Tony LaRussa

The 2013 World Baseball Classic is underway and at least one new face will be working the circuit this year.

On the heels of his third world championship, Tony LaRussa left his managerial post with the St. Louis Cardinals while he was on top.

"The players make the manager. It's never the other way."—Hall of Famer Sparky Anderson

It's not easy being a manager in Major League Baseball these days.

It's been a troubling year so far for 38-year-old Ryan Franklin.  The appointed Cardinal closer saved 38 and 27 games in 2009 and 2010 respectively, blowing just a total of seven combined over the two seasons. 

2011 has been a different story for Franklin.  He's blown four out of five possible save opportunities.  That's four more games the Redbirds should have in the win column. 

Could new closer Mitchell Boggs be a saving grace for the Cardinals? 

I reserve the right to answer my own question in my own time. Maybe I will answer somewhere in this article.

He doesn’t throw Hail Mary passes, wear religious articles of clothing or pretend to be as righteous as the pope, but he could be a savior for the Redbirds when they get in tight ninth innings.

Tony La Russa has gotten away with using Ryan Franklin as the Cardinals' closer for two years, and today should be the day he makes a change that is two years overdue. Franklin is nothing more than a replacement level pitcher who has benefited from high strand rate (85.7 percent in 2009), low BABIP (.249 in 2009 and .267 in 2010), and home run-to-fly ball ratios (3.2 percent in 2009 and 8.2 percent in 2010) during his reign as closer.

The St. Louis Cardinals' impressive hot streak on offense came to an abrupt stop as the team entered a pitching battle today against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Chris Carpenter started the game for the Red Birds, facing off against the Dodgers' Chad Billingsley. Carpenter gave up zero runs in his seven innings, and Billingsley responded with eight scoreless innings of his own.

After Friday night's excruciating blown save and subsequent loss, I planned to pen a brief debate on whether or not Ryan Franklin should keep the Cardinals' closer role.

Now, after blowing his second save in as many days, the question is whether or not Tony LaRussa will actually keep going to Franklin in save situations, where he's converted just one of his four chances.

The St. Louis Cardinals are one of the most storied franchises in American sports history. They've won 10 World Series—second only to the Yankees. Their uniforms are perhaps the best-looking in all of sports.

But hungry fans want more. They want the Cardinals to compete harder against the Yankees' (Jankees') legacy. By spending the cheddar, the Cards can stay competitive.

What can Mark “I didn’t come here to talk about the past” McGwire teach Albert Pujols about hitting a baseball? Good question.  When I find the answer, I’ll let you all know. 

NL Offensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Silver Slugger Award winner, Pujols is a far, far better hitter than his batting coach.

When two objects plummet towards a narrow abyss, a meeting becomes more and more likely, until it is inevitable.

Such is the case of the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants pitcher Barry Zito.