Bill: CARDS: Hopefully the Cards are not out of contention come July, but if they are do you see them unloading Eckstein, Izzy and possibily Rolen (if he would waive the no-trade).

BLUES: Which defenseman is going to be used as trade bait this summer? I was thinking Backman or Salvador. They would have the highest trade value.

thanks

Jeff Gordon: Bill, both scenarios are possible. The Cards own a $8 million on Izzy next season, with a $1.25 million buyout. Right now he is throwing well enough to merit another year in the closer role. The Cards might not want to lose that option, even at that price. On the other hand, he would have great value for trade -- given the shortage of late-inning relievers out there. Eckstein is a pending free agent and there is no guarantee the Cards will bring him back, so, yes, he could move into play if all hope is lost. Rolen is a whole other story. There is a lot of contract left there and he does have some control over where he goes. With Spiezio under contract for another year, this becomes a possible roster-overhaul option -- if there is interest in him elsewhere and if he wants to move. That is an interesting scenario. He is a diehard Cardinal, but, as he saw earlier in his career, sometimes change is good.

The Blues will have to trade a "D" at some point. Salvador is a good leader and community guy, but, then again, Backman provides offensive upside. But one of those two seems likely to depart, unless the team decided to spin off Jay McKee -- not easy, given his injury history.

Dennis Doetsch: Jeff, In your opinion what is wrong with the Cardinal offense? I totally realize a team can go into a slump when all or most of the players hit a skid at the same time, but I have not seen one like this in quite awhile. For all of our big guns to be in an extended slump at the same time seems hard to believe. Do you have any insight into this or are they just going to have to hit their way out of this?

Jeff Gordon: It's a combo here: Simultaneous slumping and miserable situational hitting and baserunning -- almost no ability to to generate small-ball runs.

MRogers: Clifton Ryan or Keith Jackson? Which one is more likely to make the team in your opinion?

Jeff Gordon: Tough to say. Both have a ways to go, both have to earn it in camp -- unless injuries hand them some playing time. The media is pulling for Jackson, because he is a great talker. Ryan is a load. But as my ESPN 1380 radio partner Jeff Vernetti reminds me, there are eight guys going for four spots. Kennedy, Glover, Carriker and Wroten as solid, in my mind. Wroten can move in and out to end, like Carriker. So either kid would have to show well.

Mike R.: Gordo,
Do you think Jonathan Wade will make a contribution for the Rams this season? If so, where do you see him getting the most playing time -- special teams or corner?
Thanks,
Mike

Jeff Gordon: Barring injuries, Wade is a No. 4 cornerback going into camp. He is raw. But he can fly, so Job One, for him, is to star on special teams -- and knock off some of the veterans on the depth chart.

sean: last year look liked holt slowed a step, is it my imagination, or was his knee btohering him that much

Jeff Gordon: Holt WAS hurt last year, so I seriously doubt that he lost a step at his age. He is a fitness guy with a lot of pride. Like Bruce, he will excel for a long, long time -- unless something debilitating happens to him.

sean: does jimmy kenedy make a difference this year?

Jeff Gordon: In another answer, I pointed out the depth at DT. Carriker is already a starter and Glover is a great change-of-pace guy in the middle. Wroten has a big upside. So there is competition for time. And Carriker is taking the nosetackle role -- or some variation of that -- which Jimmy wasn't great at.

sean: does john alston make a difference this year?

Jeff Gordon: Linehan mentioned that he has a chance, given his potential to help special teams. Haslett will configure this "D" according to the strengths of the players -- and my 1380 radio partner Jeff Vernetti notes that Jim did like Alston's abiliy to provide pressure. He is an interesting athlete.

sean: of our new additions through F/A (bennet, mcmichael, hall, or dante), who makes the biggest difference in our team?

Jeff Gordon: Tough question. I'd say a tie between McMichael and Bennett, two big targets for the red zone. They are Linehan-type guys. They will help him install his offense. DE Hall is being counted on to apply pass pressure and KR Hall is supposed to fix the return problem. All four will help, but I'll vote for the two offensive guys.

sean: bartell or the third round rookie as our nickleback this year? maybe butler? does one of those 3 replace tye or brown as the starter?

