Cards have gaps to fill as 2006 arrives

01/01/2006
ST. LOUIS -- Cardinals fans spent much of December taking deep breaths and reminding themselves that they've been here before. The offseason doesn't end when the Winter Meetings come to a close, and few general managers work the second half of the offseason better than Walt Jocketty.
Still, for a team with 205 regular-season wins and three playoff series victories over the past two seasons, it's been a tumultuous offseason in St. Louis. Key contributors from the offense, defense, starting rotation and bullpen have departed.
It started the night the season ended, when Larry Walker announced his retirement after a brilliant career. That was no big surprise, as Walker played in pain for much of the year and had hinted at retirement since before the summer started. Nonetheless, Walker contributed even in a difficult year.
From there, the Cards watched utilitymen John Mabry and Abraham Nunez depart via free agency, as other clubs were willing to guarantee more dollars (Mabry) and years (Nunez) than St. Louis saw fit to do. The Cards bid both a fond farewell, but let them walk with the confidence that their spots could be filled.
As the Winter Meetings drew near, it became evident that the Cards had a bigger fish that they were chasing: former Marlin A.J. Burnett. Manager Tony La Russa and Jocketty traveled to Florida to meet with Burnett, and the Cardinals offered Burnett a four-year deal, but ultimately, the right-hander took an extra year and more money to pitch in Toronto.
That left the Redbirds to turn to Plan B in Dallas. They tended to some small business by signing Gary Bennett to replace Einar Diaz as the backup catcher, and Deivi Cruz to replace Nunez as the utility infielder. They added a potential bullpen arm by drafting Juan Mateo in the Rule 5 Draft.
From there, Jocketty actually shipped off a reliever, but in so doing added a couple of position players. The trade of Ray King to Colorado brought in a likely starting outfielder in Larry Bigbie and another piece for the infield puzzle in Aaron Miles, while clearing some space in the payroll. A possible trade for Javier Vazquez fell through in Dallas.
The signing of Ricardo Rincon filled King's spot, and then Braden Looper was brought on board to bolster the right side of the bullpen. The most intriguing move of the winter was the addition of Sidney Ponson to compete for the fifth spot in the starting rotation, a job previously believed to have been reserved for rookie Anthony Reyes.
Finally, shortly before Christmas, Jocketty addressed the final two holes in his starting lineup. Juan Encarnacion, coming off a career year with the Marlins, signed to play right field. Infielder Junior Spivey, late of the Nationals, signed a deal and is likely to become the starting second baseman.
Offseason report card: The impact acquisition never materialized, but the Cards made a string of mostly canny budget buys, some of which have high payoff potential. Give them a six on a 10 scale: they may still be shopping, but most of the holes have been filled.
Arrivals: 2B Aaron Miles and OF Larry Bigbie (trade); C Gary Bennett, IF Deivi Cruz, LHP Ricardo Rincon, RHPs Braden Looper and Sidney Ponson and OF Juan Encarnacion (free agents); RHP Juan Mateo (Rule 5 Draft)
Departures: RHP Matt Morris, RHP Julian Tavarez, RHP Cal Eldred, LHP Ray King, OF Larry Walker, OF Reggie Sanders, 2B Mark Grudzielanek, UT John Mabry, IF Abraham Nunez, C Einar Diaz
The Road Ahead: It's still not entirely certain who will start at second base, or who will be the fifth starter. And the possibility still remains for a trade, perhaps moving some pitching depth for a power-hitting outfielder. But most of the questions are questions for Spring Training rather than for January. The biggest remaining concern is the bullpen, which has gone from the league's best in 2005 to an open issue entering 2006. The Cards need to add quantity and quality to the relief corps if they expect to enjoy another 100-win season.

Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/

Around the horn: Starting rotation

01/04/2006
ST. LOUIS -- It sounds like a lottery game. Play the "big six," spend a little and take your chances at winning big.
The Cardinals hope their starting pitching situation, however, is just the opposite. The idea is to have the kind of depth that ensures solid security all year long. General manager Walt Jocketty has assembled a group of six starters for five spots. It's up to manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan to use them appropriately.
The front of the rotation is not a matter for concern: ace Chris Carpenter won the Cy Young Award, while lefty Mark Mulder found his way quite nicely after some rough going early in his first year in the NL. The middle is just fine too: neither Jeff Suppan nor Jason Marquis is what you'd call an ace, but there's a host of teams that would love to have the two right-handers as their third and fourth starters.
The intrigue comes at the back of the rotation, where there looks to be an open competition for a spot for the first time since 2003. Anthony Reyes, the team's top prospect, was slotted to move into the fifth spot after Matt Morris departed as a free agent, but then the Redbirds signed former Baltimore Orioles pitcher Sidney Ponson.
Upon signing Ponson, Jocketty declined to frame the rotation in those terms, with four pitchers set and two for one spot. But by any reasonable math, that's how it adds up.
"I think it's a big six," Jocketty said. "I think, obviously with Carpenter, Mulder, Marquis, Suppan and Reyes and now Ponson, we've got six starters for five spots. I think the idea is to go to Spring Training and have a competition and see.
"What it does is, it does provide some insurance if we feel that Anthony's not ready, but I think that Anthony Reyes will be a part of our, should be a part of our pitching staff at some point this year."
La Russa is a firm believer in competition in spring, and he'll have one on his hands. Reyes has done nothing but impress during his time with the big club, whether it was at Spring Training in 2005, in a spot start in July of last year or after a September callup. He throws hard and with capable command, offers a change of speeds and carries himself with poise.
Then there's Ponson, whose ERA has been north of 5.00 for two years running but who had a big year in 2003. He has more to prove than anyone in the mix, including Reyes, but the Cardinals love his ability -- particularly his proclivity to induce ground balls.
"I think Sidney is a perfect example of the type of pitcher that we feel Dave Duncan can help get better and bring him to the next level," Jocketty said.
If Ponson beats out Reyes, the youngster will probably head back to Triple-A Memphis for additional experience. If it's Reyes in the rotation, Ponson might make an intriguing bullpen option.
Whoever wins the competition, though, will need only to be a complementary piece. Rotation depth has been St. Louis' greatest strength for two years running, and that should be the case again in 2006. The Cardinals feature four durable, effective starters locked into spots. The four returning starters have totaled 1,645 innings over the past two years -- that is, more than 200 frames per pitcher per season.
It starts with Carpenter, who was outstanding in 2004 but made the leap to dominating in '05. He's a ground ball machine who can also overpower hitters, which basically makes him Duncan's dream pitcher. Carpenter started Game 1 of both the Cardinals' postseason series, and it would be a shock if he were not named the Opening Day pitcher as well -- unless he's tapped to open new Busch Stadium a week later instead.
After a relatively slow start, Mulder took beautifully to the pitch-to-contact style of National League baseball. His declining strikeout rate would be more of a concern if he hadn't developed into an even more extreme ground ball pitcher than he'd ever been before. Among NL pitchers, only Brandon Webb and Derek Lowe got a higher percentage of their outs on the ground.
Marquis endured a lengthy losing streak in mid-'05, but still ended the year with 207 innings and a respectable 4.13 ERA. He has the stuff to be better than respectable, though, and at 27, he's still learning to pitch.
Once something of a forgotten man in discussions of the St. Louis staff, Suppan simply continues to pitch effectively. Blessed with better stuff than he gets credit for, Suppan's smarts and command have meshed well with Duncan's preparations. He improved across the board in '05, a year after putting up what was at the time the best year of his career.

Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/

Looking for relief in Smith's Hall bid

01/04/2006
When Lee Arthur Smith first landed on the Hall of Fame ballot in 2003, he was supposed to be the one to finally break down the door to Cooperstown for firemen. Instead, his 6-foot-6, 240-pound frame has joined the tangle of relievers stuck outside.
Smith had all the requirements to blaze trails. He still does, maintaining his rank as the all-time record-holder in saves with 478.
But that record may not last long. Trevor Hoffman is 43 saves from taking it away from him, and along with it the main plank of his Hall platform.
And there you have one reason Hall of Fame voters keeps stiff-arming relievers: The passage of time can increase appreciation for past players' performances, but, in the case of closers, each season appears to dilute their accomplishments.
Putting up 30 saves just isn't as big a deal as it was in 1984, when Smith broke that barrier for the first of 10 times. In 1984, six other big-league closers saved 30-plus; in 2005, there were 18.
But few, even now, are as consistent at this specialty as was the hard-looking, soft-spoken Cajun from Shreveport, La. Smith went 12 seasons between his first 30-save season and his last (1995) -- noteworthy in a Mariano Rivera context, since the Yankees' ice-blooded closer, perceived as durable, hasn't even been in the Majors as long.
That extended success is also part of Smith's handicap. He isn't recalled as an impact reliever. Thus, contemporaries Bruce Sutter and Goose Gossage, whose heydays were more concentrated, are widely regarded as more deserving of enshrinement.
Smith's have-hammer-will-travel career keeps him from being identified with any particular team, creating another image problem. He logged saves for eight different teams.
Yet he holds the career saves record for two of those teams, among the most storied franchises in the game -- the Cubs (180) and Cardinals (160). This is noteworthy also because those were Sutter's primary teams, too.
For someone who supposedly lacked impact, Smith certainly had his dominant years. During one six-year stretch (1985-1990), he averaged more than a strikeout an inning each season, with 580 total punchouts in 509 innings during that span. Gossage, reputed to be the fire-breathing flame-thrower of his era, did that only in four of his 23 seasons.
Smith supporters love to point out that when he notched his first save, in 1981, the career record was 272, a number he would surpass by more than 200. And that old lifetime mark was held by Rollie Fingers, who was recognized for it by being inducted into the Hall of Fame on his second time on the ballot (after a near-miss as a rookie candidate).
But Smith presented a compelling argument that lasted 18 seasons, during which he appeared in 1,022 games, which usually ended with him throwing the last pitch, good or bad. He holds another Major League record for most games finished -- 802.
Considering that he either saved or won more than half of them (549, to be exact), the good comfortably outweighed the bad. Does he have one more good finish in him?

Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/

Spring schedule, ticket info announced

01/06/2006
ST. LOUIS -- Let the countdown officially begin. The Cardinals formally announced their Spring Training schedule, as well as ticket information for Grapefruit League games, on Friday.
As previously reported, the Cards will open spring play on Tuesday, Feb. 28 with a 12:05 p.m. CT game against Florida Atlantic University, and they will begin Grapefruit League action on March 2 at home against the Mets, also with a 12:05 p.m. CT start. They will not have a game on March 1.
Pitchers and catchers report to the St. Louis complex at Roger Dean Stadium on Thursday, Feb. 16, with workouts starting Friday, Feb. 17. That's a slight change from past years, when the report date has been on a Friday and workouts began on Saturday. Position players report Monday, Feb. 20, and begin working out on Tuesday, Feb. 21.
Spring Training tickets go on sale Saturday, Jan. 21 and may be purchased at StLCardinals.com. Prices are as follows: $22 for field box seats, $20 for loge box, $8 for bleachers, $8 for berm seating (sold day of game only) and $5 for standing room. There is an additional $1 charge per ticket on Saturday and Sunday home games.
Besides online ordering, fans may purchase Spring Training tickets at Florida TicketMaster outlets or by mail order. To order tickets by mail, fans should send a check, money order, Visa, MasterCard or American Express number, including $5 for handling charge, to the following address: Roger Dean Stadium Ticket Office, 4751 Main Street, Jupiter, FL 33458.
Included on the Cards' home slate at Roger Dean are games against the Mets, Marlins, Dodgers, Orioles, Yankees (March 17), Braves (March 19-20) and Nationals. St. Louis plays road games against all those teams and no others, meaning a relatively manageable spring travel schedule.
The Cards wrap up Grapefruit League play with an 11:05 a.m. CT game on Saturday, April 1, against the Mets at Roger Dean. No exhibition games are scheduled for the Cardinals outside of Florida. The regular season opens on April 3 with a game against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/

J-Rod builds strong case in Puerto Rico

01/06/2006
While the Cardinals add outfielders, John Rodriguez keeps sending reminders that he hasn't gone anywhere.
Rodriguez, who enjoyed a surprising rookie season with St. Louis in 2005, has kept up his hot hitting with a fine winter campaign in Puerto Rico. Rodriguez's chances of winning a job have slimmed with the trade for Larry Bigbie and the signing of Juan Encarnacion, but he clearly won't give up without a fight.
It was an all-over-the-place kind of season for Rodriguez, who thought he had a chance to make the Indians out of Spring Training but was sent to Triple-A instead. After struggling in Cleveland's system, he was dealt to the Cardinals organization, where he went on a staggering tear. Rodriguez hit 17 homers in 34 games, earning a callup to the Majors.
And though the power faded in St. Louis, Rodriguez remained an effective batter. He put up a line of .295/.382/.436 (batting average/on-base/slugging) in 149 at-bats, marking himself as a player to watch in 2006.
Now playing for Manati in Puerto Rico, Rodriguez has done nothing to change that perception in winter ball. Manati, which finished with the best regular-season record, will play in the Puerto Rican playoffs, and Rodriguez is a big reason why.
The left-handed-hitting outfielder put up a .346/.448/.679 line in 78 at-bats, stroking seven home runs -- including a three-run walk-off homer in the 11th inning of the final game of the Winter League season -- five doubles and driving in 28 runs. If Rodriguez had enough at-bats, he would have ranked fourth in the league in batting average, third in on-base and first in slugging.
When Spring Training starts in six weeks, Rodriguez won't have anything guaranteed. He'll have to beat out a stiff field of competitors if he wants to start in left field, and it won't even be a given that he'll make the roster. But if he keeps hitting like this, he'll be hard to send back to Memphis.

Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/

Mailbag: Pondering Ponson

01/09/2006
Welcome to the first Mailbag of 2006. I hope that you all had a terrific holiday season, whatever holidays you chose to celebrate, and that 2006 is treating you kindly. Winter Warm-Up is coming soon, and it's less than six weeks until pitchers and catchers report.
As always, if you have a question, use the link below to submit it -- and please be sure to include your first name, last initial and hometown. If you send a regular e-mail, rather than using the form, be certain to use the word "mailbag" in the subject header -- otherwise your mail may be directed to the spam folder, or otherwise ignored in an unbecoming manner.
Can you see any downside to the Cardinals signing Sidney Ponson? I see it as very low risk (what's a million dollars in baseball money?) with a lot of potential. The guy did pitch over 200 innings in 2003. I think it could be the steal of the offseason for [general manager Walt]Jocketty. -- Kirk W., Peru, Ill.
The Cardinals just signed Ponson, and I heard that he has had some trouble with the law. If he makes the team this spring, how will he fit in with the rest of the Cardinals? -- Matt L., St. Charles, Mo.
These were just two of lots of questions I received about the Ponson signing.
Personally, I like the move a lot. As Kirk points out, it's very low risk, and if somehow the Cardinals can rediscover the 2003 Ponson, that's a very nice addition. He's a ground-ball guy, which the organization loves, and he's been rather durable for the most part. I also believe that he won't beat out Anthony Reyes unless he's actually ready to pitch. I don't think a job will simply be handed to him.
As for fitting in, I think one of the admirable things about the Cardinals clubhouse is how the players police themselves. My expectation is that if Ponson doesn't toe the line, doesn't do the work expected of the starters, his teammates will get him back on course. As for the off-the-field issues, he will continue to receive treatment for his alcoholism, and I believe and hope that he is sincere in his desire to be successful in that fight.
I am absolutely ecstatic about the Cardinals signing Juan Encarnacion. He had a career year last year and I think he would thrive in our lineup with Albert [Pujols], Jimmy [Edmonds] and Scott [Rolen]. His career numbers aren't that great but I think he's matured and will hit for better averages and on-base percentage. He's also a solid defensive player. Where do you think he would go in our lineup? What do you think about the pickup?
Allow me to use this opportunity to make a shameless plug for my blog at MLBlogs, called "Obviously, You're Not a Golfer." I addressed the Encarnacion signing somewhat there, and frankly I'm not thrilled about it.
If Encarnacion's improvement in on-base ability this past year is real, and not just a career year, then he will be a nice pickup. And as has been noted in some other places, his ability to play a solid right field will help in what should be a spacious new ballpark (see below). But I'm personally not a fan of the kind of hitter he's been for most of his career, and I thought that signing him for three years was pretty risky.
He'll bat in the sixth spot, I would expect, and will have lots of opportunities to drive in runs. I just hope he has a decent OBP to go with those RBIs.
As a long-time Red Sox fan and follower of Brian Daubach, how do you think the Cardinals will use him? -- Don T., Bridgewater, Mass.
I expect Daubach to make the Major League roster, and I expect he will be the primary lefty power threat off the bench and the top backup for Pujols at first base.
Would the Cardinals ever consider trading for Alfonso Soriano? He is a first-rate hitter and would play a solid second base. His bat in the middle of the lineup would produce 30-35 homers, 100 RBIs and give Albert & Scotty a lot of protection. The Cardinals' payroll would get a little heavier, but I think he would be worth it. -- Junior C., Eldon, Mo.
Count me as not a fan of Soriano's. Defense is not his strong suit -- though he does have a strong arm, he's erratic in the field. More importantly, though, take a look at his home/road splits. The last two years, he's been a seriously subpar hitter on the road. His stats have been heavily inflated by playing in Arlington.
That doesn't mean it won't happen, though. I'm not the GM, and the Cards have been known to make moves that I wouldn't have made. But I imagine that Walt Jocketty and Co. can read those splits just as well as I can, and that the Cards' scouts have seen Soriano's shaky defensive play.
This is more a general baseball question than a Cardinals question, but I am sure with your superior wisdom you will be able to help. What does a player's batting ability have to do with their ability to play a particular position? I was reading the update on different Cardinals prospects, and the info on Travis Hanson said he had moved to second from third not only because of Scott Rolen, but because his bat was better suited for up the middle. The article then went on to say that after the move, his numbers went up and perhaps he could handle the "hot corner", at least offensively. Thanks! -- Tim B., Rolla, Mo.
Now, you may all be thinking that I included this question because of the words "superior wisdom," and I admit that I do like compliments. But it's a very interesting question, and I would have answered it anyway. It's really a two-parter, so here goes.
In the case of someone like Hanson, it's not really about a particular type of hitting being suited to a particular position. Rather, it's this: at the more difficult defensive positions (catcher, second base, shortstop, center field), you're willing to put up with less offensive output than at the less difficult positions (first base, left field, right field, and to a lesser extent, third base).
You have to get offensive production from the corners because it's just so hard to find guys who can play up-the-middle defensive positions well while also hitting well. If you do have that, and the Cards have in recent years, it's a huge asset. But when someone says a guy's bat is better suited to second base, or center field, it's another way of saying that he probably won't hit enough to play every day at first or third base, or left or right field.
There is another component to this, and it has to do with where a player is comfortable. Even the "easier" defensive positions are pretty tough, and if a guy is asked to make a position change, then defensive work will take up a great deal of his time. So someone who is struggling to make defensive improvements, and thinking about defense a lot, might understandably find his hitting suffering.
Do you think the Cardinals will attempt to strengthen the backup catching position this year by trade or free agency? This is a position that takes a terrible physical toll and I don't think they should realistically rely on the regular catcher to catch 150 games or so. It seems to me that this is a weak spot when [Yadier] Molina is out. -- Leonard H., Holts Summit, Mo.
Leonard sent this question in back in November, before the signing of Gary Bennett. I do expect Bennett to be the primary backup catcher, and I do expect him to play more often than Einar Diaz did.
Bennett doesn't look like much of an offensive upgrade over Diaz, but offense wasn't the reason Diaz played so rarely. I definitely got the impression that neither the pitchers nor the coaching staff were terribly impressed with Diaz's defense. Bennett, meanwhile, seems to have the respect and approval of the manager and pitching coach, so he'll probably find his way into the lineup more often and give Molina more breathers.
With that said, if it were my decision -- which it obviously isn't -- I would have liked to see the Cards bring in a more offensive-minded backup catcher. But that's not the club's priority, and never has been.
I was very surprised to hear the Cardinals hired someone to replace Wayne Hagin for the radio broadcast. I'm sure Mr. [John] Rooney is very qualified from reading his credentials and comments made by Mike Shannon, but I really enjoyed the broadcast team of Shannon and Hagin. Hagin was always very professional and really communicated what was going on during the game. I guess my question in all of this is why make a change and fix if it's not broken? I really enjoyed Mr. Hagin on the broadcast team. Was I in the minority of the Cardinals listeners? -- Jimmie J., Ripley, Tenn.
This is a touchy question, but I'm going to answer it the best I can.
I was sad to see Hagin let go, because I always had terrific dealings with him personally and because I think he's a very good broadcaster. I wish him well and I hope (and expect) that he will find another good job.
The issue, to the extent there was one, was chemistry. The combination of Hagin and Shannon didn't seem to maximize the two men's talents. So the club, as I understand it, felt that the way to go was to try a new combination.
And according to pretty much all accounts, there simply isn't a better radio man in baseball than Rooney. In my first meeting with Rooney, I found him personally likeable as well. I think he will do an excellent job, and I think the broadcasts will be high-quality. I wish him the best of luck.
What was the thinking behind not offering [Reggie] Sanders arbitration? It seemed highly likely that he would have refused to sign a two-year deal elsewhere, which would have given us a first- or high second-round pick since he was a Type B. And if he had accepted arbitration, it wouldn't have been that bad -- we end up with an outfielder who is better than most of those currently available. -- Richard H., Kirkwood, Mo.
If it was me making the decisions, I probably would have offered Sanders arbitration. But unlike the [Julian] Tavarez decision, I thought it was at least defensible. In Tavarez's case, he's a Type A, he's almost certain to get 3-4 years and even if he went to arbitration he wouldn't be making much more than they're paying [Braden] Looper.
In Sanders' case, he could have gotten an enormous raise in arbitration. Arbitrators tend to look at performance and service time, and the kind of numbers they look at -- batting average, home runs, steals -- all look good for Sanders. The veteran outfielder inked a two-year deal with the Royals on Dec. 23. I think the right move would have been to offer, but I think it was defensible not to.
Will the dimensions of the field at the new Busch be significantly different from the old Busch? If so, do you think they will benefit or hinder any particular Cardinals hitters, pitchers or fielders? -- Sven N., Longmont, Colo.
The dimensions will be a bit different. Here they are, thanks to Joe Abernathy, the Cardinals vice president of stadium operations:
LF foul pole -- 336 feetLF power alley -- 375 feetCF wall -- 400 feetRF power alley -- 375 feetRF foul pole -- 335 feet
The conventional wisdom is that there will be more space in the outfield and that it will play as something of a pitchers' park, but it's hard to know until games have been played. It's even tougher to know which particular hitters and pitchers will benefit.
I am 8 years old (my dad is helping me write this). Who is your favorite baseball player? -- Jesse V., Baltimore
My favorite player of all time is Dwight Evans. I grew up a Red Sox fan and he was the guy I liked most when I was a kid, followed by Marty Barrett. I also liked the Braves a lot, so Dale Murphy is also a personal favorite from my childhood.
As for favorite current players, that's a different question. From the Cardinals, I love watching Pujols and Rolen play. Vlad Guerrero is probably my favorite position player to watch who's not a Cardinal. Edgar Martinez was my favorite guy to watch hit; I was very sad when he retired. My favorite pitchers to watch, well, that's a long list -- Brad Lidge, Roy Oswalt, Mark Prior, Francisco Rodriguez and Pedro Martinez.
Who do you think will start at second base next year? -- Cody B., Mediapolis, Iowa
I expect it will be Junior Spivey, and my guess is that the Spivey signing will turn out to be the single shrewdest move the Cardinals made this winter.
I have seen on the N.J. Cardinals Web site that they have sold the team. I have seen nothing about a move in the news. Where is the Cardinals farm club going to be playing in the spring? -- David R., North Little Rock, Ark.
The New Jersey Cardinals are no more. Their replacement in the short-season Class A New York-Penn League will be the State College (Pa.) Spikes.

Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/

Cardinals Caravan rolling out

01/10/2006
ST. LOUIS -- It's time for the Winter Warm-Up, but if you can't make it to St. Louis for the Cardinals' annual fanfest, the Redbirds may be bringing some of the fun to your town. The 2006 Cardinals Caravan gets started on Thursday, with branches of the caravan heading to all four compass points.
The first caravan rolls out of St. Louis on Thursday morning, headed east. Anthony Reyes and Brad Thompson head a group that will visit Champaign, Ill., Decatur, Ill., Springfield, Ill., and Hannibal, Mo. New Cardinals radio voice John Rooney will MC the dates, which will also include John Gall and former Cardinals Danny Cox and John Costello.
Leg No. 2 heads south on Saturday, the same day the annual Winter Warm-Up begins in downtown St. Louis. Starting catcher Yadier Molina will be joined by new Cardinal Aaron Miles and lefty reliever Randy Flores, with the stops MC'd by broadcaster Al Hrabosky. The second caravan hits Marion, Ill., and Memphis, Tenn., on Saturday, then Ripley, Tenn., and Cape Girardeau, Mo., on Sunday.
Caravan 3 also runs Saturday and Sunday. Outfielders John Rodriguez and Larry Bigbie will meet and greet fans, along with ex-Redbirds Alan Benes, Rick Horton and Tom Lawless. Horton, who calls Cardinals games on television, will serve as the MC for stops to the north in Bloomington, Ill., Davenport, Iowa, Peoria, Ill., and Litchfield, Ill.
Starting on Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the fourth and final caravan heads west. A large group will visit Joplin, Mo., and Springfield, Mo., on Monday and Columbia, Mo., on Tuesday. Adam Wainwright, Skip Schumaker, Tyler Johnson, Brendan Ryan, Ken Reitz and former player Ken Dayley will attend all three stops of the fourth caravan, which will be hosted by broadcaster Bob Carpenter. Pitching coach Dave Duncan will appear at the Springfield stop.

Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/

Smith climbs ranks in Hall voting

01/10/2006
Lee Smith compiled his Major League-record 478 career saves over 18 seasons, which averages out to just under 27 saves per year. The right-handed closer was steady, adding to his totals year after year before achieving his place atop the all-time saves list.
Smith appears to be taking the same path to the Hall of Fame. Though he was unable to gain election in the latest balloting announced by the Hall of Fame on Tuesday, Smith once again added to his totals with his best showing in his four years on the ballot.
Smith finished as high as sixth for the first time in four years on the ballot. He received a career-best 234 votes (45.0 percent) of the 520 ballots cast and came within 156 of the 390 needed for election.
Smith received 200 votes last year (eighth place, 38.8 percent), 185 votes two years ago (eighth place, 36.6) and 210 votes (seventh place, 42.3) his first year on the ballot.
Only three relief pitchers are currently in the Hall of Fame: Hoyt Wilhelm, Rollie Fingers and Dennis Eckersley. But with Bruce Sutter on Tuesday becoming the first pitcher to spend his entire career as a reliever and making the Hall of Fame and Smith continuing to climb, it bodes well for his chances down the road.
In addition to the saves record, Smith ranks fifth on the all-time games pitched list. He tallied at least 25 saves in 13 different seasons and won three Rolaids Relief Awards, though he never won a Cy Young Award. Smith had 13 consecutive seasons with 20-plus saves and 10 straight seasons with 30 or more saves.
Smith pitched for the Cubs from his 1980 debut through 1987. He made a stop in Boston, and then was sent to St. Louis. The big right-hander thrived as a Cardinal, enjoying one of his best seasons in 1991. That year, the imposing flame-thrower racked up 47 saves and posted a sparkling 2.34 ERA. He finished as the runner-up to Tom Glavine in National League Cy Young balloting.
He was named NL Fireman of the Year in 1991 by The Sporting News and shared the award in 1983 and 1992. He was named AL Fireman of the Year in 1994.
Smith also had stints with the Yankees, Orioles, Angels and Expos. He retired in 1997.

Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/

No need to be split: Sutter deserves it

01/10/2006
Of all the worthy candidates on the 2006 ballot for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the one candidate most deserving of election was Bruce Sutter.
So justice was once again served during this exercise in baseball democracy, when the Hall of Fame announced Tuesday that Sutter, in his 13th year on the ballot, had finally gained enough votes for induction.
This election, like every other balloting for induction to the Hall of Fame, left some other extremely deserving candidates on the doorstep, but still outside. Jim Rice, Goose Gossage, Andre Dawson and Bert Blyleven all received substantially more than 50 percent of the 520 votes cast by eligible members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. But all fell short of the necessary 75 percent of the vote.
There is no disputing the worth of any of the above careers. But the Baseball Hall of Fame remains the most exclusive club of its sort in professional sports. If the voters are going to err -- and as human beings, we might -- they will err on the side of caution. This approach leads to annual disappointment among candidates and fans of candidates. But it also maintains election to the Hall as a standard of true greatness.
And that is where Bruce Sutter comes in and deserves to enter. Sutter himself received 400 votes, or 76.9 percent of the votes. He had 10 votes to spare for this election. Last year, when he had received 66.7 percent of the votes, he had been 43 votes short. But that was another step in a long, but steady climb in this process for Sutter, whose support had been increasing on a yearly basis.
His election is a landmark of sorts for the Hall. He is the first pitcher elected who made every single appearance of his Major League career in relief. Hoyt Wilhelm, Rollie Fingers and Dennis Eckersley are the relievers who have reached the Hall, but they also functioned as starters during their careers.
What makes Sutter, out of all the stars on this ballot, particularly deserving of election? In his prime, there was simply nobody better. Part of this is objective. The numbers of his best seasons clearly reflect that notion. There is no question that Bruce Sutter was a pioneer of the closer's role and there is also no question that he was a pioneer of the split-fingered fastball that essentially revolutionized the way the game was pitched.
But part of this election is subjective, whether or not the candidate in question passes the eyeball test for greatness.
I remember vividly one afternoon at Wrigley Field. Sutter enters the game with the Chicago Cubs up by one run. We watch him warm up. The gentleman sitting next to me observes him, and says knowingly: "Sutter just doesn't have it today."
Bruce Sutter then strikes out the side on 10 pitches. So I turn to this fellow journalist, smirking a bit, and I say: "So Sutter didn't have it today?" And this fellow responds: "Hey, what about that one ball?" A good laugh is had by all.
And that was just about it. The surprise with Bruce Sutter's performance was not going to be the nine strikes, but the one ball. At his best, he was simply unhittable. He was a pioneer of closing. He was a pioneer of the splitter. But beyond all that, he was a terrific relief pitcher, whose best work was as good as anybody who ever performed in that capacity.
OK, if he was so great, why did it take him 13 tries to get to 75 percent of the votes and thus to Cooperstown? There are a couple of reasonable responses to that.
Closing is a relatively new role in baseball and like every other change that occurs in baseball, a sport that is built around its tradition, it requires some time for adjustment. In this case, it has taken the electorate some time to accommodate itself to the notion of voting for closers, not to mention figuring out what factors make a closer's Hall of Fame candidacy viable.
In Bruce Sutter's individual case, he had five tremendous seasons with the Cubs. These were five tremendous seasons that could have been, because of the nature of those Cubs teams, relatively unnoticed by the larger baseball world. It is true that he went on to close for a World Series champion, the 1982 St. Louis Cardinals. But then his career was cut short by arm problems, so he was limited to 12 seasons. So in terms of what recognition his career might have received, he was shorted on both ends, by injury at the end, and by pitching for teams with which recognition was unlikely at the beginning.
But this election is a richly deserved happy ending for the Bruce Sutter story. On my Hall of Fame ballot this year, Gossage, Rice, Blyleven and Lee Smith also received votes. And I firmly believed that each of them deserved to be in the Hall.
But there was one vote that carried even more conviction than that. That was the one for Bruce Sutter. I believed that he was the best pitcher from his era who had not yet been elected to the Hall of Fame. Now, much better late than never, he will get his due; the ultimate recognition that he is among baseball's absolute best.

Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/

After 13 years, Sutter a Hall of Famer

01/10/2006
More than a decade of patience has finally paid off for Bruce Sutter. In his 13th year of eligibility, Sutter has been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The 13-year wait equaled Sutter's tenure in the big leagues, but the right-hander always handled it gracefully. When the call finally came on Tuesday morning, however, he was overwhelmed.
"It's been 13 years, and 18 years since I threw my last pitch," Sutter said on a conference call Tuesday afternoon. "It was a call that you always hope for, but you never really expect it to happen. And when it did, I didn't think it would affect me or hit me as hard as it did, but it sure did."
Sutter, who turned 53 on Sunday, received 76.9 percent of the vote in balloting by the Baseball Writers Association of America (75 percent is the minimum required for induction). The only player elected in this year's BBWAA balloting, Sutter will be inducted on July 30 in the annual ceremonies in Cooperstown, N.Y.
"When the phone call came and the caller ID said New York," Sutter said, "I thought, 'Oh, maybe this is it.' And then when Mr. O'Connell came on the phone, I gave the thumbs-up to my boys and my wife and my daughters-in-law. They started screaming and actually I started crying."
Sutter's induction ceremony will bring together two groups of people not known for having much in common: Cardinals fans and Cubs fans. Sutter made his name with the Cubs in the late 1970s before pitching four years in St. Louis -- where he won a World Series ring. He finished his career with three seasons in Atlanta, fighting injuries before hanging it up at age 35.
As for the question surely running through the heads of Cubs and Cards fans, Sutter wasn't ready to say what color hat he expects to wear next summer.
"I'll say something [Wednesday]," Sutter said. "I've got to think about that. These things weren't something that I've been thinking about. I didn't have my bags packed. I've got to head to New York tonight. I haven't really even thought about that."
Sutter becomes the fourth relief pitcher in the Hall of Fame, and the second elected in three years. But he is the first pitcher in the Hall who never started a single big league game. Dennis Eckersley was inducted in 2004, following Rollie Fingers (1992) and Hoyt Wilhelm (1985).
Rich Gossage and Lee Smith, contemporaries of Sutter's, both gained ground in the voting, but will have to wait at least one more year. Gossage, in his seventh year on the ballot, climbed from 55.2 percent to 64.6 percent, and appears likely to be enshrined one day. Smith, in his fourth year, climbed from 38.8 percent to 45.0 percent.
"I hope closers get in," Sutter said. "Goose Gossage, a friend of mine, definitely a Hall of Fame pitcher in my mind. Lee Smith, friend of mine, teammate, definitely a Hall of Fame pitcher in my mind. I just think sometimes the voters try to compare us with the starting pitchers. We can't compete with their statistics, their innings and their strikeouts.
"It's like comparing a shortstop's numbers against a first baseman or an outfielder. We're just playing a different position. But I think without us, it's tough to win."
Known as the man who pioneered the split-fingered fastball, Sutter was one of the most dominant relievers of the late 1970s and early '80s. Injuries knocked him out of the game at age 35, or else he might already be enshrined in Cooperstown. Sutter pitched much of the latter stages of his career in intense pain before he finally called it a career.
Sutter's share of the vote climbed every year, and he received 66.7 percent in 2005. Every player who has ever received two-thirds of the votes in a single BBWAA Hall of Fame election has eventually been inducted, either by the writers or by the Veterans' Committee. In 2005, Sutter was the top vote-getter who was not inducted.
The last player to wait as long as Sutter before being inducted by the writers was Ralph Kiner, who was elected in his 13th year in 1975. It took Bill Terry 14 years before he was inducted in 1954.
When the phone rang at Sutter's Georgia home, he had a hunch as to who might be calling -- but he wasn't entirely sure he believed it.
"I had to keep asking them," Sutter said. "And then when the Commissioner [of baseball] called me, I said, 'Well, then I must be in.' But then when the announcement came on ESPN at 2:00, I was watching with my sons and I said, 'Wouldn't it be something if they came on and said nobody got in?'
"It's a dream come true. Every player, I don't think you consciously think about it, but every player would like to be part of the Baseball Hall of Fame."
Sutter made his Major League debut with the Cubs in 1976, and a year later he turned in one of the greatest relief seasons in history: 107 1/3 innings, 31 saves, a 1.34 ERA, 129 strikeouts, 69 hits and five homers allowed. He earned All-Star berths with the Cubs each year from 1977 to 1980, and a Cy Young Award in '79, before being shipped to St. Louis after the 1980 season.
In four seasons in St. Louis, Sutter was twice more an All-Star. He racked up 127 saves wearing the "birds on the bat" and finished in the top 10 in Cy Young voting three times. Sutter closed out Game 7 of the 1982 World Series, the only world championship for the Cardinals in the past 38 years.
Sutter enjoyed one last brilliant season in 1984, amassing 122 2/3 innings, a 1.54 ERA and 45 saves in his final year as a Cardinal. After that, he departed as a free agent for Atlanta, but injuries limited him to 112 games and 40 saves over four years with the Braves. He pitched his last game before his 36th birthday, then had to wait until he was 53 to join the immortals.
"I don't think you give up," said Sutter. "The Hall of Fame is for the best of the best. There's 260 guys in the history of baseball that are in the Hall of Fame. There's going to be a lot of good players -- great players -- that don't get in for one reason or another. Were my stats good enough? I didn't know. I had an injury that shortened my career, but you always keep your fingers crossed. It's one of those deals that I had no control over it. You keep hoping, but it's not something that was going to affect me."
Much of Sutter's support in the voting likely came not merely for his performance but for his famous splitter. Nearly everyone throws it these days, but Sutter was one of the first to turn it into the weapon it is today.
There's also the issue of his impact on the game. Sutter, along with Gossage, came along at a turning point in the history of the relief pitcher. They heralded the beginning of the modern closer role, but Sutter wasn't like today's closers.
Sutter often pitched more than an inning at a time, and more than 60-70 innings in a season. Sutter topped 100 innings five times, with one more year at 99. From 1976-85, he averaged just under 98 innings per season, all in relief, and tallied 283 of his 300 saves. Those types of innings totals are almost unheard of from relievers these days, and especially from the guys who close out games.

Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/

Sutter to wear Cards cap on Hall plaque

01/11/2006
NEW YORK -- Bruce Sutter will enter the National Baseball Hall of Fame on July 30 with the interlocking S, T and L of the St. Louis Cardinals on his cap, an official of the shrine in Cooperstown, N.Y., said on Wednesday.
Sutter made history on Tuesday when he became the first pure reliever elected among the 196 players in the Hall, 103 by members of the Baseball Writers Association of America, who voted him in as this year's only inductee.
Sutter becomes the eighth member of the Cardinals and first since Ozzie Smith in 2002 to go into the Hall representing the Redbirds. Smith also was the lone inductee at the time. The others are Lou Brock, Dizzy Dean, Bob Gibson, Stan Musial, Red Schoendienst and Enos Slaughter. The Cardinals list 37 players, 14 of them pitchers, who played at least a portion of their careers in St. Louis and are enshrined in the Hall.
"My sons remember me most as a Cardinal," Sutter said. "My one son is 26 years old and I don't think he's ever seen me without a beard. It's not as black as it used to be, but it's still there."
Sutter came up with the Cubs and finished with the Braves during the course of his 13-year career that ended in 1988. He played five years with Chicago and four years for St. Louis before grinding out the last four in Atlanta, where he experienced severe shoulder problems from the repetition of using the split-finger fastball as his out pitch. Incidentally, Ryne Sandberg, who came up with the Phillies, but played almost his entire career in Chicago, went in last year as a Cub.
Sutter's career hit its zenith, though, when he helped the Cardinals defeat the Brewers in Game 7 of the 1982 World Series. Sutter pitched two hitless, shutout innings to earn his second save of the series and punched out Brewers center fielder Gorman Thomas to give the Cardinals their last World Series title.
"My family identifies with me throwing that last pitch to Gorman Thomas," Sutter said. "I'm certainly thankful for what the Cubs did for me. I respect their organization. It's the same way with the Atlanta Braves, an awfully fine organization. I respect everybody who's down there and that's still where I live today. But the Cardinals represent the best years of my career."
No matter, it wasn't his choice. And on Wednesday, Sutter appeared at a press conference in Manhattan and was asked to don a dark blue cap with a Hall of Fame insignia above the brim and a white jersey with Hall of Fame embossed in script across the chest. A photo placard of Sutter to the right of the dais showed the bearded right-hander throwing off the mound in Cardinals garb juxtaposed to a black and white photo of a young clean-shaven Sutter wearing his Cubs uniform.
The cap issue wasn't even addressed on Wednesday until it was broached by a member of the media.
"It's the Hall of Fame's call now," said Dale Petroskey, the Hall's long-time president. "Because Bruce played with three great organizations, we agonized about what logo we'd place on the cap on his plaque. But in the end, I think he and we thought the Cardinals were the most appropriate choice, recognizing that he had some great years in Chicago and finished in Atlanta. But all that will be documented on his plaque."
Hall officials took over the process of designating the team that is represented on a player's plaque after Kirby Puckett and Dave Winfield were inducted in 2001. Puckett, of course, played his entire career for the Twins.
The Hall's decision came amidst reports that Winfield had shopped his Hall of Fame affiliation before determining to go in as a member of the Padres, the team that drafted him and gave him his start in the Major Leagues. Winfield played 22 seasons with six teams, including his first eight with the Padres and his next eight with the Yankees.
Since then, the Hall has had some tough decisions, opting to have Gary Carter go in as the only member of the Montreal Expos in 2003 rather than his glory days with the 1986 champion Mets, and designating Wade Boggs as a member of the Red Sox last year, even though he won his only World Series with the Yankees and collected his 3,000th hit with Tampa Bay.
Sutter, who received 76.9 percent of the vote -- only 1.9 percent more than the necessary 75 percent to gain election -- was an equally tough decision for Hall officials.
He signed with the Cubs in 1971 and made his way up through their Minor League system, where he developed his trademark pitch. After a decade in that organization he was traded to the Cardinals on Dec. 9, 1980, in the deal that sent Leon Durham and Ken Reitz to Chicago.
"The Cubs gave me a chance to play," Sutter said. "They signed me as a free agent and brought me to the Major Leagues. The first day I walked into Wrigley Field was one of the best days of my life. And I owe them an awful lot."
Then, after saving a career-high 45 games for the Cardinals in 1984, Sutter signed a four-year, $6.5 million deal with the Braves, a contract that might pale in comparison to the four-year, $43 million pact left-handed closer Billy Wagner recently signed with the Mets, but was one of the most lucrative at the time.
Sutter, though, blew out his shoulder and was never a factor in Atlanta. He pitched the 1985 season hurt, had surgery that offseason, rushed back and tore his labrum, sat out the entire 1987 season and wound up making only 112 appearances and saving 40 games for the Braves.
"I hurt my shoulder down there and if I had one regret, its that I could never pitch," Sutter said. "But if I hadn't thrown the split-finger, I would've never have made the Major Leagues. I would've been at best a Double-A player. So if they told me it was going to hurt my arm I'd do it all over again."

Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/

Around the Horn: Bullpen

01/11/2006
ST. LOUIS -- Turnover doesn't necessarily mean drop-off. But it at least raises the question.
After swapping out more than half of the National League's best bullpen from 2005, the Cardinals don't know whether their relief corps will be good enough in 2006. The new faces have ability, but they also have question marks.
Will Braden Looper be healthy? If so, was his subpar 2005 season purely a result of injuries? Can Ricardo Rincon be more than a one-batter specialist? Is rookie Juan Mateo ready to be a big leaguer? And who in the world will take the last spot or two on the right side?
The Cards are still looking at possibly adding another right-hander. Felix Rodriguez was reportedly on the radar, but nothing is in the immediate offing. But simply by granting that there's room for improvement, St. Louis management indicates that this is one aspect of the team that could be a little sticky.
"Where we are in January and leading up to Spring Training, there are still some opportunities for us to maybe look to improve it," said assistant general manager John Mozeliak. "We're assessing where that is right now. There are a couple of things Walt [Jocketty, general manager] and I are working on. Nothing close, nothing imminent.
"I think when you look at our bullpen overall, we're very pleased with where we are today given the subtractions we had this offseason. As we move forward, if we have the ability to find a way to get better, we will. We never stop looking."
Still, from the perspective of manager Tony La Russa, even with all that turnover, the key man is the guy at the back of the 'pen. And the guy at the back of the 'pen is just fine. Ninth-inning man Jason Isringhausen is coming off a strong and healthy year, and though his strikeout rate dipped, he remains one of the game's better game-closing relievers.
The primary questions will come in the seventh and eighth inning, after Julian Tavarez departed via free agency and Ray King was traded. Stepping in for Tavarez is Looper, who closed games in New York but suffered a frustrating '05. Taking King's place on the left side will be Rincon, who has had difficulty getting right-handed hitters out, but remains tough on lefties.
Looper is recuperating from shoulder surgery, but is expected to be ready to go at the start of the year. If he can pitch like he did in 2003 and 2004, however, he'll make a fine setup man for Isringhausen. Like Tavarez, Looper is a ground-ball specialist, and like Tavarez, he's racked up some hefty innings and games pitched totals.
"We can approach this slowly," Mozeliak said, "but in the end, we're viewing him as someone that's going to have a big impact on our bullpen and be right there in the eighth inning."
Brad Thompson will likely reprise his role as a sixth- and seventh-inning grounder-getter, but may find himself in some higher-leverage situations. As for who will take over from Al Reyes and Cal Eldred as a power righty, someone who can get a strikeout, that's the one truly open question in the Cards bullpen. Prospect Adam Wainwright could get a look.
The situation may actually be a little brighter on the left side, where Randy Flores emerged as a fine and dependable hurler in his first full year. He will be counted on to take some of the big situations that were once given to King, with other chances going to Rincon.
The 35-year-old native of Mexico averaged fewer than two outs per appearance in 2005, and he looks more and more like a specialist. But to fill in for King and even Steve Kline before him, Rincon will need to get some right-handed hitters out as well.
"I think he can be viewed as a full-inning guy, but knowing what I know about Tony and [pitching coach Dave Duncan], I think they'll try to maximize his worth as best they can in the situations they feel strongest with," said Mozeliak. "But he wasn't signed as just a specialist."

Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/

Worrell making strides in winter ball

01/13/2006
Closers, it seems, are more often made than born. The list of the best ninth-inning pitchers includes more converted starters and emergency fill-ins -- see Gagne, Eric -- than guys who were groomed to pitch the ninth inning from an early age.
That's not to say it never happens, though -- witness Chad Cordero in Washington, one of the game's best young relievers. And the Cardinals are hoping it happens again in a couple of years, with a right-hander named Mark Worrell.
A product of Florida International University, Worrell has climbed steadily through the St. Louis system, and he enjoyed a fine season at Class A Palm Beach in 2005. Worrell has followed up that campaign with an even better showing in winter ball, pitching for Mazatlan of the Mexican Pacific League.
Still, fans shouldn't get too far ahead of themselves just yet. It's a long way from Palm Beach to St. Louis. Worrell isn't even expected to be invited to Major League Spring Training next month.
But his strong showing has helped bolster his regard within the organization. During the regular season for Mazatlan, where fellow prospect Chris Duncan is a teammate, Worrell allowed one run in 11 2/3 innings over 13 appearances, good for a 0.77 ERA. He struck out 10 against just one walk and didn't permit a home run.
It's been slightly tougher sledding for Worrell in the postseason, as he's put up a 3.86 ERA and walked three batters over four appearances. Nonetheless, he's receiving some valuable experience against a higher caliber of opponent than one finds in the Florida State League.

Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/

Marquis makes most of busy day

01/14/2006
ST. LOUIS -- It would have been a long day for Jason Marquis no matter what on Saturday. But when he arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport to find out that his flight to St. Louis had been canceled, the challenge was multiplied.
Marquis finally made it to the 10th annual Cardinals Care Winter Warm-Up, though not until more than an hour of his scheduled autograph-signing time had passed. He stuck around for a while extra obliging fans, met with the media and then headed right back to the airport to fly back to Newark again.
"Long day," said Marquis. "I woke up at five this morning to catch a 7 o'clock flight. I get to the airport, and the flight is canceled. So I hopped on the 1:30 flight, which was the next available. I got here at 3:30, and I fly out tonight at seven. So, a long day."
Not a bad one, though. Marquis was in good spirits, even though he remains unsigned for the 2006 season. The right-hander is eligible for arbitration, and the date to exchange figures is coming up next week.
According to general manager Walt Jocketty, the odds are good for avoiding arbitration, but no agreement is imminent. Marquis is represented by Seth and Sam Levinson, who have a long history of dealings with the Cardinals.
Marquis isn't necessarily looking to avoid arbitration, but neither is he picking a fight with the club.
"Me and my representatives are sitting down talking about it, and we want what's right and that's what it comes down to," Marquis said. "There's really been no argument or debate. It's been a good process.
"I'm not saying [an arbitration hearing] is the best or the worst place for it, but if it comes down to it -- that's what it takes -- that's what I'm going to do. I trust my representatives to tell me what's going on. I believe in them to tell me what my market value is. I stand behind them, and if it takes going to arbitration, that's what we'll do."
The Cardinals are looking to avoid arbitration for the seventh year in a row. They haven't actually gone to a hearing with a player since 1999, when they won their case against left-handed pitcher Darren Oliver.
Reinforcements? Jocketty said that while he's fairly comfortable with his team as it currently stands, the Cardinals are still looking at the possibility of adding one more right-handed reliever. Felix Rodriguez is one possibility, and Jeff Nelson is another.
According to the GM, if a deal is not struck in the relatively near future, the Cards will simply go to camp with what they have.
"Either we will or we won't this week," he said. "It's getting too late. Guys want to get signed."
Not missing Mazatlan: For the first time he can recall, John Gall didn't play winter baseball this year. Instead, he's dedicated his offseason to physical conditioning and training rather than playing for Mazatlan in the Mexican Pacific League.
"It's an awesome adjustment to be able to do it [this way]," Gall said Saturday. "Because I haven't really been able to concentrate on getting my body in shape like this, ever. I've got a great setup at home. Myself, Eric Byrnes, we work together five days a week, sometimes even six days."
Where exactly Gall fits in on the 2006 Cardinals remains to be seen. The club doesn't have a set backup for Albert Pujols at first base, which might benefit him. On the flipside, the outfield picture is quite crowded. Still, after getting a taste of the Major Leagues for the first time in 2005, Gall will go to Spring Training with more hope of making the Opening Day roster than ever before.
"I think the exciting part, for me, of this year, is that anything is possible," he said. "And I really believe that. I can say that all I want to myself, and I've said it before to myself going into Spring Training, but I really sincerely believe it. That's really exciting, and that's given me added motivation."
Spoken like a veteran: If rookie Anthony Reyes was upset at the signing of Sidney Ponson to compete with him for a rotation spot, he's not letting on. Reyes, who was considered the favorite for the No. 5 job before Ponson was brought into the fold, said he welcomes the challenge.
"I knew this wasn't going to be easy," Reyes said. "It's just another thing. I have to work in the offseason and try to come prepared and ready to fight for that job.
"I love competition. I wouldn't have it any other way. Stuff like this just makes me work harder and motivates me to do everything a lot better. Hopefully I can get that job."
If Reyes doesn't make the rotation, it's unclear where he will go. He might be sent to the bullpen, or he might head back to Triple-A Memphis to continue amassing innings as a starter. As far as the USC product is concerned, that's an easy choice.
"I'm approaching this year that hopefully my jersey will still be hanging up at the end of Spring Training," said Reyes.
Rolen update: Head athletic trainer Barry Weinberg checked in on Saturday, expressing optimism about the status of rehabbing third baseman Scott Rolen. Weinberg said Rolen has begun swinging a bat and may ramp up his hitting within a couple of weeks. Rolen is not expected to face significant restrictions at the start of Spring Training, but Weinberg said the medical staff reserves the right to back him off some if need be.

Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/

Pujols eager to represent home country

01/15/2006
ST. LOUIS -- The past two years, Albert Pujols has been not only the most popular fan attraction at the annual Cardinals Winter Warm-Up, but the biggest story in the media room. This time around, the crowds were the same, but the chat with reporters was more like Albert Unplugged.
Pujols sat at a table and chatted for 45 minutes, holding court on topics from the success of his foundation to new teammates to his recent trip to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City. He spent quite a bit of time discussing the World Baseball Classic, in which he will represent the Dominican Republic.
The National League MVP explained that he won't be changing his offseason routine one bit, despite the fact that he'll be representing his country a few weeks earlier than he normally represents his team.
"A lot of people, friends and media, asked me, 'Are you going to change your program?' " Pujols said. "My program is going to stay the same. I'm going to their program whenever I have to report to [Dominican Republic] camp. But I'm going to be in touch with Pete [Prinzi, the Cardinals' strength and conditioning coach] to make sure I do my running, make sure I do the things that my team is doing in Spring Training, because I want to make sure I get myself ready to go."
For Pujols, who does not play Winter League baseball in the Dominican, the WBC is a unique opportunity.
"I can't play in the Dominican [in the winter]," he said. "There's a lot of people who can play in the offseason down there. This is, for me, something that I can do so I can make up to my country, just to say, 'Hey, I don't have time in the offseason -- we have 162 games plus the playoffs, and I can't go play.' But definitely, I want to participate in this because this is big for me, and I'm pretty sure that's the same way a lot of the guys look at it: David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, [Miguel] Tejada. I don't get to play down there in the Dominican."
Pujols lives in the St. Louis area and has been in the States for about 10 years now, but he still feels deeply connected to the country where he was born and raised. He relishes the thought of stepping on a field with players like Tejada, Ortiz and Ramirez.
"I'm pretty sure it's going to be a big deal to us," said Pujols. "It's going to be a big deal to win. You're representing your country. It's almost like the Olympics. When you represent your country, you want to win. I'm pretty sure it's the same way the American side is going to look at it.
"We need to represent," Pujols said. "Any time you put that USA team name on your jersey, you want to make sure you represent your country the right way. And that's the same way I look at the Dominican. When we're wearing that Dominican uniform, we're going to represent it the right way, the way we know how to play the game."
Izzy's out: Unlike Pujols, Jason Isringhausen has elected not to play in the World Baseball Classic. He cited not only health concerns but a desire to get comfortable with a slew of new teammates in the St. Louis bullpen.
"I wanted to get to know everybody," said Isringhausen, who put his name in the pool for the U.S. team last year. "I didn't want to spend one week with them and then start a long season.
"Health, and I wanted to be with my team during Spring Training. When we signed up for this, it was the middle of last year, and nobody knew any of the particulars. We signed up to say they could ask us to play. And then when we found out we were only going to be in Spring Training for like a week, I [wanted] to be with my team. I don't want to be out, not being with my team and seeing who I'm going to be teammates with."
Suffice it to say that no one in the organization was heartbroken by Isringhausen's decision. The right-hander has battled arm trouble for much of his career.
"I called Walt [Jocketty, general manager] and told him I wasn't going to play, and he said, 'OK,' " said Isringhausen. "He said, 'Either way, whatever you do, I support you.' I said I wanted to be with my team."
Fighting for a job, part one: For the first time in seven years, Sidney Ponson will be in competition for a rotation spot when he reports to Spring Training. Ponson, two years removed from being a major free agent signing and the nominal No. 1 starter for the Orioles, will be competing for the No. 5 job in St. Louis.
"I had to fight for a spot in '99," he said. "But still, I just have to go and do what I need to do. Whatever they come up with, if [Anthony] Reyes is going to be the fifth starter, I'll go to the bullpen. I don't have a problem with that.
"I'm eight years, nine years in already. I just want to go to the World Series and win it all. If me being in the bullpen is going to make the team better, I'll do it."
Ponson said that if the Cards choose to bump him to the bullpen, he wouldn't complain. Jocketty told reporters on Saturday that using Ponson in relief was at least a possibility.
Fighting for a job, part two: Coming off a year in which he led the Pacific Coast League in strikeouts, Adam Wainwright has no guarantees of a roster spot. Once ranked as one of the team's top prospects, Wainwright appears to have been passed on the depth chart by Reyes.
For Ponson, the options are likely to start in the big leagues or relieve in the big leagues. But for Wainwright, it's probably relieve in St. Louis or start in Triple-A Memphis. That's an easy call for the right-hander.
"I go in thinking about whatever they'll let me do at the big-league level," Wainwright said. "You never know what happens. This is a funny game. Obviously, I've always been a starter. I love to start. But I also loved my time in the big leagues, and that's going to come first right now. I'm happy with whatever role they'll let me have at the big-league level."

Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/

Cards Caravan rolling; Rolen improving

01/16/2006
JOPLIN, Mo. -- One segment of the Cardinals Caravan rolled through Southwest Missouri on Monday, and the primary topic here wasn't any different than what has been discussed often at St. Louis headquarters and other venues this winter along the wide expanse known as Cardinals' country.
How's third baseman Scott Rolen doing and will he manage to bounce back strong in the aftermath of shoulder surgery?
Four hours to the east, Rolen was telling those in St. Louis that he expects to be at full strength in time for the start of the 2006 season. Too bad those comments weren't piped in to Webster Auditorium on the campus of Missouri Southern State University, where a flock of red-clad fans showed up to welcome the Cardinals Caravan to Joplin for the first time since the mid-1990s. No doubt, Rolen's words would have prompted a thunderous ovation.
"Rolen is an integral part of the team, not only on the field but in the clubhouse," said die-hard Cardinals fan Carrie Puffinbarger. "I think it will do a lot for the morale of everybody if he's back and performing to his usual standards."
The Cardinals rolled through the National League Central by such a wide margin last season that it seemed St. Louis might be capable of bringing home its first World Series title since 1982, sans Rolen. But the Cardinals ran into Houston's first-rate pitching, and it underscored the need for Rolen's big bat.
"Abraham Nunez did a nice job, but you definitely need a Scott Rolen when you're trying to win it all," said Roger Huggins of Sheldon, Mo., who brought his 7-year-old son, Jade, on a 60-mile trip to greet the Cardinal contingent. "Hopefully, we'll have Scott back and this team can take it all the way."
Former Cardinals third baseman Ken Reitz, who used to be a vacuum cleaner at third in the Rolen mold, is quick to add an expert opinion that St. Louis can be a true playoff power if Rolen's surgically repaired shoulder cooperates.
"He's so good for that team," said Reitz. "He makes all the plays at third and has exceptional range because he's so long. Then you factor in what he does to the lineup. When you have Scott's presence along with Albert Pujols and Jim Edmonds, it changes a lot of things for the pitcher. When you lose a player of that magnitude, it has a big impact on the chemistry of your team."
Cardinals telecaster Bob Carpenter is another observer who fully appreciates what a healthy Rolen could mean.
"If Scott could play somewhere around 150 games, I think we'd have a good chance of getting back to the World Series," Carpenter said.
Although Rolen looks to be on course in his recovery, the Cardinals won't know for sure about his condition until he is going full throttle in Spring Training. In the meantime, the Cardinals are welcoming newcomers such as Larry Bigbie, Juan Encarnacion, Junior Spivey and Braden Looper with open arms and rallying their vast fan base as excitement builds over the 2006 club and the unveiling of the new ballpark.
"I'm very pumped up, yet a little nervous about the changes that have been made," said Puffinbarger. "But they know what they are doing."
On the Joplin stop, which preceded an evening session in Springfield, where the Cardinals have their Double-A club, fans were treated to a program and autograph session. It was a sea of red inside Webster Auditorium as fans mingled with Reitz, Carpenter, former left-hander Ken Dayley, and young players Skip Schumaker, Tyler Johnson, Brendan Ryan, Adam Wainwright and Juan Diaz.
Information was given, jokes were told, autograph requests were met and fans went home with a new case of baseball fever on an unseasonably warm day.
"I've always been a Cardinals fan," Huggins said. "My father helped build the arch. I used to live in Poplar Bluff and the caravan would come there, but I was never able to make it. Now that I'm living close to Joplin, this was a good opportunity to bring my son and see the Cardinals. I know it's going to be another exciting year."
If Rolen is rolling, that excitement could reach a whole new level.

Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/

Cardinals add veteran reliever Nelson

01/16/2006
ST. LOUIS -- Cardinals manager Tony La Russa confirmed Monday that the team has signed veteran right-hander Jeff Nelson to a contract.
The deal is a Minor League pact with an invite to Spring Training, and ESPN.com reported that Nelson would make $800,000 if he makes the big league club. St. Louis must replace four relievers from its 2005 club. Nelson would likely be a sixth- and seventh-inning man, taking some of the innings thrown by Al Reyes in 2005. Reyes underwent reconstructive elbow surgery during the offseason.
"He's got everything going in, as far as experience," La Russa said. "[He has] a lot of success in key situations. It's just a matter of, like any of us, it's 2006 and he's got to show what he's got. But he brings a lot to the table as far as a good teammate and he's been a clutch guy. I'm anxious to give him innings and see what he's got."
Nelson, 39, has spent 14 years in the Major Leagues, pitching for the Mariners, Yankees and Rangers. He was a key part of the great Yankees bullpens of the late 1990s, helping set up Mariano Rivera. In 2005, he posted a 3.93 ERA in 36 2/3 innings over 49 appearances with Seattle.
For his career, Nelson has a 48-44 record, 33 saves and a 3.41 ERA in 782 innings. He has a 2.65 lifetime postseason ERA in 55 appearances. He's been something of a specialist in recent years, dominating right-handed hitters but encountering some trouble against lefties.
"Jeff will be looked at as a middle innings, setup guy," said Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty. "He's put up some impressive numbers in the past and his penchant for getting right-handed batters out is very appealing."
Since the 2005 season ended, the Cardinals have lost Julian Tavarez to free agency, traded Ray King, non-tendered Reyes and saw Cal Eldred retire. They signed Braden Looper and Ricardo Rincon to fill the spots of Tavarez and King, but were still searching for an additional righty.

Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/

Spring tickets available online Saturday

01/20/2006
ST. LOUIS -- Can't wait until new Busch Stadium opens for your live Cardinals fix? The answer is here. Redbirds Spring Training tickets go on sale at 8 a.m. CT on Saturday at StLCardinals.com, providing fans with their first chance to see the two-time defending NL Central champions in action.
Prices are as follows: $22 for field box seats, $20 for loge box, $8 for bleachers, $8 for berm seating (sold day of game only) and $5 for standing room. There is an additional $1 charge per ticket on Saturday and Sunday home games.
The Cards will open spring play on Tuesday, Feb. 28 with a 12:05 p.m. CT home game against Florida Atlantic University, and they will begin Grapefruit League action on March 2 at home against the Mets, also with a 12:05 p.m. CT start time. They will not have a game on March 1.
Included on the Cards' home slate at Roger Dean are games against the Mets, Marlins, Dodgers, Orioles, Yankees (March 17), Braves (March 19-20) and Nationals. In addition, St. Louis plays four "road" games at Roger Dean against Florida, its co-tenant at the Jupiter facility.
The Cards wrap up Grapefruit League play with an 11:05 a.m. CT game on Saturday, April 1, against the Mets at Roger Dean. No exhibition games are scheduled for the Cardinals outside of Florida. The regular season opens on April 3 with a game against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, and new Busch Stadium opens April 10 with the Cardinals against the Brewers.
Besides online ordering, fans may purchase Spring Training tickets at Florida TicketMaster outlets or by mail order. To order tickets by mail, fans should send a check, money order, Visa, MasterCard or American Express number, including $5 for handling charge, to the following address: Roger Dean Stadium Ticket Office, 4751 Main Street, Jupiter, FL 33458. Tickets may not be purchased at the Busch Stadium ticket office or at the normal St. Louis-area locations.

Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/

Cards Caravan rolling; Rolen improving

01/16/2006
JOPLIN, Mo. -- One segment of the Cardinals Caravan rolled through Southwest Missouri on Monday, and the primary topic here wasn't any different than what has been discussed often at St. Louis headquarters and other venues this winter along the wide expanse known as Cardinals' country.
How's third baseman Scott Rolen doing and will he manage to bounce back strong in the aftermath of shoulder surgery?
Four hours to the east, Rolen was telling those in St. Louis that he expects to be at full strength in time for the start of the 2006 season. Too bad those comments weren't piped in to Webster Auditorium on the campus of Missouri Southern State University, where a flock of red-clad fans showed up to welcome the Cardinals Caravan to Joplin for the first time since the mid-1990s. No doubt, Rolen's words would have prompted a thunderous ovation.
"Rolen is an integral part of the team, not only on the field but in the clubhouse," said die-hard Cardinals fan Carrie Puffinbarger. "I think it will do a lot for the morale of everybody if he's back and performing to his usual standards."
The Cardinals rolled through the National League Central by such a wide margin last season that it seemed St. Louis might be capable of bringing home its first World Series title since 1982, sans Rolen. But the Cardinals ran into Houston's first-rate pitching, and it underscored the need for Rolen's big bat.
"Abraham Nunez did a nice job, but you definitely need a Scott Rolen when you're trying to win it all," said Roger Huggins of Sheldon, Mo., who brought his 7-year-old son, Jade, on a 60-mile trip to greet the Cardinal contingent. "Hopefully, we'll have Scott back and this team can take it all the way."
Former Cardinals third baseman Ken Reitz, who used to be a vacuum cleaner at third in the Rolen mold, is quick to add an expert opinion that St. Louis can be a true playoff power if Rolen's surgically repaired shoulder cooperates.
"He's so good for that team," said Reitz. "He makes all the plays at third and has exceptional range because he's so long. Then you factor in what he does to the lineup. When you have Scott's presence along with Albert Pujols and Jim Edmonds, it changes a lot of things for the pitcher. When you lose a player of that magnitude, it has a big impact on the chemistry of your team."
Cardinals telecaster Bob Carpenter is another observer who fully appreciates what a healthy Rolen could mean.
"If Scott could play somewhere around 150 games, I think we'd have a good chance of getting back to the World Series," Carpenter said.
Although Rolen looks to be on course in his recovery, the Cardinals won't know for sure about his condition until he is going full throttle in Spring Training. In the meantime, the Cardinals are welcoming newcomers such as Larry Bigbie, Juan Encarnacion, Junior Spivey and Braden Looper with open arms and rallying their vast fan base as excitement builds over the 2006 club and the unveiling of the new ballpark.
"I'm very pumped up, yet a little nervous about the changes that have been made," said Puffinbarger. "But they know what they are doing."
On the Joplin stop, which preceded an evening session in Springfield, where the Cardinals have their Double-A club, fans were treated to a program and autograph session. It was a sea of red inside Webster Auditorium as fans mingled with Reitz, Carpenter, former left-hander Ken Dayley, and young players Skip Schumaker, Tyler Johnson, Brendan Ryan, Adam Wainwright and Juan Diaz.
Information was given, jokes were told, autograph requests were met and fans went home with a new case of baseball fever on an unseasonably warm day.
"I've always been a Cardinals fan," Huggins said. "My father helped build the arch. I used to live in Poplar Bluff and the caravan would come there, but I was never able to make it. Now that I'm living close to Joplin, this was a good opportunity to bring my son and see the Cardinals. I know it's going to be another exciting year."
If Rolen is rolling, that excitement could reach a whole new level.

Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/

Notes: Rolen says shoulder feels fine

01/16/2006
ST. LOUIS -- Scott Rolen did his best to set the minds of Cardinal Nation at ease on Monday. Rolen, appearing at the 10th annual Cardinals Care Winter Warm-Up, said that his surgically repaired left shoulder is recovering fine, and he expects to be at full strength in time for the start of the 2006 season.
"Right now I'm turned loose and I'm hitting off the tee and playing golf, running, lifting, strength training, lifting as much as I want to lift," Rolen told reporters on Monday afternoon. "I'm not restricted right now. In my range of motion, I'm right at the very end of everything -- five degrees is what they're telling me."
Rolen missed much of the 2005 season after sustaining a shoulder injury in a collision with Hee-Seop Choi. He came back briefly, but never returned to his expected level of performance, and eventually shut it down for the season. He said the rehabilitation process was much more extensive than what he endured after a 2002 collision and shoulder injury.
"This is a longer process, no doubt," Rolen said. "This is a more serious rehab. There it was kind of a healing time, and once I was done healing, then I could just strengthen and come right back. I had no loss of range of motion or anything like that. My range of motion was almost zero after this surgery, so I had to come all the way back."
Cardinals head athletic trainer Barry Weinberg said earlier in the weekend that Rolen would be unrestricted at the beginning of Spring Training -- but that the club reserves the right to back Rolen off if he has any setbacks.
No restrictions: Right-hander Braden Looper pronounced himself fully ready to go despite offseason shoulder surgery. Looper had a relatively minor procedure in his throwing shoulder.
"I'm going 100 percent right now," Looper said. "I'm not throwing 100 percent, but I'll probably start bullpen [sessions] this week. I'm on my normal schedule of what I would do to get ready for Spring Training on a normal basis. I feel great. The surgery went great. I saw the doctor at the beginning of January, my final 'You're OK, go get 'em' type of thing. I'll be ready to go."
Looper endured a substandard 2005 season, but he declined to attribute his drop in performance to any soreness.
"I said when it came out at the end of last season that it was something I had been dealing with all year that I didn't want it to be known, because I didn't want to be a guy that had a crutch in any way," Looper said.
Flores feeling fine: Left-hander Randy Flores reported that he came through offseason elbow surgery with flying colors. Shortly after the season ended, Flores underwent a procedure to remove bone spurs from his pitching elbow, but he said he's very close to his normal winter throwing schedule.
"Everyone says it's a minor surgery until it's your own," Flores said. "But the rehabilitation has been going great. Dr. [George] Paletta did a great job, from what I hear from everyone who has looked at my arm since then. I'm looking forward to going strong in Spring Training."
Flores enters Spring Training with more Major League job security than he's ever had before, following a strong season and some impressive showings in the postseason. He's taking nothing for granted, but he knows he's in a better position than he's been in previous years.
"To go into this season with a bit of success in the big leagues last year, it's a different feeling than the Spring Training before that," Flores said.
"There's nothing guaranteed. You have to compete. You have to keep your spot, and I'm looking forward to the chance to do that again this spring."
Suppan's journey: Jeff Suppan enjoyed what surely was one of the most memorable offseason experiences of any Cardinals player. The right-hander visited the Vatican for almost a week, even meeting new Pope Benedict XVI. Suppan hoped to take a Cardinals jersey to the pontiff, but his luggage got lost on the way.
"I called Rip Rowan, who is our clubhouse manager, and he got us a jersey and I was very excited and nervous," Suppan said. "More importantly, just to meet the pope was phenomenal, and then to be able to offer him what I thought was a creative gift. And then my bags didn't make it. So I didn't have anything to offer him."
That didn't dim the moment for Suppan, however.
"It was a phenomenal experience," Suppan said. "I got to shake his hand. I kissed his ring. ... You're jelly-legged. I was nervous, but I was nervous in a different way. I couldn't really describe it. My heart was super pounding. I knew what I was being a part of. To actually be there, in Rome, and to get an opportunity like that, I felt very blessed. It was great."
Missing Mo: Chris Carpenter no longer counts Matt Morris as a teammate, but the two right-handers remain friends and workout partners. Morris left as a free agent to join the Giants.
"It's going to be strange," Carpenter said. "He's the guy that, when we go on the road, we go to lunch together, we go to dinner together, we hang out in each other's hotel rooms together after the game.
"He's a friend of mine, a good friend of mine. He's a guy that I enjoy hanging out with in the clubhouse, playing cards, whatever we feel like doing. We work out together. We worked out together last spring and we worked out together the spring before that."
Welcome, ex-Rox: Former Colorado Rockies Aaron Miles and Larry Bigbie both got their first taste of Cardinal fandom this weekend, and both were impressed. Miles and Bigbie, acquired in the trade that sent Ray King to the Rockies, are in somewhat similar spots going into camp. Neither has a guaranteed job, though Bigbie is very likely at least to make the team, if not to start.
"Ultimately, everybody wants to win a starting job," said Bigbie, a lefty swinger who can play all three outfield positions. "But when you're on a team that's trying to do what we're trying to do here, it's just about what you can do to help the team win."
Miles is likely a long shot to earn a starting job after the signing of Junior Spivey, but he'll compete for the second base gig. That derby may also include Hector Luna and Deivi Cruz.
"My goal is to be the starter and to be a key part of this team," Miles said. "How Tony decides to use me, that's what I'll be happy doing. I like being a part of a winning team, and I pride myself on doing things to help teams win."
Ankiel scratched: Rick Ankiel was a late scratch from signing at the Winter Warm-Up on Monday. Yadier Molina's appearance was pushed back, but the catcher did eventually make it up onto the stage to sign for fans.

Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/

Pujols, Carpenter honored at dinner

01/17/2006
ST. LOUIS -- Albert Pujols and Chris Carpenter reached the pinnacles of individual achievement in 2005. Neither was satisfied with the season.
Pujols, the 2005 National League Most Valuable Player, and Carpenter, the NL Cy Young Award winner for 2005, were honored on Monday night at the 48th annual St. Louis Baseball Writers' Dinner. In addition, they were named the co-winners of the St. Louis Baseball Man of the Year Award. Both men, however, have other hardware in mind.
"I don't think it was the best year, like a lot of my friends say," Pujols said. "I won the MVP and I won a great honor from you guys that voted me in. But I don't think about that. It wasn't the best year for us because we didn't win the championship. We didn't win the World Series. We didn't even make it to the World Series last year. So I don't think it was the best year."
It was a memorable night at the Millennium Hotel in downtown St. Louis. In addition to the MVP and Cy Young winners, the NL Rookie of the Year, Ryan Howard, was recognized. New Hall of Fame inductee Bruce Sutter, the only man going in the Hall this year, quipped that it must be quite a dais when the new Hall of Famer isn't even introduced last.
The Baseball Writers' Dinner capped off the annual Winter Warm-Up weekend, which is a baseball version of Christmas in July. For three days, fans flocked to the Millennium to meet players and front-office personnel, get autographs, buy memorabilia and take in exhibits. The dinner ordinarily falls on a Tuesday, but this year it was moved up a day, making for an even more perfect topper on the all-ball weekend.
Typically, the Cy Young and MVP Awards are handed out at the New York baseball writers' dinner. However, with both winners coming from the Cardinals, an exception was made this time around. In addition, NL Rookie of the Year Ryan Howard, a native of the St. Louis area, was presented with his award.
All three will be honored again in New York later in the winter. They will receive their trophies to keep early next season.
And by that time, you can guarantee that Carpenter will have moved on. The right-hander prides himself on his concentration and preparation above all else. It's those qualities to which he most attributes his success. Not that individual accomplishments are what float his boat.
"It is an honor," Carpenter said. "It's an honor to be a part of this group. This season was an incredible season. Personally it was good, but team-wise we didn't get to where we wanted to get. I'm looking forward to 2006 and hopefully having the opportunity to do it again."
Long-time St. Louis sportswriter Bob Broeg, a recipient of the Baseball Hall of Fame's J.G. Taylor Spink Award, was remembered for his contributions to the St. Louis baseball writers. Broeg passed away in October at the age of 87.
Steve Gietschier of The Sporting News shared memories of Broeg with the assembled crowd. The writers at the head table wore bow ties in honor of Broeg, who was known for his dapper neckwear.
Retired right-hander Cal Eldred was the third recipient of the Darryl Kile Award, annually presented to the Cardinal who best exemplifies Kile's traits of "a good teammate, a great friend, a fine father and a humble man." Eldred received many of the warmest tributes of the night, and was clearly moved by being connected with the late Kile.
"We were talking about the people who have received this award," said Eldred, "and Darryl himself, his family and the families of Mike Matheny and Woody Williams, who have also received this award. For any of the guys up here, coaches, media, that know those people, to be mentioned with their names, it's a huge honor and it's very humbling for me."
Members of the all-Busch Stadium team were presented with the Brian P. and Bob Burnes Nostalgia Award. The team was made up of manager Whitey Herzog, first baseman Pujols, second baseman Tom Herr, shortstop Ozzie Smith, third baseman Scott Rolen, outfielders Lou Brock, Jim Edmonds and Roger Maris, catcher Ted Simmons, utilityman Jose Oquendo and pitchers Bob Gibson and Sutter.
Three members of the World Series champion White Sox were recognized by former White Sox broadcaster -- and new man in the St. Louis radio booth -- John Rooney. Chicago's Mark Buehrle made two of the biggest splashes of the night. Besides outbidding fans in attendance by paying $4500 for a signed print of the All-Busch Stadium team, he reiterated his desire to play for St. Louis one day.
"I love Chicago right now," said the left-hander. "If they signed me to a lifetime deal, I'll sign it. But I've always grown up as a Cardinal fan. I've always wanted to pitch here. If I get that opportunity to put that uniform on for at least one game, I'll go out there and do it."
Buehrle got a big laugh when he formed a napkin into the shape of a blindfold and asked that Pujols wear it when the Cards and Sox play this year. As for Pujols, he outdid even Buehrle in the auction. The slugger bid $5000 for an autographed Carpenter jersey, then presented the jersey to the first bidder, who had offered $1000. The woman was absolutely overwhelmed, hugging Pujols and Carpenter and exclaiming that the jersey was a gift for her son.
Other honorees included:
• Cardinals manager Tony La Russa: Hyland/Hummel Meritorious Service to Sports Award
• David Eckstein: Stockton/Broeg Award for Outstanding Achievement in Baseball
• Jason Isringhausen: Stockton/Broeg Award for Outstanding Achievement in Baseball
• Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty: Stockton/Broeg Award for Outstanding Achievement in Baseball
• Cardinals bullpen coach Marty Mason*: Stockton/Broeg Award for Outstanding Achievement in Baseball
• Joe Crede* (World Series champion White Sox): Stockton/Broeg Award for Outstanding Achievement in Baseball
• Jim Edmonds: Stockton/Broeg Award for Outstanding Achievement in Baseball
• Jason Marquis*: Stockton/Broeg Award for Outstanding Achievement in Baseball
• Abraham Nunez*: Stockton/Broeg Award for Outstanding Achievement in Baseball
• Marty Hendin: Harry Mitauer Good Guy Award
(note: * indicates honoree was not in attendance)

Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/

Cards, Marquis ink one-year deal

01/17/2006
ST. LOUIS -- It took just a little bit longer than they may have hoped, but Jason Marquis and the Cardinals agreed to terms Tuesday on a new one-year contract. Marquis will make a reported $5.15 million with incentives that could be worth up to an additional $275,000.
Marquis, 27, went 13-14 with a 4.13 ERA in his second season in St. Louis. He pitched a career-high 207 innings, going over 200 frames for the second straight year. Marquis pitched the first shutout and the first three complete games of his career in 2005.
The right-hander, acquired from Atlanta in a trade in December of 2003, appeared at the annual Winter Warm-Up on Saturday amid some speculation that a new pact might be announced. However, the deal wasn't quite done at that time, and Marquis had to leave town the same day to return home to the New York area.
"There's really been no argument or debate," he said Saturday. "It's been a good process."
General manager Walt Jocketty said that the Cardinals and Marquis have not broached the topic of a multiyear contract. Marquis is eligible for free agency after 2006, as are fellow starting pitchers Mark Mulder, Jeff Suppan and Sidney Ponson. Chris Carpenter is the only member of the Cardinals rotation who is under contract for 2007. Rookie Anthony Reyes, who may make the starting staff, is under the club's control through at least the 2011 season.
Marquis' season was up and down in '05. He pitched as well as any Cardinal in the season's first weeks, and was 5-1 with a 3.26 ERA on May 8. He suffered a slump and winless streak at midseason before righting himself with an Aug. 27 shutout at Washington. That game began a strong finish for Marquis, who allowed 12 earned runs in 47 innings over his final seven appearances.
"I thought I had a good season overall," Marquis said. "I thought I actually, at times, had a better year than the prior year. I went through that bad stretch, where I won one or two out of 12 games. But realistically I could have won five or six of those games.
"Numbers speak for themselves, and numbers are numbers, but I'm glad those last seven games of the year I was able to turn it around and have probably the best stretch of my career."
Marquis was the Cardinals' last remaining arbitration-eligible player. They still have several unsigned players who are not yet eligible for arbitration. The club avoided arbitration for the seventh year in a row. St. Louis hasn't actually gone to a hearing with a player since 1999, when it won its case against left-handed pitcher Darren Oliver.

Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/

Around the Horn: Catchers

01/18/2006
ST. LOUIS -- Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty always seems to get the last laugh. When an acquisition by Jocketty is pooh-poohed, the player seems to work out every time. When the St. Louis head man lets someone walk, it usually works out even better.
Such was the case at the catching position going into the 2005 season. Mike Matheny, a bedrock of the franchise, was allowed to walk, leaving as a free agent for San Francisco. Matheny went on to be everything the Giants hoped, posting career highs in slugging percentage and home runs while winning his fourth Gold Glove.
But the guy who took over, well, let