TOWER GROVE — In one of the most dominant World Series pitching performances of our era, Philadelphia Phillies lefty Cliff Lee tied-up one of the finest lineups in the game last night, striking out 10 New York Yankees and authoring a complete-game in Game 1 at (New) Yankee Stadium. It was, in short, arguably the best World Series start by a NL pitcher since Bob Gibson.

But is it better than Hoot’s?

Lee needed 122 pitches to…

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…

TOWER GROVE — St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan believe not all pitches are created equal. That is why La Russa often bats away questions about a pitcher being on a short-leash with a pitch count or a pitcher being allowed to blow by the mythical (and misleading) labrum-barrier of 100 pitches.

There are high-stress pitches. There are breezy innings. They do count the same.

Both are part of the internal…

DOWNTOWN — South City native Jack Dorsey, who is better known in the vast expanding empire of Twitter as just @Jack, bought a replica jersey of his favorite ballplayer, No. 45 Bob Gibson, special to wear on his visit Friday to Busch Stadium.

That was until he saw what his dad left on the kitchen table.

Waiting for him at the family’s Compton Heights home, spread out on the table, was a worn, grey road jersey that…

TOWER GROVE — There are many examples of a player storming toward his leagues Most Valuable Player award with a strong September that, in most cases, elevates his team to a postseason berth.

See: Ryan Howard.

Enter Tim Lincecum.

The San Francisco Giants righthander Lincecum struck out 11 and muscled his team to a pivotal victory Monday night against the Wild Card-leading Colorado Rockies. Lincecum skipped his previous start because of back trouble and returned to throw the…

TOWER GROVE — A fascinating vote is underway today at MLB.com and around its 30 official sites, as the numerologists there have some fun with today’s date — Sept. 9, 2009 — and the statistically rich number of spots in a batting order. Mentioned this in today’s 10@10, but it’s too cool of a project not to take a look at deeper.

Especially, when you consider some of the seasons up for a vote.

Inspired by the…

TOWER GROVE — The St. Louis Cardinals have developed their own way of celebrating a walk-off home run, too. When the hero for the moment steps foot on home — sometimes taking a cannonball-like leap onto the plate — the Cardinals overwhelm their teammate and attempt to land some kidney shots with playful uppercut blows. There’s punching. There’s some grabbing.

You get the sense that it’s not unlike the bottom of a dog pile in the…

DOWNTOWN — For the first time in his young career and perhaps the only time in his career, St. Louis native and former Mizzou All-American Max Scherzer made a start for the Cardinals last night.

Scherzer, who grew up a fan of the hometown club, pitched 7 1/3 innings for the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday and held the Los Angeles Dodgers to one run on seven hits. He struck out four, and he collected his ninth…

TOWER GROVE — Out in San Francisco tonight, Giants ace and reigning Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum pitches against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers with a chance to assert his bid for the pitching Triple Crown. Lincecum takes the league’s best ERA into the game at 2.20, has a chance to tie for the league lead in wins (he has 12 now), and only add to his league lead in strikeouts (his 198 are 27…

MEMPHIS — This season, the Memphis Redbirds are offering a tour of their history measured in bobbleheads. On Tuesday night, with Round Rock in town, the Redbirds gave fans a John Gall bobbleheader. Early bobbleheads have included “Nostalgia Man”, the Memphis logo, and all-time Memphis star Stubby Clapp, whose No. 10 is retired in these parts.

Coming up on the calendar are bobbleheads for former Redbirds Adam Wainwright, Jason Motte, and for coach Dyar Miller, who…

TOWER GROVE — The premeditated celebration began the moment Bill Hall’s 10th-inning single landed Monday and winning run Casey McGehee crossed home plate. Immediately the Milwaukee Brewers bolted for their clubhouse, turning, as Tom Haudricourt wrote at the Journal-Sentinel, a walk-off into a run-off and again stoking the discussion about those brash and bold Brewers and their post-win ways.

Untucking. Posing. Behind closed doors. Or otherwise.

A rivalry that has its roots in Milwaukee’s public compliments and…

JUPITER, Fla. — They’re calling it a campaign that focuses on a few “rising stars”, and representatives from Rawlings have made several surgical strikes into the Grapefruit League to film the four players selected to appear in docu-commercials. This morning, they visited Camp Cardinals.

Catcher Yadier Molina is one of the four. Have Gold Glove, will shine.

“His reaction upon receiving his first Gold Glove was really something that stood out,” said Lindsey Naber, a brand manager with…

JUPITER, Fla. — When St. Louis Cardinals pitchers Chris Carpenter and his band of rehab brothers took to adopting “Progressing Nicely” as their slogan of spring last season, it seemed like a quirky and slightly cute way to deflect constant questions about their recovery.

Turns out it was a time-honored tradition around these parts.

Cardinals’ Hall of Famer Bob Gibson once used such a ploy to address the constant questions about his recovery from a busted leg. He…

JUPITER, Fla. — Every time St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect Adam Ottavino would toe the rubber to deliver a pitch there were so many thoughts buzzing between his ears. His arms needed to swing here. His hands needed to be placed there. His shoulder positioned this way. His foot sure that land that way. Not too far back on that back leg. Not too far forward on the release. Don’t do it that way. Be…

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…