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Gordo Live
Join columnist Jeff Gordon for a live chat from 1-2 p.m. Monday about the Cards, Rams, Blues, Mizzou or whatever sport or team is on your mind.
Monday, May 18, 2009 01:00 PM CDT
DBQIA: A question about last years Tigers. They had three players drafted, one in the first round and at least one additional player that is going to a training camp as an UDFA. They also had a player, Weatherspoon, that would have been drafted if he had come out. With all that talent why was the defense so bad?
Jeff Gordon: Great question. Teams burned the Tigers time and again with similar passing plays. How many times did the defensive backs end up pointing at each other? For a team that sees the spread every, Mizzou was shockingly incapable to defending that sort of passing attack.

It would have been nice to see Pinkel do additional hiring from outside his tight circle to put fresh eyes on this.
Tackleberry: Gordo,
After the 1-0 loss Saturday, again they referenced the "Ludwick & Ankiel" absence in the post-game show when discussing the recent scoring draught. Ludwick is a given, but Ankiel is batting .247 with 2 HRs and 11 RBI's. My point is that the offensive issues go deeper than Ankiel not being in the line-up whether they want to admit it or not. This team needs a constant force in the line-up, they are relying too much on young players who cannot deliver night in and night out. But where do you get that proven bat now?
Jeff Gordon: It WILL take a collective effort to get out of this. Ankiel showed signs of becoming the power hitter he was last season . . . and then he got hurt. Ludwick started fast, tailed off and got hurt.

Barden and Thurston had a great month, then died. K. Greene showed signs of breaking out, then he fell back. Rasmus has shown us potential, but not consistency. Duncan has been solid, but he lacks the power he had before neck surgery.

Since Glaus seems increasingly unlikely to play for the Cards again, 3B becomes a focal point. With both Freese and Mather hurt, now Wallace, the '08 pick, is moving on deck. That's great, but, yes, another veteran RH bat would be welcome.

As teams edge into "bail" mode, this will merit some attention.
BillP: Hey Jeff, who do you like in the Conference Finals? You got the Hawks/Wings and Penguins/Canes Who's your pick in each series and why? Thanks and Have a good week!
Jeff Gordon: For all my reservations about Osgood, the Winged Wheel keeps on rolling. I like Carolina's grit, but the Crosby/Malkin show ought to prevail there because Pittsburgh wisely added some beef. I'd feel even better about Pittsburgh if Gonchar wasn't trying to play on one leg.
Wild Bill: Hey Gordo,
Thanks for the chat.
With the Blues pick at #17 in the 2009 entry draft; what direction would you like to see Jarmo go this year, perhaps trading up for a OHL player (like Peter Holland or Zack Kassian) who is close to ready for an immediate impact or will he go with another lesser known Eller type Euro kid (like Jacob Josefson or Oliver Ekman-Larsson)? Also how would rate this years draft class is it considered to be a good one?
Jeff Gordon: After the first three picks in the first round, this draft falls off. Given that, I'd recommend that the Blues go for long-term upside with the pick. If that means taking a Euro or a skilled kid headed to college, so be it.

The Blues will have their hands full developing Eller, Pietrangelo, Palushaj, Bishop, et al in the short term.
Tackleberry: Gordo,

Really enjoyed Wellemeyer's 41 pitch 1st inning on Sunday. Your colleague Mr. Strauss contends that Wellemeyer & Piniero are safe based solely on their salaries alone. Meanwhile, Boggs continues to be effective, though not terrible efficient. So how do you defend sticking with Wellemeyer or Piniero when Carp returns? They aren't even giving us a chance to win most times out.
Jeff Gordon: If Boggs could pitch deeper into games, he would be a candidate to bump Wellemeyer or Pineiro back to the bullpen right now. But those fifth-inning exits killed him. So Mitchell is still positioned as the No. 6 guy, waiting for somebody else to fall. The team was 4-0 when he started, so he remains on the front burner.

