It is Super Bowl Sunday.  This year on I-70 we will mark the end of the football season, which is subsequently the beginning of the baseball season, with guest posts from various writers.  The writers will provided with one subject to write about: Why Baseball Is Better Than Football.

What follows is a submission from Steveo Sama from The Baseball Enthusiast.

“Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.” – Philippians 4:6

Throughout the ages, anxiety has been that emotional state of mind that tends to taint our lives in often undesirable ways.  Anxiety leads to confusion, confusion leads to stress, and who doesn’t know how stress can get in the way of that which we are all longing for in our world, in our society, and in our lives…peace.

In modern times, not so much to capture a sense of nostalgic equilibrium but to harness the core essence of the sport itself, we tend to summarize what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, gracious, and excellent about the game of Baseball in terms that usually evoke literary handles such as “pastoral,” “bucolic,” and my personal favorite, “idyllic.”

When I say “we,” of course I mean baseball fans.  The rest of the world may read the essence of the game described by these terms, but may not necessarily subscribe to their meaning.

In terms of pop culture, what could be more “pastoral” than The Andy Griffith Show?

In what I certainly believe to be more than just a coincidence, for many years Superstation TBS would run an Andy Griffith episode marathon on Super Bowl Sunday.  In my household, for nearly as long as this was a TBS programming staple, it was tradition for us to enjoy the pastoral throes of several consecutive hours of The Andy Griffith Show in lieu of participating in any Super Bowl Sunday programming whatsoever.  The citizens of Mayberry and their well-loved adventures (and in a greater sense, the Mayberry way of life itself) were truly the antithesis of Super Bowl hype and hoopla, and indeed the antithesis of the game of Football itself.

…and Baseball, in many ways, is the antithesis of Football.

Consider, if you will, Episode 100: “Sermon for Today.”  This is arguably one of the most popular Andy Griffith episodes ever, as it cuts to the core essence of the Mayberry Mythos in a series of perpetual comedic circumstances the occur around the central theme of how one’s strive for inner peace can be usurped by the villainous tentacles of anxiety.  What is crucial to one of the many points of the episode is the irony of the struggle for inner peace, among the perception of anxiety.

In the episode, a visiting pastor (Dr. Harrison Everett Breen, coincidentally “from New York City,” more recognized for Baseball lore than Mayberry) captivates the parishioners at All Souls Church with his inspirational message from the pulpit entitled “What’s Your Hurry?”

“As I stood there during the singing of the hymn, I asked myself ‘What message have I to bring these good people of Mayberry?  And I was reminded of an instance.  A young man came to me recently and said he: ‘Dr Breen, what is the meaning of it all?’  And I said to him, ‘Young man, I’m glad you asked.’  My friends, I wish more of us found the time to ask that question.  Whither…whither are we headed and why?  Why this senseless rush, this mad pursuit, this frantic competition, this pace that kills?

…Consider how we live our lives today.  Everything is run, run, run.  We bolt our breakfast, we scan the headlines, we race to the office.  The full schedule and the split second: these are our gauges of success.  We drive ourselves from morn to night.  We have forgotten the meaning of relaxation.  What has become of the old-fashioned ways, the simple pleasures of the past?

Who can forget…the old-fashioned band concert at twilight on the village green.  The joy, the serenity of just sitting and listening.  This is lost to us, and this we should strive to recapture, a simple innocent pleasure.

And so I say to you, dear friends, relax…slow down…take it easy…What’s your hurry?  What indeed, friends, is your hurry?”

As the episode goes, the Taylor family has their brains firmly wrapped around the idea of how relaxing that band concert does sound, and as we know, they spend the rest of the episode rushing around quite anxiously to make this event happen in a few hours.  They meet with failure, and as they are gathered on Andy’s porch, exhausted from their fruitless labor, continuous quarrelling, and other disasters (“Look at this…mildew!  You can’t expect me to do anything about mildew!!”) Dr Breen stops by on his way out of town, and infamously assesses the situation, commenting how relaxed everyone seems, as if they had just enjoyed a band concert on the village green!

Baseball fans understand the correlation I’m making here; I could have launched into any number of humorous comparisons or methodical reviews of why Baseball is better than Football, but it didn’t take long for me to go to this episode, this event, this lesson.

