Pujols' Words Sweet to Cardinals

Cardinal first baseman Albert Pujols told the St. Louis media he wants to remain a Redbird for life.

Okay, Cardinal fans you can breathe easier now. That a joke by the way.

Cardinal nation was abuzz about mixed messages Pujols apparently gave in a recent interview about a week ago. The key word there was apparently. I believed all along Albert would remain a Cardinal.

Basically what Albert said in the latest interview is that his contact status (two years) is not a concern and he wants lifetime Cardinal status.

(Continue to Paul's Redbird Report)

Black Mark Still on McGwire's Silence

He's supposedly coming back from his self-imposed hell, a place far removed from the limelight, the TV commercials and the public adulation he enjoyed during most of his baseball career.

He went there to get away from his final seasons, but he couldn't shake free of those years or the rumors that trailed him there. Whoever figured Mark McGwire would return?

He is coming back, though. He's coming back to baseball as manager Tony La Russa's hitting coach with the Cardinals, which causes hell for Major League Baseball. Its officials know what McGwire's return will mean: more talk about steroids.

(Continue to Justice Is Served)

What's Up with Albert Pujols?

Memo to Cardinal fans. Take a deep breath. It's going to be okay.

Albert Pujols apparently stirred some controversy this week when he said that he wasn't concerned about a contract extension with St. Louis. There are also questions about his troubled elbow.

St. Louis media are also upset that Albert wouldn't talk to them following the division playoffs.

For what it's worth, here's my take on Pujols' situation.

(Continue to Paul's Redbird Report)

Cardinals Need Mark DeRosa

The Cardinals have a number of free agent concerns this off season and most people centered their discussion on Matt Holliday.

I agree that Holliday's signing would become a valuable addition to the free agent mix, but I believe Mark DeRosa has more value to the Cardinals.

So I say, sign the guy first, then worry about Holliday and others.

(Continue to Paul's Redbird Report)

Should Cardinals Keep LaRussa?

Cardinal manager Tony LaRussa is the biggest free agent of the non playing roster heading into 2010.

LaRussa has been in St. Louis a long time. How long? Current Dodger Manager Joe Torre was the last full-time manager before Tony.

All indications point to a LaRussa return. But should the future Hall of Fame Manager come back to the Cardinals? Part of me says yes, part of me says the Cardinals need different and fresh direction. Has Tony brought the Cardinals as far as he can these days?

Yes, he led them to the 2004 and 2006 World Series winning it in 2006. So yes, he deserves to write his own ticket whether to stay or go.

(Continue to Paul's Redbird Report)

Coping with Season's End

Reality finally set in during the fourth inning of Saturday's Game 3 of the NLDS.

The Cardinals were dead birds. It was sad like someone punching you in the gut. I had made the journey to St. Louis in August for the first time in over 20 years. I felt a special bond with this year's team. But it was your classic one and done.

How could this team with so much promise in July boosted from the Matt Holliday and Mark DeRosa trades and playing lights out baseball in August, fall with a giant thud?

(Continue to Paul's Redbird Report)

Cardinals Waste Wainright Gem

Adam Wainright deserved better.

In a perfect world, the 6-7 Cardinal righty would have been rewarded for a stellar pitching performance Thursday night against Los Angeles in Game 2 of the NLDS. Instead, he a earned a
no-decision that would eventually turn into a crushing Cardinal loss.

True, Wainright wasn't perfect, but pretty close. He allowed only three hits including a solo homer. His curve demonstrated serious bite and when he did get into trouble, he survived. How can this guy not win the Cy Young?

(Continue to Paul's Redbird Report)

MLB Playoff Predictions

I have absolutely no idea what is going to happen this post-season. Perhaps you picked up on that when I predicted so surely that Minnesota would easily dispatch of the Tigers in the AL Central playoff. No such luck there. (Obviously, I got the team right, but not the route to victory.)

