Cardinals Secure First Pick

The St. Louis Cardinals, by virtue of their league-worst 64-98 record last season, will choose first in next spring's Rookie/Free Agent Draft. The Redbirds--who may be scouting Zach Duke--will be followed by the perrenial cellar-dweller Tigers and then the Atlanta Braves, who find themselves in unusual territory. Atlanta owner Steve Sargent may have to, for the first time in several years, show up within the first hour of the draft's beginning.

Atlanta and Oakland finished with 72-90 records, but the Athletics won the season series, 5-1. Similarly, the Chicago White Sox and newly-relocated Washington Nationals finished tied, 76-86, but the Pale Hose get the nod because of their 2-4 record against the former Montreal Expos last year. The New York Mets and Florida Marlins will have a tiebreaker at a later date as will the Toronto Blue Jays and Arizona Diamondbacks.