In his excellent book The Way Back to Mayberry, author Joey Fann emphasizes the well-understood notion that Mayberry is the epitome of a simpler life.  Addressing this episode in particular, Fann cites these events as a vivid illustration of the trouble we go to just to slow down our lives.  The older I get, the more I realize on a personal level, how Baseball adds years to my own life, as well as its intrinsic value of tangible peace.

The pace of Baseball is the pace of life; the pace of Football is a destructive path towards an event that ends unequivocally with the running out of a clock…the “pace that kills.”  The folks in Mayberry, even as they lounge listlessly on their front porches, or in front of Wally’s filling station, exemplify the potential kinetic energy of Baseball…you are waiting patiently, almost peacefully, for an event that may occur, and time literally freezes during that period.  A Baseball fan who wholeheartedly subscribes to and involves themselves into the pace of the game as its played knows full well that when the game is over, 3 or 4 hours may have passed, but to the fan it never feels quite that long.

The pace of Baseball is the pace we’d like to have in our lives…we need relaxation, we need inner peace…we need to know that runners can cross the plate as many times as they like as long as there aren’t 3 outs.  We don’t need anxiety.  We don’t need to know that there are only 30 seconds left, so hurry up and do something…I can feel my blood pressure change just thinking about it.

When Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians, he did it while he was in prison.  The offseason is the Baseball fan’s prison, the Football season and Super Bowl itself is what occurs during imprisonment.  We look forward to the advent of Spring Training, we look forward to the return of the sunshine and the green grass, we look forward to our release from the prison we are in, against our will…where the journey to inner peace is obfuscated by the full schedule and the split second…where the simple, innocent pleasure of Baseball is lost to us, if only temporarily, due to the imprisonment of Winter and the Football season.

There are many words to guide us; and we do have hope…Spring Training is really, really just around the corner.  Super Bowl Sunday proves this!  Soon, pitchers and catchers will report and we’ll return to Mayberry…even if TBS isn’t running an Andy Griffith marathon on the 5^th, we can dwell on the message Paul had for the Philippians:

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” – Philippians 4:8

I am thinking about these things now, on Super Bowl Sunday more than ever.  Football be darned, Baseball is almost here!!!

The news is still very young at this point, but Cardinal great Bob Forsch has apparently died of a heart attack at the age of 61.

You can read the official press release from the club, by clicking here to read a PDF file.

Forsch is best remember in St. Louis for his place in the pitching rotation through the successful “Whiteyball” years. A Cardinal from 1974 until an August trade in 1988 sent him to the Houston Astros for Denny Walling, Forsch was a staple in the starting rotation.

I-70′s resident historical writer, Bob Netherton, had some thoughts on Forsch:

I was saddened to hear the news of Bob Forsch’s passing. He was always a fan favorite, and for good reason. We know all about the two no-hitters, but the fact that he was the only player that Herzog kept from the 70s team to last through all three NL Pennants says far more about him as a player and person than those two magnificent games. Forsch was a mirror of the team he played for, never seeking the spotlight, probably wasn’t the best at his position, but he gave it everything he had each time he was called on. From the rotation, to the bullpen, back to the rotation – whatever the team needed, Forsch was there.

Forsch was a stingy pitcher who walked few but also did not strike out many. A pitch to contact hurler in a spacious Busch Stadium, Forsch was also a work horse that threw over 200 innings seven times in his 16 year career. He would also post double digit wins in all but five of his seasons on the mound, winning 20 games for the one and only time in 1977.

A steady pitcher that anchored many rotations, Forsch was never regarded as the ace of the staff. In fact, he led the league in one category one time in his career with a 1.4 walks per nine innings in 1980. He was also regarded as a very good hitter and would retain two Silver Slugger awards, 1980 and 1987, for his commitment at the plate.

More from Netherton:

My favorite Forsch moment came in Game Three of the 1987 National League Championship Series. The Cardinals were being bullied around by Will Clark and Jeffrey Leonard. Forsch came into the game and immediately took control but hitting Leonard with a pitch. It put a runner in scoring position, but Forsch never let that runner cross the plate. It started one of the greatest comebacks in Cardinals postseason history. What a competitor.

Forsch would throw two no hitters in his time with the Cardinals. His first would come on April 16, 1978 against the Philadelphia Phillies, the second on September 26, 1983 against the Montreal Expos. As impressive as it was for Forsch to throw two no hitters in his career, it was a game that he did not pitch that would etch his name into Major League Baseball’s record books. Almost one year to the day after Bob threw his first no hitter, his brother Ken would throw a no hitter for the Houston Astros on April 7, 1979 against the Atlanta Braves. They are the only brothers to every throw no hitters in Major League Baseball history.

