It is tough to judge games from here in the windy city without a box score, highlights, or radio broadcast but today in the grapefruit league opener the cards played to a 5-5 tie with the Marlins.
From the recap on the official Cardinals site: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090225&content_id=3880104&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl
It looks like Skip is really hustling to earn that 2B job with two singles and a stolen base on the offensive side of things, and according to the PD: http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/commishs-hot-stove/commishs-hot-stove/cardinal-beat-updates/2009/02/conflicting-signs-cardinals-strand-14-in-5-5-tie/ he didn’t see a ground ball.
The other thing that excites me about what I am reading on today’s events is the success of Royce Ring. Two strikeouts against the heart of the Marlins roster. Maybe that Mo guy knows a thing or two…
Here is a fun read from Sports Illustrated: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/joe_posnanski/02/25/larussa/index.html
TLR: Love him or hate him either way he still loves this game.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Let the Games (ST) Begin
Are we all excited yet? Spring Training games start tomorrow. So far the reports from FL I have caught over at the PD website sound very encouraging, and the skeptics seem to be dying down. Thus far carp seems ready to go, and Duncan has faith in him so let’s keep our fingers crossed that our Cy Young winner is back to his old self.
Also, if further evidence was needed to illustrate the leaps and bounds our farm system has made in the last few years Baseball America just put out their annual list of Top 100 Prospects. Give it a look: http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/top-100-prospects/2009/267698.html
Colby Rasmus (OF) #3
Brett Wallace(3B) #40
Chris Perez (RHP) #91
We still have the best possible problem in our OF, how do we get all of these guys playing time? Ludwig, Ankiel, Rasmus, Mather, Duncan, Wallace (I have read from multiple sources that a position shift to the OF might be in his future) with Barton and Jay down in AAA there is something to like about all of these players and the first five on my little list all bat with power. If Skip sticks at 2B, with the reporting from the PD it sounds like he will, that at least clears up some OF at bats. I hope Wallace can up his defense and stick as the everyday 3B later this season. Mather is learning 3B and has played some 1B and he was drafted as a SS and we know he played in the bigs last year in the OF, so he could be the new super sub and would provide lots of power off the bench.
My thought, trade Duncan and Ankiel later this spring for pitching depth and/or a SS prospect with an ETA projected for 2010.
Let’s see what happens tomorrow.
Also, if further evidence was needed to illustrate the leaps and bounds our farm system has made in the last few years Baseball America just put out their annual list of Top 100 Prospects. Give it a look: http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/top-100-prospects/2009/267698.html
Colby Rasmus (OF) #3
Brett Wallace(3B) #40
Chris Perez (RHP) #91
We still have the best possible problem in our OF, how do we get all of these guys playing time? Ludwig, Ankiel, Rasmus, Mather, Duncan, Wallace (I have read from multiple sources that a position shift to the OF might be in his future) with Barton and Jay down in AAA there is something to like about all of these players and the first five on my little list all bat with power. If Skip sticks at 2B, with the reporting from the PD it sounds like he will, that at least clears up some OF at bats. I hope Wallace can up his defense and stick as the everyday 3B later this season. Mather is learning 3B and has played some 1B and he was drafted as a SS and we know he played in the bigs last year in the OF, so he could be the new super sub and would provide lots of power off the bench.
My thought, trade Duncan and Ankiel later this spring for pitching depth and/or a SS prospect with an ETA projected for 2010.
Let’s see what happens tomorrow.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Spring time
Spring Training has started for the 2009 season and it will be exciting to watch unfold on many levels. Carpenter has had four throwing sessions and told the PD that he was already at about 75-80% of being game ready. Duncan also told the post that he would be comfortable sending Carp out into a game as is. He is due for a full season, and if he stays healthy the Cubs will fall faster than an investment bank.
This bullpen excites me. The kids will bring great energy to the team, and having Kinney back will be huge. Please remember when thinking about the 08’s pen blowing 31 saves that: a) you can have more than one blown save per game, and b) some of those blown saves turned out to be wins. I don’t have the time or energy to look up all of the games in question, but winning in extra innings after blowing a save still equals a win.
