I can easily see Jimmy "breaking out" like he did at this time last year.  My concern is that his shoulder is worse than what he lets on.  Chances are he won't have the power that we're all accustomed to.  

As far as this team goes - it may not happen this weekend, but they'll get re-focused.  What happened to the "hard nine" boys?  I just don't see a focused, tough-as-nails, grind-it-out mentality in this team.  And the same core group of leadership is there.  

Things will change for the better.  Carpenter will pitch next week.  The staff will have the stabilizing force back; hopefully to stay.  I think that's a bigger lift than any of us can imagine.  Who is the voice  of reason in the rotation?  Who can you count on right now, to every 5th day, give you the legit possibility of throwing a CG SO?  

I just hope this team hasn't dug too deep a hole.  

That said, I was behind his being re-signed this offseason.  I saw no viable alternative and a $3M buyout and decided that he's going to be worth the extra $16M over 2 years.  At the time, I thought it was the right call though it may turn out to have been a bad decision.  As I see it, the Cards main problem right now is age and lack of productivity from our CF, our RF, and our SS and, unfortunately, I just don't see any help coming.  I don't know how they're going to get out of this hole so they're just going to have to ride Edmonds and Eckstein for this season and cross their fingers.

It's from 11 to 1 today. Should be interested to hear what Rooney has to say about everything, though I'm not really sure what the speaking part is focused on. I imagine there will be some talk of JH32. I'll post a diary if it's worth repeating. (I doubt it'll be anything controversial.)

that having been said, my heart is no more in the outcome of this week's games than the team's appear to be.

However, I read that when Lester comes back from the DL for the Red Sox, they will need to get rid of a pitcher via waivers or a trade since none of their pitchers have options left.  Tavarez is listed as the main candidate to be let go and the Cards were listed as a team that would possibly interested in him.  

What do you guys think?  I've been impressed with the little I've seen from Jiminez and Dove so far but Tavarez would definitely give a boost to our bullpen.  Plus, I always liked the intensity he brought to the ballpark everyday.

Thoughts?

http://images.sportsline.com/u/ap/photos/WIDH104050215_1024x768.jpg

as far as this team, i just cant seem to care about these games, yesterday when speez and bennett were up with the bases loaded, normally i would be riveted, but yesterday, i just didnt care, i didnt even get excited when bennett hit the ball, even though for a sec it looked gone

i am sure that at some point i will care again, and i dont want people to think i am this way because of the losing, it is simply as lboros said the other day, we watch this to escape reality, and when reality creeps in as it did with hancock, and previously kile and buck, it just doesnt seem right to get excited about this game for a while

as far as the memorial today, i hope the players are able to get a little closure, not that any of their feelings will go away, but in my personal life, once a day like today is over, the healing can begin

if somehow this team is able to rally and play better baseball, great, but if not, that is ok too, they are in my mind a middling team at best, and after this, if they perform at that middling point or worse, they will get a pass from me

I've got hope that Jimmy will come back around.  Obviously with his age and the two surgeries it's only a glimmer of hope but hope nonetheless.  

Why?

Besides, the obvious factors, he's had a relatively slow start the past 3 years now and he didn't get much of a spring training at all this year.  In fact, most of April was his spring training.  

He's a proud ballplayer and I can pretty much guarantee that he knows he's not getting the job done and feels like crap about it.  He wants to retire a Cardinal yes, but he doesn't want to go out like this.  Like Zubin said above, he's going to do whatever it takes to bust his ass and get back in shape and if not, he may hang them up early.

Yes his swing is off, his power is diminishing and he doesn't have the hustle he once had, but there are signs of life.  He's hit some balls pretty hard lately, (although to the opposite field) and can still take a walk (even though he has twice as many strikeouts).  

If can goes .250 w/ 18 Hr's and 60 RBI's and an OBP of about .350 for the season, I'm a firm believer that his defense and leadership will make up for his lack of offensive production.

It's not looking so good right now, but if his body can get healthy again, he'll get there.  It doesn't help that the whole team is in a funk right now and there's nobody hitting behind him.

Jimmy-woo-woo is not the only problem on this team right now, although I will conceded that he is a one of the larger ones.

 "oh, 2006 playoffs, you make me forget the troubles of today....soooo soothing...thank you for making me remember the happy times", he says while shaking back and forth in the fetal position.

I stopped going to the STLtoday threads cause they were way to neg, i think some not all of it has to do with Bernie at least in his forum...sometimes he would rant like a little kid on these guys epsecially AP.

I really didnt like his Article today. I get what he's saying about teams owning responsibility. However is it appropriate to list all those names today? why not do a great piece on Josh? It's nto like the alchol angle is being overlooked.

Also really Is a footbal team responsible for a player they cut getting hammered and then getting hurt in a car accident? Perhaps its todays society. Don't blame the individual blame thsoe he worked for, they should have been aware of this or that. In some cases probably in all probably not.

It is the medias job to give us the scoopand news etc, but should the families like those in the VT tragety really ahve to ask NBC tostop playing the vid over and over just days after the massacre?

Just my opinion kind of in response to someonewho talked about STLmedia earlier then i went and read Bernie.

http://media.myfoxstl.com/live