4thebirds...

2012 Cardinals Caravan coming back to Lake Land in January

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:21:00 +0000

MATTOON--The 2012 Cardinals Caravan will make a stop at Lake Land College for the second straight year.

Of 17 Caravan stops in 2011, Lake Land netted the highest attendance.

This year's Caravan is slate for Sunday, January 15.

Stan the Man needs your help in ASG Final Four

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 02:40:00 +0000

St. Louis Cardinals' legend Stan Musial has made the Final Four in MLB's Greatest All-Star Moment.

The voting is going on right now at MLB's Midsummer Classics.

To watch the video posted atop 4thebirds... at the MLB's official web site and cast your vote for Stan the Man, click here.

Cardinals and CBS Radio team up to aid tornado victims

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 21:37:00 +0000

CBS Radio Personalities to Collect Donations at Busch on Wednesday, May 4

ST. LOUIS (April 29, 2011) – The St. Louis Cardinals announced today they have teamed with the club’s radio broadcast partners, the CBS Radio Group (KMOX 1120 AM, FRESH 102.5 and Y98 FM) to host a collection drive before the 7:15 P.M. game against the Florida Marlins on Wednesday, May 4th at Busch Stadium. All proceeds from the collection will be donated to the United Way to assist the families affected by last week’s tornados in St. Louis.

All three CBS Radio stations will be broadcasting live outside of Busch Stadium from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and the on-air personalities from each station will be collecting donations outside each of the ballpark’s gates. The Cardinals are also offering a special $10 ticket to that night’s game, with the team donating 50% of proceeds of the sale to the United Way. Fans can purchase their special $10 ticket to the game at www.cardinals.com/relief.

The collection drive and special ticket initiative is in addition to the Cardinals other efforts to help those affected by last week’s tornados. The team made a $30,000 donation to the American Red Cross, with $20,000 coming directly from the Cardinals and $10,000 from the team’s charitable foundation, Cardinals Care.

The team is also providing tickets to the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the United Way to be distributed to rescue workers, volunteers and families impacted by the disaster. Fans are encouraged to donate directly to the American Red Cross at www.redcrossstl.org , the Salvation Army at www.salvationarmy.org and the United Way of St. Louis at http://www.stl.unitedway.org/.

Cardinals pitch in with Tornado Relief Efforts

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 01:49:00 +0000

Team Pledges $30,000 to the American Red Cross to Help Families
ST. LOUIS (April 23, 2011) – The St. Louis Cardinals announced this afternoon that the team and

its charitable foundation Cardinals Care will make donations to the American Red Cross to assist

them with their efforts to help the families devastated by yesterday’s tornados in the St. Louis area.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with our friends and neighbors tonight,” said Bill DeWitt III,

the President of the Cardinals. “We want to do our part to immediately help these families begin the

process of rebuilding their lives.”

The team has pledged $30,000 to the American Red Cross, with $20,000 coming directly

from the Cardinals and $10,000 from the team’s charitable foundation Cardinals Care. The team

will make a formal check presentation to representatives of the American Red Cross prior to

tomorrow night’s game.

“Our hearts go out to each of these families and particularly the children,” said Michael Hall,

Vice President of Cardinals Care and Community Relations.

Cardinals Care is dedicated to caring for kids. Since it was founded in 1997, Cardinals Care

has distributed over $17 million to area non-profit youth organizations, built 19 youth ball fields in

local disadvantaged neighborhoods and currently serves over 4,000 kids as part of the Redbird

Rookies program.

Fans are encouraged to assist with the relief efforts and can learn more about helping the

American Red Cross at www.redcrossstl.org or calling 314.516.2800.

2011 Predictions National League West

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 08:00:00 +0000

2011 Predictions National League West Final Standings

NL West

San Francisco
San Diego
Los Angeles
Arizona
Colorado

2011 Predictions National League Central

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 20:00:00 +0000

2011 Predictions for National League Central Final Standings

St. Louis
Cincinnati
Milwaukee
Chicago
Houston
Pittsburgh

2011 Predictions National League East

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 08:00:00 +0000

2011 Predictions for National League East Final Standings

Philadelphia
Atlanta
Washington
Florida
New York

2011 Predictions American League

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 07:00:00 +0000

Predicted 2011 Season Final Standings--American League

AL East

Boston
Tampa Bay
New York
Baltimore
Toronto

AL Central

Minnesota
Detroit
Chicago
Kansas City
Cleveland

AL West

Texas
Los Angeles
Oakland
Seattle

Carpenter amongst those missing some spring workouts

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 18:32:00 +0000

JUPITER, FL--Chris Carpenter will miss his next scheduled start for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Carpenter recently felt as if he'd "tweaked" his hamstring last Sunday, then had the same feeling Tuesday. As a pre-cautionary measure, the Cards will sit their new ace indefinately.

Manager Tony La Russa feels there is so much of Spring Training left, and with the long season ahead, there will be no major impact on the team's pitching scenario.

