All indications for several months have been that Fox Sports Midwest Cardinals announcer Dan McLaughlin will return this season, and the strongest clue came Thursday when the club said he will be the master of ceremonies for one of the team's "caravan'' promotional tours in the region.

He was suspended by his broadcast employer, Fox Sports Midwest, after being arrested in late September for drunken driving — the second such offense in 13 months. FSM officials say a decision has not been made about him being retained. But he has been remorseful, sought treatment and it has been expected that his return would be announced before the end of this month.

Although he has separate employment arrangements with the team (marketing duties) and FSM (broadcasting), logic says that if he is on the way out of the booth he wouldn't be scheduled for the caravan — on which he'll make his first public-speaking appearances representing the club since the incident occurred. And the team identified him as one of the "Cardinals announcers'' in detailing his caravan schedule.

He'll be with several Redbirds players and alums in the Illinois towns of Mattoon, Peoria, Davenport and Springfield. The first two stops are on Jan. 15, the others the next day.

— Dan Caesar