Wellemeyer and Pineiro aren't immune because of seniority. They are pitching just enough good innings, in there with the bad ones, to offer hopeful of better things. They are straddling that line right now.
Mark D.: When we acquired Khalil Green, I thought we'd finally get out of our annual shortstop doldrums. What I've seen thus far is a poor fielder with no range and terribly inconsistent offense with little plate discipline. Moreover, his demeanor suggests he really doesn't care. At this point, both Tyler Greene and Ryan deserve to play in front of him.

What gives? Am I missing something or did the Cards whiff?

Thanks,

Mark D.
Jeff Gordon: Right now K. Greene is a whiff. And this is NOT San Diego. If he doesn't pull it together, T. Greene will take over and Greene will be doomed to the Adam Kennedy spot on the bench.

After watching him Sunday, I wonder if a trip to the DL - followed by a couple weeks of rehab in the minors -- might not be in order.
dave cobler: Hey Gordo;

It's getting tough watching the little league Cardinals these days. After Feilder hit the homerun yesterday I could'nt wait for the game to get over so I could get out and mow the lawn. The team has crashed, and I wonder how long it will burn before the ashes are gathered up and a resurrection brings them back to life.

We're nearly two months into the season. Do you think this team will rebound and be more like it showed in April or can we expect to see more of May over the next four months?

Thanks Gordo for your time here Gordo.
Jeff Gordon: These team produced a lot of runs when it had the four-man OF rotation, allowing La Russa to pick spots for guy. I'd expect some of that offense to return and for the pitching to improve with Carpenter.

But additional change appears to be in order. The Cards need more RH heft in the offense. With Glaus, Mather and Freese all wiped out, that leaves keeps the 3B spot in flux.
HEG: Gordo I can a see a repeat of last year for the Cardinals; get off to a good start & decline the rest of the year; first in my opinion they need to release or trade Khalil Greene; it is either obvious that he does not want to play in St. Louis or his skills have declined to the point where he is no longer big league status; the pitching staff is pathetic with their location of pitches and # of walks and with their anemic offense I can see them repeating last year performance; agree or disagree?
Jeff Gordon: Disagree. They've had a bad two weeks after four good ones. If the returning players don't have the desired impact, then Mozeliak has the resources -- both prospects and budget money -- to make changes.

Making changes now is difficult, given all the injuries. We should have a clearer look at this team's potential in two weeks.

Several guys, especially K. Greene, need to pick it up.
Fresno Ram Fan: Hey Gordo,

With the release of Pisa, have you heard of the Rams making any trades or signings? Many speculate something is in the works, what do you know? Thanx again for keeping us out of state Ram fans updated.
Jeff Gordon: Change will be constant right into the season. As you can see from the recent moves, the Rams aren't looking to make any more splashes. They are looking to cycle out guys who don't fit the systems and enhance their depth. RB, WR, OT, LB, S . . . there are still several areas that could be addressed.
Michael Kent: Jeff ...

Given that he pitched fairly well (but not very deep) during his stay, is it safe to say the Mitchell Boggs has locked himself in as the Cards' "sixth" starter?

Of course, Boggs has to spend 10 days down in Memphis before he is eligible for his next recall. God forbid that in the next few days it becomes necessary to call up another starter before Boggs is eligible again, who do you think gets the call? Surely not P.J. Walters! Or does Brad Thompson get another chance to start?

Here's a novel idea ... why not give lefty Evan MacLane a look? What do you know about this kid, Jeff? Since being brought to Memphis, he's done a splendid job. Plus, we all know that the Cards desperately need some left-handed balance in the rotation. Besides, the Cards couldn't possibly do any worse than the Walters experiment.

Thanks.
Jeff Gordon: MacLane was is a depth guy. A lot would have to happen to get him on the roster. Hawksworth and Mortensen are throwing well, so another injury would move one of them up.

Walters had a couple of tough outings in Memphis before regaining his bearings. It could be a while before we see him again.

Thompson could be an emergency guy, with Kinney a good bet to regain his spot in the bullpen at some point this summer.

