As mentioned in a previous blog entry, it’s that time of year that the wheels begin turning on the annual Baseball America Prospect Handbook and the top 30 prospects that are the muscle of the Cardinals’ entry. Most minor-league regular seasons ended this past weekend — the Cardinals’ High-A affiliate in the Florida State League will attempt to open its postseason play tonight against the Cubs’ High-A team — and a lot of the information used to construct the top 30 is now at our fingertips.

We revisited the 2008 top 30 a few weeks ago. It’s time to revise it for 2009.

While the reporting and research is just getting started for the BA Top 30 that will debut this offseason, there’s no need to wait on the discussion of who should be ranked and who was just rank. As rosters expand to 40 and prospects prepare for the Arizona Fall League, this is your time to chime in.

We’ll start with three categories, first:

• Top 2009 Rookie
• Breakout Prospect
• Sleeper

This was an addition to last year’s Handbook, and the Cardinals’ picks, for the most part, were spot-on. The rookie pick was Chris Perez, the breakout was Kyle McClellan and the sleeper was D’Marcus Ingram.

The category titles are rather self-explanatory.

The “top rookie” should be a prospect who will have the biggest impact at the major-league level. Probably should be a top-10 prospect, or there has to be a reason why he isn’t. Some candidates: Mitchell Boggs, Jaime Garcia, David Freese or, the favorite, Jason Motte.

The “breakout prospect” doesn’t have to be in the majors, on the cusp of the majors or even in the upper levels of the minors. Should be in the top 30 somewhere, right? Some candidates: Jon Edwards, Lance Lynn, Adam Ottavino, Niko Vasquez, Tommy Pham or, my feel as I write this, Daniel Descalso.

The “sleeper” is a wide open. You can think of it as Prospect No. 31 or the injured prospect coming back who could be in the top 15 in 2010. That kind of thing. It’s the chance to pull out the crystal ball, place your bets, call your shot. A savvy pick this time a year ago would have been Fernando Salas. Some candidates: Ryde Rodriguez, safe pick Curt Smith, the previously mentioned shortstop Yunier Castillo, and this guy: Frederick Parejo.

Where the injury news of Arizona comes in is the minimum requirements. To be ranked in the BA Top 30 a player only has to still be eligible for the rookie of the year award and under contract in said organization. The quick-and-simple litmus test for eligibility is less than 130 at-bats or less than 50 innings pitched. Garcia is going to stay eligible. Mather, who appeared to be well on way to pulverizing his eligibility, will now just miss being a top-30 candidate. He has 133 at-bats.

That leaves Perez as the unknown, right now. He has 34 innings pitched. If he throws 16 in the next 20-plus games, he’ll snap his eligibility. More likely, he’s still a top-30 factor. Right there, dueling with newcomer Brett Wallace for the No. 2 spot.

But that’s the subject of the next Prospect Audit entry. That’s when we’ll take a look at the first BL7.

***

Good sources for statistics on Cardinals prospects include: MiLB.com, First Inning, Minor League Splits, and the individual affiliates’ official Web sites (listed here).

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He said he still thinks about Adam Wainwright’s curveball.

“As a player, you always dream to be in a situation like that,” Beltran reportedly told SNY in a post-game interview, similar to the ones you see on the field from FSN Midwest immediately after Cardinals’ games.. “In the past, two years ago, I had the opportunity to come through in a situation when the team needed and I didn’t come through.”

The moment is well-known in both cities. In St. Louis, Wainwright bending a curveball by a frozen Beltran is the pitch that won the National League pennant, sent the Cardinals to the World Series, and on to their 10th World Series championship. In New York, the pitch that buckled Beltran’s knees and ended Game 7 of the NLCS at Shea Stadium was named the sports moment of the year in 2006 by The New York Daily News.

Wainwright starts tonight for the Cardinals in Arizona in a far different role than closer or even starter. He’s got to be a stopper. The Cardinals have lost four consecutive games and nearly plummeted out of the playoff picture.

The game tonight at Chase Field could also include the odd quirk of Wainwright starting and Chris Carpenter relieving him. Carpenter is in the bullpen, looking for innings to prove his health. The Cardinals are in Arizona, looking for a win to, as manager Tony La Russa said the other day, not erase what they’ve accomplished with five good months by “having a lousy sixth month.” Back in Miami, Beltran was just being honest, but his manager saw something therapeutic about Beltran acknowledging Wainwright’s curve still gives him chills. 

“For me, that’s a good thing,” Mets manager Jerry Manuel to reporters. “It’s a good thing to try and erase or confront all the things that you have gone through. And try to handle it in a better situation. Because you’re given another tremendous opportunity to confront and erase those things that have been kind of nagging at us for a couple of years. It’s good, too, because he’s a foundational piece of the Mets. He’s not a Royal or an Astro. You’re a Met now. You’ve done some things or you haven’t done some things for this particular place. And this time, in your career, in New York. I think that’s good. I’m actually kind of happy to hear that.”

***

So, does David Eckstein get the Taguchi treatment when he returns to Busch Stadium later this month as a Diamondback? Or does he get the Edmonds? After all, like Jim Edmonds, Eckstein has already had a role in bruising the Cardinals’ chances.

***

It was a sobering morning walking through airports in Houston and Dallas and St. Louis on Monday and at each stop seeing this on the Departure board: “New Orleans — Cancelled.” Chilling.

