The similarities between Ray Lankford and Brett Hull are rather uncanny.

Both played for his respective St. Louis team for ten years wearing uniform #16.

Both were marquis players for their respective teams during the early 1990's.

Brett Hull saw his friends/confidants Adam Oates, Kelly Chase, and Wayne Gretzky leave his hockey team during his tenure. Ray Lankford saw his friends/confidants Ozzie Smith and Brian Jordan leave his baseball team during his tenure.

Brett Hull scored a record number of goals for the Blues. Ray Lankford has hit more home runs than anyone else at Busch Stadium.

According to Total Baseball, Ray Lankford stands at 5'11" and weighs 198 pounds. According to Total Hockey, Brett Hull stands at 5'11" and weighs 203 pounds.

Brett Hull left St. Louis in July, 1998 at the age of 33 in search of a no trade contract. Ray Lankford will be 33 years old in July, 2000 and could qualify for a no trade privilege.

During Brett Hull's St. Louis ten-season tenure, the Blues never advanced beyond the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. During Ray Lankford's St. Louis ten-season tenure, the Cardinals only advanced to the post season playoffs only one time.

During the later portion of their St. Louis stay, both Lankford and Hull were lightning rods to local squawk radio. Both their supporters and their detractors were and continue to be quite vocal and staunch in their respective positions.

In his tenth season, Brett Hull saw the Blues sign a teammate, veteran Al Mac Innis, to a long term contract much to the joy of the local hockey fans. In his tenth season, Ray Lankford saw the Cardinals sign a teammate, veteran Jim Edmonds, to a long term contract much to the joy of the local baseball fans.

Brett Hull played his tenth season in St. Louis unhappy and frustrated as his team changed around him. Ray Lankford has demonstrated many of those same traits.

The similarities between Ray Lankford and Brett Hull are indeed uncanny.

We are very aware how the Hull saga unfolded. The Golden One accepted a three-year no trade contract with the Dallas Stars seventy-two hours after becoming a free agent in July, 1998. He subsequently scored the winning goal eleven month later: earning the Stars' and Hull's first inscription on the Stanley Cup.

Hull's change of scenery was just what the Doctor ordered. The Golden One was obviously stagnant and stale in his later days in the Gateway City. This is not a criticism, but rather a trait of human nature. Barry Sanders and Ray Bourque are a couple of many veteran athletes who also fell into a rut with the same team for an extended period of time. Employees in all professions get cranky when they are with the same company that produces the same results year after year.

Although Year #2 in Big D was self described "a season in Hell", Hull has to feel he made the correct career decision as his hockey team is in the third round of the playoffs.

Meanwhile in the baseball world, Ray Lankford is presently a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently in a terrible batting slump; hitting near the .200 mark with very limited run production. #16 also leads the team in strikeouts: an average of better than one K per game (and the bad news is that he is not a pitcher).

History shows that Lankford is a streaky baseball player. Yet, when his streak is going in the right direction, #16 can be one of the best players in the National League. The former all-star outfielder has very impressive statistics. No doubt, this guy does have game. Over the past four seasons, Lankford averaged 27 Home Runs and 93 Runs Batted In.

Still in this Spring of 2000, #16 appears to be in a confused and frustrated funk. Above all, Ray Lankford does not appear to be a happy baseball player.

Although it is early, the Cardinals are in a pennant race in the National League Central. Their primary opponent has a much stronger bullpen than the Red Birds. In today's game of baseball, teams do not play in October unless their relief core is up for the challenge.

Ray Lankford could produce this much needed pitching via the trade market. For #16, this would not be like being at Cheers because everyone would not know his name. And that may be a good thing.

In a few short months, Lankford could veto any trade by virtue of his 5 years in the Majors/10 Years with the Cardinals status. If there is a trade, it must be done soon.

Both Ray Lankford and the Cardinals need to do some soul searching-and quickly.

Hull and Lankford. Two prominent names during the 1990's in the Gateway City's sport scene. Hockey's #16 made his choice. Now it's Baseball's #16 turn.

I don't know how this Lankford saga will play out. But I do know that sometimes the sequel has a different outcome than the original. Moviegoers recall that Rocky Balboa lost to Apollo Creed in the first movie, but then defeated the Champ in Rocky II. Still the Italian Stallion retained the title in Rocky III.

So let's begin the sequel of "#16 in St. Louis". One thought though:

Sometimes the endings are different, even though the actors are quite similar.