TOWER GROVE — A year ago at this time, Mannywood was sweeping the nation as the Los Angeles Dodgers and their flamboyant outfielder were surging toward a playoff berth. Manny Ramirez, acquired in a stunning deadline deal with the Boston Red Sox (with an assist from Pittsburgh), had 43 RBIs and 14 home runs in his first 42 games as a Dodger. He had propelled the team to a 24-18 record since his arrival and…

TOWER GROVE — The consensus is that while this draft may have the biggest headliner baseball has seen in a long time — San Diego State pitcher Stephen Strasburg is being billed as “Best Prospect Ever?”, always with that essential question mark — the overall depth of this draft is seriously lacking.

There are some good pitchers, enough to fill out the first round. There aren’t many position players, especially coming from the college level.

One thing…

SOUTH GRAND — The St. Louis Cardinals bullpen inherited four innings of work and a one-run lead Wednesday night against the Chicago Cubs and turned it into a victory. It was a large-scale example of what the bullpen has been doing remarkably well within individual innings all season.

Say this about the Cardinals’ relievers: They are stingy with their inheritance.

When the Cardinals and general manager John Mozeliak set out to rebuild the bullpen, one of the…

JUPITER, Fla. — What with Skip Schumaker learning a new position, Joe Mather reintroducing himself to an old position and a whole gaggle of prospects who could use some tutoring at their positions, one of the hardest working men in Camp Cardinals this spring is a coach.

The club that once asked Jose Oquendo to play every position, now needs him to coach every position.

Seemingly all at once.

On the field furthest from the clubhouse here at…

TOWER GROVE — For the third consecutive year the blog will be coming live this weekend from the Winter Warm-up in downtown St. Louis. Throughout the three days of the event, I’ll update the blog with comments from players, quotes from prospects (10 or so will be in attendance), tidbits from executives, the scene at the fest and, of course, news (i.e., pre-arbitration signings).

A wrinkle to the coverage this year will be the Twitter feed….

TOWER GROVE — With less than one month to go before pitchers and catchers report to spring training, there are more than 150 free agents still on the market, including, amazingly, the National League’s starting pitcher from this past year’s All-Star Game, Ben Sheets. From the pool of free agents still out there, It is possible to put together an imposing lineup, with an All-Star at each position, and outfit a pretty compelling rotation.

Not to…

DOWNTOWN — With National League MVP Albert Pujols topping the charts with a $175 autograph fee, the St. Louis Cardinals announced this afternoon the schedule and cost for the annual autograph pell mell that is Winter Warmup in downtown St. Louis. A total of 81 former or current Cardinals are schedule to attend the autograph sessions that are the headline event at the three-day fanfest, January 17-19.

Admission passes for the event are $40 for adults, $10…

TOWER GROVE — As one of a sweeping series of moves the Chicago Cubs made this morning as possible prelude to reviving a Jake Peavy deal, the Cubs’ signing of infielder Aaron Miles dredged up a familiar refrain, heard before from former Cardinals like him.

“I’m excited to be a Cubbie,” Miles told Chicago Cub beat writers on a conference call this afternoon. “Being a Cardinal was great and that part is over now. Now I’m ready…

TOWER GROVE — The title of the blog doesn’t really scream baseball or blink flashing lights that this is a place for a take straight from the front office. But over at “It Might Be Dangerous … You Go First”, that’s exactly what Paul DePodesta does with the San Diego Padres.

This evening, DePodesta chimed in on the deal that sent shortstop Khalil Greene to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for the funky (and irked with exceptional…

TOWER GROVE — The Cardinals are close to acquiring a new face while continuing a familiar trend.

Late last night the news broke, by Joe Strauss here at The Post-Dispatch and by Padres beat writer Tom Krasovic over at the San Diego Union-Tribune, that the Cardinals had traded for San Diego shortstop Khalil Greene. Greene will become the St. Louis Cardinals’ fourth different everyday shortstop since the start of the 2004 World Series. And, his contract gives every…

SOUTH GRAND — Trying to get better at the shorter, punchier, quicker entries when possible. So while working on an entry that will appear in a few minutes, I realized that these bits of notes I collected this morning were just sitting there. Sooner rather than longer, here goes … Some quick Riffs:

Today is Stan Musial’s 88th birthday. Play a tune on the nearest harmonica, mimic the swing, look at those statistics, find your favorite…

TOWER GROVE — Six members of the 2008 St. Louis Cardinals were among the 65 players who filed for free agency on the first day they could, according to a release from the Major League Baseball Players Association. Filing is a formality that all players, even those pondering retirement or weighing an offer from their previous team, usually do just to be sure the appropriate paperwork is filed if necessary.

The six Cardinals who filed Thursday…

DOWNTOWN — If it weren’t for his career path, he’d likely be a third generation season ticket holder. He was brought up on Cardinals baseball. Attended his first game and saw his first October before he could walk. Back in college, he carried a small flame for the possibility his boyhood team, his hometown club would be in position to draft him.

Max Scherzer is in baseball because of the Cardinals.

Tonight, he starts against them.

A confluence…

TOWER GROVE — On Friday night in Miami, New York Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran creamed a pitch from Marlins closer Kevin Gregg for a two-out, last-strike, game-winning grand slam. Then in the afterglow of his big hit in a big moment for the October-chasing Mets, Beltran marked his celebration with an admission.

He said he still thinks about Adam Wainwright’s curveball.

“As a player, you always dream to be in a situation like that,” Beltran reportedly…

(updated 5:05 p.m.) HOUSTON — The Cardinals jet to the desert after this afternoon’s game for what could amount to one big, festive and unexpected Class of ‘06 Reunion in Arizona.

Lefthander reliever Randy Flores will join the team Monday when rosters expand to their September limit, manager Tony La Russa confirmed Sunday morning. Josh Kinney said Saturday that he will join the team at Chase Field on Tuesday. Chris Carpenter, fresh from his light bullpen session Sunday, is…