Boggs will get a couple starts at Memphis and get ready for another recall.
Will: At what point does the Cardinals management stop making decisions based on salary, and start making them based on performance? I am not bashing the Greene trade, but the reason that we were able to get him so cheap was due to the fact that his career was potentially in decline. I feel that it was a good trade and a low risk gamble, but it is looking like 2008 may not have been a fluke. How long will the cards give Greene to figure it out before they stop using him as an everyday player? Wouldn't it be in the teams’ best interest to find out this year if Tyler Greene has what it takes to be an everyday shortstop?
Jeff Gordon: TLR has made it very clear that T. Greene could end up playing a LOT of SS this year. Greene is getting some time to work things out, but this team needs offense from that slot. Again, I could see a DL stint to let him rest that forearm, then some time in Memphis to work on his swing.

Khalil did some decent things before getting hurt this year, so perhaps rest and rehab could bring him back.
Will: Is there any real chance that the Cards will address their need for an impact right handed bat to protect Pujols? Matt Holliday is almost certainly going to be available at the trade deadline. I know his numbers are not that great right now, but he has a proven track record. This year the Cards have the type off prospects to land him, and they could do it without completely wiping out the farm system. I have heard the argument that it will be more difficult to re-sign Pujols if you give another player a large contract, but if the team doesn’t address this need Pujols will leave anyway. It appears that Pujols is more concerned with his legacy (championships) than he is with obtaining the largest possible contract. I believe that unless the ownership is willing to spend the money for a quality player Pujols will leave.
Jeff Gordon: Why spend $16 million for a left fielder? Oakland will trade him this season, looking to recoup the prospects they burned to rent him for a few months.

We all saw what the Cards four OFs did when they were healthy. If the Cards want to rent a bat for the rest of the year, they need to rent a 3B to bridge the team to Brett Wallace.

If the Cards want to trade a LH-hitting outfielder for a comparable RH-hitting OF, that could work, too.
Jim Hall: Could someone please tell me why LaRussa allowed a right hander to pitch to Fielder in the 7th in a 4-2 game when he had both left handers available. I'm sure that no one asked him about it in post game because nothing was in today's paper. I would love to hear Tony's spin on it.
Jeff Gordon: Tony's answer: Boyer had pitched well against the Brewers in the past. Also, the unstated fact is La Russa uses his pitchers differently when trailing.

Miller could have been used there, for sure, but Fielder has one two-run homer in six career at bats against him. (Boyer had retired Fielder in his only previous appearance against him.)

pujols05: What are the chances we keep Boggs in the starting rotation and use Wellemeyer as a long reliever? Thanks
Jeff Gordon: Boggs is back in the Memphis rotation, for now. Todd will get a couple more starts. When he's been good, he's been real good. But when he's been bad . . .
RICH: Jeff: Lots of talk about Carpenter and how's he's experienced no pain from pitching. Has he tried to swing a bat yet, as that is where the injury happened? Also, DeWitt must be in heaven after all these of high priced veterans on the field we saw 6 rookies playing yesterday with probably a combined payroll of under $2,000,000 for all six. He's gotten love that!! Who cares if they can't hit big league pitching, it' s all about the bottom line. I have tickets for a few more games this year and if the Memphis Redbirds going to be playing in Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis at Major League prices like yesterday, you can count of me NOT to buy any more tickets!!

thanks
Rich
Jeff Gordon: Players on the disabled list:

Chris Carpenter $14 million
Troy Glaus $11.25 million
Ryan Ludwick $3.7 million
Rick Ankield $2.825 million

Once again the Cards have more than $30 million allocated to injured guys. DeWitt does not love that.

tone-dog: Jeff: Ankiel's coming back, but is it a good thing? Is he regressing, playing too tight because of the contract ending, or just confused at the plate? He looks like he's hacking at everything blindly.
Also, do you see a Rasmus/Robinson platoon once Ankiel and Ludwick return, with Duncan the spot starter?
Thanks.
Jeff Gordon: Duncan had a solid six-week run at the plate, so he will continue to get at bats. Robinson could eventually fit here as a fifth outfielder, but the team's lack of bench power is a huge concern. Stavinoha offers more there, plus he can catch in an emergency.

