Julio Lugo News

URPRISE, Ariz. -- Since the start of the 2004 season -- a lifetime ago in local baseball history -- the Red Sox [ team stats ] have gone through shortstops like an office might go through temp workers.

Do Cardinals fans want Mark McGwire to be the team's hitting coach in 2010? Based on an unscientific poll posted on www.bnd.com Monday, they do -- by more than a 2-to-1 margin.

In so many towns across the Major League Baseball landscape, the idea of the annual postseason ritual of fretting over the local manager's immediate future is standard autumn dreaming.

Watching the Cardinals get swept from the playoffs in three games -- just one at home -- was quite stunning.

After years of habitually rotating middle infielders, the Cardinals have called off the carousel and settled on a second baseman.

Duncan inclined to stay Cardinals pitching coach says he'll return to team in 2010 if La Russa does, wants organization to improve communication on player development.

The Cardinals may have had several chances to score runs in Game 1 of the National League Division Series and were only an out away from a win in Game 2, but after being ousted from the playoffs with a three-game sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night, the fact of the matter is simple: the better team probably won.

"One and done." Those are three words you don't want to use around Mark DeRosa, three words that have ended his past three seasons - 2007 and 2008 with the Chicago Cubs, 2009 with the Cardinals.

Terry Francona's team finished with 95 wins for the second straight year and for the sixth time in seven years, a run of success unmatched by any team in baseball -- including the New York Yankees.

They wanted to love him. They really did. The Cardinal fans who showed up at Busch Stadium for Game 3 of the NLDS did so with the mission of letting know that they were willing to let bygones be bygones, to let his disappointing postseason play get lost in the Saturday night lights.

Louis Cardinals got a boost from a couple of solid midseason acquisitions and wrapped up the NL Central with a week left in the regular season.

La Russa goes with two lefties Cardinals notebook Lugo sits out as Rasmus and Schumaker are La Russa's picks.

Billy Witz will be providing updates on Game 2 of the Cardinals-Dodgers division series game in Los Angeles.

The Red Sox revolving door at shortstop began spinning the day they traded Nomar Garciaparra.

The Red Sox revolving door at shortstop began spinning the day they traded Nomar Garciaparra.

With nearly a month to go in the regular season, had enough home runs to win his first title.

Jody Gerut's infield single drove in the go-ahead run in the 10th inning and Ryan Braun added a run-scoring double later in the inning to give Milwaukee a 9-7 victory over the St.

Ryan Braun rounds third base after htting a two-run homer in the first inning for his 200th hit of the season.

Baseball's first team to clinch may also be an offense in trouble. Once again the NL Central champion Cardinals encountered "plus" pitching Tuesday night.

Their manager stuck up for their effort, but the Cardinals' execution on Sunday was another matter.