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The Cardinal Chronicle Daily Farm Report St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurFarm Report: Smith Powers Palm Beach Comeback, Memphis Wins in ExtrasThe Cardinals’ full-season minor league affiliates went 2-2 on Tuesday, with Memphis and Palm Beach picking up wins while Springfield and Peoria dropped close games.Memphis opened the second half like a first-half champion, scoring five runs in the 10th inning to beat Jacksonville 8-3. Palm Beach erased a five-run deficit and rolled past Bradenton 16-6 behind a huge night from Brayden Smith and strong relief from Cade Crossland. Springfield lost 6-3 to Northwest Arkansas despite a strong start from Jurrangelo Cijntje and a two-hit Double-A debut from Jesús Báez. Peoria lost 2-1 in 10 innings at Beloit despite another strong start from Blake Aita.It was a split night across the system.Memphis looked like a club that knows how to finish.Palm Beach showed some fight after a rough first inning.Springfield and Peoria both had pitching lines worth keeping, even in losses.Memphis Redbirds Record: 48-28 overall, International League West Second Half: 1-0 Standings: 2026 International League First Half Champions Result: Memphis 8, Jacksonville 3 — 10 inningsMemphis opened the second half with the kind of win good teams find a way to steal.The Redbirds beat Jacksonville 8-3 in 10 innings Tuesday night, scoring five runs in the top of the 10th to break open a tie game and start the second half with another road win.This one was tied 3-3 after nine innings.Then Memphis took over.Matt Koperniak delivered the biggest swing of the extra inning, coming through with a two-run single that helped seal the win. He finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs, giving the Redbirds the kind of late-game production that turns a tight game into a comfortable final score.Leo Bernal and Ramón Mendoza each had three hits and drove in a run. Bernal reached safely four times, continuing to give Memphis steady production behind the plate. Nolan Gorman, in his first game with Memphis this season, went 1-for-5 with an RBI.Bruce Zimmermann gave Memphis a solid start, working five innings and allowing one run on four hits. He walked three and struck out three. It was not overpowering, but it was steady enough to keep the Redbirds in the game.Hancel Rincón picked up the win with two scoreless innings out of the bullpen.That combination worked.Zimmermann kept the game close.Rincón held the line.The offense finished it late.Memphis just clinched the International League First Half Championship over the weekend, but there was no hangover Tuesday. The Redbirds opened the second half by doing what they have done most of the season.They found a way to win.Springfield Cardinals Record: 31-38 overall, Texas League North Second Half: 0-1 Standings: Texas League North Result: Northwest Arkansas 6, Springfield 3Springfield opened the second half with a loss, but there were still development notes worth keeping.The Cardinals fell 6-3 to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Tuesday night, snapping a four-game winning streak.Jurrangelo Cijntje gave Springfield a strong start and deserved a better result. The switch-pitcher worked six innings, allowing one earned run on three hits while walking two and striking out six.That is a quality Double-A line.The problem was the offense did not arrive until late.Springfield was held scoreless through eight innings before pushing across three runs in the ninth. By then, the hole was too deep.Jesús Báez made his Double-A debut and wasted no time getting comfortable. Báez singled on the first pitch he saw in his first Double-A at-bat and finished 2-for-4. That is a good first impression, especially for a player coming off a strong stretch at Peoria.There is a difference between winning the game and having something useful to take from it.Springfield did not win.But Cijntje gave the Cardinals six strong innings, and Báez gave them a promising first look at the next level.Those are the notes that matter in a second-half opener.Peoria Chiefs Record: 33-36 overall, Midwest League West Second Half: 1-2 Standings: Midwest League West Result: Beloit 2, Peoria 1 — 10 inningsPeoria wasted a strong start Tuesday night.The Chiefs lost 2-1 in 10 innings at Beloit, falling in walk-off fashion after struggling to generate offense late.Blake Aita gave Peoria exactly what it needed on the mound. The right-hander worked 5.2 innings and allowed one run, keeping Beloit quiet most of the night. Through four innings, he had struck out six and had faced only one batter over the minimum.That was a strong start.Peoria grabbed the early lead in the first inning. Jack Gurevitch led off with a double, and Jalin Flores drove him in with a hit down the left-field line to make it 1-0.For a while, that looked like it might hold.Beloit tied the game in the fifth, using a bunt single, a sacrifice bunt and an RBI hit from Dillon Head to even the score.From there, the Chiefs’ offense went quiet.Peoria managed only one hit over the final five innings against the Beloit bullpen. The Chiefs had a chance in the 10th with the placed runner at third, but could not push him across.That opened the door for Beloit.The Sky Carp won it in the bottom of the 10th on a pinch-hit single from Abrahan Ramirez.Peoria’s bullpen did its job for most of the night, throwing 3.1 scoreless innings before the 10th-inning run. But the offense did not give the pitching staff enough room.Aita deserved better.Palm Beach Cardinals Record: 36-34 overall, Florida State League East Second Half: 3-1 Standings: Florida State League East Result: Palm Beach 16, Bradenton 6Palm Beach had every reason to let Tuesday’s game get away early.The Cardinals did the opposite.Palm Beach fell behind 5-0 in the top of the first inning, then stormed back for a 16-6 win over Bradenton. It was one of the stronger offensive responses of the season for the Cardinals.Cooper Hjerpe made his third rehab start, but the outing did not go as planned. Hjerpe was lifted after two-thirds of an inning, allowing four runs on three hits with one walk and one strikeout.Palm Beach needed someone to stabilize the game.Cade Crossland did that.Crossland came out of the bullpen and gave the Cardinals 4.1 hitless innings, giving Palm Beach time to climb all the way back and then run away with the game.The offense did the rest.Brayden Smith started the comeback in the first inning with a two-run homer, cutting the deficit to 5-2. In the fourth, Smith led off with another home run, his second of the game and sixth of the season.That was only the start of the inning.Matthew Miura walked, and Ian Petrutz followed with a two-run homer to tie the game 5-5. Yordalin Peña then tripled, and Alex Birge doubled him in to give Palm Beach its first lead.The Cardinals blew the game open in the fifth with an eight-run inning.Ryan Weingartner hit a solo home run. Peña added an RBI double. Birge drove in more runs. Sebastian Dos Santos added an RBI double. Weingartner came back around with an RBI single, and Smith capped the inning with a sacrifice fly.By the time the inning ended, Palm Beach had turned a 5-0 deficit into a 14-5 lead.Smith finished 3-for-4 with two home runs and five RBIs. It was the first time he had hit two home runs and driven in five runs in the same game.That is a night.Palm Beach had several strong offensive performances, but Smith was the center of the comeback. Crossland gave the Cardinals the pitching bridge they needed, and the lineup took full advantage.That is how you turn a bad first inning into a blowout win.Player of the Day Brayden Smith, Palm Beach CardinalsBrayden Smith is The Cardinal Chronicle’s Player of the Day after going 3-for-4 with two home runs and five RBIs in Palm Beach’s 16-6 win over Bradenton.Smith started the comeback with a two-run homer in the first inning after Palm Beach had fallen behind 5-0. He led off the fourth with another home run, then added a sacrifice fly in the fifth as part of an eight-run inning.That is run production.That is also timing.Palm Beach needed someone to change the tone of the game after the first inning, and Smith did exactly that.Matt Koperniak deserves strong mention after driving in three runs for Memphis, including a two-run single in the 10th inning. Leo Bernal and Ramón Mendoza each had three-hit games for the Redbirds. Jesús Báez deserves mention after going 2-for-4 in his Double-A debut for Springfield.But Smith had the biggest offensive line of the day.Two home runs.Five RBIs.A comeback win.That earns the honor.Pitcher of the Day Cade Crossland, Palm Beach CardinalsCade Crossland is The Cardinal Chronicle’s Pitcher of the Day after giving Palm Beach 4.1 hitless innings of relief in the Cardinals’ 16-6 win over Bradenton.The game could have gotten away quickly.Palm Beach fell behind 5-0 in the first inning, and Cooper Hjerpe’s rehab start ended after just two outs. The Cardinals needed length and stability from the bullpen.Crossland gave them both.He kept Bradenton hitless over 4.1 innings, giving the offense time to erase the deficit and then take control of the game.Blake Aita deserves strong mention after throwing 5.2 innings of one-run baseball for Peoria in a 2-1 extra-inning loss at Beloit. Jurrangelo Cijntje also deserves mention after allowing one earned run on three hits with six strikeouts over six innings for Springfield. Bruce Zimmermann gave Memphis five innings of one-run ball, and Hancel Rincón added two scoreless innings in the Redbirds’ extra-inning win.But Crossland changed the game.He came in when Palm Beach needed someone to stop the damage.Then he gave the Cardinals 4.1 hitless innings.That gets the nod.Old School TakeThis was a split night, but Palm Beach had the best answer.Falling behind 5-0 in the first inning can turn into a long night in a hurry.Instead, Brayden Smith started swinging, Cade Crossland stopped the game from getting away, and Palm Beach turned it into a 16-6 win.Memphis also did what champions do. The Redbirds got to extra innings, scored five in the 10th, and opened the second half with a win.Springfield lost, but Jurrangelo Cijntje pitched well and Jesús Báez had two hits in his Double-A debut.Peoria lost a tough one, but Blake Aita gave the Chiefs a good start.That is the Farm Report.Some wins.Some frustration.A lot to track. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: <a data-mce-href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" title="www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>Photo Credit: Nolan Gorman, St. Louis Cardinals | MLB