Ankiel showed some positive signs before getting hurt. He IS under a lot of pressure, because he is a bubble guy for free agency. A so-so year could force him to re-up for a year at moderate price and try again to build long-term value.

Scouts (and Cards fans) still want to see more consistency from him. The rest of his season could dictate the course of his remaining career.
tone-dog: The third base platoon has come back to earth. Who's available to trade for? Is it going to be Wallace or Craig time soon? I think it's time to play it like Glaus will not be back.
Jeff Gordon: You're right about Glaus. Wallace could reach the big leagues this season, either as a Sept. call-up or as offensive help sooner. He is THAT good at the plate. Craig's defense could preclude him getting a bid there.

The Cards could look for a short-term RH bat with some 3B skills. I haven't seen any interesting names in the marketplace to this point of the season.
Tackleberry: In a P-D article, LaRussa asked for some latitude with his current line-up. Doesn't LaRussa understand that nobody is blaming him? Outside of the Ludwick playing time issue early in the season, LaRussa has managed this team very well considering the circumstances.
Jeff Gordon: He's trying to keep heat off the players. But, in fact, change is in order. Some of these kids are all right, but veterans like K. Greene, Boyer and Thompson need to pick it up, in addition to Wellemeyer.
Jeff: How much longer do the Cardinals go with Khalil Green before they start giving Tyler Greene or Brendan Ryan more starts at SS?
Jeff Gordon: TLR is already there. He gave Ryan a look before Brendan popped the hammy and we've seen more of T. Greene. Khalil will get some more chances, of course, but TLR will want to put him in favorable match-ups only to get him going again.
cburn17: Mr. Gordon,
I have submitted this question about ten times at this point, hopefully you have the wisdom to answer it. Can you "paint" a picture of the Ram's current salary cap status so that we loving fans can approximate exactly how much they can anc cannot do prior to training camp and/or the season starting in respect to additions or maybe further releases? Also is there any movement or credible rumors about any moves coming from Ram's park right now? Thanks!

Bert from Granite City, IL
Jeff Gordon: The Rams are in the middle of the NFL pack, cap-wise. Pisa's exit and the latest league-wide cap revisions leaves the franchise with more than $15 million to spend.

So there is plenty of flexibility to add depth guys as other teams let them go. But there is no sense that Billy Devaney is looking to make huge moves. The Rams are more likely to spend big after the 2009 season, when the staff will know what it has in Marc Bulger and some of the other surviving vets.
Jayman: Hows it! Gordo what do you think of the 15 day dl? I think it should be 8 day dl. It seems to handicap teams who need a player to be out only a week....
Jeff Gordon: Teams would abuse an 8-day DL and play all sorts of roster games. With 15 days, teams only put injured guys on the list -- not somebody fighting a flu bug.
Jeff in KS: Ok, I keep asking this question hoping someone will make sense out of it. Why have we not gone after Pedro? I know Carpenter is coming back, but we could still use pitching, either as a starter which he proved he can still do in the WBC or as a reliever, which I have read reports that he is willing to try. He would be a fantastic addition to this pitching staff! I know it goes against our mantra right now, which by the way I am a fan of, but we could use the help.
Jeff Gordon: Martinez would be work a look. If he panned out, at a pro-rated $5 million for this season, then you would have veteran starters competing for starts. Pedro could really help in the playoff hunt. I would love to see what his presence could do for this staff.

He would sign for just the rest of the season, so the youth movement would remain in place.
ramsscore: Jeff:

