Brian34Cook

WWu12: Welcoming Party
By Derrick Goold
01/19/2008 1:19 pm

DOWNTOWN — The curtain pulled back and the Cardinals’ new third baseman was unleashed to an adoring public.

Or, maybe it was vice versa.

A standing ovation greeted Troy Glaus, the first headliner of the 12th annual Winter Warm-Up. Glaus, acquired this week in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays, made his first public appearance as a Cardinal at the Millennium Hotel this morning, shortly before 11 a.m. local time.

“Welcome to baseball heaven!” shouted a few fans.


Fans peppered Mozeliak and assistant general manager John Abbamondi with questions about the woulda, coulda, shouldas of the roster changes. Asked if the Cardinals would be in a position to pursue Johan Santana in a year (should the lefty become a free agent, that is), Mozeliak gave a fan exemption to playing hypotheticals and said:

“I guarantee you we’ll kick the tires.”


When Glaus visited St. Louis early this week the Cardinals approached him about what number he’d like to wear. Glaus has been No. 25 with his previous teams, but the number has been unofficially retired with the Cardinals, for Mark McGwire. There was some thought that Glaus would be the ideal player to bring the number out of reserve — All-Star, slugger, friend of McGwire’s. New face. New start.

Glaus declined. He chose No. 8.

“I’ve been 25 a long time, I’ve known Mark for a long time,” Glaus said. “He’s an icon in this city and I’m not going to do that.”

The signficance of No. 8? The college shortstop explained: Cal Ripken Jr.


Hitting coach Hal McRae, who wore No. 8 last season, will switch to No. 15 — Jim Edmonds’ vacant number — for the coming season.


Joel Pineiro, wearing a shirt that glittered with the word “Awaken”, signed the early shift Saturday morning and then met with the media. He said knowing he’s coming into spring training as a starter — just as he knew coming the Cardinals he’d be a starter — is the goose he’s needed.

“To me it’s just confidence,” Pineiro said. “Knowing I’m going to be one of the starters. I do have the stuff; it was just needing the confidence. In Seattle, it was, There are young guys coming up, they’re going to take your job. It’s confidence.”

STLtoday.com - Bird Land - Blog Archive - WWu12: Welcoming Party

Brian34Cook

St. Louis Cardinals Winter Warm-Up: Day 1
By Dustin Mattison
Posted Jan 20, 2008

The wind chill may have been below zero at Busch Stadium, but a block over, St. Louis Cardinals fans were heating up as the Annual Winter Warm-Up kicked off on Saturday.

Neither the weather nor uncertainty about the 2008 season could keep St. Louis Cardinals fans away from the event in downtown St. Louis. Fans assembled in line early for a chance to receive a ticket to entitle them to stand in another line to get the autograph of one of their favorite present, former, or future Cardinals.


Joel Pineiro


Troy Glaus and former Card Ted Savage


Jason Isringhausen


Tony La Russa

Scout.com: St. Louis Cardinals Winter Warm-Up: Day 1