TOWER GROVE — More than a year ago, Walt Jocketty, freshly installed as the Cincinnati Reds general manager, used an odd word to describe an upcoming series against the St. Louis Cardinals. He said he and manager Dusty Baker had chips on their shoulders. That they each had a “vendetta”.

Turns out it wasn’t that weird of a word choice at all. It was prophetic.

In 2009, the National League Central has only gotten spicier when it comes to seething rivalries. There was the Pittsburgh Pirates putting the P in HBP. There was the Cardinals landing Cubs favorite Mark DeRosa, and Jocketty bringing Scott Rolen back to the division. The Milwaukee Brewers kept un-tucking and added their bowling-pin performance to the mix, though that was reserved (completely coincidentally, no doubt) for a NL West team. This past week only added more zing to the welcome return of animosity between the Reds and Cardinals:Mudgate. The Cardinals fumed about the sheen on the baseballs in Cincinnati and made not-so-veiled accusations that Bronson Arroyo used pine tar to get a better grip on the unrubbed baseballs. (See the latest in Joe Strauss’ notebook this morning.) Arroyo said he’d be happy to show pitching coach Dave Duncan is hat the next time they play.

Well, it won’t be long.

The Cardinals, rubbing mud in tow, no doubt, will open the 2010 season at Cincinnati. Memories will be long, because as Jocketty already said there’s a “vendetta” and “chips” and such. But first, the Cardinals have more pressing concerns. There’s a 20th win to possibly seize for Adam Wainwright tonight, a series against those lovable Brewers this weekend, a playoff series starting next Wednesday, and a big-ticket re-signing to complete this winter.

All of those things and more are in the final regular-season 10@10. Thanks for the patience today as the priority today was something for a mega-package of Cardinals coverage coming Sunday and thanks reading all season …

1. A day after Chris Carpenter joined Bob Gibson at the plate (more on that later), Adam Wainwright has a shot to join the two of them on the mound. Wainwright is pitching tonight to be the National League’s first (and only) 20-game winner. Since 1901, 145 times a pitcher has finished the season with at least 19 wins, more than 200 strikeouts and an ERA less than 3.00. Wainwright will be one of them with his 19-8 record, his .258 ERA and his 204 strikeouts. Should he get a 20th win, however, his 2009 will be the fifth season by a Cardinal to include 20 wins, 200 strikeouts and an ERA of less than 3.00. Only Carpenter and Gibson have done that for the Cardinals since 1901.

2005 Chris Carpenter* … 21-5, 2.83 ERA, 213 K

1966 Bob Gibson … 21-12, 2.44 ERA, 225 K

1969 Bob Gibson … 20-13, 2.18 ERA, 269 K

1968 Bob Gibson* … 22-9, 1.12 ERA, 268 K

2009 Adam Wainwright … 19-8, 2.58 ERA, 204 K

2. Sure the Chicago Cubs are the Cardinals archrivals in the division, but that’s almost a quaint competition compared the feuds that have brewed in recent seasons with the other clubs in the NL Central. As discussed in the lede, the story lines are there for 2010 and the poll is here now:

 Loading …

3. In his first 126 games when he got to swing a bat, Chris Carpenter had accumulated 326 plate appearances, had 287 at-bats and produced a slash line of .105/.124/.118. He had exactly 30 hits, 92 strikeouts, four extra-base hits and in those 326 plate appearances a grand total of six RBIs. He doubled his career total with two swings Thursday. According to Baseball-Reference.com’s muscular Play Index, Carpenter is the seventh pitcher since 1954 to have at least six RBIs in a game, and he’s only the third since 1969 (when Blue Moon Odom had six). The record is nine by Tony Cloninger in 1966. So, Carpenter now has a hitting record as a Cardinal — and he he’ll have his first italics on the back of his baseball card, leading the league in ERA.

4. And now, a few moments with Scott Boras. … Spoke with the superagent last weekend in Colorado for a notebook lead that ran in Saturday’s paper, but he had a lot more to say than just insisting a no-trade clause was essential to any contract offer made to Matt Holliday. “Franchise players get them,” Boras said. “I don’t think there’s any question (Holliday) is a franchise player. You don’t see those numbers too often.” What else Boras had to say about the Cardinals, Holliday and another client, outfielder Rick Ankiel:

“It’s kind of exciting that they’re on a team that’s so good. Nine starters. Pitching depth. The closing is good. You’ve got four outfielders. There’s no team in baseball that has four outfielders that are that good, that equal. They are really, really deep there. That comes and goes because you’ve keep all of those guys. This team is really unique. I think it’s better than the team in 2006″

Prospect Brett Wallace “was certainly the currency that allowed them to make this deal happen. There could have been a lot of choices made with a lot of different players, but (Jeff Luhnow’s) selection really allowed the gateway for a guy like Holliday to get here. He deserves a lot of credit for that.”

