From the Tommy Bahamas release:

The first team shirts to be released will be the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox — just in time for their season opener on April 4th at Fenway Park in Boston.  They will be followed by the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies in mid May; the Seattle Mariners and Chicago Cubs at the end of May and the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels in early June. All eight team shirts are currently available for viewing at www.tommybahama.com and select Tommy Bahama’s retail locations. The shirts will be sold exclusively through Tommy Bahama retail channels.

“We are very excited about these new Major League Baseball team shirts,” said Terry Pillow, CEO Tommy Bahama. “These unique and beautifully made “Collector’s Edition” shirts are just the type of thing we had envisioned when we began our relationship with MLB.  Our talented design team worked very hard to create these special shirts and we’re hopeful that Tommy Bahama and MLB fans will be equally excited when they see them.  These are just the first of our series of MLB team shirts, and we look forward to creating “Collector’s Edition” shirts for all of the teams in the MLB in the upcoming baseball seasons.”

Today, in the most expansive section, we will take a look at the pitchers of the organization.

The Starting Rotation as it stands right now: Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright, Kyle Lohse, Brad Penny
In 2009, the Cardinals pitching staff showed that it could carry the team.  During periods of offensive ineffectiveness, the pitching staff would hold opposing offenses to minimal effectiveness and keep the team in the game.  A large part of this was due to the return to health of the team’s “ace” in Chris Carpenter and the evolution of Adam Wainwright to “ace” form himself.  While Tim Lincecum would eventually win the Cy Young award, Carpenter and Wainwright would finish second and third in the voting, respectively and had many Cardinal fans hoping for a tie between the two for the award.  Carpenter would finish 2009 with a 17-4 record and a 2.24 ERA while Wainwright would finish off 2009 at 19-8 with a 2.63 ERA.  Should these two stay healthy and continue that form, the Cardinals team will be a force to be reckoned with in 2010.  In addition to the “two-headed ace” of the staff, Kyle Lohse will take the hill wearing the Birds-On-The-Bat for the third season.  Lohse will look to rebound from a tough 2009 campaign that had him sidelined and battling through injuries most of the season.  If Lohse can turn last season’s 6-10, 4.74 campaign back towards his 2008 numbers of 15-6, 3.78, he will surely solidify a starting rotation that needs a solid number three pitcher.  In addition to the incumbent three for the team, much-traveled Brad Penny joins the team looking forward to working with mentor Dave Duncan to rediscover the success he had early in his career.  Brad showed at times last season that his effectiveness and ability was still there, at least while pitching in the National League.  After struggling through his campaign in Boston, Penny landed in San Fransisco and showed that he could still produce at a highly effective level.  The Cardinals will look to Penny to put up 12+ wins and solidify the back end of the rotation.

The Candidates for the 5th starter position: Rich Hill and Kyle McClellan
Sure, there are technically more candidates to become the team’s fifth starter than just these two, but quite honestly, I see one of these two being in that role come April 5th.  Rich Hill is a non roster invitee to camp looking to catch on with the club as it comes north.  A once highly-touted prospect for the Chicago Cubs, Hill had a solid 2007 campaign for the baby bears winning 11 games and posting an ERA of 3.92.  Sadly, that form has never returned and Hill eventually lost the faith of management on the North Side of Chicago, and found himself in Baltimore in 2009.  A less than mediocre season in 2009 has led to a minor league deal and an invite to Spring Training by the Redbirds.  Should Hill be able to produce under the tutelage of Dave Duncan and come to the majors with the ability to win 10-12 games, the Cardinals will get what they need from the young left-hander.  The other side of the last spot in the rotation comes from homegrown talent Kyle McClellan.  McClellan was drafted in 2002 by the Cardinals and has worked his way through the system as a starting pitcher.  The Cardinals, realizing they needed solid relief talent in 2008 and 2009, turned to Kyle out of the bullpen on a regular basis.  Through workouts last season and again this Spring, it appears the Cardinals are in the process of getting Kyle ready for the workload of starting for the team.  I believe McClellan will be with the team when it comes North for the season, but whether it is as the 5th starter or not has yet to be seen.  He may end up a part of…

The Bullpen: Ryan Franklin, Trever Miller, Dennys Reyes, Jason Motte, Blake Hawksworth
fWhen it comes to the end of games, the Cardinals will return the bullpen largely in tact from last season.  Ryan Franklin comes fresh off an All-Star campaign in 2009 that seen him close 38 games with a save.  Franklin, however, seemed to lose effectiveness down the stretch and was possibly tired from the long 162 game campaign in that role.  Ryan needs to discovery the effectiveness that led to the All-Star selection and apply it for the entire season in 2010 or the Cardinals need to be looking for a closer that can dominate the 9th inning.  When discussing the possible search for a closer, we turn to another home grown talent in Jason Motte.  A young man that has converted from Catcher to Pitcher a few years ago, Motte has a lively fastball that needs a complimentary pitch.  Should the young man find more for his repertoire, he could become the dominate arm the Cardinals prematurely thought he already was at the beginning of 2009.  Dennys Reyes will return to the Cardinals as a lefty specialist in 2010.  Possibly the most disturbing thing about Reyes is his nickname, The Big Sweat.  Trever Miller will join Reyes on the left side of the ‘pen and provide some assurance with longer appearances, experience closing games, and against lefty-heavy teams.  Blake Hawksworth looks to inherit much of the workload from swing man Brad Thompson’s departure.

Baby Birds: Fransisco Samuel, Jaime Garcia, Mitchell Boggs, Ben Jukich
The Cardinals have some talented arms coming through the system.  The questions that come up when discussing these arms tend to be whether or not they are major league ready, and then, if they are, how much of an impact will they make?  Samuel is being groomed to inherit the closing role for the Cardinals eventually, but his control problems are well documented and it is often wondered when he comes into a game which pitcher we are going to see.  At moments, he is lights out and untouchable.  At others, he is wild and ineffective.  Jaime Garcia is the odds on favorite to crack to rotation soon.  If not for the two options available to the Cardinals right now, Garcia would be firmly in place as the 5th starter in 2010.  It may be a good problem to have as Garcia will more than likely start his season at AAA Memphis and hone his skills a bit more.  Mitchell Boggs may end up on the major league roster as a long relief or starting option.  He has shown that he has the ability to do both at the major league level, but may get squeezed to Memphis for the time being.  Ben Jukich was selected from Cincinnati in this year’s Rule 5 draft, meaning he has to remain in the majors or be offered back to his club.  While Jukich is a fine talent, he is a left handed reliever on a staff that already features two.  I simply do not see him remaining with the team this season.

