Quick hits: All-Star fixes, Ballpark Village, Lohse, and the Padres.

A wild week indeed. Josh Hamilton hits 28 homers. The AL wins on a play at the plate. Nobody cares, or at least Erin Andrews, about Justin Morneau... Or is that Jason Morneau? Doesn't matter.

Ken Rosenthal has some good suggestions for bettering the All-Star game and avoiding the near-debacle we had this past week:

Alternate pitchers, four per team. That's the solution for the nightmare scenario (read: tie game) that baseball barely avoided Tuesday night. Pick the alternates, rank 'em in order, then use them to replace any starting pitchers who are extended in outings close to the All-Star Game.

Another suggestion? Give teams an extra day off or have the game be played on Wednesday. It allows pitchers to have extra time for rest, which they certainly need. Something will be done before next year, and St. Louis will be the first place it's implemented.

Speaking of St. Louis and the All-Star game, there might actually be progress on the Ballpark Village front, finally:

Under the new arrangement, the developers — the St. Louis Cardinals and Baltimore-based Cordish Co. — would not be tied to specific development targets and could take market conditions into account in deciding the scope of the project, Rainford said. Public subsidies would change with the size of the development.

The plan doesn't have a specific development size, which means no one would know how big or small it might be. That's a far cry from the near $400 million project that was proposed. I'd like to see what blogger/economist J.C. Bradbury of Sabernomics.com has to say about this.

The Cardinals should look into dealing Kyle Lohse while his value is at an all-time high.

All's quiet on the Western Metal Supply front. According to Corey Brock:

But, according to a team source, talks involving Wolf are "moving along slowly" even though the market has been busy with the handful of trades involving pitchers -- such as CC Sabathia to Milwaukee, Rich Harden to the Chicago Cubs and, on Thursday, Joe Blanton to Philadelphia.

After seeing Greg Maddux last night, the Cardinals should be looking elsewhere. Starting pitcher shouldn't even be on the Cards' priority list - lefthanded relief and an impact bat should, however.

The Rockies are back in the pennant race, which could mean Brian Fuentes and Matt Holliday aren't even available. Their asking price was said to be pretty exorbitant anyways. Time to look at some lower-cost options, such as Toronto's Brian Tallet and Kansas City's Ron Mahay.

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Why so serious?

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see much of the game last night. Fortunately, it was because I was at the movie theater waiting in line to see arguably the BEST BATMAN MOVIE EVER. It was the first time I've ever pulled a stunt like this, watching the premier of a movie at midnight, but last night I saw the best movie of the summer. It's that good.

Like its name suggests, The Dark Night is truly dark. Not in the comic book-y fashion of Tim Burton, Michael Keaton, and Jack Nicholson in the original Batman, though; no, this movie could happen in New York tomorrow, which makes it so horrifying and real. The part of the joker could not have been played any better, as I am convinced that this was Heath Ledger's finest work in his short acting career. Deranged, sociopathic, terrifying, and inhuman, the joker was everything you'd expect him to be if you saw him on the news this morning. I certainly don't want to spoil anything for you, but know that you will love this movie if you are a Batman fan, even a casual one like me. One of the best aspects of the movie? Very little CGI. Everything you see is real. And believable.

I'm wondering if this is high-time to sell high on Kyle Lohse. The A's traded struggling starter Joe Blanton to the Phillies yesterday, netting two of the Phillies top 5 prospects at the beginning of the season - Adrian Cardenas and Josh Outman. Cardenas is a second base prospect who would fit in perfectly with our farm system, posting good on-base percentages with some pop. Lohse is having a career season so far - 12 wins, 3.35 ERA, 3.72 FIP - despite having a career low K/9 (4.49) and a BABIP that he's been able to replicate only once in his career (.287). With Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright set to start making rehab starts soon, why not sell Kyle at his ultimate high point of value? Signing Lohse long-term is going to be pricey and risky, considering he's never been this good and is approaching 30-years-old. Think of who the Yankees would be willing to give up to get Lohse. Or the Mets. Or even the Dodgers, who have a stocked system.

