Comments on: Daily Farm Report 07/15/2010

By: cariocacardinal

cariocacardinal — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 14:17:12 +0000

@jimmy_joe: I believe Yunier actually has 2 walks this year but that doesn't change your point. It is why I am not high on him. With his lack of power, he would have to hit .280-.290 just to sniff a .700 OPS. doubtful at this point.

By: jimmy_joe

jimmy_joe — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 13:20:41 +0000

Still no walks for Yu Castillo! That’s almost 1.5 years, right, of not accepting any handouts from the pitcher? Yu earns his base, he takes no charity.

By: Lou Schuler

Lou Schuler — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 12:04:54 +0000

I think this is a first: As of this morning, all the Cards’ affiliates except VSL were at .500 or better. A couple are in first place, or close to it.

The writers who say our system lacks top-tier prospects beyond Miller are probably right. But generating future MLB all-stars is a hit and miss process. In all the time I’ve been following baseball from the draft on up (I started my subscription to BA in 1990, and I used to buy it on the newsstand for years before that), only two organizations have consistently generated good-to-great players: the Braves and Dodgers. Every other system has been up and down, same as the Cards.

But a system can consistently generate useful players, from replacement level to MLB average. A good system should get several of those a year.

In the early ’00s, our system couldn’t even do that. That’s why we ended up signing guys like Juan Encarnacion, with his lifetime .317 OBP and 97 OPS+, to a multi-year, multi-million-dollar contract. A good system should provide guys like Jon Jay and Allen Craig, so you never have to go out and pay $4 million a year for a journeyman outfielder.

Hyperventilating aside, it’s fun to see our system reach that baseline of competence, with excellence within reach.

By: db

db — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 20:53:27 +0000

Like someone sadi yesterday johnson City really has a bunch a good hitters right now. Anxious to see if they stay there the rest of the year or get moved up.

By: duckb

duckb — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 19:53:46 +0000

Longmire, Taveras and Stanley give me a bit of a chub. Especially Taveras.

By: azruavatar

azruavatar — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:48:31 +0000

@ Grunt: corrected — thanks.

By: azruavatar

azruavatar — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:47:38 +0000

@Lou Schuler: I've always considered the use of hyperventilate in this manner (as first used by Joe Strauss) to be odd. I've only had one instance of hyperventilating in my life when I was about 14 or 15. It was one of the scariest moments of my life. It had nothing to do with excitement but rather a very stressful situation. I told you guys not to get all worked up about those Latin Prospects. Matias is obviously headed for bustville with that 1.25 ERA.

By: Indiana Cardinal

Indiana Cardinal — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:13:52 +0000

Is Chambers’ OBP and OPS at AAA at infinity (and beyond)?

By: Lou Schuler

Lou Schuler — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 17:41:32 +0000

FWIW, 2 of the hits Miller gave up in that 4-run 5th inning were infield singles (one was described as a bunt to Miller, and the other seems to have been a ground ball to the 1st baseman). The home run was the only extra-base hit he gave up.

Matias also had his first non-spectacular start in the DSL: 5 IP, 3 runs, 2 ER, 4 hits, 2 BB, 4 K, plus a WP. His ERA is all the way up to 1.25.

Guess we’ll have to hyperventilate a little slower about both guys.

By: Gruntosaurus

Gruntosaurus — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 17:22:06 +0000

I assume you mean 7/15, right? Note that Batavia’s game tonight has already been postponed due to weather. Must be really miserable …

Neither Longmire nor Perez are young for their level, but it’s still good to see them doing well there. Any chances of quick promotions, do you think?