Today, we will take a look at the outfielders of the organization.

The Starters: Matt Holliday (LF), Colby Rasmus (CF), Ryan Ludwick (RF)
Last season, we started our coverage here on BaseballDigest.com by examining the logjam that was the Cardinal outfield.  The outfield in the Spring of 2009 was so crowded that Tony LaRussa took to converting Skip Schumaker to second base.

What a difference a year makes.  Last year, I lamented that a surplus of “major league” talent did not a roster make.  This year, I am prepared to say that the Cardinals have one of the best outfields in baseball.  Last July they took a chance and traded highly regarded prospect Brett Wallace and a handful of others to Oakland for Matt Holliday.  Holliday came to the Cardinals and provided the bat to hit behind Albert Pujols that fans and coaches alike requested.  In 63 games after joining the redbird crew, Holliday put up 13 home runs, 55 RBI, and hit .353.  That’s more homers, RBI and a higher batting average than what he posted in Oakland, in 30 less games.  Pace that out over an entire season in St. Louis and Holliday projects to post a 33 home runs and 141 RBI behind Albert.  Skipping over to right field for a moment and we find Ryan Ludwick.  Ryan had quite a drop off from his career year in 2008, but still posted a respectable 2009.  Ludwick seems to struggle a bit more when hitting in the number four slot and the pressure of hitting behind the greatest hitter in the game.  Because of this, Ryan should perform very well in 2010.  That being said, I don’t look for much more out of Ryan than what he put up last year.  He projects as the number five hitter in the lineup and we should expect a .275 batting average with around 25 home runs and 95 RBI.  With the corner outfield spots projected, we turn our attention to one of the Cardinals most anticipated prospects a few years ago in Colby Rasmus.  Finally coming into his own completely, he will be entrusted to patrol the center field grass at Busch Stadium as the every day center fielder.  What to expect from Rasmus seems to be up for debate amongst the die hard Cardinal faithful.  Over 2009, Rasmus hit .251 with 16 home runs and 52 RBI.  However, when the post season arrived, Colby showed why he was the starter over anyone else.  Hitting .444 with four doubles, Rasmus showed a flash of what the team and fans expect from him.  Look for Rasmus to hit around .260 with 20 home runs and 70 RBI this year as he continues to develop.

The Bench: Felipe Lopez, Skip Schumaker, TBD
A position that had many options last year returns with multiple options this year, though no clear-cut backup.  Tired of hearing about Felipe Lopez yet?  Flip is set to play five positions for the Cardinals this year and will be one of the primary outfield backups, especially when considering the corner outfield spots.  When Rasmus needs a break in center, look for Ludwick to shift over and Lopez to play right.  The option of playing Schumaker in center is always there, though most times this would be due to a left handed pitcher facing the Cardinals and they would prefer to sit Schumaker in that instance as well.  Currently, according to the official website, Schumaker is the only backup listed on the depth chart.  Curious who else projects to crack into this group?  Read on…

Baby Birds: Allen Craig, Daryl Jones, Joe Mather, Nick Stavinoha
Let’s start this discussion with the long shot.  Daryl Jones is a five-tool prospect that spent 2009 struggling with injuries.  I took some time with Daryl last year in Springfield and found a very proud man who made it very easy to forget just how young he is.  Daryl is talented and will end up in St. Louis in the future, though I do not feel that time is now.  Look for him possibly towards the end of 2010 if he is not moved towards the trade deadline.  Allen Craig projects as one of the Cardinal top prospects this year, though I anticipate seeing him playing third base before I see him crowding into the outfield picture.  Craig has a real opportunity to crack the opening day roster, but I suspect that will depend primarily on David Freese’s position on the roster.  Joe Mather, recovering from injury, will probably have the least amount of pressure to make the roster.  Look for Mather to be on this roster as long as he does not have a horrific spring training.  Nick Stavinoha is the wild card of this bunch, having the major league exposure that LaRussa will desire, but has a real opportunity to get bumped off the roster by a young player having a superb spring.

Today, we will take a look at the shortstops of the organization.

The Starter: Brendan Ryan
Over the course of last season, shortstop was a muddled mess that just did not seem to want to straighten itself out.  Khalil Green, the opening day starter, had a mental breakdown that he never recovered from.  The Cardinals, searching frantically for a solution, discovered that one of their own “baby birds” was ready and willing to answer the call.  Brendan showed signs of brilliance last year with the glove and began winning over many Cardinal fans and coaches as the type of all-out, hustle player this organization likes and appreciates.  What was different about Brendan this time around was that he wasn’t hurting the club offensively.  Able to post a career high .292 batting average and steal 14 bases, Brendan showed that he was willing to work hard on the part of his game that was holding him back at the major league level.  During the offseason, word leaked out that Brendan had sought out the counsel of Mark McGwire as a private hitting instructor, joining teammates Skip Schumaker and Matt Holiday on the impressive list of clientèle.  Brendan would eventually undergo surgery on his wrist, leaving him as a question mark on opening day, yet also leaving fans to consider the promise and possibility of a player that played as well as he did with the pain that he endured being pain free and unhindered in 2010.

The Bench: Julio Lugo and Felipe Lopez
There is two names that we have mentioned numerous times in our “Around the Horn” discussion, and skipper Tony LaRussa seems to have that fit his style just fine.  Throughout his career and his stint in St. Louis, Tony has consistently worked well with super utility type players (see: Scott Speizio, Placido Polanco, etc).  Utilizing Lugo as a backup for both second and short will allow the team to provide much needed rest to the starters up the middle while not losing a defensive or offensive edge in the veteran Lugo.  Don’t discount the veteran leadership and intangibles that Lugo brings to this club, either.  With a young shortstop, another one up and coming, and a second baseman in only his second season at the position, having a veteran like Lugo to be there for defensive concerns and an on-the-field coach will not hurt the Cardinals in any way.

Baby Bird: Tyler Greene
It is Tyler Greene that has people looking to the future when it comes to the left side of the infield.  Known more for his defense and ability to play short, second or third, Greene is a product of this organization that tends to get overlooked.  He is not a flashy player and won’t hit for power or average that will turn anyone’s head.  But at the same time, he appears to be developing into exactly what this team needs, a solid utility player with a strong focus on defense.  Greene can spell the regulars at three infield positions, will not hurt his team with his glove, and provides a bat that, if nothing else, is a solid contact, put-the-ball in play swing.  While Greene will never light up fantasy boards or climb the ranks as a “top prospect”, he will provide some stability to a ball club that has routinely had to reach outside and pay a free agent veteran to provide.

