John Mozeliak chat, 8.20.08

[007]

The chat's all here...pick your favorite question!

BDAx2: Mr. Mozaliak,

Thank you for doing these chats..it obviously goes above and beyond your duties.

3 REALLY quick questions

1. Where do you realistically envision Colby Rasmus April 1, 2009?
2. Assume Carp and Waino healthy to start 2009, do you see a need to try and go outside the organization to add to the major league starting rotation in the offseason?
3. Do you see the SS position as a position where you are willing to accept below league average offense in exhcange for above league average defense?

John Mozeliak: 1. Rasmus will likely find himself competing for a major league job next spring, where he starts will be based on how he performs.
2. Looking at our '09 rotation of Carp, Waino, Wellemeyer, and Pineiro it would make sense to add another arm. I do like what we have seen from Boggs but I do not want to rush him if we do not have to.
3. I would prefer above average offense and above average defense...that is much more desirable.

[007]

This one was good (just got to it)

donald s box: I would like to ask John Mozeliak why don;t the cardinals try craid or freez at second base. With wallace comming on strong like he is they all cannot play third base. And wallace seems like a quick mover, i hope you all will not keep him in the minors like you seem to do all your players.

John Mozeliak: We are always looking at ways to improve the value (play-ability)of a player, but moving Freese to second??? Have you seen the man. All these young guys are swinging the bat and that is most important. Honestly we will have all of them work in the outfield this off-season.

[007]

One more...

Steve: Have you announced who will be replacing Izzy on the roster yet??

John Mozeliak: We have not made a roster as of today and with the off tomorrow it will likely wait until Friday.
Izzy had a great career with the Cardinals, he cared and wanted to compete at a high level. It is a disappointing ending but if he decides to pitch again, I only wish him the best.

Now I'm done reading it!

[sketch]

I think it is great that he does that here and there. Sure, he can cherry pick questions, but he seems pretty straight and has a good sense of humor.

[kennyboyerfan]

I think it is great that he does that here and there. Sure, he can cherry pick questions, but he seems pretty straight and has a good sense of humor.

I guess, but it all seems so predictable.

Seriously, ask me a question about the Cardinals, I can give you the Mo answer.

[Turd Ferguson]

I guess, but it all seems so predictable.

Seriously, ask me a question about the Cardinals, I can give you the Mo answer.

How fast can a Cardinal fly?

[Bleacher Creature]

How fast can a Cardinal fly?

Not very fast this season.

[kennyboyerfan]

How fast can a Cardinal fly?

We hope they'll fly high and fast.

[Turd Ferguson]

Can you explain the role of a Cardinal in the Catholic Church?

[kennyboyerfan]

Can you explain the role of a Cardinal in the Catholic Church?

I have a hard enough time with baseball questions. I'd better stick to that, but I admire your curiosity.

[ShortHop]

Why is Stanford University's mascot "the Standford Cardinal" singular and represented by a tree with eyeballs.

Seriously. I need to know.

[Turd Ferguson]

I have a hard enough time with baseball questions. I'd better stick to that, but I admire your curiosity.

Ok, Tour de France - On one bicycle is a cardinal and on another is the 86 Bears - who wins?

[kennyboyerfan]

Why is Stanford University's mascot "the Standford Cardinal" singular and represented by a tree with eyeballs.

Seriously. I need to know.

One of my assistants took a few minutes away from charting Colby's RH/LH splits to send me the following:

Following its win over Cal in the first-ever Big Game in 1892, the color cardinal was picked as the primary color of Stanford's athletic teams. White was adopted as a secondary color in the 1940s.
In 1930, the athletic department adopted the mascot "Indian." The Indian symbol and name were later dropped by President Richard Lyman in 1972, after objections from Native American students and a vote by the student senate.
From 1972 to 1981, the official nickname was the Cardinals. Despite the plural form of the name, the name was intended to refer to the color, not the bird. During the 1970s, a number of suggestions were put forth as possible nicknames: Robber Barons (a sly reference to Leland Stanford's history), Sequoias, Trees, Railroaders, Spikes, Huns, and Griffins. The last suggestion gained enough momentum to prompt the university to move two griffin statues to be near the athletic facilities.[1]
On November 17, 1981, school President Donald Kennedy declared that the athletic teams be represented by the color Cardinal in its singular form.[1]
Stanford has no official mascot, but the Stanford Tree, a member of the Stanford Band wearing a self-designed tree costume, appears at major Stanford sports events. The Tree is based upon El Palo Alto, a redwood tree in neighboring Palo Alto that appears in the Stanford seal and athletics logo.

[kennyboyerfan]

Ok, Tour de France - On one bicycle is a cardinal and on another is the 86 Bears - who wins?

Oh, you know me, Jester. I'm always going to pick the Cardinals. I grew up a Cardinal fan in Warsaw, Poland.

[007]

Ok, Tour de France - On one bicycle is a cardinal and on another is the 86 Bears - who wins?

A lot on depends on the size of the Cardinal. If you look at both of them equally at the end of the day, I'd say the 86 Bears would win due to sheer strength in numbers.

By the same token, the Cardinals would give them a run for their money. Having some skill that could contribute, I would think that it would be close.