Last year’s stats:

GP: 82

G:11

A:24

P:35

This year’s prediction:

GP: 81

G:17

A:25

P:42

A change of scenery could be exactly what Andrew needs to play up to his full potential. Unfortunately, for this year at least, he’ll likely land on the third line. On the plus side, if he does, he’ll likely see a lot of ice along-side the likes of Matt Beleskey, Brandon McMillan, Dan Sexton Kyle Palmieri, Nick Bonino, who are all loaded with potential (both offensive and defensive) of their own. This would obviously mean some of them would have to play something other than their primary positions. This a career changing year for Andrew, and I expect him to perform well. 42 points would be spectacular playing on the 3rd line, and I think with his speed, skill, and decent back-checking ability, it’s very reachable.

Last year’s stats:

GP: 67

G:19

A:57

P:76

This year’s prediction:

GP: 81

G:32

A:69

P:101

It’s only a matter of time before Getzlaf breaks the 100 point plateau, and I think it happens this year. He will be joined by last years Rocket Richard and Hart winner, Corey Perry, and Bobby Ryan, who is probably the best young LW in the game. As long as Getzlaf can stay healthy, he should be able to finally break 100 points. I have no doubts that this will be a career year for him and Bobby Ryan, maybe even Perry if they can all stay healthy. A facial injury held him back last year, but it was a freakish injury that probably won’t happen again in his career. If this guy can stay healthy, he may even lead the league in points.

So, since Monday two major components, David Freese and Nick Punto, came off the DL and, combined with the release of Franklin, the Cards look like a brand new team. They have completely destroyed the Baltimore Orioles and just look rejuvenated in general. Chris Carpenter has had back-to-back fantastic outings and heck, he’s even getting some run support.

Now, the last piece of the puzzle is to make a solid trade. No more “projects” where they try to turn someone who is having an awful season into a consistent producer. Granted, nobody does this better than the Cardinals. They’ve resurrected more careers in the past 10 years than they have won division titles and that’s a wonderful thing. But with all the injuries and the struggles they have faced so far here in 2011, they need to pay the extra cash, give up a couple prospects and trade for a proven star who is having a great year. I keep hearing rumors about J.J. Hardy (moving Ryan Theriot over to second and improving the defense) and closer Heath Bell. I’d be happy with either of those guys but, by the poll available on this site, it seems most of you agree with me that we need some relief help. Speaking of…

Lance Lynn looks good and struck out five of seven betters the other day. Maybe he’s the guy the bullpen needs and the club can upgrade with a trade for someone like Hardy. Regardless, baseball is the most unpredictable sport in the world. Three weeks ago the Cards had the best record in baseball. Three days ago the Cards looked like the worst team in baseball. Now they look like a first place team again, got rid of poor Franklin, had a great outing by Lance Lynn and saw the return of their utility infielder and starting third baseman.

Baseball, what can I say, it’s crazy.

1) The pitching, both starting staff and bullpen, needs to get back on track pronto. That’s a lot easier said than done. I mean, it’s not like the guys aren’t putting forth their best effort. As far as the rotation goes, every one of the starters have proven they have the stuff, but, for whatever reason, they are just not clicking right now.

So how does this get fixed?

I wish the answer was easy. If it was easy they’d be winning ballgames. So, if I was Mo, this is what I would do.

A) Speak with TLR and Dave Duncan about studying video of the players in their rotation (which I’d bet they already do) and look for tiny mechanical flaws that can be quickly fixed/give the pitcher more confidence. I’d even be willing to go as far as to tell the pitcher they’ve been tipping pitches and how to fix it so maybe mentally the pitcher will, again, have more confidence. Managers have admitted they’ve done this before. Anyway, that’s the first thing I’d do.