Most recently, Forsch has been serving as the pitching coach for the Rookie League affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, the Billings Mustangs.

Netherton’s final thought: Bob Forsch was one of my favorite players, and he will be missed.

Bob Forsch’s career statistics:

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball as well as the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com.
He is the host of I-70 Radio, hosted every week on BlogTalkRadio.com.
Follow him on Twitter here.

Editor’s Note: I feel compelled to include a few Tweets from around Cardinal Nation this morning:

I've always heard stories about Bob Forsch from his playing days. R.I.P. Sad news. #stlcards

November 4, 2011 9:20 am via Twitter for BlackBerry®ReplyRetweetFavorite

@FishSTL

Michael Fisher

Bob Forsch was who I imagined myself to be playing ball in the street as a boy, hitting grand slams & pitching no-hitters for the #stlcards.

November 4, 2011 9:19 am via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

@bamatthews

Ben Matthews

Oh man...Bob Forsch. Rest in peace, brother. #stlcards

November 4, 2011 9:18 am via Twitter for AndroidReplyRetweetFavorite

@deckacards

Kevin Reynolds

Thinking of Bob Forsch's family today. Rest in peace, Bob. #stlcards

November 4, 2011 9:18 am via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite

@singmichele

Michele

Stunned, saddened to hear the news that Bob Forsch has passed away. We talked last week, before Game 7. I am praying for his family. So sad.

November 4, 2011 9:16 am via EchofonReplyRetweetFavorite

@Ackerman1120

Tom Ackerman

Bob Forsch pitched two no-hitters for #stlcards. I was there to see his first in 1978. Groundball under Reitz glove at 3B ruled an error

November 4, 2011 9:13 am via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite

@Jeffsteig

Jeff Lloyd

At the midway point through September, our brethren of Untied Cardinal Bloggers (UCB) band together to determine who the top seven prospects are in the franchise. A special hat tip goes out to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Derrick asked the UCB to help him compile this list a few years back and it has since become a staple around these parts.

When it comes to my list of prospects, and I admit that I am not a card carrying member of the Hyperventilating Prospect Geek Fraternity (#HPGF), I fear it may read just a little differently than some of the others. If you would like to keep track of everyone weighing in on the subject, simply click here and you will find links to all of these similar articles.

Here is my top seven prospects, listed here in reverse order to build the suspense (it works for Letterman):

Number Seven: Matt Adams, First Base

I think the easiest way a prospect ends up on my countdown is when I can say “I really didn’t see this guy coming a year ago”. I may not be a huge prospect geek, but I do keep tabs on the baby birds and Matt Adams has been impressive.

The Cardinals drafted Adams in the 23rd round of the 2009 draft. Adams came out of Slippery Rock University, a Division II school. He is what Cards announcer Mike Shannon would describe as a “big boy”, standing in at six foot three inches tall and weighing 230 pounds.

The athletic first baseman has shown that his size does not have a large impact on his glove, which raised his stock above that of just a hitter this season. What kind of hitter is he, you ask? In a word…impressive. Adams finished second in the Texas League with 32 home runs and led the league in runs batted in with 101. A .300 batting average to go along with 40 walks and 90 strikeouts projects a pure power hitter in the making. The rest of the world will take notice of Adams for a few reasons: 1 – should Albert Pujols resign, he is a blocked prospect for the team and 2 – he was named Texas League Player of the Year today.

Do not get your hopes up too high, fans, just because he comes in at number seven does not mean that everyone above him is better than the impressive young man at the entry point of this countdown. Adams ranks seventh due to being blocked at the Major League level and my belief that he will help this club more from the player they get in return for him in a trade then he will by reaching the majors with the birds on the bat across his chest.

Number Six: Zach Cox, Third Base

I think I rank Cox lower than most of my fellow UCB members. A lot of this has to do with the position he is still playing despite the fact that no one in baseball, let alone the organization, feels that he can and will be playing that position at the major league level.

Cox was the first round pick of the Cardinals just last season out of Arkansas and, despite his college playing days being at the hot corner, was projected as a major league second baseman from the start. Cox is a small frame guy who tips the scales at 215 pounds and stretches to a six foot even height.

