THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Cardinals have been scuffling of late, just as the 2006 team did down the stretch before going on a World Series run. Do you see any similarities between the two teams, or is it entirely different this time?

JOE STRAUSS
The biggest difference is health. The ’06 team was racked by injuries to David Eckstein, Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen and Jason Isringhausen. The cumulative effect nearly took them down in the stretch before an inspired bullpen performance, a rejuvenated Rolen (assisted by a well-timed cortisone injection to his shoulder) and Eckstein’s return from an oblique problem allowed the team to make its push. This 2009 team has far fewer health concerns but is being dragged down by inconsistent offense. Call it what you like — poor plate discipline, indifferent clutch hitting, cruise control — this team has not looked like the sum of its offensive parts for some time. A spark from Ryan Ludwick, now hitting sixth in the order, would be helpful. The fact that Matt Holliday is now on a 10-game hitting streak doesn’t carry much weight when the lineup is struggling at the Nos. 5-6 spots. It would be foolish to write off a team that looked like the league’s best in August. However, a different approach must be found before next Wednesday’s Division Series opener, it would seem.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
I understand the similarities — namely, a dull and losing performance late in the season, especially by the hitters — but it’s a stretch. The 2006 Cardinals didn’t have its regular lineup for much of September. Injuries were a factor. CF Jim Edmonds had 28 ABs in September; SS David Eckstein had 23. Outfielder Juan Encarnacion had a hand/wrist injury, and though he kept playing, the condition would later require minor surgery. Guys like Aaron Miles and Preston Wilson received a lot of at-bats. Scott Rolen’s shoulder was especially sore, and he batted .225 in September. Trade acquisition Ronnie Belliard hit .214 in the final month. As for the pitching, Jeff Weaver had yet to take his magic carpet ride, and the bullpen was unsettled, with Jason Isringhausen transitioning out and Adam Wainwright entering as the closer.

The way I see it, the problem right now is one of decompression. The Cardinals basically had a playoff spot secured a month ago, and they haven’t been able to stay wired up.

RICK HUMMEL
The situations aren’t entirely different but this time the Cardinals have two bona fide No. 1 starters in Carpenter and Wainwright to take into any series in the playoffs and they had only Carpenter they really could count on in 2006. The World Series champion of three years ago, though, was a much more experienced team inasmuch as almost all of the prominent players, with the exception of Wainwright, had been in postseason play before. This year, the Cardinals will have a starting second baseman, shortstop, center fielder and right fielder who haven’t been in the postseason.

JEFF GORDON
Every team is different and every season is different. This team should be better equipped with front-line pitching, a (theoretically) deep offense and a solid back end of the bullpen. On paper, this is a much better team. But this team is also hitting below its potential right now, which has to be unsettling for Tony La Russa. The ’06 team proved that anything is possible come playoff time, good or bad.

GERRY FRALEY
The 2006 team was injury-riddled and unable to keep its best lineup on the field at the end of that season. This club is in far better health, at least according to the public pronouncements of a secretive organization. A healthy team that cannot slap around Homer Bailey is having lineup problems. In 2006, the Cardinals knew they would get better as soon as they were healthy. This club does not have that to lean upon going into the post-season.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
I don’t see similarities between the ’09 Cardinals and the ’06 Cardinals at all. The ’06 team was falling apart down the stretch trying to get healthy while losing games. That team was 13-15 in August and 12-17 from September 1st on, for a grand total of 25-32 down the stretch that included a 7-game losing streak in the 3rd week of September. The ’09 Cardinals were 20-6 in August and are 13-12 in September entering play on the 30th. That’s 33-18 compared to 25-32, which isn’t even close. It’s +15 compared to -7, using Tony La Russa’s way of looking at things. The ’09 Cardinals are also a lot healthier and have a much more stable pitching situation.

