Regressed? He hit .262. Isn't his average for his career .270? You don't sit the best defensive catcher in baseball on the bench for hitting .262.

His batting average dropped from .293 in 2009 to .262 in 2010. That's a significant drop off. His strike outs also went up in less games played.

He will eventually join Carp, Waino and Garcia in the 2012 rotation.

2011 Carp, Waino and Garcia
2012 Carp Waino, Miller and Garcia
2013 Waino, Miller and Garcia

Not a bad roatation to send out in the playoffs. Now, if we can jsut get a consistent offense.

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?k...qg&output=html

Nice little spread sheet with the Cardinals financial obligations to players through 2014.

Looks like La Russa will be back next year.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slu..._russa-4872647

ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis Cardinals have brought back Tony La Russa for a 16th year as manager.

The team announced the deal Monday and said it includes a mutual option for the 2012 season. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The 66-year-old La Russa has a franchise-record 1,318 wins since joining the team as manager in 1996. He has led the Cardinals to eight division titles, two National League pennants and a World Series title in 2006.

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseb...27992bc8b.html

Tony La Russa will return in 2011 for a 16th season as Cardinals manager, the club announced this afternoon.

La Russa, 66, returns his entire coaching staff except for bullpen coach Marty Mason, whose dismissal was reported earlier today by the Post-Dispatch.

The club has scheduled a press conference to be attended by chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. and general manager John Mozeliak at 4:30 p.m. La Russa will be made available on Tuesday, according to the club.

Today's announcement ended a two-week mini-drama that began when La Russa openly questioned whether he remained an effective field leader for a team that Mozeliak at one point said had underachieved for much of the season.

Mozeliak, DeWitt and La Russa concluded discussions this weekend. La Russa returns on a one-year deal similar to what he requested last October. This contract also includes a mutual option for a second season, an element missing from La Russa's previous contract.

The winningest manager in franchise history and the third-winningest in the game's history, La Russa is on pace to pass John McGraw for the second-most managerial wins in two seasons. He has insisted such milestones didn't weigh in his decision but numerous confidantes, including his wife Elaine, have encouraged him to continue.

Except for hitting coach, La Russa's staff had remained intact for the past decade. No announcement was made about Mason's successor but minor-league pitching coordinator Dyar Miller and Jupiter complex pitching coordinator Derek Lilliquist are considered leading internal candidates.

In other news, the Cardinals today traded outfielder Colby Rasmus to the Kansas City Royals for pitcher Aaron Crow and a PTBNL.


:evil:

What a week. First, the Chiefs abortion in Houston. Next, the Cardinals resign this prima donna ****ball to further drive the team into oblivion. And on Saturday night, Oklahoma will pisspound Missouri on national television as the College Gameday announcers snicker in the background.

FML

:facepalm:

I'm not sure Oklahoma will beat Mizzou that bad, if at all. Also, how's resigning LaRussa a bad thing? The team was over .500.

Yeah mediocrity....... :spock:

Cardinals Arizona Fall League Report

From Monday afternoon

Surprise Rafters 6, Scottsdale Scorpions 4
C Tony Cruz 1-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 K, 2-for-5 in gunning down base stealers
SS Peter Kozma 0-for-3, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 CS, was also picked off 1st base
RHP Jordan Swagerty (H, 1) 1 1/3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 21 pitches - 14 strikes

Not unexpected. Why the bullpen coach? anyone know?

****, man. Have some faith.