Cox did what he needed to do in 2011: he played average defense, hit for a decent average, found ways to get on base, and kept his head down and learned from the staff at Palm Beach and Springfield. He will need to work on his patience at the plate, however, if he expects to be around at the major league level. He has some pop in his bat, driving 13 home runs out of the park this year to go with 27 doubles, but with 98 strikeouts he either needs to be hitting for a lot more power or learning to draw a few more walks.

Cox comes in at number six due to the fact that he is still playing a position that the team feels he will not contribute at, and he’s not playing it overly well on the defensive side of things. Cox will most likely make his impact felt with another major league team, possibly as early as 2013 as I have to agree with Daniel Shoptaw in the thought that Cox may not wear a Cardinal uniform of any kind by the time Spring rolls around.

Number Five: Kolten Wong, Second Base

Wong is a player in the organization that is playing the position he should be, playing it well, and squeezing fellow prospect Zach Cox out of the picture because of it.

The talented Second Baseman was the first round pick of the organization this season and went right to work at Class A Quad Cities. A prototype figure at middle infield, Wong stands five foot nine inches tall and weighs 190 pounds. At the ripe old age of 20, Wong seems virtually ready to be at the major league level sooner rather than later.

Wong has a few things going for him in his young career: he is a patient hitter, a solid base runner, does not hurt himself in the field, and finds himself playing his natural position for a team that needs someone to step up at that position. By no means do I think Wong will see major league action in 2012, but he will have the Cardinals looking for a bridge type player at second instead of looking for someone long term. The goal of the organization at second base this offseason will be to acquire someone to hold the position down until Wong arrives. In a 47 game sample this season, Wong was able to produce five home runs, 25 runs batted in, 15 doubles and nine stolen bases. All of this while hitting for a .335 batting average and posting a .401 on base percentage. He would strike out 24 times but he would also draw 22 walks, showing patience, a good eye, and an ability to potentially be the catalyst at the top of the Cardinals order that they so desperately desire.

Wong is my first ranking that projects to be a strong part of the organization by staying in the organization. Look for the young man to get some playing time in Spring Training next year and head off to Springfield for some seasoning immediately afterwards. I would anticipate him arriving in Memphis around the midway point of 2012 and in St. Louis as they break camp in 2013.

Number Four: Ryan Jackson, Shortstop

Jackson makes this list as another one of those players that opened my eyes this year without previous knowledge of him coming into 2011. He ranks high on the list due to his position because it has been a while since the Cardinals have developed a shortstop within the organization worth getting excited about.

The tall and lanky Jackson finds himself at six foot three inches tall and an mere 180 pounds, but finds a way to turn that small frame into a combustible element at the plate.

Our friend over at Diamond Diaries, Erika Lynn, might keep a close eye on Jackson as he has been described as “Brendan Ryan with a bat” by many scribes. While Jackson has made his share of errors this season at 19, that number is influenced by the sheer number of balls the young man can get to. His defensive ability has been that of a highlight reel player that you never take your eyes off of for the fear of missing that “Holy Cow” moment. While his defense has been impressive, his stroke at the plate has suddenly pushed him onto the scene. With 34 doubles, 3 triples, 11 home runs and 73 runs batted in, Jackson has become a respected bat at the plate in a potent Springfield (AA) lineup this season. If he can draw a few more walks above this year’s 44 and cut down on the 91 strikeouts a bit, his numbers will improve and St. Louis will find their shortstop of the future.

Jackson is the reason the team is looking at players like Rafael Furcal currently. The franchise has seemingly lost faith in Tyler Greene and will look for a player that can contribute through 2012 in order to get to the arrival of Jackson in 2013. Expect Jackson to open the season at Memphis next year if the organization either promotes or trades Greene. Otherwise, he may remain at Springfield until the team can find an appropriate home for Greene.

Number Three: Carlos Martinez, Pitcher

Projecting minor league pitchers is one of the most tedious processes any scout or pundit can find himself in. Arms come and go, control is erratic and pitchers can seem dominate in one league and less than impressive in another. Martinez seems to have all the stuff to be effective and impressive at the major league level but he has a few levels to go through first.

At six feet tall and only 165 pounds, you would not expect Martinez to be striking fear into opposing hitters very often. With an array of pitches, impressive control, and a keen sense of the game, the Dominican right hander is doing just that, however, and doing it all at 19 years of age.