More on Carpenter's injury (and several other MLB Spring Training injuries) encompassed in the posted video.

TJ for Waino

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 12:10:00 +0000

Adam Wainwright went under the knife Monday in St. Louis, team physician, George Paletta performing Tommy John surgery on Wainwright's pitching elbow.

Recovery time for TJ surgery is typically 12-15 months.

Wainwright miss at minimum, the entire 2011 season. He is expected to rejoin the Cardinals in Jupiter, Florida before the end of March.

Wainwright narrowly missed winning the Cy Young Award last season while winning 20 games.

Adam Wainwright meet Tommy John

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:29:00 +0000

Adam Wainwright, meet Tommy John. Not the pitcher who long ago underwent the first surgery to repair some defective components in his pitching arm. What Cardinal Nation has feared for the last couple of days is now confirmed by the St. Louis Cardinals’ front office.

General manager John Mozeliak announced late Thursday morning that Wainwright will need to undergo Tommy John surgery. Cardinals doctor George Paletta will perform the procedure in St. Louis. No date has been set. Recovery time for Tommy John typically takes 12 to 15 months, usually the latter in the case of a starting pitcher.

Cardinals’ manager Tony La Russa now has the task of finding another arm to fill a fifth spot in the starting rotation. Potential candidates with starting experience are Ian Snell and Kyle McClellan. La Russa says including those two, there are at least a half dozen possibilities. The Cards' skipper has also floated the possibility of working in the fifth starter by committee, which would permit the club to head into the season without trying to etch a fifth hurler’s name in stone.

Does the loss of Wainwright for the 2011 season, and maybe beyond, have an impact on the NL Central? The reactions coming out of Cincinnati, Milwaukee, and Chicago suggest half the NL Central now believe they have a shot at the division.

Waino likely out for 2011 season

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 14:46:00 +0000

St. Louis Cardinals’ ace, Adam Wainwright is not in Spring Training camp. Wainwright recently felt discomfort in his right elbow during a pitching session. The pain worsened by the next day. Wainwright underwent an MRI, the early indications not good, according to Cardinals GM John Mozeliak. Wainwright was sent back to St. Louis to see the team doctor.

Speculation suggests Tommy John surgery could be in the offing, but even if that’s not the case, the injury seems bad enough for Cards' manager Tony La Russa and longtime pitching coach Dave Duncan to immediately start evaluating their available pitchers for a replacement in the Cards' rotation.

At the top of that list, Kyle McClellan, who for the last couple of seasons, has started Spring Training as if he were going to be a starting pitcher. On those occasions, as is now, there was a potential need for McClellan’s services as a starter. As it turned out, McClellan was not needed in the starting rotation and slipped back into his bullpen role. This time around, however, the need seems much more likely.

McClellan is not the only hurler the Cardinals will eye in Jupiter, Florida. The list is long ... about as long as there are pitchers not already considered in the starting rotation.

The impact of Wainwright’s absence will undoubtedly resonate throughout the NL Central, but the impact of his potential replacement is of critical importance to the team as well.

Mozeliak currently doesn’t believe the Cards will go outside the current realm of pitchers in camp. There’s no defining a list of those who would like to compete for the suddenly open starting spot in the rotation. Pick who you will, but know La Russa and Duncan will be most impressed by the pitcher that steps up the best.

Jimmy Ballgame over

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 20:50:00 +0000

With one day left before spring training, Jim Edmonds had high hopes of once more setting foot on the outfield grass. Unfortunately for Edmonds and Cardinals fans, that dream is over.

The man dubbed "Jimmy Ballgame," the most well known center fielder of the St. Louis Cardinals, would not have been able to pass a required team physical due to foot-related injuries. Any hopes of rekindling his storied career in baseball has ended, by Edmonds own choice.

Edmonds phoned Cardinals GM John Mozeliak Thursday to inform him that he is calling it quits, his Achilles tendon not responding to medical remedies as he’d hoped. Edmonds officially retired Friday at age 40 and will not report to spring training in Jupiter, Florida.

Edmonds broke into the majors in 1993 with the Anaheim Angels, was then acquired in 2000 by the Cardinals, where he spent eight seasons before moving on to the Padres, Brewers, Cubs, and Reds.

Edmonds hit 241 of his 393 career home runs as a Cardinal, and was part of the World Series winning team of 2006. A four-time All Star, Edmonds has been in more Cardinals post season games at 61 than any Cardinals player in history. In his career, Edmonds was just shy of 1,200 RBI’s and 2,000 hits.

Former teammate Skip Schumaker, who would sometimes take batting practice with Edmonds during the off season, said it would’ve been nice for Edmonds to get to that 2,000 hit and 400 homer plateau. Schumaker also expounded about how much Edmonds would help the younger players.

Forever Redbird

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 12:24:00 +0000

“What did I want? I want to be a Cardinal forever. That’s my goal.” Those were the words of Albert Pujols early Thursday morning at the St. Louis Cardinals spring training camp in Jupiter, Florida.