As much as I like Lohse, the Cardinals are going to be crunched going into next year, having Carpenter, Wainwright, Todd Wellemeyer, and Joel Pineiro already set in the rotation. Not to mention Mitch Boggs, Mike Parisi, Anthony Reyes (for now), Clayton Mortensen, Jaime Garcia, and Kyle McClellan all capable of filling the 5th starter role. We're not going to give Lohse the money he's likely to command, and he probably won't be more than a Type-B free agent. If we capitalize now, we can get a better haul for a team desperate for pitching. Matt Kemp, anyone? Ok, maybe that might be a little much to expect.

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A look ahead at the rest of the season

Today, Aaron Borchelt takes a look at the second half of the regular season. Check out yesterday's post for his recap on the first half of the year.

So here we sit … half of the baseball season is but a memory. Another half shall begin tonight. And what exactly can we expect from the upcoming 2 ½ months? Well, simply stated, “Expect the Unexpected.” Think back to Spring Training when all of the so-called experts and prognosticators gave their bold predictions for the upcoming season. Is it possible to make sense of it all? The Tampa Bay Rays with a winning record? The top three teams in the National League coming from the “Comedy” Central? Josh Hamilton hitting 28 home runs in one round in the Home Run Derby? The National League losing AGAIN to the Junior Circuit? (Well, that I can believe). The Cubs 19 games over .500? The Cardinals 10 games over .500?

It has certainly been a, for lack of a better term, surprising first half to the 2008 baseball season. So while I can enjoy my final All Star “BREAK” for awhile (I’ll be a little pre-occupied next year at this time), I thought I would crunch some numbers and take a look at the second half of the season and what we might see.

	Cubs	Cardinals	Brewers
Games Remaining	67	66	67
Current Record	57-38	53-43	52-43
Games Behind	--	4.5	5
Home Games Remaining	32	34	33
Road Games Remaining	35	32	34
Games Remaining vs. teams with a .500 record or better	37	35	23
Games Remaining vs. teams within 6 games of division lead (or division leader)	37	38	26

So what does all of this mean? Does any of this mean anything??? Here’s how this Cardinal loyalist is looking at it: First of all, the Cardinals need to start winning some series. For those fans out there that are overly obsessed with winning every game, that is a bit far-fetched. This team must focus on 3- or 4-game spurts at a time. If you simply win the series, your record will surely remain above the .500 mark (the first step in making a run at post-season, unless of course you are playing in the National League West) and you would continue to put pressure on those teams above you in the standings. Chances are, the distance between you and the division leader would, over time, diminish to a much more manageable endeavor.

Looking at the games remaining for each of these teams and the respective location, the Cubs have enjoyed the spoils of home cooking during the first half of the season, boasting the best home record in the National League. Conversely, they are below .500 on the road (20-26). The north-siders have the most road games remaining of the three teams. Chance to gain ground for the Cardinals? Absolutely!

As the old adage goes, “It’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game.” That’s true, but a true journalist (which I am NOT) looks at all of the “W’s.” Some numbers that I found a bit more interesting, and perhaps more meaningful, are not necessarily where you play the game (which we briefly touched upon earlier), but rather who you are playing. (I’ll get to the when in a minute.) As I look at a match-up, I like to look at more than just the records. How have the teams done in their last 10 games? Who is pitching? Are they in a pennant race themselves? This third question is the one that I am focusing on. While it is a bit premature to start talking about elimination numbers, for some teams reality has already struck and “it’s just a matter of time.” But there are others that still are in the running for competing in October. The benchmark that I used was those teams that are within 6 games of the division lead (much like our home team). Will this determine help us determine which of the Central contenders has the easiest schedule remaining? I guess we’ll have to wait and see, but here are my findings anyway:

Of the 66 games remaining on the Cardinals schedule, 38 (57.6%) are against teams that are currently in a division race. The Cubs have 37 of 67 (55.2%) against such opponents, while the BrewCrew has only 26 games (38.8%) against teams in the upper echelon of their division. What does all of this mean? Maybe nothing and that I just wasted about an hour of my life that I can’t get back from looking through schedules, but I tend to see it as somewhat indicative of the ease of a schedule for a given team. It would appear that the Brewers have an easier last two months of the season compared to that of the other two division contenders. The Cardinals and Cubs, however, have little margin for error in the majority of their remaining contests as teams look to “bring their A game” and help their own October dreams.

