DURING THE GAME

As baseball becomes more of a rich person's sport -- and that's just being a fan, not a $20 million draft pick -- the Cardinals offer a brilliant option: First Pitch Tickets. For every home game, at 9 a.m., near Gate 3, the Cardinals make available 275 vouchers, good for a pair of tickets to that day's game. Ten minutes before first pitch, fans redeem their vouchers for $11 and get a random pair of tickets, anywhere from standing room to an ''all-inclusive area,'' where unlimited food and beer are part of the deal. For big games, it behooves fans to queue hours early, maybe even the previous night.

Truth is, no matter where you wind up in Busch, you're in for a good view. The best deals for regular games, other than First Pitch Tickets, are the standing-room areas along the third- and first-base lines ($16), the lower bleachers ($22) and the infield terrace reserved ($25), which are near home plate.

Stadium-wide, the food is lousy, but you can bring food into Busch with you. Do it.

AFTER THE GAME

First, a word for the most obvious of attractions after a Cardinals game: the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, better known as The Arch (www.nps.gov/jeff; 314- 655-1700). It's just a few blocks east of the park, and getting to the top is a reasonable $10 for adults ($5 for children through age 15). It's also strange beyond belief, especially as you rise to the top in a pod straight out of Lost in Space. Being at the top wasn't quite like anything I'd ever done.

''Like being in an airplane but not,'' an employee noted. Exactly.

If you want to skip the sports bars, walk to nearby music at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups (www.bbsjazzbluessoups.com; 314-436- 5222) a couple of blocks from the stadium. The savviest Cardinals fans will be there in their red and white jerseys, but the place is about music first -- usually rollicking -- and food second. The menu is Southern-inflected, ranging from blackened porterhouse to lemon-pepper salmon.

After three hours of sitting in the stadium, you may well be up for a walk. Check out Washington Avenue, which sits seven blocks north and a few blocks west of the park. From sushi to tapas to an Irish pub and high-end bowling, it's a bit of a scene; on one Saturday night it seemed as if every bachelorette party in metro St. Louis converged there. But it's a good bet if you want one of the better collections of food and drink in the city.

If you're up for a little adventure, hop on the train to University City and wade into Delmar Loop. There aren't many Cardinals jerseys in the neighborhood after games, but locals know to frequent places such as Riddle's Penultimate Cafe and Wine Bar (www.riddlescafe.com; 314-725-6985).

The entrees are a bit pricey, so the best bet is to order several smaller plates, and the options are vast: crab-stuffed artichoke bottoms, mushrooms stuffed with blue cheese, cured pork loin and smoked wild salmon were among the standouts. Desserts include homemade ice cream, cheesecake and apple tart.

Among the most legendary restaurants in town is Blueberry Hill (www.blueberryhill.com; 314-727-4444), a burger place jammed with retro memorabilia. The most St. Louis thing you can order is a burger topped with Provel -- a mix of cheddar, provolone and Swiss that was invented in St. Louis -- with a side of toasted ravioli, also invented in St. Louis. Paired with the suds of your choice from an impressive beer list, you can't go wrong.

No matter what happened on the field.

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