St. Louis Cardinal fans and beat writers jumped quickly to the conclusion that Shelby Miller was “out of the competition” for a spot in the opening rotation due to reported shoulder stiffness on Wednesday.

News broke across the internet out of Jupiter, Florida on Wednesday that 22 year old Cardinal prospect Shelby Miller had sat out throwing drills on Wednesday with “shoulder tightness” according to the team.  Fans held their breath and pundits declared that the three way competition between Miller, Trevor Rosenthal and Joe Kelly for the final rotation spot was now down to two.

It did not seem to matter that manager Mike Matheny downplayed the problem saying that the team was not concerned about it.  No matter that the tightness appeared overnight and the righty did not feel any pain when he was throwing on Tuesday.  Never mind that the pitcher himself said that he would be back by the end of the week.  A fanbase that is still reeling from the loss of Chris Carpenter was ready to hit the panic button.

Thursday morning came and the team announced that Miller had been cleared to throw.  While they would continue with a conservative path and not push the hurler into games this weekend, there are no restrictions on the young man at this point and they expect him to be in game action early next week.

The fifth spot in the rotation is still up for grabs and is still locked into a three-way battle between some very exciting, young arms.

Don’t count Shelby Miller out just yet.

Vance Albitz is a minor league infielder in the Cardinals organization who makes his offseason home in Torrance, California.  There is a good chance this is one of the first few times you have heard his name.  Thanks to the team, the upcoming Winter Warm Up, and his own challenge to help out the troops of our country, you will probably hear much more about him in the coming months.

This is not to say that Albitz will not be on the Cardinals’ radar in the near future.  The young man has performed well at various levels in the organization.  He is not a flashy player and when asked about the part of his game that is his strength he replies with a one word answer: “defense”.

Albitz took a few minutes of his offseason to answer a few questions for us here at i70.  He took time to talk about himself, his career, and his desire to provide something to troops of the United States Armed Forces that are stationed abroad.

I asked Albitz about his expectations for the season ahead and got a very professional sounding “I have no idea what is in store for the 2013 season for me.  I am looking to help the organization any way I can, any place they need me.”

I got a glimpse of the young man’s personality when he opened up about his favorite player growing up.  Albitz replied, “David Eckstein.  He once told me, “You have to prove yourself every single day.”  He practiced what he preached and I respect him for that.”

Ask him about his best friend in baseball and you’ll find a man that loves the game, and his teammates, to the fullest extent. “My best friends in my life have come from baseball.  I still keep in touch with my best friends from baseball in college.  The Cardinals have a number of guys in the organization that I enjoy being around.  There are literally too many to choose just one.”

Most impressively, and the reason you will hear more about him in the next few weeks, Albitz undertook a very special project this offseason.  While reading an article, Albitz discovered a conversation with a solider:

“What would you like people back home to send you?”

“Baseball gloves and a baseball,” he said.  “So much of our tasks are hurry up and go, followed by waiting.”

That inspired Albitz to go to work.  He set a goal for himself to reach out to as many people as he could.  His goal?  To send 1,000 baseball gloves to troops stationed overseas before the first day of Spring Training.

“My grandparents served and I have a number of friends serving right now.  My objective in starting this was to send the game of baseball to our soldiers who are doing so much for our country”, Albitz told me.  He has currently collected 250 gloves and expects the next month to pick up steam, thanks in part to the Cardinals asking fans to help contribute at this year’s Winter Warm Up.

The team will have donation bins setup this weekend at various locations around the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch during their annual Winter Warm Up celebration.  Fans are urged to donate new or gently used gloves by dropping them off at these bins.  Thanks to the club and Rawlings, Albitz hopes to greatly increase the number of gloves he has already collected.

The best way for people to help is to send me a used baseball glove, new baseball, or cash donation.  All the information on the website,www.gloves4troops.com.  What I would appreciate just as much if somebody doesn’t have those items is a thank you letter to a soldier (I can put these in the gloves).  The information can be found on the website.

I took a moment to ask Ablitz to share with our fans his favorite baseball movie (For Love Of The Game) and to also share with our fans if he was a collector of baseball cards growing up.

My brother and I collected baseball cards like crazy when we were younger.  I always remember the time my brother tricked me into trading him my Mike Piazza Bowman Rookie Card for Joel Skinner.  I still haven’t gotten over that.

