I do believe the Cardinals' interest in Asdrubal Cabrera real. With such a flimsy free agent market for shortstops, a number of teams are intrigued by Cabrera if the Indians are indeed willing to shop him. To compete for Cabrera the Cardinals would have to part with multiple prospects. One of the names you mention would certainly be introduced into talks by the Tribe. The Cardinals' willingness to part with a current or future member of their starting rotation would then be tested. This much is known: the club will not expose itself at SS to the same degree as it did this year. Whether or not Rafael Furcal requires surgery, he will not be viewed as a 145-game player in 2013. The team requires at least depth at the position. With Furcal's contract set to expire after next season, GM John Mozeliak can't ignore landing a potential long-term answer via trade. Should that not pan out, a short-term fix becomes more palatable. My information is that Mozeliak does not envision Pete Kozma as a starting option. He projects as a utility middle infielder.

Fair point. His performance the last two sesons has been wanting. However, his need to rehabilitate his value could make him a short-term fit for a team such as the Cardinals if they fail to acquire a long-term answer.

Sometime around Thanksgiving. As local talker Martin Kilcoyne eloquently stated recently, the challenge will be keeping a stream of thought going for more than 140 characters.

Ernie represented part of the organization's fabric for many years. Unfortunately, that fabric has been frayed by numerous losses in recent years. Mr. Hays is missed.

We shall see. I agree it's likely Holliday and Beltran will receive more liberal down time next season. However, I believe Matt Carpenter the fill player on outfield flanks. The team needs a player who can spell Jon Jay in center field. Shane Robinson? Perhaps, at least in the short term. There are lingering questions about a 21-year-old's ability to handle the defensive responsibilities demanded by CF, especially when flanked by two All-Star performers. Taveras will likely make his major-league debut next season. However, I'm skeptical that it will be to open the season. The club should refrain from promoting him until it can guarantee him regular playing time. As currently constituted, I don't see how that happens.

I'm certain Mo' will "kick the tires" during his brief stay at the GM Meetings in Palm Springs, Cal., this week. That's not to suggest any deal imminent. But one might recall that Mo' used the 2008 GM Meetings in Dana Point, Cal., as a forum to make a run for Matt Holliday. It didn't work and Holliday eventually landed with the Oakland A's -- until the Cardinals acquired him in July 2009. My sense is Cabrera will be playing elsewhere next season. The Cardinals appear as logical a fit as anywhere.

Fair statement. It's difficult to stomach blowing a 3-1 lead in a best-of-seven series but I'm convinced the Cardinals' pitching had maxed out and would have been very vulnerable against the Detroit Tigers. There was no comparison between the Giants and Cardinals rotations in the NLCS. Suggesting the Tigers would not have hit the Cardinals is erroneous.

Healthy, Tulowitzki is one of the game's 10 best players, maybe five best. I'd be surprised, however, if the Cardinals were willing to assume that kind of financial obligation at this time. Tulowitzki has become an injury risk even before reaching a six-year, $118 million extension set to begin in 2015. He is scheduled to make $20M in each of the first five seasons. That's significant money when taking into account that Holliday makes $17M two of those years and Adam Wainwright will receive close to $20M per annum if he forgoes free agency.

That would appear a reach. Burnett and Choate may be more in the Cardinals' fiscal ballpark.

I never said a similar crowd would affect an outcome. I would say there is a different vibe at AT&T than at Busch. It's a more festive, raucous crowd that has no trouble standing for much of a game. AT&T is a very tight park. Fans are literally wtihin arm's length of relievers when they warm down the outfield line. The in-game presentation gets the folks involved. SF is a more boisterous place than STL. That doesn't make it better. It makes it different. I do believe some players were surprised Busch offered so little edge during a potential Game 5 clinch against the Giants. Whatever momentum the Giants gained from that win multiplied once they returned home. At AT&T, if you stand and yell odds are your neighbor will also stand and try to yell louder. At Busch, you may be told to sit down or face ejection from the park. It's just a different climate.

He said he preferred to go with the batting order that got him there. As stated last week, there's a legitimate suggestion that he could have placed his two hottest hitters (Molina, Beltran) closer to one another in the lineup. Holliday was struggling with physical issues. Craig hit the ball hard the last couple games but was in a statistical funk. That said, I'm not sure any adjustment would have compensated for the Giants' pitching excellence. Simply put, the Cardinals got outplayed the last three games. The better team won.

Scott Boras told Yahoo his client is not interested in pitching at this time. Boras insisted Ankiel still perceives himself as a position player. The question remains, however, what Ankiel does if unable to land a major-league contract as an OF. That's a real possibility.

Probably $4M-$5M.

The Cardinals also led the NL in hitting in Hal McRae's next-to-last season. Most respected hitting coaches start with a pretty fair collection of hitters. McGwire did a good job of establishing a philosophy of greater discipline. The Cardinals struck out fewer than any NL team in 2011 and led the league in most production categories for most of 2012. John Mabry believes in a lot of what McGwire preached. Most would agree that the Cardinals could become a more potent offense by becoming more adept at situational hitting/baserunning/bunting. They were below average in all three categories this season. Mashing is not their problem.

Except for Taveras, the Cardinals will become a more veteran everyday lineup as the years advance. Hollidya, Freese, Craig and Molina aren't going anywhere. Kozma was a stopgap. Growing pains may be more obvious within the pitching staff than the lineup.

It's a matter of record -- vis a vis: these chats -- that I thought Beltran and Furcal were unnecessarily stressed long before they had to be shut down.

The one-game play-in is not universally embraced. However, the Division Series is not an issue once it returns to a 2-2-1 format next season. This October did lend itself to a wild card surprise. Oddly enough, two division champions reached the World Series after a recent run of World Series involvement by wild cards.

He's still deciding so I'm certainly not going to make the decision for him.

Personally, I suggest the time immediately before and after the Grapefruit League schedule begins. The workout-only format gives you the chance to explore other attractions during the day. It's a more relaxed pace. Roger Dean Stadium hosts a game every day, whether the Cardinals or Marlins. You're also more likely to see some younger players get exposure during early Grapefruit League actions, always a bonus for the HPGF. Either way, Jupiter is an outstanding locale for spring training. Hotels are pricey. There's a full service Marriott on PGA Blvd and a Homewood Suites less than a mile away. Lots of good seafood (Jetty's, Kee Grille, Captain Charlie's). STL scribes can often be found at Rooney's Pub and CJ Muggs' in Abacoa or at Pyro's Grille nearby.

I just think the 314's passion for baseball is more reflected in its knowledge and appreciation for the game than over-the-top behavior. The club probably could rev up the energy level with a little more hip in-game presentation. I've even offered suggestions, which were dismissed as too costly or non-traditional. Anything beats Kiss Cam and Stupid Human Tricks on the matrix.