Well, I made it through a harrowing day of travel and arrived in St. Louis (my suitcase hasn't arrived yet, but I hope it will be waiting at the hotel after the game). Here's a musical tribute to the best baseball town in the majors (just ask them; they'll tell you).

I had a vague memory that things didn't go well the last time the Mariners were in St. Louis. I had forgotten just how bad it was. It was early July of 2004, the second (and last) season of Bob Melvin's managerial career. The Mariners came to St. Louis and lost 11-2, 8-1, and 2-1. Then they went to Toronto and lost three more. Then they went to Chicago and lost three more to the White Sox, culminating the worst road trip in club history at 0-9.

They ended the trip with a 32-54 record, 17 games out of first, and stumbled home to a 99-loss season.

Yeah, sounds kind of familiar, doesn't it? Melvin ended up getting fired after the season. At least that year -- which marked the first of three straight last-place finishes by Seattle -- had a couple of side plots to keep things interesting. Edgar Martinez had announced he would retire at the end of the season, so there was his farewell tour. And Ichiro was on his way to setting the all-time hits record with 262, besting the record of St. Louis Browns Hall of Famer George Sisler, whose grave Ichiro visited last July when he was here for the All-Star Game.

Now the Mariners are back in St. Louis, trying to pull out of a nosedive that has left them with the third-worst record in baseball at 24-39. I had to laugh a column in today's St. Louis Post-Dispatch by the fine columnist Bernie Miklasz about how the Cardinals are failing to live up to their ability. Bernie talks about numerous problems with the Cardinals, including their "sluggish overall offense." The Mariners can show them a thing or two about sluggish offense. The Cardinals have scored 280 runs -- 59 more than the Mariners. The Cardinals are slugging .407, the Mariners are slugging .347. And for all their troubles, the Cardinals are still 34-29 and just 1 1/2 games out of first place.

Even the great Albert Pujols was singled out. Bernie writes: "Albert Pujols emerged from his latest cold spell with two hits, a walk and three RBIs on Sunday. Pujols is slugging .476 since May 1; that's well below his career slugging percentage of .630 coming into the season. Pujols is having a good season -- but not a Pujols season.

Just as a point of reference: For those appearing in more than 30 games, the Mariners' leading slugger is Ichiro at .422 (Mike Sweeney is at .483 for 27 games). The only other players at or over .400 are Franklin Gutierrez at .409 and Josh Wilson at .400. For the season, mind you, Pujols is slugging .543, 10th best in the National League, and is hitting .300 with 14 homers and 47 RBI. Tony La Russa will not be getting any sympathy cards from Don Wakamatsu.

In six career games against the Mariners, Pujols is 7-for-24, with two homers and nine RBIs. I noted to Wakamatsu that it had been six years since the Mariners had seen Pujols.

"That's just enough,'' he said. "Once every six years is about right.''

I asked what stands out about the Cardinals' first baseman.

"I have read Tony's (Cardinal manager Tony La Russa) comments on him for a number of years to know there are no, or very few hitters in the game, that put a professional at-bat together like he does. You are talking about not only a power hitter but a good hitter to boot, and turning into, over the years, a complete player, even with the stolen bases this year (six in seven attempts). His defense at first base and his presence in that lineup."

Wakamatsu had one bit of news, saying that the M's are reconsidering their plan to start Doug Fister (fatigued shoulder) against the Cubs on June 22. He may have a minor-league rehab start instead, and come off the DL to face Milwaukee in the following series.

"It has nothing to do with where he's at physically, as much as trying to be safe with him,'' Wakamatsu said. "Rick (Adair) and I are kind of tweaking the rotation right now for not only the homestand but as we go forward.''

Jack Wilson and Adam Moore, both of whom are rehabbing at Tacoma, are expected to play nine innings tonight. No decision has been made on when they will be activated.

Wakamatsu said he talked today to Mark Lowe, wishing him well in tomorrow's season-ending back surgery. He said Lowe was "nervous and excited both. He sounded good.''