St. Louis Cardinals Wiretap

Walker Goes Out Looking

Larry Walker would have preferred to go out another way.

But after taking a called third strike in the ninth inning of the Houston Astros' NL Championship Series-clinching 5-1 win over St. Louis on Wednesday night, Walker sounded like he was through.

"I couldn't even breathe," Walker told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "All these emotions were going every direction. I knew it was it. I'm not coming back."

Walker had frequently suggested this season would be his last. He struggled through a season in which he received cortisone shots on four different occasions to relieve the pain of a herniated disc in his neck, but still hit .289 with 15 homers in 100 games.

Walker said he'll miss the competition.

"Putting on a uniform and going out there and challenging nine other guys to a baseball game was always a blast," he said. "It's a great life."

Via ESPN

St. Louis Cardinals

Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets

---

La Russa And Edmonds Ejected In Loss

Not only are the St. Louis Cardinals losing the NL championship series 3-1, they're losing their cool.

Manager Tony La Russa and Jim Edmonds were ejected for arguing pitch calls in the seventh and eighth innings of Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Houston Astros, another frustrating game for them in an increasingly frustrating series.

Nothing has gone right the last three games, all Astros victories, for the team that led the major leagues with 100 victories, swept the Padres in the first round and went 11-5 against the Astros in the regular season. Before losing the manager who's third on the career victory list behind only Connie Mack and John McGraw, plus their second-best run producer, the Cardinals had already been short-handed. They were down to their third choice at third base, John Mabry, given that Scott Rolen had season-ending shoulder surgery in August and Abraham Nunez sustained a deep left thigh bruise in a collision with Astros baserunner Jason Lane in Game 3.

Via AP

Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals

Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets

---

Sanders Out Of Game 3 With Neck And Back Injuries

Reggie Sanders, who leads the postseason with 12 RBIs, was out of the St. Louis Cardinals' lineup for Game 3 of the NL championship series Saturday because of a neck and back injuries from an awkward spill in the outfield.

Sanders said the pain level was a ``seven or eight'' on a scale of one to 10 on Friday. Manager Tony La Russa said Sanders had made some improvement, but not enough.

``When you play baseball you're going to have to swing, you're going to have to throw, you're going to have to defend, so that's punishment,'' said La Russa, whose team is tied 1-1 in the best-of-seven series. ``He got pounded on his back so he had some trauma and some discomfort and that's been localized.''

Via AP

Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals

Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets

---

Cardinals Purchase Ankiel's Contract

The St. Louis Cardinals purchased the contract of former pitcher turned minor-league outfielder Rick Ankiel on Friday, hours before the former phenom left-hander was due to become a minor-league free agent.

The move signifies the team's belief that Ankiel, 26, has promise in his new career, along with an unwillingness to cut ties with a player who has been in the organization since being picked in the fourth round of the 1997 draft. Those factors, plus the team's age in the outfield, may give him a decent chance of making the roster next year.

Right fielder Larry Walker, 38, is expected to retire. Left fielder Reggie Sanders is 37, center fielder Jim Edmonds is 35 and the top outfield backups are So Taguchi, 36, and John Mabry, who'll be 35 on Monday.

Via ESPN

St. Louis Cardinals

Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets

---

Cards And Red Sox Amongst The Leading Contenders For Giles

The Red Sox signaled they could be a suitor if right fielder Brian Giles enters free agency next month. Persons close to Giles expect to hear from the Cardinals, who might lose right fielder Larry Walker to retirement.

The A's pursued Giles when he was in Pittsburgh and employ one of Giles' closest friends, catcher Jason Kendall.

Via Union-Tribune

Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals

Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets

---