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…

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…

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…

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….

TOWER GROVE — Cardinals minor leaguer Mark Hamilton, one of the best bats in the system, is headed to the Arizona Fall League to join several other premium prospects from the organization.

Hamilton, a second-round pick in the 2006 draft, will join the Mesa Solar Sox in time for the season opener Tuesday. A spot on the Cardinals’ roster for the AFL became open this week when outfielder Mark Shorey reported to training camp and…

CHICAGO — Bless you Padres.

It has been quite a sprint to the finish, what with three cities in seven days, one haircut nightmare, less than 24 hours in the Big Apple — long enough to see the Mets in full historic plunge  –  and one wacky finale in Pittsburgh. (I’m starting this blog entry on the flight home, fueled by coffee at O’Hare.) But the San Diego Padres did me a solid. They bought…

TOWER GROVE  – Of his many and ubiquitous talents, Dan McLaughlin has a real knack for snaring me in the vice of a pointed question.

At this past  January’s  Winter Warm-Up, McLaughlin invited me on the main stage to  take questions from him in front of  several dozen — couple hundred? — Cardinals fans. Players were signing  away on both sides of the main stage, one of whom was Albert Pujols. So naturally, McLaughlin asked…

TOWER GROVE — Back on the Blues beat, I was in Vancouver one winter, needing to catch a flight to Edmonton and writing on fumes. Battery fumes.

The AC adapter for my laptop was kaput and before catching a flight to Alberta  – where I might find a computer store that sold an IBM compatible AC adapter, or might not — I had to file an article. Deadline is one thing.  But a  flashing red…