Pujols clearly wants his entire baseball future to play out in the Lou, as local St. Louisans call the city west of the Arch. Cardinal Nation couldn’t agree more.

The question now – or after the 2011 season – is whether the St. Louis Cardinals organization can come to an agreement with undoubtedly baseball’s best player regarding his contract. No details had been given, no particulars of supposed negotiations came by way of slip of the tongue, no clues offered to thicken the plot.

Only Pujols’ desire to remain a Redbird for life was clear.

According to cardinals GM John Mozeliak and Pujols, himself, there shouldn’t be another whisper about the biggest potential contract baseball has ever seen for the rest of the season.

You can bet the media will be dogging Roger Dean Stadium throughout spring training, reporters hunting for scraps of information that might tip off the real deal.

For now, Spring Training is the order of Pujols’ day.

Stan the Man awarded PMOF

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 20:31:00 +0000

Stand for Stan Day at Busch Stadium/chet novak

Stan Musial, known in all baseball circles as Stan the Man, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom Tuesday by President Obama.

Obama said Musial "matched hustle with humility," and that Musical's accomplishments made him "worthy of one of the greatest nicknames in sports, Stan the Man."

Pujols nowhere near close to signing

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 15:32:00 +0000

The St. Louis Cardinals have loaded up their roster over the winter, adding major league veterans like Lance Berkman, Ryan Theriot, Gerald Laird, and even a former Redbirds star, Jim Edmonds. And although Albert Pujols will be wearing a jersey with two birds on the bat this season, there now seems to be little chance he will reach an agreement with the Cardinals’ organization prior to Spring Training regarding his upcoming contract renewal.

Pujols himself has set a negotiation deadline of February 15th. The Cardinals start Spring Training in Jupiter, Florida on February 16th. If Pujols and the Cards cannot ink a deal by then, Pujols stresses there will be no further negotiation until season’s end.

Pujols could become a free agent at that time, creating a potentially untenable situation for Cardinals’ management, who would likely have to compete with the likes of the Yankees and Red Sox in a bidding war. And there’s little doubt Cardinal Nation is anxious for a deal that would keep Pujols in St. Louis for the rest of his major league career.

Pujols could go coastal if the Cardinals cannot tender an offer to his liking, adding the Mets in the east and Angels to the west. There could even be offers from the Rangers and the Royals, not to mention NL Central rivals, the Cubs.

Teammate Matt Holliday stated recently he would be willing defer more of his salary if that would help close the deal for Pujols.

Jimmy Ballgame is back

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 21:27:00 +0000

Jim Edmonds just can't call it quits, and the St. Louis Cardinals are going to give him one more shot to prove he has baseball value to a team for which has played his heart out for years.

This afternoon, the St. Louis Cardinals announced they will sign Edmonds to a minor league contract and give him a go at Spring Training in Jupiter, Florida.

Edmonds has played in more post-season games (61) for the Cardinals than any other franchise player.

Five potential headlines for the upcoming Cardinals season

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 21:36:00 +0000

LaRue considers minor league coaching assignment

Redbird rails run from Memphis to St. Louis to Chicago

Cards team to beat in NL Central

NL hurlers fear Redbirds Row of Pujols, Holliday, Berkman

Stanley Cup and Commissioner's Trophey coming to a town near you--with an Arch in view

PJ Walters to guest on UCB Radio

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:31:00 +0000

The St. Louis Cardinals' P.J. Walters will join UCB Radio as a special guest on a Saturday, January 29.

A call-in number may be featured during the show, which is set to start at 7:00 p.m.

Here is the link for the P.J.Walters Special on UCB Radio.

Hamstrung Punto to backup potentially hamstrung Cards

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 19:57:00 +0000

Twin injuries as a Twin last season and about-average at best numbers at the plate make Nick Punto worth point-seven million for the upcoming season as a backup infielder at the 4, 5, and 6 positions.

The most pressing need (and most obvious) is to back up David Freese should the third base hopeful not progress as much is expected or should his current injury re-occur. The Cards must feel Punto is not there as a regular by any means, but may want to rely on his experience. It's not only the injury replacement duty but the cycle of giving first string infielders a breather apiece as the season progresses.

Hamstring injuries kept him off the field for almost half the games last season. Cardinal Nation can only hope Punto isn't "hamstrung" as the new backup or the Redbirds will need a backup for the backup. It wouldn't be the first time.

Punto wasn't aquired to be the star, but oddly enough, his averaging about 10 steals per season makes him one of the top base-stealing threats on the Cardinals as he hits the field at Spring Training. Yikes.

Cards Caravan Mattoon pix 11

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 12:36:00 +0000

Cards Caravan Mattoon pix 9

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 19:42:00 +0000

Cards Caravan Mattoon pix 6

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 12:42:00 +0000

Cards Caravan Mattoon pix 4

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 11:31:00 +0000

Cards Caravan Mattoon pix 3

noreply@blogger.com (chetthejet) — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 12:06:00 +0000