Farm Report: Smith Powers Palm Beach Comeback, Memphis Wins in Extras

The Cardinal Chronicle Pallante Leads Cardinals Past Diamondbacks as Arenado Returns to Busch St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurNolan Arenado came back to Busch Stadium on Monday night wearing a different uniform.The St. Louis Cardinals made sure he left with a loss.In Arenado’s first game back in St. Louis as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Cardinals leaned on Andre Pallante, scratched out just enough offense, and held on late for a 3-2 win in the series opener at Busch Stadium.It was not a loud offensive night for St. Louis. It was not one of those games where the lineup buried an opponent early and gave the ballpark a chance to exhale.This was tighter than that.It was a pitching-and-defense kind of win. It was a bullpen-hold-your-breath kind of win. It was the kind of game where the Cardinals had to make three runs stand up, and this time, they did.Pallante set the tone.The right-hander gave the Cardinals six innings, allowing one run on six hits, walking none and striking out two. He threw 85 pitches, 55 for strikes, and kept the Diamondbacks from building the kind of inning that could have changed the game.That was the difference.Arizona put traffic on the bases, but Pallante did not give away free passes, did not lose the strike zone, and kept forcing the Diamondbacks to earn everything. On a night when the Cardinals’ offense was not going to overpower Merrill Kelly, Pallante had to keep the game under control.He did.The game also carried a little extra emotion before much of the baseball had even been played.Arenado stepped in for his first at-bat back at Busch Stadium and received a warm reception from Cardinals fans, the kind of response that fit the moment. His time in St. Louis did not end with a championship parade, but it did include Gold Glove defense, steady professionalism, big moments, and a player who carried himself the right way.Cardinals fans remembered that.Then the game moved on.Arenado singled in the second inning and later drove in Arizona’s first run with a groundout in the sixth, but this night belonged more to the Cardinals’ pitching staff than to the former Cardinal across the diamond.St. Louis had a chance to strike early in the first inning. JJ Wetherholt singled, Ivan Herrera followed with a single, and Alec Burleson worked a walk to load the bases with nobody out. But Jordan Walker lined out, and Lars Nootbaar grounded into a double play, letting Kelly escape without damage.That could have become the story of the game.Instead, the Cardinals found another way.Nathan Church opened the third inning with a single, stole second, and moved into scoring position with one out. Herrera walked, and Burleson delivered a single to shallow right, scoring Church and giving St. Louis a 1-0 lead.It was not a big inning, but it was a needed one.The Cardinals added on in the fourth. Nootbaar worked a walk, and Masyn Winn followed with a single to left. Jimmy Crooks moved both runners with a groundout, and rookie Blaze Jordan lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Nootbaar to make it 2-0.Church followed with a two-out single to shallow left, bringing home Winn and stretching the lead to 3-0.That was the Cardinals’ offense for the night.Three runs.Seven hits.Just enough.Church finished 2-for-3 with a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base. Wetherholt added two hits from the leadoff spot. Herrera reached twice with a hit and a walk. Burleson drove in his 56th run of the season. Jordan added the sacrifice fly, giving the Cardinals another productive at-bat from a young hitter still settling into his first big-league month.The Cardinals did leave some offense on the table. Walker went hitless and stranded five runners. The first-inning bases-loaded chance disappeared quickly. The Cardinals finished with seven hits and four walks, but only pushed across three runs.On some nights, that gets a team beat.Not Monday.Pallante kept Arizona quiet through the first five innings. The Diamondbacks finally broke through in the sixth when Corbin Carroll doubled to deep right, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on Arenado’s groundout to shortstop.That cut the Cardinals’ lead to 3-1.Pallante got the final out of the inning, ending his night with the lead intact.From there, it became a bullpen game.Ryan Stanek opened the seventh and got the first out, but Tim Tawa Troy homered to center, cutting the Cardinals’ lead to 3-2. Ketel Marte followed with a single, and suddenly the clean, controlled game had turned uncomfortable.JoJo Romero came in and restored order, getting Geraldo Perdomo to ground out to end the inning. Romero returned for the eighth and got Corbin Carroll before Ildemaro Vargas flied out to center. George Soriano came in to face Arenado and got him to foul out to first, ending the inning and preserving the lead.That left the ninth for Riley O’Brien.O’Brien closed it out, earning the save and protecting the one-run lead. It was not a night where the Cardinals had room for mistakes. They had scored their runs early, missed a few chances to add on, and then handed the game to the bullpen.This time, the bullpen finished the job.The Diamondbacks finished with eight hits, but only two runs. Carroll had two hits and scored a run. Marte had two hits. Arenado went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Troy homered for Arizona’s other run.St. Louis finished with three runs on seven hits and played clean defense.That mattered too.The Cardinals did not need to win this game with fireworks. They needed to win it with pitching, timely contact, and enough bullpen outs to close the door. After a rough series in Kansas City, even with Sunday’s wild 12-10 escape, Monday night was a steadier brand of baseball.The Cardinals needed that.They got six strong innings from Pallante. They got production from Church at the bottom of the order. They got Wetherholt on base twice at the top. They got Burleson and Jordan to bring home runs. They got the bullpen to hold a one-run lead.And they got a win to open the series.Arenado’s return gave the night its emotional backdrop.Pallante gave it its structure.O’Brien gave it the finish. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: <a data-mce-href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" title="www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>Photo Credit: Andre Pallante, St. Louis Cardinals | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images&nbsp;