Jeff Gordon: Butler seems permanently locked into the Linehan Doghouse, so he isn't a factor. Wade could grow into the gig, once he picks up the D. Bartell is handy utility guy who could secure his spot on special teams. But there will be a LOT of corners in camp, so this race is hard to handicap.

sean: a few years ago we were one of the fastest teams in the nfl (on offense and defense), we were all about speed ball, what happened? were fast, but were not bullets anymore. philosophy change, or age?

Jeff Gordon: Martz was all about the speed. Linehan is more conventional; he likes size. If Mad Mike was still running the team, he would have added more speed. So this is both age and philosophy.

sean: will leonard little ever slow down?

Jeff Gordon: They all slow down at some point. Little has already had his valleys in production. But he is a freakish athlete, so the Rams were smart to lock him in to another deal.

Karen: I am confused as to why we brought up Ludwick with no options instead of Ankiel with no options??

Jeff Gordon: Ankiel needs more work, but he will be up in September, if not sooner, if he keeps it up. Right now he is on the DL with a sore Achilles, so this was a setback.

Josh: At this point in time, who do you see making the roster as the third QB?

Thanks.

Jeff Gordon: Nobody at Rams Park believes Fitzpatrick is in any danger in this point. He seems ideal for the gig -- he is smart and mobile.

David Rice: With the entire Cardinal infield struggling at the plate, what do you feel management will do in the short and longer term to try to regain competitiveness in the NLC?

Jeff Gordon: If the Cards can get it down to one or two struggling players, then the management can make moves. But when everybody struggles, you can't fix that. First things first -- the big contract guys have to hit or this team is done. If the Cards become just a hitter or two short, then Walt could check the market and see what's up.

Jared: Jeff,

Do see the Cardinal organization recognizing that their player development is going to need to be in the top tier of baseball to compete. The way this team is structured in terms of budget, they need to produce two or three contributors from the minor league system each year. What can they do in the next offseason to improve the team while they continue to build the player development side.

Jeff Gordon: Jeff Luhnow is driving an overhaul of scouting and player development. This initiative has been rolling for a while now. Owner Bill DeWitt preaches exactly your point.

sean: if we win the superbowl this year, and we have the 32nd ranked defense, do u think people will still cry for defense?

Jeff Gordon: Linehan will never win a World Championship with a 32nd ranked defense. He is not wired that way. He will never try to just outscore people. He is way more conventional -- ball control, field position, all that stuff.

Chris: How are any Cardinal fans suprised by the start this year? No matter what happened in the playoff this was still an 83 win team last year. The OF is basically the same, the only change to the infield was Kennedy and the starting pitching is much, much worse than last year. What disappoints me is that the Cardinals decided to give Edmonds a big extension despite 2 sub-par years. If this team ends up at 500 it will only be because the rest of the central is just as bad.

Jeff Gordon: Sentiment rarely plays into Cards decision making, but it did with Jimmy. It's tough to blow up a team that wins it all, so I can't fault the Cards for keeping much of its core intact. The good news: Reloading won't be difficult, if, in fact, the team doesn't get rolling.

panther19845: Do you think seattle is still the favorite in the nfc west ,The Rams offense looks strong, and the defense was upgraded with hall,and Carriker, Also don,t forget Dante hall which means good field position

Jeff Gordon: Seattle succeeded despite myriad injuries last year, so it's hard to pick against them. The Big Red, Niners and Rams are all a threat to break through. But until we see it, it's tough to believe it. Holmgren knows what he is doing in Seattle.

Mike Fitzgerald: Do you think the Cards would have any interest in Andruw Jones if the Braves were looking to trade him? If yes who could we trade for him? Thanks for your time.