When this weather has cleared, do more than think of New Orleans, visit New Orleans. It remains one of the world’s unique cities, and there are few days better than ones that start with chicory coffee and beignets, a visit to Faulkner House Books, a streetcar ride, a walk down Magazine Street, coffee at a CC’s somewhere, lunch at somewhere you’ve never been before (preferably something frieded or crackling in garlic butter) and then dinner at, well of course, Jacques-Imo’s.

OK, back to baseball.

***

The Cardinals will add six players to the roster from Class AAA Memphis. A brief thumbnail on each of the September callups:

INF Brendan Ryan (#13) — Well known around these parts, save for the role he’ll play in the Cardinals future. There are some internally who believe he can handle shortstop on an everyday basis, others who would like to see him take over second base. His offense and his pre-game work will have to become more consistent to get either opportunity.

INF Brian Barden (#23) — As much as any of these players, a merit-based promotion. Just back from Beijing with a bronze medal and solid international performance, Barden is a compelling player for 2009. He play a number of positions, is a slick to slick-plus glove and hits well enough to fit a utility role, if not more.

C Mark Johnson (#53) — Call it the Stinnett lesson. The Cardinals signed Johnson to have a veteran presence and known quantity in Class AAA just in case one of the major-league catchers was lost for a stretch because of injury. Johnson is a steady, capable catcher.

RHP Josh Kinney (#52) — Back after a difficult and trying rehab from Tommy John surgery. Kinney had multiple setbacks, including a fractured elbow, during 18-month recovery from surgery. A quick trip through the minors and he’s eager to throw well and throw healthy and throw whatever the Cardinals need so he can be in the mix for 2009.

RHP Jason Motte (#60) – No doubt the September callup that will generate the most buzz around the ballpark. Click on the link and check those numbers. A zany amout of strikeouts, an attack dog’s approach on the mound and a compelling resume: Former catcher, couldn’t hit consistently, moved to the mound only two years after Bruce Manno told him he move rapidly if he made the move to the mound, and so on. As interested as the fanbase is to see how Motte does at the big-league level, the coaches are even moreso.

RHP Kelvin Jimenez (#56) – Think Brad Thompson has been yo-yo’d a few times too many in the past couple years? Try Jimenez. The good-soldier reliever has bounced between Triple-A and the majors since becoming a Cardinal, and he’s shuttled between roles as well. He served as middle reliever here, closer there, mop-up here, long relief there. That’s Jimenez’s value to a big-league team, his ability to be there when there’s a need and accepting of assignment when there’s not.

***

The biggest surprise there is that the Cardinals have, thus far, avoided handing out a number in the 70s. This sixties silliness should stop, with Chris Perez, Joe Mather and a few others scoring numbers that are less, oh, offensive-line-ish.

***

One of  the cool elements of the Bird Land group over at Facebook, is the ability to link to stories of interest to Cardinals and baseball fans. Some of the recent additions to the chain of links there, and some that should be:

• The Commercial Appeal’s Marlon Morgan on the aforementioned Jason Motte’s development as reliever.

• Appalachian League player of the year Curt Smith, who was also his college conference’s player of the year before being drafted in June, discusses all the languages he speaks and all the levels he’s climbed this season with Steve Batterson of the The Quad City Times.

• One of former Springfield Cardinals’ beat writer Kary Booher’s first articles for his new gig at Baseball America takes a look at Nick Hill, the Army pitcher who, like the Cardinals’ draft pick Mitch Harris, won’t be able to try pro ball because of the military’s (newly) rigid policy of service owed.

• Since the Brewers left town and a whole lot of “proper celebration” talk in their wake, here’s an uncanny photo, courtesy of ESPN.com’s Jonah Keri’s blog, from a recent Tampa Bay victory.

***

And speaking of Milwaukee: Reliever Carlos Villanueva wouldn’t let the incident in St. Louis on Wednesday go, telling Tom Haudricourt that it changed his opinion of Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols. You’ll recall that Pujols said Villanueva disrespected the game with his flexing and perceived taunting after getting a bases loaded popup.

From this recent notebook by Haudricourt:

“I think sometimes he thinks he’s bigger than the game,” said Villanueva. “He’s not. I have respect for the Cardinals. I’m going to do my best to do my job. I did not point in their dugout or look at anybody. (Catcher Jason) Kendall (who caught a foul pop for the last out) was a little bit toward their dugout and I was looking at him. I admit I got a bit excited. I used to have a lot of respect for Pujols. Now, I’ve lost some of that respect. I don’t know why he would say those things about me. They’re not true. I have respect for the game.”

Milwaukee manager Ned Yost, who would soon have a new target for his ire, said this about Villanueva’s antics: “”I had a huge problem with it. … We’re at a stage where we can’t afford to do that.”

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Lefthander reliever Randy Flores will join the team Monday when rosters expand to their September limit, manager Tony La Russa confirmed Sunday morning. Josh Kinney said Saturday that he will join the team at Chase Field on Tuesday. Chris Carpenter, fresh from his light bullpen session Sunday, is expected to join the bullpen at about the same time.

And if all of those returns weren’t retro enough to give off an October 2006 vibe, there’s this:

Jays trade Eckstein to Diamondbacks

Multiple reports out of Toronto’s press corps this morning indicate that this afternoon the Blue Jays were deep into negotiations that would send David Eckstein, the Cardinals shortstop a year ago, to Arizona in time to meet his former team. The deal was completed Sunday after noon after Eckstein had two hits a victory against the New York Yankees. Afterward, Eckstein was informed of the deal that puts him on an unexpected collision course with the Cardinals.

