Mr .B: MO IS A NO GO
The Cardinals under the current regime will tell you what you want to hear but fail to pull the trigger. I long for the moves of Walt Jockety who new the pulse of baseball and made a TIMELY trade that helped the cause. Mo doesn't have that knowledge or power to sell it to DeWitt. De Witt shows him a map of 9 states and 3 million plus every year attendance and advises him to go back to his office and play solataire on the computer. We don't make the timely trade, and we draft according to $$$$$. Pete Kozma. Give me a break, guys like him are available in the 10th round.

Jeff Gordon: Walt did a great job, for sure. Mozeliak has a different style. Just as it took Walt time to build the team he wanted, it will take Mozeliak a little time.

I'd argue that this is a pretty good team in a real deep slump, but time will tell. I look at the Cubs and I see the same thing. That team is driving Piniella nuts, but I would expect them to catch fire at some point, make a few moves to improve and get there at the end.

Fans savaged Mozeliak for refusing to trade Rasmus last season. Now Colby is fast becoming the team's top outfielder.

BillP: Hey Jeff, Okay, I'm going to be stubborn here and stick with the Pens to pull it off. Malkin and Crosby have been tearing it up at home during the playoffs, producing far more points at home than on the road. The luxury of having the last line change at home has made a big difference for Pittsburgh here. Provided they come back and win in game 6, what do you see as being key for them to come out and win that road game in Detroit to win the series? Thanks and Have a goode week !

Jeff Gordon: If they get to a Game 7, then they have to sustain pressure and break Osgood. If they don't sustain pressure from the opening face-off on, the Red Wings will gain control of the puck, roll their lines and wear down Pittsburgh will all that skill.

dub the beachcomber: gordo, when a team encounters a prolonged offensive slump like the cards currently suffer, what measures can management, tlr and front office, try? i notice that the pirates traded one of their best players and then swept the mets. is something like that in the offing? it is clear that moe must do something, will it be a minor or major trade? thanks for the scoop.

Jeff Gordon: The Pirates have been horrible forever. That club traded a good player for so-so prospects when waiting would have yielded a better return. That is how NOT to run a team.

dub the beachcomber: watching sunday's game once again we see a team walk albert to pitch to the cleanup batter, this time ankiel. even though ludwick is not hitting very well, isn't he worth playing for the psychological effect. in other words, do you agree that ludwick's reputation as an all star slugger helps protect albert better than a lesser known player that may be outhitting ludwick presently? i question why tony keeps sitting luddy and allowing opponents to pitch around pujols? if we acquire someone like holliday, will tlr sit him as well? it seems illogical that tony keeps asking for an impact bat, when the one he has is on the bench. thanks gordo.

Jeff Gordon: Ludwick has been awful at the plate since returning from the DL. If TLR sends him out to fail game after game, then he could really bury the guy.

This goes to show how hard it is to manage a team with so many slumping players.

dub the beachcomber: it seems that as soon as the team scores a run or two, they can't get past this psychological wall they encounter. if you were tony, what would you do to fix this? thank gordo

Jeff Gordon: The Cards are trying to score a run at a time to give their pitchers a lead to work with. They have scraped a few wins out that way. But . . . the psychology won't change until the Cards run into a pitcher having a bad night and everybody gets well at once.

This weekend the Rockies OFs are diving around, taking away hits . . . and the frustration mounts.

Through this, the team will learn which players it should build around and which guys are just guys.