Smiles for Posthole

[Buckrub]

http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/3_reasons_the_st_louis_cardinals_should_hand_shelb y_miller_a_spot_in_the_rotation/12887608

[BarryBobPosthole]

Of those three I like Joe Kelley the best. He really got his meddle tested last season and passed the test IMO. Miller will likely make it just cause Big Mo wants him to make it. Pitching prospects are good now for the Cards. Amazing though how an injury or two can turn that around. Hope we make it through spring with the staff intact! That'd be my biggest wish.

The Owasso kid in the Orioles org, Dylan Bundy, will likely get an honest shot at the bigs this year. I still think that kid has a bright future.

And what do you think of the hoopla around King Ferdinand? I think a contract that fat is a sure prediction of Tommy John surgery in the next year.

BKB

[Buckrub]

WHAT?

Last year, all I heard outta yore redheaded mouf was MILLER MILLER MILLER..........BRING UP MILLER TO START.

Now it's Kelley.

Kelley eats pancakes with fried chicken, son. He's a California boy.

But seriously, the Cards have as good a young talent as anyone.........pitching is hard to come by........and these young guys have to step up sometime. It appears now is the time!!!

Who's King Ferdinand?

[BarryBobPosthole]

Felix Hernandez, they all call him King Felix, which is why I call him King Ferdinand because I think that's the gayest nickname ever for a pitcher. They are working on a $175 million contract over seven years for him. And that giant flushing sound you heard was the rest of the Mariner payroll going down the tubes. they must be trying the San Diego formula for baseball. Keep a big name player for the gate and let the rest of the team go to hell. It irks me and pisses me off.

Of course, I just watched Bull Durham for the 110th time yesterday so I'm a little cynical.

and I'm still high on Miller. They needed him last year and he came through for them. I just liked what I saw in Kelley. Can't I root for more than one guy on that team?

I'm gonna miss Carp.

BKB

[Buckrub]

I don't pay much attention to the American League. I know they have some players that do stuff.

Big contracts tick me off. Not that I'm against these kids making all the can make, go for it. But teams are run by idiots. Paying Pujols for TEN years is insane, as it is for anyone that's 34 years old. It's like the bank giving me a 30 year mortgage, but even that has some collateral and his contract has nothing but a prayer. He (and anyone else in same shoes) won't play 3 of those 10 years. What are the thinking? Paying big bucks for 1 or 2 years, yeah. But not 10.

And I'm high on Miller as a starter (at least by next year, hopefully now this year), Rosenthal as a DYN-O-MITE relief guy in the mold of Chapman for the Reds, but throwing strikes, and Kelley to do whatever they need done at the time. OH, and Lynn will do fine too if they can get in his head. If not, he's awesome trade bait.

I'm more concerned about middle infield than pitching.

And who won't miss Carp? What a dynamo! He even skated with the Blues, I think. Bulldog Carp. Beating Holladay 1-0 may go down as one of the greatest Cardinal games every pitched.

[Buckrub]

And pitchers and catchers report THIS WEEK!

WOO HOOOO

[BarryBobPosthole]

I saw they signed Freese to a one year deal. Not sure why they let that get to arbitration but he will get a huge raise anyway. From something like 500k a year to 3.15 million a year. If he can solve his fielding issues at third he might be worth it.

As for up the middle, I think a lot depends on what happens with Furcal at short. We've got a good young prospect coming up in AAA that might be the future there. I imagine we can limp along with the guys we have until he's ready.

BKB

[Chicken Dinner]

Man, the only thing better than spring training is Opening Day.

[Buckrub]

It didn't go to arbitration. They signed a one year deal to keep it from going. They saved a half mil by doing so, I'd think, because he was asking for $3.75 Mil, and an arbitrator would have given it to him. This just postpones it, but if he has a great year, he's rich, and if not, he's sorta rich.

Boy can hit.

Finding a place for M. Carpenter's bat is a trick.

And Furcal is too old. Hurt all the time. Can't hit his hat size, either.

[DeputyDog]

Hernandez is one of the best pitchers in baseball, but he plays in Seattle, so no one knows it. He's not that impressive if you just look at wins/losses, but a look into those losses and you'd be surprised how many of the losses were in 1-0 or 2-0 games. Unless you pitch all shutouts, if your team don't score, you won't win.

[Buckrub]

(I knew who he was. But it's better if I let Posthole think he's smarter'n me)