“When you play this game, you play for a world championship,” Eckstein told reporters, according to The National Post. “That’s the only reason why you show up. So now, going into a position where there is an opportunity for that, that’s definitely going to be the goal.”

MLB.com’s Jays beat writer also confirmed the early talks about the deal, writing that Sunday could be Eckstein’s last day with Toronto.

From this MLB.com article:

Talks with the Angels appear to have broken down, but Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi confirmed that he’s still discussing a possible deal with the Diamondbacks. Ricciardi didn’t mention Eckstein specifically, but the infielder is an expendable player who fits a need for Arizona.

Sunday night is the deadline for a traded player to be eligible for the postseason. 

Eckstein signed a one-year, $4.5-million deal with Toronto after discussions with the Cardinals fell apart before they truly began. No need to rehash the drama year, but it’s fair to say both sides were bothered by the divorce — especially how it was handled in the days after Eckstein signed with the Blue Jays.

The former World Series MVP — and husband to an animated Jedi and Star Wars star — has been mostly a bench player for the Jays in recent months, making Saturday his first start at shortstop since July 26. With Cito Gaston as manager, according to MLB.com, Eckstein has started just six of Gaston’s 62 games. Eckstein is hitting .272 with a .352 on-base percentage. He has seen playing time at designated hitter and second base, where he could fit for Arizona.

The Angels had reportedly pursued Eckstein a few times this season, flirting with the idea of a reunion with the shortstop. He won a World Series there in 2002 was a fan-favorite before being non-tendered and becoming a Cardinal. Instead, irony is afoot. The potential return to LA has now become a chance to be cross paths again with the Cardinals — only this time as a sudden opponent.

For a three-game series, the Arizona series could be packed.

“David is one of my favorite guys on this team,” Gaston told Toronto reporters. “You’re talking about a guy that’s just absolutely been great here with me and I haven’t been able to play him as much as I’d like to. … Whatever you’ve asked him to do, he will go and do it for you. He’s a class act.”

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Carpenter threw a 60-pitch session Friday afternoon and left it saying he felt as good or better than in several of the starts he made. But with only one month to go in the regular season and the likelihood he could only squeeze two or three starts from Carpenter into the month, Duncan said he talked with Carpenter about finding a way for him to pitch more regularly and more immediately.

That could mean time in the bullpen. 

“He may not come back as a starter,” Duncan said. “It is important for him to pitch before the season ends.”

Carpenter, who is recovering from a muscle strain in his right shoulder, is open to the possibility. He’ll throw again Sunday, and that afternoon he could face hitters, manager Tony La Russa said. If all goes well on Sunday, a more direct conversation will likely take place about the role Carpenter will have upon his return.

All 97 appearances Carpenter has made with the Cardinals have been as a starter. He last pitched as a reliever in 2000 with Toronto when he made 27 starts and seven appearances in relief.

Duncan stressed it is just a topic for discussion now — “Nothing has been determined,” he said — and that Carpenter will have the most say in his role because “he has his future” as a starter to consider.  

“I want to pitch,” Carpenter said. “I want to get out there and compete.”

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He dispensed with semantics.

He obliterated this ninth-inning correctness employed by the Cardinals.

Call him closer, even if nobody in uniform will.

“That stuff, the ‘closer’ — that’s for you guys to say,” the rookie righthander told the media after his scoreless ninth inning cemented the Cardinals’ 5-3, come-from-behind victory Wednesday at Busch Stadium. “I have no reason not to think that that’s what I’ll do (the ninth inning). My last six, seven, eight appearances have all been in the ninth inning. … That’s what I come here prepared for.

“I’ve said before, actions speak louder than words.”

Kid K is now 6-for-6 in save opportunities since his return to the majors, and a majority of them have been longer appearances than Wednesday’s, but not one of them tougher. Manager Tony La Russa said the only trickier situation Perez could have been called in to face was the same lineup with a one-run lead. La Russa then added that Perez would have had exactly that situation had the insurance run not scored. It’s as close to calling Perez the closer as La Russa has come.

The manager may not be ready to “anoint” Perez. But we joked in the press box that the white smoke steaming from the dugout last night wasn’t just from Troy Glaus.

Wednesday’s ninth inning was the kind of performance Perez was earmarked for back when he was drafted and all along as he’s been groomed as closer. He was aggressive. He used his flamethrower fastball. He threw his slider for strikes. He overpowered hitters, but overmatched a few as well.

We have the technology, we can reconstruct the inning:

To Rickie Weeks: 97 called K, 96 ball, 97 called K, 86 … K.

To J.J. Hardy: 97 called K, 97 called K, 96 … Double.

To Ryan Braun: 97 called K, 86 ball, 97 ball (!), 97 foul, 96 ball, 85 … K.

To Prince Fielder: 97 called K, 96 foul, 82 ball, 94 … K.

Four batters, three outs, three swinging strikeouts, not one pitch slower than 82 mph and no fastball hummed less than 94 mph — and that was the last fastball he threw. Perez’s pitch selection is simple: If it is in the 90s it’s a fastball; in the 80s it’s his slider. The at-bat that stands out, of course, is against his former University of Miami teammate, Braun.

Perez lost control of the at-bat with the third pitch.

The Cardinals, ahem, “clincher” threw a 97-mph fastball that appeared to catch the outside edge of the plate. Yadier Molina had bounced outside of the strike zone to catch it, and he didn’t get the call. Right there, as Perez later describe, the at-bat went from one he controlled to feeding into Braun’s favor. With a 1-2 count, Perez has two chances to spike sliders in the dirt and see if Braun — moved from the gravity of the moment — went fishing for them. With a 2-1 count, Perez had to come back with a fastball.