Skip at 2nd! I really want this to work, I really do. He stepped into the leadoff role quite nicely last year when people were worried about the team lacking the one slot. He was drafted into the cards system as a shortstop so he does have some middle IF work experience in his past. If he can get the foot work down, then he should be the guy. He also plays every OF position so he becomes a very valuable super-sub, and TLR told the post this past weekend that he thinks at a minimum Skip will be an average 2B by the time the team breaks camp, the guy is working with the secret weapon after all.
I still think there is a move to be made, and over at MLBtraderumors they think so too.
http://www.springtraining09.com/features/spring-training-trade-candidat.php
This year should be fun.
This bullpen excites me. The kids will bring great energy to the team, and having Kinney back will be huge. Please remember when thinking about the 08’s pen blowing 31 saves that: a) you can have more than one blown save per game, and b) some of those blown saves turned out to be wins. I don’t have the time or energy to look up all of the games in question, but winning in extra innings after blowing a save still equals a win.
Skip at 2nd! I really want this to work, I really do. He stepped into the leadoff role quite nicely last year when people were worried about the team lacking the one slot. He was drafted into the cards system as a shortstop so he does have some middle IF work experience in his past. If he can get the foot work down, then he should be the guy. He also plays every OF position so he becomes a very valuable super-sub, and TLR told the post this past weekend that he thinks at a minimum Skip will be an average 2B by the time the team breaks camp, the guy is working with the secret weapon after all.
I still think there is a move to be made, and over at MLBtraderumors they think so too.
http://www.springtraining09.com/features/spring-training-trade-candidat.php
This year should be fun.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Cards on the Table dollars and cents
Let’s take a look into the Cardinal’s finances and the “money coming off the books”.
Here is the link to my source for the figures
http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2004/12/st-louis-cardinals_111971260115041890.html
I went through and here are the departing players:
Mulder $6.5 Mil $1.5 Mil buyout this year
Flores $1Mil
Izzy $8Mil
Villone $600K
Springer $3.5Mil
Miles $1.4 Mil
Izturis $2.85Mil
Looper $5.5Mil
Total: $30,850,000
Kennedy $4mil
Total after Kennedy: $34,850,000
Raises:
Carp +$3.5Mil
Pineiro +$2.5Mil
Lohse +$2.875Mil
Greene +$6.5Mil
Wellemeyer +$3.05Mil
Yadi +$1.5Mil
Wainwright +$2.1Mil
Franklin +$250,000
LaRue +$100,000
Ankiel 08=$900,000 Arb. Ank wins +$2.4Mil Cards win +$1.45Mil
Duncan +$386,000
Thompson +$236000
Miller +$500,000
Ring =$475,000
Ludwick 08=$411,000 Arb. Lud wins +$3.839Mil Cards win +$2.389
Schu +$140,000
Total (before Ankiel and Ludwick arb.) = $22,222,000
Total if both win= $28,461,000
Total if both loose= $26,061,000
Total if Ludwick wins and Ankiel looses (what I think happens) = $27,511,000
So, the Cards have $7.339 Mil to equal last year’s payroll (assuming that my arb. guess is correct)
Ben Sheets post surgery in June ?
Spring Training trade taking on more salary?
Dry Powder for the Deadline?
Or, was it all really just a bunch of talk?
I am excited to see the competition but I won’t be surprised if any of the following happen: we sign Grudz to a 1yr deal, make the big trade for Roberts from Baltimore, trade with Atlanta for either their SS or 2B (their SS started in the Majors at 2B), or trade for Left handed relief from Toronto. I figure the core of any of the above trades would be from our OF depth most likely Ludwick or preferably Ankiel. Depending on Carp's spring a FA Starter might be in the picture as well.
We shall see.