Finally, I shall take on the “W” of when. Without fail, the team schedules are nitpicked and ridiculed for one reason or another. Maybe a team is forced to spend a large amount of time away from their home field. Perhaps a team doesn’t take on a division foe during the final couple weeks of the season. There’s always the issue of interleague play and one team having an edge over another due to “regional rivalries” and other made-for-TV series that take place year-over-year. And perhaps the “predicted division powerhouses” don’t play each other during the final month of the season, much like the Cardinals and Cubs experienced in 2006 when their final head-to-head meeting was on August 25. For a sport that thrives on television ratings and pennant chases, one would think that these would be taken into consideration when making the schedules. Well, perhaps the schedule makers had a method to their madness this season. As I look at the September schedule, I am intrigued by the following match-ups:

• Last 13 games for the Cubs: 3 vs. Milwaukee, 3 vs. St. Louis, 4 at New York, and 4 at Milwaukee. Milwaukee appears to be in this race for the long haul, the Cardinals are the big rival, and the Mets are the hottest team in baseball in the mix with the closest race in baseball. Will the Cubs have anything left for the playoffs? I see an excuse coming on from the Blue Crew!!!

• July 21-24: Brewers at Cardinals … The tone will be set for the second half right away. Will this finally be the year the Brewers make it back to post-season? Will C.C. Sabathia make his presence felt against inner-division opponents?

• August 11-24: 12 games that will be key for the Cardinals and their hopes for a September surge. 4 at Florida, 3 at Cincinnati, 2 at Pittsburgh, and 3 at Atlanta. Every game is big from this point forward, but this 12-game stretch could be a nice momentum boost as the team heads into series against Milwaukee, Houston, and Arizona.

As I sit here composing this outlook and further develop carpal tunnel, I cannot tell you how this whole thing will play out. One thing I can be sure of is that this Cardinals team will not quit. What more would you expect from a Tony LaRussa-led group? Personally, I don’t know how much faith we can put in having our two big starters – Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright – being as effective as they have in the past. Look to the Mark Mulder situation for further proof of this. I see the Brewers staying in this race to the bitter end. They have a nice offensive lineup and they have solidified their starting rotation. And then there are the Cubs. These are your grandparents’ Cubs anymore. They have a new attitude with Lou Piniella, they are hungrier now more than ever, they have upper management that is willing to do whatever it takes to bring that town a winner, not to mention they are pretty good too. I see them as the team to beat in the Central.

All in all, this has already been a season that has exceeded expectations. Stay tuned … it’s bound to get even more exciting!!!

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Cards might trade Rasmus

...and consequently commit the dumbest move this side of Steve Carlton. I take this with a grain of salt, since Jon Heyman was the same guy who started the "Pirates in discussions with Cardinals" rumor that was subsequently debunked, but here it goes:

Overheard at the pre-All-Star Game bash out on Randall's Island. The contending Cardinals might even consider parting with top outfield prospect Colby Rasmus, a major surprise. If so, it may put them in line to land Pittsburgh's Xavier Nady, or even Jason Bay.

For those thinking signing Bonds is bad, that doesn't even compare to the atrocity of trading Colby Rasmus for Jason Bay. I'm sure the guys over at Future Redbirds will dice this rumor to shreds, which is how it should be. Mr. Mozeliak, if you're out there, I humbly beseech you to reconsider the notion of trading Rasmus if these rumblings are indeed true. There's plenty of other fish in the pond. Go get Nelson Cruz if we need another slugger.

And Mr. Heyman: what is the fascination with the Cardinals and Pirates? The Pirates are said to have exorbitantly high asking prices for their two slugging outfielders, and even so for Damaso Marte. The Cardinals aren't in a position to meet those demands, much less in the same division. There isn't a match.

Say it with me, "Just say no to trading Rasmus! Don't. Trade. Rasmus. No Rasmus for you!"

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Cardinals first-half recap

I asked Rockin' the Red friend Aaron Borchelt if he would like to write his opinions on the Cardinals' season so far. The true All-Star that he is, he was happy to oblige. This is the first part of a two-part series Aaron will be writing, with the second part focusing on what we can expect in the second half of the season. You can read more about Aaron in the Stories from the Stool series or see him ushering down the right field line the next time you're at a ballgame.

"It was the best of times ... it was the worst of times." It was the Cardinals first half of the 2008 season. What a roller coaster ride it has been. Coming out of Spring Training, expectations certainly were not as lofty as they have been the past couple of seasons. A corps of Cardinals made up of a handful of veterans and a slew of rookies drove fans to their local scorecard vendor and favorite blog sites to find their new favorite player.

