Interviews to start soon...

Joe Strauss reports that interviews are set to begin soon. The only manager amongst those that managed in the majors last season is Terry Francona.

The committee today holds the first in a series of face-to-face interviews with a pool of "less than 10" candidates including former Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona and longtime Cardinals third base coach Jose Oquendo. The Cardinals also have received permission to interview Hall of Fame Chicago Cubs second baseman and current Philadelphia Phillies minor-league manager Ryne Sandberg.

General manager John Mozeliak on Wednesday confirmed only that the interview process would formally begin today. Mozeliak declined to comment on specific candidates, including Sandberg, whose involvement represents something of a surprise to many due to his ties to the Cardinals' chief rival.

Francona, who steered the Red Sox to the 2004 and 2007 World Series championships, is the only one of six known candidates with prior major-league managerial experience.

Mozeliak plans to also interview Memphis manager Chris Maloney, minor-league instructor and former Gold Glove catcher Mike Matheny and Chicago White Sox coach Joe McEwing, according to sources familiar with the process.

For a bulk of the last 46 years, with rare exception, the Cards have been managed by Red Schoendienst, Whitey Herzog, Joe Torre, and Tony La Russa. All of which are in the Hall of Fame or will be inducted in 2014.

In Albert news, C70 offers some thoughts as to why Albert will stay a Cardinal when all is said and done.