Hello for the final time this Spring from Jupiter, Florida. This has been one of the wettest, coldest, and windiest Spring Trainings as far as I can remember. I don’t mind the weather conditions because it is good for the players to get a taste of different weather conditions and equally important for the coaches to watch the mental ability of the players fighting to get on the roster.
The month of March has really shaped up for the Cardinals. Matt Holliday, Albert Pujols, and Brendan Ryan are recovering quite nicely from their spring injuries. Although we won’t see Molina for the rest of Spring Training, he is likely to come back the first or second week of the season, which is encouraging.
I’ve really enjoyed watching the competition for the third base job opening. David Freese has really done a good job and I look forward to watching him progress at third base this season. On the other side of the coin, there are still some spots to be earned, and the last couple of days of Spring Training will be great to watch. Looks like the Manager is set on Jaime Garcia as the Cardinals’ 5th starter. The 23-year-old lefty has pitched great this spring and his business-like attitude has been a pleasure to watch. He’s earned the opportunity. At the same time, that means Kyle McClellan will open as a reliever, which is a plus for the bullpen. Kyle has also pitched great, and could find himself starting as the season progresses, depending on what happens with the starters and how the bullpen shapes up. We’ll be off in a few days to Minneapolis/St. Paul as the Cardinals help open up the Minnesota Twins’ new stadium, Target Field, in two exhibition games, and we’ll know more then. We may look for a player or two to be added the first couple of weeks as a bench player. So stay tuned for details.
The McGwire project is going very well, as expected. It really is impressive the impact Big Mac has had on the players in the last couple of months. Props to our Manager Tony LaRussa for going to his former player and bringing him back in the game.
The first couple weeks is going to be very important in the regular season. We have a significant amount of Central Division action early on, which is a great time for the Cardinals to jump ahead and fast. The Cardinals season begins on April 5th in Cincinnati for 3 games, then to Milwaukee for three games. After those two series, we head back to St. Louis where the Cardinals open up Busch Stadium on April 12th versus the Astros for three games.
You will also need to get into shape for the season, so enjoy Mike Shannon’s Steaks & Seafood version of “Spring Training”: Spring Training for Wine Drinkers. Come on down and join us Friday, April 2nd at 6:30 pm. Call the restaurant for details.
Don’t forget to turn the dial to your Cardinal Radio Station. Hard to believe, but this is my 38th year calling games for the Redbirds; time has flown by. Jim Jackson is entering into his 13th year as our producer; what a tremendous job Jim does for us. Also, John Rooney enters into his 5th season behind the microphone for the Cardinals. John is fitting in perfectly and I consider myself lucky to be broadcasting next to John and Jim.
A hearty congratulations to my grandson Tim VanMatre and his wife Tiffany on the birth of their daughter on March 30th, and my first great-grandchild, Ayven Marie VanMatre.
I look forward to seeing you at the ballpark or at Mike Shannon’s after the game. So long from beautiful Jupiter, Florida.
Upcoming Downtown Events
4/2 Spring Training for Wine Drinkers Mike Shannons
4/4 Easter
4/12 St. Louis Cardinals Home Opener Busch Stadium, St. Louis 4/21- Administrative Professionals Day
Upcoming & Current Promotions
Join us for Spring Training for Wine Drinkers on April 2nd
Join us for Happy Hour
Purchase a gift card and receive a free bottle of Mike's Cabernet
Stay tuned for our new Spring Drink Menu, details to come soon!
Chef's Corner
I am very excited for our Spring Menu which will be coming out shortly. I’m adding a couple of new dishes to the menu such as the “Mojito Style” Pork Dish, Jerk Free Range Chicken, and our Antipasto Platter. We have also added five new toppings to add to our steaks. We hope to see you when baseball starts to try our new menu items and our toppings. Call and make your reservation today.
From the Vault
This month we are featuring some new white wines we have added by the glass - The Napa Cellars Chardonnay and the Joel Gott Riesling. Don’t forget to come during happy hour to enjoy these wines by the glass for ½ price. We have also acquired the Robert Craig Affinity 2005 and the Robert Craig Mt. Veeder Cabernet 2005 which will complement well with one of our outstanding steaks. We also have recently added ½ bottles of wine to our wine list, ask your server for details.
Become Friends with Mike
You can now follow Mike Shannons Steaks and Seafood on Facebook and Twitter. Keep up with what is going on at the restaurant, with Mike, and the big names that are stopping by!
Trivia
How many season’s has Jim Jackson worked in the radio booth?
Come in to Mike Shannon's and give the answer to your server for a free dessert.
