Veteran reliever Arthur Rhodes told reporters, including ESPN's Buster Olney (Twitter link), that he wants to pitch in 2012 and then retire. Rhodes' preference is to pitch for the Cardinals in 2012, which would be Rhodes' 21st Major League season.
Rhodes, who will turn 42 on Monday, has pitched for nine clubs in his long career and will receive his first World Series ring this fall regardless of the outcome between the Cards and Rangers. (Rhodes was released by Texas in August and then signed with St. Louis.) Given Tony La Russa's love of situational bullpen use and the fact that Marc Rzepczynski is the only other lefty in the Cardinals' bullpen, Rhodes would seem to have a decent chance of returning to St. Louis next year.
Rhodes has a 4.64 ERA in 51 appearances with the Rangers and Cardinals this year, and his ERA (4.15) and peripheral numbers have improved since his move to the National League.