Here is the link to my source for the figures
http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2004/12/st-louis-cardinals_111971260115041890.html
I went through and here are the departing players:
Mulder $6.5 Mil $1.5 Mil buyout this year
Flores $1Mil
Izzy $8Mil
Villone $600K
Springer $3.5Mil
Miles $1.4 Mil
Izturis $2.85Mil
Looper $5.5Mil
Total: $30,850,000
Kennedy $4mil
Total after Kennedy: $34,850,000
Raises:
Carp +$3.5Mil
Pineiro +$2.5Mil
Lohse +$2.875Mil
Greene +$6.5Mil
Wellemeyer +$3.05Mil
Yadi +$1.5Mil
Wainwright +$2.1Mil
Franklin +$250,000
LaRue +$100,000
Ankiel 08=$900,000 Arb. Ank wins +$2.4Mil Cards win +$1.45Mil
Duncan +$386,000
Thompson +$236000
Miller +$500,000
Ring =$475,000
Ludwick 08=$411,000 Arb. Lud wins +$3.839Mil Cards win +$2.389
Schu +$140,000
Total (before Ankiel and Ludwick arb.) = $22,222,000
Total if both win= $28,461,000
Total if both loose= $26,061,000
Total if Ludwick wins and Ankiel looses (what I think happens) = $27,511,000
So, the Cards have $7.339 Mil to equal last year’s payroll (assuming that my arb. guess is correct)
Ben Sheets post surgery in June ?
Spring Training trade taking on more salary?
Dry Powder for the Deadline?
Or, was it all really just a bunch of talk?
I am excited to see the competition but I won’t be surprised if any of the following happen: we sign Grudz to a 1yr deal, make the big trade for Roberts from Baltimore, trade with Atlanta for either their SS or 2B (their SS started in the Majors at 2B), or trade for Left handed relief from Toronto. I figure the core of any of the above trades would be from our OF depth most likely Ludwick or preferably Ankiel. Depending on Carp's spring a FA Starter might be in the picture as well.
We shall see.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Stranger Things...
Consider the following:
Ankiel from pitcher to Outfielder
Looper from the pen to the rotation
Wellemeyer from the pen to the rotation
The pitcher hitting eighth
Go Skip Go!
If this works, and I REALLY hope it does, that would be great!
Ankiel from pitcher to Outfielder
Looper from the pen to the rotation
Wellemeyer from the pen to the rotation
The pitcher hitting eighth
Go Skip Go!
If this works, and I REALLY hope it does, that would be great!
Getting to Second Base
I was working on a comparison between the money coming off the books from our now departed players, and the raises due to our current players and I noticed that we cut Adam Kennedy.
This is an odd move to me, on the field he would have been fine, we were going to be rid of him at the end of the season anyway.
On the other hand, I wanted them to cut him loose early last year. But…
Arizona had an interest in him back in Dec, but wanted us to eat some of his contract, and we didn’t want to; so now we get nothing.
This is the first move by Mo that I am not sold on, why now? TLR must have pushed for getting AK out asap back at the end of last season, and he wanted to be sent out in the first place.
I like the idea of giving Skip a look at 2B as has been reported, I really like that idea and hope it works. It does look like our minor league depth could keep us stable here (I prefer Barden if the team stays as is) but a trade for a starter or FA back-up would make sense. It will be interesting to see what they do.
I trust TLR about the club house and if wanted him gone, then he should be gone. Rolen departing before last season wasn’t missed, and I think his bitching would have stalled the team’s forward progress and growth.
Spring is all most here.
This is an odd move to me, on the field he would have been fine, we were going to be rid of him at the end of the season anyway.
On the other hand, I wanted them to cut him loose early last year. But…
Arizona had an interest in him back in Dec, but wanted us to eat some of his contract, and we didn’t want to; so now we get nothing.
This is the first move by Mo that I am not sold on, why now? TLR must have pushed for getting AK out asap back at the end of last season, and he wanted to be sent out in the first place.
I like the idea of giving Skip a look at 2B as has been reported, I really like that idea and hope it works. It does look like our minor league depth could keep us stable here (I prefer Barden if the team stays as is) but a trade for a starter or FA back-up would make sense. It will be interesting to see what they do.
I trust TLR about the club house and if wanted him gone, then he should be gone. Rolen departing before last season wasn’t missed, and I think his bitching would have stalled the team’s forward progress and growth.
Spring is all most here.
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