ST. LOUIS -- Center fielder Jon Jay was put on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday by the St. Louis Cardinals because of shoulder soreness.

St. Louis played the finale of a five-game homestand with only one regular outfielder, left fielder Matt Holliday. Right fielder Carlos Beltran missed his second straight start because of a minor knee injury but was available to pinch hit, and first baseman Lance Berkman was a late lineup scratch.

"We decided to stay cautious with Carlos and give him another day," manager Mike Matheny said. "His knee has been barking."

The team gave no reason for scratching Berkman, who had played two games since coming off the disabled list from a left calf injury.

Jay injured his right shoulder when he banged into an outfield wall last month. He's 3 for 18 on the homestand with one hit, a bunt single, in his past 15 at-bats.

Jay is hitting .343 in 26 games and went 1 for 4 in Monday's 6-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

Outfielder Shane Robinson was recalled from Triple-A Memphis after one day in the minors. Robinson was 3 for 4 with a triple on Monday, and arrived minus his equipment.

Robinson planned on asking utilityman Skip Schumaker, who started in center field, for a few items of equipment to tide him over.

"I didn't think anything would happen this soon. But it did," Robinson said. "It's been pretty chaotic."

Third baseman David Freese, in an 0 for 11 slump, also was not in the lineup.


(espn.com)

St. Louis Cardinals OF Jon Jay went 0-for-2 with two walks and a sacrifice Thursday, May 3, to snap his season-high 11-game hitting streak. He hit .488 (21-for-43) during the streak.




(kffl.com)

HOUSTON _ Jon Jay, doing his best impersonation of Terry Moore, Curt Flood, Willie McGee and Jim Edmonds, all great Cardinals defensive center fielders of the past, turned in his sixth extraordinary play of the three-game series here in the fifth inning today.

With a runner at first base and nobody out, center fielder Jay and left fielder Matt Holliday raced toward the left-center-field canyon in chase of pinch hitter Houston pinch hitter Justin Maxwell's drive. As the flyhawks seemed about to collide, Holliday pulled up short and Jay made a sliding catch at the warning track.

Second baseman Tyler Greene then started a nifty double play to take Adam Wainwright out of the inning. 

Greene, who earlier had driven in three runs, ran his way to another run in the sixth as the Cardinals went ahead, 7-1.

Greene walked, stole second and had third stolen, too, as Wainwright grounded to the third baseman. Green then scored on Rafael Furcal's infield hit.


(stltoday.com)

HOUSTON -- Jon Jay's hitting streak ended at 11 games on Thursday. But the Cardinals' center fielder was back at it again on Friday, adding two more hits to his season total. He hit .488 during the streak and had three three-hit games in the first five games of the recent homestand.

Just how hot is Jay's bat? Despite two hits (2-for-5) on Friday, Jay actually lowered his batting average to .414 for the season. He doesn't have enough at-bats to qualify, but if he did, Jay would be leading the National League in hitting.

Jay said he felt the key to his recent hitting streak was not pressing and staying within his simple game plan.

"Just go out there and try to have good at-bats," Jay said. "As simple as it may sound, just swing at strikes and take the balls. That's my game plan out there. I think anytime any hitter does that, they're going to have some success. So that's pretty much all I'm trying to do right now.

"I don't think about hitting streaks or what I'm doing personally. I feel like if we win a ballgame, I've done something right. That's the way I measure my successes."


(mlb.com)

While his teammates enjoyed an off day Thursday, Cardinals outfielder Jon Jay reported to Busch Stadium for a test that determined what he would be on this weekend — the lineup card or the disabled list.

After three hits in his start Friday, clearly he passed.

Jay took about 100 swings in the team's cages during a workout Thursday that he described as intense. The goal was to gauge if his shoulder, sprained a week earlier, was ready for him to play or if the Cardinals would have to consider a roster move to give him more rest.

"We had waited enough," Jay said. "It was time to decide. It had gotten to the time when I really needed to test it out."

Under the watch of hitting coach Mark McGwire and members of the training staff, Jay did well enough in the cage Thursday to prove he could start Friday. Returned to the No. 2 spot in the order, Jay laced three singles and tied a career high with three RBIs in the Cardinals' 13-1 rout of the Milwaukee Brewers. In the decisive eight-run third inning, Jay had two singles, one to help spark the rally and another to drive in two runs that continued it.

Jay raised his average to .375, and he left the ballpark Friday night with the highest on-base percentage of any regular starter, at .412.

"That was a big test for me," Jay said after facing Milwaukee's opening day starter, Yovani Gallardo. "I didn't know how it was going to be in the game. You're never going to feel 100 percent ... but it can get better."

What got worse after Jay left the lineup with his shoulder sprain was the offense. Other than a brief appearance as a pinch runner, Jay missed the entirety of the six-game road trip during which the team struggled to score. Most of the credit went to the opponent's starting pitchers, especially Cubs righties Matt Garza and Jeff Samardzija, who handcuffed the Cardinals in consecutive games at Wrigley Field this past week. But a contributing factor was absences.

The Cardinals went the whole road trip without Jay and Lance Berkman in the lineup. Berkman has the bigger reputation. Jay has had the better production this month.

Jay left the lineup to tend to his injured shoulder with a .391 on-base percentage. In the six games before he slammed into the center field wall and mildly separated his right shoulder, Jay hit .400 (eight for 20) and slugged .600. With Carlos Beltran pressed into service as the cleanup hitter, Jay had thrived in the No. 2 spot in the order. After going three for five there Friday, Jay is now batting .450 at No. 2 with seven RBIs and 10 times on base in 21 plate appearances.

"I don't see any reason to mess with it right now," manager Mike Matheny said about hitting Jay second when he's healthy. "Things went very well. I think he fits in that spot. But he has the flexibility to bounce around to a couple of other spots in the lineup as well."

The question Thursday morning wasn't where he would be in the lineup, but if he could be in the lineup. Jay went to the park unsure.

Comforted on Monday by a scan of the shoulder that showed no structural damage and confirmed the sprain, Jay received an anti-inflammatory shot to help speed the healing. That forced him to take a couple days off to let the shot's medication take effect. When it had cleared, he went to the cage. The trouble he had extending his swing — the resistance he felt when trying to swing at full strength — had cleared. Hitting coach Mark McGwire said Jay looked "1,000 times better than what he was in Pittsburgh."

"We talked about it and this is a great time for him not to even think about his swing," McGwire said. "Just trust his eyes and let it happen. He looked good. He was there early again (Friday). He looked good through it all."

Had Jay not felt good doing it, the Cardinals would have reconsidered their plan to go with a shortened bench. Having proved his ability to hit, Jay said he has to maintain the shoulder's health and improve it.

"I feel I can contribute the way I am," Jay said. "Every day we'll just continue to work on ways to get it better."

Like, for example, staying away from the wall.

"That's the big one," he nodded.


(stltoday.com)

CHICAGO -- An MRI on Jon Jay's sprained right shoulder Monday showed no structural damage, confirming what the outfielder and Cardinals had thought all along.

Jay did not play in the Cards' 3-2 loss on Monday and plans to begin working his way back into the lineup Tuesday. He suffered the injury Thursday when he jammed his shoulder into the outfield wall in St. Louis.

Jay -- who underwent the MRI early Monday before meeting the team in Chicago -- said how he feels day to day will determine how quickly he returns. Jay said now that he knows everything is structurally sound, he'll look at the injury as a bruise and "just deal with it."

"[Making sure there was no added damage] was the biggest thing with the MRI, and that's why I was happy with the results," Jay said. "I can't mess it up any more so I can continue to push it, which is what I wanted to hear."

Both Jay and Matheny said there is no timetable for the outfielder's return.

"We'll wait and see what we hear tomorrow," Matheny said. "Just try not to get too far ahead in the expectations."

Jay is hitting .349 with two homers and four RBIs on the year.


(mlb.com)

PITTSBURGH -- Outfielder Jon Jay left the Cardinals on Sunday to return to St. Louis, where he will undergo an MRI as part of a reexamination of his right shoulder. Jay, who is nursing a sprained right shoulder, was experiencing more soreness on Sunday.

"I didn't hear that he was worse today. I didn't hear that he was better today," manager Mike Matheny said, attempting to characterize the setback. "I think it was a situation where they weren't that excited about where he is right now."

Jay had been encouraged by his progress since Thursday, when he jammed his arm into the center-field wall in an attempt to make a catch. Jay came out of that game, and his only appearance since came as a pinch-runner on Saturday.

Jay resumed some light baseball activities on Saturday and was scheduled to take batting practice and test his arm throwing on Sunday morning. Despite a setback in the progress, Matheny didn't rule out Jay rejoining the team on Monday in Chicago. He also did not make the assumption that this means Jay is headed for the disabled list.

"Everybody is still optimistic," Matheny said. "It sounded like they were hoping he'd be a little further along than he was, and to just make sure they didn't miss anything, [we wanted to] get him back home and looked at by our guys again to make sure he is where he should be."

Jay, who has never been on the Major League DL, already had X-rays on his shoulder. Those came back showing no structural damage.

With Jay unavailable on Sunday, the Cardinals were forced to play with a short bench. Matheny did, however, have the benefit of having Skip Schumaker available again. Schumaker passed all the tests he needed to to assure Matheny that his side soreness had subsided. Like Jay, Schumaker had exited a game after running into the outfield wall.

"I felt better today," said Schumaker, who delivered a pinch-hit single in the ninth. "I feel like I'm good enough to play. If I wasn't, I would tell them. I'm not in a spot where I want to jeopardize a really good team, especially with a short bench as it is."


