Season tickets arrived today. This year's feature Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Cole Hamels, and Brett Myers, all shown in quite straightforward photos. I thought they might be a tad more imaginative. The temperatures are in the teens today and it's hard to think that a month from now the team will be heading north. Even thinking about going to a game makes me shiver.
It was the scoreless frame tossed yesterday by rookie righty Carlos Carrasco that most impressed manager Charlie Manuel. It turns out that Carrasco, who will turn 21 late in March, is now pitching with a greater purpose. On February 3, just eight days before leaving his native Venezuela for spring training, armed robbers invaded his mother's home, held a gun to his sister's head, and made off with thousands of dollars of items. Carrasco had just left home to pick up his mother. Scary, scary stuff. The kid hopes someday soon to be able to bring his family to the US.
Meanwhile, the beat goes on. The FBI is moving to investigate Roger Clemens for perjury. The lesson would seem to be hubris, hubris, hubris.
Despite the many serious issues the Cardinals have had with substance abuse, manager Tony La Russa was pushing for the team to acquire Barry Bonds. But then La Russa says he believes Mark McGwire did it all with hard work.
