Jase: Why is Barden starting over Freese? Both are right handed and Freese earned the starting 3rd base job.

Jeff Gordon: That is a fair question. I'm not sure Freese earned the starting job. It fell to him. He should get most of the work at 3B, given his power and glove, but he also strikes out a lot. And you know that Tony doesn't want to give kids too much too soon. Barden has been a good soldier for organization, so this is a reward.

Chester: Any update on Paul Kariya, since he had the follow-up appointment with his surgeon? Is he still on track to play in the playoffs? When will he practice with the team?

Is anyone else having their gut wrench with nearly every game score in the West right now? Man, I want the team to get into the playoffs so badly.....and not for me (though I'd be stoked) but because those guys deserve it so much.

Jeff Gordon: Paul has been going full tilt, so he appears to be an option for the playoffs. It would be nice to see him in a regular season game or two, to see how far off his timing is.

If the Blues make it, they will face a juggernaut. Kariya could help a bit on the power play, but expecting much at even strength is unrealistic.

ross mandernach: hey gordo i am 15 and i was wondering do you think Khalil Greene will continue his dominance like he did in spring becuase lets not forget he did break his hand last year and was playing for nothing

Jeff Gordon: He's not Ted Williams, so he won't hit .400 in real games. But he should hit better than .213 and he should certainly drive in more runs than Cesar Izturis. Some day he will be the answer to a tough trivia question: Who hit clean-up on Opening Day in 2009.

Mike: Hey Gordo! Its baseball season! Doesnt feel like it outside but it is. I believe Glaus is in his last year of his contract. Do you think the cardinals might trade him with all the great 3B men we have?

Jeff Gordon: If Glaus ever comes back this year -- a big if, as we've seen with previous shoulder injuries -- than something could give by the trade deadline. Let's see if David Freese is ready to take the position over.

Can Freese become selective enough at the plate to make it all the way from Class A ball? We'll see. But he has a bright future.

sltest: Now that the band wagon STL writers have hopped on the Blues Express in the last week or so, the season team is now hemorrhaging goals. Could a few of the crew jump back to baseball and eraser the bad Karma they have imposed on this hard playing dedicated team, management, and ownership group. DeWitt would be happy with the traditional myopic focus on baseball, if not on ownership.

Post the band wagon change, any chance we could replace Hinote with someone who has hands?

Jeff Gordon: Yeah, Danny is not hired to score goals. His job is to keep the puck at the other end of the ice. And speaking of the other end, that is where the Blues need to stay. It has gotten rough in the Blues end. Mason is heroic, but he needs more help -- and fast!