As the Cardinals prepare for the postseason, one unresolved area is the bench. With Troy Glaus hurting and other reserves trying to sharpen their skills as pinch-hitters, we wonder if help is necessary.

Among the collection of non-fulltime players on the current 25-man roster, only Rick Ankiel (six for 19, two homers) has had reasonable success as a pinch-hitter. Others (Joe Thurston, Khalil Greene) have had good moments. But overall the bench lacks pop.

Other than Ankiel, non-regular Cardinals on the roster were a combined 15 for 89 (.168) with a homer as pinch-hitters through Wednesday. That list includes Colby Rasmus, who shares time with Ankiel in center field. And the list does not include Skip Schumaker, who starts at second base against righthanded pitching. (Schumaker is four for 16 as a pinch-hitter this season.)

Nick Stavinoha — five for 15 with a homer as a PH — could have filled a role but he's finished for 2009 because of a broken hand.

Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak was noncommittal when I spoke to him Friday, but he indicated that Glaus' physical problems are prompting the club to consider adding a piece from Class AAA Memphis as soon as the Redbirds conclude the PCL Championship Series. Perhaps David Freese or Allen Craig could make a positive impression in the final days and earn a slot on the postseason roster. (If the Cardinals place Glaus on the disabled list, they can add any player from the organization to the postseason roster.)

Freese batted .300 with 10 homers in 56 games for Memphis after returning from ankle surgery. Craig hit 26 homers for Memphis this season.

READING TIME, 3 MINUTES

Free Jaime Garcia.

I think it's great that the Blues picked up the option on coach Andy Murray's contract for 2010-11, but we'll know they're serious about staying the course with Murray when there's a multi-year extension. ... It's strange to see goaltending consultant Ed Belfour wearing a Blues jacket. ... There's a new report that the New York Knicks are trying to work out a sign-and-trade to send St. Louisan David Lee to Utah for Carlos Boozer, but NY beat writers still believe the Knicks will sign Lee and keep him for at least one more season.

Speaking on WXOS (101.1 FM), new Rams executive vice president Kevin Demoff explained his salary-cap approach for 2009: "We're really trying to use this year to clean up the salary cap we inherited. A lot of money was spent the past few years to get this team over the hump. I don't blame previous regimes for trying to do that. This team had a lot of successful years and when you try to extend that window that's when you wind up in salary cap trouble and this team tried to do that a little. Ultimately it didn't work. We like to start fresh with a new window and hopefully in 2010 we can do that."

Ernie Broglio, 74, and Lou Brock, 70, will forever be linked because of the famous 1964 trade and the Cubs-Cardinals rivalry. Brock combined his 70th birthday party with a fundraiser for the ECHO Foundation at the Coronado Ballroom on Thursday and invited Broglio as his special guest. Broglio received an ovation when introduced and said he was touched by the warm gesture. Dan McLaughlin interviewed Brock and Broglio, and you can hear it on KMOX (1120 AM) tonight at 6.

Members from the USA Bid Committee charged with bringing the FIFA World Cup to the U.S. in 2018 or 2022 will make a site visit on Monday. Scheduled are tours of the city and the Edward Jones Dome and a meeting with St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay. From the committee's initial list of 70 markets, St. Louis is one of 27 U.S. cities still in contention as candidates to host matches in the U.S. ... Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Kyle Patterson (St. Louis U.) recently visited the eighth-grade soccer team at St. Frances Cabrini; he'd coached many of the players a couple of years ago.

CBS pro football analyst Charley Casserly stirred it up a bit last Sunday on the NFL Today pregame show. Speaking about the potential sale of the St. Louis Rams, Casserly said, "There is European money. There is interest in purchasing an NFL team and moving it to London. They're going to look into buying the St. Louis Rams, who are for sale now, or perhaps another NFL team." ... I don't think the Washington Redskins have a good team, and I think QB Marc Bulger will play better now that he's had more practice time with the Rams. But it's still a tough road for the visitors, who will face the hungry 0-1 Redskins, probably determined to get physical and crank up RB Clinton Portis. Pick: Redskins 24, Rams 13.

Two native St. Louisans have had dramatically different seasons for the MLS New England Revolution. Taylor Twellman, unable to shake off the effects of a severe concussion, has appeared in only two games and will be sidelined for the remainder of the season. And then there's Steve Ralston, 35, who has a team-leading seven goals and seven assists this season while extending his MLS records for most games (376), starts (370), minutes (33,032) and assists (135).

After a successful collegiate volleyball career as an outside hitter at Stanford, St. Louisan Erin Waller (Incarnate Word) is playing in the Swiss pro league for Team Sm'Aesch Pfeffingen. ... Former Mizzou basketball standout Leo Lyons has signed to play basketball for a professional team (Hapoel) in Israel. ... Shot fired by Sports Illustrated's Peter King: "In the offseason, I wondered why such a talented coach as Steve Spagnuolo would use up his one chance (maybe) at being an NFL coach on such a woebegone franchise, one that's in the market for a new owner. I haven't stopped wondering."

THE NICE SECTION

The 7th Annual Dan McLaughlin Golf Tournament to Benefit The Special Education Foundation of STL is Oct. 12 at Norwood Hills. In six years the tournament has raised more than $1 million, and all proceeds go to children with special needs in the St. Louis area. Dan has collected some terrific sports auction items for the post-golf dinner. For more info call Diane Buhr at 314-567-8100.