Up at St. Louis’ Hyatt Regency at the Arch. Two executives are also included.

Cardinals Winter Warm-Up shows on FOX Sports Midwest

FOX Sports Midwest will produce two 30-minute shows from the 2012 Cardinals Winter Warm-Up.

Cardinals pitcher Romero settles tainted supplement lawsuit

Left-handed pitcher J.C. Romero believes justice has been served by his lawsuit against several drug companies being settled out of court.

Predicting the Cardinals non-roster invitees

Readers can guess which non-roster players will be invited to St. Louis Cardinals spring training camp.

Cardinals players on Twitter – January 2012 update

A regular update of St. Louis Cardinals major and minor league players on Twitter.

Off-the-wall Cardinals story ideas for 2012

Seven lower-odds storylines possibly ahead for the 2012 St. Louis Cardinals. Or not.

Cardinals planning White House visit

The World Champion St. Louis Cardinals are reportedly making plans to visit the White House on January 17.

Cardinals at the 2007 All-Star Game: Who remains?

Of the seven members of the St. Louis Cardinals pictured at the 2007 All-Star Game, not a one remains in his job today. A potential partial reunion in 2012 could be odd, to say the least.

TCN Blog reader top Cardinals stories of 2011

Readers vote to select their top stories of the year for the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals.

Projected top five St. Louis Cardinals stories of 2012

A look ahead to the top projected stories across the Cardinal Nation in 2012.

Reviewing the predictions: TCN Blog’s top five Cardinals stories of 2011

A look back at the top projected stories across the Cardinal Nation in 2011 from one year ago.

The Cardinal Nation Blog 2011 top story #1: 11th World Championship

In 2011, the underdog St. Louis Cardinals won their 11th championship of Major League Baseball.

The Cardinal Nation Blog 2011 top story #2: Pujols leaves

St. Louis Cardinals’ superstar first baseman Albert Pujols left behind his only home as a professional for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

The Cardinal Nation Blog 2011 top story #3: La Russa retires

The St. Louis Cardinals’ managerial stability has ended with the retirement of Tony La Russa.

The Cardinal Nation Blog 2011 top story #4: Historic regular season comeback

No team in history overcame a Wild Card deficit of 10 or more games to win the World Series – until the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals did it.

The Cardinal Nation Blog 2011 top story #5: NLDS win over Phillies

The heavy underdog St. Louis Cardinals defeated the team with baseball’s best record, the Philadelphia Phillies, in the first round of the 2011 playoffs.

The Cardinal Nation Blog 2011 top story #6: NLCS win over Brewers

The St. Louis Cardinals defeated NL Central rival and 2011 Division champion Milwaukee Brewers in the Championship Series.

The Cardinal Nation Blog 2011 top story #7: Mo’s man Matheny

The St. Louis Cardinals have a new manager and several new coaches, ushering in a new era for the defending champions.

The Cardinal Nation Blog 2011 top story #8: The Rasmus trade or the title trade?

How important was the Colby Rasmus trade in helping the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals become World Champions?

The Cardinal Nation Blog 2011 top story #9: Berkman’s rebirth

Long-time Houston Astros star Lance Berkman enjoyed a career revitalization in St. Louis in 2011.

The Cardinal Nation Blog 2011 top story #10: Freese’s fantastic finish

St. Louis Cardinals’ third baseman David Freese won the Most Valuable Player Award in both the National League Championship Series and the World Series.

The Cardinal Nation Blog 2011 top story #11: Young position players emerge

Three young position players made significant contributions along the way to the St. Louis Cardinals’ 2011 World Series title.

The Cardinal Nation Blog 2011 top story #12: Young relievers emerge

Three rookie pitchers not on the roster to open the season contributed to the St. Louis Cardinals World Championship push.

The Cardinal Nation Blog 2011 top story #13: Wainwright’s lost season

How many clubs could lose one of their top two starters for the entire season and still win the World Series? The 2011 St. Louis Cardinals could and did.

The Cardinal Nation Blog 2011 top story #14: Luhnow hired by Houston

The St. Louis Cardinals have to replace their amateur scouting and draft leader as Jeff Luhnow takes over as the general manager of the Houston Astros.

Batavia Muckdogs sale reinforced by continued Rochester losses

Another year of operating loss from the Batavia Muckdogs increases the likelihood the New York-Penn League team will be sold.

Free chances to win Cardinals spring training package

Be the winner of a dozen free entries to a St. Louis-based charitable organization’s raffle for a very appealing St. Louis Cardinals spring training package.

