Well, so much for the advantage.

Frequent visitors to this space may recall these words that were penned by this bureau just last week: “Twenty-seven innings, one brawl, three suspensions and multiple fines later the results came in. The Cardinals outscored Cincinnati 21-7 while sweeping the critical three-game series in the Queen City. The sweep sent St. Louis into first place in the NLCD: currently one game ahead of the Reds and two ahead on the loss side… St. Louis’ immediate task is to pad their win total against the Senior Circuit’s weaker sisters while shortening the schedule in the process. This is vital as September is expected to be challenging. Advantage Cardinals: St. Louis did make a statement with the sweep. Although the entire speech is not over, a major statement was delivered.”

Well, apparently there are a few paragraphs to that speech that remains to be delivered

Oh, what a difference a week makes. Seven days ago the Red Birds were winging their way back to the Gateway City from Cincinnati: sitting alone in first place in the National League Central Division. On paper the remainder of the August schedule appeared favorable. The Red Birds upcoming August docket consists of a stretch with only three games against teams that currently have winning records.

But as we all know too well, the games are not played on paper. Once again the long and winding road of a baseball season took yet another turn. Meanwhile Cardinal Nation was trying to hold on with both hands as that turn took a direct downward spiral. In the subsequent five games at Busch Stadium against NLCD fraternity brothers Chicago and Milwaukee, the Red Birds lost four out of five: the last four games in a row. In so doing St. Louis’ advantage that we suggested last week in this space evaporated. 

This was a blown opportunity. When you are at home playing Divisional rivals that are a combined 28 games under .500 with your top three starting pitchers on the mound (two of which finished #2 and #3 in the 2009 Cy Young voting), you cannot afford to win only 20%. But that’s exactly what the Cardinals did after sweeping the Reds in Cincinnati. 

Bottom line: championship teams have to close the deal. This week the Cardinals did not. 

Well, so much for the advantage.

Suddenly a Division that was the Red Birds to lose seven days ago is now a toss-up. Now the frustrating and confusing 2010 season has become more frustrating and confusing. At this writing St. Louis is second-place in the NLCD, three games behind the Reds: who are on a nine-game Western/West Coast road trip. The Cardinals and Cincinnati have only three head-to-head games remaining: Labor Day Weekend at Busch Stadium. 

This is the stretch of the schedule the Red Birds must win: Period. The recipe for success for Tony La Russa’s past championship teams has been simple: win games against Divisional opponents and win games against weaker opponents. But, the 2010 recipe hasn’t been mixing very well. The Home Team’s 2010 results have been inconsistent. 

As the San Francisco Giants arrive for the weekend, St. Louis has an overall record of 65-53. Meanwhile first-place Cincinnati is enjoying a 69-51 mark. For those of you with a calculator a home, that translates into only 44 games remaining for the Red Birds.

The good news is the remainder of the Cardinals’ August schedule should be friendly (Please note the words “should be”). The team embarks on a ten-game road trip with three games in Pittsburgh, four at Washington and three in Houston, before the Reds arrive in the Lou for the showdown series. 

The bad news is the St. Louis September schedule is not so friendly. Thanks to a rain-out in Miami, the Cardinals will play 29 games in 30 September dates. Among those 29 games are four games in Atlanta, four at Busch III against San Diego, and the final four of the season at home against Colorado. That is a tough dozen. All three of those teams are solidly in the Senior Circuit playoff hunt. These likely won’t be easy games. 

Meanwhile, the Reds on paper (yeah, there are those words again!) should have an easier road. After leaving St. Louis, Cincinnati will travel to Colorado for four. Then they return home to host Pittsburgh for three games and four against Arizona. Reds then begin a nine-game road trip: three at Houston, three at Milwaukee, three in San Diego. Cincinnati then finishes the regular season at home three with Houston and the final three games against Milwaukee 

Said another way: after this Arizona/West Coast road trip and their weekend visit to St. Louis, the Reds will enjoy a relatively easy September: with 19 of the team’s final 22 games against teams with losing records.  

Plus Dusty Baker’s squad should be receiving a shot in the arm as Labor Day approaches. When rosters are expanded on September 1st, the Reds will likely call up their top rookie prospect, pitcher Aroldis Chapman. Chapman is an impressive hurler who, since he was converted to relief, has posted an earned run average near 2.00.

Right now, the advantage seems to have switched to the Reds. But we just have seen how quickly that could change. Stay tuned 

Meanwhile for the Cardinals, Time is running out. With 44 games remaining in 2010 the Home Team has very little room for error. They have to win and win and win and then hope for the best. When the Reds come to town on Labor Day weekend, the Red Birds have to be no worse than two games back. White-knuckle time is quickly approaching. 

Well, so much for the advantage, eh?

As the Red Birds approached the month of July, they were entering a difficult and dangerous portion of their schedule. In July St. Louis was to play among others, the 2009 National League Champions and Los Angeles: the team that knocked them out of the 2009 post-season. Going into July, the Red Birds were slightly behind the then-first place Cincinnati Reds in the National League Central Division.

So to that end, we penned the following thoughts on June 27 about the Cardinals upcoming July adventure:

"The battle plan is simple: hold serve. July (especially the second half) could be a challenging month. The Cardinals have to be no worse than seven games over .500 on the morning of August 1 to achieve their goal of playing in October. Peeking down the road, the Red Birds¹ August schedule is friendlier: 27 games in 31 days and only six of those 27 August games are against teams that currently have winning records. So to put the Cardinals¹ strategy during July in basketball terms: the team needs to shorten the game and work off some clock. La Russa¹s troops have to be in contention after playing one of the toughest stretches. August 1 will be that benchmark".

Let¹s go to the scoreboard, look at the results and check the standings. As Cardinal Nation wakes up on the morning of Friday the 13th in August, their heroes are in first place with a record of 64-49 and have are 17-8 since the All Star break.

