As the Cards turn, Part 2 – and Homestand Highlights too

It’s been over 10 years since I used the “As the Cards turn” theme, but these last few weeks of the season have been a soap opera with almost too many storylines to follow. The Cardinals signed Willson Contreas to a 5 year contract to replace Yadier Molina at catcher. Now we all know that there is no true replacement for Yadi – he was a player of many talents. However, it was determined that maybe Willson was the cause of all of the pitching problems, so he was denigrated to designated hitter so Andrew Kizner, who apparently the players all know and love, could be the everyday catcher and so Willson could sit on the bench and learn strategy, etc. Willson has been a major league catcher for many years and was on the 2016 World Series team. I’m sure he knows all about catching. The Willson situation was not handled well by the Cardinals and the Cards fans on Twitter, among others, were very upset and supported Willson. Adam Wainwright and Jack Flaherty had a meeting with Willson and “poured into him” (in Waino’s words) to encourage him. Willson will finally return to catching in Monday night’s game.

In another storyline, the Cardinals’ poor play continued. Steven Matz has yet to win a game. The Cardinals are still in last place in the National League Central.

But there are a couple of good storylines. David Freese, Max Lanier, and the “Secret Weapon” Jose Oquendo were elected to the Cardinals Hall of Fame. I’m sure Jose will have lots of good stories to tell at the induction ceremony. This may not be good news to some , but Stifel Financial has been selected as the Cardinals’ first jersey patch sponsor. The patch is not as obnoxious looking as some of the jersey patches I’ve seen, and Stifel has been a St. Louis institution for over 130 years.

And the best storyline of all is the Cardinals winning – yes, winning! – the last 2 series. The Cardinals were 5-1 on this last road trip, and they swept the Red Sox. Nolan Arenado hit 3 home runs over the Green Monster, one each night. Dylan Carlson, however, suffered a sprained ankle and is day-to-day. Here’s hoping this winning streak continues.

The Cards return to the home roost tonight with a 3 game set against their division rivals, the Brewers. I’ll be at 3 games this week – Tuesday for my wedding anniversary, Wednesday night with our church’s youth group, and Thursday night at the Powerade Bridge with the law firm I’m employed at. Here are all of the details on the upcoming homestand:

2023 BUSCH STADIUM HOMESTAND HIGHLIGHTS #4

Monday, May 15—Sunday, May 21

The Cardinals are back at Busch Stadium for a seven-game homestand beginning with three games against the division rival Milwaukee Brewers (May 15-17), followed by a four-game weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers (May 18-21).  Fans can view a full list of homestand highlights at cardinals.com/homestand.

Monday, May 15 — Cardinals vs. Milwaukee Brewers (6:45 PM)

Probable Pitchers: RHP Jack Flaherty (2-4, 6.18) vs. RHP Freddy Peralta (4-2, 3.32)

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 5:15 PM

• Cancer Awareness Night: With the purchase of a special Theme Ticket, fans will receive a Cardinals Cancer Awareness cap representing the 11 most common types of cancer in St. Louis.  A portion of each ticket sold will be donated back to cancer research.  Presented by Mercy.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/cancer.

Tuesday, May 16 — Cardinals vs. Milwaukee Brewers (6:45 PM)

Probable Pitchers: LHP Jordan Montgomery (2-5, 4.11) vs. LHP Wade Miley (3-2, 3.60)

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 5:15 PM

• Mental Health Awareness Night: With the purchase of a special Theme Ticket, fans will receive a Cardinals mental health awareness cap.  A portion of each ticket sold will be donated to NAMI St. Louis.  Presented by NAMI St. Louis.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/mentalhealth.

• Pregame Ceremony: The senior class and staff from Central Visual Performing Arts High School will be recognized on the field during a special pregame ceremony.  #CVPAStrong

• Battle at Busch:105.7 The Point and the Cardinals welcome back the Battle at Busch concert series.  Today’s battle features False Blood Project & NOWAKE.  Specially-priced tickets available for $10.57.  Performances begin at 5:20 PM in Budweiser Terrace.  Purchase tickets or learn more at cardinals.com/battleatbusch.

• NOOOOT’S Group: Lars Nootbaar will host a group from First Chance for Children for tonight’s game as part of his NOOOOT’S Group player ticket program.

• Cardinals Care Silent Auctions:Autographed items from Cardinals players, coaches and alumni will be on display today at Gate 1, Gate 3, and inside the CommunityAmerica Cardinals Club, UMB Champions Club and Redbird Club and can be bid on at cardinals.com/ccauctions through Wednesday, May 17 at 9:00 PM.

Wednesday, May 17 — Cardinals vs. Milwaukee Brewers (6:45 PM)

Probable Pitchers: RHP Adam Wainwright (1-1, 5.97) vs. RHP Corbin Burnes (4-2, 3.35)

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 5:15 PM

• Illini Night: With the purchase of a special Theme Ticket, fans will receive an Illini-themed Cardinals cap.  Come early for a pregame pep rally in Budweiser Terrace.  Presented by Busey Bank.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/Illini.

• Los Pajaritos de Polo: Polo Ascencio will host a group from Kratz Elementary English Language Learners for tonight’s game as part of his Los Pajaritos de Polo ticket program.

• MLBPAA Auctions: The MLB Players Alumni Association will conduct a silent auction by Gate 1 and Gate 3 through the fifth inning.  Proceeds will benefit Cardinals Care and MLBPAA.

Thursday, May 18 — Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (6:45 PM)

Probable Pitchers: LHP Steven Matz (2-3, 3.94) vs. LHP Julio Urias (5-3. 3.61)

TV: Bally Sports Midwest, MLB Network (out-of-market only)

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 5:15 PM

• Mike Matheny Budweiser Bash: Fans who purchase a special Bud Bash Theme Ticket will receive a limited edition Mike Matheny bobblehead.  VIP ticket-holders will also have access to a pregame autograph session with Mike in Budweiser Terrace.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/budbash.

• Scout Night II: Scouts and their guests can enjoy $12 tickets and will receive a special scout patch.  All scouts and troop leaders will be invited to participate in a pregame parade around the warning track.  Tickets for this event are sold out.

• Boots at Busch: 93.7 The Bull and the Cardinals welcome back the Boots at Busch concert series.  Tonight’s battle features Raelyn Winick, Madd Hoss Jackson, and Little Known Fact.  Specially-priced tickets available for $9.37.  Performances begin at 5:10 PM in Budweiser Terrace.  Purchase tickets or learn more at cardinals.com/bootsatbusch.

• Wainwright’s Winners: Adam Wainwright will host a group from Scott Air Force Base for tonight’s game as part of his Wainwright’s Winners player ticket program.

• MLBPAA Auctions: The MLB Players Alumni Association will conduct a silent auction by Gate 1 and Gate 3 through the fifth inning.  Proceeds will benefit Cardinals Care and MLBPAA.

Friday, May 19 — Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (7:15 PM)

Probable Pitchers: RHP Miles Mikolas vs. RHP Tony Gonsolin (1-1, 1.42)

TV: Bally Sports Midwest, MLB Network (out-of-market only)

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 5:15 PM

• YADI Tumbler Giveaway: 25,000 fans, ages 16 and older, presented by Coca-Cola & QuikTrip.

• Grateful Dead Night: With the purchase of a special Theme Ticket, fans will receive a Grateful Dead short sleeve all-over print shirt.  Come early for a special pregame performance by St. Louis’ favorite Dead tribute Band, Jake’s Leg, in Budweiser Terrance beginning at 5:30 PM.  A portion of each ticket purchased will be donated to Grateful Dead’s charity, The Rex Foundation.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/gratefuldead.

• Flashback Friday & Artifact Spotlight: Before every Friday home game, the Cardinals Museum hosts two presentations in the Sportsman’s Park Theater, one highlighting artifacts in the museum’s collection not currently on display at 4:00 PM and another featuring intimate and candid interviews with former Cardinals alumni and personnel at 4:30 PM.  Today’s interview will be with 2013 NL Champions Tony Cruz & Adron Chambers.  To purchase museum tickets, visit cardinals.com/museum.

• Weekend-Long 50/50 Raffle: The drawing for the weekend-long 50/50 Raffle, presented by DraftKings at Casino Queen, will take place on Sunday, May 21, at the end of the 7th inning.  Fans must be 18 years of age or older and be located in the state of Missouri at the time of purchase.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/5050.

• Cardinals Care Silent Auctions:Autographed items from Cardinals players, coaches and alumni can be bid on each home series by fans in the ballpark and at home via cardinals.com/ccauctions.  This series’ auction items will be on display today inside the CommunityAmerica Cardinals Club, UMB Champions Club and Redbird Club. The auction will run through Sunday, May 21, at 9:00 PM.

Saturday, May 20 — Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (6:15 PM)

Probable Pitchers: RHP Jack Flaherty vs. TBA

TV: FOX

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 4:15 PM

• 2013 National League Championship Reunion: Approximately 15 members of the 2013 National League championship team will take part in a pregame ceremony beginning at approximately 5:40 PM.  Players and staff will be individually introduced at home plate.  The ceremony will conclude with a ceremonial first pitch and a team photo.  Presented by Heartland Coca-Cola.

• 2013 NL Champions Beer Stein Giveaway: 25,000 fans, ages 21 and older, presented by Budweiser.

• Baseball Card Pack Giveaway: 10,000 fans, ages 20 and younger, courtesy of Topps.

• Saturday Signings at the Museum: Former Cardinals relief pitcher & 2013 NL Champion Randy Choate will sign from 2PM-4PM with museum admission.  Visit cardinals.com/museum for more information.

• Weekend-Long 50/50 Raffle: The drawing for the weekend-long 50/50 Raffle, presented by DraftKings at Casino Queen, will take place on Sunday, May 21, at the end of the 7th inning.  Fans must be 18 years of age or older and be located in the state of Missouri at the time of purchase.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/5050.

• MLBPAA Auctions: The MLB Players Alumni Association will conduct a silent auction by Gate 1, Gate 3 and inside the CommunityAmerica Cardinals Club and Redbird Club through the fifth inning.  Proceeds will benefit Cardinals Care and MLBPAA.

Sunday, May 21 — Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (1:15 PM)

Probable Pitchers: LHP Jordan Montgomery vs. LHP Clayton Kershaw

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 11:15 AM

• Cardinals Golf Umbrella Giveaway: 25,000 fans, ages 16 and older.

• SEMO Day: With the purchase of a special Theme Ticket, fans will receive an SEMO-themed Cardinals cap.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/SEMO.

• Prairie Farms Ice Cream Sunday: Two hours prior to the game, fans and families can enjoy games, prizes and free North Star frozen treats in Ford Plaza (while supplies last).

• Weekend-Long 50/50 Raffle: The drawing for the weekend-long 50/50 Raffle, presented by DraftKings at Casino Queen, will take place today at the end of the 7th inning.  Fans must be 18 years of age or older and be located in the state of Missouri at the time of purchase.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/5050.

• Cardinals Care Silent Auctions:Autographed items from Cardinals players, coaches and alumni can be bid on each home series by fans at cardinals.com/ccauctions.  This series’ auction will conclude tonight at 9:00 PM.

