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Today's Card of the Week features a player who was truly inspirational to me, just earlier this week. Now, how useful that inspiration proved to be is very much up for debate, but it was an inspiration nonetheless.

This particular card comes to us from Mr. Andy Roscoe of St. Louis. It's a 1988 Dennis Martinez card by Score.

Dennis Martinez, or El Presidente as he was often known, just so happened to be one of the favorite players of both Mr. Roscoe and myself back in the day. Amazing pitcher, one of only sixteen pitchers to ever throw a perfect game. He was a truly classy individual on the mound, with a fantastic, funky delivery, and one of the greatest mustaches you'll ever see in the game of baseball. What more could you ask for from a player? Truly a complete package.

It's time once again for that weekly tradition here at the Rundown, the Baseball Card of the Week. We have scoured the globe in order to bring you the very best in tradable goodness. And by scoured the globe, we mean we've allowed you to do the legwork for us while we enjoy a beer and possibly a sandwich of sorts.

This weeks' Card comes to us from Daniel R., of Springfield, Illinois. This one is a true blast from the past, a 1984 Andres Galarraga rookie card from Topps.

First off, I have to confess: Galarraga was one of my all time least favorite Cardinals. 'The Big Cat', as he was known, had been a holy terror for teams to contend with for several years with the Montreal Expos. In 1991, Galarraga had an injury plagued and ineffective year, playing in just 107 games and struggling to a .268 OBP. That's not a typo; do not adjust your computer screen. That's a two six eight. Yikes.

We just passed a milestone, though you may have missed it if you weren't paying attention.

This week, we saw the one year anniversary of Rick Ankiel's return to the major leagues as an outfielder. And so, in honor of that momentous occasion, I bring you this bit of awesomeness.

You know how a lot of the time, I come on here and say we have a very special Card of the Week post, only to have it all sort of collapse on me when it becomes apparent that it really isn't all that special? Well, not this week. This week we really do have a very special Card of the Week post. Seriously. Quite snickering.

I know that I say we have a very special Card of the Week a lot, but this week, I really mean it. Really.

Our Card of the Week this week comes to us from Mr. Tom Carlson, of Webster Groves, Missouri. That alone is enough to make this a special card. Why, you ask? Well, because Mr. Carlson just so happens to be the senior art director here at the RFT. Thanks to Mr. Carlson for sending this along.

In honor of yesterday's trading deadline, this week's Baseball Card of the Week features the Cardinals' last big impact deadline acquisition, Mr. Larry Walker.

I've received a ton of great submissions the last couple of weeks, and I promise I'll try to get to more of them, but I just couldn't resist tracking down this card. It comes to us from Broken Bat Baseball Cards, a great baseball card themed blog that features cards (as the name implies) involving broken bats. If you're any kind of card fan at all, you should really visit the site. Very cool place.

We have a very special Card of the Week this time out, ladies and gentlemen. Well, at least sort of special. Okay, maybe not all that special. But really cool, nonetheless.

This week's card comes to us from the personal collection of Dwayne M. of Coral Gables, Florida. Dwayne has been an avid collector for most of his life, since sometime in the mid '60s, he tells me.

What we have here is just what the Cardinals need right now: a shutdown closer.

It's Friday in the Gateway City, and you all know what that means. It's time again for our Baseball Card of the Week here at the Rundown.

In honor of Kyle Lohse becoming the Cardinals' first twelve-game winner of the year last night, I'm bringing you a card from my own personal collection.

Hey kids, it's time again for a new edition of the Baseball Card of the Week!

Today's Card of the Week comes to us from Alan West (no offense, Alan, but it would be much cooler if your first name were Adam), of St. Ann, Missouri.

It's a 2004 Bowman Chrome Albert Pujols card. I have to say, I've never seen a card from this particular series, and it's in beautiful condition to boot. Thanks to Alan for the submission.

Of course, we all know what Albert has been doing, both in the years previous to this card and the years since. Thus, I don't feel it necessary to go into a big recap of Albert's career. Just enjoy, folks.

As always, any submissions you have should be sent to me at asaeschafer@gmail.com. Thanks.

- Aaron Schafer

With the current state of the Cardinals' bullpen, I thought this week's Baseball Card of the Week was a particularly fitting one.

This week's card comes to us from Ken Kitchin of St. Louis. It's a 1993 Triple Play Cal Eldred card.

Happy Friday, everyone. And since it's Friday, you know what that means. It's time again for our Baseball Card of the Week feature here on The Rundown.

Today's card comes to us from Mr. Alex Fritz of St. Louis.

It is a 1989 Topps Card featuring one of my personal least favorite players to ever don the Birds on the Bat, Tom Brunansky.

I'll bet that a whole bunch of other people forgot that Mr. Brunansky even played for the Cardinals, and this whole baseball card thing is about nothing if not strolling down memory lane.

I asked last Friday for everyone out there to send me your submissions for the baseball card of the week. Well, I won't lie. The response was not overwhelming. However, enough people did submit entries for me to pick a winner, and it's one that I actually feel really good about. I thought that, considering how we've recently seen Jason Isringhausen seemingly rise from the dead, this submission might be appropriate.

Today's card comes to us courtesy of David M. of Eureka, Missouri. It's a 1994 Bowman Jason Isringhausen rookie card. David himself acquired it in a '94 box set he bought in 1998 from a neighbor who was cleaning out their attic.

In 1994, Izzy was a hard throwing starter prospect in the New York Mets' system. Along with Bill Pulsipher and former college phenom Paul Wilson, Isringhausen was part of the trio of young pitchers dubbed ''Generation K'' by the Metropolitan faithful. All three eventually fell victim to injuries, with none of them living up to the billing they enjoyed.

I would like to start a new feature here at The Rundown, and I'm going to need everyone's help. Not too long ago, it was suggested by one of the many editors here at the RFT that we should do a "Classic Cardinal Baseball Card of the Week" feature. And you know what? That's a really, really good idea. I myself enjoyed an intense fascination with baseball cards when I was young, and I still get a kick out of digging through the old boxes of them I still have packed away in my attic. I've actually tossed a lot of them out over the years, but I still have a fairly large number just hanging around.

I got to thinking about this idea, and I was originally just going to scour the Internet and possibly dig up my own collection to find interesting cards to showcase for everybody. Then, I realized that I already have a limitless source, (relatively speaking) of baseball cards at my fingertips. That's where you come in.

So, what I want is this: If you have any interesting baseball cards, scan (or take a picture of) them and send them to me. If you're a card buff and you happen across one on the net that you think is really worth featuring, send me the link. But what I really want is for everyone who has a big box of baseball cards in their attics, basements, or pretty much anywhere else to send me some worthwhile cards.