Today, we will take a look at the third basemen of the organization.

The Starter: David Freese
Last season, the Cardinals entered Spring Training with multiple position questions and decisions to be made.  During the beginning of Spring 2009, David Freese was in a position to inherit the reigns to the hot corner for the Cardinals.  An injury pushed him to the back of the pack, and we enter 2010 with the same mindset.  Here we are in early Spring and David Freese is set to be the rookie coming North with the club as its starting third baseman.  The question here is whether or not David can respond to the pressure.  If he should falter at all, the backup options are spread out and a bit thin.  If he lives up to the hype and can produce on some level at the major league level, he could be a part of this organization’s future for a long time to come.  My prediction?  I see David struggling a bit and splitting time with a myriad of players at third, but maintaining as the Cardinals’ primary third baseman this year.  A .260 batting average with 12 home runs and 65 RBI would be a successful start to his career, I believe.

The Bench: Felipe Lopez
Flip was discussed at length yesterday in Part 3 of Around the Horn as a backup option at second base.  Tony LaRussa loves these super utility type players that he can move all around the diamond and use to backup multiple positions.  It is players like Flip Lopez that allows LaRussa to carry 12 and 13 pitchers at different points during the season.  Lopez will see his at-bats while playing, in my opinion, five positions for the Cardinals this year.  As a third baseman, Lopez is adequate with the glove and his offense does not seem to be influenced by his position on defense.  That being said, if the Cardinals are in a position that Lopez is their primary weapon at third base, they are definitely not in the position they want to be.  The loss of Mark DeRosa is not one that this team cannot overcome, he really was not that productive for the ball club last season.  But Felipe Lopez is a much better option in tomorrow’s discussion about short stop options.

Baby Bird: Allen Craig
He’s billed as one of the Cardinals’ top prospects this season.  Allen Craig has done nothing short of impress with his bat in his climb through the minor leagues.  While making that climb, he looked to have a promising future in St. Louis.  While he was listed as a First Baseman, obviously a position that is “blocked” for young players coming up through this system, he was also listed as a Left Fielder, which seemed to be a fast track to the majors.  Enter Matt Holiday.  Craig became blocked at both positions by two $100 million men.  But Craig does offer some flexibility and has been working out at third base throughout his professional career.  Craig adds some depth and, through some hard work and a good spring, could add some discussion towards the end of Spring Training.  I personally do not feel that Craig is quite ready for the major leagues, but he does give the Cardinals some breathing room, which is a luxury they do not have at many positions currently.

Today, we will take a look at the second basemen of the organization.

The Starter: Skip Schumaker
This time last year the baseball world was buzzing about an overambitious experiment by the Cardinals organization as they attempted to turn career outfielder Skip Schumaker into a starting second baseman.  This season, it appears the experiment has taken hold and Skip walks into camp as this team’s Second Baseman and lead off hitter.  Skip continued to do what he does best at the top of the order last season, hitting over .300 with a .303 batting average.  Teammates, coaches, and opponents alike showered Skip with praise over his hard work and dedication and by the end of the season, the Cardinals were saying that Skip had become an adequate second baseman that didn’t hurt his team defensively.  Myself, I believe in building a strong team defensively up the middle, with solid glove-men at second, short, center and catcher.  The Cardinals have traditionally followed this mantra.  With the organizational dept at this position, and the depth within the league at this position, Skip will need to improve past the “adequate” moniker if he expects to continue to patrol second base for the Redbirds.  That being said, Skip is a plus at the top of the order, though I would like to see him strike out a bit less than his 69 times last season, and is one of the most respected Cardinals in the clubhouse.

The Bench: Julio Lugo and Felipe Lopez
As we throw this hypothetical ball “around the horn”, there is one name that will come up all over the diamond, recent addition Felipe Lopez.  Billed as a “Super Utility” player, Felipe will be the technical backup and bench answer to many positions should the starter need a break or falter in any way.  Lopez, affectionately nicknamed “Flip”, is coming off a career year hitting .310 with 9 homeruns and 57 RBI all while playing exceptional defense for Arizona and Milwaukee.  Flip stated recently that all he wanted throughout the off season was to come back to St. Louis and be a Cardinal, and the deal was finally struck shortly after spring training began.  Late in 2009, the Boston Red Sox released what they believed to be a washed up Julio Lugo.  The Cardinals, in need for some depth in the middle infield, scooped him up for the league minimum for the remainder of 2009 and all of 2010.  Lugo immediately responded well to his change of scenery and provided the pop, glove, and leadership the Cardinals hoped he would.  The byproduct of the Lopez signing may be the fact that Lugo’s playing time decreases dramatically.  Still, the Cards will benefit from his leadership and veteran presence in the clubhouse and occasionally in the lineup.

Baby Bird: Daniel Descalso
During April of 2009, I had the luxury of covering a few Springfield (AA) Cardinals’ games, including their opening weekend.  During that series, I met a young man who was playing second base and had a hot start to his season.  What the man lacked in stature, he is only five-foot ten-inches tall, he made up for in presence.  Respectful, mature, and humble, Daniel Descalso took a half an hour of his time and spent it with me to help me understand a little about himself.  Playing second base in an organization with little depth at that position, Daniel realized that he could climb through the organization quickly if he kept his head down and worked hard.  Daniel would go on to advance to Triple-A Memphis before the season was over.  After playing in the Arizona Fall League this past season, Daniel joins the list of non roster invitees this Spring to get a good look at what may await him soon at the major league level.

Join us tomorrow as we examine the “hot corner”, third base.  It will be one of St. Louis’ worry spots going into the season.  We will take a look at David Freese, the apparent front runner for the starting nod, as well as a first look at the Cardinals’ top prospect, Allen Craig.

Today, we will take a look at the first basemen of the organization.

The Starter: Albert Pujols
The first base discussion basically begins and ends with one player, Albert Pujols.  “El Hombre” has put up back-to-back MVP seasons and shows no signs of slowing down.  Throughout his career, he has not only been one of the most prolific hitters of all time, he has also been consistently on the field, despite minor ailments.  Fighting through a sore elbow that had every Cardinal fan holding his or her breath, Albert continued to take the field, having played nine seasons and never less than 143 games.  How important is Albert Pujols to the St. Louis Cardinals, one look at the depth chart will reveal that there is no one listed behind him at first base.  Tony LaRussa may be known for shaking up his lineup at any given time, but the easy part is already done, Albert Pujols will hit third and play first base.