Braun fouled it off.

“Just missed it,” Perez said.

The Cardinals, ahem, “Duke of the Ninth” (trademark, Kevin Wheeler) added that he had the advantage from all those years ago in college. Braun had the advantage in the at-bat for that pitch, but Perez had the history. After missing with another fastball to run the count to 3-2, the Cardinals righthander went to his slider.

You’ll recall that’s the pitch he was returned to the minors to work on.

The instruction the Cardinals gave him when they optioned him back to Triple-A was to throw one slider for every fastball. Perez understood the reason. The breaking pitch that he could throw out of the strike zone in Triple-A and get strikeouts was not good enough to get the same in the majors. Hitters would take the slider out of the zone and wait for the heat. He had to get the slider over the plate — tighter, harder bite — to be successful.

He conceded that he missed with the 3-2 slider to Braun, that he “got away with one”, but it had that tight break, it looked enough like the fastball and he had thrown it enough times for strikes recently that Braun missed it. He looked for a fastball. He whiffed on the slider.

“Feather in my cap,” Perez said. “I’m 1-0 against him. I have bragging rights.”

More importantly, he has the job.

It may be a temporary posting. There are no promises for 2009 and no indications that the Cardinals aren’t planning to consider other options. Perez is open to that, saying not to long ago that if he closes for “only two weeks” it will be the “best two weeks of my career so far.”

What stands out from Perez’s August arrival as the Cardinals’ closer isn’t just that the chaos in the bullpen during July may have cost the Cardinals wins and maybe the spot atop the wild-card standings, but what Perez has improved upon in his second sip this season. In his two appearances in Florida — his first two saves as the undesignated closer — Perez fell behind hitters, got help from Molina and escaped with saves.

In his three appearances since, he’s dictated the innings.

Of the last 10 hitters Perez has faced, he’s gotten Strike 1 with the first pitch — almost always a fastball in the high 90s — against nine of them. He controls the count. He controls the at-bat. And now he has been control of the stuff to put hitters away.

At the end of his post-game press conference last night, La Russa said he didn’t feel right leaving until answering a question posed by colleague Rick Hummel. There was only one question left to ask, especially with the open invitation and promise of an answer: Is Chris Perez his closer?

La Russa grinned, knowingly, and laughed.

Actions speak louder than answers.

***

Shameless, though related, plug: Over at the Bird Land page on Facebook there is a discussion point on who should be the Cardinals closer in 2009. Also there are some pictures from bygone/soon-to-be-bygone ballparks.

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And he’ll be playing for a familiar skipper — his current manager, Pop Warner.

Wallace, taken 13th overall and hitting ever since, headlines a group of eight players from the Cardinals’ minor-league system headed to Arizona to play for the Peoria Saguaros. Warner, the Cardinals rising managerial prospect and Class AA manager, will be the skipper for the Saguaros, the league and major-league teams announced Tuesday.

The Cardinals share the Peoria team with the Mets, the White Sox, Washington, and San Diego. That leads two a couple interesting overlaps:

• Rick Eckstein, a former Cardinals’ minor-league coach and the brother of former Cardinals shortstop David, will be the Saguaros coach. Eckstein is just returning from Beijing where he served as a coach for Team USA.
• Gordon Beckham, the University of Georgia shortstop that Cardinals eyed as an unlikely pick at 13, went eighth overall, five spots ahead of Wallace. Now, he’ll likely play to the left of Wallace. Beckham has hit .306/.375/.444 in nine games so far as a pro.

The Cardinals will send a total of seven active players to the Arizona Fall League and an eighth, Steven Hill, will be listed on the “taxi squad”, a spot that makes him eligible to play on Wednesdays and Sundays. The eight Cardinals’ farmhands headed to the desert (follow the links for their stats):

Justin Fiske, LHP — AA, Has advanced three levels as, mostly, reliever.

Brad Furnish, LHP — AA, Starter could use AFL to propel him to AAA.

Tyler Norrick, LHP — High-A, Another lefty, one in need of innings.

Adam Ottavino, RHP — AA, Needs AFL to reassert place as premium pitching prospect after a disappointing season.

Steven Hill, C — High-A, Back from injury and listed as a catcher, though the expectation is that Hill will emerge as a utility player with the glove to play catcher (a No. 3, for example), first base and the outfield.

Tyler Green, SS — AAA, Bounceback year continues for former first-round pick who was slowed by injury and inconsistent play. There’s always been a possibility he’ll play second, and with Beckham aboard it’s safe to wonder if he’ll see playing time at other positions. 

Brett Wallace, 3B — AA, Have bat, will travel, apparently. Wallace is hitting .407/.484/.889 in his first seven games as Double-A. There’s little reason to doubt the Arizona State alum will continue to rake and reach base at any level — and with an AFL spot in hand an invite to major-league spring training is probably only a few months behind. (For the experience only, mind you.) 

Shane Robinson, OF — AAA, Scrappy outfielder hit .352 in Double-A before promotion.  His speed augments a plucky approach to hitting and a profile that fits a moveable-part outfielder the Cardinals always utilize.

The Arizona Fall League begins Oct. 7 and lasts until late November, and it has made a name for itself as a league teeming with future stars. Some 1,500 AFL alumni have played in the major leagues. The AFL has produced 136 major-league All-Stars, including a remarkable 36 this past season. Five AFL players have gone on to win a league MVP award, including Albert Pujols. Three have gone on to win the league’s Cy Young Award, including Chris Carpenter. A total of 18 rookies of the year have been produced by the AFL. And it’s likely the Cardinals’ rookie of the year from this season will have just been in the Arizona Fall League the autumn before.

