Michael Kent: Jeff ...

So what do you think will ultimately become of Brad Thompson? Over the past year, TLR and DD have been quick to ship him to Memphis, where he seems to do fine as a starter. But when he's with the Cards, Thompson invariably ends up in the bullpen and maybe gets a spot start here or there. His effectiveness is mixed, presumably because he's used so infrequently and inconsistently.

To me, this treatment is not fair to Thompson. The Cards should trade him like they did Anthony Reyes, who was able to get a fresh start elsewhere.

And sadly, I'm noticing that P.J. Walters is being led down the same path as Thompson. He's a starter who's been relegated to long relief in the bullpen. His stats out of the bullpen are much the same as Thompson's ... inconsistent, which makes it likely that he'll be shipped back to Memphis soon.

While this may be a sign of a surplus of right-handed starters in the system (a good thing, no doubt), it does not give pitchers like Thompson and Walters a chance to lock into a role that's most natural to them. Consequently, they struggle as their roles continue to change.

Why not trade some of this excess of right-handed starters in the system for a left-handed starting prospect (a commodity that seems to be lacking in the Cards' system)? Even if the Cards have to deal two or even three right-handers to get one southpaw, why not do it? Or are other franchises just reluctant to trade their lefty prospects?

Your thoughts?

Thank you.

Jeff Gordon: Thompson has little trade value, so the team hangs on to him as insurance. To earn a more consistent role -- here or elsewhere -- he simply has to pitch better. He's not a kid any more. He has pitched in 157 big league games. His numbers have steadily deteriorated since his fine 2005 rookie season.

If somebody offered a developmental lefty for him, Mozeliak should jump at that. Jess Todd is ready to join the big league bullpen and Blake Hawksworth could get a look this year as well.

I like the movement on Walters pitches, but he has to throw strikes. Period. He didn't throw strikes as a starter and he hans't thrown strikes as a reliever. His window of opportunity here isn't all that wide, given the competition.

kingoftruth: Hey Gordo,

As a Mizzou fan, I was sorry to hear about the Dalton arrest last week. I certainly hope that the football program isnt turning into the hoops program when it was run by Quin Snyder.

Do you think this was just an isolated incident? I've been proud of the job Pinkel has done, so I hope the program doesnt turn down the wrong path.

Jeff Gordon: Many viewed Dalton as a potentially better fit for the Mizzou offense than Gabbert, so this was a blow to the program. Pinkel runs a right ship, so I don't see this as a bad sign of things to come.

Fresno Ram Fan: Hey Gordo,

How did the rookies look during mini camp? Once again, I think Ricky Manning Jr would be a great addition to Spags defense, what do you think?

Jeff Gordon: At this point in his career, Manning is limited. You can't leave him on an island in coverage. He is a solid run supporter in nickel or dime coverage, but that's about it. A big plus from mini-camp was King's return to good health at cornerback. As you'll recall, he was having a strong rookie camp until his toe injury knocked him out for the year.

Fresno Ram Fan: How did Bulger loook in the WCO? With SJ in camp and in shape, do you think he is expectating a great year with all the upgrades on the O-line? Thanx for keeping us out of state Ram fans updated.

Jeff Gordon: I liked Bernie's comments on Marc. He can still throw the ball as well in practice. But until he takes more accountability for the offensive collapse of the past two seasons, I can't get excited about his prospects for this season.

As for the West Coast, Marc is very accurate. He doesn't have huge downfield arm. From that standpoint, this ought to be a good fit for him. There is a lot to learn, though, so training camp will be interesting.

matt: Hi Jeff
First off I want to say I always like reading your hockey guy blog. Last week you posted a blog "keenen fails again" and some guy claiming to be a member of the media made some wacky statements about you having a unfair ax to grind. I wonder if you read the comments on that blog and had any response? For the record I agree with you and think keenen destroyed the blues and it took them years to recover.
Thanks Matt

Jeff Gordon: Mike's track record since winning the Cup in New York speaks for itself. Except for a good run in Boston, where he was kept on a short leash, he has been pretty dismal for the better part of 15 years.

He was terrible here. Terrible in Vancouver. Terrible in Florida. And he just led the Flames -- a team built to his specifications -- to a first-round exit.

He is the coaching equivalent of Glen Sather, an allegedly genius living off his long-tarnished reputation.