The Bench: Yadi Molina and Felipe Lopez
Because of one of the games best players of all time being in place as the starter at a position, it makes it hard to determine just who on the bench will be backing him up.  Felipe Lopez has played a few games in his career at first and one of the main reasons he was brought aboard was to provide depth as a “super utility” man.  Flip will see playing time at first, second, short, third, left and right field.  Yadi Molina has been working out for the last few years to be a back up option at first.  Molina has proven to be more than adequate at first base and provides the breather that Albert requires from time to time.  All in all, if we start discussing the backup first base options with any level of importance, the Cardinals and their 2010 season is in grave jeopardy.

Baby Bird: Mark Hamilton
While there is not a ton of depth at first base, Mark Hamilton has emerged as a young player worth discussing as a viable option as a left handed bat off the bench and backup to Albert at first.  Hamilton split time between AA and AAA last year, posting averages at both leagues over the .300 mark.  Posting 14 homeruns and 47 RBI, Hamilton proved that his bat was as solid as the scouts thought it would be years ago.  If Hamilton can continue to hit with consistency, the Cardinals could pick up a bat and a decent glove to spell Albert from time to time.

Join us tomorrow as we take a look at second base, Skip Schumaker, and the group of options forming behind him.

Today, we will take a look at the catchers of the organization.

The Starter: Yadier Molina
Yadi will take on the “tools of ignorance” and command the field through his presence for the sixth straight season in 2010.  A foundation of this ballclub, it is hard to find a weakness in Yadi’s game.  Over the last three seasons, Molina has concentrated on improving his offensive game, putting up solid batting averages of .275, .304, and .293.  When most players begin to focus on their offensive stats, it causes a decrease in their defensive abilities.  Molina, however, has brought home his first two gold gloves in 2008 and 2009.  One of the games best contact hitters in the game, he has never struck out more than 43 times in one season.  If there is a downside to Yadier Molina, it is his speed on the basepaths, which leaves him vulnerable to double plays quite often.  One of the best field generals in today’s game, Molina has the respect of his teammates, his opponents, and, most importantly, his pitching staff.

The Bench: Jason LaRue
Jason will join the redbirds for the third straight season as Molina’s backup.  A strong defensive presence behind the plate who commands the respect of the defense and the pitching staff.  LaRue has done a fine job backing up Molina over the last two years and will be tasked with taking the reigns of this ballclub for an average of 30 or 40 games again this year.  He is not much of a presence offensively, hitting sub .250 annually, he doesn’t hurt the team and give Tony LaRussa the luxury of resting Molina on a regular basis.

Baby Bird: Bryan Anderson and Matt Pagnozzi
Bryan Anderson has rocketed through the minor league system until he hit his first speed-bump last season at Triple-A Memphis as he struggled with injuries throughout the season.  In a season that he fully embraced his new dedication to proving he was as good defensively as his consistent .300 batting average was at the plate, he will attempt to reapply himself to the trade this season, backed by the benefit of the Cardinals’ newest minor league coach, Mike Mattheny.  Also found behind the plate in Memphis is Matt Pagnozzi.  Originally drafted as what many considered to be a favor to his uncle and former 80’s backstop for the Cardinals, Tom Pagnozzi, Matt has proven throughout his minor league stops that he deserves to be behind the plate in a professional organization.  It will be interesting to see if one of these two young men can force himself into the discussion as a backup in 2011 at the major league level.

Come back tomorrow as we look at first base throughout the organization, starting with none other than Albert Pujols.

It has been a long winter, friends.  A winter that is now giving way to Spring and inviting us all back into that rocky love/hate relationship we have with the sport known as “The National Pastime”.

Looking forward to 2010 here on the Cardinal pages, I would like to take a few minutes to recap all of the recent events and let you, dear reader, know just what to expect as we move from winter to spring to a day that should be a national holiday, Opening Day.

During this winter some important stories broke through the news as well as some minor ones.  All across the internet, newspapers, and televisions, our beloved Redbirds continued to stay on the minds of many baseball fans.

The Cardinals have a new hitting coach
That’s right, the Cardinals brought back one of their beloved sons and anointed him hitting coach.  As a player, he became one of baseball’s most historic and prolific home-run hitters of all time.  He has since revealed that he was, in fact, taking performance enhancing drugs during this achievement.  Whether directly or indirectly, these drugs assisted him in achieving the status that he did the summer of 1998.  Debates have been raised everywhere on what this means to the game and his future as a Hall of Famer.  Here on Baseball Digest, from this point forward, we will debate Mark McGwire’s effectiveness as a hitting instructor on the major league level.  We will be open and honest about his approach with the players, his work ethic, and whether or not he provides too much of a distraction to this team.  But, to quote Mr. McGwire himself, we will not “discuss the past”.

The Cardinals signed the off season’s biggest free agent
It has been a long time since I remember being able to say that.  But this year, the Cardinals management and ownership decided that Matt Holiday would continue to wear the birds on the bat and hit behind the possibly the greatest hitter in baseball.  Many critics have said that ownership over paid for this commodity and outbid themselves for his services.  In my opinion, ownership did what they felt they needed to do to get Matt Holiday’s signature at the bottom of a contract that kept him in St. Louis for a very long time.  Throughout this season we here at Baseball Digest will continue to examine just how beneficial Holliday’s presence in the lineup is and challenge his ability to stay focused and competitive regardless of the team’s performance.

The left side of the infield has become a point of interest, again
Very early in the off season, it seemed set in the minds of the Cardinals; Brendan Ryan would be our shortstop and David Freese would arrive in St. Louis as the starting third baseman.  Then, in December, David Freese got in trouble for driving under the influence.  Just last month, Brendan Ryan had surgery to repair his wrist.  Finally, this week Felipe Lopez agreed to return to the Cardinals in a utility role.  It seems what was a focus of stability in the lineup has now become convoluted and undecided.  Freese still looks to be the everyday third baseman and Ryan feels that his wrist will be healed in time for Opening Day.  Lopez adds some depth to the infield and a left handed option to the corner outfield positions.  Flip (Lopez) is a great player that will challenge the regulars for playing time.  Look for us to analyze the revolving positions this spring as the pieces fit into Tony LaRussa’s puzzle.