(mlb.com)

Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak conceded Thursday that a roster move might be needed now that Jon Jay is sidelined with a sprained right shoulder.
Jay was initially considered day-to-day, but he left the clubhouse Thursday with his arm in a sling and admitted that he was dealing with some pain and soreness. Erik Komatsu took his place in Thursday's game and Carlos Beltran has previously been discussed as an option for center field, but it's possible the Cards could rush Skip Schumaker (oblique) back from his minor league rehab assignment if Jay's condition doesn't improve in the next day or two.


(rotoworld.com)

During the 2011 run to World Series Championship, St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Jon Jay had himself quite an interesting season.

After bumping Colby Rasmus out of town, Jay spent most of the 2011 season hitting in the second spot in the Cardinals lineup.  Of the 107 times former manager Tony La Russa wrote Jay's name on the lineup card, Jay hit second in the lineup 72 times and he did so quite well.  Jay posted a .303 average and scored 41 runs in front of former first baseman Albert Pujols, now first baseman Lance Berkman, and left fielder Matt Holliday.

Now it is 2012 and despite his success at the top of the order in 2011, Jay finds himself further down in the lineup.  New manager Mike Matheny has employed an often used La Russa tactic by putting "thunder" in the two hole.  Thunder's name is Carlos Beltran, who's presence has moved Jay down to the seventh spot in the lineup on a regular basis.

Beltran was out of the lineup in the Cardinals 4-3 loss to the Reds on Wednesday afternoon and Jay suddenly found himself back hitting second and responded with his first home run of the season.

Jay has shown he is comfortable in his new home in the lineup though, hitting .304 on the season while getting on base 36 percent of the time while playing a stellar center field. 

While Jay showed up in the two hole on Wednesday, it is more likely that Matheny will continue to use the switch-hitting Beltran in the two hole for most of the season.

From the looks of the early season, that suits Jay just fine as the former Miami Hurricanes star has not missed a beat.   The Cardinals will need him to be an RBI threat at the bottom of the order and so far it looks as though Jay can fill the role.


(kffl.com)

MIAMI -- The introductions of the rosters and starting lineups are underway, done to a percussion beat spiced with whistles, and while the Miami Marlins are being escorted to the field by feather-draped dancers and greeted loudly by cheers, the Cardinals were not without a dash of celebrity in their intros.

Jon Jay, a local and a former University of Miami former, received a loud ovation from the crowd when he was announced as the Cardinals' opening day center fielder and No. 7 hitter.


(stltoday.com)

JUPITER, Fla. -- Jon Jay's career has been played mostly in the shadows of others. It's a position he has come to know as well as center field, but not a reality that Jay reflects on with disdain.

Long a complementary piece and rare cornerstone, Jay offers nary a complaint when he talks about his rather uncelebrated past.

A standout player in high school, he was not the star on a Columbus (Fla.) High School team that won a state championship his senior year. At the University of Miami, he found himself immediately playing alongside last year's National League Most Valuable Player Award winner, Ryan Braun.

Now, he's sandwiched between Matt Holliday and Carlos Beltran, a pair of outfielders who own a combined 11 All-Star appearances, six Silver Slugger Awards and three Gold Gloves. It's no wonder why Jay continues to glide under the radar, a spot where he admits he feels he still belongs.

"They deserve to be talked about," Jay said. "They've put in their time in this game. They have the All-Star appearances, all the accolades. ... I'm still trying to survive every day. I still have a lot to prove about myself. I have a lot of confidence in myself, but those guys have been doing this a long time in this game. I'm trying to be consistent like them. That's my goal."

Jay has set some lofty standards and picked out the right players to emulate. But he does carry the pressure of needing to start the season strong in order to hold on to a full-time spot in center. Allen Craig's eventual return -- which could come by mid-April -- will invariably crowd the Cardinals' outfield. Holliday won't be moving out and neither will Beltran -- unless he shifts to his right to play center. That would squeeze Jay out of a spot.

Some sort of platoon scenario involving the left-handed-hitting Jay is also possible.

It's all just additional motivation for Jay to prove that the consistency that defined his first two seasons in the Majors was no fluke.

"I feel like I've had good years where I have been helpful to the team," said Jay, who led the club with 157 games played last year. "But by no means do I feel like I have established myself. I still think I can improve, and I can continue to help the team. Those are my goals."

After batting .300 in his rookie season, Jay returned in 2011 and worked his way from bench player to fill-in corner outfielder to everyday center fielder by the end of the year. He hit .302 in the 107 games he started, and gave the Cardinals stability in center after the organization dealt away Colby Rasmus.

Almost silently, Jay has actually been one of the better hitters to emerge recently in the Majors. He may not flaunt the power or sexy stats of some of the others, but Jay has a .298 batting average that ranks third among all qualifying players with fewer than 750 career at-bats.

His .991 fielding percentage leads all Cardinals outfielders since the start of 2010.

"We've seen him do a nice job quarterbacking in the outfield," manager Mike Matheny said. "I have used that term before -- conscientious -- about how he's thinking ahead and doing more than just standing in the same place every time. He's trying to be prepared to get an edge defensively, and that's a great quality to have from a center fielder."

Jay credits Holliday and Beltran for helping him to continue improving those defensive instincts this spring.

"I'm trying to take command out there," Jay said. "There's a lot of communication going on."

On the offensive side, consistency is once again Jay's aim. He noted that it took him longer than others to regain his timing this spring, and that is reflected in Jay's higher-than-desired strikeout total.

But subpar spring results have actually been the norm for Jay. He combined for a .224 average in Grapefruit League play in 2010 and '11. With two spring games remaining, Jay's average this month sits at .250.

Though the Cardinals are seeking a leadoff hitter, Jay will likely begin the year hitting in the bottom third of the order. It sets up to be another instance where Jay gets buried among the bunch. How fitting, since that is what Jay knows best.

"I have always been lucky to play on some good teams at the level that I've been at," Jay said. "Maybe I don't get talked about much, but we have great players on this team. I just have to play my part and be a part of the big picture. That's fine with me."


(mlb.com)

Righthander Jake Westbrook continued his spotless spring pitching record today, knocking off six shutout innings as the Cardinals beat the New York Mets, 2-1, in an exhibition game.

Westbrook gave up only three singles, walking none, to a lineup which was minus a few regulars. But for the spring he has worked 12 scoreless innings, permitting just six hits and no runs.

In becoming the first Cardinals starter to work six innings this spring, Westbrook threw 53 strikes out of 74 pitches. His strong effort was followed by perfect relief in the seventh and eighth, respectively, by Mitchell Boggs and Kyle McClellan. 

But, facing Fernando Salas in he ninth, Mets second baseman Jordany Valdespin lofted an opposite-field homer to left to tie the game at 1-1.
Jon Jay then won the game for the Cardinals in the home half with a one-out single to left off Mets lefthander Garrett Olson, who had brought in to face the lefthanded-batting Jay.

Jay's hit scored pinch runner Adron Chambers, who ran for Matt Adams after the latter singled with one out off former Cardinal Miguel Batista. Chambers then went to third on a hit-and-run single by right by Tony Cruz.

The Cardinals did little with New York starter Johan Santana either. They had only three hits and no runs through five innings but finally broke through in the sixth.

Tyler Greene and Carlos Beltran opened with singles and after Santana retired Matt Holliday and David Freese, Lance Berkman singled up the middle for the first run of the game.

The Cardinals, winning their fourth straight, are 10-6-1 for the spring. Lefthander Jaime Garcia will face Washington here on Thursday.


(stltoday.com)

Jon Jay is used to being overlooked, at least by those outside his clubhouse.

Though the Cardinals made him their second-round selection in the 2006 draft, Jay was never considered his team's best player at the University of Miami.

That status was typically saved for current Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun or Miami Marlins first baseman Gaby Sanchez. Jay played alongside ex-Cardinals reliever and current Cleveland Indians closer Chris Perez, Minnesota Twins third baseman Danny Valencia and Oakland A's second baseman Jemile Weeks.

During Jay's ascent to the parent club he was never regarded as the minor-league system's best outfielder. That distinction belonged to Colby Rasmus until he reached St. Louis in 2009.

"He may seem to some people like kind of a below-the-radar guy but, make no mistake, Jon's a great player," first baseman Lance Berkman said. "We don't win last year without him."

Jay, who turns 27 on Thursday, led the World Series champions in appearances (158) last summer and carries a career .298 average into his third major-league season.

Jay waited until the July 2010 trade of right fielder Ryan Ludwick to the San Diego Padres before receiving an everyday opportunity. Jay's presence last season allowed general manager John Mozeliak sufficient leverage to package Rasmus within a three-team deal that brought pitchers Edwin Jackson, Octavio Dotel and Marc Rzepczynski and outfielder Corey Patterson in return. Jay made 90 starts batting either leadoff or second for a team that led the National League in runs scored.

"Everybody has numbers but that's not what I'm primarily concerned about," Jay said before Sunday's Grapefruit League rainout against the Washington Nationals. "It's important for me to provide the manager options. I'm out there ready to play.

"My mind-set is to win every day. It's been that way in college and in the minor leagues. If the team needs a sacrifice or a hit-and-run, that's my role."

Jay's role has become a focal point since the Cardinals signed free agent outfielder Carlos Beltran to a two-year contract in December. Beltran once played elite center field for the Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros and New York Mets before knee issues led him to a corner outfield position. However, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny may periodically explore returning Beltran to his former position as a way to get power bat Allen Craig playing time on an outfield flank.

