THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Missouri wide receiver Jeremy Maclin reportedly is moving quickly up many draft boards. Maclin plans to run this weekend at the NFL Combine. He’ll likely work out before scouts at a pro day at Mizzou. Given his rising stock, where do you see Maclin being selected in the NFL draft?

JIM THOMAS
Maclin is widely considered the second-best wide receiver in the draft behind Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech. It now looks like he will be taken in the top 10. There’s no substitute for speed. Al Davis has believed this for decades. That’s why Maclin will go to Oakland with the No. 7 overall pick. Just throw deep, baby.

BILL COATS
Maclin is a two-headed monster: an accomplished wide receiver as well as a dangerous return man. The Rams could use both, but probably will use the No. 2 overall pick to address more pressing needs. So, my guess is that the Raiders, who also need a wideout and a returner, grab Maclin with the seventh pick in the first round.

KATHLEEN NELSON
The Jets could use a QB and a fast receiver. QBs like Mark Sanchez and Matt Stafford should be long gone by the time the Jets pick. That leaves Maclin to the Jets at No. 17.

STU DURANDO
The consensus seems to be Oakland at No. 7 and that makes sense considering the Raiders’ lack of receivers. Now, if they can move up to get Michael Crabtree or if Crabtree miraculously falls that far, Maclin will drop, maybe to the Jets at No. 17. And because I cover Illinois football, I’ll add that cornerback Vontae Davis is also a projected first-rounder and could climb as high as Green Bay at No. 9.

TOM TIMMERMANN
Maclin is not going to be taken ahead of Michael Crabtree. And the teams that are willing to take receivers in the first round is limited. Still, there are the Oakland Raiders sitting there with the No. 7 pick, and the Raiders love to take guys who can go deep. Of course, who knows what the Raiders will do? So look for him there. If not, he may drop a bit.

JEFF GORDON
With Michael Crabtree losing stock value, Maclin could easily become a Top Ten pick in this draft. The Packers need help at receiver and Pro Football Talk’s mock draft has North Carolina receiver Hakeem Nicks going to Green Bay at No. 9. That seems like a reach, based on earlier assessments of Nicks. Maclin has to be a better pick there, right? Right?

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
How about the No. 7 pick to the Oakland Raiders? Al Davis loves game breakers, loves the deep ball, and needs someone who can bring that element to his team in ’09. The top two receivers on the Raiders’ depth chart right now, according to their own Web site, are Javon Walker (15 catches for 196 yards in ’08) and Ronald Curry (19 catches and 189 yards in ’08).

Even if they sign a big name free agent, Maclin still makes sense as a game changer who can stretch the field and also make the Raiders return game more dynamic. JaMarcus Russell needs receivers and Maclin will be the best on the board after the Seahawks take Michael Crabtree with the 4th pick. Maclin’s speed and explosiveness just scream, “Draft me, Mr. Davis!”

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

I AM TIGER WOODS: “I’m now ready to play again.” And with those six words from Tiger Woods, golf tournament organizers and their sponsors began cheering from the mountaintops. Woods made the announcement yesterday that he will play in next week’s WGC-Accenture Match Play. The return of Woods will get the cash flowing at tournaments and for television advertising … geez, I’m thinking this one man might just save the whole economy from pending doom. Perhaps the late-Earl Woods was right when he predicted his son would do more than change golf, but that he would change the world.

Bill Dwyre of the Los Angeles Times apparently seems to agree. The headline on his column today reads, “Tiger Woods’ comeback is bigger than the game.”

IT’S NOT OVER YET: It looks like the Alex Rodriguez steroids saga is not over, and it may just be beginning. According to a report in today’s New York Daily News, A-Rod has had a longstanding relationship with a steroid-linked trainer. The Daily News says that Angel Presinal was banned from private areas of every MLB ballpark after an October 2001 incident involving an unmarked gym bag full of steroids, but that he has been close to A-Rod dating back to his time with the Rangers. A-Rod has said he only used from 2001-03, but a source tells the Daily News that “Presinal accompanied A-Rod for the entire 2007 season, staying in the same hotel as the A.L. MVP, but in a separate room with the “cousin” Rodriguez pegged three days ago as his steroid source from 2001-03.”

So do you believe A-Rod when he says he only used steroids from 2001-03? Stay tuned. It ain’t over ’til it’s over.

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THINGS TO PONDER

THE WALTZ OF WALT: I was glad to see Keith Tkachuk get the game-winner in overtime last night. And he did it in his traditional style … planted in front of the net. “Big Walt” just doesn’t seem to get the respect he deserves in this town. It seems so many folks mention him first when discussing the trade deadline. Tkachuk has 18 goals and 17 assists this season for a total of 35 points. That’s good enough for a three-way tie as the team’s second-leader scorer (Patrik Berglund and David Perron also have 35 points), with only Brad Boyes’ 50 points coming in higher.

I’m not sure why fans in St. Louis wouldn’t want Tkachuk to stick around for another season or two — his veteran presence in the locker room has to help all the Baby Blues. And it’s not like he’s not putting up any numbers. Unless they can get a first-round pick for Tkachuk — which I don’t think the Blues can right now — I hope to see him back on the ice for the club next season.

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ON THIS DATE

FEB 20, 1953 — Anheuser-Busch buys all but seven shares of St. Louis Cardinals stock from recently imprisoned owner Fred Saigh and installs August A. Busch Jr. as club president. (Source: “This Day in Baseball”)

THE WATERCOOLER
(Post-Dispatch columnists and beat writers share their thoughts on a question of the day.)