There are some familiar faces present again and others that are missing
For the first time since 2000, Rick Ankiel is no longer in the Cardinal organization, having taken a trip down Interstate 70 to Kansas City and patrol center field in Kauffman Stadium.  Skip Schumaker will continue to be at the top of this lineup and settle into second base.  Mike Mattheny has rejoined the organization and will travel through the minor league stadiums working with the young players and helping them develop.  Tony LaRussa returns with Dave Duncan, Dave McKay and Jose Oquendo in tow.

2nd annual “Around the horn” begins this week
For the second straight season, right here on BaseballDigest.com, I will throw it “Around The Horn” in a seven part series covering each position for the Cardinals.  Look for Part 1: The Catchers to debut this Monday afternoon.

We look forward to a season that we anticipate to be a great one for Cardinal baseball.  We look forward to covering one of the best potential lineups the Cardinals have assembled.  We look forward to covering two of baseball’s best pitchers as they anchor a pitching staff that attempts to lead this team to glory.

We hope you look forward to reading as we go along.

Because Scott Boras didn’t have the time for Craig Paquette.

When an agent signs a player, both parties are generally focused on one subject: Money.  The agent wants to sign a guy he can squeeze the most money out of for the most years possible.  That’s not a bad thing.  It’s business.   From the player’s perspective, he’s looking for a guy who can get him the most money for the longest period of time.  Some players call this “security for my family.”  But it’s money.  That’s the bottom line.  The agent and player want to break the bank.

Issues can arise.  In Paquette’s case, he wasn’t a big enough star.  He didn’t put up A-Rod numbers.  He hit some home runs, but injuries had limited his output.  By 1997, Scott Boras wouldn’t return Paquette’s phone calls, leaving that job to his assistants.

Economists call this “Opportunity Cost.”  Opportunity Cost is, basically, when you can’t be in two places at one time.  So you choose one thing at the expense of the other.  Boras chose to spend his personal time on clients that would bring in more dollars for his company.  Paquette wasn’t meeting the expectations either party had at the time they signed a contract together.  So Boras eventually focused on his other clients who had more potential to break the bank than Craig Paquette.

Here’s where a second issue arises, one that former pitcher Brian Boehringer often rails about: Players can only have one agent at a time.  But agents not only have multiple players at one time, they can have signed multiple players who play the exact same position.  Boehringer’s point is that if an agent has two similar players – be they Cy Young Award winners or bench guys, and those players are both free agents at the same time, how can the agent represent both players?  In effect, the players are not only competing on the field and competing for a contract in the open marketplace, they’re also competing for the time and focus of the agent.  Boehringer believes this conflict of interest should be regulated, or at least looked into by the Players Association.  He says he tried.  But, as Boehringer asserts, since he wasn’t an Alex Rodriguez or Derek Jeter, the kind of guy who can be the face of baseball, the Players Association didn’t react to Boehringer’s request.

Now the agent is going to deny there’s a conflict of interest.  He’ll talk about his fiduciary duty to his client, stating he’s actually putting the interests of his clients above his own.  And, from his perspective, he’s probably trying to do that.  An agent’s job is to get his clients jobs, first and foremost.  If he can arrange some endorsements, he’s more than happy to do that too.  But first, he’s got to get his stable of players signed.  It’s not easy.  The player thinks the agent just picks up the phone, does some sweet talking, maybe sets up a meeting between GM and players, and the deal is done.  But there’s more to it than that.  Much more.

The agent needs to do his research.  He needs to know every statistic from his client’s offensive and defensive output.  Than he needs to understand the statistics of other similar players and understand the length and size of those contracts.  Then he needs to find a fit for that player among 30 teams.  This involves phone calls and emails and more phone calls and lots of waiting for some Assistant GM to call back and say they’re “waiting for a market to shape” for a particular player.  More phone calls and research and emails, plus throw in some 5-hour flights.  Multiply this times the number of players a guy has, plus the personal needs of not only the anxious unsigned player, who keeps calling asking for an update, and the personal needs of those high maintenance clients who are always complaining about something.  Can you see what the agent has to deal with?

The player thinks only about himself, as he should.  The agent thinks about the player, but also thinks about the other players he represents and the other players he wants to represent.  One brain isn’t always enough.  So sometimes, a guy like Craig Paquette falls down a few notches.  He’s not given all of the attention he wants.  And he eventually bails on the agent.

In Paquette’s case, he bailed on Boras and started using Dave Meier, a former player who became a player agent (recommended to Paquette by Harold Reynolds).  Paquette then signed a contract with the Mets, one he, in retrospect, didn’t think he should have signed.  But after switching agents, he felt he had to jump on the first thing he could get.  The Mets offered him $300,000 and he took it.

Meanwhile, there was a team that wanted him – the St. Louis Cardinals.  But they couldn’t get in touch with him while he was between agents and/or couldn’t get in touch with him when he had an agent.  The Mets traded Paquette to St. Louis at the 1998 trading deadline and the first thing coach Dave McKay said to Paquette was, “Where’ve you been?  We’ve been trying to sign you for the last two years and we couldn’t figure out what was going on.”

Paquette was finally where he belonged.

But…

The story doesn’t end there.  Paquette blossomed in St. Louis.  He hit lots of home runs and became the player he believed he could be.  After the 2001 season, he wanted at least a two-year deal and $5 million.  “Baseball money” he called it.  The Cardinals offerred “barely” what he’d made the year before, “when I felt I’d had a great season.”  The Detroit Tigers offered “something that I was looking for.”  So Paquette left for the money.

And in hindsight, he realizes today he never should have left.

His time in Detroit was a mess.  He was excited to play under Phil Garner, who got fired after 6 games.  But the new manager, Luis Pujols, came aboard and literally didn’t know what position Paquette played.  All the fans did was “boo us everytime we went on the field.”

The team was horrible, getting worse.  After one season and one month, he was released.  While his contract was guaranteed, playing time on a baseball diamond was not.  He called St. Louis back.  They offered him a minor league deal.  He took it, with the stipulation that if he didn’t get called up in 14 days, he’d leave.

The 14 days came and went.  Paquette packed up and went home.  Ironically, on Day 15, he would have been called up when an injury to Fernando Vina opened up a spot.  But Paquette had already chosen to go home.  His days wearing a Major League Baseball uniform as an active player were over.

It’s the choices players and agents make, together and on their own, that determine the fate of a player’s career.  From both perspectives, all these guys want to do is succeed.  Get the deal, get the money, and pop the champagne cork.  Only sometimes the champagne doesn’t taste as good as expected.  That’s not just baseball, that’s the baseball life.