In ’06 the Cardinals starters toward the end of the season were Chris Carpenter (3.09), Jason Marquis (6.02), Jeff Suppan (4.12), Mark Mulder (7.14), Anthony Reyes (5.06) and Jeff Weaver (5.18). Look how ugly those ERAs are and then toss in the fact that Jason Isringhausen was collapsing because of his bad hip and a young pup named Adam Wainwright was still emerging as a reliever and you had pure, unadulterated panic down the stretch.

This year they’ve got Carpenter (2.30), Wainwright (2.58), Joel Pineiro (3.44), Kyle Lohse (4.84) and John Smoltz (3.18) in the late season rotation and while Ryan Franklin has struggled more of late than he did early in the season, his ERA is still just 1.95 and he’s saved 38 games in 43 chances. Franklin’s 7.56 ERA and .382 opponent batting average in September is scary, no doubt, but that isn’t enough to compare the ’09 Cards to the ’06 Cards.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Besides Albert Pujols, which sluggers would you most like to see perform in the year’s Home Run Derby?

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Let’s back up a moment. Actually, I DON’T want to see Albert Pujols in the HR Derby. He’s The Franchise. He has a partially torn elbow ligament. I don’t see how it makes sense whatsoever to put Pujols at risk by having him take multiple sets of maximum-intensity swings, just to give Chris Berman something to scream about on ESPN. Cardinals fans may want to see Pujols in the HR Derby; I’d rather see him play first base for the Cardinals for the remaining games on the schedule. Because if he snaps the elbow ligament, the Cardinals are doomed. Done. Finished. If the public has such an insatiable desire for homers, then give ’em what they want. MLB should turn the Home Run Derby into a showcase for the juicers. Invite Bonds, Sosa, McGwire, Palmeiro, A-Rod, Ramirez, Sheffield and let’s have a freak show.

JOE STRAUSS
Aaron Miles, Cesar Izturis, David Eckstein, Brendan Ryan and Ryan Freel. Perhaps then the longest, most sponsor-driven night in American sport would take less time than the Game itself. This year’s selection process suggests that at least one player, Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard, was named to the NL All-Star team to ensure his participation in the Derby. Sounds like the tail wagging the dog to me.

JEFF GORDON
Start with the hometown kid, Ryan Howard. He would want to put on a big show, right? A pure hitter like Justin Morneau is fun to watch in an event like this, too. Josh Hamilton is a freak show. If he is healthy enough to answer the bell, that would be great fun. Evan Longoria and Adrian Gonzalez are on my fantasy baseball team, so I would rather they skip the event and save themselves for second-half statistical glory.

DERRICK GOOLD
Chiefly, Ryan Howard. It is, after all, the biggest reason he’s coming here as an All-Star — because he can flat crank with light-tower power. Howard was a manager’s pick for the National League team, a favor pick, if you will. There are more deserving bats in the NL (read: Pablo Sandoval) but there aren’t any more fitting bats for an All-Star Game than the slugger back home to hit homers in St. Louis. A duel between him and Pujols would be the Must-See TV that ESPN is certainly salivating over. You could argue that the derby should be exclusively first basemen, but others who should be in the derby, taking aim at “BIG MAC LAND” are: Ryan Braun (one of the best righthanded hitters in the league), Evan Longoria (young star on the rise), Mark Teixeira (see how he does outside of new Yankee Stadium) and … Ichiro Suzuki. Word is he can put on a show during batting practice with his pop. Time to flash that 5 o’clock power under the lights of the 7 o’clock derby.

DAN O’NEILL
Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Henry Aaron, Willie Mays, Harmon Killebrew, Ted Williams, Joe Adcock, Frank Howard, Ralph Kiner, Ernie Banks, Dick Stuart, Dick Allen, Frank Robinson, Mickey Mantle, Willie McCovey, Willie Stargell, Jimmie Foxx, Reggie Jackson, Rocky Colavito, Yogi Berra, Duke Snider, Stan Musial and Johnny Mize.

Because with today’s bats and today’s balls, they would put on one heckuva show. And best of all, none of it would be chemically enhanced.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Cardinals are off to a 9-5 start. While the season is still very young, is there any individual’s play, good or bad, that has caught your attention thus far? And what do you expect from this player in coming months?

