Joe Strauss: OK, OK, I know I'm late. But that's what happens when you walk five blocks to Great American Ball Park, set up your computer, then realize the cell phone is still in the car!!! I'd call it a senior moment but the ChatMeister is still too young and vital to be suffering such afflictions. (That said, what was the name of the nag that won the Belmont?) By now, you want facts. FACTS. About El Hombre, about little Dunc', about Waino... whatever. Such without further delay, let's catch that perfect wave known as Joe Strauss Live!!! and take a 60-minute ride. EVERYBODY UP!!!

Frank in Arlington, Virginia: Oh great and mighty Oz, er, um, Chatmeister,

After waiting through more than two hours of the June 4 rain delay in Washington, chasing our 3-year-old twins around the mezzanine concourse, I sat through what a beat down the next night, all-star ballot-stuffing for Pujols and punching chads like a Florida Democratic county clerk ... until Mark Worrell's three-run blast in his first ML at bat. Unfortunately, I was at the concession stand, getting a Ben's half-smoke chili dog "all the way" (DC-speak for everything on it). What is your opinion as a baseball writer of the half-smoke? Did you ever scout D.C.'s signature spicy sausage as a Washington-area (?) native?

Also, how did you feel about TLR leaving in Parisi to take his beating, clearly saving the bullpen for the Houston series? Did the big comeback expose it as a mistake to write off the game so early? On the other hand, without Parisi's two-RBI double and Worrell's homer, there probably wouldn't have been a comeback.

Joe Strauss: Frank, you're talking to a native of the Commonwealth. You don't have to interpret the DC-speak. I'm not a big sausage guy, sorry to say. I'm more into the crab cake scene 30 miles north. But to each his own. As to your primary but slightly outdated question... There are probably 8-10 games a year when a manager has to look long term rather than for instant gratification. The Parisi game was one of those. Our heroes already had won two and were on their way to Houston with a short bullpen. Lifting Parisi after one or two innings would have punished the club for at least the next two days. As is, the pitchers contributed 5 RBI to a stirring comeback. The Redbirds had the lead. Franklin gave it up pitching for the second time that day. 'Nuf sed.

Jim Steward: Joe,
The Cardinals have a lot of money on the DL. Other than Carpenter, are there other long term deals on the list? Our GM seems to be in a great postion to 1. make decisions on health of these guys after this year, 2. continue to evaluate the young guys in the system, 3. have money freed up for the right free agent aquisition to fill our holes. If your the GM what holes do you see after this year and what potential FA do you go after?

Joe Strauss: Mulder is on his walk year, as is Isringhausen. Clement, like Mulder, has a club option for 2009. El Hombre is signed through 2010 with a club option for 2011. I envision the club looking for a middle infielder, a power bat, a middle reliever and potentially a middle-of-the-rotation starter. (Carpenter, Waino, Wellemeyer, Pineiro and...)

Dan M.: Joe,

After years of messing around, can they please finally pull the trigger on the long rumored Jeff Conine deal? He seems to be a LaRussa type or guy, right?

Joe Strauss: Conine is a long-time pal of St. Louis racquetball king Marty Hogan. I covered him in Baltimore and he's a class act. Unfortunately, Conine may have advanced in age beyond the Cardinals' demo. I know the Hogan reference is off point but we at JSL!!! are joining Bird Land in gratuitous name-dropping.

GSW: Chatmeister:

Who's more to blame - Dutrow or Desormeaux?

Joe Strauss: Dutrow... in a landslide.