Jimmy Scott is probably the greatest pitcher you’ve never heard of.  Visit Jimmy Scott’s High & Tight to read more from Jimmy and guests Desi Relaford, Eric Valent & Real Baseball Wife Cassidy Dover.  You’ll also hear a new interview every Monday morning with former MLB players, agents, wives and others; giving new outlooks on this great game we call Baseball.  Go there now to hear Jimmy’s latest interviews with Rollie Fingers, Mike Vaccaro, Natalie Niekro and Lary Sorensen.  You can follow Jimmy on Twitter or Facebook.

Jim Edmonds is making a public push to get back into the Cardinals outfield. Edmonds has challenged the team and manager Tony La Russa to bring him back for a league minimum deal in 2010.

The thought of Edmonds was dismissed by many before this latest challenge, but if Edmonds is really willing to play for the league minimum the chances that he is given a contract grows a thousand percent from what it was two days ago.

The team would be silly not to take him up on the offer since the price of his contract would be basically nothing meaning that he would be worth the gamble for the first half of the season.

In other news Schumaker and the Cards are close to a deal that will keep the two parties out of arbitration.

There however is no news on if Ludwick and the team will strike a deal or end up in arbitration.

The Cardinals are rumored to be one of ten or so teams that will be watching Ben Sheets pitch. The Cardinals will most likely not end up with sheets because if he pitches well there will be several offers on the table pushing his price above the limit of the Cards are willing to spend.

It is also rumored that the team is kicking the tires on Jose Contreras along with four or five other NL teams. The Cubs, Phillies and Pardes are said to be three of the five teams with interest. It is expected that Contreras will be offered a minor league deal with whatever team signs him.

From the last pitch of the World Series until right around the first week of January every year, it keeps reporters, writers, die hard fans and even those occasional addicts of baseball glued to the rumor mill.  It speculates who will sign who for how much money and how many years.  It tracks some of the best players in the game as they decide where their game will take them next.  We guess, we hypothesize and we analyze until we are blue in the face.  Then, when the dust clears, we all have a pretty good feel of where our team stands.

As we turned off the Hot Stove this year, the Cardinals had little money left to spend and only a few needs.  An extra outfielder, preferably left-handed and with some pop in his bat, a back of the game type reliever and a bench player or two.  With, reportedly, only about six to seven million dollars to spend, many people wondered just how John Mozeliak might put it together.

Just has I had turned off my burner on the Hot Stove, the interesting rumor hit that turned it right back on:

Is Jim Edmonds, affectionately known as Jimmy Ballgame, set to return to the St. Louis Cardinals?

I would be lying if I said I was not excited when I heard the opportunity.  The rumor is flowing due to a personal appearance and joking between manager and former player at one of Tony LaRussa’s foundation dinners.  That being said, it has the internet abuzz.  From Matthew Leach (Major League Baseball’s reporter for the Cardinals), to mlbtraderumors.com, everyone wants to know if Jimmy is getting an invite to Spring Training.

Get the deal done, Cardinals, give him a chance to earn a spot, sign a minor league contract with a major league invite and see what happens.

And I’ll keep the stove warm while we await the results…

One would think that McGwire would have learned his lesson from his last statement about steroids but it appears that he hasn’t learned a thing. The fact that McGwire thinks that there is a difference between the amount of steroids or why he took them is just plan stupid. People in his corner dropped the ball with allowing this last round of public stupidity to take place. The simple truth is that if you are going to come out and say I used you have to follow that with the statements yes it helped my game and yes I took it to get an edge.

To think that steroids didn’t help you hit a ball 500ft is well just stupid. To think that God gave you all these talents and that the steroids were only helping you recover is also stupid and to say these things in public when you are admitting to using is the stupidest thing of all.

If McGwire decided to do this interview to help stop the questions about steroid use once he became a coach he should have told the public what they wanted and needed to hear. It really doesn’t matter if Mac thinks that the steroids helped him or not. The public, the writers, and baseball all think they did help him.

To think that not a single HR he hit was not as a result of steroids is just plain dumb. To think that all of his homers were the result of the roids is also dumb. The facts are that yes the steroids helped him pump up his number but to what level will never be known.

I don’t know about the baseball world as a whole but for me this latest interview from Mac made me want to keep him out of the Hall, but before he opened his big mouth I had no problem with him going in. Mac needs to decide why he is telling this story and once he does that this story needs to be told again because as it stands right now the story he is telling is shallow and empty.

The news from McGwire broke today in a statement released to the Associated Press, the wire service who broke “andro” story in 1998).

In his statement he admitted to using PEDs during his then-record 70 home run season in 1998, as well as during other points off his career. Much more information is going to come out as McGwire has agreed to do an interview with Bob Costas Monday night on the MLB Network.

In his statement McGwire said “I wish I had never touched steroids. It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era.”

Today marks a turning point for McGwire and the Cardinals as an organization. This question has been in the back of everyone’s mind since his hiring as the new hitting coach. Tonight’s interview will hopefully shed some light on who the true McGwire really is and what he did or didn’t do during his career.

Nothing McGwire says will change the record books or public opinion, for that matter but it will help to lessen the drama that would have surrounded the first day of spring training had McGwire chosen to remain silent.

It will be interesting to see just how McGwire reacts in his interview tonight as well as how the baseball public will react to his words. This is the first move that needed to be made by McGwire to help set him on a path to a long coaching career with the team.

We will have more coverage of his breaking news after McGwire has finished his interview. With that being said we will you with one last remark from Big Mac’s statement.

“I’m sure people will wonder if I could have hit all those home runs had I never taken steroids,” McGwire said. “I had good years when I didn’t take any, and I had bad years when I didn’t take any. I had good years when I took steroids, and I had bad years when I took steroids. But no matter what, I shouldn’t have done it and for that I’m truly sorry.”

This signing should rub any Cards fan the wrong way for several reasons:

Reason number one is that Holliday left the team out there for weeks waiting for a better offer but when the prom queen never called, he came running back to St.Louis knowing that they were still doodling his name on next years lineup card.

The seven-year deal Holliday signed was not a hometown discount for a team he “loved”. This contract was the only real offer out there from a winner and as soon as he and his agent realized this, the ink began to fly before the Cards wised up.

The second reason that every Cardinals fan should hate this signing is because the roster will suffer in the long term.

Holliday in the lineup means that third base will likely be occupied by a star on his way down or a rookie just trying to make the team. The pitching staff is also going to lose depth not only this year but in the years to come. The kind of money that Holliday will make has to come from someplace and that place will probably be the rotation since pitchers of any ability are among the highest paid on any roster.

