Mike Matheny Overshadowed Perfect Game For Todd Helton

Todd Helton had a flawless game at the plate for the Rockies against the Cardinals, but Mike Matheny produced the most important at-bat.

RetroSimba

Cardinals Open Meetings With A Sign, Bring Back Luke Gregerson

The Cardinals began to refresh the look of their bullpen by reuniting with the reliever who got away.

Post-Dispatch

Christian Yelich Or Marcell Ozuna? The Cardinals Should Go For Yelich

If the Cardinals miss out on Giancarlo Stanton, they figure to have a direct line to a deal with Miami for one of two outfielders: Marcell Ozuna or Christian Yelich.

101 ESPN

Cardinals Taught Mike Leake Hard Lesson As A Rookie

Matched against an elite big-game pitcher in an electric atmosphere overloaded with emotion from toxic comments by teammate Brandon Phillips and the surprise arrival of Jim Edmonds, Reds rookie Mike Leake unraveled versus the Cardinals.

RetroSimba

How Miguel Socolovich Is Like Troy Percival For Cardinals

In one weekend, Troy Percival went from being perceived as a risk to being viewed as a valuable reliever for the Cardinals.

RetroSimba

Jason Motte Happy To Serve As Mentor To Young Cubs Relievers

Jason Motte has seen the T-shirts the Cubs relievers still wear in the clubhouse. They feature a portrait of Carlos Villanueva and his classic handlebar mustache.

Chicago-N Official Site

Former Cardinals Garner Enough Hall Support For Another Look

John Smoltz, who garnered the last of his 213 career wins in St. Louis, where he closed out his 21-year career, will be enshrined in Cooperstown's National Baseball Hall of Fame in July as one of four players to be named on at least 75 percent of the ballots cast by members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
St. Louis Official Site

Lefthander Randy Johnson, righthanders Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz and infielder Craig Biggio all were elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in voting announced Tuesday afternoon by the Hall.
Post-Dispatch

Former Cardinals' reliever John Smoltz has been elected into the MLB Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
KMOV

Larry Walker, the best position player to ever come out of Canada, didn’t come close to garnering enough votes to earn entry in the Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday.
Vancouver Sun

Three pitchers who combined to win nine Cy Young Awards and a member of Major League Baseball’s 3,000 Hit Club were elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in balloting by the BBWAA verified by Ernst & Young. There were 549 Baseball Writers from around the country who cast their votes including Rob Rains and 11 other writers from the St. Louis area.
STL Sports Page (Audio)

Those who have had the pleasure to appreciate John Smoltz's competitive nature understand why he has always seemingly been at his best when he felt the odds were stacked against him.
Atlanta Official Site

After all the speeches have been spoken and the endless applause has quieted so that the last "attaboys" are audible, the newest members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame gather for a members-only, Sunday evening dinner with those enshrined in previous years.
Atlanta Official Site

Large Lee got another large rebuff.
Chicago-N Official Site

Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio were elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in a blockbuster vote by the Baseball Writers' Association of America on Tuesday. The three pitchers were voted in their first time on the ballot, while Biggio was selected in his third year.
Colorado Official Site

Kyle McClellan Down, Not Out After Surgeries

Sitting in a Chesterfield breakfast place Thursday morning, Kyle McClellan pondered what might be resuming, what might be a new direction and what might be ending.

Post-Dispatch

Kyle McClellan Using Time Away From Baseball To Impact Others

Cardinals’ reliever Jason Motte talked openly last year about how his time away from baseball recovering from surgery allowed him to become much more involved in charitable activities.

STL Sports Page

Behold The Compensation Cardinals

The Cardinals owe Adam Kennedy a thank you.

Bird Land

How Edward Mujica Does it

All of the Cardinals may not agree on what to call Edward Mujica's pitch that clinched Thursday's 4-3 victory at Philadelphia.

Bird Land

There's No Catch: Jason Motte Can Close

Recently demoted to High-A Palm Beach, as if he had never left, Cardinals farmhand Jason Motte sat in the visitors’ clubhouse at the Phillies’ complex in Clearwater, Fla., and readied for batting practice. It was early May 2006 and while hitting had become an anchor, marooning him in the low minors, there was always the chance that today his average, limp at .133, stirred.

Post-Dispatch

You Can't "Contain The Mane"

After his walk-off single capped a sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night, Cardinals outfielder Lance Berkman ran his hand through his hair and unwittingly coined a motto suitable for the Cult of Puma.

Birdland

The Johnny Cueto Incident & How MLB Let Jason LaRue Down

After this three game series in Chicago, the Cardinals will travel to Cincinnati for a weekend set against the Reds. Now that Johnny Cueto has been activated from the disabled list, it will also be the first time the Cardinals will face him since the benches clearing skirmish that ended Jason La Rue’s career.

I70 Baseball

Strauss Live 3-30-11

The Cardinals beat writer goes one-on-one with readers at 1 p.m. Wednesday in a live chat.

STL Today

Workouts Open With Familiar Arms Taking The Mound

St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Franklin and his fellow grizzled relievers used to call it the "Saving The Bullets" program. It was a tongue-in-cheek nod to their age and their need to throw fewer pitches in spring so they had plenty for the season.

STL Today

Ryan Franklin On The ITD Morning After 2-11-11

Ryan Franklin joins us to talk Pujols, pitching, and next season.

Inside STL

Overthinking It: Springer Springs Eternal

Those of you without Google Alerts set for “Russ Springer” may have missed a startling development in the ever-changing middle-relief landscape this past Sunday, as one of the few bullpen constants of the last two decades gracefully passed from the stage. If Springer's official retirement announcement escaped your notice, you needn’t feel inattentive; the news caught my eye only because in an indirect way it made me look good—or more accurately, saved me from looking bad.

Baseball Prospectus

Time To Be Home: Russ Springer Retires After 18-Season MLB Career

Pitcher Russ Springer has thought about retiring numerous times in recent years, and he even announced before the 2004 season that he was retiring, only to return when the Houston Astros beckoned later that season.

The Town Talk

Reds Could Bring Miguel Cairo Back

Players with six years of playing time -- such as Rhodes or Hernandez -- automatically became free agents after the World Series under the new rules. In the past, players had the 15-day period to decide whether to file. Both players are possibilities to return, along with utility infielder Miguel Cairo. The Reds have decided to turn the page and not try to bring back Harang.

Reds Official Site