Hence, regarding their July mission: Mission Accomplished: St. Louis went 15-11 during the month of July as well as sweeping a four-game series against Los Angeles and taking three of four in a series against Philadelphia.

The Red Birds August schedule should indeed be much friendlier than July. Based on the standings at the first of the month, in August the Red Birds have only six games with winning records. However, three of those six games would be in Cincinnati against the Division Leading Reds. If Cincinnati swept the three games, the Red Birds would be five games back with only three head-to-head matchups with the Reds. The early August series would be a major showdown for both teams.

When the Cardinals arrived in the Queen City on Monday morning they were greeted with the news that an old friend would be an enemy uniform. Reds¹ General Manager Walt Jocketty very quietly and shrewdly acquired former Red Bird centerfielder Jim Edmonds from Milwaukee. Jimmy Baseball would open the series batting fifth and starting in center against his former employers.

Then, before the start of the series, Cincinnati infielder Brandon Phillips decided to hold an open mike session with local reporters. He openly voiced his serious dislike of the Cardinals while using colorful adjectives and nouns along the way. Unfortunately Phillips soliloquy was captured by the scribes for all to read: including the Cardinals.

With that the Red Birds were given a motivational gift from an unexpected source. Twenty-seven innings, one brawl, three suspensions and multiple fines later the results came in. The Cardinals outscored Cincinnati 21-7 while sweeping the critical three-game series in the Queen City. The sweep sent St. Louis into first place in the NLCD: currently one game ahead of the Reds and two ahead on the loss side.

Advantage Cardinals: St. Louis did make a statement with the sweep. Although the entire speech is not over, a major statement was delivered.

Meanwhile the Cincinnati Reds failed their first test to establish their legitimacy in the NL Central race. For the Reds, the series with St. Louis in Cincinnati provided an opportunity to make a statement. But baseball can be a humbling game: and Dusty Baker¹s squad can provide testimony. After these three games, you have to conclude, that at least this writing, the 2010 Reds are not ready for prime time. Still, there is time left.

The Red Birds¹ sweep in Cincinnati was reminiscent of a late September 2007 series in Milwaukee. Much like the young Reds, those young Brewers were trash-talking and making bold predictions. In the 8th inning winning of a tie game, Milwaukee pitcher Seth Mc Clung hit Albert Pujols. Subsequently Mc Clung and Brewer Manager Ned Yost were ejected. The Cardinals scored 4 runs with 2 out in the top of the 8th as the young Brewers imploded in a game they had to win. At the end of the night, it was the Cardinals leaving Wisconsin with a win and leaving the Brewer fans to start thinking about Packer football.

As expected Phillips was heavily criticized in the Queen City for his loose lips. The Cincinnati infielder seems like a solid citizen on and off the field. He is just guilty of incredibly stupid judgment and timing. To that end Paul Daugherty of the Cincinnati Enquirer wrote on 8/11/10: "Why? What was the point? (Brandon Phillips) who has loved being a Red, from the day Wayne Krivsky liberated him from Cleveland. He grew up idolizing Barry Larkin, he has said on numerous occasions he wants to play here his whole career. He is the first Red called when a request from the public is made, to make a hospital visit or attend a charitable event. He signs more autographs than any player. He goes on the winter caravan, when other big-name players do not. And oh, yeah, he can play. But he needs to grow up. And right now. What Phillips did Monday not only motivated a St. Louis team sorely lacking the "It Factor" this year, it took everything the Reds have preached and practiced for 4 months and drove a nail through it. Shut up and play has worked overtime this summer. The Reds have played like pros. Overachieving, grinding, literally taking the cliché to heart: Not even one game at a time, but rather one pitch, one inning at a time. All Phillips did was put the lie to that, at least for this important series. I¹m not a big believer in professionals needing this sort of motivation: especially in baseball. It¹s not an emotional game, not when you have to play it almost every day for six months. But why wake up the Cardinals? If BP wanted to stick it to St. Louis, he should have done it with his bat and glove. He chose not to. It was the verbal equivalent of admiring would-be homers that hit the wall, showboating a home run trot or not running hard on a ground ball. BP is a very good player, an All Star. It¹s time he big-leagued his behavior as well."

Meanwhile the Red Birds return to the Gateway City as the Lead Dog. Suddenly, the NLCD title is theirs to lose. For the remainder of August, the Cardinals will host the Cubs for three games, Milwaukee for a pair and three games with San Francisco. St. Louis will be on the road for the rest of August: playing three games in Pittsburgh, four in Washington and three in Houston: before returning home to host the Reds.

But again, the speech isn¹t over just because the Cardinals made a strong statement in Cincinnati. There is still much baseball to be played and anything can still happen.

To that end, St. Louis¹ immediate task is to pad their win total against the Senior Circuit¹s weaker sisters while shortening the schedule in the process. This is vital as September is expected to be challenging. The September schedule includes a two, four-game series in Atlanta, against San Diego and the final four of the season at Busch III against Colorado.

All the Red Birds have to do is just win. They certainly can. The question is: will they? It¹s all in their hands. Stay tuned for this ride is still not over.

But as this Friday the 13th approaches, the storyline is simple:

Advantage Cardinals:

"I am Sam: Sam I am, I¹m a rich man, Sam the Ram"

With apologizes to that renowned philosopher Theodor S. Geisel (better known as Dr. Seuss) the Sam Bradford era has now officially begun in the Gateway City. This weekend after a three-month negotiation period (not to mention the weeks both parties privately discussed prior to the April 22 draft day), the #1 pick in the entire rich & arrogant cartel better known as the National Football League draft of college players agreed on a 6-year contract reportedly totaling $78 Million. Within that contract, Bradford is to reportedly receive a $50 Million guaranteed bonus just for signing his name on the dotted line.

The St. Louis Rams and their 2010 first round draft choice illustrate just how great a country we live in. Consider this: Bradford, the 22-year old University of Oklahoma Junior that endured a surgically-repaired shoulder on his throwing arm, now has a guaranteed $50 Million without playing a down in professional football. To provide perspective, just Bradford's reported guaranteed portion is over $15 Million more than the reported total payroll of the Pittsburgh Pirates roster (according to CBS Sports.com).

