ST. LOUIS CARDINALS OPEN SEASON MONDAY: WILL THEY GO ALL THE WAY?

You read it here first -- the St. Louis Cardinals will play in the World Series in 2000.

True, basking in 70 and 80 degree weather under balmy skies while watching the Cards win four of six games recently may have made me a tad biased.

Biased or not, though, there are several valid reasons for optimism.

* Tony La Russa is one of the best managers in the game.

His 1,639 career wins are tops for active baseball managers. He is one of only five managers in history with a law degree. Just think, had he played his cards right, he could have been a prosecutor! If he plays them wrong, he might yet get the chance!

* The starting pitching is vastly improved.

New acquisitions Darryl Kile (age 31, 19-7, 2.57 ERA in 256 innings in 1997), Andy Benes (age 32, 14-13, 3.97 ERA in 231 innings in 1998), Pat Hentgen (age 31, 15-10, 3.68 ERA in 264 innings in 1997) and Dave Veres (age 33, 31 saves and 71 strikeouts in 77 innings in 1999) can be expected to do well. Rookie Rick Ankiel (age 20, 25-9, 2.50 ERA and 416 strikeouts in 299 innings in the minors) will become a super star this year. Garrett Stephenson (age 28, 6-3, 4.22 ERA in 85 innings in 1999) will be an important part of the staff. In fact, the pitching has looked so good in Spring Training that the team was willing to trade 18-game winner Kent Bottenfield to the California Angels last week to obtain outfielder Jim Edmonds.

* The infield is one of the best in the game.

Slick-fielding secondbaseman Fernando Vina (age 31, .311 average with 22 stolen bases in 1998) comes to the Cardinals from the Milwaukee Brewers. He joins firstbaseman Mark McGwire (age 36, 65 homeruns, 147 RBI and 133 walks in 1999), thirdbaseman Fernando Tatis (age 25, 34 homeruns, 107 RBI and team-leading .298 average in 1999) and shortstop Edgar Renteria (age 24, .284 career average) to form an infield that is outstanding both defensively and offensively.

* The outfield has transformed from a potential weakness to an obvious strength.

Newly-acquired centerfielder Jim Edmonds, 29, winner of two gold gloves, averaged .298 with 28 homeruns and 86 RBI over four seasons before a back injury caused him to miss most of last year. He is healthy and ready to put up some big numbers. J. D. Drew's rookie year (age 24, 13 homeruns, 242. average) was disappointing, but he will emerge as an impact player in his Sophomore campaign. Look for him to hit 30 homeruns and steal 30 bases. Ray Lankford, 32, will post his usual numbers of 20 homeruns and a .280 average.

* The catching position is not strong offensively, but La Russa wants solid defense from his catchers more than offensive statistics.

Eli Marrero (age 26, .218 career average) and Mike Matheny (age 29, .229 career average) will each see plenty of playing time. Both have shown they can handle pitching staffs and gun down would-be base-stealers. Anything the duo produces above a .240 batting average will be a pleasant surprise.

Tony La Russa is excited about this year's team. It shows in his game-day enthusiasm and in the tiny bit of correspondence I exchanged with him this winter.

La Russa has been repeatedly and unfairly criticized by St. Louis Post-Dispatch sportswriter Bernie Miklitz in recent years. The overrated Miklitz is fond of opining that La Russa is overrated.

I sent a note to La Russa shortly before Spring Training suggesting that as he absorbs Miklitz potshots this year he might keep in mind a Burke quotation recalled by Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes during the 1930s as FDR and the White House subjected the judge to constant attack while trying to pack his Supreme Court with FDR appointees: "Calumny and abuse are essential parts of triumph."

La Russa's upbeat determination was on display in his hand-written answer to me: "Thanks for writing. The best answer for Bernie is to win! We've got a chance to be special."

Well said, Tony.

That sound you hear is the prosecutor jumping on the bandwagon.

Play ball!