Pallante Leads Cards Past D-Backs as Arenado Returns to Busch

ARMCHAIR GM — The Cardinal Chronicle A Sonny Gray Reunion Makes No Dollars or Sense for the Cardinals&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurSome trade rumors make you think.Some make you scratch your head.And then there is the idea of the St. Louis Cardinals trading to bring Sonny Gray back from the Boston Red Sox.That one makes you check the math twice, close the calculator, and wonder who left the gate open.This is not an anti-Sonny Gray argument. Let’s get that out of the way early. Gray is still a good major league pitcher. He is a veteran. He misses bats. He has postseason experience. He has been one of the few bright spots in what has become a disappointing Red Sox season.If Boston sells, Gray should draw interest from contenders looking for rotation help.The Cardinals just should not be one of them.Not because Gray cannot pitch.Because the idea makes almost no sense for St. Louis from a roster-building, financial, or front-office credibility standpoint.The Cardinals just traded Gray to Boston this past offseason. They did it as part of Chaim Bloom’s first major effort to reshape the roster, clear veteran money, and bring back younger pitching. St. Louis received Richard Fitts, Brandon Clarke, and a player to be named later or cash. More importantly, the Cardinals also agreed to send Boston $20 million to make the deal work.That is the part that makes a reunion so awkward.The Cardinals are already paying a major chunk of Sonny Gray’s 2026 contract.Now the rumor mill wants them to trade for him again?That is not strategy. That is buying back your own lawn mower at a yard sale while still making payments on it.Gray’s contract is not simple. His original deal was reworked when he went to Boston. The 2026 salary was adjusted to $31 million, and the 2027 option structure includes a $10 million buyout. The Cardinals are already on the hook for $20 million from the first trade. Boston’s remaining responsibility is still significant, and any new acquiring team would have to work through the remaining salary and buyout obligations.For St. Louis, that creates a bizarre scenario.To bring Gray back, the Cardinals would either take on additional money for a pitcher they are already helping pay, or they would need Boston to send money back in the deal. Think about that. The Cardinals would be asking the Red Sox to return part of the financial relief St. Louis gave them in the first place.That is not a clean trade. That is front-office gymnastics.And for what?A half-season rental?Gray could help the 2026 Cardinals. That part is true. If the Cardinals are in the Wild Card race and need another proven starter, Gray would give them innings, experience, and a pitcher who would not be overwhelmed by meaningful baseball.But the Cardinals should not be shopping for nostalgia.They should be shopping for direction.The whole purpose of moving Gray in the first place was to shift away from expensive short-term veteran dependency and toward younger, more controllable pitching. If Bloom turns around six or seven months later and spends more money, plus trade capital, to reacquire the same pitcher, what exactly was the plan?That is the question.Fans can debate whether trading Gray was the right move in the first place. That is fair. But once the Cardinals made the move, they committed to a different direction. Reversing course this quickly would make the organization look unsure of itself.Good front offices adjust.They do not chase their own tail.There is also the matter of opportunity cost. Every dollar and every prospect used on Gray is a dollar or prospect not used on a pitcher who fits beyond 2026. If the Cardinals are going to buy at the deadline, they should buy controllable pitching. That has to be the lane.Joe Ryan makes sense if Minnesota opens the door.Reid Detmers makes sense if the Angels are willing to talk.A younger starter with multiple years of control makes sense.Sonny Gray, at this point, does not.The Cardinals are not one starting pitcher away from needing to act desperate. They are a competitive club trying to build something sustainable. That means deadline decisions have to serve both the current race and the next version of the roster.Gray serves the current race.He does very little for the next version.That does not mean the Cardinals should ignore the deadline. Quite the opposite. If they are still in the race, Bloom owes the clubhouse a serious effort to improve the club. But there is a difference between helping the roster and making a sentimental reunion deal that complicates the payroll and muddies the message.This is where the Cardinals have to be disciplined.They can sell short-term pieces and still buy in the right area. They can move an expiring contract and still add controllable pitching. They can be creative without being cute.Trading for Sonny Gray would feel cute.Too cute.The Red Sox are in a tough spot. They have a good veteran starter on a bad team, but his salary and option structure may limit the return. That is Boston’s problem. The Cardinals do not need to make it their problem again.Let another contender absorb the money.Let another contender pay for the short-term innings.Let another contender try to thread the no-trade clause, the buyout, and the deadline cost.The Cardinals already had their Sonny Gray chapter. It was not a failure, but it also was not the foundation of the next great St. Louis rotation. Bloom moved him for a reason. He took on cash to get younger arms for a reason. He began clearing the payroll picture for a reason.Do not undo that because the rumor mill got bored.The Cardinals need pitching. That much is obvious.But they need the right kind of pitching.They need arms that fit the timeline. Arms with control. Arms that can help in 2026 without leaving the roster right back where it started in 2027. If the Cardinals are going to spend real money or real talent, it should be for a pitcher who can be part of the next window, not a pitcher they just paid to leave.Sonny Gray may help somebody win games this summer.It just should not be St. Louis.Not again.Not at that cost.Not after the Cardinals already paid the price once. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: <a data-mce-href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" title="www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>Photo Credit: Sonny Gray, St. Louis Cardinals | David Richard-Imagn Images

