I’m Down . . . Someone Kick Me
Posted on October 3rd, 2009 by azruavatar in Bryan Anderson, Matt PagnozziI think Jeff Luhnow has done tremendous things with the farm system and bringing the Cardinals forward into the statistical age of baseball. I have a very strong suspicion that the Cardinals (and other clubs) have reliable, advanced metrics on catcher’s defense that simply are beyond what has been developed in the public domain. That said. . . oooff! . . .
Great to see Matt Pagnozzi with a strong game at Busch. He’s a perfect example of why the organization values strong catch and throw skills
I think Pagnozzi’s defense is largely overrated. He’s got a good arm but he struggles with balls in the dirt from what I’ve seen. He’s an average defender; more importantly, he’s a terrible hitter even for a catcher. Unless his bat takes a quantum leap forward, he shouldn’t be anywhere near the big club, today’s effort notwithstanding. Part of Luhnow’s job is to be positive about the minors in the press and while I appreciate the opportunity to praise an individual, I’m perturbed by reading what appears to be organizational philosophy that results in bad players coming up at certain positions.
Poor Bryan Anderson.
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I would have to say that I totally agree with the Pagnozzi assessment. The guy has no business being moved to the big club ahead of other players. He can’t hit. And I don’t see where his catching skills are any better than Anderson’s. This is just another example of Uncle Tony playing the nepotism game. He was promoted this year at the expesne of Allen Craig… I will be glad when Uncle Tony and Dave are out of St. Louis and some of the prospects that actually desrve an opportunity can get a fair chance. I still think the Mark Derosa trade was a joke as well. Jess Todd and Chris Perez for a 35 year old was totally lame.
a side note… has there been a PTBNL for the Duncan Lugo trade or did Boston not name a player?
There seems a muddle about Pagnozzi. Anderson separated a shoulder. He did not make the Memphis roster for the PCL playoffs. So exactly why should he be in St Louis?
The alternative to Pagnozzi is the 3rd string Memphis catcher Brandon Yarbrough, a better hitter, but not as good defensively. The Memphis season ended with a wild pitch and a passed ball with Yarbrough behind the plate.
The Cardinals didn’t need a third string catcher. But the point isn’t about this season and his September ABs. It’s the sentiment it expresses about catchers in general and as prospects.
The purpose of calling up Pagnozzi is to give Molina a couple of games of rest going into the playoffs. As a third catcher if they need to pinch hit or pinch run for Larue they can play Pagnozzi and not void the off day they are trying to give Molina.
I was at the game yesterday and Pagnozzi made an excellent throw to throw out Counsel. I do not see the problem with Pagnozzi for this limited purpose. Now whether they think he can replace Larue next year remains to be seen since his hitting apparently is weak and I have not seen enough of his defense to compare him to Larue.
Anderson, due to his injury and seeming regression, wasn’t ready and since Anderson still has a higher ceiling they would not want to start his service time until he is ready to stay on the 25 man roster, if ever.
I tend to agree with Indiana Cardinal. I do think it was smart to call up a catcher and there really were no other candidates. In those not so long ago days before 12 man pitching staffs most teams had a third catcher or at least a bench player who could catch in a pinch. Having only two catchers crimps a manager’s strategy as you are reluctanct to pinch hit or pinch run for the starter or for that mattter to use your back up as a pinch hitter. If a game goes extra innings and your remaining catcher gets hurt you’re screwed. Anyway this is off the current point but I’m much more peeved that they’re playing Yadi at all right now than that they’re throwing Pagnozzi out there.
For the foreseeable future I think our emergency third string catcher should be Jason Motte.
Every team adds an extra catcher during September. Its a no brainer.
The Cards have two types of catchers in their minor league system. Guys who can hit a bit (Yarbrough, Anderson, Cutler, Hill, Cruz, Daric Barton before he quit catching) and guys who can defend (Molina, Pagnozzi, Derba, De la Cruz). They try to improve the defense of the former, the hitting of the latter.
