No game tonight, but the finals between Batavia and Jamestown starts tomorrow night and is a best of three with games Friday, Saturday and Sunday, if necessary. Here is a series preview.
In other minor league news, the Cardinals signed an extention with Memphis to keep the Cardinals triple A affiliate there for another four years. This seems like a no-brainer to me: Memphis is a nice city, good sized for a AAA club and in good proximity to St. Louis. The only surprise for me is that it took this long to put the extention together.
This isn’t prospect related, but I just have to throw this out there: Aaron Miles is starting in left field tonight.
I meant to link to this last night, but when I went to copy the link I couldn’t find the article, even though I’d read it earlier in the day. Sometimes Baseball America’s site confuses me. Anyway, DG wrote a quick article about Chris Perez’ positive attitude about his role in the major leagues. He also has a couple of quick notes about Brett Wallace and Curt Smith. (Subscription Only)
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While Colby Rasmus has now been deemed ‘physically unable to perform’ after Bernie poked around with the Cardinals asking why in the world he wasn’t being called up, we were also told that Josh Phelps/Aaron Miles will be splitting time in LF.
Really?
Anyways, if you need a good laugh, check out SI.com’s 2001 season preview.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/2001/spring_training/news/2001/02/15/cardinals_preview/
I liked the parts about Pujols not being ready (because of struggles at Memphis) and that JD Drew still can’t get an everyday job at 25 years old. No wonder he hated Tony.
Aaron Miles – Left Fielder
Felipe Lopez – Third Base
When you start filling out line-up cards with such craptastic things like these on them it is time for you to step aside. I hate to say it but LaRussa has to go.
I actually had a minor league comment but forgot it after reading HL post, Tony make me angry…
Agreed. He’s getting a little surlier as the season goes on and it’s looking more like he’s in charge rather than Mo. I don’t quite believe that, but it looks that way. I really hope they do not re-up Duncan and then show TLR the door. Thanks for the memories and all, but geez.
People love to complain about Tony not using young players, but these same people love to overlook the fact that they are very wrong.
Albert Pujols made teh club out of Spring Training at 21
Rick Ankiel was in the rotation at 20
Fernando Tatis started 3B at 23
Matt Morris was in the rotation at 22
Bud Smith was in the rotation partially) at 21
Yadier Molina was up at 21 and was the starter at 22
Chris Duncan and Skip Schumaker (24 and 25 respectively when they came up) have been given many opportunities
Then there are pitchers who came up in 2006 both at 24—Reyes and Wainwright
One (Pitcher A) had an ERA 3.12 in 75 ip, one (Pitcher B) an ERA OF 5.06 IN 85 IP—-Guess which was which….
Pitcher B, alleged a man in “Tony’s doghouse”, still got another shot the following year. He went 2-14 with an ERA over 6 while Pitcher A HAD A 3.70 ERA and a 14-12 record.
Reyes (and other young players) have gotten their fair shot from TLR. Some make it (Wainwright, Pujols, Yadi) and some don’t (Reyes)
I think what really pisses me off is Tony’s insitence on using over-priced verterans that will only perform as replacement or league average players. We have a lot of players like that for a tenth of the cost in the minors.
Tony is not dumb–if he sees real talent he will play it. Most of the guys you mentioned PJ were well above replacement level. What pisses me off is if Tony is given the option of Player A at 6million a year with 10 years experience or Player B at $300K and a Rookie, producing at comparable levels, Tony will always take Player A. And Tony will be a surly bastard if you don’t go out and spend $6mil on Player A when you have Player B ready to go.
But BigJawn—Wouldn’t that go against the organizational status quo, that is to say cheap? These people can’t have it both ways. One group complains that TLR is stupid because he doesn’t utilize younger (cheaper) players, but then they turn around and say management is stupid because they don’t spend money on free agents.
A vicious/ignorant circle
I think the Cards have done a fine job (especially over the last couple of years) in developing and plugging in younger players that are capable (eg–Albert, Yadi, Waino). They gave Reyes at least 2 shots and he couldn’t do it—-and don’t give me the pitch to contact BS. Chris Carpenter struck out 213 batters in 2005. He has done just fine under Dave Duncan while pitching to and away from contact. The fact is that Reyes was overrated. He showed flashes—so did Todd Van Poppel.
