I think he could be conditioned to go back to being a starter if they decide to keep him around for next year.  His minor league stats listed earlier (452 minor league appearances with 488 strikeouts and 36 homeruns and a 3.02-3.05 ERA) look interesting.  

Let that not hex you Welley!

Just like when Bobby Cox yanked Andrew Jones in the middle of an inning when he was showboating and messed up.  He made a mental error and Bobby was not having it.

You need to hold guys accountable and make sure they are playing the game right.  Just because the Cards are out does not mean you go up hacking without a game plan.  Since when does a contact hitter like Brendan need to swing 3-0 b/c the pitcher may groove a pitch.  That is something Branyan my try.  Ryan is a good hitter, and this will only make him better.

Steve Stone talks crap about the Cubs never having a manager who held people accountable for not doing the little things.

Don't get mad b/c Ryan is out.  It was a good thing.

If everyone thinks Ryan is a good player, he totally understands what Larussa did.  It will make him better.  He is a grown man and I think he understands he messed up.  I did not see Tony addressing him but it should not be done on camera if it is negative.

What has Lou done so well?  He has definitely had better pitching than Tony.  That was kind of expected unless you don't understand baseball.

So unless you have some great manager in mind just deal with Tony.  There is a reason that people like Steve Stone like Tony.  Tony is still a good manager.

Jose Oquendo?  Who fills up the rest of the staff?

I don't think you are going to find an available guy to do better than TLR.

You are a manager of a major league baseball team.  You have just come off of one of your most successful seasons, and then things go wrong.  First you lose your ace, and your offense goes MIA for the first two months of the season.  Well it's okay, because you know they will come back.   Then your offense starts hitting again, while your pitching goes to crap.  Then a pitcher dies.  Then the injury bug hits.  You lose your catcher for a while.  Then an outfielder or two.  Then a second baseman.  Then a third baseman.  By the all-star break your team (including pitching) looks more like a triple-A roster than major league.  But somehow, someway you keep your sanity..  and your chances alive.   Good things happen.  Your starting right fielder has a solid season.  You call up a phenom outfielder who takes the league by storm.  Things are looking up.  You're right in the thick of the playoff race.  Maybe things will be alright.  

Then all hell breaks loose... again.  Your starting right fielder has a freak injury that may end his career.  Allegations come out against your phenom outfielder.   And a season that was about to turn the corner turns to crap in front of your eyes.  You lose 11 out of 12 games, ending your playoff hopes.  

Your whole life is baseball, your job, your livelihood.  And this year that has meant trials, frustration, anger, disappointment, and tragedy.  And through it all you still have to face the media, try to be positive.  The fans, almost as frustrated as you are, look for someone convenient to blame it on - you.  

Okay.  Now you've peeked inside Tony's world.  
Lay off him already.

Like I said listen to 670 the Score and Steve Stone discusses how he can't believe how cheap the Cardinals are.  He said based on the attendance and their play-off run and WS victory they should have had plenty of $$ to spend.  Now is STL going to become a team where the owners stop spending money?  They try to get bargins?  They could have had Lilly for what they are going to spend on "bargain" players.  Not that I am saying I liked the Lilly singing but at somepoint they need to spend.

And now we've burned out our bullpen for the one guy who will give us our best chance to win tomorrow night.