I 

Sunday was a Top 10 day in St. Louis. 

Unlike San Diego or Miami where 80 degree cloudless days with a consistent breeze seem to be called Tuesday, St. Louis sees precious few. Sitting in Busch Stadium, watching baseball, drinking beers... chances are if you're on this site in the first place, you agree - it doesn't get much better.

Then it got worse.

Much worse.

II

We haven't commented much on Jason Motte here in this space. Much like the rest of Cardinal fans, we're waiting for the official word on his elbow condition. But he's going need Tommy John surgery and his season is over. 

Yes, there is a chance that's not true. But Motte hasn't begun a throwing regimen yet. April is more than half-way over. And other closers, including former Cardinal Jason Isringhausen, have said the surgery is a fait accompli. 

Sometimes, you forget how great the Internet is.

Last Friday in a bit of ESPN synergy, Colin Cowherd (host of ESPN Radio's 'The Herd' and former co-host of SportsNation) went on the BS Report with Bill Simmons (Editor in Chief of Grantland.com) and had a expansive conversation. 

Cowherd is a pretty divisive figure (see this), but beneath all that bravado was a tender young child. A tender young child that got his heart ripped out of his chest and stomped on by none other than The Mad Hungarian, Al Hrabosky.

Let's listen together:

You can get the whole pod HERE, if you care to. 

But in the grand scheme of things you hear today, I have a hard time believing that you were expecting this.

Ok.

Enough waiting. 

The whole Aaron Miles bites a dude's back while being held at gunpoint in a hotel room during spring training story that we're all in love with? You know, that one?

Bio Channel has brought it to life.

I don't know what took so long... click the picture below for the full preview.

h/t @JBuch41 for the link. 

Jake Westrook is your early leader for Cy Young. 

Ok, that's probably a bit much, considering Mr. Westbrook is 1-1 on the season.

But with 15.2 innings pitched and only 1 run given up... it's the truth if it wasn't so stupid to be saying such a thing 2 starts into 2013.  

And I get the feeling that we're all like "DUDE. Westbrook kind of doesn't suck!".

But is it that simple? I mean, let's get real, Westbrook hasn't sucked, pretty much ever. In fact, he's been pretty good for the Cardinals since his debut in 2010.

2010?

This is really his fourth season in St. Louis? Why does it seem like he's pretty much floated under the radar? When's the last time we had a good Westbrook talk at the bar?

I don't have the best memory, but I'm having trouble putting together the Jake Westbrook greatest hits list. So I went to YouTube and typed in "Jake Westbrook Great Moment" and THIS came up.

The same search with David Freese or Adam Wainwright produces different results.

There's no deep insight here. Westbrook is 99-96 in his career. His totally even keel, pretty OK career.

After 2 starts, he's way above his personal mean. Maybe this is it. This is the year that he's decided to put something together that people can rally around and remember Jake for 20 years from now. 

Here's hoping....

Now, the Friday Links...

Job applications these days. LINK HERE

Tour de France. LINK HERE

Engineers. LINK HERE

The biggest Jurassic Park secret? LINK HERE

These never, ever get old. LINK HERE

Thrift Shop is getting pretty played out. LINK HERE

That's it. That's the week. The Brewers and old friend Kyle Lohse come to town this weekend. Welcome back, pal. I wonder just what inning we'll get to hop on Twitter and use the #Lohse'd hashtag? I'm calling the 4th. 

Jake Westbrook for Cy Young. 

Ok. Enough Cardinals talk. Because in comparison to what's going on with the Cubs, well... let's just go to the news:

ITEM 1: Cubs prospect attacks visiting dugout with a bat!

Oh, the Cubs. At least it's not like this guy is signed for 9 years or 30 million dollars and is a top prospect, right?

Ooof.

Considering how many heated arguments there are in baseball, it's surprising that the stick isn't used more (even just in fight posturing). But when it does, it tends to stick with you. 

What was the offense that made Mr. Soler go for the sports nuclear option? Getting a little smack talk laid on him sliding into second base. Not a intentional bean ball. Not a punch in a brawl. But some smack talk. 

Me thinks this doesn't bode well for the Small Bears. 

ITEM 2: Goat head delivered to Cubs owner!

But faux bat-attacks? That's child's play. 

Because Cubs owner Tom Ricketts got a goat head delivered in his name to Wrigley Field. 

A real goat head.

I mean, no words. 

Next time we think the Cardinals have it bad, just realize that there are people that honestly, seriously root for the Cubs every summer. And these are the stories that they have to deal with. Sometimes two per day. Poor people. 

You know what is awesome? 

Bacon.

Bacon is awesome. So instead of playing around with Rally Squirrels or Tortoises, let's just make Rally Pig the Cardinals seconday mascot to Fredbird. 

Deal?

Gas cans! 

Get yer GAS CANS!

I don't know much, but I do know that the best way to honor Stan Musial, and to a lesser degree the holiday that is Opening Day, is to NOT get blitzed for 9 runs in the 9th inning of a tied ball game.

Unless, As Bernie Miklasz pointed out this AM, you're taking this whole 13 in '13 thing to another place.

It was like the perfect house party, but instead of going home 1 drink sooner, you blow another shot, then blow chunks all over the carpet. 

The Stan Musial tributes? Spot on. The Hall of Fame parade? No other team has that. It's awesome. The harmonica National Anthem? Cool. Jamie Garcia? Showing some spine for the first time in a while against a really good team. 

Now just reel in this perfect day...