A Sonny Gray Reunion Makes No Dollars or Sense for the Cardinals

The Cardinal Chronicle Leahy Gets the Ball as Cardinals Look to Take Control of Diamondbacks Series St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurThe Cardinals opened their four-game series against Arizona with the kind of win that does not need to be loud to be useful.Now comes the follow-up.After beating the Diamondbacks 3-2 Monday night at Busch Stadium, St. Louis returns Tuesday looking to take the first two games of the series and keep building momentum in a stretch that carries real weight in the National League race.First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. CT at Busch Stadium, with right-hander Kyle Leahy getting the ball for the Cardinals. Arizona is expected to counter with left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, giving St. Louis a tougher matchup than Monday’s opener on paper.The Cardinals did enough Monday night. That is not always a glowing review, but it is often the mark of a club that is learning how to win close games.Andre Pallante gave St. Louis six strong innings, allowing one run on six hits while striking out two and walking none. He did not overpower Arizona. He simply pitched, kept the ball around the zone, avoided free passes, and let the game stay in front of him. After some recent high-stress nights from the pitching staff, that kind of steady work matters.The offense was not explosive, but it was timely.Alec Burleson, Blaze Jordan and Nathan Church drove in runs, JJ Wetherholt added another two-hit game, and the Cardinals built just enough of a lead to make the bullpen hold it. JoJo Romero, George Soriano and Riley O’Brien finished the night, with O’Brien closing the door for his 19th save.That is how contenders win games when the bats are not blowing the doors off.Monday also carried an extra layer with Nolan Arenado returning to Busch Stadium as an opponent for the first time since his trade to Arizona. Arenado received a strong reception from Cardinals fans, which was appropriate. Whatever the ending looked like, his years in St. Louis mattered, and fans understood that. Once the game started, though, the Cardinals did what they had to do. They beat the team in the other dugout.Now the attention turns to Leahy.Leahy enters Tuesday at 5-4 with a 4.63 ERA. His assignment is not complicated, but it will not be easy. He needs to throw strikes, work ahead, and avoid the kind of early trouble that forces the Cardinals to start chasing the game. Arizona’s lineup may not have fully cashed in Monday night, but the Diamondbacks still had traffic and still had chances. They went quiet in the biggest spots, going hitless with runners in scoring position, but St. Louis should not expect that to repeat automatically.The Diamondbacks have enough offensive pieces to make mistakes hurt.Corbin Carroll can change a game with his speed and power. Ketel Marte remains one of the more dangerous switch-hitting bats in the National League. Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Eugenio Suárez, Gabriel Moreno and Arenado give Arizona enough experience and right-handed thump to make Leahy pay if he starts living in the middle of the plate.That is where Leahy has to be clean.He does not need to match Pallante inning for inning, but he does need to give the Cardinals a competitive start. If he can give St. Louis five or six innings and keep Arizona from building a crooked number, the Cardinals will take their chances with a lineup that has been getting contributions from several places.Against Rodriguez, the Cardinals’ right-handed bats will matter.Rodriguez enters with strong season numbers, and he gives Arizona a veteran left-hander capable of making a lineup look uncomfortable if hitters start chasing. St. Louis cannot give him quick innings. The approach has to be patient without becoming passive. Make him throw strikes, get traffic on the bases, and do not waste scoring chances when they arrive.That means Jordan Walker, Iván Herrera, Masyn Winn, Blaze Jordan and the right-handed side of the Cardinals’ lineup need to be ready to do damage. Burleson has been one of the club’s most reliable bats regardless of matchup, but against a left-hander, St. Louis needs balance.Wetherholt remains one of the more important players to watch. His two-hit night Monday continued a strong stretch at the plate, and when he is setting the table, the Cardinals’ lineup has a different look. He gives them traffic, speed, and a mature at-bat at the top of the order. That matters against pitchers who want to settle into rhythm early.Blaze Jordan is another key piece. His RBI Monday was not a thunderclap, but it mattered. The rookie continues to show he can help this lineup in real time, and every productive at-bat adds another layer to the Cardinals’ roster conversation. The bat got him here. The question now is how much it can help St. Louis stay in the race.Nathan Church also gave the Cardinals a needed run Monday, and that is the kind of contribution that can get overlooked in a tight win. The Cardinals do not need every run to come from the middle of the order. In games like this, the bottom third has to help. Monday night, it did.Tuesday is a chance to take control of the series.A win would put the Cardinals up 2-0 in the four-game set and guarantee at least a split before the final two games. It would also continue to stabilize a club that has had stretches of uneven pitching but still keeps finding ways to stack wins. The standings do not grade style. They count wins and losses, and Monday’s win counted just fine.But the Cardinals cannot live on one-run margins forever.They need more pressure Tuesday. More traffic. Better separation. If Leahy can give them a clean start and the offense can get to Rodriguez early, St. Louis has a chance to make the Diamondbacks spend another night playing from behind.That is how a home series should look.The Cardinals got the opener.Now they get a chance to tighten their grip.Game Info Matchup: Arizona Diamondbacks at St. Louis Cardinals When: Tuesday, June 23, 2026 First pitch: 6:45 p.m. CT Where: Busch Stadium, St. Louis Probable Pitchers: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez vs. RHP Kyle Leahy Rodriguez: 6-2, 2.45 ERA Leahy: 5-4, 4.63 ERA Broadcast: Cardinals.TV / KMOX / WIJR The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: <a data-mce-href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" title="www.cardinalchronicle.com" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>

