Quick Reading

Pitchers and catchers will report to Jupiter, Fl for Spring Training in just over three days now.  There are already a few members of the ball club in camp, including Chris Carpenter, Rick Ankiel, and Chris Duncan. The anticipation has been building all winter.  As we wait just a few more days, I’ll direct you to a couple of good articles about our beloved Birds.

Three different journalists wrote about the Cardinals roster turnover this weekend.  First, Tony La Russa believes the team is going to contend this season and shrugs off the “transition” label.  Read all about it from Mathew Leach here.

Next, a great story in the Post Dispatch by Joe Stauss answers all the big questions surrounding the club, including those about Albert’s elbow and who bats lead-off.  Here’s the link.

And then, Brian Walton compares the 2008 roster turnover to that of years past over at The Birdhouse.  With the loss of fan favorites Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen, and David Eckstein, it seems like the clubhouse will be full of unfamiliar faces, but it’s easy to forget how many more players were lost before other seasons, including the two National League Championship years.  Check out the full story here.

We’ll have to acquaint ourselves with some new faces this spring, but one that is most familiar, Rick Ankiel, is now the only player on the roster that was playing in St. Louis in 2000.  Bizarre.