Not Much Going On With Cardinals & Friday Links

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The St. Louis Cardinals are just giving us too much to work with at this point. Since we last spoke things have happened and we’ve got opinions on those things.

Yadier Molina won another Gold Glove. This is his fourth one in succession passing Mike Matheny as the new ‘Gold Glove’ standard for St. Louis catchers.  The general consensus seems to be that the advanced metrics say this wasn’t his best season, but it was given to him because it was his high water mark offensively. Well fuck advance metrics. If my life is on the line and I need someone to erase a runner, block a breaking ball in the dirt or pick a guy off first… I’m picking Molina. And if I don’t get to pick Molina, then I’m dead. So by that measure Yadi wins. The Gold Glove is INFALLABLE.

Albert Pujols submarined a championship ‘autographed ball’. He wanted too much money according to Darren Rovell of CNBC. So now we don’t get the opportunity to spend 19.95 on a lithographed fake ball with a gaudy Cardinals logo. The names were probably going to be in gold or some shit too. Any other year, this is a non-story. Contract year? Well, happens that Carlos Beltran switched agents from Scott Boras to Dan Lozano a couple of weeks back. Lozano happens to be Pujols’ agent as well. Any guesses on who might have leaked that little World Series ball to the press? Is it greedy as hell? Yes. Are you really under the impression that any professional athlete isn’t? Shame on you.

Bob Forsch died. Age 61 of an apparent heart attack. The only pitcher in STL Cards history to throw more than 1 no-hitter was last seen at the 2011 World Series. Mr. Forsch was a player a bit before I really was born slash too young to remember baseball, but by all accounts he was a very workman pitcher for the Cardinals in the late 70’s early 80’s. He won more games and pitched more innings than any other pitcher at Busch Stadium II. Seemed like a pretty class guy as well, so condolences to his friends and family.

The manager situation is coming into shape. Francona’s agent is letting everyone know how interested the Cubs are in his client, so that must mean that the Cardinals are fairly serious about Terry as their next skip. He’ll command around 4M per season, so this one might come down to money. Personally, I thought the Cardinals should have tried to swing a trade for Joe Maddon, but it looks like he’s happy in Tampa and will sign an extension with the Rays. If Francona won’t come off his price any or the Cubs snatch him up… looks like Oquendo is breaking early on the inside rail. The interview process starts next week for most guys and the Cardinals are internally shooting for 11/15 as a hire date for a new manager.

Like I said, not much going on with this team, right? Let’s bring back some Friday Links, shall we?

That’s it for the week. You know, unless another 50 things happen with the Cardinals. Then we’ll be back here to yap about it. Have a big weekend and let’s see if we can’t get some of this good STL mojo to the Blues. I think they need it.

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