JOE STRAUSS
The third base platoon of Joe Thurston and Brian Barden has exceeded what even the most wildly optimistic fans and front office members could have envisioned. Their production likely will outstrip what Troy Glaus gave the team last April. The question is how much longer will manager Tony La Russa be able to find them favorable matchups and to what extent either player will be exposed by heavy playing time.

DERRICK GOOLD
We had a good idea going into spring training that Brian Barden was an above average glove with the ability to play three positions in the infield, and play them well. There just wasn’t any indication that was enough to even make the major-league bench. As Joe Mather, Joe Thurston and later David Freese got the playing time at third and Skip Schumaker monopolized second, Barden was in the background of both competitions. Was he around for depth? Or, did he have a shot? Halfway through March we were wondering if a player with so few at-bats had stuck around that long in major-league camp before.

But stuck around he did. Stuck around long enough to outlast others, win a utility job — and now is capitalizing on the opportunity to be a regular starter at third base. The reason: Well, opportunity, sure, but also health. Turns out Barden was really hampered by a groin injury the past couple seasons that diagnosed as something he should play through. He had it repaired this offseason and has his legs back. Plus, he feels he can turn on pitches better, with more whip and therefore more power. The glove plays. That much is certain and that is enough to keep him in the majors. In the month ahead, the bat will dictate how much he plays.

RICK HUMMEL
Chris Duncan probably has been the biggest surprise to most people although if they had had a chance to watch him in spring training, they would have seen that his swing was back after he was restricted by injuries the last two years. And he’s dropped only one fly ball.

Duncan should knock in 85 runs and hit .270 or above.

JEFF GORDON
The most interesting player is Joe Thurston. He is a middle infielder by trade, yet he is logging big time at third base. He gets burned from time to time on the hot corner, yet his defensive hustle aggression and hustle produce outs — as Carlos Beltran learned first hand. He adds speed when he gets on base. Given his minor league history, you would expect him to keep getting on base, too. He looks like a classic Tony La Russa guy. Hungry utility players can add a lot to the team chemistry, as we saw with Aaron Miles the last few seasons.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Now that the Arizona Cardinals have made the Super Bowl, we see anything is possible. St. Louis Blues owner Dave Checketts proclaimed a couple years back that he would bring the Stanley Cup to St. Louis. How long do you think it will be before this team is not only playoff-bound, but strong enough to make some noise when they get there?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
The Blues are at least three years away from competing for a Stanley Cup. Now that they’ve got the young talent in house, they need time for it to develop and gain experience. When Erik Johnson, Patrik Berglund, T.J. Oshie and David Perron are ready, then the team can make a move for a top-flight player or two to complement them. The Blues can play with the top clubs in the league now, as theY showed Monday in Boston, but in a seven-game series it would be another story. That day, however, appears to be getting closer.

JEFF GORDON
Given all their injury setbacks, the Blues are at least two years away from making playoff noise. The team must find a cornerstone goaltender; that may or may not be Ben Bishop. We’ll see. The defense ought to be outstanding next season and beyond, but the team will still need to develop more scoring to help Berglund, Perron, Backes and Oshie. Lars Eller may be two years away and Phil McRae could be three years away. Meanwhile, the Blues won’t have the resources to buy a whole lot of help.

DAN O’NEILL
The Blues have a corps of good young players, and more on the way. They have been playing considerably better hockey in the past two weeks. If they could get one of their goaltender’s hot, get a couple of players healthy, I do not think it is beyond the realm of possibility that they could make the playoffs this season, but it’s a long shot. I think with the addition of a couple more pieces, they are more likely to make the playoffs next year. As for “making noise,” you never know once you get in. But it seems like they are at least two years away from a Stanley Cup run.

TOM TIMMERMANN
The Blues probably won’t make the playoffs this year, and they may get in next year, but won’t go far. So we’re looking at the 2010-11 season before the Blues have a chance to make some noise. By that point, some of the team’s players who are kids today will have become experienced players and a good many of the players who are here today will be gone. But I’m not sure if even then this team will be a Stanley Cup team. They’re going to have to pick up a big-time goal-scorer along the way somewhere.