Leahy Gets the Ball as Cards Look to Take Control of D-Backs Series

The Cardinal Chronicle Prospect Stock Market Report: Campos, Crossland and Molina Lead This Week’s Movement St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurProspect stock does not move on reputation alone.It moves when players perform. It moves when hitters adjust. It moves when pitchers throw strikes, miss bats and give their clubs clean innings. It also moves when the scoreboard starts asking hard questions.That is the weekly reality of minor-league baseball. A good week does not finish the job, and a bad week does not end the story. But every seven-day snapshot gives us a little more evidence.This week’s Prospect Stock Market Report has an expanded rising board, with three hitters and three pitchers pushing their stock higher. From Ryan Campos and Bligh Madris swinging hot bats to Cade Crossland, Luis Gastelum and Mason Molina strengthening their pitching cases, the Cardinals’ system had plenty of movement.STOCK RISING — HITTERS Ryan Campos, C, Springfield Cardinals The Movement: Ryan Campos put together one of the best offensive weeks in the upper half of the system.The Springfield catcher hit .409 over five games, going 9-for-22 with two doubles, two home runs, five RBIs, six runs scored and a 1.208 OPS. That is a loud week at Double-A, especially for a catcher.Campos is not currently ranked in The Cardinal Chronicle Top 30, but weeks like this are how a player starts pushing toward the edge of the board. Catching depth matters, and offensive production from behind the plate at Double-A deserves a longer look.Campos did not just collect singles and ride a soft stretch. He drove the baseball, produced runs and gave Springfield offense from a premium position. The Cardinals’ system has catching depth, but performance still has a way of opening a door.Old School Take: When a catcher hits over .400 for the week and adds two home runs at Double-A, you pay attention. Campos may not be the loudest name on the board, but this week, the production did the talking.Bligh Madris, 1B, Memphis Redbirds The Movement: Bligh Madris is not a traditional prospect, but his stock inside the organization is rising because production at Triple-A still matters.Madris hit .368 over five games for Memphis, going 7-for-19 with two doubles, two home runs, six RBIs, six runs scored and a 1.244 OPS. He also drew three walks, stole a base and continued to look like one of the more dependable offensive pieces in the Memphis lineup.Madris is not part of The Cardinal Chronicle Top 30, and that is fine. This is more of a depth-stock rise than a prospect-stock rise. He is older and more established than many players in this report, but that does not make the performance irrelevant. A major-league club trying to survive a long season needs reliable bats at Triple-A.Madris has been that kind of bat.Old School Take: Not every useful player is a shiny new prospect. Sometimes an organization needs a veteran Triple-A hitter who keeps producing, stays ready and gives the front office a call-up option. Madris is doing his part.Dakota Harris, 3B, Springfield Cardinals The Movement: Dakota Harris continues to make himself useful in more than one way.The Springfield third baseman hit .360 over six games, going 9-for-25 with two doubles, six RBIs, two walks and six stolen bases. The OPS, at .847, does not jump off the page like some of the power-heavy lines, but the total impact does.Harris is not currently ranked in The Cardinal Chronicle Top 30, but he is the kind of player who can force his way into the organizational conversation with steady Double-A production. Six steals in a week from a corner infielder is not something you see every day.Harris helped create offense with his bat, his legs and his ability to keep innings moving. He is not just trying to hit his way into the conversation. He is trying to show a broader skill set.Old School Take: A third baseman who hits .360 and steals six bases in a week is not just filling out a lineup card. He is helping win games. Harris earns a rising spot because he impacted the game in several ways.STOCK RISING — PITCHERS Cade Crossland, LHP, Palm Beach Cardinals The Movement: Cade Crossland remains one of the more interesting lower-level arms in the Cardinals’ system.Crossland is ranked No. 16 on The Cardinal Chronicle Top 30, and that placement reflects one simple thing: left-handed arms that miss bats get noticed. His stock continues to rise because the season-long strikeout profile is too strong to ignore.The walk totals still need to come down, and the overall run prevention has not always been spotless. But this report is about movement, and Crossland has moved from name-to-know territory into a legitimate follow.The Cardinals have been looking for left-handed pitching depth throughout the system. Crossland is giving them a reason to keep looking his way.Old School Take: You can teach refinement. You can work on command. But you cannot fake swing-and-miss from the left side. Crossland still has work to do, but the arm is trending the right direction.Luis Gastelum, RHP, Memphis Redbirds The Movement: Luis Gastelum delivered one of the sharper relief appearances in the system this week.The Triple-A right-hander worked 3.1 scoreless innings for Memphis, allowing just one hit, walking nobody and striking out seven. That is about as clean as it gets. No traffic, no damage and plenty of swing-and-miss.Gastelum is ranked No. 25 on The Cardinal Chronicle Top 30, giving him both prospect standing and proximity to St. Louis. He is pitching at Triple-A, he has been useful in multiple roles, and this week he gave the kind of performance that reminds you why upper-level depth arms matter.This is exactly the kind of outing that can start moving a pitcher from depth profile toward real consideration.Old School Take: Seven strikeouts, no walks and no runs at Triple-A will always get a man noticed. Gastelum did not just have a good week. He had the kind of week that makes a front office keep the phone nearby.Mason Molina, LHP, Springfield Cardinals The Movement: Mason Molina continues to strengthen his case as one of the steadier pitching prospects in the system.Molina is ranked No. 18 on The Cardinal Chronicle Top 30, and his Double-A performance continues to support that placement. The Springfield left-hander worked 6.2 innings this week, allowing three hits, one run, no earned runs, no walks and striking out five. That is a professional line. No walks. Deep into the game. Minimal damage. That is how a pitcher builds trust.Molina has already climbed in the rankings because the performance has matched the profile. He may not always get the same attention as the louder arms, but he keeps doing something every organization values: he gives his club real innings.That matters even more at Double-A, where hitters are better and mistakes do not stay hidden for long.Old School Take: Molina is becoming the kind of pitcher you appreciate more the longer you watch him. He throws strikes, limits damage and keeps his club in the game. That is not flashy. That is baseball.STOCK HOLDING Joshua Báez, OF, Memphis Redbirds The Movement: Joshua Báez had the loudest offensive week in the Cardinals’ system, but he lands in the holding category for one reason: he has already risen.Báez is ranked No. 3 on The Cardinal Chronicle Top 30, and his Triple-A power production is the reason he sits that high. This week only reinforced the case. He went 7-for-23 over six games with six home runs, 13 RBIs, eight runs scored and a 1.490 OPS