Is what I heard from Craig Pacquette on the radio the other day. He said Tony was a big-time players' manager who was always very open and honest with the players. (However, I must note that he said this on the Radio, and we all know how people change their tunes in real life.) Also, it is important to note that it was Craig Pacquette who said it...another of those guys who wouldn't have been in the major leagues without Tony. He also stated very vaguely that only a couple of guys each year would have a problem with Tony and that they usually didn't stick around long if they did.

I really disagree with this comment. The only two young players that have a legit chance of making the roster out of spring training next season are Ryan and Rasmus, and for very good reasons outlined here, Rasmus most likely will go back to Memphis to start the season. Projecting any other players as being "blocked" is seriously overrating the talent in the Cardinals' system.

Springer is not blocking Perez. Perez isn't due until 2009, IF he can get his control problems straightened out. Perez wasn't even Memphis' closer last year--which is the role he's supposed to fill in St. Louis.

Miles is not blocking Hoffpauir. Hoffpauir is a possible flash-in the pan--after a nice minor league season, he stunk up winter ball (.236 BA, .368 OBP in 55 AB--which is closer to his 2006 season in Springfield). Hoffpauir only moved up to AAA halfway through last season--he's not the kind of prospect who can be rushed right to the majors without a major drop-off in performance. He needs time to adjust to each level. The fact Miles is on the roster doesn't change the fact that Hoffpauir would have spent most of the season in Memphis anyway, only to be called up when the rosters expand in August. His season very could well look like Ryan's last year, which is right about where his development should be.

Miles is back here because the middle infield situation is the biggest question mark on the team--young players and veterans. Will Kennedy recover some of his form, or completely bomb out? Will Ryan manage to perform over an entire season? Will Izturis have enough offense and will his defense recover? Of all the players in the middle infielders, Miles is the only guy who has a smudge of durability, in both performance and health. No, he's not very talented, but back-up plans usually aren't--talent usually are starters. And that's all Miles is--a back-up the manager knows in an unknown and iffy situation--despite the bitching and moaning that's erupted about a utility player's resigning. In the meantime, Miles gives LaRussa a decent switching-hitting singles pitch hitter who sometimes goes into offensive streaks.

Notice I didn't mention Jimenez. That's 'cause he's not blocking anybody--he's here on a minor league deal, and will be possibly cut if other people perform better than him. If players can't perform better than him, then they've got no value.

Clement is not blocking Reyes. Despite whatever people think of how Duncan handled Ironbrim, I think most would agree that Anthony would have been better served by keeping in Memphis rather than toss him to the wolves early in the season and then bounce him back and forth like a drunken yo-yo. Now that it's been revealed that Reyes still has an option, the Cardinals need to take advantage of that and try to get Reyes back on track. Throwing him out there in the majors under the same pitching coach with whom he struggled last season is probably the worst way to do so. Also, Clement is a reclamation project, designed more as a back-up plan to Mulder than to Reyes--there's an equal possibility that Mulder may done. A healthy Clement--who had more than 6 months more rehab than Mulder did--can take some of the edge off the uncertainty of who's going to be in the rotation.

Taking this season as a time for assessment of assets is a correct approach, but rushing some prospects ahead of their schedule or doing them more harm to their development are not proper assessments. What the Cardinals need to do is avoid long-term contracts to anybody but major players (not the Rowands of the world), protect the scant talent in the system from ill-advised trades, sort out exactly what they have in young players who already have made the transition (Ankiel, Duncan, and to a smaller respect Ryan, who probably will be platooning at SS as much as the four outfielders will be platooning if he shows up to play), and allow some veterans to get healthy (Kennedy, Rolan). Right now, the Cardinals' roster has more question marks than it's probably had in more than 20 years, and it does not serve the franchise to either dump potential trade assets before they recover or ruin some decent but not great talent that could turn into serviceable players.

ryan is the only one i feel that is wrongly blocked.  i think izturis a pretty worthless player. i am not a huge fan of ryan but he should easily be able to equal or exceed izturis for a fraction of the cost.

perez just isnt ready yet...6.3bb/9 needs to improve.  saying springer is blocking him is implying that springer sucks.  i dont think springer will be as good as last year, but he wont be the worst guy in the pen either.

hoffpauir isnt blocked by miles, he is 'blocked' by kennedy.  at this point i think he's better off getting regular at bats so he's either starting in AAA or starting in the majors, and i dont think he's quite ready to start in the majors.   he needs to get some big league at bats this year though.  as forsch31 said, jiminez isnt blocking anyone.  heis on a minor league deal.  if he plays well and makes the squad its because he earned it and hoffpauir and/or ryan didnt.

i dont think clement is blocking anyone either.  i have significant doubts that mulder and carp will log meaningful innings this year.  even so, if reyes pitches like he is capable of pitching, he will be in the rotation.  you can argue that duncan may have ruined him, but thats a different issue than being blocked.

i havent seen enough to indicate moz is in tony's pocket.  i hate the izturis acquisition, but the rest of the stuff doesnt necessarily stink of tony.

Given college football's national championship game was tonight, I doubt few caught the Cards baseball show that ran on FoxSports Midwest tonight.  They aired portions of an interview with Mozeliak.  He said they are in the market for a "veteran bat" and want to get one on the roster "somehow".  Where exactly, pray tell, would the push for another "veteran bat" have originated with?  What exactly are Rolen, Pujols, Kennedy, Spiezio, LaRue?  Tell us again MO about how you are "your own man".  When the elephant gets his nose under the tent, eventually you are displaced from the tent.  Be careful MO.  Hold the line with having thrown TLR the ridiculous Miles bone.  We now have no viable backup SS on the 25 man roster.  That means 150 games of Izturis unless he's injured or implodes.  A garbage veteran bat for the OF displaces a younger player who might actually have an upside like Ludwick or Brian Barton.  Mo, Just say NO.

I have heard this also. The Cards are searching for a veteran bat and a lefty swingman. There are no roster spots available, so are these guys coming via trade? The middle infield is already crowded, Speizio and Barden are already around to back up 1st and 3rd. The outfield is 5 deep...It would have to be an outfielder, but that means one of the current ones has to go away. No room for 6. As for the lefty swingman, Are they just trying to get about 16 guys and keep the best 12?

As for Miles: this guy got a 40% raise!!!! Who were we bidding against? He makes about what Hoff,Ryan,Jimenez,and Barden do combined. Is he really any better than any of them? I understand he was signed to be a backup, but he had the 2nd most at-bats to Pujols on the roster last year. Miles received a $400,000 raise for an average to below average performance. How many of you even make $400,000 in a year, but the better question is: How many of you EVER get a 40% raise. I am tired of hearing DeWitt cry poverty and then waste money on a guy like this.