With the revolving door from Memphis to St. Louis now in full effect (a few years after it should have started I might add), and Garcia and Freese making solid contributions to the team as starters I pose this question:
Who is the next ‘big impact’ guy likely to come from the system? Will it be this season and if not, then when?
We’ve got a full slate on the DFR, so let’s get to it.
- Reuben Gotay, Mark Hamilton, Daniel Descalso, Allen Craig and the Enigma Evan MacLane all hit singles.
- Sugar Shane Robinson went 2-for-4 with a 2B.
- Evan MacLane took the loss going 7 IP with 6 H, 4 R (2 ER), 2 BB and 5 K.
- Josh Kinney pitched the 8th, recording a strikeout in the perfect frame.
Springfield 2, Northwest Arkansas 9
- Pete Kozma went 1-for-3 with a 2B, R and BB.
- Andrew Brown and Aaron Luna both had a hit.
- James Rapoport went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
- Curt Smith went 1-for-3 with no windmills.
- David Kopp went 6 strong innings, striking out 6, walking 3 and giving up only 4 hits.
- Then the wheels came off the wagon.
- Blake King, who picked up a hold, yielded 2 ER on a walk and then a HR while retiring only 1 batter.
- Thomas Eager followed, taking the blown save by giving up a hit and a walk in 1.2 IP.
- Eduardo Sanchez was tagged with loss despite not giving up a hit, walking 1 only for
- Matt Meyer to give up a 3-run HR in the 9th, putting his line at 0.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R (0ER) 1 BB.
- D’Marcus Ingram led the game off with a solo HR, because legally a 2-run shot wasn’t allowed. He also picked up a single.
- Ryan Jackson, Niko Vasquez, Ryde Rodriguez, Devin Shepard and Robert Stock all had singles.
- Edgar Lara had a double and RBI, but also struck out 3 times.
- Scott Shneider went 5 IP, giving up 3 H and 1 R (unearned) walking 3 and striking out 5. He was in line for the win.
- Unfortunately Deryk Hooker took the double whammy of a blown save and a loss with a 3IP, 4 H (1HR), 3 ER, 2 BB and 3 K.
- Tommy Pham went 1-phor-phour with a stolen base.
- Matthew Carpenter was 1-for-3 with a 2B and 2 R.
- Tony Cruz went 2-for-3 with a 3-run HR.
- Alex Castellanos was 1-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI.
- Arquimedes Nieto, shockingly not a graduate of Syracuse, struck out 6 in 6.2 IP for the win. He gave up 4 H, 2 ER and 3 BB.
- Joel (Luc) Pichardo gave up a hit and struckout 3 in his 1.1 IP.
- Francisco Samuel walked 1 on his way to striking out the side in his inning of work.
Entries (RSS)
I think the next big impact player is Eduardo Sanchez. There’s just not much exciting talent in terms of position players right now, and there aren’t really any openings at the Major League level anyway. Descalso is interesting, but he’s not taking Skip’s spot anytime soon.
I’m still hoping for DJ to pull through, but I really think Lynn may be the next big help. I could see him being the 6th starter a bit later in the season, and in contention for a rotation spot next year. I know his ceiling isn’t necessarily the highest, but I have hopes nonetheless. He seems like he’ll be a horse.
To me the next big thing will be a RP. Obviously an injury could change that but if it is an RP I am putting my money on Sanchez to come up and make a big impact this year.
It was good to see Mark Hamilton’s name back in the box score.
Depth candidates for 2010: Greene, Craig or Jay, Anderson, Lynn, Gorgen, Walters, Ottavino.
Can some contribute as much as Rasmus, Garcia, Freese, Ludwick? Probably not.
I’m sorry to say that I don’t see ANY “impact players” in this farm system apart from Shelby Miller, who is too young and too far from the bigs for me to be confident that he’ll become one. Lynn and Gorgen have a microscopic chance of qualifying, but are more likely fifth starters, and no fifth starter is an “impact player” unless his name is Garcia. Relievers (which the system has in abundance) aren’t “impact players” pretty well by definition, unless they turn into Mariano Rivera or at least Jonathan Papelbon. None of our relievers fit that description, although I’d really like to see what Casey Mulligan can do at a higher level. Among the position players, ain’t none, although there are plenty of useful roster fillers.
Wow Aaron Crow chewed up the slumping Springfield offense going 8 IP on 79 pitches with 4 of the 6 hits staying on the infield, and whats up with Daryl Jones early he’s 1 for his last 23 and down to .186 and not driving the ball at all, many thought he was better than Austin Jackson but AJ’s line of .330/.394/.468/.862 94 AB’s deep for the Tigers is what type of numbers we were hoping form D Jones in Springfield at this point.