If you are going to Winter Warm Up, grab that old glove out of the closet and drop it in a bin for a soldier.  If you are not, head over to the website and learn how you can help.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball
Follow him on Twitter here.

The Kansas City Royals  traded away two high level prospects last night, bringing home a legitimate ace and another strong pitcher.  The trade provided the Royals with the one thing they had been looking for over the last two seasons, an improved pitching staff.

Naturally, the pulse of the Royals fan base raced.  Seemingly, it was not from excitement, it was from disappointment.  The fans seem to feel that the team came out a “loser” in the deal.

Everyone Calm Down.

The Royals had a very big need.  They needed an ace for this team and they got it.  Not only did they get a strong number one, they picked up a legit number three in the process.  The rotation has been overhauled this offseason and, going into 2013, this team looks poised for a playoff run.  Indeed, it may in fact be “Our Time” for the Royals fan base.

The cost of the acquisition is what seems to be bothering most people.  Trading away two strong prospects in one trade is steep no matter how you look at it.  That being said, these players were not ready to contribute in 2013 and may not track as great as they once did.

Jake Odorizzi is a firm pitching prospect that shows promise and will be a contributor to a major league pitching staff within the next few years.  Most scouts agree, however, that he will contribute as a number three or four guy, most likely solidifying the middle to back-end of a rotation.  His breaking stuff has not developed as well as many thought it would and his fastball, which clocks in the mid-90′s, is elevated more often than most would like.

Wil Myers was a hitting machine at Triple-A Omaha last year.  Most anyone you talk to will tell you that this young man will be a strong outfielder in the Major Leagues.  Projections have him hitting 25 home runs and driving in 85+ runs while playing consistent defense.  Those same projections figure his arrival in the Major Leagues in late 2013 and those numbers to become reality in 2015.

Mike Montgomery was included in the deal and may be the player that breaks out the quickest in Tampa.  He is a classic “change of scenery” guy and fans will need to remind themselves that whatever he does, in whatever uniform he does it in, he most likely would not have accomplished that wearing a Royals uniform in the first place.

So, the Royals traded away a potential big hitter, an average pitcher, and a guy that just couldn’t get traction within this organization.

What did they get back?

Wade Davis is a slightly better version of Odorizzi.  The biggest difference between the two is that Davis is ready to produce in the middle of the rotation now instead of two years from now.  He has been successful as a starter and a reliever and figures to make an impact on this rotation immediately.

James Shields is an ace pitcher that finished in the top three in Cy Young voting just a year ago.  He is also highly regarded as a mentor type player that will help the clubhouse chemistry around the young talent coming through the organization.  He is a total package player that will impact this team in 2013 and 2014 before reaching free agency.

The Royals still have some holes.  They have a need in the outfield and at second base.  But the biggest issue for this team was the pitching rotation and that is no longer an issue.

When it comes down to it, if you want to improve your team, you have to give something up in the process.  This team gained known commodities in exchange for potential.

I’ll take a known winner over a potential win any day of the week.  Not only that, I’ll take winning now over maybe winning later.

Maybe if everyone calms down, they will agree.

I know, I know, this is a baseball site dedicated to the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals.

Every now and then, however, we read something that transcends.  It sheds light on athletes, athletics, faith and even life.

Garrett Weber-Gale is a world class athlete and was a favorite to head to London as part of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team.  His dream fell short.  It is not an easy thing to handle as an athlete, as you will soon see.

I cannot due the mood, emotions or situation justice myself.  Below are Garrett’s own words, taken from his site with his permission, and shared here with our readers.

Thanks to Garrett for sharing his thoughts with our audience, and God bless you, young man…your journey is just beginning:

Olympic Trials Recap

A week away from the US Olympic Trials and I’m still blown away by the result. Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever thought I would miss qualifying for the 2012 Olympic Games. Throughout the course of my career I have always been extremely consistent in my training, and dedication, to excellence in the sport of swimming. Going into the 2012 Olympic Trials I believed I would be in the running to win the 100 freestyle and be in the top three or so of the 50. As I write this, my mind still tries to figure out the meaning of the situation, to grasp the fact that I am sitting home while my former USA teammates are preparing for the Olympic Games. It feels like I’ve been stung by a huge bug, this hurts.

