Archive for July, 2009

Helping my robot friend out, I’m putting up a placeholder DFR for tonight so he doesn’t have to recap the Memphis (G1), Palm Beach and Batavia games:

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As we approach the trade deadline, the Cardinals are likely done wheelin’ and dealin’. They’ve stripped the farm of 6 of their Top 10 prospects over the last month.

But there are still players in the system and they do have value.

So, with that in mind, I thought I’d try a fun little exercise.

Looking at the current trade market, what would this package bring back:
- Pete Kozma (RH) SS
- Daryl Jones (LH) OF
- Lance Lynn (RH) P
- Single A relief Pitcher

Discuss

End of July.  One month to go for our little hatchlings.

Happy Thoughts!  Today is Mitchell Boggs Day.  He’s got just about ZERO competition from Todd Wellemeyer at this point, has quite a bit from The Hawk and perhaps a tad from a potential waiver-wire pickup later on.  Of course, we go about 5 spins through the rotation without needing a 5th starter, which shows how horribly we mismanaged letting Todd Wellemeyer take 4 starts too many.

But Happy Thoughts!  David Freese has been promoted, Sam Freeman is on the DL with Chuckie Fick taking his place.  Kenny Maquies has been released.

Lots of rain, some really nasty weather in Memphis.  Everyone stay safe.

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Sorry about the delay, the FR.net server was down last night and I couldn’t post this.

Congratulations to the Hawk.  Picked up his first MLB win last night by pitching 3 great innings of relief.  His fastball had a bit more speed and his breaking stuff had a bit more movement.  He made a very good team of hitters look very silly at times.

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Two debutant pitchers for the system today. Trey Hearne is in Memphis and Nick Additon is in Springfield.

Just in case you were living under a rock, Mitch Boggs is up to St. Louis to take the rotation spot from Todd Wellemeyer. Which is why the two debutants had to move up. I love the word debutants.

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Keith Law, someone who is very high on Brett Wallace’s bat, calls the trade a win-win situation for both teams.

The trade between the Cardinals and A’s involving Matt Holliday looks like a win for both teams — Oakland gets a strong troika of prospects that’s better than what it gave to Colorado for Holliday seven months ago, while St. Louis gets a much-needed offensive boost that should greatly improve its chances of making the playoffs.

Baseball America is not so high on the trade for the Cardinals.

Not only did the A’s receive nearly four full months of service from Holliday, whom they acquired from the Rockies last November, but in trading him to St. Louis (along with $1.5 million), they received arguably a greater return than what they paid the Rockies last year. Landing Wallace alone could provide more value to Oakland than the combination of Huston Street, Carlos Gonzalez and Greg Smith ever will to the Rockies.

Matt Baker at the Springfield News-Leader catches up with Shane Peterson to get his take.

Peterson described his tenure with the Cardinals as “short,” but thanked fans, teammates and coaches for their support. A few hours after hearing the news, he still wasn’t sure what to think.”Everything’s uncertain,” the 21-year-old said. “You get anxious, get nervous to go out there. But I’m excited. I want to get out there and get going, get in my new place. “

Best of luck to Wallace, Peterson and Mort.  Obviously we all thought enough of their performance to keep track of them in the DFRs.  Peterson is likely headed to a better situation in Oakland given the depth that the Cardinals still have in the outfield.

Allen Craig and Lance Lynn both make the Hot List at BA.

The Hawk on his time in the majors.

Big club on ESPN today and the minor leagues on the internet!

New signing Wagner Mateo was in Busch Stadium this afternoon to meet the press and the Cards brass. He also stretched and took batting practice on the field.
Matthew Leach has the story and John Marecek has the photos.

Matt Baker has the news that Trey Hearne was promoted to AAA to take Mitchell Boggs spot in the Memphis rotation.  Read into that what you will.

Eddie Degerman has been released and Nick Additon up to Springfield.

Let’s Rock.

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I find myself in an odd juxtaposition with VEB as I continue to be somewhat optimistic about the trades that the Cardinals have made recently.  (Shouldn’t the minor league site bemoan the losses of all our key writing material?)  We’ve unquestionably put a serious dent in the farm system but the talent we’ve acquired isn’t marginal but impact and puts the Cardinals in a much better position to win the division.  It’s going to be a rough week as the Cardinals make these trades and then run into the Phillies and Dodgers (the two best teams in the NL) but make no doubt, the major league club is better.

At the same time, I’ve given Mozeliak my address in which to cut the check because it’s time to come to the Cardinals defense yet again.

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It’s the godfather, pinch hitting for AZ, whose in Springfield watching the team get slaughtered. Feels good to be DFRing.

Brett Wallace likes playing for the A’s.

Hey Mo: Wladimir Balentien is F.A.T.

I find it interesting that the A’s seem to consider Shane Peterson the 2nd best player in the Matt Holliday deal. He did have an OBP north of .500 for Long Beach, maybe that’s their fascination. He’s playing CF for Double-A Midland, which is where his value would most be maximized. Not sure he can stick there, he is a converted 1B.

Jeff Sackmann looks at the trickiness that is DSL statistics. This is something to bear in mind before you get excited about players like Grabiel Hernandez.

Question for everyone out there: Is FR less exciting now that the system has been stripped nearly bare? The system will rise again, but it could take some time. The draft can’t happen soon enough. OK, Enough lamenting.

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As Joe Strauss so aptly twittered, it’s been a brutal week for the HPGF. (Hyperventilating Prospect Geek Fraternity). That’s now four of last year’s top ten prospects that have gone to other teams. Mozeliak has razed the system in hopes of fending off Chicago and Milwaukee (and I guess Houston). But considering how crummy the bullpen has looked as of late, this hurts, not just for the future, but now. After seeing the ‘pen recently get torched, Todd probably would have been the next one up.

Let’s do the whole surplus value thing.

Chris Perez was a top 76-100 pitcher last year, meaning his surplus value is $8.7M.  Jess Todd was given a B grade by John Sickels. B grade pitchers historically have averaged $6.5 million in value. That’s a total of $15.2 million of assets headed to Cleveland for a few months of DeRo. After some hand wringing about his wrist, he seems fine, hitting 4 homers over the last few days. DeRosa is worth about a win over the rest of the season, and about a 7% increase in playoff expectancy. Figuring his salary ($2.3M), what he adds in terms of wins ($4.5M), and Type B free agent compensation ($2.5) and the help he adds in possibly reaching the playoffs….

$15 M to CLE, $7M to STL. More paying out of the wha-zoo for rentals.

That said, Perez has that spotty control and may never pan out. He has been nails in low leverage situations since getting a rudely greeting to the AL. I have this weird thing with Todd. Having seen him pitch, I was less than impressed, but it’s really hard to argue with the results. He might end up being better than Perez when it’s all said and done, as he has pitchability and control that Perez definitely doesn’t have yet.

My poor faberge eggs. Win, Cardinals, win.