photo: Dan McLaughlin (St. Louis Cardinals)
The St. Louis Cardinals will have a new television voice in 2023. Our weekly history feature reviews key Cardinals Rule 5 draft losses during the years of 1980-1999.
Cardinals announcer Dan McLaughlin resigns
Dan McLaughlin, the St. Louis Cardinals television play-by-play announcer for 24 years, resigned his position with Bally Sports Midwest, effective Thursday, December 15. It was represented to be a “mutual decision” between McLaughlin and the network.
The decision was precipitated by the recent arrest of McLaughlin on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. McLaughlin was charged with the felony of Persistent Offender DWI after his arrest on December 4. The arrest was McLaughlin’s third offense under the DWI statute. His second arrest on a DWI charge occurred in 2011, which was 13 months after his first arrest. McLaughlin was suspended from his broadcasting job following the 2011 arrest.
McLaughlin stated that he is resigning to focus on his recovery and the health and well-being of his family.
McLaughlin is out on bond with his next court appearance in February.
According to a Bally Sports Midwest spokesperson, a nationwide search will be conducted for his replacement.
News and Notes from the Offseason
- Autograph tickets for the Annual Cardinals Care Winter Warm-Up have gone on sale. More than 40 players and coaches will be on hand to sign. Including Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, Brendan Donovan, Tommy Edman and more. Also scheduled to appear for autographs is new Cardinal Willson Contreras as well as top prospect Jordan Walker.
The tickets will be issued electronically via the MLB Ballpark app. For more information check the Cardinals website at mlb.com/cardinals/fans/winter-warm-up . You can purchase tickets there as well as view the Autograph Schedule.
Free autograph tickets will be made available on January 6.
Trade and Acquisition Rumors
There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.
Transactions
There are no transactions to report.
Injury Report
There are no new injuries to report.
Looking Ahead
In the 2022-23 offseason, all unsigned eligible free agents have elected free agency. Trades and free agent signings will continue to occur through the offseason and into spring training.
Now that the Winter Meetings have concluded and all awards have been given out, the next dates on the offseason calendar of note have to do with player arbitration. January 13 is the date when teams and arbitration eligible players must submit salary figures. Prior to that date and afterward, the parties are free to come to an agreement on the player’s salary for 2023 and avoid arbitration. After January 13, if no agreement is reached, the dispute is scheduled for an arbitration hearing to take place sometime in February. The parties may still reach agreement after that date and avoid the hearing.
The Cardinals have 10 players who are arbitration eligible. They are Jordan Montgomery, Jack Flaherty, Chris Stratton, Jordan Hicks, Dakota Hudson, Tyler O’Neill, Tommy Edman, Ryan Helsley, Andrew Knizner, and Genesis Cabrera.
On November 17, the Cardinals and Stratton reached agreement on a one-year deal for $2.8 million. Stratton, along with Montgomery, Flaherty, and Hicks, are in their final year of arbitration eligibility.
Hudson and O’Neill are in their second year of eligibility. Edman, Helsley, Knizner, and Cabrera are first year eligible.
- January 14-16 – Cardinals Care Winter Warm-Up.
- January 15 – The international signing period begins.
- January 24 – The 2023 inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame are announced.
Blast from the Past
This week’s Blast from the Past continues with the recollection of past Cardinals players lost in the major league phase of the Rule 5 draft. Last week the period 2000-2019 was covered. This week the period 1980-1999 will be the focus.
The list is in descending order. There will be years in which no player was taken, and those years will be listed at the end. There will also be years in which multiple players were taken. Each will be listed separately.
December 15, 1997, New Orleans – OF Luis Saturria. The Cardinals signed Saturria as an international free agent in 1994. At the time of the Rule 5 draft, he was assigned to the Peoria Chiefs. The Toronto Blue Jays selected Satturia but returned him to the Cardinals before the 1998 season began. He made his debut for St. Louis on September 11, 2000. He played in 25 games in 2000 and 2001.
December 15, 1997, New Orleans – P Keith Glauber. Glauber was drafted by the Cardinals in 1994. He spent the 1997 season in both Double-A and Triple-A. The Reds selected Glauber in the draft that winter. He remained with the Reds organization through the 2001 season.
December 9, 1996 – 2B Jeff Berblinger. Berblinger was drafted by the Cardinals in 1993. He played at the Triple-A level in 1996. The Detroit Tigers selected Berblinger in the Rule 5 draft and traded him to the Dodgers the same day. He was returned to the Cardinals in March 1997. Berblinger had a cup of coffee with the Cardinals in 1997, appearing in seven games that season.
December 13, 1993, Atlanta – OF Allen Battle. Battle was the 10th round draft pick by the Cardinals in 1991. He played in Double-A in 1993. The Chicago White Sox selected Battle in the Rule 5 draft, then returned him to the Cardinals in March 1994. Battle debuted with the Cardinals on April 26, 1995 and played in 61 games for the Cardinals that season. He was traded to the Oakland Athletics in January 1996.
December 3, 1984, Houston – C Mark Salas. Salas was drafted by the Cardinals in 1979. Salas debuted with the Cardinals on June 19, 1984. He played 14 games in St. Louis and was later sent down to Triple-A. The Minnesota Twins selected Salas in the Rule 5 draft. He remained with the Twins until mid-season 1987 when he was traded to the Yankees. He had an eight-year major league career with six teams with his final season in 1991.
December 6, 1983, Nashville – C Orlando Sanchez. The Cardinals selected Sanchez in the 1980 Rule 5 draft from the Phillies. He debuted with the Cardinals on May 6, 1981. Sanchez played in parts of three seasons for the Cardinals. He was selected in the 1983 Rule 5 draft by the Kansas City Royals. He finished his major league career in 1984 with the Baltimore Orioles.
December 7, 1981, Hollywood FL – P Jim Gott. Gott was drafted by the Cardinals in 1977. Gott last played at the Double-A level for the Cardinals. The Blue Jays selected Gott in the 1981 Rule 5 draft. He remained with Toronto for three seasons. He went on to have a 14-year major league career with three additional teams before ending his career in 1995 with the Pirates.
December 7, 1981, Hollywood FL – P Rafael Pimentel. There is very little information about Pimentel other than he began his professional career with Toronto in 1978 and was acquired by the Cardinals in 1980. The Cubs selected Pimentel in the 1981 Rule 5 draft but apparently returned him to the Cardinals. He remained in the Cardinals minor league system through the 1984 season.
December 8, 1980, Dallas – C Jody Davis. The Cardinals acquired Davis in a 1979 with the Mets. Davis was spent the 1980 season in both High-A and Triple-A. The Cubs selected Davis in the 1980 Rule 5 draft. He remained with the Cubs for 8 seasons and was traded to the Braves in 1988.
December 8, 1980, Dallas – C George Bjorkman. Bjorkman was drafted by the Cardinals in 1978. He was selected by the Giants in the 1980 Rule 5 draft. The Giants returned him to the Cardinals in April 1981. In March 1983, the Cardinals traded him to the Astros. He played one major league season in Houston.
December 8, 1980, Dallas – P Roy Thomas. The Cardinals claimed Thomas off waivers from the Astros in June 1978. He pitched in 66 games over three seasons in St. Louis. He was optioned to the minors in June of 1980. The Athletics selected him in the 1980 Rule 5 draft.
The Cardinals had no players chosen in the major league portion of the Rule 5 draft in 1999, 1998, 1995, 1994, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987, 1986, 1985, and 1982.
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