Jeff Gordon: Yes, they would be interested. But, no, they don't have a whole lot to trade. Their prospects are coming along, but there is not great quantity yet. This team needs to stockpile before it starts to trade kids for veterans again.

eric w.: Jeff,
Can we facilitate a trade with Tampa Bay sending them Anthony Reyes, Kip Wells, Chris Lambert, and a minor league position player for Carl Crawford...
replace Wells and Reyes in the rotation with Thompson, Hawkesworth and Narvesson until Carpenter and Muldar return.
Also, any chance the cards can swing a deal with Chisox for Behrle before the off-season?

Jeff Gordon: Narveson might be done for the season. You don't want to rush Hawksworth. Lambert has no trade value at this point, given his limited success. Wells is on a one-year deal, so nobody will want him unless he is racking up Ws. And if he is racking up Ws, the Cards won't trade him. Same for Reyes. The Cards will eventually help their outfield via free agency.

Robert: How do the Rams feel about the development of their high draft choices over the past few years? Barron, OJ and Incognito seem solid, but what about Bartell? Hill and Klop should be productive, but what about Wroten and Alston? Is Alston going to be a small WIL or an Adrian Wilson type safety? If these guys pan out we have a great nucleus going forward, but I think we could be in trouble if not.

Jeff Gordon: As I mentioned earlier, there is still hope for Alston (as a pass rusher and teams guy) and Wroten. Klopfenstein was a great choice. Hill is gine. Bartell is handy, because he is versatile.

Flash: Who do you think will get the starting spot for LOLB Draft or Chiller.

Jeff Gordon: They love Chillar, which surprises some media types. I'd say it's his to lose. But they also have some expectations for Draft.

Tim Tallis: Miquel Cabrera was reported saying that he would love to play with Albert Pujols- is there any way we open our wallet up and sign him this offseason or will he be too much over our head?

Jeff Gordon: Down the road, Cabrera will make Pujols-like money. There are only so many slots for those guys. IF Rolen moved along early and IF the franchise didn't buy, say, Torii Hunter, this might be something down the road. But NY and LA teams will want this guy.

tony mercurio: As I have said before, several Major League players have told me that Adam Wainwright is NOT a starting pitcher, he is a "perfect" closer...He proved that in the post season last season....Will the Cardinals make another mistake in signing Izzy after this season or will they realize that the World Championship was possible largely due to Wainwright being the Champion Closer? How about putting Izzy in a deal this season, get a much needed bat, and move Wainwright back to where he belongs--the closer for the World Champion Cardinals.....He did it where Izzy never could-on the main stage.

Jeff Gordon: Moving Wainwright back to the closer role is an obvious option. Adam was never a dominant minor league starter. But where Adam pitches depends on what happens to the rest of the rotation the rest of the year. And don't knock Izzy this year -- he has been strong.

Jerry: Jeff, As the NHL draft approaches, are the Blues content to stay with their 3 first round picks, Or perhaps is there a player available higher up that they like and would look to move up? And Scott Gomez sure would look good in a Blues uniform huh! Thank You.

Jeff Gordon: There is always a chance to deal. I'd look for the Blues to use their first pick on a forward -- because there are plenty at the top of the round -- and then look at things. The Blues will know more about free agency come draft time, too, and that will color their decision-making.

Lillian Jayne: Hello Gordo, Why have the Cardinals not offered most of their free agents arbitration to get early extra draft picks? Teams like San Diego and Oakland do this to get good young players. Is it about money once again for the Cardinals?
Thanks

Jeff Gordon: Well, you don't want to get stuck with an unwanted salary. Jocketty has kept his payroll nimble, save for his Tino Martinez mistake. This is HUGE. I believe the Cards track record shows they are more smart than cheap. The A's get lots of draft picks, but the A's haven't been real busy in October.

Tim Tallis: Torri Hunter and Johan Santana are both due to be free agents this year and have both said they dont see themselves playing for Minesotta next year- although they will both carry a huge price tag- and way are able to land one of them?

Jeff Gordon: Hunter would be huge . . . but you're looking at more than $100 million for him. The Cards would have to overhaul their roster (Edmonds, Rolen) to create room for that. And if Edmonds and Rolen start hitting, there will be no overhaul.

