Since we last tuned in to "Days of Our Cardinals":

• Former slugger Mark McGwire returned from exile, signed on as the Cardinals batting coach, confessed to sports announcer Bob Costas "from the heart" about his steroid use and disowned his kid brother for being a tattletale. Still to come: the renaming of a chunk of interstate honoring his 1999 70-home run season because the Missouri Senate has time on its hands, after dealing with state budget cuts, unemployment and assorted other mayhem.
• Outfielder Matt Holliday changed his number to 7, befitting his signing of a seven-year, $120 million contract he had no trouble seeing in the lights.
• "Jimmy Baseball'' Edmonds came out of retirement to sign with the Cardinals but somehow ended up in Milwaukee with the Brewers who are pretty sure he will look good in an untucked shirt.

Yes, it's been a truly grueling pre-season, Cardinals fans. But come Saturday afternoon, the Florida sand will stop running through the hour-glass for at least a while, as KTRS-550 AM broadcasts the first of 17 spring training games.

The Cardinals will take on the Florida Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Fla., at 12:05 p.m., with Kyle Lohse expected to take the mound. Broadcaster Mike Shannon will kick things off with a pre-game "Dugout Show" -- an interview with manager Tony La Russa.

Also of note: Fans who subscribe to MLB.TV can watch the Cardinals take on the Mets March 4 at 12:10 p.m. The first locally televised game will be against the Astros on KSDK-Channel 5, Saturday, March 15, 12:05 p.m.

A full schedule of broadcasts is available here.

Play ball!

(Finally.)