The Cardinal Nation Blog 2011 top story #15: Changes up the middle

The St. Louis Cardinals starting middle infielders to begin 2011 did not last the season, with more change likely for 2012.

Cardinals Winter Warm-Up autograph prices up selectively

Autograph prices at the St. Louis Cardinals fan event, Winter Warm-Up, are slightly up for 2012, though post-season heroes are up substantially.

The Cardinal Nation Blog 2011 top story #16: Out went the old in the pen

Four veteran relievers began the 2011 season with the St. Louis Cardinals but they did not perform and were soon gone, replaced by younger men.

The Cardinal Nation Blog 2011 top story #17: Closer changes

Eight different relievers collected saves and four of them lost the closers job, but the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals secured the conversions when they were needed the most.

The Cardinal Nation Blog 2011 top story #18: Molina’s best season?

The St. Louis Cardinals catcher had his top year as a hitter, though his defensive metrics were down. Oh yeah, his team won the World Series and he is heading toward free agency.

A dream Cardinals job – for the right person

MLB.com is looking to hire stats stringers, digital scorers for games, for the 2012 season for several clubs, including the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Cardinal Nation Blog 2011 top story #19: Chris Carpenter’s extension

The St. Louis Cardinals and their veteran rotation anchor have good reasons to stay together for two more seasons.

The Cardinal Nation Blog 2011 top story #20: Jaime Garcia’s extension

The St. Louis Cardinals locked up their most promising young major league pitcher for as many as six years into the future.

Counting down The Cardinal Nation Blog’s top 20 stories of 2011

Annual series looking back at the top news items affecting the St. Louis Cardinals over the previous 12 months.

Cardinals fans living the Pujols grief model

Different St. Louis Cardinals fans are handling the aftermath of Albert Pujols’ change of baseball teams much differently.

What should the Cardinals do with non-tender decisions?

The St. Louis Cardinals are faced with Monday decisions on whether or not to offer 2012 contracts to four players. What would you do?

Two years of Albert Pujols age and contract coverage

Recapping the final two years of former St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols’ tenure with the team through a series of previously-posted articles.

World Series DVD Set trivia: Dynamic doubles

Correctly answer a multi-part St. Louis Cardinals post-season-related trivia question and win a free 2011 World Series DVD Set from The Cardinal Nation Blog.

It’s ok. Just don’t insult us, Albert. It was about the money.

Former St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols is now a member of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He says it is a matter of the heart, but all signs point to dollars.

World Series DVD Set trivia: Cleaning up at the plate

Correctly answer a multi-part St. Louis Cardinals post-season-related trivia question and win a free 2011 World Series DVD Set from The Cardinal Nation Blog.

World Series DVD Set trivia: Home-grown heroes

Correctly answer a multi-part St. Louis Cardinals post-season-related trivia question and win a free 2011 World Series DVD Set from The Cardinal Nation Blog.

World Series DVD Set trivia: Calling the pen… again and again

Correctly answer a multi-part St. Louis Cardinals post-season-related trivia question and win a free 2011 World Series DVD Set from The Cardinal Nation Blog.

World Series DVD Set trivia: Freese’s MVP Booty

Correctly answer a multi-part St. Louis Cardinals post-season-related trivia question and win a free 2011 World Series DVD Set from The Cardinal Nation Blog.

World Series DVD Set trivia: Getting the quick hook

Correctly answer a multi-part St. Louis Cardinals post-season-related trivia question and win a free 2011 World Series DVD Set from The Cardinal Nation Blog.

World Series DVD Set trivia: La Russa on the “other” career wins list

Correctly answer a two-part St. Louis Cardinals post-season-related trivia question and win a free 2011 World Series DVD Set from The Cardinal Nation Blog.

Win 2011 World Series 8-disc sets at The Cardinal Nation Blog

An even bigger giveaway than last week! Pre-registration to answer St. Louis Cardinals-related trivia questions is required.

Support cancer fight and win Cardinals spring training package

St. Louis-based charitable organization is holding a raffle for a very appealing St. Louis Cardinals-themed prize.

Reviewing the Official 2011 World Series DVDs

Highlighting complementary two- and eight-disc sets commemorating the St. Louis Cardinals 2011 World Championship.

Cardinals minor league home paper reports

Links to news about St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, primarily from their hometown papers.

A new Pujols-Cubs bromance with Theo?