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

INTRODUCING YOUR 2009 CUBS: As Cardinal Nation flocked to the Winter Warmup this past weekend, Chicagoans were doing the same at the Cubs Convention. Chicago Tribune writer Steve Rosenbloom took the opportunity to take manager Lou Piniella to task for batting Alfonso Soriano in the leadoff spot, and offered up his own lineup for the ’09 club. He’s got former Cardinal Aaron Miles in the No. 2 hole and has this to say about it: “(He) batted .358 in the two-spot last season; that was in front of Albert Pujols, but .358 is .358, pal.”

Check out the rest of his lineup card. Amusing … but scary.

REALIZING THE DREAM: Sports and politics don’t mix, right? Wrong, if you’re ESPN. They’ve put together a really nice package at ESPN.com recognizing the historic nature of the day with Barack Obama taking his oath of office. They’ve got some well-thought out stories, vignettes from a number of athletes on what the day means to them and a story about how even Tiger Woods (normally not political at all) got into the mix. Plus, the network has a full lineup of programs today ranging from a Jack Johnson documentary to a piece on black quarterbacks in the NFL. You can read all about it and get a full listing of the programs at their Web site.

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SOMETHING TO PONDER

WOW … JUST WOW: What an afternoon in Boston yesterday for the Blues. That had to be one of the most amazing final five minutes of a game I’ve ever seen. Oh wait, I didn’t actually see it since it wasn’t televised. I was watching via the CBS live scoreboard. I headed out the door to grab some lunch with five minutes remaining and the Blues leading 2-1. By the time I got into my car and flipped on KMOX to pick up the game, the Blues were trailing 4-2. What??? Then I heard the announcers’ calls on the Perron and Backes goals (do you know how excruciating it was not to be able to see the replays of Backes’ game-tying goal and just having to trust the announcers that the goal was good while it was being reviewed?) Listened to OT while going through a drive-through. Back in the office just in time to see Oshie and Boyes shootout goals … again via CBS scoreboard.

I can’t believe how exciting it was without even being able to witness it. Perhaps I should just drop my Direct TV and do it the old-fashioned way from now on.

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STAT OF THE DAY

7 – Number of points by which Pittsburgh is favored over Arizona in Super Bowl XLIII.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Show-Me state got its second new NFL general manager this week when Scott Pioli, longtime vice president of player personnel for the New England Patriots, was hired by the Kansas City Chiefs. This comes on the heels of Billy Devaney being elevated recently to the same post with the St. Louis Rams. Both GMs inherit teams that went 2-14 last year and neither has his head coach locked in for next season. Which of the two do you think will be first to lead their team back to the playoffs?

JIM THOMAS
There’s a lot of hype surrounding Pioli, but a once-in-a-generation type of quarterback like Tom Brady makes a lot of people look like genuises. Even with Denver hiring a new coach and LaDainian Tomlinson showing signs of wearing down in San Diego, the AFC West remains a tougher division than the NFC West. So we’ll go with Devaney and the Rams, barely.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
The Chiefs have an edge with Pioli, who is the No. 1 “catch” of the offseason. There is less work and rebuilding to do in Kansas City, and fewer questions about ownership stability.

BILL COATS
Devaney has a slight edge here. The Rams’ roster, while badly in need of an overhaul, actually is a bit stronger than the Chiefs’ roster. Plus, the NFC West is arguably the weakest division in the NFL — not that the AFC West is filled with juggernauts. So if the right buttons are pushed, the Rams could make a move up pretty quickly.

KATHLEEN NELSON
I’ll give the edge to the Chiefs because the Hunt family seems to have a better football sense than Chip and Lucia. Scott Pioli also comes from a recent winning tradition with the Patriots, the closest thing the NFL has had to a dynasty in the last decade.