On most days, Jay will find himself stationed behind five-time All-Star Matt Holliday and Beltran, a six-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner who opened his career as 1999 AL Rookie of the Year.

"I'm appreciated here. That's all that matters to me," he said. "I think that's been my story since high school. I've been lucky enough to play for a lot of talented teams where I've never been the best guy or a top-three guy. I've always been a guy whose role is to set up the big guys on the team."

"He's as valuable as anybody in here; he really is," Berkman said. "Guys like him and (infielder Daniel) Descalso are baseball players. Their value doesn't begin and end with statistics. The same applies with Craig. It's very unusual to see three young guys like that on the same team."

Jay has spent much of the last week listening to Jim Edmonds' thoughts on playing center field. He is also concentrating on translating his plus speed into more of a base-stealing weapon. (Jay stole a base before a fourth-inning downpour scrubbed Saturday's game.)

"He's got it in him," Matheny said. "You saw that today. He's got intelligence. He's got baseball instincts. He studies the game. He studies pitchers."
"There are certain guys that play a lot faster. He's not a burner like a Michael Bourn but he plays as good a center fielder because he gets great jumps, he positions himself well and he has great hands," Berkman said. "He runs good routes to the ball. At the plate he puts together great at-bats.

"To me, he was one of the unsung heroes of last year's team," Berkman added. "His ability to play center field allowed us to make the trade that got us the pieces we needed."

Jay's career has been predicated on events affecting others. That may again be the case this season given Matheny's use of Beltran at a position he hasn't patrolled since 2009.

"I've never been a player who took anything for granted," Jay said. "I just take it one day at a time. I never know what's going to happen tomorrow. I think things are definitely different this year. But I'm going about things the same way. I know nothing's guaranteed in this game, or in anything."


(stltoday.com)

QUESTION: With the addition of Carlos Beltran, and Allen Craig expected to eat up outfield time once his knee is healed, where does Jon Jay fit into this year’s Cardinals team?

DERRICK GOOLD
He’s the starting center fielder until his production doesn’t merit the playing time. At that point, Beltran in center (legs permitting) and Craig in right (health permitting) becomes a more essential option for the Cardinals, and Schumaker and Jay emerge as alternatives, backups or fourth outfielders off the bench. It will be interesting to watch the second base competition unfold and how much it leaves Schumaker to appear in center this spring.

RICK HUMMEL
Jon Jay is the Cardinals’ regular center fielder, until further notice. It isn’t likely that Beltran will play a lot in center inasmuch as he hasn’t played there in a couple of years and Busch Stadium is a big park in the outfield.

JOE STRAUSS
Jay projects as the regular CF but will receive occasional breaks when Skip Schumaker or Carlos Beltran man the position. Jay led the team in games played last season and was considered no worse than average defensively. True, his postseason performance did not mirror his regular season, but Jay's offensive numbers during the regular season (.297/.344/.424) were almost a carbon of his 2011. Beltran, Craig and Lance Berkman will likely be found in right field and at first base with Craig usually seen against LH pitching.

JEFF GORDON
Jay will play a LOT of center field. He played virtually every game last season and will play a lot this season.  The Cards need to keep Beltran’s bat in the lineup, so I would expect Mike Matheny to use him in center field judiciously. Jay is a solid fielder and an established .290 to .300 hitter, so he will stay busy. He may double-switch into games and do some defensive subbing, but he will play a big role. I would not be surprised if he approached 500 plate appearances again.

LARRY BOROWSKY (Founder of Viva El Birdos and editor of “Maple Street Press Cardinals Annual&rdquo
He’s their best defensive CF by far. Combine that with Beltran’s stated reluctance to tax his knees in center, and Jay appears to be in line for 130 to 140 starts. Of course, that assumes he continues to hit at the levels of 2010-11. I think he’ll do that and more. If Jay should wash out, then Skip Schumaker likely gets the bulk of the playing time in CF.


(stltoday.com)

JUPITER, Fla. • World Series MVP David Freese and starting center fielder Jon Jay were among the players who finalized their contracts for 2012 with the Cardinals this morning, a player and an official confirmed.

Jay and Freese — both of whom are participating in their first workouts today — completed their contracts this morning.

These deals are one-year contracts and its rare for a player to take a significant leap in salary. For players with no experience in the majors, their deals will be for the major-league minimum salary ($480,000).

Players like Freese and Jay will receive slight raises; each made slightly above the major-league minimum in 2011.

Terms of their contracts were not disclosed.

The club has all the power when it comes to negotiating deals for players with fewer than three years of experience. If a contract isn't agreed to before the deadline this spring, the team can renew the player's contract at a price the club sets.

The Cardinals could have all the members of the 40-man roster signed for 2012 within a week.


(stltoday.com)

Check out our EXCLUSIVE photos from the 2012 UM Baseball Fan Fest which featured a HR Derby won by proCane Minnesota Twin Danny Valencia. Other proCanes like Jemile Weeks, Jon Jay, Chris Perez, Eddy Rodriguez and many more joined the festivities.


Jemile Weeks, Danny Valencia

Jemile Weeks

Peter O’Brien

The Maniac

Jemile Weeks

Rony Rodriguez

Danny Valencia

Jemile Weeks

Danny Valencia

Danny Valencia, Peter O’Brien




Click here to see more photos ->> Read More...

In two years in the big leagues, Cardinals outfielder Jon Jay has already won a World Series and played well enough that two outfielders were traded to give him more playing time.

But you won't see the 26-year-old Jay feeling like he has it made anytime soon.

After appearing in a team high 159 games last season and contributing both in the field and at the plate, Jay is motivated for even bigger things in 2012.

"I'm continuing to try to prove myself in this league," Jay said. "It's my third season, which is crazy, but I'm just trying to be consistent out there and help the team win. Nothing changes for me. I'm just trying to get better and get smarter."

Jay's first two big league seasons were eerily similar. He burst out of the gate with a fast start in both, allowing the Cardinals to make deadline deals to help the club.

The Cardinals traded Ryan Ludwick to the San Diego Padres for pitcher Jake Westbrook at the trade deadline in 2010, handing Jay the everyday spot in right field.

Last July, his production allowed the Cardinals to trade Colby Rasmus to the Toronto Blue Jays in a deal that brought back key contributors Edwin Jackson, Octavio Dotel and Marc Rzepczynski. Jay took over the regular spot in center field following the deal.

But both times Jay was handed a regular spot in the lineup following the trades, the Miami native struggled at the plate. Jay was hitting .396 at the time Ludwick was traded in 2010 but hit just .239 over the final two months to finish the year right at .300.

He was hitting .312 when Rasmus was traded on July 27 last year and proceeded to hit .222 in his next 21 games with 17 strikeouts and just three walks. He hit .277 the rest of the way, finishing at .297.

Jay had 24 doubles, 10 home runs, 37 RBI and 56 runs scored for the Cardinals in 2011 and shrugged off a playoff slump to provide a key hit in the tenth inning of Game 6 of the World Series to help fuel their dramatic come-from-behind win.

With six-time All-Star Carlos Beltran added to the outfield mix in the offseason, Jay is out to prove he's worthy of the everyday playing time from the start to finish in 2012.

"I feel like if you look at my whole year, I was pretty consistent – defense, offense, helping the team win," Jay said. "Once you've tasted some success, you want to keep improving. That's the common thing you see from the guys who are great players in this league. They have a great year but they still want to build on it and keep getting better. That's what I want to do, continue to build my resume and continue to show that I can play out there.

"The biggest thing for me is just getting smarter out there. You know the pitchers better and they know you better, so just being able to make adjustments quicker and knowing what is the better formula to react to all that."

Jay was ticketed for another heavy workload in center field until Beltran was signed to help replace some of the offense lost when Albert Pujols signed with the Anaheim Angels.

Beltran will start the season in right while Allen Craig recovers from knee surgery, meaning Jay will get plenty of action in center early in the season. But when Craig returns, a healthy Beltran could cut into some of Jay's time in center.

But the uncertainty doesn't have Jay worried or disappointed. It's kept him humble.

"I'm going to prepare how I always do and be prepared to play every game," Jay said. "You never know what's going to happen. I just want to get myself ready so when I do get a chance to go out there, I can be consistent and help the team.

"I'm going to show up, be prepared and when my name is in the lineup, I'm going to play. I understand how this game works, we're out there to win and that's the bottom line. One of the things with Tony (La Russa) was he mixed and matched the lineups but it was always for a reason – to win. And that's what we did."

New manager Mike Matheny and the Cardinals hope Jay helps them do plenty of winning this season.


(foxsportsmidwest.com)

MIAMI -- Baseball players are known for knocking in runs, but a bunch of them were focused on knocking down pins for charity on Saturday night.

Cardinals outfielder Jon Jay hosted the Jon Jay Celebrity Bowling Challenge at Lucky Strike Lanes in Miami Beach to help raise money for Chapman Partnership, the private sector partner of Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, commissioned to site, build, and operate two homeless centers in downtown Miami and Homestead.

"My family has always talked about doing something like this," Jay said. "We've always been involved with charity and helping out -- and in St. Louis, I am involved with stuff. But I've never done my own event. So many things have happened that I have been fortunate for in my life, so I felt like now was the perfect time to get everyone together and get this going."

With so many potential causes to choose from, Jay could have had a hard time choosing one to support. But his family's involvement with Chapman Partnership made the choice easy.

"Jon's family has served meals at our center in the evenings for a long time," said Dan Vincent, executive director of Chapman Partnership. "When Jon talked about wanting to give back to the community, we were very privileged to have him choose Chapman to do it. He's been over to tour and he's been hanging out with our kids, even today. We're just privileged to be the benefiting charity of his first event."

