I think of the 6 Ludwick will have the big year, building on what he did last year with about 16 homers and 60 RBI's in limited action.

I think Duncan is the guy who wont be around. Like i've said before: there's no way the cards go with the all lefty outfield and he might be the worst hitter and fielder with the other 2 being Rasmus and Ankiel

I can't pick Duncan. If he does well, I don't think it would "surprise" anybody.

Positive, I would include Ludwick. I think he was surprise last year but is still greatly underrated by the Cardinal base and even by the VEB community.

The player I think most likely to be with someone else at the end of the year is Jason Isringhausen. I know he has a no trade clause. I think he will finally be convinced to waive it when he realizes the Cardinals are not going to re-sign him.

I can't pick Wellemeyer or Izturis because I have doubts other teams would pick them up if they were DFAd....well, at least major league teams.

I don't think that any of those players are going to have a particularly surprising year, per se; but I do hope that Adam Kennedy manages to play a respectable game. Not expecting something "really positive" but then again... if what we're working with is a line of .219/.282/.290 in 279 AB's... then respectability might just be enough improvement to qualify as "something really positive."

The player that'll be out of the organization by the end of the year is sadly Anthony Reyes. It seems obvious that he is just not going to succeed here under the current regime... and there's only one more option left with him, right? Just an ugly situation: management gives him little margin for error and A-Rey fails to make the most out of the few opportunities given.

Would Adam Kennedy having a OPS over .650 be considered something really positive? I would like to pick Ryan Ludwick but I'm afraid he may have hit his ceiling.

Best pick not to be with the team is easy, Anthony Reyes. If he doesn't kill his trade value someone will give us something for him. Sorry jillsinmo I know you have a mom crush on him and don't want to see him go. I have to admit I'm starting to get a MILF crush on you.

To keep with your Forest Gump theme how about this as our slogan

Our Rotation Is Like A Box Of Chocolates, You Never Know What Your Going To Get

And that's all that I have to say about that.

Surprise - Kennedy
Another Org - Ludwick

I have this hunch that Ludwick will be traded this year. I think the establishment of Barton and Rasmus as integral parts to the roster by mid-season pushes Ludwick out.

Why not the others?

Given the Thompson/Reyes inanity, I suspect Duncan Sr. wields some jedi mind trick power over the current org and would never let his son get traded.

Related to that, it would be too easy for me to pick Reyes as the one to go to another org, but why would we trade him when we can keep psychologically bashing him here? Nahhhhhh, trading him would be too easy on the org and the fans....Reyes is gonna keep on working in the minors or simply retire due to the craziness he has endured. I digress.

Wellemeyer has value in the bullpen and is one of the least likely trading chips when the injured half of our bloated-when-healthy rotation returns.

We will either hang on to Izturis for dear life, which follows no logic, or he will be released and out of baseball for the rest of 2008.

Yes, I am bitter this morning. And I actually happen to believe the Cards will finish over .500 this year. Mark it, Donnie. I am simply at the end of my patience with the aged monster that is LaDunc.

is this your site now or something?

That's my pick for the slogan.

Reyes see ya

&

Ludwick nice to see ya tearing it up this year.

Reyes/Reyes & Duncan

I don't think there's anyway that he can stay around now, and I still think he's got a lot of potential.

Duncan may not be gone by September as I think he'll play the last half of the season as our starting 1B, and be traded in the offseason. Iz2 will be gone as well, but I'm not so sure another team will pick him up.

Make like Lamping and get out while you still can!

Is it in the best interest of the of the Cardinals to have Reyes as the #4/#5 starter when everyone knows that when Clement and Pineiro become available, the current #4 starter (Wellemeyer) and #5 (Thompson) will be moved to the bullpen. Reyes is a starter, no doubts, right? OK, for him to get into the rotation and stay there, he has to beat out Looper for the #3 spot. So let's figure out if he is better than Looper now? Looper has a better history, Reyes has a better upside. I'm glad I don't have to make that decision.... My heart want Reyes to start, my brain says Looper will be more consistent.

