Hello from Roger Dean Stadium in beautiful Jupiter Florida, it is official, Spring Training is here and underway. It is great to see the players and most importantly, they have all shown up on time and ready to work. I always enjoy the March Newsletter, this is the first taste of the season and some of my favorite sights and sounds of the ballpark, that I miss, which are long over-due are finally here.
The strength of this team is in the starters and the lineup. The battles to watch this spring training are in the bullpen, the 5th starting position, and the opening at third base. Outside of those three openings, everything else is set for LaRussa’s strongest team going into spring training in his ten plus years as the Cardinal Manager.
Brendan Ryan is recovering nicely from his arthroscopy procedure on his right wrist. Although he is not able to throw yet, he is fielding ground balls well and expects to be back in the saddle by opening day. And maybe even more exciting for him, I have decided to honor both him and Skip Shumacher by naming the two “snugs” at the restaurant after them. The Cardinals coaching staff and trainers will be keeping a close eye on Brendan and see if he is in fact ready to play by opening day. I’m please to report that Mark McGwire is fitting in perfectly and is getting along very well with the 2010 Cardinal team.
The Cardinals also get to open up the Minnesota Twins new stadium, Target Field, in two exhibition games. I know I’m excited to see this new facility. The regular season is approaching rather quickly; we take on the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati for Easter Monday which is April 5th. One of my favorite days of the year is the home opener for the St. Louis Cardinals, which is April 12th against our central division rival, the Houston Astros.
Also, it is always great to see our old buddy Red Schoendienst as he enters into his 66th Spring Training. Red always enjoys hitting ground balls and testing the spring training whipper snappers stamina and ability. He is the greatest, but I sure don’t miss his agility drills and training.
You will also need to get into shape for the season, so enjoy Mike Shannon’s Steaks & Seafood version of “Spring Training”: Happy Hour. Come on down and join us Monday-Friday from 4 pm to 7 pm. Enjoy ½ off wines by the glass, beer, premium well drinks, and select appetizers. That is what I call a deal.
I also wanted to share with you this photo of a sailfish I caught in Guatemala before spring training started. Talk about a fighter, that fish put up one battle.
Don’t forget to tune your radio dial to your Cardinal radio station Saturday March 6th, for the 1st Cardinal radio play by play game of 2010. John Rooney and I are as excited as you are for the play by play action.
Upcoming Downtown Events
3/4- 3/7 Missouri Valley Conference Basketball Tournament Scottrade Center
3/6 Downtown Idiotarod Downtown St. Louis 3/13 St. Patrick's Day Parade Downtown St. Louis
3/19 Jay-Z in Concert Scottrade Center 3/20- John Mayer in Concert Scottrade Center
Upcoming & Current Promotions
Purchase a gift card and receive a free bottle of Mike's Cabernet
Join us for Happy Hour
It’s that time of year again. Don’t forget to vote for Mike Shannon’s for the following categories
Don’t forget to vote on St. Louis Magazines A-List’s Readers’ Picks Ballot for Mike Shannon’s Steakhouse and for Mike for radio personality. Don’t forget to include our partner, El Borracho for best Mexican Restaurant.
Mike Shannon's Breaking Spring Wine Dinner-
Friday, April 2nd Mike Shannon's is Featuring wine selections from both Napa and Sonoma from the Constellation Wine portfolio.
1st Course- Beet Poached Tasmanian King Salmon, Citrus Poached Fennel, Frisee, Sunflower Seeds, Fennel Pollen, Tangerine Emulsion paired with Franciscan Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley
2nd Course- Pork Crepinette, Fava Bean Puree, Brown Butter Hazelnut Vinaigrette, Baby Corn paired with Franciscan Cuvee Savage Chardonnay Carneros
3rd Course- Waygu Filet, with Cabernet Braised Shallots, sauté Morels, Green Peppercorn, Buerre Rouge paired with Simi Landslide Cabernet Alexander Valley
4th Course- Chocolate Molten Cake, Amaretti crisp, Chocolate Spoon, Candied Orange Peel, Vanilla Bean Angalise paired with Ravenswood Teldeschi Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley
Stay tuned for more details on the Spring Wine Dinner.
Chef's Corner
The month of March is an excellent time to try my 12 oz Filet of Ribeye. This excellent dry aged dish has red eye gravy, tasso ham, and crispy bluepoint oysters. Ask your server for a recommendation on a bottle of wine to pair with this dish.
From the Vault
This month we are featuring Calistoga Cellars Zinfandel which has a deep ruby-black color and a raspberry nose, and an elegant palate with lots of plump black cherry. This Zinfandel will pair very nicely with the above feature of the month. Also, one of the owners of Calistoga’s winery is a St. Louis native.
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 have the Cardinals played in Busch Stadium III?
Come in to Mike Shannon's and give the answer to your server for a free dessert.
