The farm goes 1-3, while a couple of the starters would like to forget about their night. I apologize in advance for not giving scouting reports of Top 15 BA prospects, but I’ll make it up to ya guys later.
- James Rapoport led off and was 3-4 with 1 walk
- Adron Chambers hit 2nd and went 0-4
- Nick Stavinoha, Matt Carpenter, and Bryan Anderson added a hit each. Anderson and Stavinoha both had 2 RBI’s
- Anderson also allowed 3 stolen bases
- Lance Lynn pitched a game to forget with an ultimate line of 4.1 IP, 8 H, 7 ER, 4 BB, and 5 K
- Tommy Pham hit 2-2 with 1 double and 3 walks. His slashline is .293/.375/.549. He’s showing consistent power and patience at the plate, so don’t feel bad for letting your excitement of yesteryear in Daryl Jones transition to Pham.
- Ryan Jackson was 1-4 with a walk and RBI
- Matt Adams hit 2-5 with a double, HR, and 3 RBI’s
- Alex Castellanos, who’s received a lot of pub here recently, and Jermaine Curtis both went 2-5. Castellanos had a double and 2 RBI’s
- Niko Vasquez went 0-3 with 3 K’s and 2 walks. He’s struggling so far to make consistent contact.
- Nick Additon gave up 4 runs (3 earned) in 6.1 innings. He walked 2 and struck out 5
- Zack Cox hit 1-2 with a double and then was replaced in the field by Luis Mateo (can’t find why)
- Alan Ahmady was 2-4 with a double and walk
- Audry Perez, Xavier Scruggs, Edgar Lara, Ryde Rodriguez, and Ronald Ramirez all went 1-4. Scruggs stood out of the pack with a triple.
- John Gast would like to forget about tonight, as he gave up 7 runs (6 earned), 9 hits, and 4 walks in 3.1 IP
- Cody Stanley was the only hitter who made much noise at the plate, going 3-4; all were singles
- Don’t worry fans…Oscar Taveras was back in the lineup and went 1-4
- Garnering a lot of deserved interest this year, Trevor Rosenthal had a line of 4.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 BB, and 6 K
- Justin Wright had a very impressive relief appearance, striking out 6 in 2.2 shutout innings
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Wonder if Matt Adams can get himself into elite prospect category for trade bait in case we sign Pujols? Hopefully the eyes issues are completely behind Pham and the guy we are seeing now is who he really is. Kind of amazing that the team with the best bats in our system Springfield, has the least interesting pitchers.
What are “the eyes issues” for Pham? I haven’t heard about that before.
He had vision problems last year that I believe required surgery, it kind of shut him down before the end of last year.
Easy here is the article
http://blogs.news-leader.com/cardinals/2010/09/09/cardinals-pham-considering-eye-surgery/
Thanks Andrew. I th that it was the broken finger that shut him down but the eye problem may explain some of his streakiness. The article indicates that he was going to have the surgery so I hope that has solved the problem.
That’s “I thought”
Actually, I´m not sure he had the surgery.
I asked someone who asked the beat writer with Springfield and he didn’t have the surgery just trying something new with his contact lenses.
Matt Adams’ walk rates are pretty awful, so I think he’d have to develop those skills to be an elite prospect.
He’s always been THE guy in every lineup he’s in. Is it that he can’t take a walk or values driving in runs more than walks.
Is it that simple though? I mean, if he’s always been THE guy, then why is he getting pitched to aggresively enough to limit his walks? Honest question.
His manager last year answered that in an interview about his lack of walks, he expands his zone in order to hit the ball and the stats say it has been working pretty well. That said I would like to see more patience too.
I would think that 1) pitching around guys in the lower minors doesn’t really happen that often and 2) even if/when it does, the pitchers are not as good down there and their control limits their ability to do so effectively. Just because someone has issues with control doesn’t mean they only throw balls. Sometimes they miss in dangerous areas.