for Memphis.That is not just hot. That is absurd.So why holding instead of rising?Because Báez is already near the top of the board. He is already one of the most important prospects in the system. He is already in the Triple-A-to-St. Louis conversation. This week did not introduce the case. It reinforced it.The strikeouts remain part of the profile, but four strikeouts in 23 at-bats this week is a very good sign for a hitter whose power has never been in question.Old School Take: Báez is holding, but this is not a quiet hold. This is a man standing on the top step and pounding on the door. Six home runs in a week does not require much poetry. The bat spoke loudly enough.Jacob Odle, RHP, Peoria Chiefs The Movement: Jacob Odle continues to hold strong as one of the fastest-rising arms in the system.Odle is ranked No. 11 on The Cardinal Chronicle Top 30, and that aggressive placement has looked justified. He gave Peoria six no-hit innings this week, walking four and striking out eight. The four walks keep this from being a perfect line, but the no-hit work and strikeout total are more than enough to keep his stock firm.Odle has already moved up the ladder in attention, rankings and organizational conversation. This week did not create a new story as much as it confirmed the one already being written.The only reason he is not in the rising group again is because the market already moved hard on him. Now he is holding at a higher level.Old School Take: Six no-hit innings will play in any league. The walks are the only reason to tap the brakes, but not hard. Odle is still one of the better pitching stories in the system.Quinn Mathews, LHP, Memphis Redbirds The Movement: Quinn Mathews holds this week because the line was complicated.Mathews is ranked No. 9 on The Cardinal Chronicle Top 30, and his ranking reflects both his left-handed upside and his proximity to St. Louis. This week, the Memphis left-hander worked nine innings, allowed three hits and struck out nine, which are all positives. But he also allowed four earned runs, walked seven and gave up three home runs. That makes the evaluation tougher.There is still plenty to like. The swing-and-miss is there. The length was there. The ability to keep working and miss bats at Triple-A still matters.But seven walks and three home runs keep him from rising. For Mathews, the issue has not been talent. It has been command, efficiency and keeping traffic from turning into damage.That remains the next step.Old School Take: Mathews is still too talented to downgrade hard, but the line tells both sides of the story. Nine strikeouts are good. Seven walks and three homers are not. That is a hold, not a climb.STOCK FALLING Liam Doyle, LHP, Springfield Cardinals The Movement: Liam Doyle lands on the falling side this week, and that is more about expectations than panic.Doyle is ranked No. 2 on The Cardinal Chronicle Top 30, which means the standard is higher. He remains one of the most talented arms in the system. The fastball, left-handed power and strikeout ability still carry real prospect value.But this week’s line — 4.1 innings, four earned runs, four walks, four strikeouts and a home run allowed — was not what a top-tier pitching prospect wants to show at Double-A.This is the challenge with Doyle. The stuff still flashes. The results still bounce around. The Cardinals do not need him to be perfect, but they do need more clean innings and fewer command-driven problems.A rough week does not change the long-term view. It does, however, move the short-term market down.Old School Take: Doyle is not falling off the board. He is falling for the week. There is a difference. The arm is still real, but Double-A is asking him to pitch, not just throw.Jurrangelo Cijntje, SHP, Springfield Cardinals The Movement: Jurrangelo Cijntje remains one of the most fascinating pitchers in the system, but the results this week pushed him down.Cijntje is ranked No. 5 on The Cardinal Chronicle Top 30, and that ranking reflects real upside. The switch-pitching profile is rare, the arm talent is real, and the ceiling still keeps him near the top of the system.But this week, he worked 4.2 innings, allowing six hits, five earned runs, three walks and one home run while striking out four. That is a rough line, and at Double-A, rough lines tend to expose the same question: can the stuff turn into reliable outs?The switch-pitching profile will always make Cijntje unique. There is value in that. There is intrigue in that. But unique does not automatically mean productive, and the development path has not been clean.The strikeouts remain part of the case, but the run prevention has to improve.Old School Take: Cijntje is still interesting. No doubt about that. But interesting only gets you so far. At some point, the scoreboard asks the same question it asks everybody else: did you get hitters out?Braden Davis, LHP, Springfield Cardinals The Movement: Braden Davis takes the hardest fall this week among the ranked arms.Davis is ranked No. 26 on The Cardinal Chronicle Top 30, and the ranking makes sense because left-handed strikeout ability still matters. But the results have been too uneven, and this week was another step in the wrong direction.The Springfield left-hander lasted 3.2 innings, allowing six hits, five earned runs, six walks and one home run while striking out just one. That is the kind of line that raises concern because it was not just damage. It was traffic, command trouble and a lack of swing-and-miss in the same outing.The talent keeps him relevant. The command keeps him from climbing.Old School Take: Davis has the arm, but Double-A is not forgiving. Six walks in less than four innings will beat almost anybody. He needs cleaner direction, better command and a reset before the stock moves back up.The Closing Bell This week’s Prospect Stock Market Report had more movement than usual.Ryan Campos gave Springfield a loud week from behind the plate. Bligh Madris reminded everyone that Triple-A depth still matters. Dakota Harris impacted games with the bat and his legs.On the pitching side, Cade Crossland, ranked No. 16 on The Cardinal Chronicle Top 30, continues to trend upward because the strikeout profile from the left side is difficult to ignore. Luis Gastelum, ranked No. 25, delivered a dominant Triple-A relief appearance. Mason Molina, ranked No. 18, kept building one of the steadier Double-A pitching cases in the organization.The holding group is strong. Joshua Báez, ranked No. 3, had the loudest offensive week in the system, but because he has already climbed near the top of the board, this week reinforces rather than redefines his stock. Jacob Odle, ranked No. 11, remains one of the system’s best pitching stories. Quinn Mathews, ranked No. 9, holds because the strikeouts and innings were encouraging, but the walks and home runs kept the line from being clean.The falling group comes from the Double-A pitching side. Liam Doyle, ranked No. 2, still has top-prospect stuff, but the command and results remain uneven. Jurrangelo Cijntje, ranked No. 5, remains fascinating, but the run prevention has not followed the intrigue. Braden Davis, ranked No. 26, still has left-handed value, but this week’s command issues were too loud to ignore.That is the farm system. Nobody stays in one lane forever.Some players rise. Some hold. Some stumble.And every week, performance gets a vote. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: <a data-mce-href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" title="www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>

