Yadier Molina, the 24th best player in Major League Baseball?

Yes, that was where the seventh and final St. Louis Cardinal finished on MLB Network’s Top 100 Players Right Now. (The Cards joined the Nationals and Phillies as the teams with the most players in the countdown, seven each.)

I was surprised, as I thought Yadi would be higher — what about you? Although Buster Posey, the 2012 National League MVP, was No. 21.

The Top 10, starting with No. 1, are Mike Trout, Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera, Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw, Ryan Braun, Felix Hernandez, Robinson Cano, Joey Votto and Josh Hamilton. (And, if you’re curious, That Guy Who Used to Play First Base is 14th. If you want to see the entire 100, it’s here.)

Today is Mitchell Boggs’ final appearance with the Cardinals before leaving to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. Derrick Goold has a great feature in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Mitchell and his outstanding 2012 season.

“Throughout the whole thing, throughout the entire last season, that’s the guy I expected to be, and that’s the guy I expect to be this season,” Boggs said. “I don’t think last year is something I’m going to hang my hat on. It’s not something I going to rest on. It’s something I need to build on.”

Good luck to Mitchell and Team USA! To keep up with all the World Baseball Classic happenings, check the Aerys main MLB Site, Around the Horn, with the coverage from Tara Franey regularly.

Here’s the line-up for today’s Nationals vs. Cards game, with Adam Wainwright starting. Mike Matheny is back in the dugout too, after what sounds like a very rough Friday. Game time is 12:05 p.m. Central Time and on KMOX Radio.

You never know where coverage of the Cardinals will appear. This week, there was an article about Ballpark Village in the Wall Street Journal — specifically the challenges for financing the project has faced before getting started.

Former Cardinal Kyle Lohse is still looking for a place to pitch in the season ahead — and could the reluctance for teams to sign him be because pitchers who improve under Dave Duncan, as Lohse did, tend to not do well once they leave? Rob Neyer takes a look at how some of our old friends did once they left St. Louis.

Speaking of Dave Duncan, here’s a very nice article on his sons Chris and Shelley Duncan from the Tampa Bay Times — Shelly is in camp with the Rays.

Finally, this isn’t related to the Cardinals or former Cardinals, but it’s a really interesting read from former pitcher Eric Knott, Surviving Professional Baseball in the Steroid Era.


Christine Coleman is the lead 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.