With the recent bump, do you know approximately what level the Ram's salary cap is at this time?
Jeff Gordon: It should be well over $15 million, pending the rookie signings.
Mike: Hey Gordo. Chris carpenter will be back Ludwick should be back next week and Ankiel i believe is back this week. Whos going down when these players come back? Thanks gordo
Jeff Gordon: Shane Robinson doesn't hit for power, so he goes. Thompson and Boyer are on the bubble, obviously. I'd like to see Stavinoha stay as a added RH bat over one of the infielders. If Tyler Greene stays, perhaps Thurston could go.
Ken in Cape Girardeau: The youth movement is a fine thing...well we see what it is...the organizations (GM's) reluctance to get some quality veterans. My first move Sign TLR to 3 year deal that shows the organization's commitment to the team then through trade bring a quality arm, and a quality bat. TLR has been through thick and thin with the Cardinals and I fear if does not return that our chance of keeping Albert and others is slim to none. The GM needs to quit sounding like such a corprate line guy and make a stand for the team and the fans. your thoughts Thanks
Jeff Gordon: I don't see Tony committing for more than another year until he sees what happens with Albert's extension and how the rest of the team comes together. TLR will always have options.
playmaker: I know Rome wasn't built over night. And neither will the Rams. That said the Rams DE position is very weak heading into 2009 and beyond. Only Chris Long is signed beyond 2009. There are two aging players in Leonard Little and James Hall who have been very unproductive for the past two seasons. Why not go after someone like Derrick Burgess or Jarvis Moss in a trade? With Burgess you get a double digit sack guy. And with Moss you get a player with tremendous upside who hasn't done much in Denver, a place known for not developing defensive players. Moss was reportedly being shopped for a 7th round pick. He could be a Simeon Rice type player who leaves the place that drafted him and goes on to have a good career. While trading for Burgess will cost a team a 4th rounder. Either would be much better options, long term, than Hall or Little. Thoughts?
Jeff Gordon: One Little departs, then dealing for a high-end DE makes sense. Until then, you target back-ups and developmental guys. There is no money for three starting-caliber DEs. And I don't see this team making big deals at this point in the rebuilding process. The dead wood is mostly gone and this team won't deal players with upside.
redbirdswin: How long before Josh Kinney returns to the Cards' bullpen?
Jeff Gordon: Carpenter's return will bump somebody. After that, it will take an injury or repeated failure -- since the team might have to trim somebody out of options to make room for him.

Or somebody could get hurt.
cardinals_99: The Cardinals cut payroll this year knowing they had at minimum, two glaring needs:

1. A top tier starting pitcher.
2. A power hitting outfielder.

Based on our current slump, (at the plate and on the mound), will management pursue obtaining these needs?
Jeff Gordon: The Cards had four power-hitting OFs when the season started. There was no need for another one.

Everybody needs more top-tier starting pitching, but the team had big money invested in the rotation as it is. Some of the guys the team could have signed (Oliver Perez in particular) have actually been worse than the Cards guys.
redbirdswin: Jack Wilson is a free agent after the 2009 season - any chance the Cards give him a look (assuming Khalil = Mendoza the rest of the way) or will they prefer to go with a SS platoon of Tyler Greene and Brendan Ryan?
Jeff Gordon: Tyler Greene and Brendan Ryan shape up as the combo for next year, with Pete Kozma climing the ladder behind them.
James Henderson: Why do the Brewers untuck their shirts after a game? It's arrogant and shows disrepect to the game of baseball and to the opposing team. This is a team that hasn't won anything and yet they act like a bunch of punk kids. I hope baseball bans this. Dont' you agree?
Jeff Gordon: They started this deal as a blue-collar sign of solidarity. And, yes, it can rub people the wrong way.

If they want to do it at their first World Championship parade, fine.
Marco: Ken Maiques recently tested postive for drugs yet the store went mostly unreported. Any word on the Cards plans for him long term?
Jeff Gordon: He was pretty far down the organizational chart, with others climbing fast.
CardsFan #1 Jville: what is the best thing the cardinals can do in the situation they are in right now
Jeff Gordon: Get Carpenter, Ankiel and Ludwick back, the decide what to do about third base for the rest of the year. Too many LH bats on this team and not enough power on the bench.
Ed C: Gordo,

I just read your article on the Birds flailings as of late. What about Brendan Ryan at SS? You mentioned Tyler Greene as a possible alternative to Khalil Greene but not Ryan. I really thought before the hammie Ryan was playing outstanding defense (better than what I've seen of T Greene's D) and his bat was decent too. Why not give Ryan a shot at being the everyday SS?
Jeff Gordon: But . . . Ryan needs to gain a better approach at the plate. The rest of his package appears to be there. I like his speed and his glove has been terrific.

