JUPITER, Fla. — Less than 50 feet from his locker in the St. Louis Cardinals clubhouse and on his way to the kitchen for a snack, outfielder Colby Rasmus cannot help but walk by a stack of copies of Baseball America. It’s right there by the shelves of bubblegum and sunflower seeds.

The current issue might be of especially interest to Rasmus as it’s the annual rankings of the Top 100 Prospects in baseball. One of the…

JUPITER, Fla. — This offseason, the St. Louis Cardinals’ former Rule 5 pick and renaissance man with the engineering jones, Brian Barton, was a man on the move. He jetted off to Jamaica for a few days, and that was the smallest trip he took. The Cardinals’ outfielder also spent about 10 days in South Africa — where he continued to conquer a fear he mentions below — and another 10 days in Australia.

Last season,…

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 — The awards season peaked locally Monday with the announcement that St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols is this year’s National League MVP. But if you thought this league’s race for the MVP was something, take a peek at the other side of the majors.

The American League MVP has a favorite and a challenger on the same team; it has a record-setting closer and a superb slugger whose injury cost him the last…

TOWER GROVE — Wasn’t too long ago when Ryan Ludwick was viewed as an injury risk, robbed of his prime as a power-laden prospect by timing, Juan Gonzalez and a series of career-threatening surgeries. Today he was voted one of the most valuable outfielders in the game.

Next stop: arbitration.

St. Louis Cardinals’ first baseman Albert Pujols won the 2008 National League MVP (coverage at STLToday.com), the BBWAA announced this afternoon, and Pujols was the only player in…

TOWER GROVE — We’ve had plenty of time to mull over the numbers and choose sides in the National League MVP race, one that is likely going to come down to a showdown between the raw power of Philadelphia Phillies’ first baseman Ryan Howard and the unwavering uncanny production of St. Louis Cardinals’ first baseman Albert Pujols. It’s 2006 all over again. Only the one with a World Series ring coming his way his different.

Either…

TOWER GROVE — One of the last awards to be handed out in the annual weeklong roll-out of the Baseball Writers Association of America awards is the one award that’s dominated so much conversation around St. Louis this month — the National League MVP. Here’s a safe best: Somebody with ties to St. Louis will win it.

Heck, the winner will be a player who calls St. Louis home during the offseason.

But before we find out…

SOUTH GRAND — Ryan Howard, pride of Lafayette High, home-run king and challenger for the National League MVP award, you just helped hoist the Philadelphia Phillies to their first World Series championship in 28 years. What are you going to do next?

“I’m going to …”

Arbitration?

In the afterglow of Philadelphia’s first major professional world championship in a generation, it is clear that the Phillies could begin defense of their World Series title in arbitration hearings.

Two pillars…

TOWER GROVE — A “transition” year by any definition implies not only the integration of younger, less-experienced and prospect-like players, but also those players abilities to construct a bridge to the next season, one where they will be better and, thus, the team will be better.

The Cardinals at least have numbers on their side.

A total of 10 rookies made their major-league debut with the Cardinals this season, from Rule 5 pick Brian Barton to a…

TOWER GROVE — As Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre describes it: A few weeks ago, at Coors Field, he pulled his shortstop, Rafael Furcal, into a meeting to discuss whether or not the switch-hitter’s body would cooperate and let him be a factor in October. As MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick and the player describe it,  the tone of that meeting was a tad different: Furcal quit.

The Dodgers are not the only team pleased he reconsidered.

“We started…

DOWNTOWN — Cardinals first-round pick Brett Wallace continues a meteoric rise through the minor-league ranks with the announcement Tuesday that he will be one of two 2008 first-round picks to play in the Arizona Fall League. He’ll share the left side of the infield with the other.

And he’ll be playing for a familiar skipper — his current manager, Pop Warner.

Wallace, taken 13th overall and hitting ever since, headlines a group of eight players from the…

TOWER GROVE — As if being etched into the Cardinals’ future as their undisputed No. 1 prospect wasn’t enough, now Colby Rasmus’ potential as a big leaguer is being burned into his bats.

Venerable bat-maker Louisville Slugger announced this morning the signing of 10 players to bat contracts, and there listed among the likes of rookie of the year Dustin Pedroia, (should have been rookie of the year) Troy Tulowitzki, and Chris Duncan’s brother Shelley Duncan is the Cardinals’…

TOWER GROVE — The Post-Dispatch’s mirthful Mr. Joe Holleman offers up his “nine favorite baseball movies” in this morning’s paper and invites readers to cast votes for their favorites.

Hard to quibble with Holleman’s bulletproof lineup of movies, especially ”Bingo Long”, though the book is better, if you can find it. Major League is clearly No. 1, and Major League 2 is underrated, especially with Omar Epps turn as Willie Mays Hayes.

That said, what would an All-Star lineup…

DODGERTOWN, Fla. — On the first pitch he saw in his first game back since leaving his first game as a Marlin with a hamstring injury, Cameron Maybin roped a single.

And so continues a minor subplot around baseball this spring.

The arrival of the Center Fielders, Class of ‘05.

Maybin, taken 10th overall in 2005 draft, was the first of six center fielders taken in that first round, several of whom could be the opening day starters…

NEAR BOULDER — There is a gentle blizzard outside, and that means fresh powder up in them there mountains. Not to be confused, of course, with the “dry powder” the Cardinals still have for this here roster.

By now the Colby Rasmus story from Wednesday’s paper has made the rounds.

It’s clear the Cardinals expect him to make a push for the major-league roster at some point in time this coming season. Could be spring. Could be…