Tom: I watch quite a bit of baseball since I have the Extra Innings package. I live in Wisconsin so I can watch the Cards without the blackout rules. It just seems to me that part of the pitching woes seem to be because when the pitchers do get ahead in the count, they just seem to pick away at the corners and pretty soon the count is full and they have to bring one in. I don't see that in many of the other staffs and I was wondering if that is part of Duncan's strategy; to pick away at the corners. We don't seem to go after hitters when we have them in the hole.

Jeff Gordon: The idea is to pitch aggressively to the edges of the strike zone -- never center a pitch, but still try to get away. That, of course, is a tightrope walk. And the Cards have fallen quite a bit.

Jerry Buckner: If the CARDs decide to put on a "fire sale" this year, who do you expect to garner interest and what could we look for in return?

Jeff Gordon: Rolen, if he hits, would have value. Edmonds, if he hits, would have value. Izzy, if he is healthy, would have great value. The Mets could use Adam Kennedy at second base. Flores could help a winner. Franklin might get a sniff if this was a total sell-off.

If the Cards bail, they would add young everything -- pitchers, position players, whatever. Their organization is still thin.

Michael: I e-mailed this to you earlier and then noticed you were having a chat: What’s with Tony’s obsession with right-handed hitters against left-handed pitching? I understand the theory behind it, but the results don’t seem to back it up. The Cards continue to struggle against soft-tossing southpaws (sometimes no-namers) and I’ve never understood why you just don’t play your best players. Part of the reason that this theory drives me nuts is that it seems that most of the redbird righties struggle mightily with lefties as well, so the lineup just gets so watered-down, there’s no one to respect within three spots of Pujols. How do you develop a player like Chris Duncan without letting him see a steady diet of the type of pitching that has been the birds’ nemesis for years?

Jeff Gordon: Tony doesn't want to put Duncan in a position to fail, which I get. But at some point he needs to break through as an everyday player. He isn't 21 years old. As for the overall approach against LH pitching, he is looking for ANYBODY who can help him beat a southpaw. This team is utterly helpless against them. He will try anything.

Pat D: Are the Cards out of options with Rick Ankiel? With all due respect to Skip Schumacher and Ryan Ludwick - why hasn't Ankiel been given a shot?

Jeff Gordon: Ankiel was a free agent who signed a minor league deal. The options thing is over. He could have signed anywhere this winter and chose the Cards. And, sure, we need to see him soon to see what he has. If he comes up and hits the ball, the Cards will have to buck up to keep him. Other scouts are noting his speed/power combo for Memphis.

CKarr: Other than Colby Rasmus, who are the Cardinals pinning the future on?

Jeff Gordon: Hawksworth, to some degree. He is progressing in the Memphis rotation. Garcia at Springfield is another pitching prospect. OF Daryl Jones intrigues them for down the road. C Bryan Anderson can hit. Guys like Travis Hanson (3B)and Chris Lambert (P) really stalled.