Yes, folks: this IS a great country.

Naturally, Bradford was smiling (wouldn't you?) when he met with the local media. The area's newest millionaire said all the right things: "You have absolutely no idea (about finally signing a contract). I mean, that¹s probably been the biggest relief since draft night, knowing where I'm going to play. Then to have the contract done, it just feet like it was a huge weight off my shoulders last night," Bradford said. "(Now) I think you just have to go play football. If you start worrying about all those other things, then it can really affect your performance. I always put a lot of pressure on myself to succeed as it is. I don¹t think that¹s going to change. I have very high expectations for myself and this team this year. I think that's really what's going to drive me to work to succeed."

Now please, don't misunderstand: I don't bemoan the young former Sooner signing for a king¹s ransom. Instead, I congratulate and applaud him. He just hit the lottery sponsored by that rich & arrogant cartel better known as the National Football League. Still, he should remember this: around that navy & gold #8 on the front of his Rams' jersey is a big bull's-eye. Mr. Bradford will soon realize there are some rather large defensive linemen in other jerseys that are not too happy this unproven rookie will receive twice, three or four times the amount of dough they make. That rich & arrogant cartel better known as the National Football League is a cold, hard business where players put their bodies on the line every Sunday in the Fall: only to be released the following June in lieu of a younger and cheaper replacement that will better fit in the team¹s salary cap.

So Smilin' Sam's arrival will not be warmly received by opposing defenses. Considering the state of the St. Louis Offensive Line, #8 better prepare to take a pounding. Stay tuned.

In addition to these impending occupational hazards, Bradford is now the face of this down and out franchise. For the amount of money he will be paid, Bradford will be expected to make an immediate impact on and off the field. Regardless of the mixed messages from Earth City to the contrary, I really don't believe the Rams will pay Bradford $50 million guaranteed dollars for him to stand on the sidelines holding a clipboard and wearing a baseball cap. This is a major investment. Long suffering fans will not have much patience with more excuses. Remember, more empty seats have been attending the games recently at the facility formerly known as the Trans World Dome.

So in addition to being productive on the Dome's artificial tundra, Bradford now also becomes the Rams' #1 ambassador. He is now the team's poster boy. Although his smiling face will likely be gracing local commercials, Bradford will likely also be out in the community representing the team during public functions, meeting with luxury suite owners as well as being interviewed. How he speaks, how he behaves and how he reacts will be a reflection of the Rams. For Bradford, first impressions will be important.

Unfortunately, my first impression of Smilin' Sam was not very good.

It was prior to a June Friday Cardinal night game when I left the Busch Stadium press lounge for the press elevator. Upon arriving at the lobby, there was Bradford and two members of the Rams Media/Public Relations staff standing by the elevator. It seems Bradford was there to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the game. One of the members of the Cardinals Media Relations staff warmly greeted the young QB and his Rams' counterparts. The Cardinal staffer told Bradford how delighted that he was there, provided him a Red Bird "#8 Bradford" jersey and told him that he would be throwing the first pitch to Oklahoma State Alum Matt Holliday. But during the entire conversation Bradford appeared uninterested: rarely making eye-contact or smiling at the Cardinal staffer and actually started texting during the conversation. As I saw it, Bradford's body language indicated vividly that he was not excited about being there.

Once the press elevator arrived, Bradford and the two Rams' PR staffers hopped in. I followed. It was crystal clear that the Rams' PR guys did not want me to approach their #1 pick. So they shielded him much like the Secret Service does with the President. The group would hop out on the 3rd floor as I continued my ascent to the Press Box.

So if first impressions mean anything, my first impression of Smilin' Sam Bradford was not very good. Bluntly, I was not impressed. To those members of the Rams PR staff and the local & adoring football media that might challenge my story or imply an agenda, I have just one response: I know what I witnessed. And I was disappointed in what I saw. Hopefully I caught the young millionaire on a bad day. Still, it is a first impression: and you don't get a second chance with those.

Welcome to the Gateway City and the Show Me State, Smilin' Sam. We are now all watching you. Now, it's time for you to show us. Or as Dr Seuss might put it,

"The local media might love your smile. But fans will only for a little while"

"And oh the places you will go. Your name is one your foes will know."

"Opposing lineman will aim to bam. The rich QB named Sam the Ram"

"But if you don't produce or even fail, prepare to hear the Rams' fans wail"

"They will not like you here or there, they will not like you anywhere."

"So you best win, or you'll be slammed. Because you got big money, Sam the Ram"

 

A few years back there was a popular television program titled "Deal or No Deal" that hit the airwaves across the fruited plain. The program¼s concept was relatively simple. On the NBC show host Howie Mandel offers contestants, with the help of their loved ones, an opportunity to earn loads of money by simply selecting correct or incorrect attachÈ cases that contained amounts of money from one cent to $1 Million. To make the show more appealing the cases were held and opened by 26 beautiful models. This show is similar to the lyrics in Kenny Rogers¼ tune The Gambler: „you got to know when to hold åem and know when to fold åem¾. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn¼t.

Meanwhile a stern-looking Mandel just poses this simple question: "Deal or No Deal"?

Fast Forward: This Saturday July 31 the clock will strike midnight for the 2010 Major League Baseball Trading Deadline. Some Major League teams are expected to be buyers while others are sellers. Both sides are on the clock and that clock is ticking. Trading Major League Baseball Players is not an exact science. Things are different now in today¼s era of multi-million dollar contract and no-trade clauses.

That brings us to the Home Team. So, we ask: "Deal or No Deal"?

Yep, sometimes they work. But then again, sometimes they do not work out.

27 years ago, the then-World Champion Cardinals traded a major piece of their World Series roster, first baseman Keith Hernandez, to the New York Mets for relief pitcher Neil Allen and starter Rick Owenby. Hernandez would anchor first base for the Mets for the next decade: including the 1986 New York team that captured the World Series. Allen and Owenby would become the punch lines answers to trivia questions.