Question: What are your expectations for Khalil Greene at shortstop for the Cardinals next season?

JOE STRAUSS
Greene is a lesser defensive player than Cesar Izturis who will probably benefit from exiting what had become a toxic situation in San Diego. Significant questions persist over his offensive approach, unwieldy strikeout totals and low on-base percentage. The Cardinals now project four 100-strikeout bats (Greene, Ankiel, Glaus, Ludwick). It’s a Band-Aid that leaves the Cardinals seeking their fifth shortstop in seven seasons for 2010. Greene is regarded as an introspective, spiritual person … a good guy. But there are many who now wonder if overanalysis contributed to last season’s dramatic offensive tumble. For now, it may be best to describe the move as “neutral” with decent upside.

RICK HUMMEL
I’m a big Khalil Greene fan, despite his awful season last year. If he hadn’t been so bad, the Cardinals might not have been able to get him so cheaply, seemingly. He should hit 20 home runs and drive in 75 and make the plays that need to be made. He will strike out, but so does everybody but Pujols, Molina and Schumaker.

DERRICK GOOLD
Greene fits the change-of-scenery label — a talent who after a power surge and 97 RBIs in 2007 was thought to be a charter member of the National League’s group of wunderkind shortstops, only to collapse into a disastrous 2008. He needs a fresh start. He has a one-year engagement with the Cardinals to do so. Getting out of Petco Park and away from the rapidly bailing San Diego franchise should engage and revive Greene’s interest and ability. He’s a career .270 hitter and a .484 slugger outside of Petco Park, and at his best he’s an athletic defensive player with reliable gap power. The Cardinals will get that Greene, not the 27-homer breakout of 2007, with the good glove, 30-plus doubles and an on-base percentage that makes it difficult to bat him near the top of the order.

BRYAN BURWELL
If Greene returns to his 2007 form, this is a good deal. His glove will be reliable, but the Cards have to get the 27-homer production for this to be considered a success.

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

CARDS GET SHORTSTOP, BUT AT WHAT COST: Obviously the big news of the day is the Cardinals trade for Padres shortstop Khalil Greene. The move comes on the heels of the Cards signing lefty reliever Trever Miller to a one-year deal Wednesday. That means the Cards have addressed two of the areas they deemed most important before even arriving at the Winter Meetings this weekend. Next up: a second baseman, an impact bat and perhaps a starting pitcher (pending news on Chris Carpenter, of course.)

What’s not yet known is what the Cardinals are giving up for Greene, though Joe Strauss has reported the move will cost the Cardinals organization two pitchers, neither of whom was on the major-league roster at the end of last season.

Bernie Miklasz says that manager Tony La Russa might want to consider Greene in the No. 6 hole. That’s been Greene’s best lineup spot during his career. In 636 ABs as a No. 6 hitter Greene has 31 homers, 110 RBIs and a .489 SLG.

Meanwhile, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports that Greene’s frustration over a season-long hitting slump last year boiled over July 30, when Greene punched a storage chest in a clubhouse tunnel at Petco Park, fracturing his left hand (insert Julian Tavarez joke here). Greene missed the final two months of 2008 because of the injury. You can read about that and what Padres fans are saying about the deal on the Union-Tribune link above.

SPEAKING OF SHORTSTOPS: The San Francisco Giants are expected to announce today that they’ve signed former Cardinal Edgar Renteria, who some locals had hoped would return to the Redbirds. Renteria will replace 11-time Gold Glove shortstop Omar Vizquel. It is reported that Renteria will receive an $18.5 million, two-year contract. That’s a lot of cake for a 33-year-old shortstop who’s range has diminished and who just finished a season batting .270 with 10 homers and 55 RBIs. I guess the economy doesn’t suck for everybody.

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A FEW THINGS TO PONDER

A RULEBOOK REFRESHER: Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was ridiculed mercilessly a few weeks back for not knowing that an overtime game can end in a tie in the NFL. But is he the only player in the league who would be baffled by some of the game’s rules? ESPN.com’s Rick Reilly put a number of players to the test. I found the results hilarious. Check it out.

PACKERS, OK. BUT THE SPURS? According to a consumer survey released this week, the Green Bay Packers have the strongest brand in its local market of any North American team in the major sports leagues. “What this is saying is the following the Packers have is more intensely loyal to supporting the Packers than any other team,” Len Perna, president of New Jersey-based Turnkey Sports & Entertainment, told the Associated Press. “What this basically says is that all other things being equal, a sponsor gets more value in sponsoring the Packers than any other team.”

The Packers ranked first among 122 team brands in the NFL, NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball. That’s got to be a tough pill to swallow for the Best Fans in Baseball. But fear not, Cardinal Nation. According to the survey, Cards fan at least showed up in the top ten, barely. Biggest surprise omissions here for me were the Cowboys and the Cubs. Oh well, in the words of Richard Dawson: And the survey says …

1. Green Bay Packers
2. Boston Red Sox
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
4. New England Patriots
5. Indianapolis Colts
6. Detroit Red Wings
7. San Antonio Spurs
8. Pittsburgh Penguins
9. Boston Celtics
10. St. Louis Cardinals

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STATS OF THE DAY

38 … 623 … 6 — Those are the receptions, yards and touchdowns for Isaac Bruce this season.

45 … 526 … 2 — Those are the receptions, yards and touchdowns for Torry Holt this season.

Did the Rams cut ties with the wrong receiver? You make the call.