My career has always been about hard work. I’ve never thought I was the most talented swimmer. I’m certainly not the biggest, nor the strongest. My success has been a direct result of my absolute determination to do as many things right as I can, to put myself in position to be successful. Whether I’m refining my nutrition, stretching, getting to the weight room early, watching video of my stroke, working tirelessly on my start, going to bed every night at 9pm, or being a freak for keeping my shoulders healthy with physical therapy, I’ve done everything I would have ever known to do to promote fast swimming.

Last summer at the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai I went 48.19 in a time trial of the 100 freestyle. At the same meet I anchored the prelim of the 400 medley relay with a time of 47.3, which was the second fastest relay split in the world. When I got back to Austin in the fall of 2011, my coach Eddie Reese and I decided the way for me to go faster was for me to get stronger. I’ve always battled getting stronger and this was the area I needed to finally overcome. From September, straight through March of 2012, I literally killed myself, four days per week, in the weight room. I was getting stronger, and believed my goal of once again going 47 in the 100 freestyle was approaching.

On top of swimming super fast in 2011, I made a crucial realization in my life. I learned that for me to be successful, and swim fast, I need to be happy. Looking back at my best swimming, I’ve always been really happy, and positive about life. Inevitably there were times when I wasn’t happy, and my swimming definitely paid the price. Going into the summer of 2012 I knew my happiness was going to be a key to my success. Luckily for me, I was as happy as I could ever remember being in my entire life. The pieces of my happy puzzle were in place; my sister lives nearby and we hang out a lot, I have a phenomenal girlfriend, my body was healthy, I was getting tons of great sleep, my nutrition was and still is the best it’s ever been, I was on great terms with both of my coaches, and all the hard work I’d put in in the weight room had paid off because I was stronger than I’d ever been. Being happy and positive I had on lock down.

Unfortunately what I failed to understand is that with all my added work in the weight room, I would need even more rest, before my big meet, to recover from all that work. Swimming at the University of Texas I have always been a huge taper swimmer. I swim fastest at the end of the year when I have plenty of time to let my body and mind rest from the rigors of training. In the past, I generally would begin resting and compete about every month or so to judge my training as we approached the big taper meet. In 2008, for instance, I gradually got faster each meet I swam, right up to the 2008 Olympic Trials. As I swam faster, I was able to fine tune my skills, adjust my training appropriately, and gain confidence along the way.

This year I was so broken down from all the training that as I approached the 2012 Olympic Trials I was barely getting faster at all in my meets. Even though I was doing everything right to swim fast, I had worked myself into such a deep hole that I couldn’t climb out of it. I hate to say it, but I over-trained. Essentially, all the hard work is pointless if you don’t give yourself the time to recover from it. Your body needs time to heal and rebuild.

The finals of the 100 freestyle at the 2012 US Olympic Trials arrived. I warmed up and was super excited to race. I definitely had some nerves, but felt pretty good in warmup, and was ready to race. The summer before, when I went 48.1 in the 100 freestyle, I went out in 23.0 at the first 50, and came home in 25.1 the second 50. In the semi-finals of the 100 freestyle at the Trials I went out in 23.4 and went 48.9. I knew I needed to be out a bit faster, in the finals, to be in the race and give myself a chance to swim really fast. The gun went off and I was going for it. In no race do you go completely all out right from the get go. I built into the race and went out it 23.1. Off the turn I could tell I was in the race and needed to have a great second 50 to finish in the running. I began building the effort on my legs and worked to maintain the same tempo of my arms. With about 20 meters to go I started to seriously hurt. I have always prided myself as being one of the toughest racers, and not ever giving into the pain. I pushed and fought as hard as I could, and at the end it felt like my arms were full of lead. As I approached the finish I could barely move. After touching the wall I had an idea of the result before even looking at the scoreboard. Never in my life had I died that hard in a race. My mind knew that I would be lucky to get in the top six after hurting that bad the last 25 of the race. I went out in 23.1 and came home in 26.1 on the second 50. I finished in eighth place and missed making the Olympic team. Ouch is an understatement.

I went to the side of the pool and slowly got out. My body was battered and my mind deflated. For years and years I had worked tirelessly towards my Olympic dream. I felt like a failure. The only thing that kept me from crying was the fact that I was in complete and utter disbelief and shock. How did this happen, I thought.

