tom verducci

Young pitchers are one of baseball's treasured assets. Yet five 25-and-under starters were traded this offseason.

That's extremely rare -- and it can be very risky, writes Tom Verducci.

Innings limits on young pitchers have become standard operating procedure with most organizations. The young pitchers who were shut down last year as a precautionary measure included Danny Duffy of Kansas City, Michael Pineda of Seattle and Jordan Zimmerman of Washington, a club that already has a governor on the 2012 workload of Stephen Strasburg.

In a stunning coup, Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson are headed to the Angels. Los Angeles will spend more than $330 million, and a change in mindset made it happen, says Tom Verducci.

Albert Pujols is a Cardinals icon. But does it make sense for St. Louis to give the 31-year-old star a 10-year deal?

The wise move may be letting him go elsewhere, says Tom Verducci.

The Marlins already have lured Heath Bell and Jose Reyes. Miami is not ready to stop spending yet, writes Tom Verducci.

Albert Pujols? The unpredictable Marlins say they are serious.

ST. LOUIS -- Now it can be told what St. Louis manager Tony La Russa did at the end of his worst managing night in the big leagues.

He didn't stop managing after World Series Game 5 ended, a game that had been so embarrassing for him that he twice could not properly communicate which reliever he wanted throwing in the bullpen, a breakdown that once left him standing on a World Series mound and greeting one of his pitchers by saying, "Oh, what are you doing here?"

Twice down to their last strike, the Cardinals found a way to force Game 7. Tom Verducci wonders if the Rangers can recover from Nelson Cruz's unforgiveable Buckner-esque gaffe.

What happened in Game 5 is too strange to fully comprehend, says Tom Verducci. Tony La Russa's odd moves -- followed by puzzling explanations -- cost the Cardinals in a stunning way.

Three home runs. Five hits. Six RBIs. Albert Pujols simply delivered the best performance in World Series history in the Cardinals' 16-7 Game 3 rout of the Rangers, says Tom Verducci.

Tony La Russa lost his touch, Albert Pujols broke character and the Rangers escaped St. Louis with a split.

Yes, this World Series has been a second-guesser's delight, says Tom Verducci.