Cutler is at hitting .176 in Springfield with limited time at Palm Beach, Tony Cruz is at .315 at Palm Beach after having solid numbers there in the first extended stay, I think its time to make the swap and let Cutler get more PT at High A, and go back to the setup they had at Springfield last year with Cruz and Hill.
Honestly, the next impact guy I see is Shelby Miller, although I think a guy like Lynn can make a contribution. After Miller, my next guess for an impact guy is our 2010 first round pick.
I think that the 2 main impact this year will be Sanchez and Ottavino.
Anyone know what’s going on with DJ Tools? Is he still hurt? I know he’s relatively inexperienced in terms of total time playing baseball. At this point he’s not even a 4th outfielder for Springfield. Is it time to demote him to get him regular at bats and get his issues worked out?
I could see Eduardo Sanchez being the next big impact guy. Maybe a late season call up this year, graduated to set-up man in 2011 and then take over as closer for Franklin in 2012. Maybe that is a bit too optomistic on my part. The Cardinals are really going to need to develop a closer to replace Franklin in 2012. With the money being spent on Pujols and Holliday, there probably won’t be much available to sign a free agent closer. If you look ahead a couple years, closer is probably the most glaring need.
Here they are:
Tyler Henley
Anderson
Mark Hamilton
Mark Shorey
Ottavino
Lynn
Descalso
I don’t think that Crow really won the game, but more so the cardinals lost it.
Kopp pitched well as did Crow, the defense imploded in the 9th.
A big part was that Sanchez trying to make a force play at 3rd and throwing it over the 3rd basemans head.
I fear that Sanchez is going to be overused this year just like.
I thought Lynn or Ottavino would be ready next year but now I’m doubtful. We are going to need a 5th starter next year and I’m not sure where he is coming from.
Why would you be doubtful already? The year just started..
@Anderw:
I have to agree with this statement, we are less than one month into season. Adjustment period, unfortunetly the pitchers who have enjoyed some success had the advantage, now the hitters are finding their rythm and everyone has to step it up. In the end, the creme will rise to the top, then it will become clearer as to who has got the stuff to move ahead and who doesn’t.
There is very little correlation between how someone does in spring training vs. league play, in most cases. This is not a sprint, but a marathon, it takes a while for some to emerge as bona vide ML guy, regardless of how some consider what an impact player actually is.
I think the closer of the future will emerge from one of the starters, eventually, but that is just my opinion.
If guys aren’t throwing strikes now, I have no reason to believe they are quickly going to find a magic bullet. Maybe by the second half of the season they are throwing well but I dont see us risking our future on a guy who hasn’t pitched well for nearly a full season in the minors.
You dont need to wait a whole season to see what a guy has got. And again, these opinions have been formed with giving them the benefit of the doubt. If they were thowing the ball over the plate and getting hit I’d be less worried.
Otto gets my vote
but probably in the pen in the near term
I really dont think they will send him to the pen. He is most likely the starting pitcher if one of our 5 get hurt.
cario- If your refering to Otto he seems to have a sore shoulder but he was outstanding the second half of last year and Spring training. Lynn seems to be throwing harder and is having issues controlling it. He will get things worked out soon I believe.
I agree with most everybody that the next impact guy will be a closer and the most likely guy is Sanchez. I suppose Lynn could right himself but I think we’re probably several years away from an impact starter. I really do think that Dan Descalso will be a good major league player but he’s pretty similar to what we’ve got at second base. For what it’s worth I’m in favor of sending Otto to the pen quickly unless he shows something in his next couple of starts.
He has had alot of success the second half of last year and spring training. No need to pull the plug starting wise on a very talented pitcher. We did that with Mitchell Boggs and it worked well, but no need to change Otto who has the stuff and the arm stamina to be a 1 or 2 starter.
I don’t think that unless you are there one can determine how far they are out of the strike zone.
If you are throwing a 92-95 ball over the plate that ball is gone.
I’d rather see the guys make use of the entire plate. That’s just how I see it, not meant to disagree, but I think that more than likely we don’t know what that pitcher is told to work on also.
I am not sure if you are aware that for most in the minor leagues, for all teams, starting pitchers (not sure on the relievers) are asked or told what pitches they would like to work on for that season. They can’t always rely on what tehy would like to. Unfortunetly that means that you might have to suck it up for awhile with a bad ERA. Didn’t I read somewhere Miller needs to better develop a CU? Where are you supposed to practice that, in a game! Lets not forget that the sole purpose of milb is for development.
I never mentioned ERA. I doubt very much they are told not to throw strikes and working on throwing the ball off the plate. :)
@cariocacardinal:
I am sure they are told to throw strikes, but not down the middle of the plate. :)