Santana, like any pitcher, is a gamble. And the Cards have already made their bets on Carpenter and Mulder.

Danny Burcham: Whats going on with Edmonds. I know he would like to retire in St. Louy, but if he plays like he did last game, he should be benched. The team is not fireing on
all pistons. We are not playing like world champions.
We lolygag are way to first, we lolygag are way to second. You know what that makes us? Lolygagers!
Cmon Cards. You guys made me alot of money last year.

Jeff Gordon: Ah, some love for Harold Reynolds. Loved that spot. Maybe Walt can hire Harold to come in and give a pep talk.

Jimmy's body language is bad when times are bad. But let's not write him off just yet. If he never hits this season, then the team will have an issue.

He'll get lots of time off, but that is normal procedure for a guy his age.

dennis l.: Is it just me or does anyone else think it is time for LaRussa to go?

Jeff Gordon: La Russa stays as long as he wants to. The big question: If the Cards face a multi-year rebuilding process, will he want to see that through? At his age, I doubt it. If the Cards can retool quickly, he may opt to return rather than leave on a sour note as Whitey did.

Kevin: Jeff,

Is the Rolen trade talk quiet for now? Also, do you think the Cards will have SERIOUS - more than token interest - in Mark Buehrle in the off season if he is a free agent?

Thanks,
Kevin

Jeff Gordon: Mark may be a NL-type pitcher. He knows what he is doing. If the price is right -- and if the other pitching falters here -- he would be a nice option.

As for Rolen, any trade talk is highly speculative because of his contract. For now, the Cards just want to get him hitting.

Art Rowe: Let’s assume the Card’s spiral this year can’t be corrected. I see two directions the team could take—in either case, there will be a revamping—and there are precedents in my years as a Cardinal fan for both.
1. As happened after the 1964 and 1982 championship teams, a core of the team was left for St. Louis to build around. The Cards made World Series appearances quickly thereafter. Having those cores (Gibby, Brock, Flood, Javier, Shannon and Washburn after 1964; Ozzie, Herr, McGee and Forsch after 1982) certainly helped.
2. The bad alternative—after 1968 and 1987, St. Louis had decade and a half droughts. By the time of the next World Series appearance, no one was left.
Which scenario is more likely this time?

Art Rowe
Bettendorf IA

Jeff Gordon: If Carpenter and Mulder are healthy next spring, turning this team around won't take long at all. Those two, Pujols, Duncan, Kennedy and Molina would be a great starting point. If those Big Two pitchers aren't healthy, then, yes, this could take awhile.

Tim Tallis: Any word yet on if Max Shurzer has signed yet with the Arizonna Diamondbacks- I heard he complained about arm problems and they were hesitant to sign him- is that true?

Jeff Gordon: Last I heard, he had signed. You could probably Google up an update on where he stands.

Patrick: While the season is long from over, shouldnt Walt be analyzing how to get Andrew Jones during the offseason???

Jeff Gordon: As I mentioned earlier, that's a tough deal to make. I would still expect Jones to finish his career in Atlanta, even with the budget constraints down there.

Tracy: Do we hit the panic button now or if not, how long do we wait? I will still follow the Cardinals regardless of how soon they are knocked out of the playoffs. Unlike my New York Yankee fan neighbors who have already said they will stop supporting the Yankees once they are eliminated.

Jeff Gordon: When so many things go wrong at once, you have to stay patient. This manager and these veterans won it all last fall. So you just ride it out. If the team never responds, then you overhaul the team and start again. Right now, there isn't a change you can make to ensure a turnaround. Too much must change.

mike: how many seasons till the blues are true playoff contenders? do you think that this is the time to buy season tickets?

Jeff Gordon: The Blues played playoff-caliber hockey during the second half of last season. Wtih a few key additions this summer, they should contend for a spot next season under Andy Murray. As for season tickets, if you can afford them, this would be a good time to get on the bandwagon.

mike: Hey Gordo, if you were the Blues GM, what free agent would you "realistically" try to sign July 1?