In 1976, the Red Birds traded Bake Mc Bride, NL Rookie of the Year two years prior, to Philadelphia for Rick Bosetti, Dane Iorg and Tom Underwood. The Phillies would eventually win the NL East with Mc Bride in the outfield in 1976, 1977, 1978 and a World Series in 1980. On the other side of the ledger, while Iorg was a contributor in the 1982 World Series, Underwood and Bosetti provided little impact for St. Louis.

Again, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn¼t.

During his stay as Cardinal General Manager, Walt Jocketty would quietly stay under the radar screen and snag a veteran. This master plan proved to be effective. On July 31, 1997, the Cardinals sent three players to Oakland for first baseman Mark Mc Gwire. Although St. Louis was a mediocre team, fans came in droves to watch Mc Gwire blast home runs. In following seasons, Jocketty picked up veterans Will Clark, Woody Williams, Chuck Finley, Larry Walker and Ronnie Belliard. All would play key roles in getting the Red Birds into post-season play and 2004 & 2006World Series appearances.

In 2008, Cardinal Management with their then-rookie General Manager sat on their hands and did not make any deals. Despite the public pleading by Manager Tony La Russa, the suits at 700 Clark Street chose to do nothing. With the right combination of late season trades St. Louis could likely have competed. But the result was a third-place finish in the National League Central Division and the new clichÈ „low-hanging fruit¾ was introduced.

In 2009 the Red Birds made several deals at the July deadline and beyond. Late last June St. Louis picked up free agent infielder/outfielder Mark De Rosa from Cleveland. Then on July 21, the Red Birds acquired soon to be free agent Matt Holliday. Subsequently the team acquired utility infielder Julio Lugo and veteran starter John Smoltz. At the end of the day, the Red Birds advanced to post-season play: winning the NL Central. In the off-season, De Rosa signed with San Francisco, Lugo was traded in Spring Training to Baltimore, Smoltz retired from the game to join TBS while Holliday agreed to stay in town: becoming Baseball¼s newest mega-millionaire in the process.

Now it¼s late July 2010. So again we ask: St. Louis Cardinals: Deal or No Deal?

At this writing the indications appear that the Red Birds will be quiet as the trading deadline approaches. But that deadline makes General Manager act in funny ways and when that occurs, anything can happen. The most prominent name as a potential future Cardinal is Houston starter Roy Oswalt. The veteran right-hander is one of the real quality pitchers in the National League. Cardinal Nation knows Oswalt very well as he was the gunslinger that propelled the Astros into the 2005 World Series.

Oswalt would be very well received in the Gateway City. Cardinal Nation would salivate with him, Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright forming an impressive one-two-three starting pitching punch: a vital ingredient for a short playoff series in October.

The good news for Cardinal Nation is that Oswalt really, really wants to come to the Lou and has a no-trade clause that theoretically limits the Astros¼ trading partners. The bad news is Houston seems reluctant to trade within their own Division and St. Louis¼ surplus available talent doesn¼t appear to mesh with the Astros needs. Although talks appear to have cooled, that trading deadline clocks occasionally do make GMs suddenly react.

Will Oswalt come to town? Is there a Plan B? This is great stuff to ponder, eh? Memo to third-year General Manager John Mozeliak, everyone is watching you over the next few days. And oh by the way, that „everyone¾ includes the two gentlemen with the numbers 5 and 10 on the back of their uniforms in the Cardinal dugout. Stay tuned.

St. Louis Cardinals: Deal or No Deal?

Much like a sixty-minute network television show, the clock is running.

As the Cardinals prepare to open the ceremonial second half of their 2010 season, Red Bird Nation is wondering: is the glass half empty or is it half full?

The glass half-empty folks are concerned because the Red Birds should be better than their 49-41record and should be better than second place in the National League Central Division. Meanwhile, the glass half-crowd looks at the bottom line: warts and all, the Cardinals are only one game out of first place and tied for first place on the loss side. 

So far this season, St. Louis has been swept in a three-game series at Busch Stadium by Houston, has lost two of three against Arizona and Kansas City and lost three of four in Philadelphia. On the other hand, to date the Cardinals have also swept a four-game series against Atlanta and took two of three against the New York Mets. 

So is the glass half-empty or half full?

The correct answer is probably somewhere in the middle. 

To date, 2010 has been frustrating for the Home Team. The team was picked in April by practically everyone to repeat as NLCD Champions Why not? St. Louis boasts of a three-time NL Most Valuable Player, a former NL Cy Young Award Winner and three other selected NL All Stars on its roster. But the team has been inconsistent and mistake laden. Bluntly, the Cardinals to date have been an underachieving and frustrating bunch. 

It starting to show and could be cause for concern. Still, such concern is not just in the Gateway City. If the post season started on the Wednesday after the All Star Game, none of the three 2009 National League Division Winners would qualify for post-season play. 

St. Louis will open the post-All Star Game portion of their schedule on the Ides of July when the Los Angeles Dodgers come to town. So before we look forward to where the team is headed, let’s review where they have been. To start, let’s crunch some numbers. 

The Cardinals will return to action in second place in the NL Central, one game behind the Cincinnati Reds. In addition, they are two games behind Colorado in the race for the National League Wild Card. To date, Tony La Russa’s squad is 27-15 at home and a disappointing 20-26 on the road. After 88 games of this 2010 season, the Red Birds have scored 391 runs (average of 4.44 per game) and have allowed 332 runs (average of 3.77)

Crunching the numbers further, at this writing St. Louis is 16th in team batting average, 10th in team home runs, 15th in team hits and 19th in team runs batted in as ranked by all 30 Major League Teams. Said another way: mediocre. After the ceremonial first half, the Cardinals are 16-19 against teams that currently have a winning record and 31-22 against teams that currently have losing records. More concerning is St. Louis’ record against NLCD foes. At this writing the Red Birds are 21-16 against Divisional opponents. 

