Recent Cardinal Releases
Posted on May 12th, 2011 by Jeff in Cardinals, tags: Andrew Moss, Matt Valaika, Ryan Kulik, Ryde Rodriguez, Tyler HenleyThis is not breaking news by any stretch of the imagination, but I wanted to address some of the Cardinal minor league releases this week since some of them were of a higher profile.
OF Tyler Henley – Henley was struggling this season as a 26 year old in Springfield after losing the end of last season to an injury after struggling in Memphis and having success in Springfield. He was too old for his league and OPS’ing .607 after 54 plate appearances this season. Kary Booher has the dish.
In Henley’s case, the outfielder has not been the same player since undergoing elbow ligament replacement surgery last summer.
He is the first victim of the outfield crunch in Springfield and Memphis. This one is sad because by all accounts Henley (and his wife) are good people, but they have their house in order and will land on their feet.
LHP Ryan Kulik – As for Kulik, Booher makes an interesting point.
In Kulik’s case, Warner noted the lefty had lost considerable command of his pitches – an issue that developed after his return last summer following a brief stint in Triple-A Memphis.
Kulik’s 2010 in Springfield – 52 Ks and 29 walks. Kulik’s 2010 in Memphis – 17 Ks and 29 walks. So far in 2011 6 Ks and 8 walks. Kulik threw 45% balls in Memphis and got only 6% swinging strikes.
OF Ryde Rodriguez – Easy Ryder returned to Palm Beach after ending 2010 there after his best season in Quad Cities. Over 2 seasons in Palm Beach, he had a OPS around .600 and was hitting over 60% of his balls in play into the ground.
IF Matt Valaika – Matt was still in Extended Spring after a .504 OPS in Batavia from the middle infielder. As with Henley and Kulik, his age was working against him as he turned 23 in April.
RHP Andrew Moss – Moss is a stranger case without knowing the full story as he had a reputable 4.20 FIP in Quad Cities so far this season with 12 strikeouts to 4 walks and he had 68 strikeouts to 23 walks last season in Batavia. He was a 24 year old in low A, so his margin for error was not huge, but seems like he could have stuck around as an organizational arm.
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I’m sorry to see Henley go. He and his wife certainly made a good impression in an article cited here a couple of weeks ago. Sad fact, however, is that he wasn’t showing enough to keep him. It’s a competitive business.
None of these players really seem like they’re likely to catch on with anyone else and have a career, although I can imagine Moss as organizational filler for some needy system (Houston?). Best wishes to all as they move into the next phase of their lives; we’ll miss you guys.
me too on henley
They wasted a ton of money on Ryde Rodriguez who had terrible reviews from others as soon as he was signed.
Rodriguez took the Cards for a Ryde. I’ll chalk it up to a Luhnow learning moment. I want to say he was Luhnow’s first big latin american sign. Could be wrong. All in all, I like the talent in our system from Latin America. Everybody whiffs now and again.
if martinez (nee matias) is half as good as they say, it will make up for all the other latin american signings we took a bath on.
Luis Mateo’s not looking too great either – think he was the big LA sign from 2 years back wasn’t he?
But like you say – you only need to “hit” on one in every 5 or 6 of these “big money” signings to make it very profitable.
Mateo was a 20th round draft pick out of Puerto Rico in 2008.
That isn’t the Mateo we signed as a LA FA.
Mateo may not be doing real hot but he is only 20 y.o.. One of the youngest players in the league.
Correct, that was Wagner Mateo. (Who, btw, has never played a minor-league game. The eye issues were real.)
Actually played in the DSL last year and most likely will be in the AZL (equivelent of the GCL) this year.
now and again? ITs actually a majoority of the time.
Just like in the draft.
Add Frederick Parejo to this list as he has just been released per Derrick Goold.
Parejo got plenty of at bats and did not hit much. Its good that Vuch is purging some of the no-hopers.
Parejo spends about 80% of the game looking in the stands and talking to people behind the dugout. Sure, he hit a couple hrs, but other than that he was abysmal.