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Join Hall of Fame baseball writer Rick Hummel for his live Cardinals chat at 11 a.m. Monday

Bring your Cards questions and comments to Monday’s 11 a.m. live chat.

3rd & 7 37yd

I don't think manager Schoendienst was a big fan. It was said that Richie wasn't always the most prompt in arriving at the ball park and it's kind of hard to project the lineup if he isn't there.

by rhummel 12/20/2021 9:30:57 PM
Do both sides have enough foresight to get the contract done before the first day for pitchers and catchers to report in Feb?

by Bobby G. 12/20/2021 9:31:01 PM
That is the absolute $64,000 Question--for those who remember that fine television show.

by rhummel 12/20/2021 9:31:38 PM
After the lock out they will have to give the free agents 2 or 3 weeks to sign with a team, want they?
50-50 chance the season starts on time?

by Bobby G. 12/20/2021 9:31:54 PM
I think it's better than 50-50, but that's just me. My glass is at least half full.

by rhummel 12/20/2021 9:32:32 PM
When MLB goes to electronic ball & strike calling there will be no use for the good pitch framing catchers will they?

by ED 12/20/2021 9:33:21 PM
But we'll still have that confounded box on our television screens.

by rhummel 12/20/2021 9:33:50 PM
Rick -

Hoping you can help me justify the faith in DeJong. Loved him in his first year, and defended him profusely every year since until about mid 2021. At that point I couldn't keep credibly defending him as an even average SS much less an above average one.

Are there any other current MLBers that have followed a similar career trajectory as him and ended up turning things around? Where does the faith the front office shows in him come from?

by AG 12/20/2021 9:35:04 PM
Even in a horrible season, he had 19 home runs. And his glove work still was well above average.

by rhummel 12/20/2021 9:35:39 PM
I like the idea of Reyes starting. He could give up a HR or walk a few batters and still give you a quality start. You really have to be precise as a late inning reliever and perhaps as a starter he could just let it go more often and not worry about location.

by Stan the Fan 12/20/2021 9:35:51 PM
I think Reyes would be much more relaxed as a starter because that's what he almost always has been.

by rhummel 12/20/2021 9:36:38 PM
Do the Cardinals have any concern about the drain of entertainment $ that will flow down Market once the MLS comes to town?

by TomBruno23 12/20/2021 9:36:47 PM
I haven't heard that concern expressed. They weren't concerned when the Rams came to town and these crowds would be about one-third of what the Rams drew on good days.

by rhummel 12/20/2021 9:37:43 PM
Shannon retired,right?Horton taking his place,right? Who's taking Horton and McCarvers spots on tv portion?

by Junior 12/20/2021 9:38:00 PM
Haven't heard anything about TV. Brad Thompson and Jim Edmonds surely will be involved and maybe more of Rick Ankiel, too. Rick Horton figures to take Mike Shannon's place for radio games with Mike Claiborne hopefully in the mix, too, as John Rooney takes the lead.

by rhummel 12/20/2021 9:40:06 PM
Who would you sign to be the 4th outfielder,if those nagging injuries come back to our 3 regulars?

by Junior 12/20/2021 9:40:35 PM
Nootbaar can be a fine fourth outfielder, I think, because he can play all three outfield positions

by rhummel 12/20/2021 9:41:14 PM
Who has the best right handed swing of all-time, in your opinion? Pujols of course, but I also like Dave Winfield's.

by TomBruno23 12/20/2021 9:41:48 PM
That is a hard call. I think Henry Aaron's swing was great and so was that of Willie Mays. And I wish I had seen Rogers Hornsby play. But Pujols' is the best I've seen up close and personal.

by rhummel 12/20/2021 9:42:49 PM
Wish Ollie all the best but some day he too will be fired. Managers need term limits to save them from the sting of being let go.

by Ed 12/20/2021 9:43:01 PM
Just win, baby. That's the best job security.

by rhummel 12/20/2021 9:43:28 PM
I know it is a popularity contest but it strikes me as odd that Lee Smith is in Cooperstown and retired as the team's all-time saves leaders but is not in the CHOF.

by TomBruno23 12/20/2021 9:44:01 PM
It is a little unusual but I guess Smith wasn't here long enough for some voters and others might be turned off by the fact he wore a Cubs hat into the National Hall of Fame.

by rhummel 12/20/2021 9:45:28 PM
Commish,other sports let the player get an extra year from the current team they play for when free agency begins,any chance the MLP would like this idea?

by Junior 12/20/2021 9:46:02 PM
I haven't heard that from either side.

by rhummel 12/20/2021 9:46:30 PM
Ok, Commish, is there a way to judge the performance of umpires? Sort of like a WAR system for them that is made for them. Missed calls, balls/strikes, how they handle disputes, etc. It would be interesting to fans if we knew, for example, if there was a quality home plate umpire for the days game. Their evaluations by MLB are secret.

by Stan the Fan 12/20/2021 9:46:46 PM
You don't get any public evaluations on officials in other sports either but the postseason generally shows you the officials who graded well with the league offices.

by rhummel 12/20/2021 9:48:03 PM
I’ve got a Jack Buckism for ya. It’s 1968 or 1969 in June if I remember right at Busch playing the Phillies. It’s the top of the inning and the Phillies have Bobby Wine, John Boozer and Tony Taylor coming up in the inning. Buck starts off the inning back from the commercial break and says coming up for the Phillies in the seventh is Wine, Boozer and Old Taylor. Cracked Harry Carey up.

by AustinTx 12/20/2021 9:48:18 PM
I recall hearing that line.

by rhummel 12/20/2021 9:48:34 PM
What do you remember from The Ozzie Canseco Era in St. Louis?

by TomBruno23 12/20/2021 9:48:36 PM
One particular awful game he had in Philadelphia when Joe Torre gave him a rare start.

by rhummel 12/20/2021 9:51:16 PM
How do you rank these 4 iconic NY CF? DiMaggio, Mantle, Mays and Snider.

by TomBruno23 12/20/2021 9:51:50 PM
I think many would cite Mays as the most complete player of the four because of his speed, defense and power. The other three were in a class of their own, too.

by rhummel 12/20/2021 9:53:06 PM
Would it be unrealistic to put a timer on the actual ballgame itself? Every other sport goes by time,doesn't it?

by Junior 12/20/2021 9:53:23 PM
Well, not tennis or golf.

by rhummel 12/20/2021 9:53:42 PM
Hey, Commish, thanks for being so generous with your time.
A lot of people want to say the owners and players are all greedy and they're so rich they shouldn't be squabbling over money and why do the players need a pension when they make millions of dollars ... that's all good and fine, but isn't it true that NO MATTER HOW MUCH money gets made, labor and management are going to negotiate about how it's divided? In no industry can laborers make so much money that they will say, "What the hell, we don't need to worry about the conditions of our employment, and we don't really need pensions." The numbers are bigger, but labor and management will always want to get the best deal possible. Nothing wrong with that.

by Mike in VIrginia 12/20/2021 9:54:23 PM
You're correct. Nothing wrong with that, strictly speaking, except for the third element, the fan base, which gets dumped on from both sides.
Thanks for all your questions and comments and we'll do it again in a couple of weeks.

by rhummel 12/20/2021 9:56:02 PM

Live Chats

Join Hall of Fame baseball writer Rick Hummel for his live Cardinals chat at 11 a.m. Monday

Bring your Cards questions and comments to Monday’s 11 a.m. live chat.

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