GRAND CENTER — There were only eight games scheduled Monday around the majors, and not one had the look of must-see TV.

Once San Diego Padres righthander Jake Peavy was scratched from his start against the Cardinals, the day lacked a bona fide ace — though Tampa Bay’s James Shields would qualify if he had the Q-rating to match his ERA. Only two of the eight games featured two teams with winnings records pitted against…

DENVER — Not too far from where Coors Field is now, just down the Boulder Turnpike headed toward Boulder Valley and the mountains is the “Scenic Overlook” that was a landmark of my youth. It’s a quick pull off Highway 36 and it offers a panaromic view of the signature Flatirons and the valley.

It’s also high enough to be one of several places you could tune in KMOX.

Had the phrase existed years ago…

HOUSTON — Earlier this afternoon on the outskirts of New Orleans, Cardinals’ minor leaguer Nick Stavinoha — a familiar name in those parts because of his turn as a slugger at LSU — put two bits of news on the Zephyr Field scoreboard. First, he drove in Triple-A Memphis first run in a 2-0 victory. And then a short time later …

Well, here’s how the official release from the New Orleans Zephyrs put it:

Stavinoha,…

TOWER GROVE — Rick Hummel’s look at how Milwaukee has adopted the “Crazy 8″ lineup to such success that catcher Jason Kendall is leading the league in hitting jogged my memory about a email received earlier Tuesday. This one comes from ACTA Sports, the publishing house of Bill James and others, and it’s John Dewan’s “Stat of the Week.” This week’s topic:

Whose batting slot is the best in baseball thus far?

Using on-base-percentage-plus-slugging (OPS), Dewan ranks the best…

THE GLADES — Talk about multi-tasking. As only a Hall of Famer can, Rick Hummel is driving us across central Florida, while making a radio appearance (unless, that is, he has friends who call him to breakdown the option rules on Anthony Reyes and the backhand plays of Cesar Izturis). I have the laptop out and am cranking away, tethered even this far off the Interstate to the Internet.

This kind of coverage takes creativity.

While making the…

JUPITER, Fla. — The moves made at the major-league level Monday began to have their ripple effect on the minors Tuesday. The Cardinals placing Colby Rasmus and Joe Mather on the Memphis roster makes for a crowded house in the Triple-A outfield, where Cody Haerther, Nick Stavinoha and Amaury Marti were already slugging it out for playing time.

Rasmus and Mather will play, no doubt. Rasmus in center. The others …

The Cardinals also expect the infield…

JUPITER, Fla. — The question was posed in the comment section of the previous Vuch Report, and the answer to just who Carlos Pupo is begins with a simple rule.

Location. Location. Location.

The strapping first baseman lives near Jupiter and he worked out often with the Gulf Coast League team last summer. So much that he made an impression on coach Dan Radison and the Cardinals signed him for this season. Pupo has pop…

DOWNTOWN — The press conference held earlier this week at Busch Stadium answered one of the biggest question looming over the Cardinals and their 2008 season — Tony La Russa will return as manager. But that’s far from the last question facing the Cardinals.

Nor was it the only question answered Monday.

John Mozeliak, the interim general manager who is a candidate to be the club’s general manager, has been guaranteed a position in the…

TOWER GROVE — May not be able to match the acerbic wit and poker-faced revelations of Joe Strauss Live!, but when he chats you up he can’t string together long, rising, staccato, poignant,  lively, pyrotechnic adjectives like me.

Tremendous response to going daily with PostCards. Many great questions, some of which we’ll get to now and others that will be answered this week.

On with PostCards Daily:

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TOWER GROVE — However Springfield manager Pop Warner sorts his lineup this season, which starts today at Midland, Texas, the outfield will be loaded with interest … and intrigue.

In center will be top prospect Colby Rasmus, storming out of a strong spring training, and flanking him on any given evening could be a Cuban defector, a former organization player of the year on his third tour in the Texas League, or a prospect whose…