Is reported interest by the Chicago Cubs in free agent Albert Pujols a new chapter of an old story?

The Binghamton Redbirds?

Several dominoes would need to fall for the St. Louis Cardinals’ New York-Penn League affiliate to end up in Binghamton, NY in 2013, but it could happen.

10 World Series DVD Set winners at The Cardinal Nation Blog

Announcing the identities of the 10 winners of the Official 2011 World Series Highlight Film 2-Disc Set.

St. Louis Cardinals arbitration offer predictions

How many draft picks might the St. Louis Cardinals pick up by making offers of arbitration Wednesday night?

Miami sideshow leads to more Pujols age questions

The ongoing subject of Albert Pujols’ age continues to make the papers, still without any substantiation.

Reviewing the new book Wild Cards: The St. Louis Cardinals Stunning 2011 Championship Season

Reviewing the new book about the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals World Champions, penned by accomplished author Rob Rains and enhanced by dozens of full-page photos.

Win 2011 World Series DVDs at The Cardinal Nation Blog

Ten lucky readers will receive a free copy of the 2011 World Series Highlight Film 2-Disc Set.

Oquendo’s return good for Cardinals, maybe not for his managerial aspirations

Third base coach Jose Oquendo will remain on the 2012 St. Louis Cardinals staff, but may be limiting his managerial chances by doing so.

St. Louis Cardinals World Series videos: past and present

World Series video clips and holiday gift-buying ideas for St. Louis Cardinals fans.

St. Louis Cardinals tentative 2012 spring training schedule

An initial, partial and non-official look at the St. Louis Cardinals’ 2012 spring training slate of games.

Matheny is youngest, but not really youngest

New Cardinals manager Mike Matheny becomes the youngest current manager in MLB, but only 14th-youngest St. Louis skipper in the last century.

Some very different Albert Pujols splits

You thought you had seen every stat? How about hitting results based on the bat used?

On St. Louis Cardinals number 11 on 11/11/11

Jose Oquendo is the longest holder of the number 11 in St. Louis Cardinals history, but how much longer will that be?

Walton with Rains radio duo on AFL and managerial search

Replay of Brian Walton’s St. Louis Cardinals segment with Rob and B.J. Rains on St. Louis Sports Radio 1380.

Cardinals organization roster matrix: 2011-2012 off-season

The St. Louis Cardinals full system view reflects rosters for the 2011-2012 off-season.

Catching up on La Russa’s and Freese’s television appearances

Videos of recent St. Louis Cardinals World Champions television appearances.

2004 Cardinals NL Championship ring on auction

Now is your chance to bid on an authentic 2004 St. Louis Cardinals National League Championship ring and other team memorabilia.

Remembering Bob Forsch’s greatness

Several best games of the late St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Bob Forsch are remembered.

Cardinals World Series items to go on display in Cooperstown

Jerseys, spikes, caps and bats from the St. Louis Cardinals’ run to the World Championship will be displayed at the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Rains’ new book on 2011 Cardinals season now available

Accomplished St. Louisan Rob Rains has written a new book about the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals World Champions.

Cardinals playoff chances – What others said

Not surprisingly, the St. Louis Cardinals’ progression to the 2011 World Championship was not expected by the national media.

Cardinal Talk: KXnO FOX Sports Radio: Replacing TLR

Brian Walton’s weekly discussion about the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals with Ken Miller and Jim Brinson of KXnO FOX Sports Radio 1460 in Des Moines.

Former Cardinal P.J. Walters welcomes newborn

A new son has joined the family of ex-St. Louis Cardinals pitcher P.J. Walters.

Cards invite fans to celebrate 11th World Championship Sunday

St. Louis Cardinals World Championship celebration starts with Sunday Victory Parade. Tickets to Busch Stadium Ceremony will be available Saturday.

Cardinals World Series Game 6 and Game 7 factoids

Putting St. Louis’ 10-9 World Series Game 6 win into historical context while looking ahead to Friday’s Game 7.

Cardinal Talk: KXnO FOX Sports Radio: Elimination avoidance

Brian Walton’s weekly discussion about the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals with Ken Miller and Jim Brinson of KXnO FOX Sports Radio 1460 in Des Moines.

World Series Game 6 – the good and the bad

No matter how you think the 2011 World Series might end, there is history to reinforce your view.

Two of a record 65 Cardinals relief changes that did not work

The St. Louis Cardinals set a post-season record for the most pitching changes, but two of them made on Monday night did not work as intended.