That's when the bullpen lit fire to everything and sent The Nation screaming for the exits. 

Let's take a look at the closer Mitchell Boggs line for 2013: 4 games/ 14.54 ERA/ 2.07 WHIP. Carlos Marmol, the Cubs disposed closer that is getting hammered by fans and his own management alike? 4 games/ 16.88 ERA/ 3.75 WHIP.

Just some perspective.

Looks like Motte was a wee bit more valuable to the team than most of us assumed. Games count the same in April as they do in September. So setting fire to the mound against THE team you'll be chasing in 2013. At home? During the home opener?

Stings.

Now the Cardinals have to pivot and make sure that they don't let this series get out of hand and have the Reds break from the blocks early with a big lead. 

It's not going to be easy. Somebody better check the fire extinguishers. 

And the winner is...

2son's & 1daughter. I'm not sure that's the proper punctuation on the moniker, but Rob is $50 bucks richer today than he was before (gag) Louisville won the national championship. 

Thanks to everyone that played this year.

If this site hasn't been shut down by the time March rolls around next year, we'll do it all over again. 

The last time we saw the Cardinals at Busch Stadium, we'd rather forget. 

A coronation of back-to-back NL champs somehow morphed into the first few bars of Taps and the Birds haven't been back to play at 700 Clark St. until today.

Coming off a 3-3 road trip that could have been much better (losing a 1-0 game and another one in 16 innings after blowing 4 leads) or much worse, the Cardinals have the first games against the team expected by most to take the NL Central... the Cincinnati Reds.

Yes, the pomp will be welcome and I'm 100% sure that the emotion of having 45K faithful remember Stan the Man will be AWESOME... but, beyond all of that... this is a pretty critical game and series against the Reds. Just so much good stuff going on today, we figured it'd be best to put it all in one post so you can enjoy the day.

It's Opening Day. A St. Louis holiday. And here's what you need to know:

Pep Rally:  Joe Buck's downtown anytime after 10:30a. Why Joe Buck's? 1) Giving away good tickets to the game today. 2) Autographs from former Cardinals. 3) Live music. 4) These are being given away:

Stan Musial: Opening Day marks the first time the Cardinals family will be together at Busch Stadium for a game since the passing of Stan Musial earlier this year. On Monday Stan and Lillian Musial’s four children, Dick Musial, Gerry Ashley, Janet Schwarze, and Jean Edmonds will unveil a memorial marker in left center field as part of the Opening Day ceremony. All fans will also receive a #6 sticker to honor Stan. 

Clydesdales: Fans can see the Clydesdales pre-game when they start staging near Poplar Street and Broadway @ gate 1 around 1p today. They'll make a lap around the field to kick off pre-game ceremonies as well.

Opening Ceremony: The pre-game ceremony begins at 2:30p. and kicks off the 2013 season with the famed Budweiser Clydesdales and appearances from Missouri Governor Jeremiah “Jay” Nixon, St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley, St. Louis Mayor Francis G. Slay, Fredbird, Team Fredbird and an American Bald Eagle, courtesy of the World Bird Sanctuary. The ceremony will feature all four of the team’s Commissioner’s Trophies from each of those World Championship teams (’67, ’82, ’06, and ’11), as well as the introduction of the Cardinals Hall of Famers and 2013 Cardinals.

National Anthem: The National Anthem will be performed by six members of the Gateway Harmonica Club of St. Louis. Stan Musial was an honorary member of the club. Scott Sir Force Base will present the colors and American Flag in center field. 

First Pitch:  Former Cardinals, pitcher Jason Isringhausen and center fielder Jim Edmonds, will throw a ceremonial first pitch.

Game time is 3:15 today and the weather radar for the game is here: LINK HERE

Here we go. 

Back to the house of horrors better known as AT&T park. The site of the games 6 and 7 of the NLCS, games I'm not sure the Cardinals are still over. 

The MLB schedule maker*, no doubt wanting to pump up the drama, made sure that the Cardinals opening road trip ripped off the band-aid that had been covering the Cardinals psyche and splayed it out for all of America to see.

(* ED NOTE: It's been pointed out that the MLB schedule maker actually made the 2013 slate well before we all knew the outcome of the NLCS and this is more of a horrible coincidence than anything. Thanks to @Kath_Manning for pointing out that facts sometimes get in the way of good points. The above paragraph is still in its original form, but the mistake has been noted.)

It's like seeing the girl that dumped you out with another guy, are you ready to handle it? You said you were before you saw them out... but now she's right there. Can. You. Deal?

The opening set in Arizona indicates no.

No dominant pitching performances. Too many mistakes on the base paths. A general sense that something bad was going to happen instead of something good. It wasn't an encouraging way to start 2013. Certainly not a team that looked like it was treating 2013 as a revenge tour.

And I think that's the big question with this weekend: which Cardinals team is showing up? The one that was down to a final strike against Washington and fought back like crazy? Or the team that rolled over and burped in San Francisco 5 months ago?

Usually the first week in April doesn't provide much insight to the season as a whole. 

In the Cardinals case this weekend, it probably will.

Now, the Friday Links...

A GPS gem. LINK HERE

The best way to make new friends. LINK HERE

Nice try, bin. LINK HERE

Cat decision making tree. LINK HERE

The high price of whine. LINK HERE

Woman of the year? LINK HERE

That's it. That's the week. Lot's going on this weekend, including the Final Four on Saturday and then the return of Mad Men on Sunday. (Roger Sterling supercut anyone? LINK HERE) Enjoy whatever you might be doing.