You’re going to see more hittable balls in the lower minros (as opposed to MLB) simply because the pitchers aren’t nearly as good with their command. If he’s THE guy in the lineup and he takes that persona upon himself, he’s going to be agressive and there’s probably been no coach in his history that’s ever really told him to back off since he can mash the ball.
All bat, no field, little athleticism guys are found in most every system. He’ll most likely never be an elite prospect with that tool box, but can be a useful bat, and if he continues to develop, and Pujols leaves, who knows.
It is a common theme among fans to overrate this type of prospect as a trade chip, but if he hits enough, he can be useful moving forward.
It all depends on how good the bat is and I think Adams has a great bat. I think he takes over for Pujols if he ends up leaving.
Brett wallace was an all bat and no field player and the A’s, blue jays, and astros traded for him
“Brett wallace was an all bat and no field player and the A’s, blue jays, and astros traded for him”
Different Pedigree.
Wallace dominated one of the elite College baseball conferences for 3 seasons. Matt Adams of course didn’t.
Adams has dominated the Minors though in a way that Wallace really hasn’t.
yeah, but Brett Wallace has a .436wOBA in the majors right now. I can only hope Matt Adams becomes the prospect Wallace was.
I’m just speaking truth. I never said he worthless, in fact, I specifically said he could be.
It is a verifiable truth that all bat, no field, little athleticism players are not elite prospects.
Brett Wallace being traded several times honestly speaks to my point. If he were elite, those teams would have kept him. Ironically, every team that has traded for him needed a 1B’man and didn’t deem him as the answer.
He is enjoying some success now, and I’m happy for him, but his pedigree was of the highest mark, and Adams isn’t anywhere near that.
And i was just responding to you saying that there was no trade value in it. I dont think adams is wallace, but when you said that there was no trade value of was giving an example of where there was value
Where in the world did I say no trave value in it? I said:
“It is a common theme among fans to overrate this type of prospect as a trade chip.”
It really sounds like you read something different than I wrote.
Andrew, I´ve seen you post that several times but despite what his manager says there is not really evidence to make that case. There are guys all over the majors and minors who are more integral to their team´s offense that Adams who take walks. I´ll admit it ispossibly true but not most likely. Managers often defend their players. In this case, the manager has never seen him take walks so how can he even know?
I don’t know but I’m not too worried about it. Until this year he was head and shoulders above everyone hes played with. It’s his job to drive in runs not take walks.
Saying it doesn´t make it true. He didn´t lead JC in SLG% or RBI his first year and there were 4 othe players with a SLG% within 5% of his there. He is not the top slugger this year at Springfield either. That is “head and shouldes above”?
Who else in our system that year hit .355 with 10 hr and 55rbi’s over 2 levels in short season?
And last year Quad Cities he carried the offense for the first half of the year until we started hitting.
I’m willing to bet if you ask all 3 managers he has had in the last 2 years he has been the best hitter on the team those years. Johny Rodriquez surely has. Who was a better hitter in short season than Adams in 09?
Not being smart just wondering who your refering to.
Are disputing my facts? Look up the stats. I´m not saying Adams isn´t a good hitter but he has not been head and shoulders above everyone. He might have been in QC last year but he certainly wasn´t at JC and he isn´t at Springfield.
Looked it up Edgar Lara hit 120 points lower than Adams at JC. He had 3 more homeruns and 11 more RBI’s in twice the amount of games.
Lara? Are you kidding me? What are you looking at?
Try this link.
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=t_ibp&cid=438&stn=true&sid=t438&y=2009
Its not that hard to find.
I did look it up…..look at the games played…..Adams only played in 32 games at JC, Lara played in 64
Got mine from Baseball-reference Didn’t see The Rock there. Not sure what he did at Batavia that year.
Rocobaldo, Perez, Stock, Mateo, Swinson could all be argued to have had seasons that showed the potential to drive in runs at JC.
Funny you have your mind so made up that you responded again with Lara without even looking at the link.
