Nothing like a Twitter timeline full of baseball news now, right? The abundance of tweets about the winter meetings in Nashville, Tenn., combined with yesterday’s 70 degree temperature in northwest Illinois, had me wondering just what month it really was. (Sadly, the darkness by 5 p.m. told me it’s really not summer.)

Chances are you’re keeping up with the great work being done and posted by Derrick Goold and Rick Hummel at the Post-Dispatch and by Jenifer Langosch at the Cards website. If you want a quick overview of all that happened yesterday Cardinals-wise, check out Winter Meetings Day 1: The Rumors Slow-Cooking on the St. Louis Cardinals’ Lukewarm Stove at Viva El Birdos.


One item of note from yesterday’s coverage is the online chat with Derrick Goold, available here. Great info. He’ll be chatting again today at 1 p.m., so get your questions in or just follow along.


Also newsworthy from yesterday was MLB’s announcement of 32 players who will participate in the World Baseball Classic, a sneak preview of sorts before the full rosters are revealed in January. Three Cards are among those announced: Carlos Beltran and Yadier Molina for Puerto Rico and Jaime Garcia for Mexico. Yes, that’s correct — Jaime Garcia, and his troublesome shoulder. Here’s more from Jenifer Langosch:

General manager John Mozeliak was asked if such health concerns made him wary of allowing Garcia to participate in the Classic.

“I’m encouraged that physically he feels that he can compete,” Mozeliak said. “In terms of making that final decision, it’s something that we’ll speak with him and his agent about. But right now, I think that it’s very positive news.”

The Cardinals could step in and request Garcia not be a part of the showcase if they feel it is too risky a venture.

A pitcher who missed time twice in 2012 due to shoulder trouble and maybe needed surgery and then didn’t? Yes, pitching in the WBC just might be “too risky a venture.”


One last thing from yesterday: MLB announced an auction of one-of-a-kind baseball experiences from each team yesterday to benefit Stand Up To Cancer. The Cardinals are offering the chance to experience photo day during spring training that includes the opportunity to be with the team, a personalized jersey and more — details are here, as well as the story of Cards media relations manager Melody Yount’s battle against breast cancer. Bidding in the auction is through Thursday and available here. (I am happy to see the current bid for the meet-and-greet with Mike Trout is higher than the bid for breakfast with Hunter Pence.)


In other fundraising news, last week Chris Carpenter helped raise money for the Judevine Center for Austism in St. Louis. Here’s a quick video report from FOX 2.


A Cardinal Hall of Famer was raising money as well — though not for charity. Ozzie Smith sold all 13 of his Gold Glove awards, plus the World Series rings he received from the Cardinals for 2006 and 2011 and more, in an auction. Daniel at C70 At the Bat — an Ozzie fan — wrote a very thoughtful piece on it, “Fallen Heroes.”



This was an interesting piece as well: the perspective from Tony La Russa on how a team comes back from tragedy, focusing on the Kansas City Chiefs.


How about something lighter? How about Matt Holliday’s quarterback days in high school? How about a picture? All here, from NewsOK in Oklahoma.


The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame announced its 2013 inductees and included is David Eckstein. The induction ceremony is Jan. 27 in Springfield, Mo.


Finally, as the winter meetings have made us all even more anxious for baseball news, we’ll have a weekly outlet to hear about the Cardinals with the “Cardinals Hot Stove League Show” starting on KMOX tomorrow night from 7 to 9 p.m. Central Time and every Wednesday through March 27. It’s hosted by Kevin Wheeler and Mike Claiborne and will focus — not surprisingly — on Cardinals baseball, with an additional emphasis on Major League Baseball as a whole. Topics will also include the Cardinals minor league system, as well as business and community issues. Guests will include Mike Matheny,John Mozeliak, Mike Shannon and John Rooney, front office officials, and current and former Cardinals players. KMOX is available on the Radio.com app, if you can’t listen on the radio.



Christine Coleman is the senior St. Louis Cardinals reporter for Aaron Miles’ Fastball. Follow her on Twitter, @CColeman802, or email aaronmilesfastball@gmail.com. Also follow @AMilesFastball for the latest updates.