Back in April, who imagined that the Cardinals getting a strong outing from Jeff Suppan to salvage the third game of a series with the Pirates would be something worth celebrating?

I've been following on-line, so I can't say. I watched about half of last night's game. My second impression of Hamilton matches my first. I don't think I've ever seen a player with a longer swing.

APRTW wrote:

Looks like Pujols and Holliday are playing well and all the youngens are helping out.  Is  Descalso the real deal?

Good.  I believe that they think Descalso is the real deal but surely they aren't going to try to make a third baseman out of him.  If that's the plan, they need to move the fences way back and lay down the turf.  I'm sure a lot depends on how the guy they just drafted from Arkansas works out and how fast he progresses.  Third base, no doubt, is a terrible problem now.  I would rate Freese at less than 50/50 of being the answer next year.   Which makes me wonder why the hell TLR is playing Greene at short instead of third.  The guy is enough of a basket case already.  He doesn't need to be trying out a new position every day.  It seems to me that it is a terrible mistake this late in the season to bench Ryan right after his big screw up.

Going just by the box score, it looks like Stavinoha had a pretty good game too.  The guy may prove to be a real asset next year, given his ability to make contact as a pinch hitter and, more important, his usefulness as an emergency catcher.  I have a feeling that we are really going to need a back up catcher.  Not they we will necessarily have to use him there but given Molina's problems, whoever is managing is going to need a lot flexibility at catcher.

I don't think they can keep Schumaker, Jay, and Stavi, however.  And since Schu is the biggest pay check, I would rate the odds about 95 to 5 that he'll be moved to a team that is either very thin or that can afford and expensive guy on the bench as a utility OF/2B.