No Opening Day: Ex-Major Leaguers Struggle With Retirement

Todd Helton now regularly drives his two daughters to school or other activities back home in Tennessee, a huge life change for Colorado’s former All-Star first baseman.

Bangor Daily News

Matt Holliday To Test Thumb With Simulated Game; Seung-Hwan Oh Cleared To Return To Mound; Wild Card & Division Series Tickets To Go On Sale; Noah Lowry Visits With Mike Matheny

Matt Holliday is scheduled to face live pitching during a Saturday afternoon simulated game that will give the Cardinals left fielder a better indication of whether his surgically repaired right thumb is strong enough for him to make a late-season return.

St. Louis Official Site

Did The Cardinals Overwork Chris Carpenter?

The hits just keep coming for the St. Louis Cardinals, as Chris Carpenter left the mound with the team trainer after throwing 32 pitches today. Following the loss of Adam Wainwright and the devastating blow of Nick Punto‘s absence – as well as some contract talks that might not have gone very well – the Cardinals just can’t afford to keep hemorrhaging talent.

Fangraphs

A Look Back At The 2001 Draft

Ten years ago was a draft that had a ton of talent in it. I wasn't doing draft coverage in 2001 so I will look back at how the great minds at Baseball America saw the draft in their Early Draft Preview.

MLB Bonus Baby

Five Cardinals Remain From 2006 Champions

Hard to believe 2011 is the fifth-year anniversary already of the Cardinals’ most recent World Series championship.

Retro Simba

Checking The Numbers: Minor League Contract Candidates - Pitchers

Yesterday we took a look at several batters who may be forced to sign a minor-league contract this winter to have a chance at playing in the major leagues next season. The minor-league contract is a safeguard from a financial standpoint for the teams, as they can stash away players that might contribute in the future without using a spot on the 40-man roster. Additionally, teams do not have to commit to the much higher salaries players in the major leagues receive. Should one of these signees make the team, he would of course be paid at the higher rate, but because of the level of uncertainty surrounding the player’s health or talent, minor-league deals have become quite prevalent over the last several years.

Baseball Prospectus

Teams Testing Matt Holliday's Support Albert Pujols

Already the major league single-season record-holder for intentional walks (44) to a righthanded batter, Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols is on pace to equal or likely surpass last year's total this season, unless cleanup man Matt Holliday can "make them pay," as the baseball bromide goes.

STL Today

Will Carroll On The Bernie Miklasz Show 5-27-10

Injury expert Will Carroll: Bernie asked Will about what exactly the injury to Kyle Lohse entailed. Will compared the injury to an old time ship i.e. the Titanic. He went on to say that the only other ball player to have this prior to Lohse was pitcher Noah Lowry, who has had multiple surgeries to deal with the issue and to their knowledge has never returned to pitching. Carroll added that Cards starter Brad Penny was progressing well and should return on time to the rotation, and also stated that Rams running back Steven Jackson’s rehab is going well and without pain.

101 ESPN

Who've Been The Best Drafters Of The Decade?

What makes for a good Draft? And which teams have had the most success over the years at being successful via this annual means of bringing talent into a system? MLB.com has tried to figure that out, at least as it pertains to the decade that was. From 2000-09, which clubs have been the most productive with their June selections?

MLB Official Site

After 20-Inning Thriller, What's The Encore?

The Mets want to hear from a couple of their main men.

The Cardinals want to continue hearing silence when their starting pitcher is at work.

MLB Game Day

Giants Favorites to Sign Todd Wellemeyer

When I talked with GM Dan O’Dowd earlier this week, he said the club was done shopping, save for a few minor-league signings. Todd Wellemeyer has emerged as one of those options, saying today on 1380 AM in St. Louis that he is considering signing with either the Rockies, Giants or Mets.

Denver Post

Noah Lowry Pushes Throwing Session Back

Left-hander Noah Lowry is in great shape and gearing up for what he hopes will be a successful comeback to the majors this season after missing the last two years.

AP/ESPN

Cardinals One Of A Many Teams Expected To Check Out Noah Lowry

Jerry Crasnick Twitter

Noah Lowry Close To Decision On Signing

Hank Schulman Twitter

Few Spots Left For Remaining Free Agents

Matt Holliday, John Lackey, Jason Bay and Chone Figgins all got their money. But when more than 100 free agents and December non-tenders are still job hunting in late January, it shows what a slog this winter has been for the people who represent them.

ESPN

Filling The Holes

Senior Minor League writer Dustin Mattison looks at how the St. Louis Cardinals could fill the remaining holes on the team's 25-man roster.

The Cardinal Nation

14 Teams Request Medical Records On Noah Lowry

The Dodgers are among the 14 teams that requested medical records for free agent pitcher Noah Lowry, according to Lowry's agent, Damon Lapa.

LA Times

Five Teams Interested In Noah Lowry

As for Lowry, who has been with the Giants for all of his five big league seasons, he could be someone for the vacant fifth spot in the Reds rotation.

Mark My Words

The Starting 9: Looking For An Offseason Bargain?

The Major League Baseball Players Association has advised agents to be on the lookout for collusive behavior from teams. Scott Boras and MLB's top lawyer, Rob Manfred, are sniping at each other over the game's finances, and Red Sox owner John Henry is floating the idea of a payroll floor to prevent clubs from hoarding their revenue sharing money.

ESPN

Giants Designated Luis Perdomo For An Assignment

Luis Perdomo was designated for assignment and fellow righty Justin Miller was reassigned to Minor League camp, opening the door for righty reliever Brandon Medders.

Giants Official Site