TOWER GROVE — While the St. Louis Cardinals have plenty to busy themselves with in the final five games of the regular season — see today’s game story for, oh, a few things to be spruced-up — and no reason to look beyond October, there are traces of 2010 in many of the comments coming from the club.

The front office and chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. have talked about the importance of re-signing outfielder Matt Holliday, sure, but…

DOWNTOWN — Brad Thompson said he was too nervous at his wedding to think twice about the unorthodox choice he and his wife-to-be had made when choosing someone to preside over their nuptuals.  He had other things on his mind and no time for smirking as he stood there, beside his bride and exchanged vows under the guidance of the “reverend” Randy Flores.

He was however concerned about Jason Isringhausen.

“Izzy was the only one I couldn’t look…

TOWER GROVE — About a week ago, Baseball America slipped me the information that for the first time since they began publishing their rankings of overall minor-league systems the St. Louis Cardinals would reach the top 10, finishing eighth in a poll and discussion of editors there at BA. Since then, there has been a, ahem, tsunami of questions and criticisms.

The general theme of those comments has been: What does it mean, and what does it…

TOWER GROVE — Back during those 100-win salad days of 2004 and 2005, the St. Louis Cardinals’ tremendous success at the major-league level was a facade for what anyone with an eye on the minors knew, and knew well: It all could be fleeting.

A sobering reminder of the situation they put themselves in came the winter after the Cardinals juggernaut run to the National League pennant and World Series in 2004. Baseball America, viewed by…

TOWER GROVE — Every time there is a trade to be made or not made — hello, Jake Peavy — there is also a revealing referendum on the quality and quantity of talent in the St. Louis Cardinals’ minor-league system. That is always the best time to get an unvarnished view of the true rankings within an organization.

Today offers more subtle revelations.

The Cardinals announced Wednesday, a day early, that they will add shortstop Tyler Greene and…

DOWNTOWN — Less than two full seasons ago, outfielder Daryl Jones was a one-time, blue-chip football prospect struggling to hit .200 at Low-A baseball for the second consecutive summer. He didn’t waver from his choice to slog through the minors over catching passes for a major college. He believed like the Cardinals’ coaches and Cardinals’ front office believed – he had all the tools for baseball. Things just had to click.

Well, apparently, they clicked.

The Cardinals named Jones their organization player…

TOWER GROVE — The day after his 0-for-5, three-strikeout game against the New York Mets, Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols still had no interest in talking about it. He didn’t take the field for batting practice. He spent a good amount of time just sitting in front of his locker in the visitors’ clubhouse, rolling a bat around in his hands. Every so often he would thump the barrel of the bat with the base of…

NEW YORK — By dealing the righthander who just a few years ago was the organization’s top prospect, the Cardinals finally found the change of scenery that Anthony Reyes has been looking for.

The Cardinals traded Reyes from their Triple-A rotation to Cleveland for a minor-league reliever on Saturday. In the deal, the Cardinals received reliever Luis Perdomo, a 24-year-old righthander, and cash.

“Obviously, we were getting to a point where we had to make a decision with…

TOWER GROVE – Naturally, Albert Pujols comes off the disabled list this afternoon to have (ho hum) another four-hit (yawn) day and (no big whoop) drive in the go-ahead run seconds ago here in the ninth inning.

So if you had Pujols in the pool about which would return first — the MVP or the P-D mailbag — you win. But only by five plate appearances.

After a sabbatical of sorts to get the inbin good and loaded…

Back from a quick trip to Alabama to learn his rehab can continue on a scaled-back schedule but continue nonetheless, Chris Carpenter said he plans to throw a side session at Busch Stadium and get back to Florida shortly so he can face hitters.

The Cardinals ace, recovering from Tommy John surgery in his right elbow, said specialist Dr. James Andrews confirmed the diagnosis from Cardinals team doctors that there was nothing structurally wrong with the…

TOWER GROVE — In the second posting of three mailbags with the Cardinals’ vice president and draft director Jeff Luhnow, he fields a variety of questions from readers, ranging from the Rick Porcello lessons to the Anthony Reyes-Colby Rasmus comparisons and concerns.

For a feel of the kind of schedule Luhnow is keeping in the weeks leading up to the draft — June 5 and 6 — consider that from the time we started harvesting reader…

DOWNTOWN — Already skipping his original start for this series, Cardinals pitcher Joel Pineiro is questionable for his re-scheduled start Saturday because of ongoing soreness in his groin, manager Tony La Russa said this afternoon.

Pineiro met with a team doctor Tuesday morning, and the righthander said he was diagnosed with a mild strain of his right groin. Pineiro described it as exactly what he expected after first injuring the area while shagging fly balls in…

GRAND CENTER — Both Chicago papers are reporting that Jim Edmonds could be a Cub shortly after he flies off waivers this week, having been released over the weekend by San Diego. A signature Cardinal — one of several members of the 2004 pennant-winning team to have a tough weekend (Julian Tavarez, for example) — is said to be attractive to the Cubs as an option other than youngster Felix Pie in Wrigley Field’s center…

DOWNTOWN — The promotion of Cardinals righthander Mike Parisi to the major leagues inspires a buzz of palace intrigue — Is Anthony Reyes on his way out of the organization by way of Triple-A? Will Joel Pineiro’s back spasms allow him to make his start as scheduled Monday in Colorado? But Parisi’s imminent debut with the Cardinals has a historic ring all its own.

The 2004 Draft Class, finally, has arrived.

The Cardinals much-maligned College Draft —…

DOWNTOWN – Not too often the Cardinals wake up on the last day of April with a chance to make a little franchise history. But that’s the case today.

The Cardinals won their 17th game of April last night against the Reds. It came in a 7-2 victory that saw manager Tony La Russa tinker just enough with his lineup to add depth of power and watch it work. That win tied a franchise record for most…