This will be a good battle going forward.
Mike: Theres a rumoron espn saying that Plaxico burres could reunite with "spags" in St.Louis. Is there any way we'd sign him?
Jeff Gordon: Never say never, but this guy was a constant source of trouble in New York. His signing would tell the rest of the Rams that the whole character-first mantra was just posturing.
BrandonUFC: Hello Gordo,
Who do you take in the next UFC PPV Evans v.s. Machida? For the light heavy(205lbs) belt.
Jeff Gordon: Not a UFC guy at all.
Jayman: Gordo...how many more years does Wellemeyer have on his contract and how much was he being paid...
Jeff Gordon: He is on a one-year $4.05 million.
warreng2k1: What are the odds of the following changes:

1)Mitchell Boggs replaces someone not named Carpenter
2)Brett Wallace taking June AB's in STL
3)Mo signs a veteran bench bat like was done with Clark, Spezio and Walker

Thanks

Warren
Jeff Gordon: I'm guessing that Pineiro and Wellemeyer will pitch well enough to hold off Boggs, but they shouldn't take their spots for granted. Maybe a 20 percent chance of change there.

Wallace in June? Maybe 10 percent.

Veteran bench bat? Maybe 70 percent, since there is no reason to believe Glaus will play here again.
uremovich: It seems like the talent evaluators want to give themselves the benefit of the doubt. What gives the evaluators the thought that anyone on the pitching staff is better than a .500 pitcher? Or that any of the rookies will hit better than .250?
Jeff Gordon: Most MLB scouts would expect Rasmus to hit better than .250.
Will T. Greene hit better than .250? Maybe, maybe not.
S. Robinson is likely to hit better than .250, given his career to date, but he offers no power.
Stavinoha is a fill-in guy. Not much expected there. Anything he gives is a bonus.

Carpenter's Cy Young suggests he will be better than .500.
Wainwright has been a winning pitcher.
Lohse, in St. Louis, is a winning pitcher. The statistics reflect that.
Pineiro won 30 games in a two-year span, but he is a .500-type guy.
Ditto Wellemeyer.
Clyde: Brass tacks. With what the Cards have now...do you think they can come back and try to stay in the hunt, or do you see them slipping and sliding more?
Jeff Gordon: I see the Cards stabilizing with the return of Carpenter, Ankiel and Ludwick. But more change appears necessary to get this team where it needs to be.

Fortunately, this team has developed a lot of talent. Some will help the team this year and some will help as trade chips.
Alex: What are the chances the Rams pick up recently released Will Franklin? He has some ability and the Rams put a waiver claim on him when he was released by the Chiefs. Thanks.
Jeff Gordon: Interesting that the Lions released him. The Rams have a good-sized crowd at the position now, so I'm not sure what the interest level would be. Other WRs with more experience will come free at some point.
Fresno Ram Fan: Any chance Spags would take a chance on Burress? He could be that veteran go to WR the Rams need. Thanx
Jeff Gordon: True, but his history tells you that he is the direct opposite of what Spags has been preaching to the organization.
safer: Gordo--What is your take on Larry Grant, Culberson and Vibora? Can you see one of these guys pushing to start this year? Will our third round corner be in the mix also? THANKS! Rich
Jeff Gordon: They're all back-ups. Grant at least has some experience, but none of these guys are terribly exciting.
SIUCARDSFAN: What do you think the chances of Todd Wellemeyer being removed from the starting rotation are. As I see it, he simply cannot hit his spots, and it is hurting the Cardinals. With the return of Carp (Hopefully healthy for awhile) I would like to see Wellemeyer out. What do you think?
Jeff Gordon: Wellemeyer has thrown enough good innings to stay in the mix, for now. But if Boggs continues his progress at Memphis, he will be a real option there.
Jeremy: Ok, so I was at the game yesterday and the entire ballpark was confused why the Cards sent down both Reyes and Miller before the game. Oh they didn't? Can someone please explain to me then why Blaine Blower pitched to Prince Fielder? Is that not why we have them is to face the other team's best left-handed hitter? Both should have been ready and neither came in. Inexcusable. Also inexcusable is the fact that Tony pinch hit Thurston in a key spot instead of Duncan who I saw mash the ball in bp. Instead Tony saves Duncan for when the game was already out of hand. Please offer some insight.
Jeff Gordon: I touched on Boyer earlier. I would have used Miller there, although he's been tagged by Fielder before.