• MLBPAA Auctions: The MLB Players Alumni Association will conduct a silent auction by Gate 1, Gate 3 and inside the CommunityAmerica Cardinals Club and Redbird Club through the fifth inning.  Proceeds will benefit Cardinals Care and MLBPAA.

That’s all for now! Thanks for reading – see you next time!

Diane

April is over – Hallelujah!

April started out so well. The pageantry of Opening Day in St. Louis was as wonderful as it always is, and the Cinderella story of Jordan Walker skipping AAA and playing on the big team was the cherry on top of the sundae. The Cardinals lost the opener, but who knew that it was the start of a horrible trend, that of losing the first game of every series?

It all went downhill from there. Oli Marmol and Tyler O’Neill had a disagreement about whether Tyler was hustling enough on the basepaths that should have been handled privately, but it was not. Miles Mikolas signed a 2-year contract but lost his first two games. Speaking of pitching, the Cardinals have had only 3 quality starts all season. The bullpen has been sketchy. And Nolan Arenado is having a big slump. Jordan Walker was sent down to AAA to work on his hitting and his fielding, which is probably where he should have started the season.

This was the worst April for the Cardinals in a long, long time – it’s the worse start in 45 years (1973). I didn’t become a Cardinals fan since 1974, but the Cards, with the exception of a couple of seasons, were bad in the 1970s, so this horrible start brings back bad memories. The Cardinals’ current record is 10-19. They are 10 games out of first place, which puts them in last place in the National League Central for the first time since 1990. They have the second-worst record in the National League. It is a very long fall from winning the NL Central in 2022 to being in last place in 2023. It’s all very depressing. We are used to the Cardinals playing so well. To end April on an even worse note, longtime Cardinals broadcaster and former Cardinals player Mike Shannon died yesterday at the age of 83. Mike was the voice of summer, along with the late Jack Buck, for most of the time I’ve been a Cardinals fan. An era is truly over. Mike was at the Cardinals game for what would be the last time on April 19. I was hoping that the Cardinals would win yesterday’s game for the Moon Man, but it was not to be. My condolences and prayers are with the Shannon family.

Bernie Miklasz had a very good blog post today titled “Bernie’s Redbird Review: What Went Wrong for the Cardinals in Their Awful, Agonizing April,” and the short answer is “everything,” so you don’t need to read the article, but if you want to, you can read it here. I really hope that the Cardinals can turn things around and start winning soon. If the Cardinals don’t start winning, there will be more cheap tickets, starting with Angels tickets starting at $7.00 and $9.00 tickets for the Tigers series.

Thank goodness April is over! Today, the calendar turned over to May, a new month with (hopefully) a new start for the Cardinals. The boys return home tomorrow night for a six-game homestand against two American League teams, the Angels and the Tigers. Lars Nootbaar and Shohei Ohtani can renew their friendship. If you will be attending any of these games, here is all the information you need to know:

2023 BUSCH STADIUM HOMESTAND HIGHLIGHTS #3

Tuesday, May 2—Sunday, May 7

The Cardinals return from a season-long ten-game road trip to begin a six-game Interleague homestand at Busch Stadium including three games with the Los Angeles Angels (May 2-4), followed by a three-game weekend series against the Detroit Tigers (May 5-7).  Fans can view a full list of homestand highlights at cardinals.com/homestand.

Tuesday, May 2 — Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Angels (6:45 PM)

Probable Pitchers: LHP Steven Matz (0-3, 6.23) vs. LHP Patrick Sandoval (2-1, 3.16)

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 5:15 PM

• T-Shirt of the Month Giveaway: 15,000 fans, ages 16 and older.

• Remembering Tim McCarver: The Cardinals will honor the late Cardinals Hall of Fame catcher Tim McCarver with members of the McCarver family in a ceremony before the start of today’s game.

• Remembering Mike Shannon: The Cardinals will hold a moment of silence before the start of tonight’s game in remembrance of Cardinals Hall of Famer and longtime radio broadcaster Mike Shannon.

• 104.1 The Home Team Night: With the purchase of a special Theme Ticket, fans will take home an exclusive Hot 104.1 Home Team t-shirt.  Come early to hang out with The Home Team in Budweiser Terrace prior to the game.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/hometeam.

• Cardinals Care Silent Auctions: Autographed items from Cardinals players, coaches, and alumni will be on display today at Gate 1, Gate 3, and inside the CommunityAmerica Cardinals Club, UMB Champions Club, and Redbird Club and can be bid on at cardinals.com/ccauctions through Thursday, May 4 at 9:00 PM.

Wednesday, May 3 — Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Angels (6:45 PM)

Probable Pitchers: RHP Miles Mikolas (1-1, 5.97) vs. RHP Shohei Ohtani (4-0, 1.85)

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 5:15 PM

• Cardinals Hall of Fame Induction Class Announcement: The 2023 Cardinals Hall of Fame Induction Class will be revealed during a special telecast on Bally Sports Midwest beginning at 5:30 PM.  A pregame ceremony will also take place to commemorate the announcement.  The class will be inducted into the Cardinals Hall of Fame during an enshrinement ceremony on Sunday, August 20.

• Nurses Appreciation Night: With the purchase of a special Theme Ticket, fans will receive a nurses-themed Cardinals 40 oz. tumbler and a coupon for one complimentary drink.  Theme Tickets for this event are sold out.

• Scout Night I: Scouts and their guests can enjoy $12 tickets and will receive a special scout patch.  All scouts and troop leaders will be invited to participate in a pregame parade around the warning track.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/scouts.

• TRU32: Steven Matz will host a group from The BackStoppers for tonight’s game as part of his TRU32 player ticket program.

• MLBPAA Auctions: The MLB Players Alumni Association will conduct a silent auction by Gate 1 and Gate 3 through the fifth inning.  Proceeds will benefit Cardinals Care and MLBPAA.

Thursday, May 4 — Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Angels (12:15 PM)

Probable Pitchers: RHP Jack Flaherty (2-3, 3.94) vs. RHP Griffin Canning (1-0, 4.11)

TV: Bally Sports Midwest, MLB Network (out-of-market only)

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 10:45 AM

• Nurses Appreciation Day: With the purchase of a special Theme Ticket, fans will receive a nurses-themed Cardinals 40 oz. tumbler and a coupon for one complimentary drink.  Theme Tickets for this event are sold out.

• Honorary First Pitch: Two-time NASCAR Cup series champion Joey Logano will throw out a ceremonial first pitch before today’s game.

Friday, May 5 — Cardinals vs. Detroit Tigers (7:15 PM)

Probable Pitchers: LHP Jordan Montgomery vs. LHP Matthew Boyd (1-2, 547)

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 5:15 PM

• Belt Bag Giveaway: 25,000 fans, ages 16 and older, presented by Mercy.

• Boy Band Night: With the purchase of a special Theme Ticket, fans will receive an exclusive Cardinals Boy Band t-shirt.  Come early for a pregame concert by The Boy Band Night in Budweiser Terrace beginning at 5:30 PM.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/boyband.

• Flashback Friday & Artifact Spotlight: Before every Friday home game, the Cardinals Museum hosts two presentations in the Sportsman’s Park Theater, one highlighting artifacts in the museum’s collection not currently on display at 4:00 PM and another featuring intimate and candid interviews with former Cardinals alumni and personnel at 4:30 PM.  Today’s interview will be with former Cardinals catcher & Gold Glove Award winner Mike LaValliere.  To purchase museum tickets, visit cardinals.com/museum.

• Weekend-Long 50/50 Raffle: The drawing for the weekend-long 50/50 Raffle, presented by DraftKings at Casino Queen, will take place on Sunday, May 7, at the end of the 7th inning.  Fans must be 18 years of age or older and be located in the state of Missouri at the time of purchase.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/5050.

• Cardinals Care Silent Auctions: Autographed items from Cardinals players, coaches, and alumni can be bid on each home series by fans in the ballpark and at home via cardinals.com/ccauctions.  This series’ auction items will be on display today inside the CommunityAmerica Cardinals Club, UMB Champions Club, and Redbird Club. The auction will run through Sunday, May 7 at 9:00 PM.

• MLBPAA Auctions: The MLB Players Alumni Association will conduct a silent auction by Gate 1 and Gate 3 through the fifth inning.  Proceeds will benefit Cardinals Care and MLBPAA.

Saturday, May 6 — Cardinals vs. Detroit Tigers (1:15 PM)

Probable Pitchers: TBA vs. RHP Spencer Turnbull (1-4, 6.84)

TV: Bally Sports Midwest, MLB Network (out-of-market only)

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 11:15 AM

• Ryan Helsley Bobblehead Giveaway: 25,000 fans, ages 16 and older, presented by Purina.

• Pooches in the Ballpark: Fans who purchased a special ticket are allowed to bring their dog to the game in a pet-friendly section of the stadium.  Participants will take part in a pregame parade around the warning track and receive a Purina goody bag.  Tickets for this year’s event are sold out.

• Saturday Signings at the Museum: Former Cardinals catcher & Gold Glove Award winner Mike LaValliere will sign from 10AM-12PM with museum admission.  Visit cardinals.com/museum for more information.

• Weekend-Long 50/50 Raffle: The drawing for the weekend-long 50/50 Raffle, presented by DraftKings at Casino Queen, will take place on Sunday, May 7, at the end of the 7th inning.  Fans must be 18 years of age or older and be located in the state of Missouri at the time of purchase.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/5050.

• MLBPAA Auctions: The MLB Players Alumni Association will conduct a silent auction by Gate 1, Gate 3, and inside the CommunityAmerica Cardinals Club and Redbird Club through the fifth inning.  Proceeds will benefit Cardinals Care and MLBPAA.

Sunday, May 7 — Cardinals vs. Detroit Tigers (1:15 PM)

Probable Pitchers: TBA vs. RHP Michael Lorenzen (0-1, 7.07)

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 11:15 AM

• Kids Long-Sleeve Hooded Pullover Giveaway: 10,000 kids, ages 15 and younger, courtesy of The Pasta House Co.  Size exchanges available in Budweiser Terrace from 11:15 AM-2:00 PM.

• Sesame Street Day: With the purchase of a special Theme Ticket, fans can select either a unique Elmo bobblehead or a Cookie Monster plush.   To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/sesame.

• Hi-Chew Kids Run The Bases: Fans age 15 & under can run the bases after the game (weather permitting).

• Prairie Farms Ice Cream Sunday: Starting two hours prior to the game, fans and families can enjoy games, prizes, and free North Star frozen treats in Ford Plaza (while supplies last).

• Home Run Against Hunger Food Drive: The Cardinals, in partnership with Missouri Farm Bureau Insurance and Feeding Missouri, are hosting a food drive in front of the Official Cardinals Team Store from 10:30AM-1:30PM.  Fans who bring a non-perishable food donation or provide a monetary donation will receive a voucher for two tickets to a 2023 Cardinals game (one voucher per person).

