It's a Start

The Cardinals beat the Brewers earlier tonight, which is notable because it was the type of game the Cardinals haven't really won all season. It was a close, low offense, pretty much boring affair in which one team's runs could exclusively be counted up to errors. This is the type of game the Cards have been on the wrong side of ever since they decided to ditch defense for (older) offense. Not only that, but Edwin Jackson was on the mound tonight, and he hasn't exactly been great since the Cards picked him up. Oh yes, and there's the whole Brewers Never Lose Anymore, Especially At Home situation going on this season. When you pile up all of those factors, you tend to just decide to switch the game off some time around the 5th inning.

I'm talking Cardinals tonight because I have another trade package on my hands. This one is from My Cardboard Mistress. I sent over an assortment of player wants in exchange for Cardinal and 2011 Heritage wants. A good time was had by all.

There's been a lot of talk about the future of the Cardinals lately. If they don't manage to get their GB number down by the end of the week to, let's say... 6 or so, it will pretty much be the only thing worth discussing. If the Cards are going to truly rebuild for two or three years, something that probably interests Tony La Russa about as much as getting shingles of the eye again, then I will really have a hard time watching them if some sentimental favorites like Chris Carpenter aren't in the fold. I realize that he's the imperfect combination of old and expensive with an extensive injury history, but not having him around makes the whole team a lot less palatable. Just ask me about 2007 and 2008.

We interrupt this program for some danger! Ranger Danger! Ranger Danger!

This wild and wacky yet truly authentic Bowman tribute to past Bowman (but not vintage Bowman) makes me smile... kind of.

This is some unlicensed insert sorcery on the part of former cardboard great turned pariah Upper Deck.

Shelby Miller is currently the Cardinals No. 1 prospect with a bullet and will remain that way until he is traded for fragments of Mark DeRosa's wrist and the ghost of Craig Paquette. This card is X-Fractory. I like it.

Here's one of those cards that I don't know how to store. I do know that I need the Adam Wainwright version of this card. If you're a Ginter hobby box buyer and you have one of those, please contact me soon.

Spankee must have known about my under-the-radar Ryan Ludwick Jersey Reconstruction project. If I'm not mistaken, I now own five of these 2009 A&G Ludwick relic cards. It may sound like I'm being insincere or just don't want something like this in my collection, but that's far from the case. I think it would be amazing to have a box... no... a room full of Ryan Ludwick jersey bits encased in pretty frames. This is fun... keep them coming, please!

As the... great... Al Hrabosky said tonight after the win, "it's a start." Hey, the man is on the Ford C. Frick Award ballot for excellence in baseball broadcasting, so it has to be worth something, right?