Not only was I saddened and disappointed, but I was embarrassed. I believed I was one of the best sprinters in the world, and I couldn’t even get in the top six in the USA. Not to mention, USA Today had just featured me in their sports section about how much my diet makes a difference in my training and performance. I felt like a fraud, that everything I had worked so hard to do with my nutrition, in the pool, and with my food business, AthleticFoodie, was discredited.

Since I was a young boy, after every meet, I would always get together with my family and have dinner. The Olympic Trials was no different. After the 100 freestyle final I went back to the hotel and my parents had dinner waiting for me in their room. I ate with them and we talked about the result. I really didn’t even know what to say. Just like always, my parents were there with the utmost love and support. They were disappointed for me. Their positivity and love never wavered. All they’ve ever wanted was for me to be happy.

The next day I swam in the semi-finals of the 50 freestyle but barely missed qualifying for the finals. This just wasn’t my meet.

My poor result at the Trials was not because I didn’t work hard. Not because I didn’t do everything I knew how to do in order to swim fast. I was happy. I was excited. The problem was that I just didn’t get nearly enough rest to recover from the brutal training we did throughout the year. I should have toned down my weight lifting regimen much sooner. My lack of success at the Trials does not discredit my attention to detail in my diet nor my AthleticFoodie concept. The truth is that my refined diet, and the belief that healthy and nutritious foods can and do make a huge difference in performance holds true. By eating healthy and fueling for success I was able to get stronger than ever. The only thing stopping me was my lack of rest –not sleep, but time to continue working at an easier pace while my body healed itself. My diet paved the way for me to gain strength I never before had. Unfortunately I just couldn’t do anything about the fact that I didn’t have enough time to rebuild my muscles and nervous system before the big races.

I am sad. This experience definitely stings. Yes, I have felt embarrassed, and like a failure. However, as I get further and further away from the Trials I gain greater perspective and realize that this is the farthest from the truth. I followed my dream, and I pursued it with the utmost tenacity, care, focus, and resilience that I knew how. Along the way I have tried to be the best person I know how to be, and make as many positive differences in as many people’s lives as I could possibly touch. Swimming has never, and will never define me as a person. I still have an unbelievable life with family and friends who I love and love me back, a girlfriend who is an absolute angel, and many goals I am excited to now begin working to achieve. AthleticFoodie is at the top of my priority list now. It’s time for me to help as many people as I possibly can to become healthier and feel the dramatic difference nutritious foods can play on the quality of their lives.

As Roger Federer said yesterday in reference to Andy Murray’s defeat at Wimbledon, “It’s not the end of the world, it’s the start of something big.” This is not the end of Garrett Weber-Gale, this is just the beginning of a new stage in my life that promises to bring exciting and meaningful opportunities.

I want to sincerely thank each and every one of you who have followed and supported me throughout the years. I would never have been able to accomplish anything great without your continuous love and support. I have absolutely loved swimming the past couple years and have truly enjoyed the ride. There’s no question that I did not reach my potential this summer, and that leaves me wanting to get back after it! What I know for sure is that I’m going to continue living the dream as I always have. I will follow my passions, and continue to work to do everything at the absolute highest level. The opportunities for the future are endless!

This fall I have several speaking engagements already lined up, and will be kicking off an AthleticFoodie tour of swim clinics and events. (After all, I do have two Olympic gold medals and was a key part of one of the most famous relays ever!!!) Working with kids, and helping people be healthier is a huge passion of mine. One way or another I will be in a pool.

If you would like to bring an AthleticFoodie clinic or event to your team or city please email or call us from our AthleticFoodie contact page. Thanks y’all and I hope to see you soon!

I know this makes me far from unique, but as a young man growing up in Kansas City that dreamed of being a journalist, I became quite enamored with Joe Posnanski. Posnanski, of course, was a star columnist at the Kansas City Star along with Jason Whitlock. Both went on to bigger and better things in far different ways, and both were incredible columnists. While Whitlock had a way of dividing a city on seemingly any topic, Posnanski was much more subtle. He could write something you already knew, something you were already thinking, and make you care about it more than you ever had. Whitlock could make you feel things about him….Posnanski made you feel things about you.