They hope Stock can do some of both, like Molina.
“Poor Bryan Anderson” needs to prove he is a plus-hitter at the AAA level before he should be anywhere near the big club too. ‘Cause he sure isn’t going to make it with *his* defense.
I pretty much agree as well that Anderson had no business being called up. This was pretty much a lost season for him due to the shoulder injury. The prospects where called up for a week and a half. So I really don’t see the benifit of a 3rd catcher for 10 games or so. Unless the 3rd catcher is going to be used in the pen and in pitching sessions in the post session so that the regular catches can get a break and remainin a little more rested. Its also to bad that Stavinoha got hurt he can catch as well.
That sound you hear is the soft patter of balls echoing from David Freese’s catching mitt. Now seriously, could LaRue not have caught these games.
(Also, my post STILL isn’t about September but organizational philosophy. Although I think in either applcation, it’s correct.)
David Freese for Catcher!!!!
Anderson had a decent triple A season in ’08 and had only limited opportunity this year. Let’s see how he does in the Fall League. I didn’t know Feeese could catch. Since he can, why the need for Pagnozzi for a third catcher? That spot could have and should have gone to Craig.
Snort. You wanted him to say “Really, Pagnozzi is a bum, but TLR would throw a tantrum if he didn’t have a third catcher in September, so we brought him up anyway”?
Of all the things to worry about with the way the organization runs its farm system, this one is not very high on my list.
Pagnozzi did not take Craig’s spot. I have seen this said a few times.
1. September Call up list is unlimited as far as I know?
2. Larussa wanted a 3rd string catcher.
3. They just did not want to bring Craig up
1. The September call up list is unlimited as far as I know, so the Cardinals could have called up 10 players. As I understand for some reason Larussa did not “want too many” guys called up? Who knows, guess that’s his call. So it was not like if Pagnozzi doesn’t get called up then Craig automatically would have been called up.
2. I would actually rather have a 3rd string catcher catching on Sunday rather than the potential starting 3B next year catching. It is ridiculos to put guys in spots where they could get hurt, and of all the positinos catcher is a position where Freese could have actually gotten severly hurt. What if there was a play at the plate and some guy hurts him badly. I would rather have an experience “CATCHER” playing. I agree though if you are going to bring up a 3rd string catcher why not bring up a guy with some potential to actually hit. I know Anderson is still hurt/recovering? I don’t know what 3rd string option would be better.
3. I have no idea why they did not bring Craig up? No real great explination here, I guess even if he only get’s one AB, it’s not like he is going to be getting in the way or anything. Seems like a nice reward to call a guy up after a successful season.. give him a glimpse of big league life.
Looks like we dodged another DUI debacle by trading away Mortensen. Was he drinking away his sorrows because he liked playing for the cards or was he celebrating because he loves playing for the A’s?
If they are going to add Andeson to the 40 man rosterin the off season he should have been brought up to be the 3rd catcher in Sept. I realize he didn´t deserve it but we know from Craig and others that deservedness is not the criteria. Possibly Anderson could have learned something in Sept.
OF course maybe this means they are not going to add him to the 40 man roster this year. that will be an interesting decision.
Anderson will probably be protected in November. For now the birds do not want extra rookies getting in the way. If Anderson needs to learn something, he can learn it in spring training or next season at Memphis.
They need to stop dinking around with Anderson and make him the primary catcher in Memphis. When he was not hurt, Anderson split time with Pagnozzi. Pagnozzi is not a prospect. Anderson is a 22 year old left handed hitting catcher with a career 362 OBP in the minor leagues. We’ve heard noise about his deficiencies behind the plate. Time to make him the everyday catcher in Memphis and find out what he has got.
Another point on Anderson. We need left handed bats on the bench in St. Louis. With Motte and Freese as emergency catchers, Anderson could be frequently used as a pinch hitter if he were the backup Cards catcher. Obviously, 2010 is too soon for that. Pagnozzi is a lump on the bench to get one start per week (if he becomes the backup catcher in 2010).