Rod Beck was once one of the most intimidating relief pitchers in baseball. Part of it was because he could throw a baseball hard, but part of it was because he looked like the meanest guy in the entire south.

I never was much of a fan, until I read the story of his 2003 comeback. He was pitching in the minor leagues hoping someone would need him, living in an RV parked outside the stadium, hanging out with the fans afterward.

That's class.

I just finished reading Before They Were Cardinals, a history of the American Association St. Louis Browns, by Jon David Cash.

I have mixed feelings about the book.

Up until this past week, whenever anyone asked what my Royals have done this winter, all I could say was they got a new backup catcher. Hardly exciting.

Now it's not like they've replaced Angel "Swings at pickoff throws to first" Berroa with Alex Rodriguez, but now they've gotten themselves some pitching.

I saw a familiar name that I hadn't heard in a long time--years, probably--mentioned on a Royals fan site.

Lonnie Smith.

Lonnie Smith was a talented but troubled outfielder who rose to prominence while playing for Whitey Herzog's 1982 St. Louis Cardinals. He could run like nobody's business and he was a fearsome hitter on top of that, but he also had a drug problem.

So, the Cardinals just played the Mets in a series that, frankly, I think is one for the ages. Lots of drama, lots of very good pitching, lots of great defensive plays--the obvious best was ex-Royal Endy Chavez jumping about 14 feet in the air to snowcone a would-be Scott Rolen homer, but there were others--and just a lot of other good things. The Cardinals supposedly had no business winning, but the patchwork team did.

Now they're in the World Series. And I'm not sure if anyone knows, frankly.

I enjoy reading Rob & Rany on the Royals, but I just can't feel as negative as they do about the team. I know signing 5-6 free agents who are basically average players isn't going to make them win the World Series, and I know the Royals lost 3-1 to the Tigers yesterday. But I'm encouraged.

They did the little things.

The press is divided: Alfonso Soriano is Terrell Owens. Alfonso Soriano isn't Terrell Owens. No matter. There is one thing that matters.

Alfonso Soriano is an employee of the Washington Nationals Baseball Club and is under contract until the end of next year. Alfonso Soriano wants to play second base. His employer wants him to play left field.

If you aren't a professional athlete, the case is clear: You do what your employer tells you. Period. Why is it different if you make $10 million a year?

In case you've been on another planet this week, two things rocked the Baseball world. Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett died of a massive stroke at age 45. He was younger than Julio Franco, who is still playing in the major leagues, and Puckett is only the second youngest Hall of Famer to die. Lou Gehrig died of ALS at age 37.

The other news is the publication of a book detailing Barry Bonds' use of performance-enhancing substances such as steroids since 1998.

The Royals signed four free agents. All four of them potentially have something to offer, and one of them is a virtual guarantee to contribute something.

The four? First baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, second baseman Mark Grudzielanek, starting pitcher Scott Elarton, and catcher Paul Bako.

So the Royals managed yesterday to avoid losing their 100th game this season. They have to win 14 games in a row to avoid their third 100-loss season in four years. While a 14-game winning streak to stave off that 100th loss isn't impossible, it's unlikely. This is a team that dropped 19 straight last month, after all.

Keep in mind that the cross-state Cardinals, the winningest team in baseball, haven't won their 99th game yet.

So what do you do with a team that's had a worse run than the 1962-1966 Mets, who at least had the excuse of being an expansion team?