Jeff Gordon: Scott Gomez. He would be a nice No. 1 center here. That would take pressure of Blues young (McClement) and old (Weight).

Tim: Since Jim Leyland and Tony LaRussa are good friends, I wish Tony would have taken a page out of the Leyland book of managing and read the riot act like Jim did with the Tigers last year (even letting the media/fans know he did it). Or do you think (or know if) Tony has done this but with no results? What players in the clubhouse can get the others motivated? Is there much passion in the clubhouse?

Jeff Gordon: This is a veteran team. La Russa has leaned on the players pretty hard over the years. He benches guys or moves them down in the batting order. He meets with him one-on-one. He even rips them (generally) in the media, which he hates to do. It's up to the core players (Edmonds, Rolen, Pujols, Eckstein) to turn this thing around.

Paul: At what point will or should the Cardinals give up on one or more of their underperforming starters, and move Ryan Franklin into the rotation instead? And yes, I know he is valuable in the bullpen as a setup man, but what good is a setup man when you are usually trailing in the late innings anyway?

Jeff Gordon: Fair questions about Franklin. He is great in the eighth inning, but how often do the Cards get to the eighth inning with a lead? If Anthony Reyes doesn't win his next start, the braintrust might want to pull him back and take some pressure off him.

Bob: It appears as though the Cardinals season is over. I think that all focus from now on should be placed on next season and beyond. What possible trades could the Cardinals make to bring youth and talent into the organization much like the Blues did?

Bob

Jeff Gordon: If the Cards are still well below .500 in July, Walt will have to ask some of his vets if they want to go to a contender. If that scenario arises, the Cards need to acquire near-term starting pitchers and position players. The Cards have some interesting players at Class AA Springfield, but, Ankiel and Hawksworth aside, there isn't much near-term help at Memphis.

mike: Maybe the Cardinals should see what they could get for Rolen. Do you think his poor performance has anything to do with his relationship with LaRussa? We saw the Memphis Redbirds play yesterday, and they were much more exciting than what the Cardinals have given us this year. Is there a pitcher out there somewhere we could pick up?

Jeff Gordon: Rolen's rift with La Russa last fall could have some carryover. Scott is a proud, hyper-competitive guy who has played through all sorts of injuries. He is a warrior. But he did sour on the Phillies during his time there and I suppose that could happen here. That happens in sports.

The ball is not jumping off his bat. Most of the other vets are getting on track, but so far he hasn't. What happens the next several weeks will be interesting.

carlos: Mark Bulger in his last year of his contract, and there have been no offerings or contract extensions. Is there a posibility that he ends up a free agent by the end of the season?

Jeff Gordon: Linehan's M.O. has been to re-up key players before they become free agents. I assume that will happen here, as long as Bulger comes out with his new weapons and makes this offense click. Marc is a smart QB and a tough guy. He could have a lot of years left in this offense, which offers more protection than the Air Martz scheme,

NMBob: Do you think the Yankees and Selig are on thin ice if they threaten players contracts like Giambi. Seems to me Congress would note how some of the few people actually cooperating with the investigation or speaking out against steroids get hammered.

Jeff Gordon: Great point. All Giambi did was make general comments -- stuff that was obvious -- and the Yankees want to void his contract. And MLB wants to investigate. The players association has a bullet-proof case because what Giambi talked about happened long before baseball had its drug policy in place. Since then, Giambi has had to adhere to it like everybody else.

Hockey Pete: Have you heard anything regarding KT and the Blues? I know some people feel we need to move on without him, but I thought he did a fantastic job at center last season, especially in our end.

Jeff Gordon: Tkachuk would love to return here, but all that depends on how free agency shakes out for the Note. I'd guess that Guerin would be a higher priority, along with a pure center. I hyped Gomez earlier. For the right price, anything is possible. And, yes, Tkachuk did surprisingly well at center.

Gotta a run now -- thanks for all the questions!