Archive for September, 2010

Read the rest of this entry »

Note: Be patient with the DFRs this weekend as I’m unsure what kind of internet access I’ll have. I will do what I can to post in a timely manner.

Read the rest of this entry »

I’ll be making my third trip of the year to Quad Cities to watch some prospects this weekend.  Once again, the starting pitching rotation has foiled me as Shelby Miller started last night and will not pitch again until next week after I’ve left.

Read the rest of this entry »

To overlook the farm system on this final day (for me) of regular DFR turn I’d like to be a tad forward looking. While the Cardinals have been a frustratingly underachieving team, to the point that a manager with lesser credentials would have more than likely been held accountable by termination mid-season, there is still a substantial amount of games remaining on the schedule that one last surge is plausible.

Wins must begin to come in bunches, starting this weekend. While saying anything is a ‘must win’ is silly as long as there are still numbers left on that elimination column (or if you are Marv Levy, you have a different opinion about must wins), that bunch of wins has to start Friday. A sweep, the ultimate correction to this horrendous 2 week stretch, would move the Cardinals back to a 5 game deficit. The Reds would leave St. Louis to face one of their toughest remaining series, a four game set in Colorado while the Redbirds head to the land of brats and beer, Milwaukee. Any combination of Rockies wins equal to or greater than 2 and Cardinals wins of 3 in those two 4 game sets and the Cardinals find themselves back in a position where picking up a win a week for the remainder of the season gives them a chance.

By the time we talk again next week, we will know a lot more about how the picture for the Cardinals postseason hopes look. Having seen this team for the 120+ games they’ve played so far, my gut tells me that it won’t be a pretty picture. However, I also know this offense has to revert to the mean hard and soon. And when that happens, the runs will flow in a glorious fashion. Let’s hope the pitching decides to steady itself the rest of the month as well.

On to the DFR!

Read the rest of this entry »

With a downright awful 2010, Daryl Jones continues to be one of the more frustrating prospects in St. Louis’ system. What at times has been seen as a toolsy, athletic, above-average corner outfielder, is starting to look like an average fourth who doesn’t have the outfield instincts to stay at center, the arm for right, or the power for left.

Jones, an extremely athletic three-sport athlete in high school, was selected in the third round of the 2005 draft. After struggling to translate his tools to results in his first full two years of pro ball, Jones broke out in 2008, posting a .316/.407/.483 line with Palm Beach, and Springfield.

While he did hold on to a steady 21.5 LD% in 2009, his first full attempt at AA was hampered by a quad strain, and he’s never been the same since. While Jones has never been expected to hit for plus-power with his linear swing, he hasn’t even been capable of posting average power numbers lately, topping a .400 SLG in just one of his past nine months of ball. In ’10, his LD% trailed off to 19.7%. With a .292 BABIP, Jones posted a park-adjusted line of .241/.332/.345.

I had previously thought that if Jones could carry his success from ’08, and the first half of ’09, he could have a legitimate shot at earning a spot with the big league club in the 2011 Spring Training. That appears to be a long-shot now. And while Jones is still just 23-years-old, this stunt in progression is startling, and something to note, in my opinion.

What say you, readers? Is the injury still hampering him? Is it too early to give up on a 23-year-old? Has your projection of his upside been changed considerably with his awful ’10 season?

Minor League baseball in September. It just feels funny. Although, the nice thing (or awful thing) is that the farm system won more games in 1 night than the Cardinals have won in the last two weeks.

/sad trombone

On one of my last two full DFRs for the year.
Read the rest of this entry »

When I saw Aaron Luna in August, I wrote:

Same kind of scenario as Brown. Good speed, weak outfield arm.  If I questioned Brown’s bat, Luna’s seems even less likely to play at the majors as a corner outfielder. There’s just not enough power or secondary skills there

Looking through some statistics recently, I am continually caught off guard by his numbers and how good they are. There’s a reason for that though.

Read the rest of this entry »