Okay, if you’re still with me I’m sure you’re wondering what this has to do with our Kansas City Royals. Well, seemingly because the current English language cannot fully express his literary genius, Posnanski has on his blog started JoeWords. This is awesome, and I encourage you to read it, but for the purposes of this article I just want to focus on one of them:

Clemenate (KLEM-a-nayt), verb, to hate an athlete in an entirely healthy, fun sports way (rather than hating them in a crazed, stalking, loaded gun, insane sort of way). Ex. Jonathan Sanchez is making himself far too easy to clemenate this season.

This week saw a flurry of commentary about Sanchez. 610 Sports ran a gag trying to get him blocked from Twitter, Ryan Lefebvre and Rex Hudler bother questioned how much Sanchez loved baseball, and Bob Dutton wrote a scathing piece about the Royals refusal to consider shipping Sanchez out. However, the one that really caught my eye came from Minda Haas. Minda is an outstanding photographer and a good friend of I70 baseball, and this week she wrote this.

Minda is right in many regards, most notably that baseball players are people too and their life need not revolve around baseball for them to be successful. I also agree that personal attacks against baseball players based on their performance are unwarranted, and I think this is what Posnanski was trying to capture when he created the word clemenate.

I don’t hate Jonathan Sanchez, but I clemenate him with ounce of my baseball loving soul. I clemenate his attitude, because it’s hard to watch him play the game and think he cares even a little. I clemenate his methods, because watching him pitch, even when he’s getting people out, is equal parts maddening and sleep inducing. Mostly though I clemenate what he has done to this Royals season.

The Royals are 3-7 in his ten starts this season and he’s given them an average of 4 2/3 innings per start. Every time it seems like the Royals are about to get on a hot streak, Sanchez kills all momentum an uninspiring walk-filled performance. Young teams are streaky, and this Royals team has lived up to that billing, but it’s tough to streak too far in the right direction when you know you’re sending Sanchez to the mound every 5 days.

The bottom line is, Sanchez must go…quickly. We’ve seen far too many young stars grow disenchanted with the Royals version of “trying” to win. You can not in good faith tell Eric Hosmer or Mike Moustakas that we’re trying to win when you continue to send Sanchez to the mound.

The Kansas City Royals Awards Luncheon seemed to carry a theme this year with Hall Of Famer George Brett and young first baseman Eric Hosmer. The feeling in the room was unmistakable, the future has arrived in Kansas City.

You can hear it in George Brett’s voice. The proud Royal is ready for that next generation of successful Royals to take over the spotlight. Not that he does not enjoy the spotlight, quite the opposite. The Hall Of Famer is one of the most charismatic and comfortable former players in the lime light. Ask anyone and they will tell you, however, that he is true blue to the Royals. Just like any fan of the team, he’s ready for them to win.

During the awards ceremony, when asked about the young team, Brett was quick to state “It’s no secret that it has been a tough ten or fifteen years for this city”.

Prior to the awards luncheon, the winners and presenters joined the media for a quick question and answer session. Eric Hosmer, entering first, was moved to the center of the room and put on display like a show pony. As the media closed in, questions flew, and cameras rolled the young man took it in, answered every question, and showed confidence in himself and his teammates. Reporters had to remind themselves that they were face-to-face with a twenty-two year old ballplayer. The confidence and way with which Hosmer carried himself suggested a veteran player that was easily considered the face of the franchise.

When your franchise is the youngest in Major League Baseball, it should not surprise people that the face of that franchise is as young as Hosmer is. A young man who is comfortable letting his bat and glove speak for themselves has arrived in Kansas City and the weight of the team and the city are squarely on his shoulders.

When asked about his role when players that he has spent most of his career with are called up to the majors he confirmed his presence by saying “I think when guys first arrive, I’m the guy they come to with questions and finding out how the locker room works and things.” At the same time, Hosmer is quick to point out that his teammates “have been together for a long time and everyone knows their roles and how to conduct themselves.”

Throughout the day talking with the young players, there was a general feeling that this team was ready to compete, ready to win, and the expectations had changed. Conversations with manager Ned Yost and General Manager Dayton Moore revealed the same from their viewpoint, as they mentioned a need for this year’s team to transition from “learning” to “winning”. Manager Yost confirmed that his approach would be more focused on winning in every situation and less on sacrificing the win to help a young player mature.

The excitement in Kansas City is growing and is very apparent when you talk to the fans. Brett confirmed that saying that many fans are talking to him more and more about the current product on the field and cites solid attendance numbers towards the end of the 2011 season. The buzz of excitement for baseball is thick in the air of Kansas City.