Before you go off on a rant on how Holliday will protect Albert Pujols for years to come, let’s all agree that he will, but there were other options on the market for a fraction of the price offering the same protection.

If the Cardinals had really looked at the big picture they would have told Holliday that five years was as long as they would go on a contract while at the same time offering Bay a four-year deal to force Holliday to make up his mind before half of the free agent pool was gone.

No matter which player the team would have ended up with, there would have been plenty of time and money left to bring back Mark DeRosa or go after Adrian Beltre to play the hot corner. The team however let Holliday play his waiting game and watched as the rest of the league picked players off one by one.

The last reason that this contract is not the best fit for this team is it will all but guarantee that St. Louis will have over $250 million invested in just two players (if they, as expected extened Pujols, who will command $20 million a year over 10 years most likely even more).

That kind of payroll commitment will seriously hamper what the team will be able to offer to free agents, especially in the last few years of the two massive contracts.

The moral to this story is Cardinals fans should enjoy the next three years because the recent moves made by the team has shown that the time is now, no matter the long term affects.

The year will soon be 2010.  Many world events will occur.  Technology will continue to evolve.  Finances will fluctuate.  Politicians will be elected, re-elected, and retire.  The world will turn.  Tragedies will occur and mankind will continue along multiple paths.  And amongst it all, there will be baseball…

2009 solidified the split of the decade between two of the finest backstops ever to wear the birds on the bat.  The first five seasons found Mike Matheny behind the plate and now the last five, including 2009, found Yadier Molina there.  Molina continued his presence offensively and defensively, hitting .293 with 6 home runs and 54 RBI and bringing home his second consecutive Gold Glove Award.  Albert Pujols would do what Pujols always seemed to do, offensively hitting .327 with 47 home runs and 135 RBI and bringing home his third, and second consecutive, National League Most Valuable Player award.  The relationship with Adam Kennedy finally severed, the Cardinals would enter the season with a project of turning outfielder Skip Schumaker into a second baseman.  Skip continued to lead off and show moments of solid play at second base, at the very least not proving the Cardinals’ management completely inept in the attempt.  Shortstop would be patrolled in the early going by Khalil Greene, a hopeful project for the Padres that never seemed to come to fruition.  Over the course of the season, Brendan Ryan would prove ready to assume the role and Julio Lugo would be brought in to help alleviate the middle infield inexperience.  Third base was a position of struggle most of the season until a midseason acquisition of utility man Mark DeRosa to play the position.

Ryan Ludwick would return to his role as the Cardinals right fielder and produce 22 home runs and 96 RBI.  Rick Ankiel would begin the season patrolling center field, only to pass the responsibility off to the “heir apparent to the throne” Colby Rasmus.  Rasmus would put up an offensive line of .251/16/52 in his rookie season.  Near the trade deadline, the Cardinal front office would show the fans and players that they were willing to deal the future for a chance at winning now, as they traded the organizations number one prospect, Brett Wallace, as well as others to the Oakland As for clean up hitter Matt Holiday.  Holliday hit .353 with 13 home runs and 55 RBI over the course of the last few months for the Cardinals, helping them achieve their run at the post season.

2009 seen the return of Chris Carpenter not just to the mound, but to his old form.  The clubhouse leader and ace of the staff reeled off 17 wins and 4 losses while posting an ERA of 2.24.  Establishing himself as an ace in his own right, Adam Wainwright would match Carpenter by posting 19 wins of his own with 8 losses and an ERA of 2.63.  Supported by 15 wins by overachieving Joel Pineiro, seven wins from Todd Wellemeyer and six wins from an injury laden season for Kyle Lohse rounded out the rotation.  Ryan Franklin would settle into the closer role, though he stumbled with the rest of the team down the stretch.  He would save 38 games in 2009 to help his team along the path.

The regular season came to a close with the team posting a 91 win and 71 loss record and entering the playoffs as the odds on favorite to reach the World Series, despite a September worth forgetting.  Destiny would not follow the path of the “experts” however, and the Los Angeles Dodgers would dispatch the Redbirds in three straight games in the National League Division Series.

As each of the last three seasons had begun, this one found Yadier Molina crouching behind the plate.  Molina’s trademark pick off throws at first base, his ability to manage the pitching staff, his defensive prowess and his sudden offensive surge would lead to a successful 2008.  Yadi would hit over .300 (.304) for the first time in his career while also hitting 7 home runs and recording 56 RBI.  In addition to his offensive ability came his first reward for his defensive prowess as he would bring home the 2008 Gold Glove for National League catchers.  Albert Pujols had forced many writers and broadcasters to search for a nickname fitting of him.  While Stan Musial would always be “The Man” in St. Louis, it was 2008 when, as a tribute to his heritage and his amazing play, “El Hombre” was truly becoming a common utterance.  Pujols would produce again in 2008, hitting .357 with 37 home runs and 116 RBI and bringing home his second National League Most Valuable Player award.  Adam Kennedy would be given another opportunity at second base.  David Eckstein would depart, with Cesar Izturis taking the reigns.  MV3 would be dismantled during the offseason, as Scott Rolen, amidst a very public and disgruntled series of events with manager Tony LaRussa, would be traded to Toronto for Troy Glaus, who promptly hit .270 with 27 home runs and 99 RBI.

Skip Schumaker, a Cardinal farm system product who had seen time in the majors each of the last two seasons on a limited basis, would assume the leadoff role and left field responsibilities.  Ryan Ludwick would reclaim his once lofty expectation by hitting .299 with 37 home runs and 113 RBI.  During both of these great outfield beginnings, the big story existed in Center Field.  Rick Ankiel, the lefty who had impressed everyone in the majors from the mound at the beginning of the decade, now returned to the St. Louis Cardinals major league roster as a power hitting outfielder with an impressive arm and above average defensive prowess.  Helping many people forget the departure of Jim Edmonds, Rick hit .264 with 25 home runs and 71 RBI.

The pitching staff would go through yet another season with barely a glimpse of the oft-injured ace Chris Carpenter.  Kyle Lohse, a spring training signee, would win 15 games to lead the staff.  Braden Looper would continue his transformation to starter by winning 12 games, while also losing 14.  Wellemeyer and Pinero would prove effective at times and confusing at others, winning 13 and 7, respectively.  Adam Wainwright would fight injuries of his own to win only 11 games.  Ryan Franklin would inherit the closer role for much of a season that watched the Cardinals struggle to find a clear-cut ninth inning guy.  Franklin would save 17 games and give the team some direction.