Meanwhile, Cincinnati is currently 25-15 against NLCD fraternity brothers. And oh by the way, the Reds are in first place in the Division. 

But the glass half-full crowd is quick to point out that the Cardinals are a proud member of a fraternity called the National League Central Division: certainly not the strongest in the game today. They do have a point. At this writing only two of the six NLCD members have winning records. 

The glass half-full crowd would also be quick to point out that Cincinnati cannot match the Red Birds’ Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday, Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter. Again, they have a point to that argument. 

But this bureau’s opinion, the key is Carpenter. 

Perhaps the biggest question for the Cardinals in the second half is: Will the real Chris Carpenter please stand up?  On the season, the Red Birds last National League Cy Young Award winner is 9-3 with an earned run average of 3.29. On the surface, those are respectable numbers. But if you drill these numbers down further, it causes concern for Cardinal Nation. In his past six starts, Carpenter has allowed 21 earned runs in 37 innings pitched: translating into an earned run average of 5.11. Plus his velocity has been down. 

Back in March we warned of a concern about Carpenter. Although he is a workhorse and a proven performer, the fact remains this 35-year old had two major surgeries on his pitching arm which led to significant time on the Disabled List. It only stands to reason that after a couple of major surgeries as well as the wear & tear of pitching in the Major Leagues, you have to keep an eye on #29. How many more fastballs are left in that right arm? Carpenter opens the second half at Busch III against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Bluntly, if Carpenter is not Carpenter in the second half, the landscape of the National League Central Division race changes dramatically. What gives St. Louis a big edge over Cincinnati is the one-two punch of Wainwright and Carpenter. Theoretically, with those two aces, chances for a long losing streak are minimal. But all bets are off if Carpenter remains inconsistent. Again, would the real #29 please stand up?

So is the glass half full or is it half empty? To get an outside perspective of the Home Team’s second half chances, Scott Miller of CBS Sportsline offers these thoughts: “Overall grade: B---Offense: C; Pitching: A: It took awhile, but Matt Holliday is rounding into shape at the plate, which bodes very well for a hot second half: both for Holliday and the Cardinals. They're at their best when Albert Pujols is hitting third and has protection behind him. For a time, neither was happening as Tony La Russa did the unthinkable and moved Pujols to fourth in an effort to get Holliday going. The inconsistency is unusual for St. Louis, but you still figure with Holliday, Pujols, Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright, the Cards remain the most dangerous team in the division. Colby Rasmus and Ryan Ludwick have been a joy to watch. Ludwick is vastly underrated defensively. Injuries to Kyle Lohse and Brad Penny are a concern, as is rookie Jaime Garcia's workload.” 

The Cardinals return to field with a tough stretch. They will play eleven challenging games in eleven straight days. Starting on the Ides of July, the Red Birds will host back-to-back four-game series against the other two 2009 NL Division Winners: Los Angeles and Philadelphia. Then it’s off to Wrigley Field for three with the Cubs. Then after an off-day, St. Louis will play in New York against the Mets. This will be a tough stretch. 

We suggested in this space on July 1 that the Red Birds need to hold serve in July. That opinion has not changed. Looking into August, the Cardinals have 27 games scheduled: only six of those games will be against teams that currently have winning records. 

Looking down the line, the Cards and Reds will play only six more times: August 9-10-11 in Cincinnati and September 3-4-5 at Busch Stadium. That’s it. Meanwhile the good news for Red Bird Nation is that their heroes have a dozen games remaining with their favorite punching bag and homecoming foe: the Pittsburgh Pirates. The bad news for the Nation is their heroes have a four-game mid-September series in Atlanta and will close out the regular season with four games at Busch III against the current Wild Card leading Rockies. That final series could be crucial for NL post-season invitations. 

Bottom line, the Red Birds’ destiny will be in their own hands. Stay tuned

So as the Cardinals prepare to open the ceremonial second half of the season, Red Bird Nation is wondering: is the glass half empty or is it half full?

The correct answer is probably somewhere in the middle. 

The real question is: how will that glass look in the first weekend of October?

Happy 2010 Gateway City Sports Fans

As we turn the calendar to this New Year and new decade, we focus our attention to the plights and perils of our local sports heroes and their 2010 resolutions. Some are bolder than others. 

The Cardinals are attempting to finalize their roster before making the spring migration to Jupiter. It appears the Home Team is playing an all-or-nothing hand of poker with their top free agent Matt Holliday and his top agent Scott Boras. By not pursuing former teammate Mark De Rosa and free agent outfielder Jason Bay, the Red Birds have sent a message that it’s the Holliday Road or nothing. Published reports and our spies indicate an agreement is likely: but not certain. Meanwhile Boras continues to canvas the remaining teams looking for a New Year’s week sale. It’s not a done deal but tea leaves are pointing in the Cardinals’ direction. Stay Tuned

Sunday will mark the finale for the Rams’ long season. If they beat San Francisco, the Rams will finish 2009 with the exact same record as 2008: 2-14. If they lose to the 49ers, then the Home Team will secure the #1 selection in April’s rich & arrogant cartel better known as the National Football League’s draft of college players. It will be interesting to see if more fans brave the single digit degree walk to the Dome than those headed to the Scottrade Center to watch the Harlem Globetrotters. It could be a strange atmosphere at the Dome as those fans in Navy & Gold could be cheering for the hated 49ers so that the Rams get the #1 pick. But even if they do secure the top pick in the draft, the Rams have a long, long way to go in this makeover. Serious decisions must be made with many of their highly-paid veterans and establishing priorities. How the times have changed. A decade ago, the Lou and its local media was rooting and hoping for a Super Bowl shot. Today, both are rooting and hoping for the #1 pick. Again, Stay Tuned 

But the first big sports story of 2010 came on the first palindrome date of the year (01/2/10, or as Harry Caray would say, “spelled backswords is 01/2/10”). On a cold winter’s morning from 14th & Clark these words were issued in a press release: “I would like to thank Andy Murray for the job he has done here the past four seasons. He was an integral part in turning the St. Louis Blues around.  He is a true professional and I wish him the best of luck in the future.”