Thurston was an interesting call. Had he not been slumping, that might have made sense since Parra was at the end and TLR knew it. But . . . Thurston couldn't exploit that.

Joe just isn't hitting right now. This AB underscored the need for RH power on the bench.

FloTrain: Not in panic mode... Still believe things will get better!! Hope Carp comes out STRONG for the rest of the year while Ank and Luddy do too! My question: What are they going to do about 3rd? Glaus ain't coming back, I think it's pretty obvious. BTW, what do the players think of that?.. Little PO'd he waited til JANUARY for surgery... Ok, c'mon he had about 4 months after the season and all of a sudden, something's wrong? Give me a break! So.. who's out there to trade for? A "Preston Wilson-like" release of a 3 bag to watch out for?.... Can't see Wallace making a significant contribution til at least '10.....
Jeff Gordon: Well . . . Wallace could be sooner than later, unless Freese heals up. Right now there isn't much out there at 3B.
Bluff Boy: The Great Goro,

I have sat through a personal 1-5 start at Busch this year. It seems we do not have a lot of fire. It might change now that Carp and Ricky are on there way back. We really, really, really need some right handed help with some puch. Are we going to make a trade for someone? Does anyone have a idea about Troy and what is going on with him?
Jeff Gordon: Troy isn't throwing or swinging a bat, so there is no reason to believe he will play this year. Once he is 100 percent, if that ever happens, he will start from scratch.

I agree on the need for RH help. With Freese AND Mather hurt, this punched a hole in the depth chart.
FloTrain: Just watching the highlights of '06 WS on MLB Network made me realize how good we had it from '00-'06! All the stars on those teams! Too bad Rolen and TLR couldn't play nice anywhere... How BIG would it be this year to have Rolen's bat and glove at 3rd! Heckuva lot better than what's been producing this year so far....
My biggest concern is that TLR, Dunc and Pujols will just say enough is enough and all leave together... IF things continue as they have been. Agree? Always knew Jocketty would pull something out of his hat for significant acquisitions.....
Jeff Gordon: The Rolen thing is over. If he were back in STL, then there would be all this drama -- and the likelihood that he would get hurt again.

The 06 team was the start of the Great Retooling. The Cards weren't great in the regular season, but their kids helped them win in the postseason.

Better teams are to come because of that transition.
Tigers1878: TLR and Dunc constantly cite the fact that our pitchers fall behind hitters and then have to come in to them with too good of a pitch and get hammered. I constantly see pitchers throw first pitch strikes to our better hitters, esp. AP. Yet, Yadier regularly sets up outside the strike zone, even with pitchers like Todd W who often struggle with control. This is true even when our pichers get behind in the count. Anyone else notice? Comment?
Jeff Gordon: Fine line there. First-pitch strike means first pitch on the edge of the strike zone, not down the middle.

Right now the Cards starters can't make that pitch.
eternalramnation: Gordo,

What is the Rams current cap situation with the increase that was announced by the NFL. I thought I read we're now 13 million under the cap is that true?
Jeff Gordon: It might be more like $15 million, but, either way, don't expect a man spending spree at this point in the rebuilding.
JerseyBird: The Cardinals can't he happy with their defense up the middle, and will once again have a surplus of outfielders once Ankiel and Ludwick return. The Braves have no one with more than four homers, their outfield is struggling offensively, and they have a glut of middle infielders. Is a swap of Duncan for Escobar feasible? Fair to both sides?
Jeff Gordon: The Cards have shortstops stacked up behind K. Greene. While trading Duncan is a possibility, swapping him for a RH-hitting OF or 3B would make more sense.
gjsandifer: Gordo, so do you think the Cards owners will make every effort to resign Pujols, od do you think they will just posture in an effort to appear to make a somewhat CHEAP attempt to resign Pujols and then cry poor to the fans as they have for several years now, about the fact that other teams could just afford him more. This has gotting to be the M.O. of this owners group, and I for one am tired of it, I will not be buying any more cards tickets until this changes, so I guess that frees up some money for rams games.
Jeff Gordon: Good luck with the Rams.

