roger from lake tahoe: don't you think the easiest transition to replace izzy is for perez to step in til izzy gets back. i know it starts his clock, but if the cards really have cash in the wallet why not spend some on one of our guys? and he got a taste of big league hitters this spring. thanks gordo.

Jeff Gordon: Perez is on the front burner, but not as the closer. At least not yet. Had Izzy hurt his hand during his most recent post-loss outburst, Perez would have been called up as a set-up guy.

Franklin, Springer and McClellan are better options, for now. But Perez will make his big league debut this season as long as he stays healthy.

Dave Doerre: With regards to the upcoming NHL daft, I would love to see the Blues take highly skilled Russian winger Nikita Filatov with the #4 overall selection. However last draft John Davidson passed on another highly skilled Russian forward, Alexei Cherepanov, because the state of the Russian transfer agreement. This organization has not developed a top flight forward internally since Rod Brind'AMour (twenty years ago) and he actually blossumed in Philly!

Jeff Gordon: Cherepanov also offered some risk with intangibles. Filatov appears to be a more willing player. But the transfer agreement is still an obstacle, so any Russian becomes a tricky pick. But as you say, the Blues haven't hit a home run in a while -- although Perron and Stempniak have nice futures.

Tackleberry: Gordo,

Remind me again what Torry Holt's beef with the team is?

Holt has been a class act since his rookie season in St. Louis. But I must say that Jim Thomas' article on Sunday is a bit concerning. While Holt has never been an "over-the-middle" receiver he has shown shades of Roger Dorn a la 'Major League' in recent seasons, meaning his body preservation has been the paramount concern and the extra yards/effort fell by the wayside. So, if you take that, and then add in a decreasing desire to be in St. Louis you get a player who is semi-committed. That attitude is the last thing this team needs now. This team has a 2-3 year challenge ahead of it and those who aren't committed to the "grind" probably should find another team.

Jeff Gordon: Holt's beef is three-fold:

The Rams were 3-13 last season, making everybody wonder if this regime is overmatched.

The Rams essentially shoved Isaac Bruce out the door.

Scott Linehan's conservative offense featured a horizontal passing scheme, taking this team light years from the "Greatest Show on Turf."

Maybe Al Saunders can win Holt back over time. But Torry's skepticism is understandable.

Larry: After enduring another week of misadventures by Chris Duncan in left feld...counting his throw to the wrong base to let another run in the Brewers' eigth inning on Sunday, how long will Cardinals fans have to put up with his lack of offense, power and defense?

Jeff Gordon: His offense is coming around. But is it enough to earn him at bats when other outfielders are playing so well? That is a tough question for La Russa.

TechnoPhobia: Izzy's recent problems are nothing new. Anyone familiar with his history knows he has had several spells like this before, and he has always bounced back. He is one tough guy and one of the most important members of this club, and I want to be there for save #300. Where and how can we send him words of encouragement?

Jeff Gordon: You never know, he might read this.

Izzy is a class act, which was underscored when he asked out of the closer's role to regroup. The guy competes. Can he regain his edge after a little time away? Perhaps. But the team has other options, so the Cards won't rush the process.