And with those words the Blues relieved Murray of his duties as Head Coach effective immediately. The team promoted Peoria Head Coach Davis Payne as the new man behind the bench: the 23rd Head Coach in franchise history. Murray took over the team in December 2006. Last season he led the team to a 41-31-10 record and a return to the NHL playoffs. Murray was a 2008-2009 NHL’s Coach of Year Award finalist. 

But it’s a long way from Sweden, eh?

Some type of a big shakeup had to be made at the building formerly known as the Savvis Center. This team was in a rut. Back in the day the Blues Management was never this patient after such unacceptable results. Fans would see a blockbuster trade to the New York Rangers or a Head Coach firing. To illustrate in one season St. Louis actually fired their Head Coach on Christmas Day. Back in the day Blues Captains such as Al Arbour, Barclay Plager and Brian Sutter would have taken matters into their own hands had their teammates performed at such an unsatisfactory level. To that end, have we heard anything from Eric Brewer?

But these Blues have been underachieving and underperforming since returning to North America in the first week of October after two wins in Stockholm. At this time of the coaching change St. Louis is 17-17-6 with 40 points, fourth in the five-team NHL Central Division, behind first-place Chicago and 12th overall in the Western Conference. They have lost four straight, blowing a three-goal lead in an overtime loss to Vancouver on New Years’ Eve, and are a league-worst 6-13-3 at home: only 5 home wins in St. Louis. The Blues are in 14th place in the 15-team Western Conference in goals: scoring only 104 (the last place team has scored 105); 

Meanwhile the results indicate that the Note cannot finish off games: blowing many third period advantages. The Blues have coughed up so many more late leads that it was reminiscent of the Cardinals bullpen during the Juan Agosto era. Watching the Philadelphia Flyers blow a lead with less than two minutes remaining at the Winter Classic at Fenway Park only to lose the game in overtime, I wondered if the Blues were skating around in those black & orange uniforms. 

Now Payne enters the scene. The question is how much pain can he take? According to the press release, “Payne, was named head coach of the Peoria Rivermen on July 8, 2008 after serving one year as an assistant with the club.  This season, Peoria has posted a 19-13-1-2 record combining for a 62-44-3-6 (.578%) overall mark in two seasons with Payne behind the bench.  In his first year (2008-09) as an AHL head coach, Payne guided the Rivermen to a 43-31-2-4 record and returned Peoria to the postseason following a two-year drought.  Prior to joining the Rivermen before the 2007-08 campaign, Payne had spent a total of seven seasons as a head coach in the ECHL.  The Kamloops, British Columbia native established a .691% winning percentage over four years as head coach for the Alaska Aces, the Blues’ ECHL affiliate. The 2006-07 ECHL Coach of the Year, Payne led the Aces to the 2006 ECHL Kelly Cup Championship and also guided the club to three consecutive trips to the Conference Finals.”

While it all sounds promising, Priority One is for the new Coach to change the stagnant, bland and underachieving mindset of this team: especially the highly-paid, under-performing veterans. It will be interesting to watch how the 39-year old Payne reacts and deals with the likes of 35-year old Paul Kariya, 37-year old Keith Tkachuk, 32-year old Andy McDonald, Barrett Jackman and others. It will be also interesting how the Front Office reacts to Payne’s first impressions. 

Meanwhile the heat should be turned up on Davidson also. JD came to town as the new President and final word on player personnel decisions. While Payne is now a Davidson hire, so was Andy Murray. 2009-2010 is the fourth season since Davidson left the broadcast booth in 2006 to the President’s office: when he came to town with zero hockey executive-management experience. To date, his results have been sub-par. The Blues have only reached the playoffs once and are likely headed to an early summer vacation again. You can’t blame Larry Pleau anymore. This team has been put together by Davidson: and the 2009-2010 results have not been good. 

Yet for some reason Davidson continues to get a pass by the local media and local hockey fans for the hockey situation he has created. This guy’s middle name might as well be Teflon. Yes, it’s true that JD is a great guy, a wonderful speaker who works the room very well and a person that has the knack of making you feel really warm and fuzzy. But actions speak louder than words: and Davidson’s actions/results need improving and should be called out. 

The Payne era begins on the first Saturday of 2010 at home against the Blackhawks: a team that currently leads the Central Division. (This is the same Chicago team that some members of the local media said would not make the NHL playoffs last October). Then it’s a three-game West Coast road trip followed by three straight games at the Scottrade Center. The Blues are scheduled to play 15 games in 30 days in January and seven games in ten days in February before the Olympic break. It’s now or never for St. Louis if they have any wish of making the NHL playoffs in April. 

Welcome to our town, Coach Payne. You have a big job ahead. I hope you know that. 

So as Gateway City sports fans watch closely if Matt Holliday returns and if the Rams obtain the #1 draft choice, it was the Blues that snatched the first big sports story of 2010. Like it or not, the Note our attention now. It’s time to see if this team can perform. Stay Tuned

Happy 2010 Gateway City Sports Fans.

 
After a little down time, Tony La Russa decided it was not yet time to walk away.

So after a reasonable period of time to reflect (two weeks and two days after the Cardinals were eliminated from post-season play) and with only a few days before the end of his current deal, #10 made his decision. It’s not time to walk away right now. 

In a press conference at Busch Stadium, La Russa announced that he would return in 2010 as Cardinal Manager: his fifteenth season with the club. While contract details were not given, neither was the length of the pact. In past seasons La Russa has signed 3-year deals and most recently two-year contracts. But the term of this extension was not disclosed.

In these negotiations the 65-year old La Russa held all the leverage. After 31 big league seasons, La Russa has compiled a record of 2,552-2,217. Only two men in baseball history have more managerial wins than La Russa and #10 is 211 wins shy of second place on that all-time list. 

