ONE THING THAT AMAZED ME THE DAY AFTER THE WORLD SERIES WAS THE AMOUNT OF PICTURES OF SO TAGUCHI IN THE YAHOO/AP PHOTO FEED!!

JUDGING BY THE CAPTIONS OF MANY OF THESE SHOTS OF SO, THE PRIMARY AUDIENCE FOR THESE PICTURES WAS THE JAPANESE MEDIA - IT NEVER REALLY OCCURED TO ME THAT BECAUSE OF SO TAGUCHI, A CARDINAL CHAMPIONSHIP MIGHT BE MORE INTERESTING IN JAPAN!!!

THIS GIVES ME THE IDEA THAT STL'S BRAND EQUITY, AMONG PLAYERS AND AUDIENCE, IS THE HIGHEST IT'S EVER BEEN!!! WHAT CAN WE DO TO CASH IN ON THAT EQUITY, OR EVEN INCREASE IT MORE???!!!

THE ANSWER, IS TO SIGN ANOTHER JAPANESE FREE AGENT...

SO TODAY I WENT OVER TO JAPANESEBASEBALL.COM AND A FORUM THREAD SENT ME  HERE:  

http://eutawstreetbombers.blogspot.com/2006/09/japanese-players-of-interest-since-end.html

AT A LIST OF PLAYERS THAT HAD A POTENTIAL TO "POST" (A PLAYER MUST BE POSTED BY THEIR JAPANESE TEAM IN ORDER TO BECOME AN ELIGIBLE FREE AGENT IN THE U.S.)...

NOW THE REDBIRDS, IMHO, NEED TO FILL AT LEAST ONE OF SLOT, MAYBE TWO...  THEY NEED A 2B, AND SOME PITCHING!!!  LOOKING AT THAT LIST, KURODA SEEMS TO BE THE ONLY PLAYER THAT IS A FIT FOR STL... HE'S GENERALLY CONSIDERED THE "CONSOLATION PRIZE" FOR THE MATSUZAKA SWEEPSTAKES, BUT I THINK HIS PRICE/PERFORMANCE WOULD BE A GREAT FIT FOR STL IN A #3 OR #4 ROLE!!!

LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS THINK, BUT NOW SEEMS TO BE THE TIME THAT STL CAN AND SHOULD CASH IN ON ANY POPULARITY GAINED BY THE W.S. AND SO TAGUCHI!!!
Update [2006-11-8 8:51:7 by TOLAXOR]: KURODA RESIGNED WITH THE CARP... NUTS!!!