Mr. Adam Kennedy (+)
Bounce back; he'll be a useful league-average 2B
Mr. Cesar Izturis (--)
No hope. Just a matter of how long it takes Mr. LaRussa to figure that out.
Mr. Chris Duncan (=)
He is what we thought he is.
Mr. Anthony Reyes (=)
Some good, some not so good. I do think he'll have a very good second half...for what team, I'm not sure...
Mr. Ryan Ludwick (+)
A lovely surprise this year. With all the lefties in the outfield, he'll become as essential part of the mix.
Mr. Todd Wellemeyer (-)
Mediocre, or worse.

I wish all of these players well; there are none that are on my personal s**tlist, but it'll be a very mixed bag with more downside than upside, overall.

I just saw this in the Palm Beach Post. The story on Mickey Rourke is kind of funny, man he's looking rough, but this is the part that made me happy.

Speaking of baseball managers, St. Louis Cardinals skipper Tony La Russa seems to have gotten the message after last March's DUI arrest while the team trained in Jupiter. I'm told La Russa is making frequent stops at the Italian eatery Grande's Bella Cucina in Palm Beach Gardens. There, a waiter tells me, he sticks strictly to San Pellegrino .

Good for Tony, stick with the San Pellegrino.

Ludwick being the feel-good story of the Cardinal year. It might just be my raking with him on MLB The Show, though. Goddamn video game bias!!

I think A-Rey will be gone. Too bad, too, since he's hurling in MLB The Sh--GODDAMMIT!! AGAIN!?!?

FSN Kansas City?

Where did these networks come from?

After a shaky first week, Cesar realizes that his spot in the lineup is well protected and in turn begins having a season that no shortstop in the history of basball ever had. Pundits will ask each other "Hey I can't see too well, is that Ozzie Smith out there?" To top it off Cesar begins to train with Albert Pujols on how to hit for power and begins to rival Derek Jeter as a power hitting shortstop. With the line of .306/.422/.645 the Cardinals, knowing that Cesar cannot possbly maintain this kind of output, quickly look for possible trading partners. The Giants in an effort to "get younger" trade Lincecum and Cain. After the trade, Cesar "regresses to the mean" or "sucks again" and by the end of the season is living in a van down by the river.

I dunno maybe its watching all this NCAA March Madness and seeing underdogs win. Anybody else watch that Drake/Western Kentucky Game? That game was an instant Classic in my opinion. I was sad as an Iowan to see Drake lose, but it was a good game anyway....
I see Reyes actually getting it together this year. (Hopefully he somehow gets a spot in the rotation at some point)

As for not being with the organization.... Most likely Chris Duncan. I agree he'll probably play a lot of first base this year and be moved in the off-season. And my family and friends all will ask me why we would ever trade Chris Duncan, constantly. I'll talk about this site and they still won't understand.....

3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO

Bobby Knight is in a Cardinal uniform over in the dugout with La Russa. I'd like to see La Russa run him out on the field to argue a couple umpire calls. That should be good.

IMO ludwick and duncan have already broken out, though they haven't reached their peaks yet. I expect a .280/.360/.500 line out of ludwick and about a .290/.380/.550 out of duncan. I think they both have 30-40 HR power.

For the real breakout though, AK's gonna come back and have a 100 OPS+ season. I've never been more wrong about a player than i was when we signed him, and as much crap as I've given him out of frustration i still think he's a decent ballplayer.

Izturis and Schumacher will be gone by June, and either Wellemeyer or Reyes will be included in a trade in july. One of duncan/ludwick will also be traded. We won't get full value for either.

Ickturis ... in addition to the rest of his crappy play ... they say he has clearly missed two tags on stolen base throw-outs this spring ... I'm sure Yadi appreciates that ... is there ANYTHING about this guy's game were supposed to like !!! and this one just cost us the second run ... and oh, by the way, the last rally killer he contibuted to raises his total in that department to eight for Feb/Mar ...

is going to get albert killed. He hasn't had a throw TO first base yet.