"These guys won't be able to make noise in the Central this year."

"There's not enough experience."

"The team lacks a decent starting rotation."

But this team of Redbirds didn't seem to pay much attention to the so-called experts. Call it overachieving. Call it luck. Call it playing beyond itself. Call it what you will, but this team has closed out the first half of the season with the second best record in the National League. And you could even point to some games and situations and play the "what-if" game, but that's for another blog at another time. Through (literally) the blood, sweat, and tears (and RAIN!), this team, under the supervision of the master chemist Tony LaRussa, has continued to persevere and surpass every expectation and soar beyond every hurdle placed in its way.

Here's a look back at the first half of the season and some highlights (and lowlights) from Baseball City, U.S.A.

• WHO NEEDS A SCORECARD?!?!?!? 2008 marked the Major League debut for 10 Cardinal players (and perhaps more to follow). Here's the list: Brian Barton, Mitchell Boggs, Jaime Garcia, Joe Mather, Kyle McClellan, Mike Parisi, Chris Perez, Nick Stavinoha, Rico Washington, and Mark Worrell.

• CARDINAL NATION - LOUD AND LOYAL!! Team personnel had set a season attendance goal of 3.2 million, a bit lower than previous years. But the St. Louis faithful have been just that, faithful, packing the stands at an average of better than 42,000 fans per game.

• "HOME" AWAY FROM HOME Good teams find ways to win, no matter where they are playing. This Cardinals team has done just that, boasting the best road record in the National League with a 27-22 mark.

• COMEDY CENTRAL NO MORE The National League Central has been the target of many jokes over the past few years. After all, 83 wins secures first place in the division?!?! But this year is a different story. The top three teams from the National League reside in the National League Central - the Cubs, Cardinals, and Brewers. I guess it's no laughing matter any more in the midwest. Perhaps it will turn to the "Wacky West" as their first place team is under .500.

• AS GOOD AS GOLD??? They say that "defense wins championships." Well, this team might just prove that to be true. At the close of the first half, the Cardinals own the best fielding percentage in the National League. Newcomer Troy Glaus, in fact, leads NL third baseman in fielding percentage, giving up only 3 errors in 235 chances. Albert Pujols, the Cardinals All Star first (and second) baseman only has 2 miscues in 777 chances. That's good for third in the league.

• IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE??? At times throughout the first half, our disabled list looked more like a lineup card. With names such as Pujols, Molina, Wainwright, Carpenter, Mulder, and a host of others missing time due to injury, the Cardinals have been forced to play shorthanded for much of the season.

• MO KNOWS PITCHING John Mozeliak has, of late, been the subject of conversations regarding personnel moves, or a lack thereof. Although, after watching the performance of our starting rotation on the mound, I'm starting to think that he knows something we don't know. Start with All Star snub, Cardinals Ace???, Kyle Lohse. 11-2 ... 3.39 ERA ... 12 out of 20 quality starts ... not bad timing for a guy who will be a free agent at the end of the season. And then there is the National League Pitcher of the Month for May, Todd Wellemeyer. During the second month of the season, Todd went 4-0 with a 2.19 ERA while chewing up 37 inningsin 6 games.

• THAT'S A BUNCH OF "B.S" I began my bit with the popular passage from "A Tale of Two Cities." This couldn't be more true for the Cardinals bullpen. Through one-half of the season, the Redbird relievers lead the league in holds, but also in blown saves. Arguably the most frustrating BS of the first half came last Saturday in Pittsburgh when the Cardinals blew a 6-run lead to the Bucs.

• YADI LEAVES IT ALL ON THE FIELD One of my favorite memories of the first half, Yadier Molina continued to lead by example in Milwaukee. On May 12, Yadi had a "different interpretation of the strike zone" than home plate umpire Paul Schrieber. To drive home his point, Molina littered the home plate area with his catching gear and walked off the field.

• MORE ON MOLINA Here's undoubtedly the "Stat of the Year." Who leads the Cardinals in infield hits this season? Yadier Molina. Who would have thought that?!?!?!?!?!?!? Flashes of speed aside, Yadi is putting together a career offensive season, posting an average of better than .300. He would get my vote for Offensive Most Improved Player of the Year.