Has Adams been one of the best hitters every where he´s been? Yes. Head and shoulders above? Hardly! Is that a reasonable excuse for not taking a walk? It actually sounds more like selfishness in trying to run up your own stas rather than do what´s best for the team. (not saying that´s the case but just giving another possible scenario) Or it could (and most likely) means that he hasn´t developed good plate discipline.
No matter what the reason, Adams has to realize he has two jobs – help his team wion games and get himself ready for the majors.
Rocobaldo didn´t play at Batavia that year. He went straight to QC. Thati s immaterial to the idea that it was necessary for Adams to be a free swinger at JC becuase there was no one else who could drive in runs.
And 2009 Batavia Ahmady has 5 more RBI’s in 36 more games and Ryde Rodriquez has 3 more in 11 more games. Again Adams season was the more impressive.
I’ll amend my statement. Adams 2009 as a whole was more impressive than anyone else at that time. Ahmady spent more time in Batavia and Roccobaldo jumped to QC but as a whole Adams was the most impressive out of them. My statement about trying to take the team on his back was his manager in 09 answering a question about his lack of walks. It’s also possible hes a bad ball hitter like Vlad. I found his 22nd HR online where he golfs a ball at his ankles out for a homerun.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0EQVgMKK-s
Granted, todat’s game helped, but I had no idea Pham was having that type of success this year
He started out cold – he’s been hitting extremely well the last two weeks.
He started slow but the last 2 weeks he’s really turned it on big time. Would have alot more RBI’s if he wasn’t batting 1st.
Let’s hear about the short lefty Justin Wright. His SO numbers are off the charts.
I´m on the Wright bandwagon with you. His K numbers so far exceed even Motte´s best year and he gets a lot more ground balls. Pretty sure he´ll start getting some buzz soon.
Ahmady keeps hitting and getting on base as well. .489 OBP is unreal.
Craptastic day for some of the starters – anyone know what happened with Lynn?
I noticed that, in the first inning, he struck out the side but threw 22 pitches. He finished with 103 pitches in 4 and a third so it looks like control was his issue. Hope that his second half last year wasn’t a mirage.
Has Gast picked anyone off this year? I don’t seem to be remembering reading about any.
He’s had plenty of opportunities in his last two outings.
Can Adams play RF?
They stuck me in RF in little league so that mans anyone can play there :)
Doubtful. He’s not very fleet of foot.
Plus, RF has a lot to do with the throwing arm and, since I’ve never seen him play anywhere but 1st base (3 times I’ve seen him), I really have no idea what kind of arm he has.
and for the record, I feel as if he moves well, but doesn’t run well. In small areas, he struck me as having pretty good feet, but when he chased a pop foul down the line (although i suppose that looks awkward no matter who is doing it), he didn’t look all that fluid.
He did play some catcher in college.
Rosenthal was seemingly going along fine and hit a wall in the 5th. Does anyone know where you can find pitch counts? He hasn’t really been wild all year and it kind of looks like the wheels came off in a sudden fashion – makes me wonder if it wasn’t something physical.
Doubt it was just physical, I listened to some of the game and his pitch count was up for sure. He probably could have stayed in but he had thrown alot of pitches and was bases loaded 1 out and they just wanted to get him out of there before he had an ugly inning.
I did discover they took him out at approximately 88 pitches. If it was cold, I can see pulling him. If it wasn’t, I think I would have let him try to fight out of it with a cap of 100 pitches, but maybe that is too many given the time of year, his age, etc. – they know what they are doing on that front, I don’t. Then you have the psyche issue which I definitely know nothing about, but I would have liked to see the challenge.
It was a good decision at that point in the game I believe. He had lost his control it was bases loaded and 1 out and it will still a 2-1 game. Not a bad performance just something he can learn and grow from. Not sure why he had so many flyballsthough alot more than his normal games.
He clearly wasn’t getting the ball down as he had in the past which means to me that his mechanics changed which makes me wonder if there was anything physical that might have caused that. Next week should clear the picture either way.