As for mixing in younger and older players–who are we talking about? Albert was mixed in with pretty good results. Ditto for Yadi and Waino (and I believe a lot of people said Waino was improperly used out of the bullpen for that 1st year. That turned out alright…)
Case of Kyle McClellan: Properly used/Over used?
You’ll hear complaints from both sides. Some say “Tony overuses him” while others say “Tony doesn’t use enough young players”—-Typical responses from message boarders. TLR can’t win with this fan base—-and I might remind everyone that he HAS WON with this team (and a couple others.
PJ
The vicious cycle you refer to is for the ignorant. How many free agent pitchers have shown they were worth their multi-year contracts in the last 4 year. Very Few. I wouldn’t complain if we never signed another free agent starter. Hitters are a little better bet, but aging hitters that are showing deteriorating skills are always overvalued. Adam Kennedy anyone??? Tell me I could have not gone to our own minor league system and totally replaced the Kennedy signing at a tenth of the cost. It is not the impact players that anyone is refering to, it is the cheap fillers that I am looking for. The guys that can hold a slot at minnimum so we can afford to pay albert whatever he is worth.
It is a whole risk/reward problem young players inherrently because of their cost offer a low risk/ high reward situation. Some free agents do this as well, Loshe was a low risk/high reward guy. The team is looking to put themselves in as many of these situations on the field as possible, we need a manager willing to let them play out.
As Larry pointed out the other day, it isn’t just about putting young players on the roster, it is about using the resources of the system correctly. Mozeliak puts Brian Barton on the team, Tony plays an injured Chris Duncan and plays Skip vs LHP.
Jocketty puts Brian Barden on the team, Tony plays him out of position at 2B so Miguel Cairo can start at 3B. Then Jocketty puts Brendan Ryan on the team and Tony moves Cairo to 2B, Barden to SS and Ryan to 3B. As one of my Brewers fan friends put it last September, “Why is LaRussa playing 3 infielders completely out of position?”.
Mozeliak puts Brian Barden on the roster again this year and LaRussa starts Felipe Lopez at 3B, Aaron Miles in LF, and Brian Barden is in charge of getting the sunflower seed bags between the 3rd and 4th inning.
LaRussa feels a player has to be ‘eased’ into playing at the Big League level and it wastes the teams resources. It gives a guy like Adam Kennedy more at-bats in games he has no business playing in. Kennedy was given 7 at-bats in a very important series and ended up going 1 for 7. What possible good, short term and long term is there in playing Adam Kennedy over Brendan Ryan and Brian Barden? What possible good is there in playing Aaron Miles in LF over Brian Barton, both short term and long term?
One key to management (you will hear this in management classes) is Respect for people. It is in the Toyota Production System and helps to make them very strong. TLR practices this in a way. Would a player like John Mabry have ever gotten a shot with a different manager? Maybe so, but not exactly. Tony did John a favor by playing him “out of position” and it helped Mabes stay in the league for better than a decade. Perhaps playing Felipe Lopez (or Aaron Miles) out of position is Tony giving them respect. Miles has done nothing but hit this year. Is he a better option in LF than Brian Barton/Nick Stavinoha? I suppose it’s debatable, but I will go with yes.
When we signed Adam Kennedy (no it wasn’t a good signing) who was in our system? There is a reason that “The Hoff” hasn’t cracked the big club just like there is a reason that Josh Phelps is a career minor leaguer.
So Tony is respecting Aaron Miles, who has hit extremely well as a 2B this year, by not giving him playing time for a whole month and then moving him to LF? All the while giving his playing time to the inferior Adam Kennedy and the newest toy, Felipe Lopez?
How is that respect?
He is giving Miles more opportunities/making him more marketable. I don’t necessarily agree with it. I feel that he should be our starting 2B/#2 hitter. Early in the season, people complained that TLR used the”midget” (Miles) too much. AHHHH!
Yes, they did complain. But the landscape has changed. That seems to be something LaRussa has trouble dealing with. Miles has been the best of a craptastic bunch of 2Bmen. Just like Ludwick was the best offensive OF’er, yet was stuck in a platoon. And Perez was the best of a craptastic closer by committee but he was demoted.