Well, the first thing we could do is nothing. Just waiting for Ryan and maybe Hoff is the first choice. Hoff is off to a good start, but I am far from convinced that he is the long term solution at 2B. Ryan might be more of a solution but, is he really the guy we want to see starting at 2B for the next several years? So we wait Ryan comes off the DL, and Hoff continues to hit at Memphis and maybe we have a solution.

  The other offensive whole is Duncan. I personally have never been a big fan. So we wait. Maybe he comes around, but if he doesn't who would want him? Does Duncan have options? At the end of spring training I thought Duncan should go on the DL then do a re-hab stint and make room for Mather. Joe is off to a great start and I think it would be nice to switch him and Chris. I thought that Schu would have to be moved to make room for Rasmus, but now I think it is Duncan.

  So we wait and fill in from AAA. Do the Cards move Kennedy, Miles and Duncan and replace them with Ryan, Hoff, and Mather? The second half outfield five would be Schu, Rasmus, Rick, Barton, and Ludwick. The infield would look like this. Glaus, Iz2, Ryan, and Albert with Mather and Hoff on the bench. Mather will need to get some starts at 3B in Memphis. So what happens to the aforementioned players? Who Cares!? Sorry that is a little harsh, but maybe we can get something for Duncan.

  The other option is to make a trade for a 2Ber that can play now and hold the position for several years. I would want a can't miss player not a prospect. Wanting is one thing acquiring is another. There will be teams looking for pitching help. We just need to find one that has a 2Ber that we want. I am thinking of a guy like Aaron Hill of the Blue Jays or Chin Hu from LA. A sincere question is can we get a player like that? Can Reyes or any of the pitching surplus combined with Duncan get a can't miss second baseman? Any thoughts?

In August of '06 I took the family to Pittsburgh to watch a fustrated and weak team get swept by the Pirates. That team ended up world champions. This year we returned to Pittsburgh and saw a weak and fustrated team sweep the Pirates. By the way we went back to Pittsburgh because it is that beautiful! I suggest you go if you have not been.

 I saw some things that gave me hope for next year.

Wellemeyer: I think he pitched well enough to be in the rotation next year. That's right I said it. Well, at least until Mulder/Carp are ready.

Adam Wainwright started out shakey but settled down and got the win. That showed maturity and guts.

Ryan Ludwick took Morgan's double off the wall on the track and almost over threw Eckstein on the SS side of second base. Eck had to leap and extend fully to catch the ball. I bet Ryan could have reached third on one hop. He has a cannon, he can hit, he makes the outfield much better. Duncan, Edmonds, Ankiel with Ludwick and Schumaker on the bench. Our outfield is set, and improved.

 Last year when I suggested moving Duncan all I heard was "How can you trade the pitching coach's son?" Now we do have depth in the outfield in the minors and other than Rasmus we have trading chips. Duncan stays.

 The infield is looking pretty clear to me as well. Rolen, Ryan, Kennedy, Pujols, and Molina with Miles, Speeze, and Bennett on the bench. I would like to see more of a stick at back up catcher, but I'm not willing to pay for it.
 Eck played well this weekend, but I can't see spending money on him. One year 2m is all I would offer. He moves on.

The rotation will be:

FA/trade
Wainman
Looper
Pineiro
Wellemeyer/Mulder

We need to find a front line pitcher. A. J. Burnett scares me because of his injuries. Willis is scarey too. So who is the one guy? That's the 12 million dollar question.
 Well, I know the answer it is not Reyes or Baby Face. Could Reyes and a couple of outfield prospects get Garland?

 Hopefully Carp comes back at the trade deadline, and the Cards don't need to trade for an arm.

 If Thompson and Reyes are not traded to get a pitcher I suggest that we look for SS/3b prospects. I would consider a guy like Angel's Brandon Wood. He has a stick and has played both SS and 3b. I know his D needs alot of work, but he is only 22. One more year in AAA will give him time to work it out. If not him there are a few others out there. The Dodger's have LaRoche, and the Diamond backs have a couple of guys. We certainly should back the left side of the infield. I am willing to let Ryan  start at short, but if he is hitting .200 in June I would like to have some one to call up. Same goes with Scottie in case he gets hurt.

 The pen will be pretty much the same.

 We all believed that the '07 Cards would win this division. I still believe that this team would have if not for the injuries.  Carpenter alone would have made all the differance. He would have won 15 games and been a mentor to Reyes, and the rest of the staff.

 All the Cards need to win this division next year is one top flight starter and infield depth. Oh, and everyone needs to stay healthy.

