Ben: Hello Jeff,

Do you believe there is any chance the Blues will make a run for Ryan Smyth? Surely the bidding will get ridiculus, but he'd be a great addition and might like a reunion with Doug Weight.

Anybody else you think they could use/have a real shot at getting? Any chance of getting Guerin back?

Thanks.

Ben

Jeff Gordon: I believe they will harder for a center, but, sure, Smyth interests them. i do believe Ryan has a chance to become dramatically overpaid, though. I'm still voting for Gomez.

Tim Tallis: It seems like Tampa Bay has an unlimited supply of young talent in the outfield. What are you thoughts on trying to acquire a Johnny Gomes, Duke, Baldelli, or even Carl Crawford? Are they all out of our price range?

Jeff Gordon: Baldelli's struggle makes you wonder he could be fetched for a more moderate price. But I'm betting on a future Cards outfielder of Duncan, Rasmus and Ankiel with Jay and Schumaker as the extra guys.

Tim Tallis: Albert Pujols is due to be a free agent in a couple of years. He SHOULD become the highest paid player in baseball at that point. Do you think he will stay loyal to the Cards or will he look for the money? If it becomes a bidding war is there any way that we win?

Jeff Gordon: Pujols won't give the Cards much of a discount. If this team is winning -- and if this team wants to buck up in a big way well before that contract expires -- then he might re-up. This is a pride thing. Albert understands where he stands in the game. If the Yankees want to pay him $25 million or $30 million per year, what could the Cards do about that?

Tim Tallis: Is this going to be the offseason that the cards spend money on a big name talent? Who are we most like to land and what position, besides pitcher, is our biggest need. I figure Rolen and Edmonds are nearing the end of there career and Izzy and Eckstein are getting older also....

Jeff Gordon: Torii Hunter wold be a great Cardinal, but Edmonds has a year left on his deal and Rasmus on the come. If A-Rod opts out of his contract in New York, that would get interesting. Andruw Jones may have jumped the shark. Crawford is a fascinating player, for obvious reasons. The owners would have to eat some contract dollars to make anything happen -- that is what fans should focus on.

David: Gordo,

It seems as though everytime we start to see signs of live out of this Cardinals team, they turn back around and show us why they've been under .500 all year. When the pitching is good the hitting is horrible and vice versa. Do you forsee the seasoned veterans coming out of their slumps or could old age just be catching up with this team for good (Edmonds, Rolen, Eckstein)? Do we even have anyone worth the trade value of a young, energetic player?

Jeff Gordon: This team will play better. This team will hang around the NL Central "race." But this team will need a couple of HUGE, positive surprises to make some sort of headway. Even if Rolen and Encarnacion start hitting and Edmonds and Eckstein maintain their recent upturn, the team will need to get some pitching from unexpected sources to contend.