CARDINAL PLAYERS MAKE OFF-SEASON VISIT TO CAPE

When St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Rick Ankiel came to Cape Girardeau on Friday, he said he already knew one question he'd be asked by fans.

"Everywhere they ask, Can you throw strikes?'" said Ankiel, who led his team in strikeouts during the regular season and wild pitches in the playoffs.

Ankiel and five teammates finished a four-state, four-city trip Friday night at the Osage Center on their annual Cardinals Caravan tour.

Utility player John Mabry said he and the others volunteered for the two-day tour for themselves and the fans.

"You don't get to see these guys as much during the off-season, so it's a good chance to be together," said Mabry, who returns to the Cardinals this season after two years with other teams. "It gets the juices flowing."

A crowd of more than 400 came to ask the players questions and seek autographs while Cardinals radio announcer Bob Carpenter played moderator.

Chris Peters of Kelso, Mo., brought his son and daughter to the event because it allows children to get closer to the players than a stadium can.

"This gets the kids involved," Peters said. "Their heroes come here, and they can get to them."

Before the program started, Peter's 10-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son were in a group surrounding Fredbird, the Cardinal mascot. Although his daughter brought back an autographed baseball to show her father, he said they were more interested in players' signatures.

"Fredbird just happened to be the first one out," Peters said.

Eleven-year-old Austin Lincoln of Scopus, Mo., had his brother look at his head after Fredbird pretended to sign it with a pen.

If the mascot had written on his head, Lincoln would have treasured it for a short time.

"I might have gotten a picture taken of it, but I would have washed it off," he said.

Ankiel was asked to sign a shoe in Memphis, Tenn. Fans in Cape Girardeau kept their shoes on, he said.

Questions from the crowd varied from the possibility of a players' labor contract strike to the number of home runs hit by Mark McGwire.

Of course, one boy had to ask Ankiel about why he threw so many wild pitches in the National League playoffs against the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets.

"I wish I knew why myself," Ankiel answered.