Buster Olney on his ESPN.com blog hears that the Cardinals are shopping Scott Rolen and the Twins are interested.

Rolen is owed $33 million over the next three years.

According to the St. Louis Post, the Cardinals have decided to decline their one-year $1.1 million option on outfielder So Taguchi on Monday night, though it doesn’t close the door on his chance’s of returning. The Cardinals elected to buy it out at $100,000.

Taguchi, 38, hit .290 this past season in 307 at-bats.

He is eligible for arbitration, and the Cardinals could tender him a contract before the December deadline.

The St. Louis Cardinals have reached an agreement with starting pitcher Joel Pineiro on a two-year deal pending physical, according to Joe Strauss of STLToday.com.

Pineiro, 29, was 6-4 with a 3.96 ERA in 11 starts after the Cardinals acquired him from the Boston Red Sox in a July 31 non-waiver deadline deal.

Update - 2:36pm - According to Ken Rosenthal at FOXSports.com, Pineiro’s contract is worth $13 million over two years.

Cards catcher Yadier Molina is on the DL.  He suffered a fractured left wrist and is expected to be out up to six weeks. Its another in a series of blows to the Cards, which including losing Carpenter who's been out since losing to the Mets. 

The Cards announced earlier today that Chris Carpenter will not return this week as hoped, but be out for three months instead. He will now have surgery on his right elbow latter in the week.

The Cards are currently in last place in the NL Central.

I have no idea whats going on over the NL central this year.  The Pirates are outperforming the Astros.  The Brewers are in first, with the only record over .500.  The loss of Carpenter for the vast majority of the season might be the final blow to keep the Cards at the bottom for the season. 

Former Generation-K phenom, Jason Isringhausen, is ahead of schedule coming off hip surgery.

I thought old men get hip surgery? I guess this means the bane of my and Carlos Beltran's existance, Adam Wainwright, will be possibly heading back to the Cardinals starting rotation sooner rather than later, or maybe the Cardinals sell high on him off of his surprisingly good performance. Braden Looper's role continues to be unclear, perhaps he's the designated backpack carrying candy delivery guy.

The voting for AL MVP could be deadlocked on top between Derek Jeter and Justin Morneau.

The Red Sox are showing interest in Rangers SS Michael Young. They are also offering the Nationals OF Wily Mo Pena in exchange for P Chad Cordero.

The Astros, Rangers, Blue Jays, Cardinals, Cubs and Mets are all in the hunt for P Vicente Padilla.

The Cubs are pursuing SS-2B Julio Lugo, but they want him to move to centerfield.

The Yankees are showing interest in 1B-3B Shea Hillenbrand.

Yankees P Scott Proctor might be moved to the rotation for 2007.

The A’s have promoted bench coach Bob Geren to be the clubs next manager.

The Red Sox are showing interest in former Expos and Brewers P Tomo Ohka, who was a former prospect in the Red Sox organization.

SS Alex Gonzalez has been offered a 3-year, $15 million contract from either the White Sox or Reds.

A’s owner Lewis Wolff said the club will consider bringing in OF Barry Bonds to replace the all-but departed DH Frank Thomas.

The Orioles could persue either Mariners 1B Richie Sexson or Reds OF Adam Dunn this winter.

The Cubs are open to trading C Michael Barrett for some pitching help.

The Astros and Rockies have discussed a trade that would bring P Jason Jennings to Houston while sending either OF/2B Chris Burke or P Brad Lidge to Colorado.

The Mets are showing interest in P Adam Eaton, but his agent says he believes the Mets have Eaton as a “backup choice”.

SNY had former Met Lee Mazelli in their headquarters for an interview yesterday. It is believed he would work during Mets broadcasts.

The Red Sox could try to convince P Roger Clemens to return to Boston to be the teams closer.

Check out a very cool graphical representation of the battle that is sure to ensue between Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina and Jose Reyes in The New York Times.

We pick up the NLDS Cards Padres game in the bottom of the 7th inning…

6:35….Bottom 7th…Ronnie Belliard kills a rally for the Padres who had the bases loaded with 2 out, making a nice play ranging all the way from second base on a ball hit to shallow right field, tracking it down and throwing out Todd Walker.

6:40….Top 8th…Padres retire the Cards in order on 8 pitches, Chan Ho Park now pitching for the Pods. Nice double play turned after Scott Rolen was hit by a pitch.

6:46….Bottom 8th…Brian Roberts retired on a strikeout after going 3-3 for the day. Brian Giles pokes a double to right, Mike Piazza now up, Puljos ranges to his right and throws out Piazza. Threat ended.

6:53….Top 9…Yadier Molina grounds out to first, one out.  Aaron Miles singles to right field. Eckstein steps to the plate. Miles gets doubled off second base, after Eckstein is thrown out hitting a Baltimore chop over the pitchers head. Sloppy baserunning by Miles.

6:58….Bottom 9…Adam Wainwright pitching for the Cards, strikes out Russell Branyan on a questionably wide strike. Mike Cameron strikes out swinging. Wainwright is throwing some gas. The mid afternoon shadows seem to be playing tricks with the batters. Ryan Klesko steps to the plate and hits a rocket to left, just foul, the count is 1-2. Klesko flys out to right, the Cardinals win.

Cardinals 5
Padres 1

Cardinals lead the series 1-0