• Weekend-Long 50/50 Raffle: The drawing for the weekend-long 50/50 Raffle, presented by DraftKings at Casino Queen, will take place today at the end of the 7th inning.  Fans must be 18 years of age or older and be located in the state of Missouri at the time of purchase.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/5050.

• Cardinals Care Silent Auctions: Autographed items from Cardinals players, coaches, and alumni can be bid on each home series by fans at cardinals.com/ccauctions.  This series’ auction will conclude tonight at 9:00 PM.

• MLBPAA Auctions: The MLB Players Alumni Association will conduct a silent auction by Gate 1, Gate 3, and inside the CommunityAmerica Cardinals Club and Redbird Club through the fifth inning.  Proceeds will benefit Cardinals Care and MLBPAA.

Thanks as always for reading! See you next time!

Diane

Homestand Highlights #2 -Hey, it’s good to be back home again!

(with apologies to the late John Denver) The festivities of Opening Day may have been great, but it’s been almost all downhill since then. Despite scoring 9 runs in the Opening Day game, the Cards lost. The starting pitchers (with the exception of Jack Flaherty and Jordan Montgomery) have ERA’s over 5.0, and Jake Woodford, the fill-in for Adam Wainwright, has an ERA of 9.0. Miles Mikolas, who recently signed a 2-year contract extension, has a 10.05 ERA. The only quality start (5 innings) belongs to Jordan Montgomery. The bullpen hasn’t been too bad, although they’ve had their moments too. Jordan Hicks has an ERA of 10.80 and Andre Pallante has an ERA of 7.11. Yikes! Lars Nootbaar suffered a jammed thumb, so he hasn’t been able to play. The Cards only have 2 series wins this season – the Colorado series that just ended and the first series of the season with Toronto. My son and I attended last Saturday’s game, but it was so cold and windy that I couldn’t keep score. I was afraid that the scorecard would blow away.

A bright light has been Jordan Walker. As of today (4/12/23), Jordan has tied the record for most hits by a rookie 20 years old or younger by hitting in 12 straight games. The record was set by Perfect Eddie Murphy (not the actor) in 1912. He is still getting used to playing right field, but the more he plays there, the better he’ll get.

The offense has been hitting well (for example, Nolan Gorman), but you need pitching as well as hitting to win. Here’s hoping that the pitching and hitting align soon.

The second homestand of the season starts tomorrow night. It’s always good when the boys are back at Busch. We will be at Friday night’s game. Hopefully, Mr. 9.00 ERA will pitch better than the last time he started. The hubby and I will be at Tuesday night’s game. Here is all the information you’ll need for this upcoming homestand:

2023 BUSCH STADIUM HOMESTAND HIGHLIGHTS #2

Thursday, April 13—Wednesday, April 19

The Cardinals return from their first road trip to open a seven-game homestand at Busch Stadium including a four-game weekend series against the Pittsburgh Pirates (April 13-16) followed by three games with the Arizona Diamondbacks (April 17-19).  Fans can view a full list of homestand highlights at cardinals.com/homestand.

Thursday, April 13 — Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (6:45 PM)

Probable Pitchers: LHP Jordan Montgomery (2-0, 2.25 ERA) vs. RHP Vince Velasquez (0-2, 9.82 ERA)

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 5:15 PM

• Class of 2023 Night: With the purchase of a special $20 Theme Ticket, fans will take home an exclusive Class of 2023 t-shirt.  Theme Tickets for this event are sold out.

• Wainwright’s Winners: Adam Wainwright will host a group from Action for Autism for tonight’s game as part of his Wainwright’s Winners player ticket program.

Friday, April 14 — Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (7:15 PM)

Probable Pitchers: RHP Jake Woodford (0-2, 9.00) vs. RHP Johan Oviedo (1-0, 3.18 ERA)

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 5:15 PM

• Nolan Arenado Cycle Bobblehead Giveaway: 25,000 fans, ages 16 and older, presented by Coca-Cola & Walmart. 

• Friends Night: With the purchase of a special Theme Ticket, fans will take home their very own Friends blanket.  Come early for a pregame concert of 90’s hits by Proud Larry in Budweiser Terrace beginning at 5:30 and a photo opportunity on the iconic Central Perk couch.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/friends.

• Flashback Friday & Artifact Spotlight: Before every Friday home game, the Cardinals Museum hosts two presentations in the Sportsman’s Park Theater, one highlighting artifacts in the museum’s collection not currently on display at 4:00 PM and another featuring intimate and candid interviews with former Cardinals alumni and personnel at 4:30 PM.  Today’s interview will be with 2006 World Series MVP David Eckstein.  To purchase museum tickets, visit cardinals.com/museum.

• Goldy’s Golden Ticket: Paul Goldschmidt will host a group from The James Project for tonight’s game as part of his Goldy’s Golden Ticket player ticket program.

• Weekend-Long 50/50 Raffle: The drawing for the weekend-long 50/50 Raffle, presented by DraftKings at Casino Queen, will take place on Sunday, April 16, at the end of the 7th inning.  Fans must be 18 years of age or older and be located in the state of Missouri at the time of purchase.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/5050.

• Cardinals Care Silent Auctions: Autographed items from Cardinals players, coaches, and alumni can be bid on each home series by fans in the ballpark and at home via cardinals.com/ccauctions.  This series’ auction items will be on display today at Gate 1, Gate 3, and inside the CommunityAmerica Cardinals Club, UMB Champions Club, and Redbird Club. The auction will run through Sunday, April 16 at 9:00 PM.

• MLBPAA Auctions: The MLB Players Alumni Association will conduct a silent auction by Gate 1 and Gate 3 through the fifth inning.  Proceeds will benefit Cardinals Care and MLBPAA.

Saturday, April 15 — Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (1:15 PM)

Probable Pitchers: LHP Steven Matz (0-2, 8.18) vs. RHP Roansy Contreras (1-1, 8.00 ERA)

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 11:15 AM

• Jackie Robinson Day: In conjunction with MLB’s league-wide celebration commemorating the 76^th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier and the 50^th anniversary of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, players and coaches will continue the tradition of wearing blue “42” jersey numbers.  Local Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholar Jacob Dodd, a senior at Washington University, will be recognized and will throw out a ceremonial pitch.  Cardinals sponsor, CommunityAmerica will present a check to the Jackie Robinson Foundation and Cardinals Care to further their missions. Harris-Stowe State University softball players and coaches and Cardinals radio broadcaster Mike Claiborne will also be recognized during pregame ceremonies.

• Jackie Robinson Day Cap Giveaway: 25,000 fans, ages 16 and older. 

• African American Heritage Day: With the purchase of a special Theme Ticket, fans will take home an exclusive Cardinals t-shirt designed by St. Louis artist Brock Seals.  Come early for a pregame heritage celebration in Budweiser Terrace featuring an art exhibit, St. Louis native DJ Charlie Chan, and the Jennings High School drumline.  A portion of each ticket sold will be donated to Elevate St. Louis.  Presented by Your Quality Ford Dealers.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/aaheritage.

• Jackie Robinson Day Family Activities: From the time gates open until one hour into the game, fans will be able to stop by the Jackie Robinson Day tent in Ford Plaza to complete Jackie Robinson Day family-friendly activities courtesy of MLB.

• Saturday Signings at the Museum: 2006 World Series MVP David Eckstein will sign from 10AM-12PM with museum admission.  Visit cardinals.com/museum for more information.
• Weekend-Long 50/50 Raffle: The drawing for the weekend-long 50/50 Raffle, presented by DraftKings at Casino Queen, will take place on Sunday, April 16, at the end of the 7th inning.  Fans must be 18 years of age or older and be located in the state of Missouri at the time of purchase.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/5050.

• MLBPAA Auctions: The MLB Players Alumni Association will conduct a silent auction by Gate 1, Gate 3, and inside the CommunityAmerica Cardinals Club and Redbird Club through the fifth inning.  Proceeds will benefit Cardinals Care and MLBPAA.

Sunday, April 16 — Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (1:15 PM)

Probable Pitchers: RHP Miles Mikolas (0-1, 10.05 ERA) vs. RHP Mitch Keller (1-0, 3.57)

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 11:15 AM

• Adult Mystery Nickname Jersey Giveaway: 25,000 fans, ages 16 and older, courtesy of Maryville University.

• Donate Life Day: With the purchase of a special Theme Ticket, fans will receive an exclusive Cardinals cap support organ and tissue donation. A portion of each ticket will also be donated back to support Mid-American Transplant.  Presented by Mid-American Transplant.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/transplant.

• Remembering Bruce Sutter: The Cardinals will honor the late Hall of Fame closer Bruce Sutter with members of the Sutter family in a ceremony before the start of today’s game.

• Prairie Farms Ice Cream Sunday: Starting two hours prior to the game, fans and families can enjoy games, prizes, and free North Star frozen treats in Ford Plaza (while supplies last).

• Weekend-Long 50/50 Raffle: The drawing for the weekend-long 50/50 Raffle, presented by DraftKings at Casino Queen, will take place today at the end of the 7th inning.  Fans must be 18 years of age or older and be located in the state of Missouri at the time of purchase.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/5050.

• Cardinals Care Silent Auctions: Autographed items from Cardinals players, coaches, and alumni can be bid on each home series by fans at cardinals.com/ccauctions.  This series’ auction will conclude tonight at 9:00 PM.

• MLBPAA Auctions: The MLB Players Alumni Association will conduct a silent auction by Gate 1, Gate 3, and inside the CommunityAmerica Cardinals Club and Redbird Club through the fifth inning.  Proceeds will benefit Cardinals Care and MLBPAA.

Monday, April 17 — Cardinals vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (6:45 PM)

Probable Pitchers: RHP Jack Flaherty vs. RHP Merrill Kelly

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 5:15 PM

• T-Shirt of the Month Giveaway: 15,000 fans, ages 16 and older.

• College Night II: With the purchase of a special $20 Theme Ticket, fans will take home an exclusive Cardinals sweatshirt.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/college.

• Marmol’s MVPs: Oli Marmol will host a group from LitShop for tonight’s game as part of his Marmol’s MVPs ticket program.

Tuesday, April 18 — Cardinals vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (6:45 PM)

Probable Pitchers: LHP Jordan Montgomery vs. RHP Drey Jameson

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 5:15 PM

• Daniel Descalso Budweiser Bash: Fans who purchase a special Bud Bash Theme Ticket will receive a limited edition Daniel Descalso bobblehead.  VIP ticket-holders will also have access to a pregame autograph session with Daniel in Budweiser Terrace.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/budbash.

• Edman’s Elite: Tommy Edman will host a group from the Very Asian Foundation for tonight’s game as part of his Edman’s Elite player ticket program.

• Cardinals Care Silent Auctions: Autographed items from Cardinals players, coaches, and alumni will be on display today at Gate 1, Gate 3, and inside the CommunityAmerica Cardinals Club, UMB Champions Club, and Redbird Club and can be bid on at cardinals.com/ccauctions through Wednesday, April 19 at 9:00 PM.