That is, of course, reliever Kyle McClellan.

Three Cardinal minor-leaguers who played for the Mesa Solar Sox last fall have been in the majors this season — McClellan, outfielder Joe Mather and pitcher Mitchell Boggs. A fourth is possible in Jason Motte, a potential September callup who has several fans on the major-league staff. That foursome played alongside Jed Lowrie, the Red Sox shortstop, in Mesa. Other notables who played in the AFL last year and are in the MLB this year include Ricky Nolasco (Florida), Blake DeWitt (LA Dodgers), Evan Longoria (Tampa Bay) and, in a brief but spectacular appearance, St. Louis native Max Scherzer (Arizona).

This year’s AFL is highlighted at the prospect level by catcher Matt Wieters (Baltimore) and at the coaching level by a Hall of Famer around to talk hitting in Ryne Sandberg, for Mesa.

Full rosters are available here.

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The untucking of the jerseys has become a bit of a Brewer signature.

(It even, come to find out, is a movement, complete with theme song.)

And while it’s garnered different reactions around baseball — “It’s not something the Cardinals would do, I don’t think,” said one Cardinals pitcher — the practice may have more profound roots than its celebratory cousins, be it the elbow bash, the bob and weave or the Lambeau Leap.

More than a fashion flair of victory, it’s a show of respect to a player’s father.

Asked about it yesterday, Milwaukee general manager Doug Melvin said it hasn’t been that big of deal up in Wisconsin, and he thinks it started with his outfielders.

“Some teams have their outfielders meet in center field and jump up after games,” Melvin said. “Our outfielders started untucking their jerseys and it went from there. I think it’s a sign that a hard day’s work is over. I’m going to go home tonight and I’ll pull my shirttails out. That’s what you do after a hard day and these guys play hard.”

Melvin is bang-on with his interpretation of the inspiration.

Here is an explanation from a Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel mailbag:

Q: Keith of Chicago - Love how the team is coming together. But what the heck is with the jerseys at the end of games? Where did that come from?

A: Brewers Mailbag - Mike Cameron got it going because he has done it for years as a tribute to his dad, who would come home from work and untuck his shirt and relax. Sort of a group way of saying the day is done and it went well.

There, there’s some reason for the flourish. Suddenly the celebration has context, a history … an ode, somewhat like pointing to the sky.

And we’ve all seen celebrations like this untucking Brewers that evolve into superstition. The Lambeau Leap for the Green Bay Packers has become a blend of both. The Oakland A’s launched a revolution of limb-slapping with their bad-boy elbow bash after home runs. Back a few years, the Houston Astros defied a little baseball tradition by having their relievers walk out the bullpen — in the middle of the game, right before the opposing team batted. Russ Springer explained that it was a superstition developed when one day the bullpen decided to stay in the dugout until the lineup scored runs. The offense did, and off the relievers went to their seats.

But the offense didn’t stop scoring, and the Astros won.

So, the bullpen sat the next day in the dugout.

And the next. And the next.

For the rest of the season, as the Astros charged toward the NLCS, Houston’s relievers did not leave the dugout each day until the team had scored a run.

It’s only a matter of time before this untucking catches on. Fans doing it in the stands will be first. And is there anything wrong with that? Chad Johnson can have props waiting for him in the end zone and that’s great theater. Sluggers strike poses as their home runs clear the wall, others point to the sky in praise and still more have elaborate hand shakes and patty-cakes to celebrate. The Rams had their bob-and-weave choreography after the Greatest Show’s TDs. Wasn’t it the Detroit Tigers who had their mosh-pit moments as players jumped and body-checked each other after wins?

Guess a little Ickey Woods never hurt anyone. Maybe the Cardinals should adopt a touch of flair. Maybe they already have. Just think, after a win Yadier Molina unclips his kneepads, shakes free of his chest protector and leaves them stacked neatly at home plate.

Job done. Day done. Well done. Call it the Yadi Shuffle.

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On Monday, Cooperstown announced the list, which was compiled by a select committee of baseball writers that includes the Post-Dispatch’s own Hall of Famer Rick Hummel. According to the release, the 10 finalists …

… will be considered for election to the Hall of Fame by a 12-member voting committee, comprised of Hall of Famers, historians and media members. Any candidate receiving 75% of the vote from the 12-member committee will earn election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and will be inducted as part of the 2009 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

The case for Gordon – arguably the best second baseman of his generation, a World Series winner, and a damage-hitter at his position as well — has been made in this blog before. And after Stephens, the other eight finalists are: Bill Dahlen, Wes Ferrell, Sherry Magee, Carl Mays, Allie Reynolds, Mickey Vernon, Bucky Walters and Deacon White.

Follow these links for more information about each finalist:

• Joe Gordon
• Vern Stephens
• Bill Dahlen
• Wes Ferrell
• Sherry Magee
• Carl Mays
• Allie “Superchief” Reynolds
• Mickey Vernon
• Bucky Walters
• Deacon White

In the book “Spirit of St. Louis”, author Peter Golenbock uses various interviews to paint Stephens, a perennial All-Star and MVP candidate for the Browns, as a carouser and an average shortstop. Manager Luke Sewell describes a search for a shortstop that sent him to minor-league Toledo where he asked about Stephens as a player.