Campos, Crossland and Molina Lead This Week’s Movement

The Cardinal Chronicle Daily Farm Report St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurFarm Report: Memphis Clinches First-Half Championship, Molina Leads Springfield Series WinThe Memphis Redbirds did what first-place clubs have to do.They finished.Memphis beat Nashville 10-8 on Sunday afternoon at AutoZone Park and clinched the 2026 International League First Half Championship, securing a spot in the International League Championship Series later this season. It is the Redbirds’ first International League title of any form since joining the league ahead of the 2021 season and their first playoff berth since winning the Triple-A Championship in 2018.Across the Cardinals’ full-season affiliates, the system went 3-1 in completed games, with Peoria’s Sunday game canceled by rain.Memphis won the biggest game of the day. Springfield beat Wichita 5-2 behind a strong start from Mason Molina. Peoria did not play after rain washed out the series finale against Dayton. Palm Beach split a doubleheader with Jupiter, winning 7-4 in game one before losing 4-3 in game two.The headline belongs to Memphis.The Redbirds were tested late.Then they celebrated.Memphis Redbirds Record: 47-28, International League West Standings: 1st place, International League West; 2026 International League First Half Champions Result: Memphis 10, Nashville 8Memphis entered Sunday needing to finish the job.The Redbirds did exactly that.Memphis beat Nashville 10-8 at AutoZone Park, clinching the 2026 International League First Half Championship and securing home field for the International League Championship Series scheduled for Sept. 22-24.That is not a small line in the standings.That is a championship marker for a Memphis club that spent the first half proving it was one of the best teams in Triple-A.The Redbirds started like a team ready to take control. César Prieto opened the scoring in the first inning with an RBI single. One batter later, Joshua Báez continued his remarkable week by launching a three-run home run, his sixth homer of the series, to give Memphis a quick 4-0 lead.Bligh Madris followed later in the inning with a solo home run, capping a five-run first and giving the Redbirds the kind of early cushion every first-place club wants in a clinching game.Memphis kept adding on and eventually built a 10-1 lead by the start of the sixth inning.Then came the reminder that clinching games are rarely clean.Nashville fought back. The Sounds scored late, made the game uncomfortable and pushed the tying run into the picture before Memphis finally shut the door.Quinn Mathews started and gave Memphis four innings, allowing one run on one hit. He walked three and struck out four. The only hit he allowed was a solo home run in the fourth inning.Ryan Fernandez, continuing his MLB rehab assignment, worked a perfect fifth inning in his second rehab appearance. Ryan Murphy handled the final out, getting a ground ball to shortstop Thomas Saggese to end the game and start the celebration.That final out mattered.Memphis did not just win another game. The Redbirds claimed the first half, punched their postseason ticket, and gave the Cardinals’ Triple-A affiliate its first playoff berth since 2018.There are long seasons in the minors where the standings are secondary to development.This was not one of those moments.Memphis developed players and won.That is the best kind of farm report headline.Springfield Cardinals Record: 31-36, Texas League North Standings: 4th place, Texas League North Result: Springfield 5, Wichita 2Mason Molina gave Springfield exactly what it needed Sunday afternoon.Length.Control.A road series win.The Cardinals beat Wichita 5-2 at Equity Bank Park, taking the series four games to two and closing the first half with one of their cleaner wins of the week.Molina became the first Springfield starter this season to pitch into the seventh inning. He worked a season-high 6.2 innings, allowing one unearned run on three hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out five.That is a starter controlling the game.Springfield gave Molina support right away. Jon Jon Gazdar led off the game with a home run, giving the Cardinals an immediate 1-0 lead.Wichita tied the game, but Springfield came back in the fifth. Ryan Campos and Miguel Ugueto each delivered two-out RBI doubles, putting the Cardinals ahead for good.Campos continued one of the better offensive stretches on the Springfield roster. He went 2-for-5 and extended his hitting streak to 12 games. Brody Moore also extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a 1-for-4 afternoon.Molina did the rest of the heavy lifting.He kept Wichita off balance, forced the Wind Surge to earn everything, and handed the bullpen a lead. Victor Clemente finished it off and earned the save.For Springfield, this was a good way to close the week. The Cardinals had some frustrating losses earlier in the series, but they finished strong and won four of six on the road.That matters.It is one thing to have individual production.It is another to win a road series.Springfield did both.Peoria Chiefs Record: 33-35, Midwest League West Standings: 3rd place, Midwest League West Result: Canceled vs. DaytonPeoria did not play Sunday.The Chiefs’ scheduled series finale against the Dayton Dragons at Dozer Park was canceled because of rain. Since the two teams do not meet again during the regular season, the game will not be rescheduled.That closes a strange week for Peoria.The Chiefs took a beating early in the series, losing several games in a row and