This team is in a good position to take advantage of that. The Royals are ready for the first player to be the face of a winning franchise in Kansas City since Hall Of Famer George Brett retired.

Eric Hosmer is ready to be that player.

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.

With the Hall Of Fame election announcement coming on January 9, 2012, it is time to review the ballot, go over the names, and decide who belongs in the Hall Of Fame.

There are twenty seven men on the ballot this year and we will take a look at each one individually prior to official announcements. You can find all of the profiles in the I-70 Baseball Exclusives: Cooperstown Choices 2012 menu at the top of the page.

Tune in Saturday, January 7, 2012 as I-70 Baseball Radio will host a panel of writers discussing the Hall Of Fame Ballot in a 2-hour special.

In this article, we take a look at Bernie Williams.

Bernie Williams
Bernie patrolled center field in the Bronx for sixteen seasons, spending his entire career with the New York Yankees. A young man who made his debut in 1991 and played his final game in 2006, this will be the first year that Bernie appears on the ballot.

Why He Should Get In
Bernie was one of the premier center fielders of his generation, hanging just behind the big names like Ken Griffey, Jr. His 2,300 hits, lifetime .297 batting average, 287 home runs and 1,200 runs batted in are all solid number for the voters to consider. His four consecutive Gold Glove awards (1997 – 2000), five straight All Star appearances (1997-2001), and 2002 Silver Slugger award display his abilities and place high above his peers in multiple facets of the game. He took home a batting title in 1998 and holds a lifetime .381 on base percentage and .858 OPS (On Base Plus Slugging Percentage). Baseball-Reference ranks him with a Hall Of Fame score of 48 where the average Hall Of Famer ranks a score of 50.

Why He Should Not Get In
Bernie Williams is a bubble Hall Of Famer that will find his way into Cooperstown at some point. However, being his first time on the ballot, no matter how weak the class, will hold him out this year due to many voters feeling that first ballot is not a place for such a player. His stats are just under the marks for most Hall Of Famers, but he played during a time that is tainted with steroids and has never been connected to them himself, which will allow some voters to tout his ability to play a clean game. He fell short of some of the milestones most players feel they need to hit for induction. It will take time for Bernie Williams.

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.

What else is there to say? He’s gone. The drama, rumors, headaches and more are over. Albert Pujols is no longer a Cardinal.

I never thought I would type those words.

In the matter of less than two months I have seen my favorite team since I was a young man win the World Series, say goodbye to a manager that had been a part of the team for around half of my life, and lose the greatest player I have ever witnessed to free agency.

Albert Pujols is a player that defines an entire generation. He plays the game head and shoulders above anyone. His 2011 season was a season that most players would accept as a near career defining year and yet to Pujols, it was a “down” year for him. He capped that year off with the third highest contract in Major League history and a departure from the only team he has ever known.

The team that believed enough in him to draft him in the thirteenth round of the 1999 amateur draft, the team that gave him an opportunity in 2001 and the team that surrounded him with enough talent to play in three World Series and win two World Championship rings will take the field searching for the next face of the franchise.

Cardinals Chairman and CEO Bill DeWitt, Jr.

“We are disappointed that we were unable to reach an agreement to keep Albert Pujols in St. Louis. Albert is a great champion and we will always be thankful for his many achievements in a Cardinals uniform, as well as his contributions to the St. Louis community. I have the highest regard for Albert both personally and professionally, and appreciate his direct involvement in this process. I would like our fans to know that we tried our best to make Albert a lifetime Cardinal but unfortunately we were unable to make it happen.”

 

Parents will struggle to explain to little boys and girls that, when it comes to baseball, your favorite player and your favorite team do not always have to coincide. That it will be okay to cheer for a man in a different shade of red if they want to. That players come and go but the jersey stays the same. That love of this game can, and will, lead to heartbreak.

The Cardinals will be just fine. Some argue that they are still the favorites in their division and many speculate now where the Cardinals will begin shopping. The off season started with one goal, resign Albert Pujols. Now the focus shifts into acquiring a middle infielder or two and possibly an outfielder that can help provide some pop to a fairly potent lineup. The “Birds On The Bat” will prevail and the franchise will continue to be one of the premier franchises in Major League Baseball.