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

STILL GLAD TO BE A CUBBIE? When Aaron Miles signed with the Chicago Cubs on Dec. 31, most folks thought he would be penciled into the starting second base job with Mark DeRosa leaving Chicago. Well not so fast. According to the Chicago Tribune, Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said this week that Miles will compete with Mike Fontenot for the job during spring training.

Fontenot hit .360 after the All-Star break last year and showed he can play at a high level. “I think when we all got done, and all the things that got batted around in the last couple of months, we forget how good a player he was last year,” Hendry told the Tribune.

Miles, 32, averaged 134 games played and batted .263, .290 and .317 over the last three years with the Cardinals. But he sure sounded like he thought his future was bright when leaving town. Who can forget the following comments he made to Chicago beat writers: “I’m excited to be a Cubbie. Being a Cardinal was great, and that part is over now. Now I’m ready to be a Cubbie and play the game the right way.”

Well, it looks like the right way might be another stint as a utility player … but this time for the Lovable Losers, not the 10-time world champs. I’m just sayin’.

To be fair, Miles didn’t totally slam the Cardinals on his way out of town. In fact, he told P-D writer Derrick Goold the following: “It was still the toughest decision I’ve had to make because St. Louis was the greatest experience I’ve ever had in baseball. Being with the Cardinals made my career happen. I started in Colorado, but I made a name for myself in St. Louis.”

If you missed it the first time around, you can check Goold’s interview with Miles in the Birdland blog.

THE END OF AN ERROR? Say it ain’t so. Chemistry problems in the Dallas Cowboys locker room? Nah, can’t be. Surely the Cowboys had to be convinced they could control Terrell Owens when they signed him … after he had already worn out his welcome in Philadelphia and San Francisco. What convinced them otherwise? Perhaps it was T.O. calling out golden boy quarterback Tony Romo late this season. But that’s just history repeating itself, as we all know T.O. trashed his QBs in Philly and San Fran — Donovan McNabb and Jeff Garcia, respectively.

But Owens may not be the only problem, reports ESPN’s Ed Werder. He says improving locker room chemistry is the highest priority for the Cowboys this offseason. “I think we all know that chemistry is the problem with this team more than the schemes or anything else,” a Cowboys source told Werder. “Are we going to continue to allow talent to outweigh everything else in the decisions we make with players and putting the roster together? … There’s more to it than talent. It has to be more about the team. … “The big one [Owens] didn’t get discussed yet, but I’m sure it will and real hard.”

This one is about as surprising to me as “Dog bites man.”

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SOMETHING TO PONDER

THE DEVILS MADE HIM DO IT: So the Brendan Shanahan “sweepstakes” are over as the three-time Stanley Cup champion has finalized a contract to play out this season with the New Jersey Devils, the team that selected him No. 2 overall in the 1987 draft. This may prick at the hearts of some Blues fans — the Blues had expressed interest in Shanahan returning to St. Louis — but I think the Blues benefitted by Shanahan’s desire to finish out his career on the East coast.

There’s no denying the impact of Shanahan’s career. He has tallied 650 goals and 1,340 points in 1,490 NHL games. He ranks 11th on the career goal list and 24th in points. Again, unmistakably a star.

Now for the flip side: First, Shanahan turns 40 next week. He’s clearly nearing the end of the road. This is not the same guy who the Blues signed in 1991 in a trade that sent defenseman Scott Stevens to the Devils (where Stevens helped lead New Jersey to three Cup titles.) No, this Shanahan is coming off a 23-goal, 46-point season with the Rangers in 2007 — the lowest total since his rookie season. Shanahan’s last truly great year came in 2005 with the Red Wings, when he put up 40 goals and 81 points. That’s three years ago, or 21 in dog years (and since Shanahan has played 21 seasons, I think the comparison works.)

For my ticket money, give me the Baby Blues and the future on the ice rather than Shanahan and the past. Sorry, Shanny, but I just would hate to see you taking ice time away from the guys that are going to lead this team for years to come.

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STAT OF THE DAY

102 — Points Shanahan put up for the Blues in 1993. 52 goals and 50 assists. Wow!