• IF THE "SCHU" FITS ... PLAY HIM!!! One of the many pleasant surprises this year has been Skip Schumaker. This has been Skip's first chance to play everyday in the big leagues and he has embraced the challenge and thrived. It started on Opening Day - Take 1 - when he made a dazzling diving catch in left field. While that Web Gem doesn't officially count as a putout since the game was rained out, it is certainly one of the plays of the year in my book. Looking at the numbers, Skip has been a quality leadoff batter by hitting .293 with 6 homers and an on-base percentage of .357. Dare I say it, exactly what the team needs in the top slot of the batting order. All of this productivity has come in 89 games played, which is one more than any of his previous seasons (previous high - 88 games in 2007).

• WELCOME BACK!!! First half 2008 gave Cardinal Nation the opportunity to formally welcome back to beloved Cardinals of recent history - So Taguchi and Jim Edmonds. When considering my favorite moment of the first half, the reception that these two players received from the home crowd is definitely up there on the list. Both players were greeting to the batters box with a standing ovation, both of which delayed the game a bit until the guest tipped his cap and stepped in. I'd put our quality fans up against any other group of supporters in the league, especially those from Philly and Chicago.

• MAGIC NUMBERS I know, I know, it is still WAAAAAYYYYYY too early to start talking about those countdowns to a clincher at this point in the season. In fact, word to the wise, don't dare utter those words to Tony LaRussa. But the numbers, well really number, I am referring to is "300." This number has special significance to the Birds on the Bat this year. Albert Pujols hit his 300th career home run against the Cubs on July 4. Yadier is hitting over .300 for the first time in his career. Troy Glaus is 8 home runs shy of 300 for his career. But the real question might lie with another "300" ... Will Jason Isringhausen record his 300th save this season? Stay tuned ... Only time will tell.

• A GLAUS-SY FINISH??? The newcomer with the highest fan expectations for the year was none other than Troy Glaus, the 2002 World Series MVP. He got off to a slow start, battling unfamiliar pitchers and "allergies," just to name a few. The opportunities to shine were there as it seemed like he was always batting with runners on base. But as the weather started heating up, so did the native Californian. After hitting .259 with 3 homers and 33 RBI in April and May, the keeper of the hot corner has bounced back with a .286 average and 11 HR while driving in 24 runs in June and July. That includes a .310 average in the month of July. I don't know about you, but I like the trend that this is leaning towards.

I'll be honest. I did not have much faith in this Cardinals team as we turned the calendar from March to April. 75 wins would be a great season in my book. But this team has continued to surprise all of the doubters, like yours truly, and have put together a season that all of Cardinal Nation can be proud of. What will the second half be comprised of? Will there be a Jocketty-esque move before the trade deadline? Who knows. But one thing's for certain ... this team won't quit! They are geared up for the long haul. So sit back, relax, and get ready, because this roller coaster ride is only halfway done!!!

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Stories from the Stool: Fair or Fowl?

In celebration of this week's All-Star festivities, I thought I'd catch up with our own All-Star field usher, Aaron Borchelt, who graciously made time for another Q and A session as a sequel to his smash-hit first interview, "An Inside Look at the Life of a Field Usher." This time, I thought we'd take a look at the lighter side of being a field usher - streakers, dealing with Fredbird, and making highlight-worthy catches. Reader be warned.

First of all, I have to ask this: is there actually All-Star selections for ushers? If not, what can we do to help you make that happen?

No, unfortunately (or fortunately ... more on that to come) there are not all star usher selections. They let the host team have their people out there for "the big game." Which brings me to the "fortunately" part of our show, since the "big game" will be in St. Louis next year, I should be stationed on the stool for all of that action. And I thought the pressure to perform was high during the World Series ;-)

As our readers may or may not know, on Friday (the 4th) night there was a fan who ran onto the field in what seemed to be an ill-fated streaking attempt. Is it true that the field ushers had, for lack of a better word, "intel" before the game even started that there would be a fan attempting to run onto the field? If so, how does intel like that come about?

There was indeed a "field intrusion" on Friday night at the Cards-Cubs game in St. Louis. Supposedly, this was a well-documented plan that "fell" short of execution. During the seventh inning, this fan decided to "stretch" her legs and go for a bit of a jog. Little does she know that the security at Busch Stadium already was aware of her intentions.

