* Draft: The Cards' draft strategy: Send as many scouts as possible to high schools in Florida, Texas and California. "We did our homework," said Cards VP Jeff Luhnow ... The Cards drafted A.J. Van Slyke in the 23rd round, after Scott Van Slyke was selected by the Dodgers in the 14th ... More notably, the Cards also scooped up Albert Pujols' cousin, Wil, in the sixth round out of high school. GM Walt Jocketty: "We probably took him a couple of rounds sooner than we should have...But we didn't want to lose him. We wanted to take a chance on another Pujols" ... Wasting no time, the Cards have already signed first rounder Colby Rasmus, sandwich pick Tyler Herron, and second rounders Josh Wilson and Nick Webber ...
* Jim Edmonds: Likes the ball down, and has tremendous -- if underrated -- power to all fields ... Uppercut swing enables him to drive even pitches down and out over the plate ... Quick enough to turn on inside strikes ... Can be induced to chase up and away, where he can be overpowered ... Can be pitched to up and in, as well ... Still an outstanding centrefielder with a flair for the dramatic ...
* Reggie Sanders: Tremendously strong hitter with an ability to yank pitches on the outer half of the plate to left for power ... Swing somewhat reminiscent of Joe Carter's ... Trimmer than Joe ever was, though, even at age 37. He's 10-for-11 on the basepaths and surprisingly leads the club in steals ... Will roll over outside pitches if fooled ... You can get him to go up the ladder with fastballs ... Prone to pulling his head off breaking stuff ...
* Jeff Suppan: Puts the ball in play and trusts his defence ... Barely touches 88 mph with his fastball, and when he doesn't locate it well, he can be tagged (11 HR allowed thus far) ... Comes overhand but with a somewhat short-armed delivery ... Runs a two-seamer in on righthanders ... Needs to keep ball down ...
* Larry Walker: At age 38, the Pride of Maple Ridge is expected to be playing in his final series on Canadian soil ... No longer a premier home run hitter, notwithstanding his '04 postseason ... Lovely level swing enables him to sting outside fastballs to left ... More pull-happy up in the zone ... Selective hitter with a .400 lifetime OBP on the dot ... Lacks the speed he had in his 20s, but runs the bases well and will occasionally even bunt for a hit ... Can be induced to pop up when jammed ... Still spry in right ...
* Mark Grudzielanek: Good low-ball contact guy who stays down on pitches very well ... Spray hitter with gap power ... Lunging, two-handed swing ... Will chase high, where he's not as dangerous ... Can be overpowered with good heat ...
* Al Reyes: Tossed from Tuesday's beanball war with the Bosox, although he denied intentionally hitting Kevin Youkilis in retaliation ... Sinker-slider guy with an easy delivery ... Likes to back-door righties with a moving two-seam fastball ... Comfortable working up in the zone ... Rubber-armed and will make plenty of appearances for Tony LaRussa this season ...
* Albert Pujols: It's so difficult to pitch to him ... Very still and balanced at the plate and stays back on pitches expertly ... Muscles deep home runs despite never seemingly straining at the plate ... Up in the zone with a fastball? Forget it. Why even try? ... Can drive even moving fastballs to all fields ... Oddly, has been chasing lefthanded breaking stuff down and out of the zone this season ... Very hard to strike out; catching the outside corner is one of the few ways to do it ...
* Yadier Molina!: Like the other Molinas!, Yadier seldom walks and seldom strikes out ... Hits out of a deep crouch and hits 'em where they're pitched ... Long swing and struggles with very good heat ... Can be jammed and is always a GIDP threat with a runner on first ... Yadier doesn't want a day off, now that the balmier temperatures are more reminiscent of his native Puerto Rico: "This is my weather" ...
* David Eckstein: Pesky two-strike hitter who prefers the ball down ... Waits well on breaking pitches ... Don't expect any power ... Quickly becoming very popular in St. Louis ... Can be induced to chase away ... Start him in with breaking pitches to coax ground balls ...
* Abraham Nunez: Switch-hitter keeps his hands very high and employs a choppy, short swing ... Not a terribly adept baserunner ... Swing is a bit more compact from the left side ... Prefers pitches on the inner half from either side of the plate ...
* Chris Carpenter: Old friend is extremely comfortable in St. Lou ... Throws a later-breaking curveball than the lollipop 12-to-6 pitch he threw as a Jay ... Good tailing fastball he throws in the low- to mid-90s ... As with the Jays, he is in trouble when he leaves his pitches up in the zone. But he's kept it down far more effectively as a Cardinal ... More of a strikeout guy now, utilizing a very good cutter with late spin to it. It's a nice counter-punch to his heater that breaks away from lefthanders ...
* Jason Marquis: Compact delivery, especially from the stretch ... Spots his low-90s fastball and uses his defence, like Suppan ... Busts a four-seam fastball in on righties, and works lefties away ... Looping curve that can be driven if a hitter's expecting it ... Works in a good changeup at any time in the count ...