B) I know Tony is loyal to his players, which is a rare commodity and one of the reasons why TLR is so respected. However, his loyalty to Ryan Franklin has become a liability. Franklin hardly ever pitches and I can’t remember the last time he was brought in at Busch Stadium because of the boos. I don’t care what he is getting paid…he needs to go. Since he doesn’t pitch anyway, it seems meaningless to keep him on the 25-man roster. He needs to be optioned to AAA Memphis or be let go completely, asap. All he is doing is taking up a roster spot, which leads us to…

C) Fill up Franklin’s roster spot by biting the bullet, gamble and give up some prospects for a major reliever. I’m talking about someone like Heath Bell, J.J. Putz, or Joel Hanrahan (though I doubt Pittsburgh would part with the latter). This move would shake up the bullpen, raise morale and more importantly, give the struggling ‘pen some much needed depth and someone to depend on.

D) Throw in a spot starter this week (Lance Lynn?) and keep them in for eight innings no matter how hard they get rocked. It will probably result in another loss, but it will give everyone on the rotation an extra day of rest, which I believe is a major reason why the rotation has been struggling in recent weeks. It will also give the bullpen a day off as well.

Again, all of these things need to happen now. I don’t think the Cardinals have the luxury of waiting until the trade deadline if they want to stay in the division race. What do you think? Does this sound like a good plan?

Tune in tomorrow for other needs and priorities the team needs to focus on after they improve the performance of their pitchers.

This organization, although more than 80 years old, has come a long way in recent years. Back when the league didn’t have a salary cap, one could always rely on New York overpaying for a free agent and trading for big names while seeing their farm system dry out. A salary cap was installed after the 2004-05 lockout and things suddenly changed with this team.

Since teams were limited to the combined salaries of their players, it made it that more crucial to have young players that wouldn’t cost as much as a few free agent signings during the offseason. Scouts paid more attention to the talent pool and it has shown positive results. In the early 2000s, guys like Hugh Jessiman and Dan Blackburn were drafted really high by the Rangers, only to flameout due to skill and injury respectively. On the current roster, a good number of the guys are homegrown.

In 2000, before the Rangers started realizing the true purpose of the draft, they found a diamond in the rough in Henrik Lundqvist, a Swedish goaltender. He was picked 205th overall and has been one of the best netminders in the league over the past six years. Forward Brandon Dubinsky was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2004 draft and although a headache at times, is an effective player with a lot of heart. Ryan Callahan was drafted two rounds later and could be the new captain once Chris Drury gets his sorry behind out of town. Those three draftees have been the core of the young guns, but it’s getting better!

Forwards Artem Anisimov and Derek Stepan made big impacts this year and managed to stay healthy while most of their fellow comrades fell. Drafted in 2006 and 2008 respectively, they each saw huge strides of improvement, one from a rookie (Stepan) and one from a player that was only 22 during the year. One of the top defensive pairs in the game were also drafted and retained by the Blueshirts over this renaissance period. Marc Staal and Dan Girardi have been rocks on the blue-line and their solid play is so important for a team that struggles to find consistency on offense. Michael Sauer elevated his play about ten notches last year and Michael Del Zotto is still young enough to fight off adversity.

They also have more players waiting in the wings that Rangers fans should learn since they’ll be skating on The Garden ice soon enough. Chris Kreider, Ryan Bourque, Christian Thomas, and Carl Hagelin are all forwards that can strike at any time. I had the pleasure of watching Hagelin for four years at the University of Michigan. The swift Swede can do it all and will be a fan favorite once he’s in the NHL.

So when the Rangers pick tonight, I’d love to see them pick a defenseman that can move the puck and be a threat offensively. Last year, they passed up on Cam Fowler (who I thought was the third best player in the draft) for tough guy Dylan McIlrath. This time around, I hope they could get Ryan Murphy, who dominated the Ontario Hockey League last season. He led all OHL defensemen with 26 goals and was second with 79 points.