I'm not for sure how it was made known to the Cardinals. I thought it had something to do with a radio prank/promotion, but I can't confirm that. It was just a matter of time. When it came to her "5 seconds of fame," that's about all she got ... 5 seconds! She barely got past Stan Musial's retired number on the left field wall, which is not very far for those that are unfamiliar with our tribute to some of the Cardinal greats. She was caught, written up, and taken to jail to spend the remainder of her Fourth of July weekend. I guess she had to provide some fireworks of her own! The fine is yet to be determined until a court appearance takes place.

As an interesting sidebar to this story, this fan was ejected from the ballpark earlier in the game for activity elsewhere. It is believed that she obtained a second ticket and came back in to get some more attention. That story reminds me of the Red Wings fan that went to Pittsburgh and was thrown out of a Stanley Cup Finals game for hurling an octopus onto the ice. What fans will do!!!!

Do the Cardinals have a jail cell for holding detainees, such as in the King of Queens episode where Doug and Carrie get put in "Mets jail" for running onto the field/being belligerent at a hot dog stand? I suppose they take the matter a little more seriously in real life than they do in a sitcom.

Busch Stadium is equipped with holding cells for those patrons who feel the urge to come onto the field, or who fight the law. I've only seen this area once when I had to file a report. I think there is a separate location for the intoxicated fans/underaged drinkers. I haven't seen that episode of King of Queens. Can you say YouTube?!!!!

Fredbird was noticeably irritating you on Friday, throwing your stool, helmet, and poncho (which, I assume, was for the streaker) onto the field when you weren't looking. Fredbird might be one of the most annoying yet loved mascots in all of baseball. That said, is there any bad blood between you and the bird?

Fredbird and I have nothing but the utmost respect for each other. There is certaily no FOWL play involved. And I am NEVER irritated by what the bird does. It is fun, fan-friendly, and adds to the entertainment of a trip to the ballpark. Friday night was by far one of the funnier moments he has had. While I was going about my business of telling the front row of fans what they can and cannot do, Fredbird decided to litter the field with my belongings. When I didn't notice or react, he picked up my things and threw them further into the outfield. It was at that point when I noticed that I no longer had a stool to sit on down the right field line, but rather in line with the right fielder. I retrieved my things and continued on down the line. Fredbird then decided to take my things again, but was caught in the act by yours truly. All in all, many laughs were had and a good time was had by all.

That wasn't the first run-in with "Big Bird." Over the course of my years on the field, he has poked fun, made several gestures which I shall not go into at this time, thrown popcorn at me, offered me pizza, smashed that aforementioned Italian delight in my face, kicked dirt on me, and otherwise antagonized me in hopes of getting a laugh. What that bird doesn't know is that something is coming in return. He doesn't know what ... he doesn't know when ... he doesn't know where ... but it's coming!!!!

He smashed pizza in your face? Maybe it's time to send Fredbird to Cardinals jail.

Yes, I was "fed" a Digiorno Pizza during a game last season. I guess I was the "lucky fan of the game." Fredbird in Cardinals jail ... now THERE'S an idea. Hmmmmmmmmmm.

Perhaps you've seen the viral video of a field usher who scales the outfield wall to catch a foul ball (you can see it here). Do you ever have any urge to pull a Jimmy Edmonds and make a diving grab in foul territory?

Yes I have seen that video. In fact, I think I had it sent to me 7 times in one day. Not a bad example of viral marketing! My first reaction to that video was, "That's fake. There's no way that happened." Which was indeed true. Speaking of making a diving play or attempting to make it on SportsCenter, the thought has crossed my mind. It's all about timing and opportunity. I have caught two baseballs on a fly, but those were of the line drive sort. The umpires really don't like for on-field security staff to do that sort of thing because a ball is still "in play" until it hits into foul territory. Will there ever be a time when I dive for a ball? Perhaps. But that will probably be the last time you see me on the field.

I think we all have to unanimously agree that the video is fake, or else we might come across an amateur field usher draft. Think you can play a little middle infield for us? With a decent glove and some gap power I'm pretty sure we could find a spot for you on the team.

Those guys make it look easy (most of the time). I could always hold my own fielding, but couldn't hit worth anything. However, if the big club would like to pay me the league minimum for a game or three, I would be more than happy to oblige.

I'll let Mozeliak know the next time I talk with him.

