TOWER GROVE — On Friday night in Miami, New York Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran creamed a pitch from Marlins closer Kevin Gregg for a two-out, last-strike, game-winning grand slam. Then in the afterglow of his big hit in a big moment for the October-chasing Mets, Beltran marked his celebration with an admission.

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.”

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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