I woke up this morning early and that thought was the first thing that popped into my head. I know sick isn't it. None the less I was unable to get back to sleep.

 It is  very scary thought, but now that I have had a cup of coffee let's face it. IT IS TRUE!

  All due respect to Jim Edmonds, but what can he be counted on for next year? A healthy Edmonds makes 130 starts, and we all hope he doesn't have to spend any real time on the DL.

 Chris Duncan quite frankly scares me. I know his playoff AB's (22) is a small sample, but and it is a big BUT he went up against the best pitchers in the MLB and got 3 hits.
 He had all of '05 & '06 to play the outfield and we saw him play in game five and look very uneasy out there. My wife put it another way. "He sucks!" (Plus she hates the tabacy juice in the beard.)

 Chris's story was a wonderful one for you folks in St. Louis and Card fans everywhere. Here on the east coast I don't think any of the YankSox fans heard of him. Oh maybe a few Yanks fans said "Oh don't we have a Duncan in our system? What ever happened to him?"

 It looks like the bench will be filled out with Taguchi and Jrod. As much as I love these guys do any of us think Jrod will have 13 HR's. I know ZIPS thinks so, but come on. I guess the Cards are talking to Preston Wilson. Oh that eases my mind.

 I was going to pack this post with numbers and stats, but you guys do that better than me anyway. Plus must of you know all the Zips and numbers right off the tops of your heads. So I will not bother.

 I have been hoping for an impact trade. You all have seen my pleading for Crawford, Baldelli, Melky or a signing like Nixon, but it looks like we will go with what we got. That plan scares me.

A column in the Star-Telegram has Mulder's agent saying the Mark is ahead of schedule, and may be ready opening day. The agent restates that 25 starts is a likely number just to be fair.

 I would like to see Mulder back. In this market what would 25 healthy starts from Mulder be worth?

Then the next question is what will he actually sign for?

Any ideas about what it will take to get him?

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/baseball/16365651.htm

They signed Pineiro for 5y 55mil? Does this mean that Soup is a steal at 4y 40m. The Brewers offered Soup a fourth year as an option.

 If we fans think this is crazy we have ourselves to blame. As long as MLB is generating record profits contracts like this will be common.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/moore/296856_moore22.html

I read this articlehttp://www.mlbtraderumors.com/ and I couldn't help but laugh. I remember the "Battery Game." My wife and I drove down from Syracuse to the Vet. We were in the parking lot and heard a chorus of Boo's. I told her then that Drew must be up. Well, after we got to our seats it all got worse. At the time I felt horrible for the young Mr. Drew, but now the irony of this makes me laugh.

I really like the way this guy plays the game. It is my understanding that the D-backs were going to offer him a contract to avoid arbitration. I guess Chris Young is slated for cf and Carlos Quentin in right. That leaves Byrnes in the left. Has anyone heard what his statis is, and what kinda deal might be in the works?

I see his numbers in AA and AAA and he has some pop. I also see 19 E's. I have not seen any stories on this guy. Is he some one who has a chance to make the 25 man roster down the road? Does anybody know about him, or Juan Richardson for that matter?

 Thought I'd try to change the subject. I am like an expectant father waiting to see who we sign. Come on Schmidt!

On Dec 2, Daily Herald columnist Scot Gregor, wrote. "The asking price...two front line players and a pitcher prospect." He was refering to what it would take to bring Crawford to the White Sox. I am not sure how he knows that, but if that is true. Why  not try a three way deal. I know I know I am dreaming again. I know it will never happen and I am just a nut from Syracuse. I am thinking we can move any of the following; Encarnacion, Looper, Flores, Duncan, and Rincon. As far as a pitching "prospect" is concerned I would take Navi, AW and Reyes off the table, but any  of our fine young arms in the minors would be available. If Tampa is not interested in what we have to offer  then we may need to go threeway to find what they want. I guess the key here would be to move Encarnacion. Then sign Trot Nixon 2y/12m to play right. Boston did not offer him arbitration.

Eckstien
Crawford
Pujols
Rolen
Edmonds
Nixon
Kennedy
Molina

Damn, that would be on feared line up! And maybe the best defense in all of baseball.

I know the biggest concern seams to be pitching, but we do need a left fielder and a second baseman. With the numbers that the bats have signed for this year Burrell's contract looks less ridiculous. He is due 13 mill '07 and 14 mill in '08. If the Phills were willing to throw in say 2 mill a year I would be willing to talk. Maybe say Reyes and Looper for Burrell and 4 mill. Any thoughts?