“No good,” was the answer he got.

“Can he play shortstop?” he asked.

“No. He’ll never be a shotrstop.”

Turns out he was a rather fine shortstop. As the release from the Hall of Fame describes, Stephens led the Browns to the 1944 pennant, and he went 5-for-22 with three walk, three strikeouts and two runs scored against the Cardinals in the World Series. Stephens was an eight-time All-Star and finished in the top five in MVP voting six times. He led the American League in RBIs three times.

Golenbock, again from his oral history of St. Louis baseball, gets a little different description of Stephens from two teammates, pitcher Denny Galehouse and infielder Ellis Clary.

From Galehouse:

“Vern Stephens had fairly good range. His toughest play was a ball right at him. … At bat, he was a very erratic type hitter in taht he would look real bad on a pitch, and they’d come back with the same pitch, and he’d hit it out of the park. So he was inconsistent in that respect, but still a good runs batted in guy.”

From Clary:

“Vern was a better-than-average shortstop. He wasn’t up there with the Aparicio, Pesky, Reese, Rizzuto, Appling. He wasn’t Marty Marion, I’ll put it that way. Who was at the time? When he first got up there, he could fly to first base. And he had a rifle arm. (Geez) he could knock the first baseman down. They always said Vern would die young, and he did, at 48.”

Monday’s announcement is part of a restructured voting process for veteran players. The committee selected to vote on Hall of Famers from the above list will meet every five years. So, the players above who do not receive 75 percent of the committee will have to wait until 2013 to be considered for induction in 2014. The Hall said it will announce “soon” another list of 10 finalists for induction, these taken from players who began their career in or after 1943.

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See, Atlanta, like a few other teams, is willing to challenge Pujols — within reason.

Before surrendering and walking Pujols in his final three plate appearances (twice intentionally, and once wink-wink, nudge-nudge unintentionally), Atlanta threw Pujols 41 pitches, 27 of which were strikes. Of those 27, Pujols laced 10, got base hits on eight and fouled off seven (none, incredibly in Game 1). It was as Atlanta manager 
Bobby Cox told us after Saturday’s game, and recounted here:

“What are you supposed to do?” Cox said. “We tried to throw him quality strikes. He can hit quality strikes - that’s the problem. At some point you have to throw to him.”

It was with those numbers and that comment clinking around in the frontal lobe that I coincidentally, opened up The New York Times sports section to find an article by friend and St. Louis resident, Brad Lefton. In the article — which you can find here, and discuss at the new “Bird Land” Facebook group (become a fan!) — Lefton contrasts how fans in Japan look at at-bats vs. how fans here do. It’s a fascinating take, told through the prism of the Ichiro Suzuki and Daisuke Matsuzaka duels.

Lefton illustrates how U.S. fans are focuses on The Result — Pujols eight hits, in this example. Whereas, Japanese fans are interested in The Process — the 27 strikes in 41 pitches and where those strikes were located.

If you choose to read no further, at least read Lefton’s article.

What Cox’s comment inspired, Lefton’s article gave clarity. Using the technology now in place at Busch Stadium and elsewhere — “A Radar Gun for Curveballs,” you’ll recall — it’s possible to go back and perform statistical forensics on Pujols’ plate appearances and just how aggressive Atlanta was against him. Did they, as La Russa contended, challenge him? Did they, as Cox planned, test him with quality strikes?

Below is a pitch-by-pitch detailing on the weekend that may have won the batting title for Pujols and, as Bernie Miklasz wrote, cleared up any conversation about who is the Cardinals’ MVP candidate. Here goes a look at his first 11 plate appearances before the Braves just started walking him:

GAME 1

PA 1 … vs. CHARLIE MORTON, RHP …  1 on, 1 out

1. curve … 77 mph … ball (low, well outside)

2. fastball … 91 mph … called strike (outer edge)

3. slider … 83 mph … ball (outside, in dirt)

4. changeup … 81 mph … called strike (up, away, edge)

5. fastball … 91 mph … single to center (middle away)

PA 2 … vs. MORTON … 3 on, 1 out

1. fastball … 93 … called strike (outer edge, up)

2. fastball … 81 … ball (well down and in)

3. fastball … 92 … double to right (up, middle of plate)

PA 3 … vs. VLADIMIR NUNEZ, RHP … 2 on, 0 out

1. fastball … 93 … ball (up and away)

2. slider … 86 … called strike (knee-high, away)

3. slider … 85 … ball (low and away)

4. fastball … 93 … single to center (up, letter-high and away)

PA 4 … vs. MATT DeSALVO, RHP … 2 on, 0 out

1. fastball … 93 … ball (away, knee-high)

2. curve … 77 … ball (up and in)

3. fastball … 92 … ball (lower yet that first)

4. fastball … 92 … ball (lower still)

It becomes clear early on in the game that the Braves are working Pujols away, forcing him to go the other way or to attempt to get him to eventually chase off-speed pitches out of the zone. This is not uncommon. We’ve seen Pujols get out of sorts before and try to force the issue with runners on base — sometimes poking base hits to right field, sometimes rolling over off-speed pitches to third base and sometimes striking out fishing for a pitch. The trouble with that approach, as Pujols said Sunday, he felt locked-in this weekend and could have thrown the bat at the ball and ended up with a few base hits.

It is a little interesting that Pujols didn’t foul off a pitch. Todd Wellemeyer mentioned Sunday that the Pirates fouling off a bunch of pitches against him last week was a sign that they had faced him often this season. As if, they had his approach down and just couldn’t square the pitches.