Plus, the suits at 700 Clark wanted him back. There are several good reasons. During his 14-year St. Louis tenure #10 has a record of 1,232-1,034 with seven playoff appearances including two National League pennants and one World Series Championship. But perhaps the strongest argument to retain La Russa is that the Red Birds have drawn at least 3 million fans at Busch II or Busch III in 11 of his 14 seasons: including at least 3.3 million in each of the last five. We know that money trumps everything at 700 Clark Street. La Russa is the only Manager this ownership group has hired and they don’t want to hand him a gold watch quite yet. 

In addition long-time Pitching Coach and La Russa ally Dave Duncan will return in 2010. And it seems that La Russa will major authority in all baseball matters. But there’s more. There will be a new coach with a name that sent shockwaves throughout Cardinal Nation & the baseball world.  

“Mark McGwire is going to be our hitting coach,” La Russa said. “He’s a very special talent.” 

(Side note: Wouldn’t you have loved to have been in the room during the contract talks when the Manager broke this news to the suits at 700 Clark Street?)

Yes, THAT Mark Mc Gwire: the pied-piper of 1998-2001 that brought fans & their discretionary income through stadium turnstiles in droves just to watch him hit a baseball a long way. Yes, that Mark Mc Gwire, who abruptly retired from the game via the fax machine. Yes, that Mark Mc Gwire who, while addressing performance enhancing drugs and its impact on pro sports, seemed powerless as he was awkwardly cut down to size by a Congressional panel on St. Patrick’s Day 2005. Yes, that Mark Mc Gwire who was painted as the poster boy for Baseball’s Steroid Era. 

Yes, THAT Mark Mc Gwire

“This is the time for Mark to join our club,” said La Russa at the press conference. 

For whatever reason, this time Mc Gwire couldn’t stay away. Look out: old Mackie’s back.

And look out for anything

It will be fascinating to watch how this soap opera unfolds. Mc Gwire has worked successfully with several players sent to him for one-on-one instructions. Skip Schumaker, Chris Duncan and soon to be wealthier Matt Holliday have all publicly praised Mc Gwire on his teaching. Still, tutoring selected students is one thing. Teaching to a class of million-dollar students is something else all together. Mc Gwire has never been a team hitting coach on any level nor has never faced the second-guessing of fans and media on his tutorial skills. Remember the Peter Principle. 

But Mc Gwire needs to first address “the Big Issue”. #25 absolutely, positively must: hold “clear the air’, “no-holds barred”, “come to Jesus” press conferences/interviews before Spring Training to address the “S” word & him: once and for all. Spill your guts and let the chips fall where they may. If not, next summer when the Cardinals travel to major media markets such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago or Philadelphia, it could become an ugly three-ring circus. You have to believe Mc Gwire discussed this La Russa, his family, his inner circle as well as someone from Bud Selig’s Office. It’s the big 800-pound gorilla in the room. It’s time to talk about the past.

Perhaps Mc Gwire should sit down with a Bob Costas and/or a Dan Patrick and/or a James Brown and/or a Joe Buck and/or a Peter Gammons and/or perhaps a Chris Wallace and/or a Larry King. Have these professional interviewers step up to the plate look Mc Gwire straight into those baby blues and ask all the questions that need to be asked while letting the cameras roll and letting the microphones record. Hit #25 with your best shots and no lawyers or no spin doctors are invited: just one-on-one, sooner rather than later. Whatever happens after that will happen. Home run king Barry Bonds is scorned by most of America but is still revered in San Francisco. Alex Rodriguez has been treated as a royalty in the Bronx this post-season despite his mea-culpa last spring. It’s now time. Mc Gwire needs to fully, completely and publicly address “the issue”. 

Otherwise, the circus will be arriving in Jupiter Florida in mid-February. 

To get a national perspective, Hall of Fame baseball writer Tracy Ringolsby pens: “McGwire deserves the opportunity. He doesn't deserve the constant snide remarks and innuendos. Manny Ramirez has been caught violating baseball's drug-testing policy, and Dodger fans never wavered in their hero worship. Barry Bonds remains an icon in San Francisco despite grand jury charges dealing with his association with performance enhancing drugs. So what's the knock on McGwire? Better yet, what's the knock on baseball for allowing McGwire to return? It's laughable when Congress decides to intercede, politicians looking to pamper their image at election time, and then chastises baseball for allegedly illegally doings of the players. If laws have been violated, then where are the federal authorities charged with enforcing the laws? It would seem that Congressman Henry Waxman would better serve his constituents if he spent time finding out why the law enforcement agencies have failed in their area. If McGwire has not been proven to have violated any laws or rules, he shouldn't be denied the chance to be a part of the game. On a baseball level, what the move with McGwire would seem to show is that La Russa is expanding his power within the Cardinal organization, winning his battle with Jeff Luhnow, whose ties to ownership led to the departure of former general manager Walt Jocketty, a long-time La Russa ally who is now the general manager in Cincinnati. If not, La Russa would not have been willing to accept a multi-year deal to return, and his long-time sidekick, pitching coach Dave Duncan, would not be returning, much less McGwire joining the dugout staff.  But then La Russa does have a résumé that involves winning World Series, pennants, division titles and games: not office rotisserie leagues, a key element of Luhnow's résumé.” 

No other Cardinal Player has worn #25 since Mc Gwire left town in October 2001. Only time will tell with those old #25 Cardinal shirts will start reappearing around town. Stay tuned

So, 2010 will be Year #15 of the Tony La Russa era in St. Louis.

And look out Old Mackie’s back.

After a little down time, it seems neither felt it was time to walk/stay away.

News Flash: The hottest news story this week is the St. Louis Rams. Yes, THOSE Rams

It has nothing to do with whether Marc Bulger should be re-inserted as the #1 quarterback or if Steven Jackson should get the football more or if Richie Incognito will pile up more penalty yards than points scored by the Rams’ offense or if the team will or will not win a game in 2009.