Over 200 people came out to help Jay's Celebrity Bowling Challenge raise an estimated $25,000. All proceeds from the event will help Chapman Partnership provide housing, food, health care, dental care, psychiatric care, job training, case management and child care to 756 men, women and children daily in the greater Miami area.

"We feel that Jon has been really blessed," said Jay's father, Justo. "He always put in his work, and now things have worked out in his life that he should be giving back to others. The Chapman Partnership in downtown needs the help and support. There are people who are living in the streets, and we are helping them get off the streets, find jobs and [have] beds to sleep in. It's not just adults, too, because there are children involved in it. I really feel very proud of Jon for this kind of achievement. It's not enough to be a great baseball player and not have a heart for other people and forget about where he could be. We're very proud of Jon for doing this."

The Celebrity Bowling Challenge was Jay's first charity event, and he called on some of his best friends in baseball to help him raise money for the worthy cause.

Joining Jay on the lanes were over 20 big leaguers -- including Padres first baseman Yonder Alonso, Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia, Nationals pitchers Gio Gonzalez and Drew Storen and first baseman Chris Marrero, Cardinals infielder Tyler Greene, outfielder Allen Craig and pitcher Lance Lynn, Phillies outfielder John Mayberry and Orioles prospect Manny Machado. Former Marlins infielder Mike Lowell and Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh were also in attendance on Saturday night.

Gonzalez bowled a 176 to help lead his team to the championship, but the newest Nationals pitcher was just happy to support Jay's event.

"Without hesitation, I told Jon I would be here," Gonzalez said. "The first thing I asked was if I could start a team. When he said 'Yes,' I told him I would donate as much as he wanted. It's always a pleasure to give back to those in your hometown. I always like doing stuff like this. I told Jon that I'll be at the next event, too."

Several players in attendance have known Jay since their days on the youth fields in Miami. Arencibia is one of those players who has a lifelong friendship with Jay, and he knew the support for anything Jay put together would be overwhelming.

"Jon Jay is one of the best, most first-class guys you'll ever meet," Arencibia said. "He's one of my best friends in baseball. He's one of the most humble guys, and one of the hardest workers. Any time that he is going to ask for something, you know it's something good. To be able to get together like this, it shows how much respect people have for Jon Jay, and the respect we all have for each other as baseball players. We all want to help each other give back, and it's great that we're all here for this great cause."

Marlins first baseman Gaby Sanchez was Jay's teammate at the University of Miami, and he did not hesitate to help his friend raise money for those in need.

"Everybody here is happy to support Jay," Sanchez said. "He's a great guy, and he wants to give back to the community. I'd do anything for him. When you come out of UM, you have those lifelong friends. And when they call you, you always go do it. We've always spoken about doing things together, and he's taken the initiative to start this event and pave the way for all of us to come out and help the great cause."

While there was a large collection of big league talent showcasing their bowling skills, Jay said there were several others who were disappointed to learn they would have to miss the event, due to scheduling conflicts.

"There are a lot of other guys who couldn't make it because they had to be somewhere," Jay said. "They were upset that they couldn't make it. But hopefully, this will continue to grow. This is my first one -- and hopefully we can do this for a long time down here.


(mlb.com)

proCane EVENT of the WEEK:

Head over to the Jon Jay's Celebrity Bowling Challenge where you will be able to bowl not only with Jon Jay but many former Hurricane Greats, current proCanes and MLB stars! Tickets are only $100 and can be purchased here.

Jon Jay's Celebrity Bowling Challenge
Saturday, January 28, 2012 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM (ET)
Miami Beach, FL

Marlins first baseman Gaby Sanchez will participate in Jon Jay’s Celebrity Bowling Challenge on Jan. 28 at Lucky Strike Lanes in Miami Beach.
Jay, an outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals, is good friends with Sanchez. Both are from Miami and both attended the University of Miami.

“Me and Gaby have a little competitive streak in us,” Jay said. “We’re always going at it, so I’m going to try to out-bowl him, for sure.”

Also helping Jay will be Padres 1B Yonder Alonso, Blue Jays C J.P. Arencibia, Nationals P Gio Gonzalez, Cardinals IF Tyler Greene, Royals 1B Eric Hosmer, Nationals 1B Michael Morse, Indians P Chris Perez and Twins 3B Danny Valencia.

Tickets are $100 for a person and $450 for a team. Proceeds will go to the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust.

Sanchez did some charity work on Wednesday when he appeared at the Ronald McDonald House of Miami.


(palmbeachpost.com)

Jon Jay spoke out in defense of fellow UM alum Ryan Braun, who plans to accept his National League Most Valuable Player award on Saturday despite a 50-game suspension he received after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.

“It’s definitely a tough situation,” Jay said. “I’m a huge Ryan Braun supporter. He’s a guy who helped me out so much in my career. Since I stepped foot at UM we have had a special bond and we’re really good friends.

“It’s unfortunate, the situation, but hopefully he gets it cleared up. I know how hard he works and how much he loves the game. He’s really a big role model for everyone. He’s going to have his appeal process Hopefully, everything works out.”

A spokesman for Braun, a Milwaukee Brewers All Star, reportedly confirmed the positive test at the time, but said “there are highly unusual circumstances surrounding this case which will support Ryan’s complete innocence and demonstrate there was absolutely no intentional violation” of baseball’s drug-testing program…


(palmbeachpost.com)

Jon Jay and World Series Champions St. Louis Cardinals visited the White House and President Obama on Tuesday. Jay is pictured below in the first row third from the left.


Jon Jay on WhoSay

(ksdk.com)

Every Thursday Night proCanes.com joins All Canes Radio to bring the latest news on not only current Hurricane football but also proCane news and exclusive interviews with current and former proCanes live from the Titanic Brewery in Coral Ga Gables. Click here to listen to this week’s show and hear our exclusive interview with former Hurricane great Safety Maurice Sikes. Sikes tell is how it is in our interview as he doesn’t hold back while talking about the current state of the Hurricanes while also talking about the glory days that he was part of. The Beast also had a one-on-one interview with World Series Champ Jon Jay.

A month after helping the St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series in a thrilling seven-game set, outfielder Jon Jay was back in the weight room for the first time Thursday to begin preparing for another title run next season.

Jay took a few minutes Thursday to chat about the World Series, how he's spent the last month and the Cardinals chances of repeating again in 2012.

FSMidwest: Has it sunk in yet that you are a World Champion?
Jay: I don't know. It's just been weird. I guess not, haha. Not really. Everywhere I go, people are fired up and congratulating me but I don't think it's sunk in. It was just a crazy run with how everything went, being down 2-1 to Philly and then going to Milwaukee and then the World Series and being down 3-2. I plan on having my buddies over in the next few weeks and watching all the highlights and go through all the games because I haven't really had the time to do that.

FS Midwest: So you haven't seen any highlights or watched a replay of any of the playoff games?
Jay: I haven't seen anything. I've been so busy running around and traveling and going different places and I started working out today officially so Im' going to get back in the swing of things and in the next two weeks I'll try to watch everything.

FSMidwest: How different has this offseason been compared to others?
Jay: It's a hundred times different. First of all, that extra month we played in the playoffs was awesome and great, but that kind of delayed everything as far as workouts go because usually I start in the middle of November so that got pushed back a little bit. Just going around and seeing everybody and my family and being at home here in Miami, I can't even explain how crazy its been. It's been nice. I went to the U (University of Miami), I went to my high school, it's just been a lot of fun.

FSMidwest: You mentioned starting your workouts later than usual this year because the season went longer?
Jay: I'm definitely starting later than usual. I took a good four weeks off. I learned a lot after the 2009 season and before my rookie year in 2010 because I went to Venezuela straight after the Triple-A season when we won the championship there and I only took a week off that year and got right back into it which was something I learned from because I think I got kind of tired down at the end of the year in 2012, just mentally. You need that mental break sometimes and I didn't have it so this year I took four weeks off. I was happy to get back in the wight room and back to running and getting in shape again.

FSMidwest: You worked out back at the University of Miami, right? Any other players down there working out with you?
Jay: We've got Yonder Alonzo from the Reds, Manny Machado, a top prospect with the Orioles, a couple other guys. We got a good group and some Miami baseball players and the football team is working out in there so its nice. I felt great. I felt awesome. I told these guys they had been working out for a month so I thought they were going to blow me away but I was the one showing them up out there.

FSMidwest: You recently got engaged. Congratulations on that.
Jay: Thanks. It's been an unbelievable year with everything and I was happy to do that. I'm really happy about that, me and my fianceé. She was definitely surprised. It was nice how it all worked out, but now its time to get ready for the season.

FSMidwest: You hoster a party in Miami with a shoe company down there where you signed autographs and interacted with fans. How was that?
Jay: It was nice. It went well. I just wanted to do something at home where people could come out and say hi and sign some autographs. We had a DJ and it was like a celebratory party down here. I was surprised how many St. Louis fans were down here, either students at the U or people who were fans. A lot of people came out and said hi, it was a lot of fun. I'm currently planning a charity bowling event for January.

FSMidwest: Looking back at the season, when you guys were 10.5 games out in August, did you guys think it was over?
Jay: I honestly didn't think it was over because you know how baseball is, anything can happen, like we saw. When you look at the guys we had around, these are guys that aren't going to give in and quit and Tony always preaches, from Carp to Albert and just the whole team. That was something special this year, We were all on the same page and had the same goals, which was to win. It didn't matter who was starting and who was doing what role, we never had anyone complaining and we just enjoyed being at the field and I think that was a big key this year.