Martinez signed with the Cardinals last season and went to work in the Dominican league before coming to the United States and playing at Quad Cities and Palm Beach this season. In 11 starts this season, Martinez posted a 5-2 record with a minuscule 2.14 earned run average. Our stat heads will tell you neither of those stats matter much, especially at the minor league level, but there are a few stats that show the maturity of this young man. In 54 2/3 innings pitched this season, Martinez struck out 66 hitters while only walking 17 and allowing only 43 hits. That equates to a 1.098 Walks/Hits Per Inning Pitched (WHIP), 2.8 walks per nine innings, 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings and a 3.88 strikeout to walk ratio. Add into all of that the fact that he surrendered just two home runs and you can see that he is both dominant and effective at the lower levels. His array of pitches suggest he will remain a starter, though his style may see him end up as a swing man/reliever early on in his career.

Expect the team to handle Martinez with a little bit of care (see: Rick Ankiel) but push him just a bit. He will see some action in the Spring next season and most likely start his year at Springfield (AA).

Number Two: Shelby Miller, Pitcher

Here is where I break rank from most every other list I have seen. Shelby is the highest ranked prospect in the Cardinal organization by many, but has slid down my list a spot due to recent developments in the youngster’s career.

The six foot three, 195 pound lefty from Texas is truly one of the baby birds at age 20. His fastball clocks mid to high 90′s and has movement. His curveball buckles batters and he relies on his defense when he does not have his best stuff.

Miller’s ability on the field shows that of a mature ball players that knows how to get out of trouble on the mound in multiple ways. His 2011 season opened at Palm Beach but he quickly found his way to Springfield and the AA Cardinals. Dominant would be the best way to describe Miller on the mound, posting 140 strikeouts to 33 walks over 139 2/3 innings pitched shows that he has hitters figured out beyond what any 20 year old should. He limits his damage and is learning to pitch to contact, which will have fans drooling over his arrival in the very near future.

Miller slides to number two for me due to off the field issues this past season. While rumors have circulated that the issues are alcohol related, those rumors have not been officially confirmed by the club despite a suspension of the young man this season for a second offense. A pitcher who shows maturity on the field will need to ensure maturity off of it or he will simply become known as a dominant minor league player. Should he get these issues under control, look for Shelby to see time at Memphis in 2012 and most likely make his major league debut next year as well.

Number One: Adron Chambers, Outfield

Another Junior College product (Pensacola State), Chambers is the player on this list most likely to be in the majors when Spring Training closes next year.

He is five foot ten inches tall and 185 pounds and is a more typical prospect age of 24 years old. His speed on the base paths is something to marvel at and his patience at the plate may be just what the Cardinals need. If the team wants a prototype lead-off hitter for the first time in decades, they need look no further.

Chambers showed some pop this season at Memphis, driving 10 home runs when his previous career high was six. Beyond that, it was more of the same from the young center fielder. Strong defense, a good arm, a good batting eye and flat out speed have led the young man to a September call up for a cup of coffee at the major league level. Chambers set career highs in stolen bases (22), walks (53), slugging percentage (.415), runs (73), home runs(10) and doubles (19). He projects as a lead off hitter and center fielder in an organization that is transitioning in the outfield and the top of the lineup.

Chambers is in a position to control his destiny and take advantage of a situation with a team that needs someone to step into the roles that he can fill. Expect Chambers to get a long look at Spring Training next season and break camp with the club. Chambers will get every chance to be a part of this team for the immediate future.

There you have it, I-70 Baseball’s look at the top seven prospects in the St. Louis Cardinals organziation. Let us know how you think they rank in the comments below.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball as well as the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com.
He is the host of I-70 Radio, hosted every week on BlogTalkRadio.com.
Follow him on Twitter here.

Ryan Franklin is an embarrassment to Saint Louis baseball.

After the recent comments he made regarding Cardinals fans booing him, it’s remarkably easy to label Franklin as nothing more than a baby. He thinks Cardinals fans have a short memory and they have no place booing their own team. He made a ridiculous comparison to being an Oklahoma City Thunder fan, and how he would never think of booing them. He said it’s really tired. Blah. Blah. BLAH.