Wednesday, April 19 — Cardinals vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (12:15 PM)

Probable Pitchers: RHP Jake Woodford vs. LHP Madison Bumgarner

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 10:45 AM

• Weather Day: Enjoy the game and a pregame interactive program featuring KTVI/KPLR meteorologists, Fredbird and experiments from the Saint Louis Science Center to educate students about the weather for just $15.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/weather.

• Béisbol in the Classroom: Spanish students of all ages will join Cardinals Spanish broadcasters Polo Ascencio and Bengie Molina for a pregame educational program to learn Spanish key baseball terms for just $15.  Theme Tickets for this event are sold out.

• Great Clips Charity Haircuts: During the game, fans can root for the Redbirds and shape up their roots with a visit to Ford Plaza.  For a $10 donation, Great Clips will cut your hair and donate all proceeds to Cardinals Care.

• Cardinals Care Silent Auctions: Autographed items from Cardinals players, coaches, and alumni can be bid on each home series by fans at cardinals.com/ccauctions.  This series’ auction will conclude tonight at 9:00 PM.

That’s all for now. Thanks for reading! See you next time!

Diane

What an Opening Day – and Homestand Highlights #1 for 2023

Opening Day had many different emotions – excitement, surprise, frustration, and sadness because the Cardinals lost. It’s always thrilling to see the Cardinals Hall of Famers in their red jackets, but also sad because of the Hall of Famers who weren’t there because of illness, duties with other teams (Chris Carpenter), or because they had passed away (Bruce Sutter and Tim McCarver). We knew Adam Wainwright could sing, but it was still a big surprise when he stepped out of the line of players and strolled up to the microphone to sing the National Anthem. The players had no clue he was singing the National Anthem and the looks on their faces were priceless. Waino did a pretty good job singing, although you could tell he was a little nervous. He probably hasn’t sung in front of 48,000 people before. Miles Mikolas didn’t pitch too well yesterday. Here’s hoping that Willson Contreras’ knee heals quickly from the Jordan Hicks fastball that hit it. Also, Andrew Knizner is not the answer as the backup catcher, as I have mentioned in previous blog posts.

Despite the disappointment of losing on Opening Day, we must remember that it is only Game 1 of 162. Hopefully, the Cards will play better tomorrow, especially since my son and I will be in attendance. We will be in Section 235, row 7, seats 8 and 9, so come by and say hi! As promised in my last blog post, below are the Homestand Highlights for the first homestand of 2023:

2023 BUSCH STADIUM HOMESTAND HIGHLIGHTS #1

Thursday, March 30—Wednesday, April 5

The Cardinals open the 2023 season at home with three games against the Toronto Blue Jays (March 30, April 1-2) followed by a three-game series with the Atlanta Braves (April 3-5).  Fans can view a full list of homestand highlights at cardinals.com/homestand.

Saturday, April 1 — Cardinals vs. Toronto Blue Jays (1:15 PM)

Probable Pitchers: RHP Jack Flaherty vs. RHP Kevin Gausman

TV: Bally Sports Midwest Extra

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 11:15 AM

• Adult Molina & Wainwright Mystery Pitching Bobblehead Giveaway: 25,000 fans, ages 16 and older, presented by Central Bank. 

• Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award Presentation: Paul Goldschmidt (1B) & Nolan Arenado (3B) will be presented with their 2022 Silver Slugger Awards during today’s pregame ceremonies.

• Saturday Signings at the Museum: 1988 National League Champion pitcher Joe Magrane will sign from 10AM-12PM with museum admission.  Visit cardinals.com/museum for more information.

• Opening Weekend 50/50 Raffle: The drawing for the Opening Weekend 50/50 Raffle, presented by DraftKings at Casino Queen, will take place on Sunday, April 2, at the end of the 7th inning.  Fans must be 18 years of age or older and be located in the state of Missouri at the time of purchase.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/5050.

• MLBPAA Auctions: The MLB Players Alumni Association will conduct a silent auction by Gate 1, Gate 3 and inside the Cardinals Club and Redbird Club through the fifth inning.  Proceeds will benefit Cardinals Care and MLBPAA.

Sunday, April 2 — Cardinals vs. Toronto Blue Jays (1:15 PM)

Probable Pitchers: LHP Jordan Montgomery vs. RHP Chris Bassitt

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 11:15 AM

• Adult Long-Sleeve Hooded Pullover Giveaway: 25,000 fans, ages 16 and older. 

• Rawlings Gold & Platinum Glove Award Presentation: Nolan Arenado (3B), Brendan Donovan (UTIL), and the St. Louis Cardinals(team) will be presented with their 2022 Gold & Platinum Glove Awards during today’s pregame ceremonies.

• Prairie Farms Ice Cream Sunday: Starting two hours before the game, fans and families can enjoy games, prizes, and free North Star frozen treats in Ford Plaza (while supplies last).

• Hi-Chew Kids Run The Bases: Fans age 15 & under can run the bases after the game (weather permitting).

• Opening Weekend 50/50 Raffle: The drawing for the Opening Weekend 50/50 Raffle, presented by DraftKings at Casino Queen,  will take place today at the end of the 7th inning.  Fans must be 18 years of age or older and be located in the state of Missouri at the time of purchase.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/5050.

• Cardinals Care Silent Auctions: Autographed items from Cardinals players, coaches, and alumni can be bid on each home series by fans at cardinals.com/ccauctions.  This series’ auction will conclude tonight at 9:00 PM.

• MLBPAA Auctions: The MLB Players Alumni Association will conduct a silent auction by Gate 1, Gate 3, and inside the Cardinals Club and Redbird Club through the fifth inning.  Proceeds will benefit Cardinals Care and MLBPAA.

Monday, April 3 — Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves (6:45 PM)

Probable Pitchers: RHP Jake Woodford vs. RHP Charlie Morton

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 5:15 PM

• Peanuts Day: With the purchase of a special Theme Ticket, fans will take home an exclusive Cardinals-themed Schroeder bobblehead.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/peanuts.

• MLBPAA Auctions: The MLB Players Alumni Association will conduct a silent auction by Gate 1 and Gate 3 through the fifth inning.  Proceeds will benefit Cardinals Care and MLBPAA.

Tuesday, April 4 — Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves (6:45 PM)

Probable Pitchers: LHP Steven Matz vs. LHP Dylan Dodd

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 5:15 PM

• College Night I: With the purchase of a special $20 Theme Ticket, fans will take home an exclusive Cardinals sweatshirt.  To purchase tickets, visit cardinals.com/college.

• Los Pajaritos de Polo: Polo Ascencio will host a group from St. Cecilia School for tonight’s game as part of his Los Pajaritos de Polo ticket program.

• Cardinals Care Silent Auctions: Autographed items from Cardinals players, coaches, and alumni can be bid on each home series by fans in the ballpark and at home via cardinals.com/ccauctions.  This series’ auction items will be on display today at Gate 1, Gate 3, and inside the Cardinals Club, UMB Champions Club, and Redbird Club. The auction will run from April 3 at 9:00 AM through April 5 at 9:00 PM.

Wednesday, April 5 — Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves (12:15 PM)

Probable Pitchers: RHP Miles Mikolas (0-0, 13.50 ERA) vs. TBD

TV: Bally Sports Midwest, MLB Network (out-of-market only)

Radio: KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM & WIJR 880 AM (Spanish)

Gates: 10:45 AM

• Great Clips Charity Haircuts: During the game, fans can root for the Redbirds and shape up their roots with a visit to Ford Plaza.  For a $10 donation, Great Clips will cut your hair and donate all proceeds to Cardinals Care.

2023 CARDINALS HALL OF FAME FAN VOTING – ENDS FRIDAY, APRIL 21

In February, Joaquín Andújar, Steve Carlton, David Freese, Matt Morris, and Edgar Renteria were nominated for possible induction into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame, presented by Edward Jones.  The player with the most fan votes after voting concludes on Friday, April 21, will be selected for induction into the Cardinals Hall of Fame during an enshrinement ceremony on Sunday, August 20.  Fans can cast their vote online at cardinals.com/HOF.

The Cardinals have been offering some sweet ticket deals lately and I’m unable to pass them on to you, dear reader, because by the time I get home from work to post about them, the tickets are sold out. One of those deals is how my son and I are going to tomorrow’s game. So I would encourage you to subscribe to emails from the Cardinals so you don’t miss any of those ticket deals. You can subscribe by going to the link here: https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/fans/newsletters. If you don’t have a cardinals.com account, you’ll have to open one. By subscribing, you also get Redbird Report emails, which are written by John Denton. You will also get the MLB Morning Lineup emails from MLB directly. It’s a win-win-win!

Thanks as always for reading! See you next time!

Diane

The final countdown – and Opening Day news!

As of today (3/27/23), there are only three more days until the Cardinals’ Opening Day! So many storylines, and so little time! Adam Wainwright not being able to pitch on his last Opening Day because of an injury, Jordan Walker impressing the team so much at spring training that he skipped AAA and will be on the Opening Day roster, and Juan Yepez, the only player to hit a home run in last year’s playoffs, being sent down to AAA, along with pitcher Dakota Hudson. 2023 is the first year without Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols in the lineup. It’ll sure be different seeing Willson Contreras, the former Cub, crouching down behind home plate. Miles Mikolas received a 2-year extension to his contract.

The Cardinals announced their anticipated 26-man Opening Day roster earlier this week. Here are the names and positions of the players:

PITCHERS (13): Jack Flaherty-RHP, Giovanny Gallegos-RHP, Ryan Helsley-RHP, Jordan Hicks-RHP, Steven Matz-LHP, Miles Mikolas-RHP, Jordan Montgomery-LHP, Packy Naughton-LHP, Andre Pallante-RHP, Chris Stratton-RHP, Zack Thompson-LHP, Drew VerHagen-RHP, and Jake Woodford-RHP;

CATCHERS (2): Willson Contreras and Andrew Knizner;

INFIELDERS (6): Nolan Arenado, Brendan Donovan, Tommy Edman, Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Gorman, and Taylor Motter;

OUTFIELDERS (5): Alec Burleson, Dylan Carlson, Lars Nootbaar, Tyler O’Neill, and Jordan Walker;

INJURED LIST (3): Paul DeJong-INF, Wilking Rodríguez-RHP, Adam Wainwright-RHP.

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming, Opening Day news! As my long-time readers may know, I work 2 blocks from Busch Stadium and I see Busch Stadium every day on my way to and from the Stadium Metrolink station. Today, I noticed new banners going up on the light poles, and the Farewell Yadi & Albert banner has been removed. The awning on the 8th Street side that the birds were using for target practice has been cleaned. The stadium is being touched up for company coming in 3 days. Read below for all of the important information you’ll need to know if you’re visiting Busch Stadium or Ballpark Village on Thursday:

2023 OPENING DAY IN ST. LOUIS – SCHEDULE & DETAILS

Cardinals to Open Season Against Interleague Opponent for First Time in Franchise History

A pregame ceremony that introduces the reigning N.L. Central Division champion St. Louis Cardinals, honors the club’s Hall of Famers, and celebrates the great tradition of Opening Day in St. Louis will highlight the annual return of baseball at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 30.  The Cardinals will open the 2023 season at home against the Toronto Blue Jays at 3:10 PM CT.  A pregame schedule and information can be found below and at cardinals.com/OpeningDay to help fans enjoy the unofficial holiday that is #OpeningDaySTL:

Pregame Schedule

10:30 AM – 12:30 PM    Official Opening Day Pep Rally at Ballpark Village:  Join Fredbird, Team Fredbird, DJ Todd Thomas, Cardinals organist Dwayne Hilton and Cardinals Alumni at the Busch II Infield Stage in the Together Credit Union Plaza for the Cardinals Opening Day Pep Rally.  This event is free for all fans to attend and includes prizes and ticket giveaways to Opening Day and other 2023 games.