FSMidwest: When did you start to realize that you guys had a chance?
Jay: Once we started gaining ground, every time we got a game closer, a game closer, we could feel it in the clubhouse. We had no pressure on us. We just went out there and had fun and played good baseball.  Obviously we were paying attention to the Braves but we knew we had to take care of our business first and luckily everything worked out for us.

FSMidwest: So many games and moments stand out from the playoff run. What's the one that stands out most to you?
Jay: Every game was crazy, honestly. Just going into Philly with that pitching staff they have, that lineup they have, that bullpen, I mean they had a great team, the best record in baseball and we were able to go in there and pull it out, that was big. Then the same thing with Milwaukee, they had a great offense with Braun and Prince and all the other guys and we were able to go in there to their place where they are almost unbeatable and be able to take some games from them there. Then the Rangers, we both had great teams. It was just a crazy, crazy playoffs. It was just amazing what we did.

FSMidwest: How many times in Game 6 did you think you had lost?
Jay: I honestly didn't think we were done. Its not over until its over and I always tell everybody at home who asks that but you look at the field and you look in the dugout and our reactions, we never gave up we never had that slouch or body language where it was like, ‘Oh man this is over'. We just believed and believed and kept fighting.

FSMidwest: How cool was it to be a part of a game like that, one that will be talked about forever?
Jay: Definitely. It was great. I have so many people telling me that they never watch baseball but they watched us in the World Series because it was so crazy and just to be a part of history and you look at our team, with Albert and Matt and Yadi and Carp and just go around and look at what they've done in their careers, for me to be a part of it, it was something special for me.

FSMidwest: Have you ever been a part of a team that was so close? It just seemed like you guys all really liked each other?
Jay: It's been a while, not since college. And in 2009 in Memphis we had a similar season but I've never seen anything like this year, where everybody got a long and it was just a lot of fun to show up to the ballpark every day.  It was just a great group of guys and we all gelled.

FSMidwest: What was that like when Tony La Russa called you guys into the weight room after the parade and told you he was retiring?
Jay: It was definitely a weird feeling because we thought it was going to be a normal tony speech, 'We won the Series and enjoy the time off and get ready for next year', stuff like that, but it caught all of us by surprise. Everyone was shocked. It was a weird feeling. Everybody was shocked and it was just weird.

FSMidwest: What was your reaction when you heard Mike Matheny got the job?
Jay: I'm happy because I've never heard a bad thing about Mike. Everybody knows his reputation and how hard he played and how hard he worked and I've seen him at Spring Training working with the catchers at 5am. I've gotten to know him a little bit over the years and I've always had great conversations and I'm looking forward to playing under him. I feel like we have a pretty good relationship but it can definitely grow. I'm just excited about the direction we're going. Honestly with Carp and Lance and all the veterans we have coming back, we have a pretty good system in place.

FSMidwest: What are your thoughts on the club's chances of repeating?
Jay: I think we have a good chance and that's what you want going into spring training. We're going to have a chance to get back to the playoffs and see what happens. Everybody is excited.

FSMidwest: When you win it all, does it make you even hungrier to do it again?
Jay: Definitely. The feeling you get and how you are received by everyone, it's just awesome to accomplish such a big goal like that. I'm really looking forward to next season and taking it one day at a time and hopefully going on another run again.


(foxposrtsmidwest.com)

proCane MLB player and World Series Champion Jon Jay poses with proCane New Orleans Saints TE Jimmy Graham before Graham’s game versus the Atlanta Falcons in Atlanta.



Click here to order Jimmy Graham’s proCane Rookie Card.

CINCINNATI -- Reds left fielder Yonder Alonso is home in Miami and already commencing with his offseason workouts. This week he will likely have, at the least, a wandering eye on the World Series.

Is Alonso pulling for either the Rangers or Cardinals? Not exactly.

"I have no rooting interest," Alonso said on Tuesday just before heading out to do some weight lifting. "When you're not there, it's a bummer. But I know a couple of guys on each team. I want them all to do well."

Perhaps none more than Cardinals outfielder Jon Jay.

The Reds and Cardinals have had a deep, and occasionally bitter, National League Central rivalry in recent years. But it's friendship that extends beyond the clubhouses and all the way back to childhood in South Florida.

"We've known each other since I was 11 or 12 years old," Alonso said. "We played at the same baseball academy."

Alonso and Jay remain roommates in the offseason and are workout partners. They also starred for rival Miami high schools -- Alonso for Coral Gables and Jay for Christopher Columbus. Both played for the Univ. of Miami baseball team. Jay was a junior when Alonso was a freshman.
"He was always an older brother type of guy," Alonso said. "He always does all the little things right. He never lied to me, always told me the truth and is a good guy to look up to. I'm always there for him."

The 24-year-old Alonso was the Reds' first-round Draft pick in 2008 and one of his organization's top prospects. This year, he made the transition from first base to left field and is planning to dedicate all his winter to shedding pounds and adjusting fully to his new position. He will rely partially on Jay to help improve his skills.

Jay, 26, was the Cardinals' second-round pick in 2006. He played his second full season in 2011 and batted .297 in 159 games.

Alonso, who also knows Cardinals third baseman Daniel Descalso and Rangers pitcher Derek Holland, spoke with Jay on the phone as recently as Monday. Game 1 of the World Series begins on Wednesday in St. Louis.

"I wished him well and good luck," Alonso said. "I'm waiting for him to get here so we can do our outfield workouts."



(mlb.com)

ST. LOUIS — Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals almost single-handedly wrecked the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2 of the NLCS. He strung together four hits and collected five RBIs in an 12-3 rout Monday to even the best-of-seven series at a game apiece.

But a guy who contributed plenty and flew under the radar was outfielder Jon Jay. He went 3-for-4 and scored three times — all on Pujols’ hits. Jay, a left-handed hitter positioned in the No. 2 spot, supplied a bunt single, a hit-and-run single to left field and a double down the right field line.

“I want to be the guy on the line,” Jay said. “I enjoy those moments. You see guys like Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman do it. I want to be the guy everyone can count on in those situations.”

St. Louis manager Tony La Russa said, “I think is playing well and he has been consistent. He’s a very intelligent player who is talented and tough.”

Jay, 26, has been tough enough this season to emerge as the Cardinals’ starting center fielder. St. Louis thought so much of him that they traded outfielder Colby Rasmus to Toronto in a key July deal that enabled the Cards to land Edwin Jackson, Marc Rzepczynski and Octavio Dotel.

“He does a lot of good things and he’s a catalyst,” Cards outfielder Lance Berkman said of Jay.

It was Jay providing a pair of hits, two RBIs and a walk in the Game 2 comeback win against the Phillies. The Cardinals trailed 4-0 but rallied for a 5-4 victory in what could have been the turning point in the best-of-five series.

“My job is to get on base and have other guys drive me in,” Jay said. “It worked out well in Monday’s game and I hope it can continue. I try to focus on every pitch during each at-bat. It worked out well in Monday’s game, and I hope it can continue.”

Jay hit .297 with 10 home runs and 37 RBIs in 159 games during the season. He hit .300 with four homers and 27 RBIs in 105 games during his rookie 2010 season. The Miami native, a 5-foot-11, 200-pounder, was a second-round pick of the Cardinals five years ago.

“I’m still trying to establish myself and do whatever is best for the team on that day,” Jay said. “I’m working hard and trying to be consistent.”

So far, so good, he said.

“I think it’s going great,” Jay said. “But it’s one game at a time.”



(thetelegraph.com)

Jon Jay (St. Louis Cardinals) Replacing the traded Colby Rasmus(notes) in center, Jay produced as do so many of La Russa’s favored players: He hits for a high average but displays little power or base-stealing ability. He can do the little things batting in the two-hole, but rarely does anything special. Jay is slightly below average defensively.

Here is Jon Jay’s 9th inning grab in the NLCS:

John Jay went 3-for-5 with three runs scored in the Cardinals' Game 2 NLCS victory on Monday.

Batting in front of Albert Pujols, Jay made the most of the opportunity by reaching base and scoring three times in the first five innings. As a result, he doubled his playoff hit total in what has been an otherwise quiet postseason at the plate.


(rotoworld.com)

MILWAUKEE • Back in the lineup spot he's made his own this season, Jon Jay stepped in for his first at-bat Monday, took a peek down at the third baseman and suspected he could drop a bunt for a base hit.

It wasn't where the third baseman stood.

It was instinct.

It comes with the job of batting second.

"It was one of those feelings I got, just go for it right there," Jay said. "I went with my gut feeling that now was the good time to do it. It was the first inning, time to get something going."

Jay got a lot of things going for the Cardinals as they evened the National League championship series at a game each with a 12-3 victory Monday at Miller Park.

As Albert Pujols powered through one of his finest postseason games, Jay merited a nomination for best performance in a supporting role with three hits and three runs scored. All of Pujols' RBI-producing swings included Jay.

The Cardinals' three-time MVP set a personal postseason best with five RBIs, and three of them were Jay. The first three times Pujols came to the plate in the game, Jay was on base, changing how the Brewers' pitchers could traipse around Pujols.

That's the job description, the center fielder said.

"I look at every situation to see what I can do to get on base," Jay said. "That was an opportunity for me to bunt (in the first inning). I got it down and everything else happened. It was a great start to the game."

Manager Tony La Russa said that Jay was "one of the key things. Get guys on base enough for the guys in the middle and we're going to score some runs. Jay had every bit as good a day as Albert did."