Well first of all Ryan, THIS IS NOT THE NBA AND THIS IS NOT THE OKLHOMA CITY THUNDER. It is the Saint Louis Cardinals. It is a little more than some uppity basketball team just three or four years from expansion. The Cardinals speak way more of a “team.” I mean this is a multi mullion dollar business you are dealing with here. It is one of the oldest ones on baseball Wall Street that is not going anywhere soon. It is here to stay and a staple in the American pastime. There is no place in this city for Ryan Franklin to question the fans and their class. The fans of Saint Louis know their baseball. They understand success and there is a gold standard that is unspoken but well known. When any action (such as this) pushes the boundary of the traditions set by this historical baseball hub, the fans realize it and have every reason to act accordingly.

Here are some facts:

1.) Franklin gets paid millions of dollars

2.) He has not been performing to the level of his paycheck

3.) He does not think its right to get booed for poor performance

They booed because Ryan Franklin represented the team in a way that wrongly expresses the team’s true kind. He blew four games early in the season. The fans expect more. They expect more whether it be April or September because that is what Cardinal baseball is. It is a land full of expectation and if you, as a player, do not live up to those expectations, you are going to hear about it. That is what makes baseball the great sport that it is. When you play for a team such as Kansas City, expectation is extremely low. A 10-5 start gets people looped into thinking World Series ring. They do not know any better. They have been so horrible for so long that any ounce of success forces them to over react. So much so that they eventually set themselves up for a huge let down.

The reason it is easy to jab Franklin in this situation is because of this…If he were to save fifty straight games and no one applauded him, he would probably be bashing the fans as well. But we all know that is not the case. That is what makes people say Saint Louis fans are baseballs’ best. They know the history of their team and if you represent them well, you will be rewarded with praise. They will cheer you. They will eat you up and love you endlessly. Break a few records and they will create something similar to “Big Mac Land” in the outfield. They will forever instill in your heart how great you are and once were.

Sadly enough, Ryan Franklin is too spoiled, naïve, and mentally blurred to understand how great he has it. He is frustrated, it remains clear. But once you try and bust the fans, you have gone wrong.

Admit that you have stunk. Admit you made mistakes. Admit you are underachieving. Then go back to the mound, do your job, or simply retire because you do not have anything left. Do not go out this way. Do not go out on a negative note and leave baseballs’ best fans despising you forever. Just shut up, do your job, and move on… one win at a time. Easier said than done, but the last thing you should do is say the fans are out of line. You get paid millions of bucks so there are no longer any excuses. Back up your pay or hear negative jeers.

In Saint Louis, you win now, tomorrow, and forever. If you lose and you play poorly, then something is wrong and it is the job of the Saint Louis fans to make the team (or player) aware of their faults… to make the team aware that they are off the parallel tracks of greatness. That is the price a player pays for signing on with a team that is inbred with a history of success such as New York, Los Angeles, and Saint Louis.

When the Cubs play bad, “it is just those damn Cubs,” they say. It is the friendly confines and even though the team cannot win, let’s drink a beer, down some dogs, and enjoy the afternoon.

Well not in New York, Los Angeles, or St. Louis. Not in baseball. You must win. You must represent the story Saint Louis has always told. History. Championships. Musial. Gibson.

Win, win, and win again.

Ryan Franklin, it would be best to probably sack up, stop your whining and find a way to be an effective pitcher again.

It has become a staple around I-70 Baseball during the off-season to drop some links and spread some of our favorite sites out to you, our loyal readers.

This week the Cardinals hosted their Winter Warm Up, Albert Pujols laid out a deadline for his deal, and some minor acquisitions were made. Let’s check the links:

One of the newer blogs in the United Cardinal Bloggers checks in with his Two Cents on the Albert Pujols situation. Read friend of the site Dathan’s post by clicking here.

She may write for us at I-70, but I discovered her when she started working on the site she calls her own (along with her partners). This week, Angela Weinhold dug into her own archives for a story so vivid, it must be a dream.

Retro Simba takes a look at one of the newest Cardinals pitchers and takes a look at how effective he may or may not be for the redbirds. Read the insightful post here.

The Cardinal Nation Blog gathered up some pictures from this weekend’s winter warm up to display some Cardinal faces out to the rest of the world. Take a look at your redbirds by clicking here.

Dennis, known as gr33nazn on Twitter, brought one of the funniest and most entertaining pieces of the off-season. If you did not catch the post over at Pitchers Hit Eighth this weekend, do yourself a favor and click here.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball as well as the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com.
He is the host of I-70 Radio, hosted every week on BlogTalkRadio.com.
Follow him on Twitter here.