Haines' new team close to home, heart

~ The Central graduate signed a minor league deal with the Cardinals and is likely to start 2006 at Class AAA Memphis.

Talley Haines still will have to make an impression to actually pitch for the Cardinals, but he at least has taken the first step toward that.

Haines, a Central High School graduate who has played professional baseball the past eight years, signed a minor league contract with St. Louis on Friday.

While Haines has been told he will likely begin the 2006 season at Class AAA Memphis, he hopes to make a strong enough impression there to eventually make his first major league appearance with the team he grew up following.

"The Cardinals are always in the pennant race, trying to get to the playoffs," said Haines, a right-handed reliever. "I'm hoping if I pitch well enough [at Memphis], I'll get a chance with them."

Regardless of what happens during the upcoming season, Haines -- who has been with four organizations during his eight-year minor league career -- was glad to hook up with St. Louis.

"I'm excited. I grew up a Cardinals fan, but you can't always pick who you play for," Haines said. "They're a good organization. The opportunity to play for them is exciting."

And the opportunity to begin the season at Memphis -- which is less than a three-hour drive from Cape Girardeau -- also was enticing.

"Last year I started out in Maine [in the Boston organization]," Haines said. "Now, to get a chance to play 2 1/2 hours from home, it's exciting."

Haines, 29, a former 25th-round draft choice of Tampa Bay in 1998, finished last season in the Chicago Cubs' organization at Class AAA Iowa, where he went 2-1 with a 2.36 earned run average in 21 games.

"The Cubs really didn't talk to me after the season. I guess they wanted to go in a different direction," said Haines, who is the son of longtime Southeast Missouri State track coach Joey Haines. "When I became a free agent, I had a few teams contact me, and the Cardinals were the first to offer me a contract."

Haines has had a busy offseason so far. In addition to trying to hook up with another organization, he earlier this week opened the Prospects Sports Academy, an indoor baseball/softball training facility on Highway 61 in Jackson.

"It's kind of been a whirlwind, everything coming in at once," Haines said. "Opening up the business, trying to figure out where I'll be next year and trying to work out."

Haines, 29, has a career minor league record of 35-32 with 52 saves and a 3.31 ERA. He has spent at least parts of five seasons in Class AAA but so far has not yet received a call up to "the show."

Although he acknowledges it has been somewhat frustrating, he's not about to give up on his dream of reaching the major leagues -- and he's hoping the Cardinals will eventually offer him that opportunity.

"I'm still hopeful," he said. "If I ever give up on pitching in the big leagues, then I think it's time to come home and do something else.

"But last year I had a pretty good year, it just didn't work out for me getting up to the big leagues. But I still got paid to play, and you can't beat that"

Robinson, Whiteside sign

• Former Southeast star Kerry Robinson recently signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals. The outfielder batted .328 last year at Class AAA Richmond in the Atlanta Braves' organization.

Robinson, 32, began his professional career in 1995. He has spent parts of six seasons in the majors, with a .267 career average mostly as a bench player.

* Charleston native Matt Whiteside, a right-handed relief pitcher, recently signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He spent most of last year at Class AAA Syracuse (Toronto Blue Jays), where he was second in the International League with 27 saves.

Whiteside, 38, began his professional career in 1990. He has spent parts of 11 seasons in the majors, with an 18-15 record, nine saves and a 5.24 ERA. He has 170 career minor league saves.