To that end, Albert Pujols will be just fine as well. He will continue to hit and has the added security of a designated hitter role later in his career. He will hit major milestones in the next few years and become a part of a franchise that will look to compete heavily in the near future. He will utilize the monetary gain to fund charitable foundations and continue to perform the work he feels God has called him to do.

Fans emotions will heal over time and kids will find a new favorite player. The Cardinals and Angels will play baseball at a highly competitive level and game will continue to be played the same way it has for well over a century. We will still hear The Star Spangled Banner before games, Take Me Out To The Ballgame during the seventh inning and God Bless America during some games. The 2011 Cardinals will still be defined by “What a team. What a ride.” I will still tell my children about “The time I saw Albert…” Most of us will continue to love the game and our team.

Cardinals Sr. Vice President & General Manager John Mozeliak

“Albert has been a special player in this organization since the moment he was drafted over 12 years ago. His accomplishments on and off the field have been spectacular. I wish him well in the next phase of his career.”

Today feels like a loss. It should feel that way. Many of us truly believed that Albert would spend his entire career in front of us in “our” stadium. We believed, deep down, that he would be our generation’s Stan The Man. We thought that we had discovered a truly great player that felt some level of loyalty to the franchise he matured with.

We were wrong.

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.

I haven’t forgiven Zack Greinke quite yet. Not after he manipulated his way into a trade out of town, then publicly criticized the city, the Royals, the Plaza, Arthur Bryant’s BBQ, Worlds of Fun, and everything else Kansas Citians hold dear.

Good riddance, I said, and I swore to root against Zack at his every stop from here on. I don’t care if Dayton Moore said recently Greinke “will always be a Royal.” He won’t be in my book.

Well, here he is, exactly where he belongs, pitching on the big stage, and good for him.

No, I’ll probably never forgive him, but I must say, this is where he belongs. A young man with his extraordinary talent ought to be battling it out with the best in the sport in the biggest games of the season.

Greinke was never much of a team player. He often seemed distant and distracted. He seemed somewhat “me-first.” But no one ever questioned whether he was a competitor. So when he took the mound Sunday for the second of consecutive starts on three days rest, it should have come as no surprise.

Greinke wants to win, and he wants to compete on the biggest stage. And he is getting his wish. But as Frank Sinatra might say about the precocious 27-year old hurler “He did it his way.”

He started out the season with typically head-scratching Greinke-esqe absurdity. After costing the Brewers a small fortune, he injured himself off the field and started the season on the disabled list. At the same time he bashed the Royals and spoiled his legacy in KC.

When he finally took the field, he wasn’t sharp. Were it not for the potent Brewers’ bats backing him up, his first half could have been disastrous. After six May starts, his ERA was 5.29. Three good starts were overshadowed by two horrendous ones in June, and the kid entered July with a 6.04 ERA.

The thing he never lacked, however, was strikeouts. In spite of the rust, Greinke mowed down 80 hitters in just 62.1 innings through June.

Greinke got tough when the Brewers needed him most. His August and September numbers were solid: 8-2 with a 2.97 ERA, even if the strikeouts took a dip to about one per inning.

When Milwaukee had a chance to lock down the division title, Greinke pitched on three days rest. He wasn’t perfect, but he managed six innings to get the win in the season finale.

Then on Sunday, he took the hill again, once again on three days rest. Still far from perfect, Greinke gave up three homers in just five innings.

But he wanted to be on the mound. He wanted the ball. He wanted to battle for his team, to help the Brewers advance in the playoffs. In doing so, he helped the team straighten out its rotation for the next several games. In short, he fulfilled the role of an ace.

Greinke may not have been Sandy Koufax when pitching on three days rest, but he also may not have to pitch as much, now that the Brewers have cleared the initial hurdle. Greinke answered the bell and he’s in an enviable position now to pitch deep into the playoffs.

Enviable, that is, to Royals fans. No, I haven’t forgiven Zack Greinke. Not yet.

Now there’s a name from the past. One of the most popular players to come through the St. Louis farm system never quite caught on in the major leagues. In fact, the young man would play 11 years in the minors with a career average of .275. That would only translate to a major league career that would span 23 games and 25 at bats for a .200 average in 2001.

Stubby is back in familiar territory as he manages the Houston Astros Class-A affiliate, the Tri-City Valley Cats. This past week, the manager would take exception with a home plate umpire call. What would follow will surely come up as one of Stubby Clapp‘s career highlights:

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.
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