For folks who enjoyed traveling to St. Louis for the Royals’ annual invasion of Mound City, there’s a void in 2010. No trip to Busch Stadium on the schedule for the first time since 2005.

Instead, the Royals’ National League road games will be at Cincinnati, Atlanta and Washington, not exactly just down the Interstate.

The Cardinals have never seemed real attached to having Kansas City come in. The games really don’t cause the same sparks that they do in Kansas City. Maybe St. Louis is still glum over 1985, the mere sight of Royals uniforms reminding Cardinals fans of that World Series loss.

All three KC at St. Loo games this year were sellouts but these days the Cardinals can sell out almost any game. Next year, though, they’ll have the challenge of marketing the A’s and the Mariners, their AL visitors along with the Angels.

At least the Cardinals will be in Cowtown next year. Too bad about the St. Louis omission for KC folks, though.

— Dick Kaegel