Big Mac Land

They didn’t bag their biggest target, but the Cardinals headed home on Thursday afternoon with a pretty good consolation prize.

Link to the original site

Viva El BIrdos is pleased to run an excerpt of “Evaluating Baseball’s Managers”, by Chris Jaffe. It’s a glowing section about Tony La Russa.

Link to the original site

The Cardinals want Matt Holliday back as their left fielder, and according to The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, they’re willing to commit about $16 million a season for the next eight years to make sure it happens.

Link to the original site

Link to the original site

Link to the original site

In the latest Inbox, Matthew Leach fields fans’ queries regarding the Cardinals’ outfield situation, Draft pick compensation and Skip Schumaker’s chances of netting a Gold Glove.

Link to the original site

The Perfect Small Market Team (GM/Manager)

Link to the original site

–The Cardinals jumped into the free agent pool — their own — when they re-signed backup C Jason LaRue to a one-year contract worth $950,000, the same as he made in 2009

Link to the original site

The Cardinals didn’t have many needs as the season ended although they probably could use one more veteran starting pitcher to go with RHPs Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright and Kyle Lohse

Link to the original site

The Cardinals, hoping to at least gain some draft pick compensation, offered arbitration to three of their free agents — Matt Holliday, Mark DeRosa and Joel Pineiro

Link to the original site