Harold Fox: What would you say are similarities going into 2008 Spring Traing with the team not being picked to go to the playoffs like the 2004 Spring Training team?

Jeff Gordon: This is unusually tough, really. This is TLR's most questionable team since his very early days here.

RCJ: How long will the club wait on Pujols elbow? I hate the track record our team has with injuries, surgery and recovery. We're going to be without Carpenter basically for the season. Mulder will miss a chunk as well. I have this fear of the Cardinals waiting forever, hoping that Pujols can play through it. In that case we'll have a subpar year and no Pujols next year. Can we light this fire soon so '09 doesn't become an issue?

Jeff Gordon: If he starts missing games and struggling, I will argue for the shutdown and surgery. Why drag it out?

Trigger: Why don't the Cards take a shot on Colon? Throw a few million his way in insentives and see where it gets you. That guy has been a good pitcher for a long time. He still knows how to throw strikes.

Jeff Gordon: Yeah, but his declining velocity scares everybody. He is an operation waiting to happen.

Trigger: If the Cards are still in at the All Star break do you see them making a run at Roger Clemens?

Jeff Gordon: No, although it would be fun to sign him and Bonds, keep Juan Gone and have a BALCO party . . .

roger from lake tahoe: if the cards are out of it in july, will they dump vets for prospects?

Jeff Gordon: Yeah, but what vets have value? Molina and Pujols aren't going anywhere. Glaus is needed to play third.