During the NL division series against Philadelphia, Jay did not appear ahead of Pujols in the No. 2 spot in the order until the final game, and even then it was as a replacement for injured Skip Schumaker.

Jay has returned to the two spot in both games of the best-of-seven NLCS against Milwaukee, and on Monday he described how comfortable he is there because the recipe is simple.

Get on base by any means necessary.

Get home by any means available.

He has done that in a variety ways through two games of the NLCS.

In Game 1, he drew a walk and scored on Matt Holliday's RBI single for the Cardinals' first run. He singled in the seventh to set up what was a failed rally that died via double play.

In Game 2, Jay reached base with the bunt single, a one-out single in the third inning and a leadoff double in fifth inning. Each time, Pujols followed right behind to score Jay from whatever base he reached.

Against Philly, Jay took up temporary residence in the No. 8 spot of the Cardinals' order, a spot in which he had minimal experience during the regular season yet appeared in for all four of his first-round starts. The NLCS has brought him home.

The No. 2 spot has been called by teammates the best place to hit in the majors because Pujols stands on deck every time. Jay made that spot a key part of his platform for more playing time this season. He hit .303 with a .418 slugging percentage in the No. 2 spot. Of National Leaguers with at least 250 plate appearances in the two spot this season, Jay's .303 ranked third behind two hitters the Cardinals have faced in the playoffs. Phillies third baseman Placido Polanco and Milwaukee center fielder Nyjer Morgan each hit .310 there.

Jay's feel for the No. 2 spot was clear in Game 1 as he worked Brewers' starter Zack Greinke through extended at-bats in each of his first three plate appearances.

Jay faced a total of 20 pitches in the three at-bats. He got the walk in the first inning, and he nearly broke the game in the Cardinals' direction with a busted-bat grounder in the fifth. A diving snare by Prince Fielder kept Jay from being part of a rally.

He was part of three Monday.

The bunt and run to beat third baseman Jerry Hairston Jr.'s throw for a single was prelude to Pujols' homer. The third-inning single was a hit-and-run play that put two on before Pujols' double. In the fifth inning Jay had leadoff double and scored on Pujols'second of three doubles.

"I have all these veterans (to) tell us take advantage of every opportunity you have," Jay said. "Even in the offseason, when I'm working out, I'm not saying, ‘Hey, I want to have a good (regular) season.' I'm want to get to the postseason. My goals aren't, ‘Hey, let's play the season and see what happens.' I want to win. I want to be known as a winning player.

"That is one of the things that drive me."


(stltoday.com)

QUESTION: Do you think the Cardinals will begin next season with Jon Jay as their everyday center fielder, or do you think it is more likely that there will be a time share at the position or that the team may even look outside for help?

RICK HUMMEL
There's is almost no question that Jon Jay will be the Cardinals' center fielder next season. Two reasons: He has played well defensively and hit .300 with some late-season power. And he doesn't make much money. If the Cardinals re-sign Albert Pujols and even Lance Berkman to go with Matt Holliday and several high-priced starting pitchers, they are going to need some regular  players making less than $1 million a year.
The club probably will look for a righthanded-hitting veteran outfielder who can play center field occasionally against lefthanded pitching.  They really don't have that now.

DERRICK GOOLD
Jay had an all-around game Tuesday night, offering six putouts in the field and driving in two runs at the plate. He hit his 10th homer and had his fourth consecutive two-hit game. The second-year outfielder is being fitted for the everyday job in center in 2012 -- a new reality for a fielder who has started each of the past two seasons as a fourth outfielder and had to hit his way into playing time.

LARRY BOROWSKY (Founder of Viva El Birdos and editor of "Maple Street Press Cardinals Annual")
It depends on what happens with other players. If they retain all three of Berkman, Pujols, and Carpenter, they'll almost have to bring Jay back as the primary CF; there won't be room in the payroll for anyone costlier than league minimum, and they won't find a better league-minimum CF than Jay. That wouldn't be such a terrible outcome; Jay is an average player at the position, and he comes very cheap. If he needs a platoon partner, Allen Craig might be a candidate but CF is a stretch for him defensively.

Should one of the veterans leave, that would create payroll space to allocate to CF. Unfortunately the free-agent crop is uninspiring though, with only one candidate who's a clear upgrade over Jay -- that's Carlos Beltran, whose ability to play center at age 35 is questionable (he hasn't played an inning there this season). If they don't sign him, there's always the possibility a trade can be worked out. But the odds are good that Jay will end up as their best option. Perhaps they shouldn't have dealt away that other homegrown kid who could play CF  ... what was his name again?


(stltoday.com)

Jon Jay went 2-for-3 with a solo homer and RBI single in Tuesday's win over the Brewers.

It's his second straight game with a home run, and he now has an even 10 on the year. Jay also has tallied four straight multi-hit games and is batting a cool .474 in five games this month.


(rotoworld.com)

The reasons Cardinals center fielder Jon Jay has fended off a second consecutive late-season swoon could vary from his familiarity with opposing pitchers to better stamina for September.

Or it could be as he repeated five times after playing a leading role in Tuesday's 4-2 victory — as simple as "everything evens out."

"Sometimes you don't even know how you got out of it," Jay said. "You try to stay consistent. You try to stay at that point. That's where I am right now."

Jay swatted his 10th home run of the season and finished Tuesday's win against the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium with two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored. It was the outfielder's fourth consecutive game with two hits, and for the first time in his career he has more than two homers in the same home stand. Jay added a couple of catches in center at the warning track — and later one misplay that led to a run — to back starter Kyle Lohse.

In his past 19 games, the lefthanded-hitting outfielder has batted .371 with 13 runs scored and three homers.

It's a display that is a stark contrast to last September.

"It's a long season and you're going to have some months where you don't do well, and some stretches, too," Jay explained. "I'm a firm believer that everything evens out. Everything evens out, especially in this game."

Jay's two seasons in the majors have followed similar trends. He emerges early in the year as a capable and valuable fourth outfielder. He promptly hits his way into more playing time, and then the Cardinals make a deal at the deadline that clears the way for him to move into an everyday role. Last season, the Cardinals exchanged right fielder Ryan Ludwick in a three-team deal for Jake Westbrook, and the club advertised Jay as the beneficiary of the open playing time. This season, Jay started a time share in center with incumbent Colby Rasmus, and the Cardinals moved Rasmus at the non-waiver trade deadline to Toronto, in part, to land starter Edwin Jackson and lefty Marc Rzepczynski.

After the Ludwick trade, Jay faded. His average dropped from .378 on the day of the trade to .300 at the end of the season, and he batted .218 in the season's final month. Jay did not hit a homer after the deal. He attributed the fade to fatigue, brought on in part by an offseason spent playing winter ball immediately before the start of the 2010 season.

Flares went up, however, when a similar slump struck at the deadline this year.

In the month after the Rasmus trade, Jay hit .250 in 27 games and had a .304 on-base percentage.

"I think until he establishes a long track record, any time you have a little hiccup people start (thinking), 'Hey, what's real?'" manager Tony La Russa said. "The truth of it is that through the season everyone goes through those things."

How they get out of them defines the player.

Jay, the Cardinals' second-round pick in the 2006 draft, has found a way to adjust quicker and more completely this season. Aware of how specific teams and even individual pitchers are going to attack him, Jay has tightened up his swing and counteracted. He's also found a bit of a comfort zone in the No. 2 spot in the order, where he hit Tuesday. In the first inning, Jay bounced into a groundout and then scored on Lance Berkman's two-out single. In the third, Jay uncorked a homer to left field, his second homer from the No. 2 spot in the order in three days.
Billed as a high-average hitter since his days batting behind Milwaukee All-Star Ryan Braun at the University of Miami, Jay now has 10 home runs in 384 at-bats this season. Rasmus had 11 in 338 at-bats for the Cardinals this season; he has 14 in 426 overall.

After two years of moving into an everyday role only after a trade, Jay is likely to come to spring training in 2012 with a chance to win the everyday job outright, barring an offseason move for a center fielder.

La Russa noted that opponents have 'seen him now a bunch of times and he's still getting base hits." With his recovery in the past few weeks, Jay is on pace to finish his second season hitting well above .300 rather than clinging desperately to .300 like he was a year ago.

"It's just one of those things," Jay said. "The more time you spend here the more comfortable you get every day. I don't think you could ever be too comfortable here. It'll bite you."


(stltoday.com)

Jon Jay went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in St. Louis' 10-inning loss to the Reds on Sunday.

He tagged Bronson Arroyo in the first inning. Jay's ninth home run of the season was just his second since the All-Star break. He'll take a .301/.349/.435 batting line in to play on Monday.


(rotoworld.com)

Cardinals OF Jon Jay was left out of the starting lineup Friday against the Cubs, but he didn't remain on the bench. Jay entered the game and finished 1 for 2 with a caught stealing. He wasn't in the starting lineup because manager Tony La Russa wanted to rest the slumping Jay, who is batting .212 in 17 August games. 'I think he went through a period where he was a little funky,' La Russa said before the game. 'I think he's really close to being where he's going to be fine. Him and [hitting coach Mark McGwire] have done some good work. He'll be out there in the next couple days.'



(fantasysp.com)

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Cardinal OF Jon Jay wasn't in Monday's lineup in place of Skip Schumaker because of a recent clump he has been mired in. 'Jay's a little off now,' said manager Tony La Russa, 'so he's doing some work to get back on. In the meantime, Schu's versatility allows Theriot to get back in there and he's done well against (Pirates starter James McDonald). Schu's a very useful guy.' Jay was hitless in five at-bats on Sunday and is just 7 for his last 43 at the plate (.163).