GAME 2

PA 5 … vs. JORGE CAMPILLO, RHP … 0 on, 2 outs

1. fastball … 87 … called strike (outer edge, excellent pitch)

2. changeup … 77 … fouled off (in, tight and up)

3. slider … 84 … ball (low and inside)

4. changeup … 74 … fouled off (up, middle of plate)

5. changeup … 75 … ball (low and way inside)

6. slider … 84 … double to left (like 3, but up a bit)

PA 6 … vs. CAMPILLO … 2 on, 0 out

1. fastball … 87 … called strike (thigh-high outside edge)

2. fastball … 87 … called strike (thigh-high outside edge)

3. changeup … 75 … fouled off (inside edge, low)

4. curve … 73 … fouled off (middle low)

5. slider … 81 … fouled off (inside, letter-high)

6. slider … 80 … double to left (thigh-high, middle of plate)

PA 7 … vs. CAMPILLO … 0 on, 0 out

1. curve … 68 … called strike (outside, upper corner)

2. fastball … 86 … fouled off (inside high)

3. fastball … 87 … home run to center (outside, thigh-high)

PA 8 … vs. BUDDY CARLYLE, RHP … 0 on, 2 out

1. fastball … 92 … called strike (belt-high, middle plate)

2. slider … 89 … ball (low, away)

3. fastball … 92 … fouled off (inside, knee-high)

4. fastball … 93 … ball (way high)

5. slider … 88 … smoked to left, diving catch (belt-high middle)

PA 9 … vs. MIKE GONZALEZ, LHP … 1 on, 2 out

1. fastball … 94 … sizzled to third,  L5 (inside, belly-button)

In the press box on Saturday we were all struck by how many consecutive strikes Campillo threw Pujols. Looking over the pitch-by-pitch its clear that Campillo believed he had the stuff, or at least the approach, to work Pujols over with pitches on the edge of the strike zone. He consistently went fastball away, soft stuff in. Fastball away, off-speed stuff in.

It’s interesting to note that before Pujols got each of his three hits against Campillo, he fouled a pitch at a similar level or similar area of the strike zone.

GAME 3

PA 10 … vs. JO-JO REYES, LHP … 1 on, 1 out

1. fastball … 91 … ball (way inside)

2. fastball … 81 … home run to left (thigh-high, slightly in)

PA 11 … vs. REYES … 0 on, 0 out

1. slider … 83 … called strike (knee-high, outer edge)

2. curve … 73 … single to left (thigh-high, middle)

Not many pitches here to dissect for details. The more telling plate appearances probably came later as the Braves intentionally walked Pujols twice to face Ryan Ludwick, the team leader in RBIs.

La Russa said the link between Pujols’ performance against LA a few weeks ago and his weekend binge against the Braves is the opponents philosophy as much as anything. It’s the pitches. Pujols gets few pitches to hit from game to game — once saying this season that he expected to get only a few pitches to drive within a series. He got more than few from the Braves.

So, I asked: Is he aware of the teams, the managers, the pitches who will test him? 

“No, I don’t worry about that, man,” Pujols answered. ”I worry about what I do everyday in the field. There’s too much things that happen in this game to be worried about that. I don’t think about that. I don’t come here and think about that. I think about what I need to do to get ready for the game.”

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A little more about the “group” mentioned above. Just getting the hang of this Facebook thing, and it looks like the group application offers a few functions the blog network does not. The network is good for an RSS feed and updates on entries. The group allows for a little more interaction. Already, there is a discussion going there for an upcoming entry on the “Revised Top 30 Prospects”. Another is sure to crop up about my bouts with inventive grammar, my overuse of the word “punctuate”, and those darn terse paragraphs.

One of the best functions, it offers a place to clip articles (like Lefton’s) that might be of interest to others. Swing by, check it out. The link is above and in the blogroll and RIGHT HERE.

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A few weeks ago, Ken Reitz pulled me aside at the ballpark with a simple question: “Hey, how many errors does Glaus have?” The answer then is the same as it is now: Five. Glaus being third baseman Troy Glaus, of course, and errors being of chief interest to Reitz, who just happen to once own the National League record for fewest errors at the hot corner. In 1977, Reitz set the franchise record for the position with a .980 fielding percentage. He also set the NL record with nine errors that season. In 1980, he broke that with eight errors in 379 chances for a just-missed .979 fielding percentage. His eight errors and .980 fielding percentage are both club records, both eclipsed in the league in 2005 by Mike Lowell, whose six errors are the fewest by a player with at least 135 games at the position.

Both of Reitz’s records could fall to Glaus’ glove:

Glaus, 2008 … .984 FPCT … 5 errors

Reitz, team records … .980 FPCT … 8 errors

Lowell, 2005 … .983 FPCT … 6 errors (NL record)

The Cardinals have four players with intriguing Gold Glove credentials — from Albert Pujols at first base to Yadier Molina’s potentially snagging his first career Gold Glove at catcher and all the way out to center field, where Rick Ankiel has the highlights that tend to stick in voters’ memories. Not one of their Gold claims is as strong as Glaus, who is seeking his first. MLB.com’s Matthew Leach proved quicker to this topic with his well-reported discussion of Glaus’ Gold-metal chances today on the team’s official Web site. Lots of good quotes in there. Kudos to Leach for getting Glaus’ thoughts: “I’d love to be able to have that on my mantel,” the third baseman told the Florida State fanatic.

I come then not to repeat any of the coverage there, but to also explore it.

