Easy asks:
Does anyone have a good estimate of the level of competition for all of these winter leagues? I’d be particularly interested in the Hawaiian League as I have thought that Arnoldi Cruz’s season was pretty impressive considering he was learning a difficult new position and was in a pitcher’s park in a pitcher’s league. Any info would be appreciated.
The AFL is by far the most competitive league, since it’s made up mostly of AA and AAA players, usually the team’s better prospects mixed in with some players who teams are making decisions on whether or not to keep on their forty man roster. It’s more like AAA talent wise, and it’s certainly a hitter’s league.
Hawaii Winter Baseball is more somewhere between A and AA and is for the prospect who needs some much needed at bats but isn’t quite ready for the AFL or the Latin American Leagues. Several first round picks are participating who signed late, and there are also Korean and Japanese league players developing involved. I’d say it’s more like high A. I have no idea about the kind of parks they play in.
The Latin American leagues are full of all sorts of players, from Miguel Tejeda to Chris Narveson to Matt LaPorta to Jose Martinez. It’s more of a AA+, if I could put it that way. It has your occasional major leaguer, to your AA star, to your AAAA journey man and a few C and B prospects smattered in.
Arizona Fall League
Tyler Greene with a nice game. Playing 2B, Greene went 2-4, HR, 3 RBI.
As the DH, Steve Hill went 1-4 with a double.
Shane Robinson went 0-4 with a walk and a run scored.
Brad Furnish was credited with a hold, throwing an inning of scoreless ball. He allowed a couple of hits and struck out one. Box
Hawaii Winter Baseball
Arnoldi Cruz strikes again, going 2-4 and playing 1B.
James Rapoport went 0-3 w/ a walk.
Tyler Herron allowed four runs on three hits and two walks, but wasn’t charged with an earned run. He struck out one. Box
Dominican Winter League
Amaury Marti went 4-4 with a HR There’s a fact for ya. Box
Venezuelan Winter League
David Freese went 2-3 with a HR and a walk. I think I tend to agree with Mr. Badler, he is probably the most under the radar prospect in the system right now. Box.
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I’d like to see the Cards keep Freese with the big club out of spring training as the spare corner infielder for a few months just to get him some MLB ABs early in 2009. He can then go back down to play every day in AAA. It gives the Cards a better bench bat than say Brendan Ryan as the 4th middle infielder and breaks the ice with TLR. The man has a long get acquainted curve with young players coming up through the system not named Duncan. Exchanging Freese from Glaus in 2010 would give the team huge salary relief to plug middle infield holes.
Does anyone know the backstory on Freese? I’m pretty sure I remember that he was drafted as a 5th year senior. What rounds was he selected in previously and why did he not sign? I imagine the hype on him would be bigger if he was in the system after his jr. year instead of being the grizzled old man that he is.
@ Joe…i think the cards are hoping wallace is ready for 2010. I do agree that Freese should be our backup corner infielder though(maybe see if he can handle left field as well)
Anyone else see where Strauss said that Tyler Herron is our most valued pitching prospect? Does he mean valued by other teams, or the organization itself? I found that to be an interesting note
VolsnCards — We saw that comment. I think I speak for all the authors when I say we’re highly skeptical of that statement as being indicative of any teams’ true feelings about the Cardinals’ pitching prospects. Herron struggled a bit last year and is far more of a command and control pitcher than someone like Mortensen or Mitchell Boggs. Given Boggs and Mortensen are also both in AAA already, there’s little about that note that seems rational.
ok good..thats what i was thinking too