(fantasysp.com)

ST. LOUIS -- Jon Jay received two presents prior to Wednesday night's game against the Brewers. He was added to the Cardinals' lineup at the last minute, and he was named the team's recipient for the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association "Heart and Hustle" award.

The award "honors active players who demonstrate a passion for the game of baseball and best embody the values, spirit, and tradition of the game," according to the MLBPAA. Cardinals broadcaster and former pitcher Al Hrabosky presented Jay with the award in an on-field ceremony. The league-wide winner of the award will be announced on Thursday, Nov. 3, in New York.

"It was really cool," Jay said. "I found out last week about it, and it's pretty cool to get recognized for that."

Jay, 26, has emerged as the Cardinals' starting center fielder. He's batting .297 on the year with a .346 on-base percentage and a .418 slugging percentage.

He was initially slated to be held out of the lineup for a second straight night, the result of a recent slump. However, when Matt Holliday suffered a lower back injury before the game, Jay was inserted into the starting lineup.

(mlb.com)

Cardinals’ centerfielder Jon Jay became an interesting option for fantasy owners when St. Louis unloaded Colby Rasmus to the Blue Jays before the trade deadline.

Unfortunately for Jay owners, the lefthander has struggled since taking over the starting job.

He’s 7-of-34 in his last 10 games and is batting .206 during that stretch. Eight of those games have been starts, with Corey Patterson getting the nod in the other two games.

I’d expect Jay to continue to get most of the playing time, with Patterson there to spell the up-and-comer every fourth or fifth game.

As for Rasmus, the new Blue Jay has picked it up of late, despite suffering a finger injury Saturday.

Rasmus has nine hits over his last 28 at-bats, including a home run and three doubles.

And don’t let the finger worry you, he should stay in the lineup.


(cincinnati.com)

MIAMI -- Traveling every three or four days can be pretty taxing on a baseball player over the course of a season.

But when those travels take a player to his hometown, like this weekend's series did for Jon Jay, it makes a trip much more exciting.

"It's always fun to come home," Jay said. "This is where it all started for me. I still live here and all of my friends and family come out and support me. It's nice to see."

It is the second time in his brief big league career that Jay gets to play in front of his hometown fans, and he has had plenty of them supporting him from the Sun Life Stadium stands this weekend.

A local star at Columbus High and the University of Miami, Jay has a large following in Miami. Along with his parents, Justo and Maria, and his sister, Janelle, Jay has been visited by a lot of friends, family and even his college coach, Jim Morris.

"I got to talk to him a little bit," Jay said. "It was nice to see him because he played a big part in my baseball career being my coach at UM. I'm around there a lot, too, so it was great for him to come out and see me."

The 26-year-old Jay was batting over .300 before his struggles on the current road trip brought his average down to .297.

Jay's success this season made it easier for the Cardinals to trade outfielder Colby Rasmus to the Blue Jays for Edwin Jackson, Marc Rzepczynski, Octavio Dotel and Corey Patterson.

With Rasmus gone, Jay is officially the Cardinals' starting center fielder, but that has not changed how he approaches each game.

"It's not any different," Jay said. "I still have to show up and be ready every day."


(mlb.com)

Jon Jay, who now figures to get the bulk of the work in center, had 10 Defensive Runs Saved split between all three outfield spots, including +6 in centerfield. Jay's +10 DRS ranks tied for eighth-best among all major league outfielders.



(espn.com)

St. Louis, Missouri (KSDK)--   The Cardinals bolstered their middle infield Sunday, acquiring former All-Star shortstop Rafael Furcal from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The 33 year old Furcal hit .197 in 37 games for the Dodgers this season, but has hit .364 in the past week with three multi-hit games. His struggles can be attributed to a strained left oblique and a fractured left thumb, which caused him to miss 63 games.

Furcal lead the majors with a .370 on-base-percentage from the leadoff spot last season.

To acquire Furcal the Cardinals sent AA outfielder Alex Castellanos to the Dodgers. This is the second Dodgers shortstop the Cardinals have traded for  in the past year, having picked up Ryan Theriot last November.

Furcal will wear uniform #15 and Jon Jay will switch to uniform #19.


(ksdk.com)

One of the largest ballparks in the league, complete with one of the most spacious center fields in the game, welcomes the Cardinals for a three-game midweek series against the host New York Mets.

And Jon Jay gets the first chance to cover those acres.

Jay started in center and bat second last night against the Mets, with shortstop Ryan Theriot in the lineup, at shortstop and batting first overall. Manager Tony La Russa is sticking with the pitcher batting eighth against the Mets and their scheduled starter Dillon Gee, a righty. The Mets plan to have shortstop Jose Reyes (hamstring) back from the disabled list tonight, and outfielder Carlos Beltran (flu) is considered probable for tonight's game.


(stltoday.com)

Jon Jay is expected to become the Cardinals' primary right fielder in the wake of Albert Pujols' injury.

Lance Berkman will cover first base most nights. Jay has posted a quality .313/.364/.436 batting line in 71 games this year and is a slick defender. The 26-year-old will make the loss of Pujols a tiny bit less horrific.


(rotoworld.com)

HOUSTON -- It's not exactly a June swoon, but Jon Jay has experienced an offensive dropoff this month going into his start in right field tonight.
Jay, who replaced injured Allen Craig on Tuesday night, has five singles and no RBIs in 24 June at-bats. In May, he batted .397 with four homers and 14 RBIs in 78 at-bats.

Craig is unable to run today because of the deep bruise and gash on his right knee; he suffered the injury when he crashed into a metal fence in foul territory at Minute Maid Park on Tuesday night.

Craig said today he is in "de-swelling mode" and more concerned about the bruise than the stitches he received. His leg is sore, but the team determined that X-rays would not be needed. Craig's status beyond today has not been determined.


(stltoday.com)

DENVER — Kyle Lohse pitched six solid innings to match a major league high with his seventh win and Jon Jay hit a two-run homer, helping the St. Louis Cardinals hold off the Colorado Rockies 4-3 on Sunday.

St. Louis wasted little time grabbing the lead as Ryan Theriot started off the game with a single, extending his hitting streak to 12 games, and Jay followed with his fourth homer of the season.



(bostonherald.com)

By the time the game was done Wednesday night, Jon Jay was the old hand in the Cardinals' outfield.

Allen Craig, the game's starting second baseman, had replaced Matt Holliday in left field, and Tyler Greene, better known as an infielder, had replaced Lance Berkman in right field. Which left the 26-year-old Jay, making just his fifth start of the season in center, as the most experienced guy out there.

"It was a little different, but everyone got the job done," he said. "Those guys are good athletes. They can make plays, too, but you're always conscious (about their experience) and I just tried to put them in a better position, making sure they're playing guys the right way. Craig's a good athlete and Greene's a great athlete; you've got those two guys who can hold their own out there."

Jay "was the anchor," manager Tony La Russa said. "He's a good ballplayer. He really understands the game."

For an anchor, Jay also helped lift the Cardinals to a 5-1 win over the Astros at Busch Stadium. He went two for four, driving in two runs, and had the defensive play of the game in the seventh, racing to his right and making a diving catch on a shot by Houston's Clint Barmes that he turned into an inning-ending, 8-6-3 double play that held the Astros to one run in the inning.

"Who knows if that ball's not caught in left center what that inning becomes and what happens," La Russa said. "That's the key play defensively."
"It's a ball that could possibly get down for a run and he turns it into two (outs)," starting pitcher Kyle Lohse said. "He always seems like he's getting good jumps out there and does a great job no matter what position you put him in out there."

Jay has spent most of his outfield time in the corners, particularly right field, where he's been the fill-in when Berkman needs a day off. Wednesday was his fourth straight start in center while Colby Rasmus recovers from an abdominal strain. Rasmus appeared as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning, and La Russa said he might be able to be back in the starting lineup today or Friday in Kansas City, but that may not send Jay back to the bench. The injuries to Holliday and Berkman may keep one or both of them on the bench for today's series finale with Houston.
Rasmus' absence hasn't been serious, thanks to Jay, who has come through at the plate and in the field. He's got a team-high five-game hitting streak — he's had seven hits in his past 15 at-bats — and has hit safely in nine of the 11 games he's started this season. He's hitting .322 for the season.

"It definitely helps when you get to see pitches every day and know you can make adjustments," Jay said. "I'm just trying to roll with it and see what happens tomorrow."

Berkman's unexpected durability and the play of Holliday — who hasn't missed a game since his appendectomy — and Rasmus have limited Jay's chances at the plate. He's appeared in 42 of the Cardinals' 44 games but has come to the plate just 59 times. Wednesday's start was his 11th of the season.

"It's been fine," he said. "The days I don't start I try to go in the weight room, get some extra swings in the cage and stay ready every day so when my name's called I don't embarrass myself out there. ... I'm playing the mental games and not worrying about when my last start was or when my last at-bat was."



(stltoday.com)

Jon Jay hit a three-run homer in his lone at-bat off the bench to give the Cardinals all of their runs Saturday.

Too bad he can't play third base. Jay is hitting .289 with three homers in 45 at-bats, but there's only so much of a role for him on the Cardinals while the entire outfield is healthy. He's driven in six runs the last three days, but he had no fantasy value while collecting two RBI over the course of the first six weeks.



(rotoworld.com)

When Jayson Stark reported Wednesday that the Phillies were interested in Cardinals outfielder Jon Jay, you might have asked yourself why they were pursuing an outfielder when there is still so much uncertainty regarding Chase Utley's status. Especially when any possible replacements for Utley are likely coming from a litter of former and current non-roster invitees like Josh Barfield, Delwyn Young, Wilson Valdez, and Pete Orr.

