TOWER GROVE — Of all the statistical bubblegum that is packed into Bill James’ annual Handbooks, among the best to chew over and stretch to the point of popping is the predictions for the coming season.

ACTA Sports recently emailed me the 2010 predictions for several members of the 2009 St. Louis Cardinals — predictions that are featured in Bill James Handbook 2010 — and while it doesn’t take a “statistical oracle” (as The Wall Street Journal…

JUPITER, Fla. — What with its keystone combination of Rogers Hornsby and Ozzie Smith leading the way — batting .346 and .325, respectively — and center fielder Jim Edmonds topping the team with 10 home runs and 47 RBIs, the St. Louis Cardinals would appear to be a virtual juggernaut in the virtual world of Seamheads.com’s (simulated) Historical League.

And, yet, the ‘Birds are struggling. Could be that injury to Stan Musial.

Hall of Famer Rick Hummel is at…

TOWER GROVE — Earlier this week, St. Louis Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan did the radio rounds and spoke about the closer role, closer candidates, the rotation and how so much hinges on the shoulder of Chris Carpenter. He also had a telling comment about his retooled bullpen. Asked in an interview on 101 ESPN if he was confident with the new-look left side of his bullpen, Duncan answered plainly, realistically.

He said he does not…

LAS VEGAS — While wrapping my ears around Chinese Democracy, replaying Snow Patrol’s addictive new album and, for kicks, spinning ZZ Top’s cover of “Viva Las Vegas” on the trusty iPod, I also brought along a little research for this trip to the Baseball Winter Meetings. You never know what golden nugget of information you’ll find from one page to the next on the latest edition of The Bill James Handbook.

Picked up the 2009 edition, with…

DOWNTOWN — Unlike the baseball writers, who reveal the innards of their award voting to the world to criticize, authorize and (yes sometimes) ridicule, only the winners of the managers’ and coaches’ votes get released. The real guts of how the Gold Glove or Silver Slugger votes play out, and who finished where, doesn’t see the sunshine.

There are winners, just not the same accountability.

The results may not be public. But that doesn’t mean they are…

TOWER GROVE — When I found myself trying to decide between Miguel Batista and Aaron Cook as my No. 5 starter while others were wondering if Cy Young or Steve Carlton would fill out their rotation or whether Randy Johnson has a place in their bullpen, I knew I was out of my league.

In the coming weeks, we’ll have Opening Day of the Seamheads.com Historical Baseball League. Bill James’ all-time Boston Red Sox roster will face Curt…

TOWER GROVE — Since his star turn in Colorado’s 2007 run to the National League pennant, outfielder Matt Holliday has been billed, quickly, as a slugger. That’s not an entirely accurate scouting report.

Holliday, whom the St. Louis Cardinals have eagerly pursued acquiring this past week, is first and foremost a pure hitter. He’s more likely to hit better than .320 than he is to hit 35 homers. In talking with baseball people the past couple…

TOWER GROVE — Fresh from an offseason that included a new contract, a slimmer frame and a healthier knee, St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina sat in front of his locker at the Jupiter facility and talked instead about what was missing. It was his first day of spring training and he had no need to hide his personal goal for the 2008 season.

He wants to win a Gold Glove.

“I won’t stop, I’ll keep working…

TOWER GROVE — Incumbents Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina won the Fielding Bible awards at first base and catcher, respectively, according the annual awards that are decided by a panel of experts and featured each winter in the Bill James Handbook.

Pujols, the St. Louis Cardinals first baseman, has won three consecutive Fielding Bible awards and this is catcher Molina’s second consecutive. Unlike the Gold Glove awards, which are determined by a vote of managers and…

TOWER GROVE — As if the first major-league team ever to call the Mountain Time Zone home wasn’t enough in April 1993, the Colorado Rockies decided to pick up a gift for the baseball-starved region on their way back from spring training: Dale Murphy.

For those of us who grew up opening wax packs — when some still had bubble gum, buddy — or thumbing the red off the controller while playing RBI Baseball, Murphy was…

TOWER GROVE — As far back as Aug. 24, 1963, Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon, who leads his Rays into their first World Series tonight at Tropicana Field, was a Cardinals’ fan. You can pinpoint the date because he remembers the place, the score, the winning pitcher and, most of all, the baseball cap.

About a month ago, when baseball and baseball-writing was at their full poetic peak of nostalgia, waving so-long to Yankee Stadium (guilty),…

TOWER GROVE — It took the record holder, fittingly, to clue me into the record challenger and just what this newcomer could pull off this season.

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,…

DOWNTOWN — Coming down off his mini-rant Tuesday about the bullpen taking the hit for an offense not supplying them, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa softened his tone for a little gallows humor.

Referencing the final two games of the series and the troubles his offense has had scoring, La Russa said it shouldn’t be a problem generating more runs against “a couple Triple-A pitchers they have coming up.” He was, of course, kidding. The starters…

TOWER GROVE — The difference between the fastest baserunner and best baserunner is the difference between, say, Michael Bourn and Scott Rolen, Willy Taveras and Larry Walker.

Fast doesn’t not always mean best when it comes to rounding second.

The best baserunner can be more likely to take third on a single than he is to steal second on the pitcher. Sometimes best and fastest are one in the same, and often fast is enough to make…

TOWER GROVE — At one point this season, manager Tony La Russa approached Brendan Ryan to assure the young, live-wire infielder that some people just had it wrong. No matter what he heard or read or inferred from any comments, La Russa told Ryan he really, really did like him, 3-0 swinging and all.

Now it’s time to show him.

With shortstop Cesar Izturis on the 15-day disabled list with a sore hamstring, there is an opportunity here for…