No matter who the Rangers select, it won’t take away all the positive strides the organization has made recently. They are forming a team the right way, by developing their own players and bringing them up together. The recent Stanley Cup victories by Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Chicago show that you don’t need big time free agent signings to reach the top. Never have I thought I’d say this in my life, but kudos to general manager Glen Sather and his assistants.

Carter and Richards were considered centerpieces to a team that was to contend for the next decade. Carter has 11 years left on his contract that provides a $5.3M cap hit while Richards, the team captain, has 9 years remaining that has a cap hit of $5.75M. So why in the world are both players out of town?

Carter was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets for forward Jacob Voracek, the 8th overall pick, and a 3rd round selection. Richards was dealt to the Los Angeles Kings for top prospect Brayden Schenn, gritty forward Wayne Simmonds, and a 2nd round choice. These moves look like they are cap-clearing deals, but the Flyers GM, Paul Holmgren, is denying that.

Both centers gave the Rangers fits during their time with the Flyers. Richards was a big, physical player that can outmuscle defensemen and play well both ways, while Carter had world-class skill with the puck. They were huge reasons why Philadelphia defeated New York four times during the regular season last year. Now, they’ll only have to face them twice a year at the most (because the Rangers aren’t making the Stanley Cup Finals).

With these moves, does that make the Blueshirts a division favorite alongside the Pittsburgh Penguins? Logic dictating a team getting rid of its top two forwards for players with potential down the road may eliminate the Flyers from a tough division title, but I’m sure they’ll get a taste of the playoffs once more. The Rangers are on the road back and played well despite playing almost every rookie in their system. Richards being gone gives Brandon Dubinsky one less person to bark at, resulting in a penalty because he has a gripe with an opposing player.

Now, what the Flyers are getting back are two very skillful players and a grinder that will drive people nuts. Schenn is the younger brother of Luke Schenn (Toronto), but plays forward. His playmaking ability will eventually make him a force for years to come. Voracek has underachieved during his time in the NHL, but like former Ranger and current Flyer Nikolai Zherdev, has all the potential in the world. It’s not if these guys will develop into stars, but when. Simmonds isn’t an offensive threat, but he scores big goals, plays physical, and brings a positive energy to the bench. I’m not so sure Philly lost that deal with LA.

For the other teams involved, the Kings and Jackets get quality players, both 26 years old, but if they fall off talent-wise, they are locked in for a long time. With Los Angeles getting Richards and his big contract, does that leave enough room to sign defenseman Drew Doughty to a long-term deal? Does Columbus make the playoffs for only the second time because they now have a star alongside Rick Nash?

That’s what’s so great about hockey, especially during the offseason. There are always trades like this right before the draft and the July 1st free agency period, so there’s going to be something going on, even if no games are played. The deals create a domino effect that pulls in almost every team and they’ll be plenty of trades during the draft as well. There’s no doubt the Rangers benefit from these two trades, but will they find a way to avoid disappointing their fans yet again?

A second test ran on Albert’s wrist today revealed a fracture in his left forearm. He is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. As of right now his arm is in a splint and surgery is not expected, but things could always change.

There’s no doubt that this is a crushing blow for already struggling St. Louis Cardinals. At least Card fans can take solace in the fact that he won’t be out for the rest of the season. Other than that, there just isn’t much else to say at this point.

Lance Berkman will replace Pujols at first. Check out stltoday.com for more info

After breaking a 2-2 tie against the Royals in the fifth inning with a solo homerun, Albert collided with Wilson Betemit in the top of the sixth, injuring his left wrist. He appeared to be in severe pain and was taken out of the game. There is no word yet as to the severity of the injury. The best we can hope for is that it’s just a mild sprain.

Pujols missing any significant amount of time is bad news for the player on multiple levels. First, losing Pujols would basically be the nail in the coffin for the Redbirds season since nearly every other player has been injured so far this season. Sorry to sound like a pessimist, but it’s true.