12:00 PM                             Gates Open                                               

2023 Cardinals Magnet Schedule: All fans, ages 21 and older, will receive a magnet featuring the 2023 Cardinals schedule, compliments of Budweiser.

12:05 – 12:55 PM             Cardinals batting practice (subject to change)

1:00 – 1:50 PM                  Blue Jays batting practice (subject to change)

2:25 PM                               Pregame ceremonies begin with an appearance by the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales

                                            Introduction of Fredbird & Team Fredbird

                                            Recognition of Chairman & CEO, Bill DeWitt, Jr.; President, Bill DeWitt, III;

and President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak at home plate

                                             Special Tribute Video on the scoreboard

                                             Introduction of Cardinals Hall of Famers via 2023 Ford Mustang convertible motorcade

Recognition of THE 2022 N.L. Central Division Championship

2:50 PM                             Introduction of the St. Louis Cardinals via 2023 Ford F-150 truck motorcade

                                            Introduction of the Toronto Blue Jays

3:00 PM                              Canadian National Anthem performed by violinist Abigail Stahlschmidt

3:01 PM                               U.S. National Anthem performance with Color Guard presentation by the Ft. Leonard Wood 

Joint Service Color Guard

3:05 PM                              Ceremonial First Pitch by National Baseball Hall of Famer Scott Rolen to Cardinals Hall of Famer 

Matt Holliday

3:10 PM                            First Pitch by Cardinals Opening Day Starting Pitcher Miles Mikolas

Forecasted Weather

Partly cloudy skies.  High 67° F.  Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph.

Television Coverage

Opening Day airs on Bally Sports Midwest and streams on the Bally Sports app.  An extended edition of Cardinals Live pregame begins at 1:30 PM on Bally Sports Midwest and will include live coverage of the pregame ceremonies inside Busch Stadium. 

Chip Caray and Brad Thompson will call the game, with Jim Hayes serving as a reporter.  Alexa Datt, Ricky Horton, and Al Hrabosky will host pregame and postgame coverage from a special set inside Busch Stadium.

Radio Coverage

Fans can tune into KMOX 1120 AM, 98.7 FM, or one of the 147 stations in the Cardinals Radio Network to hear John Rooney, Ricky Horton, and Mike Claiborne call the game.  The Ameren Total Access Show starts at 1:35 PM and will include live coverage of the pregame ceremonies inside Busch Stadium.

Fans can tune in locally to WIJR 880 AM “La Tremenda”, or one of the six stations in the club’s new Cardinals Spanish Radio Network to hear Spanish broadcasters Polo Ascencio and Bengie Molina call the game as well.

New Concession Stands at Busch Stadium

The Cardinals and Delaware North Sportservice have partnered with three restaurants to open four new concession stands inside Busch Stadium for the 2023 season, including:

• Big Chicken: Located in section 135 along the first base line and section 358 on the third base side of the terrace level, the Shaquille O’Neal-owned chicken concept’s menu features three chicken sandwiches, including one originally crafted sandwich unique to St. Louis in partnership with local artisanal doughnut shop, Vincent Van Doughnut, along with fries and a cookie the circumference of an NBA basketball.
  • M.D.E. (Most Delicious Ever): Breaded chicken, Shaq sauce, and B&B pickles
  • Uncle Jerome: Nashville Hot Chicken, lettuce, mayo, and pickles
  • The 314: Uncle Jerome’s Chicken served on Vincent Van Doughnut’s Cardinals Red Maple Bacon donut with Shaq Sauce (Busch Stadium exclusive)
• Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers: Located in Budweiser Terrace in right field, the fast-casual restaurant concept’s first MLB ballpark stand will serve a handful of the brand’s fan-favorite menu items, including Freddy’s Original Double and Bacon Double, as well as Freddy’s famous shoestring fries and cheese curds.
• Mission Taco Joint: Located in section 150 behind home plate, the local West Coast-style taco restaurant concept will serve four different tacos and takes on select signature menu items including:
  • “Hot Corner” Chicken Taco: flour tortilla with shredded chicken, buffalo sauce, celery seed ranch, lettuce, and pickled onion (Busch Stadium exclusive)
  • Mango Shrimp Taco: flour tortilla with fried shrimp, habanero aioli, cabbage, and mango salsa
  • Vegan Soft Taco: flour tortilla with vegan ground “beef,” taco sauce, lettuce, pico de gallo, and vegan cheese
  • Regular Taco: crispy tortilla, ground beef, and bean, taco sauce, lettuce, pico de gallo, and queso fresco
  • Street Corn: corn on the cob, garlic aioli, queso fresco, and tajin
  • West Coast Nacho Fries: chile-crusted fries, queso, crema, pico de gallo, and pickled jalapeños

New On-Field Rules

Three new rules have been implemented for Major League Baseball’s 2023 championship season:

• Pitcher Timer: Pitchers will have up to 15 seconds between pitches when the bases are empty and up to 20 seconds between pitches with at least one runner on base.
• Defensive Shift Restrictions: Two infielders must be positioned on each side of second base and all four infielders must have both feet in the infield dirt when the pitcher begins his pitching motion.
• Larger Bases: The size of first, second, and third base have increased from a 15” square to an 18” square.

For more details on the new on-field rules, visit cardinals.com/newrules.

Prohibited Items Policy

• In conjunction with a league-wide policy established by Major League Baseball, the St. Louis Cardinals reserve the right to inspect all items entering Busch Stadium.
• Guests may bring in items such as bags, purses, and soft-sided coolers not exceeding 10” x 8” x 10”; food, and non-alcoholic beverages in factory-sealed plastic bottles no larger than 2 liters; empty cups, mugs, or plastic bottles.
• Fans can visit cardinals.com/security for the complete stadium inspection policy and prohibited items list.

The next time I post will be the Homestand Highlights for the first homestand of 2023! I’m so glad baseball is back! Aren’t you? Thanks as always for reading! See you next time!

Diane

A Cardinals way to celebrate Pi Day!

Pi, which is known in its short form as 3.14159265359, is defined (per Wikipedia) as: “The number π is a mathematical constant that is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, approximately equal to 3.14159. The number π appears in many formulae across mathematics and physics.” Pi Day was founded in 1988 by Larry Shaw, an employee of the San Francisco, California science museum the Exploratorium. Celebrations often involve eating pie or holding pi recitation competitions. You can find out more about Pi Day by clicking on the link here.

For those who don’t live in the St. Louis area, 314 is the local area code. So St. Louis has taken the Pi Day concept and changed it to 314 Day. There are various local celebrations for 314 Day. The Cardinals have joined in the 314 Day fun by offering a great flash ticket deal for tomorrow only (3/14/23). Here are all of the details on this great deal:

CARDINALS TO CELEBRATE 314 DAY WITH $3.14 TICKET FLASH SALE

Discounted Tickets for Monday-Thursday Games in April are on Sale Tomorrow from 9AM-9PM

In celebration of “314 Day,” the St. Louis Cardinals have announced a special 12-hour ticket flash sale beginning tomorrow, March 14, at 9 AM CT.

Fans can purchase tickets for any Monday—Thursday Cardinals game in April for just $3.14.  A limited number of these “314 Day” tickets will be available for each of the aforementioned games while supplies last.  Tickets are limited to eight per person, per game.

Games available in this special sale include matchups with the Atlanta Braves (April 3-5), Pittsburgh Pirates (April 13), and Arizona Diamondbacks (April 17-19).

Tickets will be available at cardinals.com or via phone at 314.345.9000.  Again, this special ticket flash sale will only be available until 9 PM CT on Tuesday, March 14.

For more information, visit cardinals.com/314.

I hope you have been following along with the World Baseball Classic. Lars Nootbaar has become quite a hit (pun intended) in Japan with his personality and the pepper grinder from 2022. He has even become BFF’s with Shohei Ohtani. Perhaps Lars is telling Shohei that he should come to St. Louis when he hits free agency. Adam Wainwright pitched the first game for Team USA, which ended with a win, but Team USA lost to Team Mexico last night. Team USA plays Team Canada tonight. We should hope Tyler O’Neill plays well, but that Team USA wins and goes on to the next round. Yadier Molina is managing Team Puerto Rico with help from his brothers Bengie and Jose.

Jordan Walker has been tearing it up in spring training, but he slightly injured his shoulder sliding into a base head first rather than feet first. The coaching staff will work with Jordan to teach him to slide into the base feet first rather than head first.

Thanks as always for reading! See you next time!

Diane

Happy First Spring Training Game Eve!

Tomorrow, tomorrow, there’ll be baseball tomorrow! You’re only a day away! (with apologies to the composer)

At long last, our winter drought without baseball will be over. The winter drought seems longer every year, or maybe it’s just me getting older and time growing slower. Tomorrow will be the Cardinals’ first spring training game. Adam Wainwright will be the starting pitcher tomorrow and it will be the last time he’ll start a first spring training game. But it will also be the first game that will be called by Chip Caray, the Cardinals’ new TV announcer. There hasn’t been a Caray in the Cardinals booth since 1969. And Bengie Molina and Polo Ascencio will also broadcast the first spring training game in Spanish for the first time. The game will be broadcast on Bally Sports Midwest at 12:05 PM Central Standard Time and on KMOX. Sunday’s game will also be on KMOX and Bally, but Monday’s game is on ESPN at noon. This is good for those who don’t have or can’t get Bally Sports. I will be watching Saturday’s game from my computer chair so that I can tweet between innings.

It will be spring training as usual until March 8, when the World Baseball Classic starts. Many of the Cardinals will be playing in the World Baseball Classic, which occurs every five years. Adam Wainwright, Miles Mikolas, Nolan Arenado, and Paul Goldschmidt will be playing for Team USA; Lars Nootbaar will be playing for Team Japan; Tommy Edman will be playing for Team Korea (as will former Cardinal Kwang Hyun Kim); Giovanny Gallegos and JoJo Romero will be playing for Team Mexico; Tyler O’Neill will be playing for Team Canada; and Oscar Mercado will be playing for Team Columbia. Former Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina will be managing Team Puerto Rico, which could be tricky if Mexico and the USA meet in the quarterfinals and Waino is pitching. Yadi knows all Waino’s pitches.

While all of the regulars will be away at the World Baseball Classic, the non-roster invitees to spring training camp will have the opportunity to show their stuff. They should make the most of this opportunity. I always enjoy watching the non-roster invitees play and wondering which players will eventually get promoted to the bigs. There are twenty-two non-roster invitees this year.

