http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/bird-land Derrick Goold\'s riffs on St. Louis Cardinals news, notes and anecdotes, from first pitch to hot stove. Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:38:50 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en DOWNTOWN -- Calling it one of the surest signs of their now-established footing in Latin America, the Cardinals will announce three signings Friday that surpass any of the previous bonuses given to international players. On Wednesday, baseball's lesser-covered free agent market opened and teams could begin signing Latin American players who ... http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/bird-land/bird-land/2008/07/cards-boost-bonuses-in-latin-america/ DOWNTOWN -- Brett Wallace, the Cardinals first pick in the recent draft, is expected to visit Busch Stadium today, meet with team doctors and possibly finalize a deal that will put him in uniform and playing pro within a week (as the story broke here, and the reporting continued with ... http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/bird-land/bird-land/2008/07/first-pick-coming-other-picks-already-going/ DOWNTOWN -- Told he didn't have the frame to play in the majors, didn't have the pop to climb through the minors, Shane Robinson raised his hands and changed his swing to give him the best chance possible to conjure the power he needed. Then the Cardinals told him there was ... http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/bird-land/bird-land/2008/06/minor-keys-dispatches-from-springfield/ SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Called in to finish off what closer Jason Isringhausen started, it took Jess Todd only three pitches to assert his ownership of the game. Isringhausen threw his 22nd pitch to get his fifth out of his rehab start and then turned the game over to the Todd, the ... http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/bird-land/bird-land/2008/06/sharpshooter-todd-gunning-for-promotion/ TOWER GROVE -- With the first full day of draft-pick workouts going on at the Roger Dean Stadium complex in Jupiter, Fla., the Cardinals announced that they have agreed to a deal with their second pick from last week's draft, righty Lance Lynn, and 30 other players. Six of the team's top ... http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/bird-land/bird-land/2008/06/cards-sign-lynn-30-others/ HOUSTON -- Nine years after the Cardinals took their greatest draft success story in the same round, the organization selected one of the most fascinating stories of the draft in today's 13th round. Mitch Harris, an otherwise prototype righthander plucked with the 395th overall pick in this year's MLB First-Year Player ... http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/bird-land/bird-land/2008/06/serving-the-country-pitching-for-cards/ DOWNTOWN -- Now the draft is moving at a furious and purposeful pace so it's difficult to keep up with the reporting, the writing, the graphic-charting and the blogging -- in that order, of course. So, here is a quick and clippy look at the Cardinals three picks after No. 13 ... http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/bird-land/bird-land/2008/06/clip-jobs-cards-other-draft-picks/ DOWNTOWN -- Even though they cannot commit to his glove, the Cardinals had Brett Wallace's bat in their crosshairs for the 13th pick for awhile. They figured only one thing could keep Wallace from being their first selection in this year's draft. Those so-called Moneyball guys out in Oakland. As the players the Cardinals ... http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/bird-land/bird-land/2008/06/scout-wallace-a-dangerous-hitter/ DOWNTOWN -- Brett Wallace, a "professional hitter" according to every Cardinals official who has circulated through the room here at Busch Stadium, said he doesn't see any reason he won't be going pro once this college season is done. "I think it's locked in that I'm coming to St. Louis," Wallace ... http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/bird-land/bird-land/2008/06/wallace-im-coming-to-st-louis/ DOWNTOWN -- Jeff Luhnow said it would be difficult to pass up on an infield bat, and with the 13th pick of the draft they took a two-time triple-crown winner, the most productive bat in the Pac-10: Brett Wallace. According to some scouts, Wallace projects as a first baseman, though he ... http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/bird-land/bird-land/2008/06/at-13-cards-select-brett-wallace/