One of the recurring themes here in this blog is the problem with defensive statistics. (Down with Range Factor.) There are no fool-proof ones, only a lot of foolish ones. When it comes to National Leaguers, David Wright may have the better reputation at third base and he does have more total chances than Glaus (335 to 322), but that edge is misleading. Wright also has 90 more innings at the position than Glaus, 1,125 2/3 to 1,035. What is especially true for middle infielders can also be the case for third baseman — the hot corner on groundball teams tends to be busier and, therefore, the statistics better.

The Cardinals are second in baseball in groundouts, so it follows that Glaus would get  more chances than say Melvin Mora, whose Orioles rank eight in baseball, or Aramis Ramirez, whose Cubs rank 29th in groundouts.

Seattle third baseman Adrian Beltre’s Range Factor isn’t a wow (2.75, lower than Glaus’ 2.76 and Mora’s 2.94), but it lacks context. Beltre leads the majors in total chances (339) and assists (242) despite his team being smack dab in the middle of groundouts coaxed. Make of it what you will. Defense is better taken in gulps than in snapshots. And it is when the spectrum of numbers is considered that Glaus emerges as the best choice for the NL Gold Glove.

Consider the top MLB third basemen who have at least 500 innings at the corner:

THIRD BASEMAN, Team … Inn. Played … TC … ERRORS … FPCT

Troy Glaus, STL … 1,035 … 322 … FIVE … .984

Chone Figgins, LAA … 726 … 212 … FOUR … .981

Ryan Zimmerman, WSH … 640 2/3 … 216 … SIX … .972

Evan Longoria, TB …. 908 2/3 … 275 … EIGHT … .971

Pedro Felix, PHI … 777 1/3 … 250 … EIGHT … .968

Kevin Kouzmanoff, SD … 1,078 … 311 … TEN … .968

Ty Wigginton, HOU … 626 … 187 … SIX … .968

Blake DeWitt, LAD … 690 … 245 … EIGHT … .967

Scott Rolen, TOR … 771 2/3 … 237 … EIGHT … .966

Mike Lowell, BOS … 854 2/3 … 282 … TEN … .965

Alex Rodriguez, NYY … 878 1/3 … 257 … NINE … .965

I included so many American League third basemen because there really aren’t that many NL third basemen in the conversation. Glaus’ fielding percentage is not only giving Reitz’s record a run, it leads the entire league by nearly .020. It would take a profound rash of flubs for him not to lead the league in fielding percentage by a healthy margin. But fielding percentage alone does not a Gold Glove make.

Over at Bill James Online, they keep updated Fielding Bible statistics, and as Leach mentioned in his article, Glaus ranks well there. The most tangible of these stats is the Plus/Minus. It’s simple: The fielder gets a plus for a play beyond the average range and gets a minus for a miss within the average range. As far as defensive stats go, it’s muscular without being intimidating.

Here are the top 10 in the majors in Plus/Minus:

1. Beltre +27
2. Rolen +19
3. Jack Hannahan +15
4. Longoria +11
5. Figgins +11
6. Joe Crede +9
7. DeWitt +9
8. Glaus +8
9. Andy Marte +8
10. Wright +7

Again, Glaus ranks well against the other National Leaguers. A few more plays to his left (he’s a +5 in that direction) and he’ll surpass DeWitt and lead the league.

Numbers are nice. Eyes are better.

One of my prized posters in the college dorm room, located right above my desk, featured a certain third baseman fielding his position in front of a burning base. (Aside: Whatever happened to those punny posters of yore? Bash Brothers. Roboback. Chicago Vice. The Mail Man. Man of Steal. The aforementioned, Hot Corner? There has to be an El Hombre poster out there somewhere, right?) Third base has its defensive allure. And today’s game is stacked with guys who play it well — starting with Longoria, Beltre, Zimmerman and Crede. The best I’ve seen play in the past decade or so:

1. Scott Rolen
2. Ken Caminiti
3. Robin Ventura
4. Mike Lowell
5. Eric Chavez

Glaus knew going into this season that he was stepping into the position once held by the best defensive third baseman of the generation — and some argue the best defensive infielder of his era. He said repeatedly he isn’t Rolen. No one is. What Glaus is this season is healthy. It no longer feels like he’s wearing his cleats inside out when he steps for a ball. He’s no longer wondering if this is the lunge that puts him on the DL.

The numbers are good, but the eyes tell us that few in baseball are as good as Glaus at coming in on the ball. Few at the position have as good an arm as Glaus. Sure he doesn’t get to his right as readily as others, but there are plays he makes in front of him that help compensate.

“He’s been healthy,” longtime teammate Adam Kennedy said. “He’s been healthy and he’s playing everyday. Troy has always been one of those guys who plays better the more he plays. … It’s probably the best (defense) I’ve seen him play. But I don’t know if I can say that really. I’ve always thought he was up there with the best.”

News Flash: He has been.

We can all be a little myopic — focusing only on the NL and the behemoth AL teams — and this an example of what we miss: Glaus played good D for Anaheim. From 2000 to 2003, Glaus regularly appeared in Baseball America’s tools poll as one of the three “Best Defensive Third Basemen”. He finished behind Scott Brosius, Travis Fryman and Chavez, but he was also the only third baseman ranked in the top three all four seasons.

Only the Gold Glove winner is announced each season, but major-league officials and agents are told who the finalists are, and an industry source confirms that Glaus finished second in the voting in 2001.

He has the track record. He’s ranging toward records. He should get the award.

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