Since the St. Louis Cardinals won the 2006 World Series, has there been a single good news story about this team that you really wanted to read and had anything to do with a game?

Spring training 2007 brought news of Tony La Russa's DUI arrest. The opening night of the season saw Chris Carpenter on the mound -- never to be seen from again after a season-ending injury.

Not long after that, pitcher Josh Hancock died in a car crash. The on-again/off-again feud between Tony La Russa and Scott Rolen escalated and then boiled over this offseason. It's still drawing headlines this week.

General manager Walt Jocketty had his own feud going with Jeff Luhnow and ultimately ownership. It's why he's now drawing a paycheck from the Cincinnati Reds.

Rick Ankiel's best day ever as a hitter - two home runs and seven RBI's - was quickly punctured the next morning by allegations involving human growth hormone.

Just a week before that story broke, while standing on the on-deck circle, Juan Encarnacion had a foul ball smash into his left eye socket -- most likely ending his career.

And now, for entirely different reasons, Scott Spiezio's baseball career is in jeopardy. That may be the least of his problems.

After going on baseball's restricted list last and entering a rehab program last August, Spiezio returned to the team in September.

The old ways were behind him. Or, at least, that's what everyone thought. Spiezio took time to share his road to recovery with members of the media, including the Palm Beach Post, just this week.

That story came out on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the Cardinals released him after another incident surfaced from December. Police in Irvine, California issued a warrant for Spiezio's arrest. The six charges against him include driving under the influence, hit and run and assault and battery.

That's now three separate incidents involving the Cardinals organization and drinking and driving in less than a year. La Russa received a fine and community service, Hancock is dead and Spiezio is out of a job.

I can think of only one night since Adam Wainwright struck out Brandon Inge to spark a St. Louis celebration where the questions, issues and drama really focused on the field. At the center of the dispute were the Cardinals manager and the team's best player. A storm of media ensured that it captured the spotlight.

But Tony La Russa's decision not to play Albert Pujols took place in the All-Star Game, not some regular season contest.

An All-Star Game snafu, drinking and driving, HGH and nasty feuds - those are the stories that have captured national attention.

Outside The Lines is an ESPN show whose title perfectly captures the focus of headlines for the St. Louis Cardinals over the past sixteen months. Someday, and for the Cardinals organization, I don't think it can come soon enough, the game inside the lines will again be the center of fans' attention and media notebooks.