clocking in at not quite a month between posts is better than i was doing a year ago...

some thoughts on this year so far:

offense: clearly, we have a bit more of it that last year, but like the last three years have been, it's seems to have an on-off switch that we don't yet understand. our usual producers are producing, usually, and even a few rookie types are showing their stuff, but when we're cold, we're all very cold.

pitching: so far, despite some stellar performances from surprising individuals (see piniero, joel, first few starts of), the cracks are starting to show. it seems the man we knew to be our go to ace this year has been struggling, but the guy we wanted to hope could come back to ace form knows how to fix it. multiple great pitchers coming back to their true abilities? i'll drink that kool-aid, thanks.

albert: is still albert fucking pujols. greatness, my friends, greatness, like legend of the game type greatness, spoken in the same breath as ruth, mantle, aaron greatness. even the agnostics among us, pray for his continued health and that he likes his restaurant enough to stay in town for the rest of his long and storied career.

yadi: leading catchers in ba? that's what i'm talking about.

manny: being somewhat more than manny. ha.

with three other nl central teams looking at least a little bit threatening, that's all i'll commit to as yet, but i remain cautiously optimistic. i have been able to watch all or parts of more games this year than i was all last year (thank you direct tv) but have missed a few that seemed to be no brainers (all of which we lost, i might add) (god damned mlb restrictions).

on second thought

this should prove to be an interesteing year for the cards. if we can just forget the mistake that is cesar izturis sooner rather than later, we may have a chance to see a real youth movement at busch. we already have the majority of our players on this side (only for a few more months, for me) of thirty, if memory serves. all of them are at least somewhat intriguing, so even if we aren't a contender, we could be seeing the future of our cardinals.

the missus left for st louis tonight; i expect her call to let me know she arrived safely any time now. i will be going tomorrow for a total of thirty-six hours or so before returning and getting back to the ol' vino slinging. ah well, at least i'll be able to stop by the stadium for a few minutes with jackthedamned.