Almost everyone knew that Mark McGwire was a fraud and he confirmed it last night on the MLB channel. McGwire played five years for the Cardinals in which he played in 545 games and he was 469 for 1,739 (.270 avg, 1.111 OPS) with 394 runs scored, 220 homers and 473 RBIs. He made the All-Star team three times in his five years with the Cardinals and he is #1 all-time in OPS and #6 all-time in homers in club history. In 1998, Mark McGwire cheated major league history when he played in 155 games for the Cardinals in which he was 152 for 509 (.299 avg, 1.222 OPS) with 130 runs scored, 70 homers and 147 RBIs. The 70 homers set a all-time major league record for homers in a season until Barry Bonds snapped in with 73 in 2001 with the Giants. McGwire followed up his record setting season in 1999 by playing in 153 games in which he was 145 for 521 (.278 avg, 1.120 OPS) with 118 runs scored, 65 homers and 147 RBIs. Those homers and RBI total led the league in both categories that year. Mark McGwire just came clean about steroids so that he could get back into the game as the Cardinals’ new batting coach. I will be watching to see if guys like Brendan Ryan and Skip Schumaker start cranking 25 homers apiece under McGwire’s tutelage.

2B Tommy Herr was just a solid, hard nosed player for the St. Louis Cardinals. He played 10 years for the Cardinals appearing in 1,029 games in which he was 1,021 for 3,722 (.274 avg, .704 OPS) with 498 runs scored, 19 homers, 435 RBIs and 152 stolen bases. When Herr was 31 years old in 1985 he had a career year for the Cardinals helping them get to the World Series and earning him his only appearance in the All-Star game and he was fifth in the MVP Voting. He played in 159 games for the Cardinals in 1985 and he was 180 for 596 (.302 avg, .795 OPS) with 97 runs scored, 8 homers, 110 RBIs and 31 stolen bases. At the very least you know that Tommy Herr played this game without any helpers unlike Mark McGwire.

The Cardinals are looking pretty good for the 2010 season as most of the starting line-up remains intact. If the season started next week the Cardinals line-up in the field would look like this:

C-Yadier Molina
1B-Albert Pujols
2B-Skip Schumaker
SS-Brendan Ryan
3B-David Freese
LF-Matt Holliday
CF-Colby Rasmus
RF-Ryan Ludwick

The Cardinals still have a few bucks left to spend and I would suggest using it on a 3B. Miguel Tejada is the most mentioned name as far as 3B for the Cardinals is concerned. If he fits the budget I think he’s the guy they should sign. If not, Melvin Mora and Joe Crede are both still available. If the Cardinals go the route of Mora or Crede they will still likely have enough cash around to add another bat to the bench and another arm in the bullpen.

The Cardinals have re-signed 29-year old righty swinging LF Matt Holliday to a 7-year, $120 million dollar deal. Holliday played in 63 games for the Cardinals after coming over in a trade with the A’s and he was 83 for 235 (.353 avg, 1.023 OPS) with 42 runs scored, 13 homers and 55 RBIs. He has now played in 854 games in his major league career and he is 1,030 for 3,237 (.318 avg, .933 OPS) with 573 runs scored, 152 homers, 592 RBIs and 80 stolen bases. This was a very smart move for the Cardinals as teams will continue to pay for pitching around Albert Pujols with Holliday being his bodyguard.