The answer is pretty simple. Ruben Amaro has decided that since he can't bolster the offense at second base (consider Michael Young very much off the radar... for now) he'll try to do it in the outfield. Because if you haven't noticed, there's one, count 'em one outfielder on the team the Phillies can count on delivering numbers consistent with or better than his career average, and that's Shane Victorino.

Raul Ibanez quietly had a strong second half in 2010 and is having a very nice spring, but he'll be 39 in June. Though he intensified his workout regimen during the off season that wall can come quickly for certain players and the impact can be ugly.

Ben Francisco (the starting right-fielder for all intents and purposes) and John Mayberry are each having all-world springs. But if Ben Fran logs 500 plate appearances this season, it'll be the first time he's done so. And let's see Mabes hit the curve ball consistently, off guys not destined for minor league camp.

Dom Brown? He's got some rehab, and a spring training do-over ahead of him. See you in June, kid. Maybe.

Though he's a left-handed hitter, the 26-year-old Jay would be a nice fit. As a rookie in 2010, he hit .300 in 323 plate appearance. Not much pop (just four HR and a .422 slugging percentage) but he held his own against lefties (.308 in 76 plate appearances) and plays all three outfield spots. And as MLB Trade Rumors points out, he's under team control through 2016 and won't hit arbitration before the 2012-13 off-season.

So Jay is young and cheap and versatile. An attractive fit for the Phils, to be sure. But more so for a mid-market team like the Cards, what with Albert Pujols hitting free agency after the season and seeking the moon.

Pure speculation, but the asking price would likely be steep for a part-time player. The Cards are a little light on lefty relievers. Maybe the ask for Antonio Bastardo?

We'll see…

(phillyburbs.com)

Jon Jay had a two-run triple and a sac-fly to lead the Cardinals to a 6-1 Grapefruit League win over the Atlanta Braves at Champion Field.  David Freese went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer as St. Louis improved to 7-and-4 on the spring.  Kyle Lohse pitched four innings of one-run ball for the win.  Kyle McClellan starts today as the Cards play the Braves again.



(wjbdradio.com)

Jon Jay went 2-for-3 and hit a two-run homer Tuesday in the Cardinals' 7-1 win over the Marlins.
Jay will be the Cardinals' fourth outfielder when everyone is healthy, but with Lance Berkman likely to often take a seat late in games, odds are that he'll see plenty of time in right field over the course of the season.



(stltoday.com)

Cool, calm and collected. That's the best way to describe St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jon Jay, who earlier this spring training found himself in a competition for his starting job with fan favorite Jim Edmonds. Until Edmonds made the decision to retire, Jay was willing to give up his number (#15) in favor of Edmonds, and let the competition determine the opening day roster. While he no longer needs to worry, that still doesn't stop Jay from competing against the only person who matters: himself. I caught up with Jay at the Cardinals Winter Warm-Up and discovered some pretty interesting and hilarious facts about the outfielder (hint: follow him on Twitter to see his 'hobby' in full-force)!

After the off-season, how does it feel seeing the fans again and participating in the Winter Warm-Up?
It's crazy. There's so many people. It's kind of weird when you're out of tune from this for three months and then you come back. You forget how crazy it is here and how great it is with the support we get, so it's nice.

After a great game, what's the first thing you do? Call your friends or watch yourself on Sports Center?
I have a short drive home, so I usually talk to a couple of friends, and then just relax and hang out. I usually try not to watch the games, because I'll watch it the next day in the film room. I just try to tune out from baseball as much as I can when I get home.

Is there a ballpark that you haven't gotten to play in yet, that you're just dying to play a game in?
Yes, San Francisco. I didn't get to make that trip last year, so hopefully I can make it this year.

Outside of baseball, what are your hobbies?
I have a big shoe collection. Jordans. I got a big retro Jordan collection going. I have a lot, it's one of my hobbies. I enjoy fishing and boating as much as I can, but we miss most of those summer months. I try to go down to the [Florida] Keys as much as I can during the off-season. I like the outdoors and going to the beach.

Did you have a sports idol growing up?
Oh definitely. Michael Jordan, he was guy. I used to love watching him . . . just the way he competed.

So I guess it's safe to say if you couldn't be a baseball player, you'd want to be a basketball player?
Or a football player. Definitely a football player.

What position?
Oh, it switches everyday. From linebacker to running back to quarterback. I still think I could play, but it's probably not going to happen.

If you were stranded on the side of the road and couldn't call AAA, which teammate would you call?
Definitely Nick Stavinoha.

How come Nick?
I don't know. Somehow he just knows it all. [laughs]

Jon's St. Louis Favorites:
Steakhouse: Prime1000
1000 Washington St.; 314-241-1000

Restaurant: Mosaic
1001 Washington Ave.; 314-621-6001



(citysbest.com)

JUPITER, Fla. -- It took fewer than 24 hours for Jon Jay to get his number back.

Jay wore No. 15 last year as a member of the Cardinals. However, when the club announced that Jim Edmonds would be returning to the club on a Minor League deal, Jay surrendered Edmonds' famous uniform number. Jay expressed interest in No. 19, but Ramon Vazquez took that one, so Jay ended up with No. 22.

Once Edmonds announced his retirement, though, the wheels went in motion quickly. Jay wore No. 15 on Saturday, his first day on the field after the Cardinals announced that Edmonds would not be coming to camp.

Then again, a uniform number may not be the main benefit to Jay. With Edmonds out of the competition for a roster spot, Jay's chances of making the club for Opening Day can only improve.



(mlb.com)

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JUPITER, Fla. - Like a kid excited for the first day of school, Cardinals outfielder Jon Jay couldn't fall asleep late Sunday night as thoughts ran through his head about leaving early Monday morning to report to spring training in Jupiter.

So instead of tossing and turning in his bed all night, Jay decided to get up and make the 90-minute drive from his home in Miami to the Cardinals complex in Jupiter - at 2:30 in the morning.

Jay checked into his condo near Roger Dean Stadium and unpacked his bags early Monday morning before being one of the first players to show up in the Cardinals clubhouse.

"I didn't sleep all night," Jay said. "I was too excited and pumped up to be around everybody so I just got in my car and drove up here in the middle of the night."

Despite hitting .300 in his rookie season in the big leagues in 2010, Jay knows he's in for a battle just to make the roster this spring. Both Jay and Allen Craig were expected to see significant playing time in right-field before the club signed veteran Lance Berkman to man the spot.

Veteran Jim Edmonds was then signed to a minor league deal and will attempt to beat out Jay for a spot on the bench should he be healthy enough to do so.

"I wouldn't say it's disappointing because the Cardinals are known as one of the teams who will compete year in and year out and that's what happens when you are on a team like that," Jay said of the moves. "Sometimes it's better to be on a winning team and have a smaller role than to be on a losing team and have a bigger role. Hopefully I can stick around here and we can do some special things this year.

"I'm not too worried about who was brought in. If I can take care of what I need to take care of, everything will be fine. If I show up and I'm not ready and I don't do what I need to do to take care of, then I'm not going to merit a spot. I'm just looking forward to proving every day that I belong here."

Jay was hitting .396 when Ryan Ludwick was traded to the San Diego Padres. But he hit just .238 with nine extra-base hits in 176 at-bats from that point forward and was benched the final week of the season to ensure his batting average finish the season above .300.

Nobody expected Jay to continue hitting .396 the entire season but his dramatic drop off down the stretch was a concern. The left-handed hitting Jay said the slump was mainly just the law of averages playing out but admitted he has to be more consistent this year if he expects to remain in the big leagues.

"I went into a funk and it's one of those things where maybe it was a bad time to go into a funk," Jay said. "But I learned from it and this year it's going to be a test to see how quickly I can get out of that and how quickly I can make the adjustment. I take nothing but positive from last year and I got some valuable time here so I am looking forward to spring training and re-proving myself and continuing to show that I can play at this level.

"I think my hands were dropping a little bit too low but it was a combination of things. I was just missing pitches and not capitalizing on that. This is the big leagues. You miss your pitch and fall behind in the count and the pitcher is going to get you. I have to remember to work ahead in the count and continue to play my game. I'm excited for this year."

Jay is also the latest Cardinal to join the Twitter world. You can follow him @JonJayU.



(stlcardinals.scout.com)

Edmonds' arrival would seem to further lengthen the odds for two youngsters to make the team. Allen Craig and Jon Jay began the winter as the projected starting tandem in right field. Now, neither is even a sure thing to be on the roster. Craig may have a better chance as a right-handed hitter and potential platoon partner for Berkman. It also helps that he can play the infield in a pinch.

Jay, though, could be facing an uphill battle. Although he's able to play center field, his left-handedness could cost him. That's because La Russa recently said that he's considering infielder Tyler Greene, a speedy right-handed hitter, as a potential backup option in center.

"One of the things you would look at would be a right-handed-hitting center fielder," La Russa said. "Because there's going to be a day or two where Colby, or anybody, is going to sit. And it probably makes sense for that day to be against a left-hander who's really difficult. So a right-handed-hitting center fielder. So we talked about Tyler maybe getting some at-bats out there. Spring Training, we're kind of creative about what we try down there, with a point to make. Nothing crazy. In Tyler's case, you may see him play some center field."

That would be bad news for Jay, whose strongest argument for being on the roster may be his ability to play center. Then again, if Edmonds isn't able to go, Jay might be in fine shape. It's all to be determined in what should be a very interesting camp for Redbirds outfielders.



(mlb.com)