No, it’s about money. The Rosenbloom kids are trying to peddle the St Louis franchise. We are told there are several groups interested. Among the groups vying for the team is one led by St. Louis Blues’ owner Dave Checketts. His pockets are deep: but not deep enough to bank roll the purchase of a majority share in a franchise in that rich & arrogant cartel better known as the National Football League. Checketts needed to find others with deep pockets to join the group. 

He found one: & he can be heard weekdays over the 50,000 red-hot watts of KMOX Radio.

Checketts asked Rush Limbaugh, the Cape Girardeau-born, highly-successful conservative talker to throw his wallet into the bid. Limbaugh agreed. He is a football fan and has loads of cash. 

But Limbaugh’s presence to help purchase the Rams triggered a national firestorm. Noise from both the political and the philosophical sides of the aisle set off an avalanche of opinions. Suddenly the St. Louis Rams are the talk of the land. They are on the front page of national publications and the lead on national cable news shows. And it has nothing to do with being 0-5.

After several days of name calling, ratcheted rhetoric and accusations from both sides across the fruited plain, Checketts concluded that it was in their best interest to sideline Limbaugh. Said another way, the group would not have the approval votes if El Rushbo was in it. In his prepared statement, the Blues owner said: "Rush was to be a limited partner: as such, he would have had no say in the direction of the club or in any decisions regarding personnel or operations. This was a role he enthusiastically embraced. However, it has become clear that his involvement in our group has become a complication and a distraction to our intentions, endangering our bid to keep the team in St. Louis. As such, we have decided to move forward without him."

Now I’m not talking sides in this national trash-talking catfight. There has been too much energy exhausted. But since this is my space, let me sum it up as I see it. It’s actually quite simple. 

In this country Rush Limbaugh, as any other American, can spend his or her money on any investment he or she sees fit. If Limbaugh chooses to make a bid for a franchise share in that rich & arrogant cartel better known as the National Football League there is nothing to prohibit that: as long as he has the funds. And Limbaugh does have the dough. 

In the same vein, that rich & arrogant cartel better known as the National Football League is an exclusive clique of wealthy men that can accept or deny any new members. Whether there are financial, philosophical or political disagreements with a prospective new member, the bottom line is the owners collectively decide who gets the thumbs up or who gets the thumbs down. 

Apparently Checketts polled the audience and found out that his group would not be approved by the fraternity as long as Limbaugh was a member. So the group decided that Rush should leave. Meanwhile, Checketts has to locate a new sugar daddy. (Inquiring minds wonder if the Blues owner will open his rolodex and call someone who helped bankroll his 2003 failed attempt to purchase the Los Angeles Dodgers: liberal billionaire George Soros. Here we go again, eh?)

Putting aside Limbaugh’s national popularity or disdain as well as the screaming rhetoric on both sides, the crux of the matter is no different than any other such screening. If a private county club does or does not wish to approve a member, they may. If a fraternity or sorority wishes to deny a particular pledge, they may. If a University decides not to offer tenure to a prospective colleague, that decision rests with them. If a company’s Board of Directors chooses to allow or disallow an executive’s promotion or another member, they can proceed in the “best interest of the firm”

That’s the way it works in that rich & arrogant cartel better known as the National Football League. And I see no issue on that. But there is hypocrisy: and here’s where it lies. 

When questioned on the Limbaugh application, the Commissioner of that rich & arrogant cartel better known as the National Football League Roger Goddell to reporters via the New York Times: "I've said many times before, we're all held to a high standard here I would not want to see those comments coming from people who are in a responsible position in the NFL: absolutely not." Meanwhile, Jim Thomas wrote in his 10/15/09 St. Louis Post Dispatch front page article: “Without Limbaugh, the Checketts' group enhanced its status, NFL sources said (on October 14).  "Now Checketts can have a restart on this thing and he can clean it up," said a league source familiar with the potential sale of the team. "This makes the Checketts group more competitive: it probably puts them in the top three (bidders)."” 

Did I hear this correctly? “We're all held to a high standard here?” “Now Checketts can have a restart on this thing and he can clean it up & it probably puts them in the top three?" 

Are you kidding me? Please, give me a break. This piling-on should result in a 15-yard penalty.

Since when did the owners of that rich & arrogant cartel better known as the National Football League all of a sudden become the vessels of virtue? I didn’t get the memo. Just when did these guys suddenly become the Jerry Falwell of the game: the Jiminy Crickett of football?

Isn’t this the same fraternity that recently welcomed convicted felon Michael Vick back into the league with open arms? Isn’t this the same bunch that will likely do the same with the gun-toting Plaxico Burress in a couple of years? Isn’t this the league leaders that have no problem receiving advertising dollars from male enhancement products while airing their commercials during games as children watch? Isn’t this the same group that did not object to the foul-mouthed Chingy performing during a past NFC Championship Game? Isn’t this the same outfit that by their silence last month approved the San Francisco 49ers honoring admitted felon and former fraternity brother Edward DeBartolo Jr. as the inaugural member of the team’s Hall of Fame?

Meanwhile, these rich white guys are bloviating, pontificating and trash-talking to any open microphone or camera while arrogantly lecturing all of us on the moral high ground. 

Again: Are you kidding me? Please, give me a break. Talk about hypocrisy

Yep, the hottest news story this week is the St. Louis Rams. 

As we said earlier: the owners of that rich & arrogant cartel better known as the National Football League can admit or deny anyone into their exclusive fraternity. In the end, theirs is the only votes that count. And these voters apparently say Rush Limbaugh didn’t make the cut.

Stay tuned for the next episode. Meanwhile, the search goes on for approval of the next owners of the St. Louis Rams. That is the real question for local football fans. 

Perhaps, the search will proceed with a gag order for each of the owners of that rich & arrogant cartel better known as the National Football League. We don’t need them preaching to us.

Mega-Dittos, eh?