Since the last time I posted, several things have happened. Scott Rolen finally got voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and even better, he will wear a Cardinals cap on his Hall of Fame plaque. John Mozeliak’s contract was extended until 2025. The Cardinals DFA’d James Naile (on his birthday, no less – how rude!) and acquired left-handed reliever Anthony Misiewicz from the Royals for cash considerations. Tommy Edman, Jack Flaherty, Jordan Hicks, Dakota Hudson, Andrew Knizner, Jordan Montgomery, & Tyler O’Neill agreed to one year contracts for 2023 to avoid salary arbitration. And in very sad news, Cardinals Hall of Famer and Baseball Hall of Famer Tim McCarver passed away. I so enjoyed his stories on the Cardinals broadcasts with Danny Mac. Tim, Gibby, and Lou are all swapping stories in Heaven now.

And starting tomorrow, you can cast your vote for who you think should be in the Cardinals Hall of Fame. This year’s nominees are holdovers Steve Carlton, Matt Morris and Edgar Renteria, and first-year nominees are Joaquin Andujar and David Freese. Freese is very popular, so I think he will get voted in, although the other nominees are definitely worthy of being elected. You can vote for your favorite nominee at www.cardinals.com/hof.

Oh, I did attend Winter Warm-Up, but I’m not a fan of the new layout. The venues are too far apart, and you couldn’t see the players up close unless you had an autograph ticket. I did get some great deals, including a new Ted Simmons bobblehead and a Danny Cox genuine Cardinals jersey for $50.00. Brian Finch of the Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum didn’t have any presentations this year, which was disappointing. Hopefully, things will be changed up next year.

Thanks as always for reading! See you next time!

Diane

2022 Winter Warm-Up weekend schedule

Winter Warm-Up is not the only thing happening this weekend – so is the Cardinals Caravan and the BBWAA Writers’ Dinner. You’re going to need more than a scorecard to keep track of this weekend’s Cardinals activities – you’re going to need this blog post, so bookmark it on your smartphone so you can refer to it as needed. Below are all of the details for this upcoming weekend – some of it is a repeat of the information in last night’s blog post, but it never hurts to see it twice!

CARDINALS-THEMED HOLIDAY WEEKEND TO KICK OFF THE 2023 SEASON

Weekend Highlighted by Winter Warm-Up, Cardinals Caravan, & Writers’ Dinner

The 26th Cardinals Care Winter Warm-Up and the Cardinals Caravan highlight a busy Cardinals-themed holiday weekend that kicks off the 2023 season.

Winter Warm-Up—the largest fundraising event for the Cardinals Care charitable fund—will be held at Busch Stadium and Ballpark Village from Saturday, January 14, through Monday, January 16 with appearances from over 50 players, coaches, and alumni. For the most complete schedule and up-to-date Winter Warm-Up information, visit cardinals.com/WWU.

The 2023 Cardinals Caravan, presented by Missouri Farm Bureau Insurance, departs Busch Stadium on Friday morning. Over the course of the weekend, more than 35 current and former players will visit 20 cities throughout Cardinals Nation along six different routes before returning to St. Louis on Monday night. For complete information on all caravan stops, visit cardinals.com/caravan.

The 63rd annual St. Louis Baseball Writers’ Dinner takes place at the downtown Missouri Athletic Club on Sunday, January 15. Attendees will enjoy a night of fun and entertainment as the dinner honors the 2022 National League Central Champion Cardinals team. The evening will be highlighted by special guests and the presentation of the Red Schoendienst Medal, J.G. Taylor Spink “St. Louis Baseball Man of the Year” Award, and the Darryl Kile Award.

Below are highlights of the 2023 Winter Warm-Up weekend:

Friday, January 13, 2023

Cardinals Caravan: The 2023 Caravan kicks off with stops in Jefferson City and Springfield, Mo., Memphis, Tenn., and Peoria and Champaign, Ill.

Saturday, January 14, 2023

Winter Warm-Up: The three-day event kicks off, and is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Autographs:

UMB Champions Club (Busch Stadium) – Dakota Hudson, Jason Motte, James Naile, Al Hrabosky, Tyler O’Neill

Budweiser Brewhouse (Ballpark Village) – Steven Matz, Jason Isringhausen, Brad Thompson, Andrew Knizner, Chris Stratton, Ray Lankford

PBR (Ballpark Village) – Jordan Hicks, JoJo Romero, Kerry Robinson, John Mozeliak, Matthew Liberatore, John Tudor, Tommy Edman

Crown Room (Ballpark Village) – Alec Burleson, Jake Walsh, Nolan Gorman

Silent Auctions (UMB Champions Club at Busch Stadium) – Open 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., Cardinals Care Silent Auctions feature autographed items including baseballs, jerseys, photos, and more! Fans can bid online, both at Winter Warm-Up and from home at cardinals.com/WWU.

Main Stage (Bally Sports Live! at Ballpark Village): The Main Stage will feature two live auctions, presentations, and live interviews throughout the day. Scheduled events include KMOV’s Brooke Grimsley from 9:00 a.m. to noon, Redbird Rookies Scholarship Presentation at 10:30 a.m., and Q&A with President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak at 11:20 a.m. Mike Claiborne and Brad Thompson will take over emcee duties from noon until 2:00 p.m., including a Q&A with Cardinals Assistant GM & Director of Player Development, Gary LaRocque. Scott Warmann will take the stage starting at 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Live Auctions (Main Stage): Beginning at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Fans must be present to bid and win an auction item and all items must be paid for and picked up at the close of each auction.

Presentations (Shark Bar at Ballpark Village):

10:00 a.m. – Cardinals Magazine Open House – Win a Nolan Arenado autographed magazine! Stop by anytime within the hour and purchase a Cardinals Magazine subscription to be entered into the drawing. 

11:00 a.m. – Ever wondered what it’s like to cover the Cardinals? Find out during a Q&A with local reporters, hosted by MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch. (Note to my readers: I will be attending this presentation. Jenifer was the first female Cardinals beat writer. It will be good to catch up with her.)

12:00 p.m. – A discussion/Q&A around the Cardinals Museum’s featured exhibit “Celebration! 1982” and a sneak peek at the upcoming exhibit, “The Art of the Cardinals Moment,” with Manager & Curator of the Hall of Fame Museum, Amy Berra.

1:30 p.m. – Caring for Your Collection: Tips for storing and displaying your personal memorabilia with the Cardinals Museum Collections Specialist, Erin Pruhs.

3:00 p.m. – Seldom told stories about David Freese, Adam Wainwright, Albert Pujols, and more from the book 11 in ’11: A Hometown Hero, La Russa’s Last Ride in Red, and a Miracle World Series for the St. Louis Cardinals with author and St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist, Benjamin Hochman.

Cardinals Caravan: The Cardinals Caravan makes its way through Cardinals Nation with stops in Jonesboro, Ark., Dyersburg, Tenn., Bloomington, Ill., and Columbia, Hannibal, Joplin, and Rolla, Mo.

Sunday, January 15, 2023

Winter Warm-Up: Day two of the event is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Autographs:

UMB Champions Club (Busch Stadium) – Adam Wainwright, Iván Herrera, Rick Ankiel, Michael McGreevy, Paul Goldschmidt, Masyn Winn, Joe McEwing

Budweiser Brewhouse (Ballpark Village) – Jake Woodford, Zack Thompson, Jason Simontacchi, Andre Pallante, Brendan Donovan, Connor Thomas, Dylan Carlson

PBR (Ballpark Village) – Packy Naughton, Nolan Arenado, Oliver Marmol, Tink Hence, Bernard Gilkey, Rick Horton, Alan Benes, Andy Benes

Crown Room (Ballpark Village) – Bo Hart, Ryan Ludwick, Ryan Helsley, Lars Nootbaar

Silent Auctions (UMB Champions Club at Busch Stadium) – Open 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., Cardinals Care Silent Auctions feature autographed items including baseballs, jerseys, photos, and more! Fans can bid online, both at Winter Warm-Up and from home at cardinals.com/WWU.

Main Stage (Bally Sports Live! at Ballpark Village): The Main Stage will feature two live auctions, presentations, and live interviews throughout the day. Scheduled events include KMOV’s Bryan Kennedy from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.  John Rooney will take the stage at 11:00 a.m. and host a 2023 Cardinals Promo Items Show & Tell at 11:30 a.m. Rick Horton will join in at 12:00 p.m. and will host a conversation with Adam Wainwright during that hour.  Bengie Molina and Polo Ascencio will take the stage starting at 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m., and will lead a Q&A with Cardinals Manager, Oliver Marmol.

Live Auctions (Main Stage): Beginning at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Fans must be present to bid and win an auction item and all items must be paid for and picked up at the close of each auction.

Presentations (Shark Bar at Ballpark Village)

10:00 a.m. – Join Cardinals Museum Operations Manager, Brittany Schelp, as she provides a behind-the-scenes look into the process of creating Museum member-exclusive bobbleheads. Fans can also expect teasers for the 2023 Cardinals Museum schedule. (Note to readers: I attended this presentation in 2020. It was very interesting.)

11:30 a.m. – Learn all aspects of collecting cards, autographs, and various types of sports memorabilia during a Q&A with Dave Jackson of St. Louis Sports Collectors.

1:00 p.m. – Go behind the scenes into the Cardinals Hall of Fame Induction process with the Supervisor of Stadium Tours & Museum Operations, Adam Presswood.

2:30 p.m. – A book discussion about Baseball in St. Louis: Little Leagues to Major Leagues with the author and President of the St. Louis Browns Historical Society & Fan Club, Ed Wheatley.

Cardinals Caravan: The Cardinals Caravan makes stops in Evansville, Ind., as well as Mattoon, Springfield, and Marion, Ill.

63rd  Annual St. Louis Baseball Writers’ Dinner (6:00 p.m.): The 63rd annual St. Louis Baseball Writers Dinner will be held at the Downtown Missouri Athletic Club. This year’s honorees include Albert Pujols, Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina, Brendan Donovan, Ryan Helsley, Miles Mikolas, Oliver Marmol, Mike Shannon, and Rick Hummel.  Visit stlouisbbwaa.com for more information.

Monday, January 16, 2023

Winter Warm-Up: Day three of the event is open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Autographs:

UMB Champions Club (Busch Stadium) – Gordon Graceffo, Jack Flaherty, Scott Cooper, Bengie Molina

Budweiser Brewhouse (Ballpark Village) – Bill DeWitt III, Bill DeWitt Jr., Drew VerHagen, Randy Flores, Greg Mathews

PBR (Ballpark Village) – Jordan Walker, Miles Mikolas, Willson Contreras

Crown Room (Ballpark Village) – Paul DeJong, Mike Tyson

Silent Auctions (UMB Champions Club at Busch Stadium) – Open 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Cardinals Care Silent Auctions feature autographed items including baseballs, jerseys, photos, and more! Fans can bid online, both at Winter Warm-Up and from home at cardinals.com/WWU.

