Quick hits: 300, bad calls, Latin America, Herges, and A.J.

If it's the end of the week, you know it's Rockin' the Red quick hits. Happy belated 4th of July, everyone!

First of all, congratulations to Albert Pujols on his 300th home run! Couldn't have been much longer than Mark McGwire's 62, but nobody cared how long it was then either. I was fortunate enough to be at the game last night, so I'll post some stadium celebrations next week. For now, know that it was an awesome affair, complete with a standing ovation, a curtain call, crying Cubs fans, and renewed hope in a 2-1 game. You can read more on Albert here and here.

The umpire's strike zone. What happened? The seats we had were phenomenal, and we could definitely tell when there was a questionable call at the plate. I wish I could've seen the calls to know just how close they were. VEB has a good write-up on the umps last night, and that has helped me out a bit. The 9th inning was definitely the worst for bad calls. Many of you may not have seen this, but Troy Glaus talked with the ump before stepping into the batter's box; I think it was related to the fireworks celebration that was going on behind the batter's eye. He might have seen that as distracting, hence affecting his ability to judge pitches. Still, bad umpiring hurts, especially in a game with the magnitude of this one.

The Latin American signing period is in full gear, and the Cards have come away with a few prizes of their own. No Michael Inoa or Dayan Viciedo, but they did get "the best available bat in Latin America," according to scouting supervisor Juan Mercado - Roberto De La Cruz. International baseball relations is something I really take an interest in, so I get excited to see us looking outside the amateur draft for ballplayers. Perhaps it'll be me directing the scouting of these guys in Latin America someday... As soon as the U.S. changes its stance on Cuba, we might really see an influx of talent. You can read more on the signings here, here, here, and here. Enough links for ya? I thought so.

According to MLB Trade Rumors, the Cardinals have inquired on Matt Herges of the Colorado Rockies. The righthanded reliever is the third Rockie we've been linked to in the last two weeks. He's signed for this year with a club option for 2009 for an undisclosed amount. I'd just as soon take a chance on Jason Motte than trade for Herges, who's 38-years-old with a 3.38 ERA and a 3.42 FIP. He's not a bad pitcher, but we have bigger areas of need. Veteran presence in the bullpen? We have Jason Isringhausen, Ryan Franklin, and Russ Springer for that.

Meanwhile, A.J. Burnett has joined the trade market as a ready-and-available starting pitcher. Per Trade Talk:

The Blue Jays are actively shopping pitcher A.J. Burnett, according to a report in the Toronto Sun. The latest buzz is that Toronto -- looking for an upgrade over David Eckstein and John McDonald -- is seeking a shortstop in return.

"They're offering Burnett to any team that needs pitching," an American League general manager told the Sun. "They've told us they're not happy with either David Eckstein or John McDonald."

The Cardinals don't have the shortstop they're seeking, and Burnett's 4.92 ERA and 4.21 BB/9 aren't too pretty either. A.J. holds that fluky contract that allows him to become a free agent after this year or sign on for two more years at $12 million per if he doesn't think he can top that as a free agent. At this point in the game, no thanks. Unless the Blue Jays are willing to take an injured Cesar Izturis in return. Glad to see they're pleased with Eckstein.

Enjoy the game today and happy 4th of July weekend!