Ask me an hour ago who was the best team in the National League and I would have said hands-down Saint Louis. Then I had myself a look at the standings and realized the Cardinals finished with the worst record of all of the National League playoff teams. I don't know when that happened...I would have thought the Dodgers' recent slide easily put them ahead of only Colorado...but no. So now I'm not sure I even like the Cardinals.

In the American League I may be trying to convince myself the Yankees will lose, but I'm just not feeling as confident about the Yankees as everyone else is. Perhaps they run away with everything...but I feel like there are teams that can beat them.

So I have no idea going into this write-up who's going to win what. But I'll have it worked out in the next few paragraphs.

(Continue to 200 Miles From the Citi)

Cards-Dodgers: Old School Matchup

When the Cardinals and Dodgers open up their series tomorrow in Los Angeles, it will be an old-school match up among long-time rivals.

The Cardinals have had good success against LA in recent playoff history. Remember Jack Clark's dramatic HR that stunned the Dodgers.

This series looks like some hard fought baseball. Both teams struggled to the regular season finish line. Both teams are looking for some postseason magic that will erase how the regular year ended.

You know the logic. Teams want to play their best baseball heading into the playoffs. So the next best thing is actually playing well in the playoffs.

(Continue to Paul's Redbird Report)

Forecasting MLB Matchups

Long-time readers of my work know that when I watch the World Series or the Super Bowl, I don't like seeing re-matches.

Super Bowl XXVII between Buffalo and Dallas was fine...Super Bowl XXVIII between the same two teams was a waste of a year.

And I'm not just talking back-to-back rematches. 2004 Red Sox-Cardinals? Happened in 1946. Again, wasting my time.

Needless to say, it's time for me to start working out some scenarios.

(Continue to 200 Miles From the Citi)

Remember Curt Flood?

Today, I discuss some Cardinal history and recall my all-time favorite St. Louis player, Curt Flood.

Flood was primarily a center fielder for the Cardinals and played 12 of 15 years with the birds on the bat logo. He retired in 1971 as a Washington Senators' member.

Flood displayed a steady presence on the Cardinal's World Series clubs in 1964, 1967 and 1968. Flood, who wore uniform number 21, hit mostly singles and doubles in his career. He totaled 1861 hits including 271 doubles. He battled a respectable .293. He was an outstanding outfielder and never had a fielding average less than .900 in his career. He totaled 1.000 in 1966.

(Continue to Paul's Redbird Report)

Tough Cards: Carpenter and Gibson

When I think about Chris Carpenter's success with the Cardinals, I compare him to Hall of Fame Cardinal pitcher Bob Gibson.

Back in the day, Gibson was the kind of pitcher the manager threw out there and expected to win. With some pitchers, managers cross their fingers but Gibson wasn't one of those. The guy was flat out intimidating and he could pitch. He had a great fastball and wasn't afraid to pitch inside.

(Continue to Paul's Redbird Report)

A Tough Summer for Duncans

It has been a memorable summer for the Duncan family in St. Louis. A memorable one with unhappy consequences.

Chris Duncan, who contributed to the Cardinals World Series push in 2006, was demoted to Triple A Memphis and then traded to Boston for Julio Lugo. It has been a difficult couple years for Duncan who has battled injuries which plagued his performance on the field.

Unfortunately, Duncan's natural position, first base is manned by the best player in baseball in Albert Pujols. So, Duncan learned to play left field. He struggled mightily in the field. Duncan belongs on a team that needs a first baseman in the National League or a DH in the American League.

(Continue to Paul's Redbird Report)

Smoltz a Great Find for Cardinals

John Smoltz turned in his second quality start with the Cardinals in as many tries Friday night. Granted his opposition has been the Padres and Nationals, but Smoltz is pitching like the old days in Atlanta not like the recent past in Boston.

Smoltz appears to have some gas left in that 42-year-old arm and the Cardinals low risk investment is paying dividends. As long as he pitches this well, the bullpen in St. Louis will wait.

(Continue to Paul's Redbird Report)