“Offers that are made to arbitration-eligible and under-control players are completely different than offers made to free-agent players. You can look to the market for that. Franchise players have a particular market value because they offer leadership, they offer a face of the franchise, they offer so much different than somebody who is under control. And really does not have the opportunity to provide a benefit to the franchise so immediately.”

5. Albert Pujols is two assists away from tying the major-league record for assists by a first baseman and he is two homers shy of tying his career-high with 49. This weekend the Brewers offer a slate of pitchers, each of whom the Cardinals’ first baseman has a home run against and none of whom have ever struck him out. His career numbers vs. the trio: tonight’s Braden Looper (2-for-9, HR, 0 K, 0 BB), Saturday’s Carlos Villanueva (8-for-20, 2 HR, 0 K, 3 BB) and Sunday’s Chris Narveson (1-for-2, HR, 0 K, 2 BB). Looming at the back end of the Brewers’ pitching staff, however, is veteran closer Trevor Hoffman (0-for-6, 2 K, 2 BB).

6. Less than a week after Carpenter announced his support for teammate Wainwright as this year’s Cy Young Award winner, Tim Lincecum — the third wheel in the derby and an equally deserving candidate for the award — said he thinks Carpenter deserves the award. A case can be made for each of the three pitchers, depending on what you value. The stats support whatever pitcher who want to win. Bend them, shape them, anyway you want them. And now even the endorsements overlap. According to San Jose Mercury News baseball writer Andrew Baggarly, who has one of the best blog names in the biz, the San Francisco Giants righthander said Carpenter deserves the Cy for his “crazy numbers”.

7. Check out the photo that was going to go right here in this morning’s peace offering to regular readers. And, thanks again for the patience. There will be postseason 10@10s. Though it also appears that all of the P-D writers will be doing chats. No word if Den Mother Strauss will do a !!!@!!!.

8. Lots of questions these days about the awards. Here is a quick primer on who decides which awards for baseball’s regular season:

MVP, Cy Young Award, Rookie & Manager of the Year: These are the Baseball Writers Association of America awards. In each city, there are two ballots per award handed out to members of the BBWAA. That means there are 32 ballots for the NL awards (16 cities, two writers each) and 28 for AL awards. For every award but the MVP, voters pick the top three, ranking them 1, 2, 3. The MVP ballot has places for 10 names.

Rolaids Relief Award: Done by formula. Check standings here.

Gold Gloves and Silver Sluggers: Voted on by managers and coaches.

Players Choice Awards: These are determined by a vote of the members of the MLBPA, and the most famous probably of these awards is the Comeback Player of the Year Award. Players vote for only players in their league. Other PC awards include Player of the Year, Outstanding Rookie of the Year and the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award.

9. Hit the Links. … Ted Lilly tells Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune that one of the moves he’d like to see the Cubs make is bringing back Mark DeRosa. Said Lilly: “I could say he’s probably the best teammate I’ve ever had. All around, he really cares a great deal about everybody, and that’s the kind of person he is. I think he also leads by example — the way he plays.” …Nothing good ever comes of poetry. I should know. But here is a witty chunk of verse about the sad ending of another Cincinnati Reds season. … So long, farewell, good riddance, Metrodome: This weekend marks the regular-season ending of the Twin Cities baggy dome. Once went there with my mom for a baseball game, and to her credit she still enjoys baseball. Here is where the Star Tribune sends off the Metrodome and welcomes outdoor baseball to Minnesota. … Esquire’s Charles P. Pierce channels that banner-flying faction of a few years and one title ago when he needles Tony La Russa (WARNING!: colorful language.)

10. This will be my last week as a World Record holder. Next weekend, with the Major League Baseball playoffs in full gallop, a local group of 40 men will attempt the play 48 consecutive hours of baseball. Two years ago 39 guys and me played 32 hours, 29 minutes, 25 seconds of baseball out at TR Hughes field. That feat put our team photo in The Guinness World Record 2009 book, right there on Pg. 190. (Seriously.) On Friday, the next attempt will be made as a celebration of 150 years of pro baseball in St. Louis, and the players will “re-enact” the 1944 World Series, pitting the Cardinals against the St. Louis Browns. Plenty of events (movie night!) are planned around the World Record attempt, and all of it will be done for the benefit of CardinalGlennon. Read more about the World Record Baseball Game at the official site and hear Bob Costas ads for the event. Alas, I won’t be there and after they pass the 33-hour mark, I’ll have to take World Record Holder off my resume.

KMOX’s Kevin Wheeler has called his shot: A Babe Ruth Hat Trick.

He’ll hit a homer, pitch three scoreless innings, and get thrown out stealing second to end the game …

-30-