How Fernando Valenzuela Ended Career With Cardinals

For Fernando Valenzuela, a baseball odyssey that began brilliantly with the Dodgers ended sadly in a short, unsatisfying stint with the Cardinals.

RetroSimba

Birds Of Paradise: Why Cardinals Played In Hawaii

Embracing the aloha spirit, the Cardinals accepted an opportunity for a Hawaiian adventure and avoided trouble in paradise.

RetroSimba

Matt Holliday Teaching The Cardinal Way To Young Yankees

Matt Holliday is as big as a bouncer. His shaved head gives him a tough look and, in person, he appears even larger than his listed 6-foot-4, 240 pounds.

ESPN

How Many Plate Appearances Will Matt Adams Get In 2017?

Probably not enough if Matt Carpenter is healthy

Viva El Birdos

Jim Edmonds, Troy Glaus, Randy Winn, Mark Grudzielanek, & David Eckstein Among New Names On 2016 Hall Of Fame Ballot

The Baseball Writers Association of America ballot for the 2016 Baseball Hall of Fame class has been revealed. Among the first-timers to headline the ballot are Ken Griffey Jr. and Trevor Hoffman.
CBS Sports

Under new voting rules established this summer by the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the annual Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot was released Monday on the earliest date in recent history.
St. Louis Official Site

Four former St. Louis Cardinals are among the new candidates for the 2016 Hall of Fame ballot. David Eckstein, Jim Edmonds, Troy Glaus, and Mark Gruzielanek join Mark McGwire, Lee Smith, and Larry Walker as candidates who spent part of their career playing for the Cardinals.
STL Baseball Weekly

Reggie Sanders & His Amazing Postseason Series

In a lineup of heralded run producers, including Albert Pujols, Jim Edmonds and Larry Walker, Reggie Sanders stole the spotlight with a standout RBI performance for the Cardinals in the 2005 National League Division Series.

RetroSimba

Losing Became A Habit For Danny Jackson With Cardinals

In a season fraught with futility, the pitcher who epitomized the plight of the 1995 Cardinals was Danny Jackson. Expected to provide wins and hope, Jackson instead represented losses and despair.

RetroSimba

Maine To Retire Mark Sweeney's Number 12

The University of Maine will retire Mark Sweeney's number 12 in a ceremony scheduled for this fall. Sweeney will be recognized at the Homecoming Football game scheduled for October 19 against William and Mary.

Maine University Official Site

Mark Sweeney Is A Special Assistant For Dodgers Baseball Operations

Four of the top six all-time pinch-hitters are former Dodgers players and current Dodgers employees.

Lenny Harris, No. 1 on the list, is a Double-A hitting coach; Mark Sweeney, No. 2, is a special assistant for baseball operations; Manny Mota, No. 3, is a coaching fixture on the Major League staff

Dodgers Official Site

Remembering The 1997 Trade Deadline

One of my favorite kinds of trades took place on June 13, 1997: a six-player deal between the Padres and Cardinals, two teams going nowhere, with none of the six players having much of an impact. The Padres acquired Rich Batchelor, Danny Jackson and Mark Sweeney, and the Cardinals received Scott Livingstone, Phil Plantier and Fernando Valenzuela. The Padres hoped for the 23-8, 2.73 ERA Jackson; they settled for the 1-7, 7.53 ERA Jackson. In fact, only Mark Sweeney played in any season beyond 1997. But hey, six-player deal- what's not to like?

&

The Athletics traded Mark McGwire to the Cardinals, receiving Eric Ludwick, T.J. Mathews and Blake Stein for the man who went on to hit 220 home runs over his next 2,251 plate appearances.

MLB Trade Rumors

Tony LaRussa: No Problem With Brendan Ryan; Cardinals All-Rookie Outfield On Sunday

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa insisted he had no major problem with Brendan Ryan on Sunday when the skipper could be seen chastising his second baseman between innings for his overly frenetic defense.

STL Today

Pair Of Outfielders Nearing Their Return

Ryan Ludwick tested out his strained right hamstring with some jogging in the Busch Stadium outfield on Monday, and the Cardinals' slugger hopes to be back to active duty as soon as he's eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list. Meanwhile, fellow outfielder Rick Ankiel is also coming along well, and the club hopes to have him back as soon as Wednesday.
Cardinals Official Site

After arriving at the ballpark today and talking with the major-league training staff, St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Ryan Ludwick put on his running shoes and took the field to test and push his injured right hamstring. He ran. He backpedaled. He said he plans to be ready when eligible to come off the disabled list.
Cardinal Beat

For St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Ryan Ludwick, the first six days of his stint on the disabled list have moved at a glacier's pace.
Belleville News-Democrat

Dodgers Don't Sign Mark Sweeney, But They Do Hire Him

Mark Sweeney, one of the premiere pinch-hitters in baseball history, today announced his retirement after a 14-year Major League playing career. The 39-year-old will now join the Dodgers field staff as an Assistant Coach. General Manager Ned Colletti made the announcement.

Inside SoCal

Playing Pepper 2009: Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers are one of those storied, crown-jewel type franchises in baseball. You have the Yanks and Red Sox in the AL and the Dodgers and the Cardinals in the NL, when you factor in history, winning, etc. There are some others that could make the claim to join these four, but I don't think too many would argue with these.

C70 At The Bat

Ned Colletti (Dodgers): GM Trade History

MLB Trade Rumors

The 2008 All Ex-Cardinals Team

Several days ago, I unveiled the St. Louis Cardinals’ “Let ‘em Go” Team, made up of 18 players that were allowed to leave by the Cardinals via free agency this decade. The common thread was that once out of St. Louis, most all of the players were paid more money than they were worth and delivered less results.

The Cardinal Nation

Dodgers Pass On Joe Beimel, Brad Penny, Rafael Furcal, Mark Sweeney, & Gary Bennett

The Dodgers on Monday offered salary arbitration to three of their 14 free agents: outfielder Manny Ramirez, pitcher Derek Lowe and infielder Casey Blake.

Dodgers Official Site

Dodgers Decline Gary Bennett's 2009 Option

The Dodgers declined the 2009 option for backup catcher Gary Bennett, paying a $50,000 buyout instead of exercising a $900,000 option.

Dodgers Official Site

Adam Wainwwright Improves, Rick Ankiel Returns, Brian Barton Back With Team, Felipe Lopez Gives Troy Glaus Rest

Adam Wainwright continued his climb back toward the majors and his planned late-inning role in the Cardinals' bullpen with an increase in pitches and an improvement in performance Monday.

STL Today

Umpire's Call Has Dodgers Protesting

The Dodgers played Wednesday night's 9-6 loss to the Cardinals under protest because of a dispute about a substitution in the top of the eighth inning.

Dodgers Official Site