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Former Cardinals Check-Up: Volume 3

We won a series! We won a series! I don't know about you, but I'm ready for the All-Star break as much as the players are. It's been an exhausting, disheartening, and stressful past week for Cardinals fans, and now we have this news to cope with this morning - Farewell to the King: A-B's Board Sells Kingdom to InBev for $52 Billion. I need a little comedy right now. Let's check up on how our former Cardinals are doing, volume 3.

Remember when we thought Jim Edmonds was done? Apparently not, as the Cubs now have a serviceable center fielder after all the ranting and raving of their fans the first two weeks. In 134 AB, Jimmy Ballgame is batting .269/.369/.552 with 9 home runs and 29 RBIs. I'll admit, I didn't cheer for Jim when he came to St. Louis on the 4th of July, but only to try to lessen the wave of applause he was given from a large portion of the fans. Seriously, why give him permission to tug at the heartstrings of two different fanbases, two opposing fanbases, like this was some perverted episode of Dawson's Creek? He's a Cub now. He wanted out of St. Louis. He's the enemy. Give me Rick Ankiel any day.

The Scott Rolen trade is still playing out wildly in our favor. Whereas Scott is batting .267/.358/.431 with only 6 home runs and 28 RBIs (255 AB), Troy Glaus is batting .276/.377/.486 with 15 homers and 59 RBIs (333 AB). To top it off, Troy is playing Gold Glove-worthy defense in the National League, committing only 3 errors and ranking in the top 5 third basemen in UZR for the entire MLB. Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha. That's Mozeliak having the last laugh.

David Eckstein, the other component of the Toronto Tandem, is batting .269/.354/.354 with 1 home run and 22 RBIs in 212 AB. The normally tough to strikeout shortstop is K-ing 10.4% of the time, the highest of his career. Eck's hitting his fair share of doubles, however, and is poised to post a career high in that category. I still think we made the right move despite his offensive proficiency to Cesar Izturis, as his defense has been downright dreadful, ranked in the bottom 5 of all shortstops. That said, Eckstein is a good guy, and we wish the best for him.

Another Cardinal good guy isn't have the season he expected. So Taguchi, now with the Philadelphia Phillies, is batting just .212/.288/.273 with no homers and 4 RBIs. So was able to keep his OBP and BA up last season, but this year he's not making any contact. Comparing seasons, he's basically Brendan Ryan without the batting average and middle infield abilities. That's bad for Brendan.

At last check, Jeff Weaver was struggling to not get pounded with the Milwaukee Brewers Triple-A affiliate. Since then, he's been released and picked up by the Cleveland Indians. He made his first start for their Triple-A team on Saturday, pitching 3 innings and allowing 3 ER, 5 hits, and 1 home run. Ability-wise, I'd put him and Matt Clement on the same page right now, although Clement has more potential than Dream Weaver. It's fascinating how quickly pitchers can fall off the face of the earth.

Mike Maroth was another player struggling to stay on-board the Royals Triple-A affiliate. Unfortunately, the Royals released Mike on May 2nd. According to his website, Mike had shoulder surgery at the beginning of June and is currently recovering in Orlando. We wish him well.

Last but not least, there's some news coming from the John Rodriguez front as of late. At the beginning of June, John signed with the New York Mets to a minor-league deal. The native New Yorker had decent numbers with the Rays Triple-A affiliate, but perhaps he'll be able to work his way to a call-up with the Mets, who could really use outfield help. Not unlike Anthony Reyes, he's still plugging away, hoping for a chance to make his way back to the big leagues.

That sums it up. Some former Cardinals are having seasons to forget, some are recovering from injury, and some are playing on a second-wind. Even though these guys are gone, I can't help but notice how they have seemingly sprung up in the form of other players: So Taguchi and Brendan Ryan, Jeff Weaver and Matt Clement, Scott Rolen and Troy Glaus, David Eckstein and Cesar Izturis, Jim Edmonds and Rick Ankiel. The faces have changed, but their abilities haven't.

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Quick hits: Saturday trade rumor roundup

Happy Saturday to all! John Mozeliak is starting to warm up the hot stove for the Cardinals this July, and lots of ideas are beginning to float around. We enter this hot stove season with one objective in mind: don't get burned.

First, let's revisit a little Barry Bonds for a minute.(I promise, this is the last time I talk about him unless the circumstances warrant it). It appears that