The Cardinals have put more players on the disabled list this year already than ALL of last year. And, to show how staggering this fact is, the Cards weren’t exactly healthy last year. In fact, they were plagued with injuries. Again, at this point, the lineup of injuries has become ridiculous and all we can do as fans is shake our heads in disbelief.

To make matters worse, Pujols is a pending free agent. For a guy who is already having the worst statistical season of his career thus far, a major injury at the age of 31 might make owners think Pujols’ best years are behind him (That’s what they might think, not what I think). Lastly, Pujols has batted over .300, hit 30 or more homeruns and has had 100 rbis or more in each of his ten seasons. A trip to the DL would most likely prevent that from happening. He’s gone on the DL before and still accomplished the goal, but like previously mentioned, this year his numbers aren’t as solid.

Still, this is just a “worst case scenario” possibility and hopefully Albert is okay and just sits for a few days. However, it’s kinda hard to swing a bat with an injured wrist.

For continuous updates check out the “St. Louis Post-Dispatch” baseball section here.

Chris Carpenter starts tonight so that is nothing to get excited about. Carp is having a down year, he’s past his prime and just has not been getting run support since the season began. Then again, maybe a great game by Carp and an explosion from the 3-4-5 hitters can get the Cardinals out of what Tony LaRussa calls their “funk.” Wow, with how much my mood is affected by the St. Louis Cardinals, I’m certainly happy I wasn’t raised as a Cubs fan. Just saying.

I’ve been cheering for Vancouver to win the series and hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup since they eliminated the Nashville Predators in the 2nd round (my third preferred team to win it). Now after much controversy from the team north of the border, I’m not so sure now. Does a lifelong Rangers fan and native New Yorker even think about cheering for a team in Boston to win a championship? Do I want to continue hearing the (mostly) obnoxious fan base, saying Beantown is the best sports city?

A part of me really wants to see the Bruins win and it’s not because of this whole United States v. Canada rivalry. Canucks winger Alex Burrows bit a Boston player in the first game. Aaron Rome delivered a dirty, crushing hit to Nathan Horton in Game 3. And to make matters worse, a Canucks fan thought it would be funny to hang a teddy bear on a hockey stick, wearing Horton’s jersey. Not to mention that Raffi Torres should have been suspended in the Blackhawks series for another classless hit. Is this a team I want to cheer for?

What about their goalie, Roberto Luongo, who’s known for falling apart in the playoffs, criticizing the way Bruins goalie Tim Thomas plays. Thomas is well on his way to his 2nd Vezina Trophy for the league’s most valuable goaltender and bested Luongo in Game 6 after those harsh words. In fact, Luongo allowed 3 goals and was pulled halfway through the first period, finishing with an embarrassing 15 goals allowed in 2+ games on the road. Rangers fans may also be bitter towards Chris Higgins, who was a disaster with the Blueshirts, but is playing well for Vancouver.

The Bruins to me were the team to beat once they traded for Tomas Kaberle. Now the former Leafs blue-liner hasn’t been good, but the Bs play as a team and pick each other up. Certainly, the Rangers should sit in front of their television sets tonight and take notes. There are a lot of likable characters on that team, one of them being defenseman Zdeno Chara. If you recall, he ended Ryan Callahan‘s season with a slapshot breaking Cally’s ankle, but he’s one of the good guys of the game in an odd way. You wouldn’t expect it from the biggest guy in the league, but he’s a gentle giant that deserves to get a championship.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that it doesn’t matter to me who wins tonight. Either way, I won’t like the team that wins, so it’s just a matter of how much I could tolerate. There are reasons for each side why cheering for/against the two teams would be the best. Boston saw former Michigan defensemen Steve Kampfer and Matt Hunwick play for them this year, while Vancouver has former Buckeye Ryan Kesler. That certainly helps the Bs in this case, but we’ll see what happens. I just hope I don’t go to hockey hell for even considering cheering for the Bruins tonight.