All in all, 2008 was a confusing time for the Cardinals.  While it appeared from the beginning of the season that the Cardinals would be in a bit of a “rebuilding” mode, the team began to overachieve and the fan base would grow impatient with a front office that seemed completely unwilling to part with young players in the farm system to help the team win this season.  The front office stayed the course and the team would finish with 86 wins and 76 losses.  While statistically the record was a fairly impressive one, it was only good enough for fourth place in the National League Central that season, and the Cardinals would miss the playoffs for the third time this decade.

Yadier Molina continued the consistency the Cardinals show to their backstops by leading the team once again behind the plate.  Yadi would reward management’s faith and patience by showing signs of offensive production, hitting .275 with 6 home runs.  Albert Pujols would continue his now legendary presence in the lineup by doing what it appears he would do every season, hitting .327 with 32 home runs and 103 RBI.  Second base would continue to be the revolving door as Adam Kennedy was brought back to the organization that drafted him to play second base, however, would fail to produce and have fans, management and front office personnel losing faith in him rapidly throughout the season, allowing Aaron Miles to continue to play a considerable amount of time at the position.  David Eckstein would continue to be the catalyst at the top of the lineup and the Cardinals’ starting shortstop.  Scott Rolen would fight through an injury plagued season, hitting .265 with 8 home runs and 58 RBI.

Jim Edmonds would echo Scott Rolen’s production and injury status as the MV3 would further begin to crumble throughout the season.  Edmonds would only hit .252 with 12 home runs and 53 RBI.  Chris Duncan would be allowed to patrol left field and, while his glove work was suspect at best, he would hit 21 home runs and post 70 RBI in his sophomore campaign.  Juan Encarnacion would become the victim of a freak accident on August 31, 2007 when a foul ball would shatter his eye socket while standing in the on deck circle, ending his season and, yet to date, his career.  Outfielder So Taguchi would pick up most of the playing time left vacant by the injured outfielders, as would new reclamation project Ryan Ludwick.  Ludwick would hit 14 home runs and 52 RBI while filling in in 2007.

Chris Carpenter would barely take the mound in 2007, leaving young Adam Wainwright as the default “Ace” on a staff of unproven arms.  Braden Looper would make the transition from bullpen to starter and win 12 games despite struggling and posting an ERA near 5.  Kip Wells would prove that not every reclamation project works out by losing 17 games, Anthony Reyes would show that sometimes “the next big thing” never materializes, and players like Joel Pineiro and Todd Wellemeyer would show signs of brilliance but never enough to make a difference.  Jason Isringhausen would continue to close games, but would not seem as dominate throughout the season, saving 32 games.

The 2007 Cardinals would finish the season with 78 wins and 84 losses, finishing third in the National League Central and failing to make the post season for just the second time this decade.  The injuries, underproduction and underachieving would lead ownership to an interesting approach for the future of the ballclub.

The Cardinals would christen their brand new stadium in 2006, the third of its kind in St. Louis to be known as Busch Stadium.  Known as Busch III, it would feature an open air feel with an emphasis on the St. Louis skyline, leaving the left field area of the stadium open for the fans to be able to see the Arch and other landmarks.  The ownership nicknamed it “Baseball Heaven” and the fans and team reacted positively.

Yadier Molina returned for his sophomore season as one of the most respected backstops in history.  After taking over for fan favorite Mike Mattheny, he quickly won the hearts and support of the fanbase.  Albert Pujols would continue his domination at first base, hitting .331 with 49 home runs and 137 RBI all while bringing home his first Gold Glove of his career and finishing second in the voting for National League Most Valuable Player.  In what became a recurring theme, the Cardinals would start the season with another new second baseman in Aaron Miles and would later add Ronnie Belliard through a late season trade.  David Eckstein would return to play shortstop and lead off and Scott Rolen would return to form playing third base and producing a .296 batting average with 22 home runs and 95 RBI.

Jim Edmonds would anchor an outfield but start to show a decline in his own production, hitting .257 with 19 home runs and 70 RBI.  he would be joined by Juan Encarnacion, a free agent acquisition, who would match Jimmy Ballgame’s 19 home runs while hitting .278 and producing 79 RBI of his own.  So Taguchi, a professional Japanese player who signed with the Cardinals a few years before, would patrol left field for the Cardinals and hit .266 in a solid support role.  The son of pitching coach Dave Duncan, Chris, would join the club and hit 22 home runs in a part time role.

Chris Carpenter would return to lead the Cardinal pitching staff, posting a 15-8 record with a 3.09 ERA.  Jason Marquis and Jeff Suppan would add 14 and 12 wins, respectively.  From there, the rotation would be a mixture of reclamation projects Jeff Weaver and Sidney Ponson and young Anthony Reyes as Mark Mulder would spend most of the season on the disabled list.  Jason Isringhausen would go on to save 33 games, but would end the season hobbled by injuries and ineffectiveness leading the Cardinals to rely on young Adam Wainwright, who the organization touted as the next big starting pitcher for the Redbirds.

The Cards would finish 2006 with a 83 win and 78 loss record, limping through the end of the season yet still winning the National League Central Division.  As they went into the postseason that year, most experts gave them no chance to go much further than their opening round series with the San Digeo Padres.  The Cards would win that series 3 game to 1 and advance to the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets.

The Mets were heavily favored to win the series after a 97 win season as well as a commanding sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first round.  The series would swing back and forth and lead to a seven game climax.  Carlos Beltran, a thorn in the Cardinals’ sides since the earlier series of the decade against the Houston Astros would come to the plate with the game on the line against young Adam Wainwright.  In a moment burned into memories of Mets and Cardinal fans for the remainder of their lives, a long sweeping curve from Wainwright would freeze Beltran at the plate with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth and send the Cardinals to their second World Series this decade.

The 2006 World Series would pit two of baseball’s greatest managers, and long time friends, Tony LaRussa and Jim Leyland, against each other.  The Cardinals would go on to take four of only five games played in the World Series that year, getting a masterful performance from Jeff Weaver, dominating closing from Adam Wainwright and an unlikely World Series Most Valuable Player performance from David Eckstein along the way.

For the first time in 24 years, the Cardinals would bring home a World Championship to the city.  They solidified the opening of a new stadium, a devoted fan base, a (fairly) new ownership group, and silenced many critics along the way with a World Title and hope for the future with young stars like Molina, Pujols, and Wainwright.