Main Stage (Bally Sports Live! at Ballpark Village): The Main Stage will feature two live auctions, presentations, and live interviews throughout the day. Scheduled events include KMOV’s Claire Kellet from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., featuring a Q&A with Team Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. and President Bill DeWitt III.  Joe Pott will take the stage at 12:00 p.m. and host a Q&A with Cardinals Assistant GM & Director of Scouting, Randy Flores. Tom Ackerman will take over hosting duties from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Live Auctions (Main Stage): Beginning at 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Fans must be present to win an auction item and all items must be paid for and picked up at the close of each auction.

Presentations (Shark Bar at Ballpark Village)

10:00 a.m. – Learn what it takes to maintain the Busch Stadium field during a Q&A with Cardinals Head Groundskeeper, Bill Findley.

11:30 a.m. – “2022 – A Year in Photos” with the Cardinals Director of Photography & Digital Assets, Taka Yanagimoto. (Note to my readers: the son and I attend this presentation every year. It’s great seeing all of the photos and Mr. Yanagimoto is an excellent speaker.)

1:00 p.m. – A book discussion about Baseball in St. Louis: Little Leagues to Major Leagues with the author and President of the St. Louis Browns Historical Society & Fan Club, Ed Wheatley.

Cardinals Caravan: The Cardinals Caravan makes its final stops in Decatur and Centralia, Ill., Cape Girardeau, Mo., and Paducah, Ky.

Additional Winter Warm-Up Information

Cardinals Care 50/50 Raffle – Tickets for the 2023 Winter Warm-Up 50/50 raffle are available now, and fans who purchase raffle tickets by 5:00 p.m. CT on Saturday, January 14, will be entered into a bonus raffle for a set of three (3) authentic Yadier Molina jerseys.  Tickets cost $5 for 3 raffle tickets, $10 for 10, $20 for 60, and $50 for 200 and are available for purchase online at cardinals.com/WWU for those located in the state of Missouri and at least eighteen (18) years of age at the time of purchase and in person at the event. The raffle will close and the grand prize winner will be drawn on Monday, January 16, at 3:00 p.m. CT. 

Cardinals Care Store (Cunningham Corner at Busch Stadium) – Open throughout the weekend, the Cardinals Care Store is stocked full of Cardinals memorabilia such as discounted baseball caps, team-issued apparel, t-shirts, game-worn jerseys, autographed photos and bats, and more. Fans can even purchase photos for collecting player autographs and baseball cases for your new autographed collectibles. Also, any fan that purchased an autograph ticket for a pre-signed baseball from Whitey Herzog, Ted Simmons, or Ozzie Smith may redeem their ticket at the Cardinals Care Store to receive their autographed item.

Cardinals Clubhouse Self-Guided Tours (Access from Redbird Club at Busch Stadium) – Fans with an admission ticket to the Winter Warm-Up can access the Cardinals Clubhouse Tour through the Redbird Club on the third level of Busch Stadium. The Clubhouse Tour is a self-guided experience that will be open during regular hours of the event each day.  No additional ticket is required for this experience.

Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum (2nd Floor of Cardinals Nation at Ballpark Village) – Admission to the Winter Warm-Up includes complimentary admission to the world-class Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum.

Exhibit Hall (Redbird Club at Busch Stadium) – The Exhibit Hall features a variety of premium vendors, a professional photo opportunity with Fredbird (a pre-paid appointment required), and kid-friendly activities. Visit cardinals.com/WWU for a full list of Exhibitors.

Food and Beverage – Concessions will be available for purchase to Winter Warm-Up attendees at Busch Stadium in the Redbird Club.  There are several dining options available at Ballpark Village during Winter Warm-Up including:

Cardinals Nation Restaurant and Bar – Accessible to WWU ticket holders ONLY during WWU hours

Bally Sports Live! – Accessible to WWU ticket holders ONLY during WWU hours. Reservations will be available starting at 11:00 a.m. each day and are limited to two hours. There is a $30 minimum per person requirement. Please contact jsami@stlballparkvillage.com to make a reservation.

Salt & Smoke

Sports & Social

Clark & Bourbon at Live! by Loews

Starbucks

Stay Updated: Be sure to enable push notifications for the MLB Ballpark App on your smartphone to receive the latest Winter Warm-Up news and event information via push notification to your mobile device!

Admission Tickets: Fans can purchase tickets for the event online at cardinals.com/WWU or at the Busch Stadium box office during Warm-Up hours. Three-day tickets cost $50 for adults (fans age 16 and older) & $25 for children (fans age 4 to 15). Single-day tickets cost $25 for adults & $15 for children. Children under 4 are free. Active military members and first responders with valid military/first responder ID can visit the Busch Stadium ticket windows on 8th Street (next to Gate 3) on the day of the event they wish to attend to receive one (1) complimentary ticket. Tickets are available while supplies last. Advance complimentary tickets are not available.

Autograph Tickets: Remaining autograph tickets may be purchased online at cardinals.com/WWU.  Every dollar donated for autograph tickets will benefit Redbird Rookies, Cardinals Care Ballfields, and charitable grants to other non-profit organizations that help kids. Donation amounts can be found at cardinals.com/WWU.

Cardinals Kids Club Booth: The Cardinals Kids Club, presented by Rawlings, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Hi-Chew,  will have a booth in the Exhibit Hall in the Redbird Club at Busch Stadium. To learn more about the Cardinals Kids Club, visit cardinals.com/kidsclub.

Cardinals Authentics: Cardinals Authentics—the only official source of memorabilia directly from the team—will be selling unique game-used, limited edition, exclusive and autographed memorabilia at 2 locations at the Winter Warm-Up. The Cardinals Authentics Shop at Cardinals Nation in Ballpark Village is offering select items at 50% off, and selected t-shirts, hats, and mini bats at $5-$10. The Cardinals Authentics Booth, located in the Exhibit Hall in the Redbird Club at Busch Stadium, will offer their deepest discounts of the year with game-used, team-issued, framed pieces, and much more at 50-80% off the original price. Stay tuned for special announcements by Cardinals Authentics via Twitter (@CardsAuthentics) throughout the three-day event.

Official Cardinals Team Store: The Official Cardinals Team Store at Busch Stadium, open daily during WWU at 9:00 a.m., will have 25% off all regular-priced items (Some restrictions apply. Not valid with other discounts or promotions). The Majestic Store located on the north side of Ballpark Village will also be open Saturday, Sunday, and Monday sharing the same hours as the Team Store. Stop by either location for the newest Cardinals gear!

Cardinals Publications: Located in Shark Bar on Saturday at 10 AM, it’s a subscription power hour! On the line: a Nolan Arenado-autographed copy of Cardinals Magazine. Each subscription purchased will earn an entry into the drawing for the Arenado-signed issue! Fans who opt for a two-year subscription will also receive our super-soft, exclusive Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright T-shirts (shirts will be shipped separately). During your visit, pick up a 2023 Cardinals calendar for only $10 (who doesn’t want to see highlights from the historic 2022 season every morning?) and learn about 1) our subscriber-exclusive 2022 Yearbook deal, 2) our vintage magazine collection (did you know the first Cardinals Magazine was released in 1992, and you can own a copy?), and 3) our one-year subscription special with two FREE tickets to a 2023 home game. For more on Cardinals Publications, check out @CardsMagazine on Twitter.

Green Team: The team’s “4 A Greener Game” initiative will have a booth in the Exhibit Hall in the Redbird Club at Busch Stadium where fans can learn more about the Cardinals Green Team—a group of volunteers who collect recyclables from fans throughout each game at Busch Stadium. In exchange for volunteering, fans are able to watch the game in standing-room-only sections of Busch Stadium. Visit cardinals.com/green for more information.

Social Media: Throughout the Cardinals Caravan and Winter Warm-Up, fans can stay connected by following the Cardinals on Twitter (@Cardinals), Facebook (@Cardinals), and Instagram (@Cardinals) for the latest news, event updates, and behind-the-scenes content. Fans can join the conversation and share their own photos and experiences by using hashtags #CardsWarmUp, #CardsCaravan, and #CardsCare.

Traffic & Parking: For the most up-to-date alerts regarding construction and winter road conditions this weekend, fans can visit the Missouri Department of Transportation’s website at modot.org. Winter Warm-Up event parking can be found at several locations around Busch Stadium and Ballpark Village. Fans can visit cardinals.com/wwu for a complete Winter Warm-Up Fan Guide and FAQs.

In other news, Matt Holliday resigned from the bench coach position and has been replaced by Joe McEwing, who is a former Cardinal. McEwing was the bench coach for the White Sox under Tony LaRussa, so he has plenty of experience. Matt resigned because he wanted to spend more time with his family. Joe is signing autographs on Sunday and I managed to grab a ticket, but they are sold out. I’m still on the hunt for a Bengie Molina autograph ticket, so if you have one you’re not going to use, please let me know below.

Thanks as always for reading! I hope to see you at WWU!

Diane

A practical guide to Winter Warm-Up

Those of you who have attended Winter Warm-Up (“WWU”) in the past will be surprised and maybe feel a little lost because WWU has moved to Busch Stadium and Ballpark Village from its former home at the Hyatt.  You may be asking yourself, “Where will I park?  Where will I eat lunch?  Where will everything be located?”  Don’t fret, dear reader – I will explain these things in this post. Most of the following material is from the WWU page on the Cardinals’ website, but I have organized them in hopefully a more understandable format.

Parking:

Parking will be available in the Starr Lot for $5 per day (plus fees) and can be purchased at the lot each day of the event by following these steps:

1. Download the Passport Parking App from the App Store or Google Play Store
2. Create Account
3. Enter Zone Number 930 – STARR LOT
4. Add Vehicle and Payment Method
5. Make Payment

The Starr Lot is located on South 8^th Street cattycorner across the street from Gate 1.  You will not be able to enter the Stadium at Gate 1 – you will have to enter the Stadium at Gate 4 on Clark Street.  There will be more on that later.

Parking will be available for $15 in the Stadium East (8^th Street) and Stadium West (Broadway) Parking Garages each day of the event. Fans can secure parking in the Stadium East and Stadium West Parking Garages in advance for $10 per day via iparkit.com or the iparkit App. That’s a $5.00 discount for booking in advance. (These amounts are much cheaper than what the Stadium East and West garages charge to park for a game. – DMS)

The cheapest and easiest way to get to WWU is by riding Metrolink.  Metrolink is the St. Louis area’s light rail train.  A one-day adventure pass is $5.00.  You can park your vehicle at a station stop (don’t forget to lock your vehicle!) and purchase your ticket(s) at the platform.  Just remember that the trains only run every 20 minutes on the weekend.  You may want to download the Transit app on your smartphone so that you can determine what time the next train will arrive.  The Stadium station will be the station at which you will exit the train, and when you walk up the ramp or take the stairs, you will be at Busch Stadium. The Stadium exit is where I exit the train to go to work every day.  I am fortunate to be able to see Baseball Heaven (at least the exterior) every weekday. More information on Metrolink can be found at the link here:  https://www.metrostlouis.org/ 

Speaking of Baseball Heaven, some of the awnings on the 8^th Street side look like the birds (the animals, that is, and not the players) have used them for target practice.  Dear Cardinals front office, you may want to get that cleaned up before all of your company visits this weekend. 😊

Lunch:

Lunch options were limited when WWU was held at the Hyatt. There were two restaurants on the first floor of the Hyatt and only a few restaurants within walking distance that were even open on the weekend.  Caleco’s, T.G.I. Friday’s and St. Louis Bread Company, which were open in 2020 at the last live WWU, are now closed.

