- A big day for Tony Cruz who goes 2-for-4 with a HR. That’s his 3rd HR in 46 ABs in the Arizona Fall League. Currently, the HR leader has 4 in the AFL.
- Brian Broderick went 4.2 innings allowing 7 hits for 2 runs (1 earned) on 2 walks and a strikeout. The concern with Broderick is that he doesn’t have strikeout stuff. He’s completely reliant on his sinking fastball and his defense. The surprise had a pair of erros in the game (and they haven’t been defensively sound to date) so there’s some gray area with Broderick. He is generating a lot of groundballs during his time in the AFL.
(As I work my way through another overtime intensive week at the office, I know posting has been light but I’m not sure if that will change in the immediate future.)
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Cruz doing a good job. Its nice to just let these guys play and not overinterpret the meaning of Life.
It has been lonely on the tony cruz bandwagon. Jump on, everybody! He’s joining adron as one of the only bright spots in arizona for the org.
I’ve been running after the bandwagon for some time. The problem with jumping on is that I remember reading varying reports about his defensive abilities and that he seems to hit better when playing other positions. Does anybody here have good information about his defensive readiness for the majors?
With Cruz, Stanley, Anderson, and Hill sitting in the mid and upper tiers of the farm system, and Molina looking like he has many serviceable seasons left in St Louis, maybe it’s time for Stock to dust off his curveball and head for the mound. Barring a trade (not outside the realm of possibility for Anderson or Hill ), there’s a lot of strength in the system at catcher.
Your “barring a trade” hits the nail on the head, IMO. At least one of these guys should be dangled as trade bait. Catchers who can hit are not exactly plentiful, and there should be teams out there with more power pitchers and/or less concern about the running game, who can swallow Anderson’s and Hill’s (perceived?) defensive limitations more gracefully than TLR and Dunc. Either of them should be sufficient to bring quite a nice haul, if surrounded by some throw-ins.
Stanley isn’t quite at the “mid and upper tiers” yet; he was in the rookie league for all but the last week or so of 2010, and he _should_ have been able to hit there, what with being a “polished college product” and all. Next year, and exposure to QC and hopefully PB, will be informative as to how much real potential he has. I’m guardedly optimistic, though.
How many more years does Yadi have on his current contract?
I’m afraid that other teams would look at Anderson and Hill as throw ins. I agree that we’ll know a lot more about Stanley next year. Since we’re including lower level prospects I like Audry Perez’s offensive numbers and believe I read a good report on him as a catcher last year. Most of these guys do look like better catching prospects than Stock so, if he really does have good prospects as a pitcher let’s get him started.
Give me Jaun Castillo over Perez! Better defensively, and at least equal offensively, and a year younger.
You used to love Richard Castillo too, because he was young.
Sorry Jumbo, you are confusing me with someone else.
Can you give us any more info on Castillo? I don’t know anything about him aside from what you can read at BR.
Castillo OPs’d ,885 across JC and Batavia at age 20. Perez last year OPs’d ,841 last year at age 21 at just JC. Luhnow has been talking about his defense for several years. He had a setback in 2009 when he tested posiitve for a PED and wass ent back to the DSL after hitting well in the GCL the year before.
I agree, Grunt. Cards are usually never heavy players in free agency, (this year’s pool seems pretty sparse anyway). If there’s to be retooling, trades might have to be the route. You trade from your strengths, and it seems the Cards have a knack for catchers and relief pitchers (Padres and Indians are well-pleased with relievers they’ve obtained from Cards system). You’d think it’d be likely these would be the commodities St Louis would be willing to use in a trade mix. We’ll see.
I’d like to ask you guys with more thorough knowledge a LOOGY question. Reyes seemed to slip somewhat this past season. Trever Miller, by himself, isn’t enough for all the bullpen machinations TLR likes to concoct. I remember a kid named Sam Freeman (I think it was) who had some good velocity as a lefty, but I think he was injured or something (shoulder or elbow???) Is he back in the mix and is he a possible cheaper internal LOOGY option or is he too far away being mlb seasoned or too injured??
Freeman had TJ surgery this spring, as previously reported in this very blog (http://www.futureredbirds.net/2010/03/03/sam-freeman-tommy-john-surgery/ — any way to embed this link directly in a reply rather than have to type the whole thing?). The MLB reference in that link still works and has more details on timing, etc. As far as I know, he’ll be pitching again by ST, although who knows with what stuff/effectiveness.
Back on the Anderson/Hill question, I don’t necessarily disagree with easy’s position above: they probably will be viewed as throw-ins. However, my point is that they SHOULDN’T be viewed that way. One problem I see with the organization is that they often fail to accentuate the positive. If Joe Catcheroni at AA has a .300/.400/.500 line but allows a passed ball every three games, then tout that offensive line while working quietly in the instructional leagues and ST to fix the shortcomings. Stressing the defensive liabilities in public doesn’t do that.
ctrl+c, ctrl+v
/ end sarcasm
Anyone else have info on Catheroni. You have to like that batting line, but, geez, how will Duncan accept a catcher who catches like Roasenne Barr sings?
Ooops, that’s Catcheroni! (Failed!)