The Cards have paid quite competitively to keep lock up Carpenter, Lohse, Albert (the first time), Edmonds, Wainwright, Molina . . . quite a few people. Given the strong player development program, the team will be able to offer him a competitive deal and afford it.

What hurts is when they have $30 million tied up in injured players, as they did most of last year and most of this year.
MNCardsFan: Gordo, I am making the long drive from MN for Fiday night's game against the Royals. It will be my first time watching the Cards in St. Louis, so I wondering who will availble for inagural game? Ank? And what does a life long fan have to do to watch BP before the game? Thanks alot.
Jeff Gordon: Ankiel could be in the lineup, yes. Ludwick will still be out, however.

And Glaus will still be working on his tan.
shive..Palmyra, Mo.: Why doesn't anyone talk about Albert's NON ability when we need a clutch hit with men in scoring position? Most of the time we see him swing at the first pitch, and then we see the grounder to third.

and it's not just him...no patience at all at the plate with men in scoring position. Am i being fair?
Jeff Gordon: That is what happens when teams start pitching one guy so gingerly. He becomes more aggressive, to his detriment. But he feels silly just standing there taking walks.
netboy65: This might be a little late, but I'm going to try and squeeze it in anyway....Did the teams have any prior knowledge that the salary cap was going up? I guess where I'm going with this is do you think the Rams would have released Pace/Holt even with the increase?

Thanks!
Jeff Gordon: Even with this increase, yes, the Rams would have let them go. It was time to turn the page and start over.

Now, if the cap came up $15 million, then maybe the Rams could have kept a few more veterans while retooling. But there are so many changes that needed to be made, it was best to start clean.
Brendan: Calos Silva is bombing big time but seems to be a perfect fit for ole dunc to fix. He is a sinking fastball pitcher. They have alot of young pitching. Could they look to trade him and pay alot of his salary?

People talk about Wallace's defense not ready for bigs yet, Is Craig's Third base that much worse?

Tell JV hi,

Brendan
Jeff Gordon: Why bring in somebody else what needs work? Aren't there enough already? I'd rather look at Boggs, Hawksworth and Mortensen.

Craig's D is also suspect, so he doesn't appear to be near-term help. The Cards are making Craig into a utility guy, it seems.
MNCardsFan: I know that K. Greene is dangeriously near the Mendoza Line, but how are his at bats? Is he putting together at bats? Is he hitting the ball hard? I don't think there are a ton of K's. Is there any hope that his coming out of it?
Jeff Gordon: No, the at bats have not been great. And the Cards are desperate for offense, so it is hard to be patient.
shive..Palmyra, Mo.: i think we can all agree that our bench is below average...and then you read where the CUBS trade for Ryan Freel, who can, and has, played every outfield and infield position.

We watched last year when the cubs got Hardin, and we did nothing..deja vu all over again?
Jeff Gordon: What does Freel offer, really. In 171 career at bats against the Cards, he has zero homers and five RBI. The Cards have plenty of multi-positional players with that sort of power.
gjsandifer: Gordo, have you heard anything else about Chase Patton, did the bears sign him to a free agent contract? I know that street free agents do not have a great chance of making an nfl team, but hey a chance is better than no chance, and have you heard any more on chase daniel? Last question, Roger Allen, I hear that he is a pretty strong looking guard and that the rams may have a good future starter in him have you seen this guy and what can you tell us?
Jeff Gordon: Daniel faces a tough battle to earn a No. 3 job. And Patton faces an uphill battle to become more than a camp arm. His lack of meaningful playing time at Mizzou makes it tough for him.

On the other hand, Matt Cassel is a rich man . . .

That's it for this week!

See you in two Mondays, because next week is Memorial Day.