With WWU now at Ballpark Village/Busch Stadium, there are many more options for lunch, depending on your budget and how far you want to walk. 

All the restaurants at Ballpark Village will be open; however, if you want to eat at Bally Sports Live, you will have to make a reservation. Reservations will be available starting at 11 AM each day and are limited to two hours. There is a $30 minimum per person requirement. Please contact jsami@stlballparkvillage.com to make a reservation. For more information on the Ballpark Village restaurants, go to www.stlballparkvillage.com.

The Hyatt provided a grab-and-go buffet with chicken fingers, cheeseburgers, etc., which was nice when it was too cold to venture outside for lunch.  Concessions, which I’m thinking will be from SportsService, will be available for purchase at Busch Stadium in the Redbird Club, which is also where the exhibitors (vendors and other organizations) will be located.

For those wanting to go to lunch elsewhere, there are restaurants at Live by Lowe’s and the Westin, which are the hotels nearest to WWU.  If you walk north of Ballpark Village, you can lunch at Ballpark Pizza (formerly IMO’s) on Market Street and Hooters on Chestnut Street. Jimmy John’s is at Broadway and Pine.  To the west and a block south of Busch Stadium are the Wheelhouse restaurant and the Midwestern (formerly J. Buck’s) on Spruce Street. And if you have the Metrolink pass, you can ride down to Union Station to eat at a restaurant there.  There is a Subway at 1010 Market but it is only open on Monday, and they do not take Subway coupons. I know this because I used to go there once a week when the law firm I worked at was in that building.

Where will everything be located?

Busch Stadium activities include:

• Cardinals Care Silent Auctions & Autograph Stations – UMB Champions Club
• Cardinals Care Store – Cunningham Corner
• Clubhouse/Field Tour – Access from the Redbird Club
• Exhibit Hall – Redbird Club
• Kid-friendly Activities – Redbird Club
• Team Store

Ballpark Village activities include:

• Main Stage Entertainment – Bally Sports Live! – including interviews, Q&As, and live auctions
• Autograph Stations – Budweiser Brewhouse, the Crown Room & PBR
• Bally Sports Midwest Information Booth
• Cardinals Authentics Store
• Cardinals Hall of Fame & Museum
• Cardinals Nation Restaurant
• Family-friendly Activities
• One Cardinal Way Tours
• Presentation Room – 3rd Floor of Cardinals Nation

Now that we’ve gotten all of that out of the way, just where do you enter WWU when you get there? 

There will be five entrances for Winter Warm-Up, one at Busch Stadium and four at Ballpark Village/Cardinals Nation.

Busch Stadium Entrance

• Gate 4 is located on Clark Street, across from the Prairie Farms ice cream building

Cardinals Nation/Ballpark Village Entrances

• Ballpark Village South Entrance located on Clark Street facing Busch Stadium
• Ballpark Village North Entrance located on Cardinal Way
• Cardinals Nation Authentics Entrance
• Cardinals Nation Restaurant

High traffic is anticipated for the Ballpark Village South Entrance. Fans are encouraged to use all entrances to enter Winter Warm- Up to help alleviate lines and allow for a smooth entry process.

You will need to show your ticket from the MLB Ballpark app on your smartphone for each day of the Winter Warm-Up upon entering the event each day. Your ticket will be scanned at your first point of entry whether at Busch Stadium or Ballpark Village. You will then receive a wristband for that day that will allow you to move between venues. After having your ticket scanned each day that you attend Winter Warm-Up, you will receive a wristband specific to the day. Once a ticket is scanned for entry, it cannot be scanned again. The wristband shows that you have been granted access to Winter Warm-Up that day and you are able to move between Busch Stadium and Ballpark Village. So don’t take off your wristband to wash your hands, etc.!

There are also retail discounts available with your admission to WWU. Here are the details:

Baseballism (in Ballpark Village)

• Anyone who shows a wristband or ticket during Winter Warm-Up Weekend will receive 15% off your purchase. No minimum purchase or restrictions.
• Saturday: Free Baseballism cap with a $50 purchase. While supplies last (limited supplies)
• Sunday: Free Baseballism Cardinals poster with any purchase

Cardinals Team Store

• 25% off all regular-priced items. (Some restrictions apply. Not valid with other discounts or promotions) – This is a nice discount. 😊
• $5 and $10 Specials on select items

*Discounts are given at the discretion of each establishment. Exclusions may apply. See the establishment for details.

The schedule is now up at www.cardinals.com/wwu in PDF format, but I will post it in a blog post tomorrow. 

Will you be at WWU?  If so, and you see me, please stop me, and say hi! I love to meet my blog’s readers.  It will be so good to be at WWU in person and see old friends and maybe make some new friends. It will be awesome to see the baseball players as well. And if any of you have a Bengie Molina autograph ticket that you don’t want, please let me know. I somehow missed that he was signing and I didn’t pick up a ticket in time. ☹ Here’s hoping I see you at WWU!

New Winter Warm-Up details and spring training ticket information too!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and you received everything Cardinals-related on your gift list. My Cardinals gift was the St. Louis Post-Dispatch book “Yadi: The Legendary Career of Yadier Molina,” which you can purchase here. It is a collection of articles about Yadi written by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch sportswriters, along with some beautiful photos. Reading this book made me realize just how special Yadi was, not only as a player but as a person. Should you purchase this book, I’m sure you will enjoy it.

What I got for Christmas that I didn’t like was a pipe that burst underneath our house (which is on a crawl space) on Christmas Day. The water company came and turned off the water, but I couldn’t get a plumber to come out until last Tuesday, and they couldn’t get the pipe fixed until Wednesday. We had to stay in a hotel for a couple of days. I hope the extremely cold weather didn’t have any ill effects on you and/or your home.

Now that the calendar has turned over to the new year, we can finally get excited about the first live and in-person Winter Warm-Up since 2020, which will occur January 14-16. If you are attending, don’t forget that WWU is cashless, and your admission tickets and autograph tickets will be on the MLB Ballpark app on your smartphone. In addition, spring training tickets go on sale Saturday (1/7/22). The Cardinals released additional information about both of these events, and you’ll find all the details below:

ADDITIONAL 2023 WINTER WARM-UP DETAILS ANNOUNCED

LHP JoJo Romero Added to Weekend Autograph Lineup

Single-Day Admission, Photo With Fredbird & Free Autograph Tickets Available Friday, January 6

All Proceeds From The Annual Cardinals Care Event To Support Local Children

 The St. Louis Cardinals and Cardinals Care, the team’s charitable foundation announced today the addition of pitcher JoJo Romero to the 2023 Winter Warm-Up weekend autograph ticket lineup.  Autograph tickets for the newly added player, along with a limited number of single-day tickets, professional photo with Fredbird tickets, and free autograph tickets will be available beginning Friday, January 6 at 10 AM CT at cardinals.com/WWU. All tickets will be issued electronically via the MLB Ballpark App.

The largest fundraising event organized by Cardinals Care, the 2023 Winter Warm-Up will take place Saturday, January 14, through Monday, January 16 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day), at Busch Stadium and Ballpark Village.  New for this year, and included with Admission Tickets is entry to the Cardinals Hall of Fame & Museum, plus a tour of the Cardinals Clubhouse, which is open to fans once a year, just for this event. 

Another new feature of the Winter Warm-Up is a professional photo opportunity with the team’s beloved mascot, Fredbird.   The opportunity includes a reserved time frame for a professional photo with Fredbird, a backdrop, a 5″x7″ souvenir photo, and an online password-protected gallery where fans can download their favorite shots. Fans can register for a reserved time slot for this opportunity for $25 at cardinals.com/WWU.

Player autograph sessions are one of the most popular attractions of the Warm-Up.  While some autograph tickets are available for free, other autograph tickets require a specific additional donation.  Every dollar donated for autograph tickets—as well as all proceeds from the Winter Warm-Up weekend—will benefit Redbird Rookies, Cardinals Care Ballfields, and charitable grants to other non-profit organizations that support kids. In total, more than 50 players, coaches alumni, and front-office members will be on hand for the event. Visit cardinals.com/WWU for a full and updated list of available autograph tickets.

Tickets for the 2023 Winter Warm-Up 50/50 raffle are available now, and fans who purchase raffle tickets by 5 PM CT on Saturday, January 14 will be entered into a bonus raffle for a set of three (3) authentic Yadier Molina jerseys.  Tickets cost $5 for 3 raffle tickets, $10 for 10, $20 for 60, and $50 for 200 and are available for purchase online at cardinals.com/WWU for those located in the state of Missouri and at least eighteen (18) years of age at the time of purchase and in person at the event. The raffle will close and the grand prize winner will be drawn on Monday, January 16 at 3 PM CT.

Over the weekend, fans will also enjoy entertainment and live auctions from the Main Stage in Bally Sports Live!, and autographs in the Budweiser Brewhouse, the Crown Room, and PBR. Busch Stadium will serve as the site for the Cardinals Care Store, Silent Auction display, autograph stations, and an exhibit hall where fans will find a wide variety of sports memorabilia treasures and kids’ activities. 

Fans must have an admission ticket to access all Winter Warm-Up activities, including autograph stations and Fredbird photos.

For the latest details about the 2023 Cardinals Care Winter Warm-Up visit cardinals.com/WWU.

2023 CARDINALS SPRING TRAINING SINGLE-GAME TICKETS ON SALE SATURDAY

Cardinals to Play 18 of 30 Spring Training Games at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium

Individual tickets for 2023 Cardinals Spring Training games at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Florida, will go on sale Saturday, January 7, beginning at 9 AM CT.

Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium offers Reserved Box and Bleacher seating.  Additionally, all-inclusive tickets are available in The Chido Beach Club with a drink rail and four-top table seating.

The team’s 29-game Grapefruit League schedule (plus one exhibition game versus the Nicaraguan WBC team) is set to begin on Saturday, February 25, and will conclude on Monday, March 27.  The Cardinals Spring Training schedule features 15 home dates and three additional games as the “visiting” team against stadium co-tenants, the Miami Marlins, giving them 18 total games at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

The Cardinals will host six different Grapefruit League opponents in 2023, including home games against the Detroit Tigers (March 18) and New York Yankees (March 23).  The club will also host the Marlins for three games, the Houston Astros for three games, the New York Mets for three games, and the Washington Nationals for three games.

To purchase Spring Training single-game tickets, or for more information about the schedule or Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, visit cardinals.com/springtraining or call 561-630-1828.   

Thanks as always for reading! Happy New Year!

Diane