watching Dayton’s offense do serious damage. But Peoria did get the answer it needed Saturday night when Jacob Odle threw six no-hit innings in a 6-0 win over the Dragons.Sunday’s cancellation means the Chiefs do not get a chance to build directly off that shutout before moving on to the next series.Peoria will take the rest day, turn the page, and head into the next week needing to find more consistency.Palm Beach Cardinals Record: 35-34, Florida State League East Standings: 2nd place, Florida State League East Results: Palm Beach 7, Jupiter 4 — Game 1 Jupiter 4, Palm Beach 3 — Game 2Palm Beach split its Sunday doubleheader against Jupiter at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.The Cardinals took game one 7-4, then dropped game two 4-3 after Jupiter walked it off in the bottom of the seventh.Game one belonged to Palm Beach’s bats.Sebastian Dos Santos got the Cardinals started in the third inning with his first Single-A home run, a two-out solo shot to right field. Matthew Miura added an RBI single in the fourth to make it 2-0.Ryan Mitchell then delivered the biggest swings of the opener.In the fifth inning, Mitchell came through with a two-run single to push Palm Beach’s lead to 4-0. In the seventh, he added a three-run home run to right-center field, his eighth homer of the season, giving the Cardinals a 7-0 lead.Jupiter rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh, but Palm Beach had enough cushion to hold on.That win gave the Cardinals the series victory.Game two flipped late.Jupiter built a 2-0 lead in the second inning, but Palm Beach finally broke through in the sixth. Brayden Smith tied the game with a two-run triple off the left-field wall, and Miura followed with an RBI single to put the Cardinals in front 3-2.Palm Beach was three outs away from sweeping the doubleheader.The Cardinals did not finish it.Jupiter tied the game in the bottom of the seventh after two Palm Beach errors helped open the door. The Hammerheads loaded the bases, and Julio Henriquez drew a walk to force home the winning run.That is a hard way to lose.Still, Palm Beach came out of the series with a win in game one, a series victory, and several offensive notes worth tracking. Mitchell had the biggest individual day, driving in five runs in the opener. Smith delivered a key triple in game two. Miura drove in runs in both games.The Cardinals did not finish the day clean.But they did win the series.Player of the Day Ryan Mitchell, Palm Beach CardinalsRyan Mitchell is The Cardinal Chronicle’s Player of the Day after driving in five runs in Palm Beach’s 7-4 win over Jupiter in game one of Sunday’s doubleheader.Mitchell broke the game open with a two-run single in the fifth inning, then added a three-run home run in the seventh. That gave Palm Beach a 7-0 lead and provided the cushion the Cardinals needed after Jupiter rallied late.Joshua Báez deserves strong mention after hitting a three-run home run in Memphis’ championship-clinching win over Nashville. Bligh Madris also deserves mention for his first-inning solo homer, and Jon Jon Gazdar deserves mention for leading off Springfield’s win with a home run.But Mitchell had the biggest run-production line of the day.Five RBIs.A three-run homer.A win that gave Palm Beach the series.That earns the honor.Pitcher of the Day Mason Molina, Springfield CardinalsMason Molina is The Cardinal Chronicle’s Pitcher of the Day after giving Springfield 6.2 innings of one-run baseball in its 5-2 win over Wichita.Molina allowed one unearned run on three hits, did not walk a batter and struck out five. He became the first Springfield starter this season to pitch into the seventh inning and helped the Cardinals lock down a 4-2 series win over the Wind Surge.That is the best pitching line of the day.Quinn Mathews deserves mention after allowing one run on one hit over four innings for Memphis in the Redbirds’ title-clinching win. Ryan Fernandez also deserves mention after throwing a perfect fifth inning in his second MLB rehab appearance.But Molina carried the cleanest and deepest start.6.2 innings.One unearned run.No walks.Five strikeouts.That gets the nod.Old School TakeThis one starts in Memphis.The Redbirds won the first half. They earned the celebration. They earned the postseason spot. They earned the right to host the International League Championship Series in September.That is what happens when development and winning meet in the same clubhouse.Memphis did not back into it. The Redbirds hit, pitched, survived the late push, and finished the job.Springfield also finished its week the right way, with Mason Molina giving the Cardinals a strong start and a series win.Peoria got washed out.Palm Beach split a doubleheader, won the series, and got a five-RBI game from Ryan Mitchell.But the headline belongs where it belongs.Memphis is the first-half champion.That is the Farm Report. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: <a data-mce-href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" title="www.cardinalchronicle.com" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>

Memphis Clinches Championship, Molina Leads Springfield to Win

The St. Louis Cardinal Chronicle 

The St. Louis Cardinal Chronicle is dedicated to preserving Cardinals history, covering today’s game, and following the next generation through the minor leagues. Written in the tradition of the old beat writers, it’s baseball with perspective — steady, faithful, and rooted in a lifelong love for the game.

The St. Louis Cardinal Chronicle, Ray Mileur

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