The farm went 4-2 overall on the night. Check out the details below!
- Gerald Laird began his rehab and went 2-4 with a double and walk
- Tyler Greene led off and was 1-4 with a double, walk, and stole his 4th base with Memphis
- Adron Chambers recorded 3 RBI off of his 2 hits, which included a double
- Matt Carpenter walked 3 times and recorded a single
- Aaron Luna was 3-4 with a walk on the night
- Nick Additon gave up 4 runs in 5 innings off of 6 hits (2 homers) and a walk
- Zack Cox and Audry Perez were both 1-3. Cox added a walk
- Jose Garcia led off and hit 2-3 with 2 walks. He stole an impressive 4 bases on the night
- Ryan Jackson was the only Springfield batter with an extra-base hit, but he also struck out 3 times. The extra-base hit was his 20th double of the season
- Matt Adams went hitless, but he added a walk
- John Gast gave up 3 runs of which 1 was earned in 7 innings. He struck out 6 but was a bit wild with 4 walks
- Alan Ahmady hit 3rd and was 2-4
- Domnit Bolivar drilled a double, which was the only extra-base hit for Palm Beach
- Luis De La Cruz and Niko Vasquez were both 1-3
- Justin Smith suffered his 6th loss after giving up 5 runs in 4 innings. He gave up 9 hits, 1 walk, and struck out 3
- Kolten Wong led off and was 2-5 with 2 RBI. He also struck out for the second time in his career, but I’m guessing that we should stop keeping track after his first. He was also caught stealing
- Jonathan Rodriguez hit a solo-HR in the 7th and was 2-4 with a walk
- Ronny Gil also added a solo-shot
- Nick Longmire was 2-5 with 2 RBI
- Victor Sanchez went 3-5 with a double
- Anthony Ferrara had a line of 5.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 3 BB, and 7 K
- Mike O’Neill led off and was 1-4 with a double
- Virgil Hill hit a 2-run blast as 1 of the 4 total hits that Batavia had all night
- Romulo Ruiz finished 1-3
- Jose Almarante gave up just 1 run off of 5 hits, 0 walks, and 4 strikeouts in 6 innings. He had 9 groundouts to 2 flyouts
- Tyler Rahmatulla led off and hit a 3-run homer in the 5th as his only hit in 5 tries
- Gary Apelian and Steven Ramos were both 2-4 with 1 RBI each. Ramos also stole 2 bases
- David Washington went 2-3 with a double, RBI, and walk
- Kyle Hald struck out an impressive 11 batters over 6 innings. He also showed impeccable control with 0 walks and gave up 2 runs on 3 hits, including a home run
Entries (RSS)
That walk was Adams 4th IBB of the year
I think Gast had 2 more pickoffs. Both plays are recorded as picked off first base and caught stealing second.
Maybe they should create a new category: “confused baserunner.”
Whatever you call it, Gast must lead the minors.
Also, FWIW, Garrett Wittels made his debut at SS for Batavia. He went 0-3.
Talent-wise, I wonder how he ranks with the guys we drafted. One source had him ranked among the top 100 draft-eligible college players entering his junior year. If that’s an accurate reflection of his talent level before he had the criminal charges hanging over his head, then he could be the equivalent of a single-digit-round draft pick.
Put another way, if he’d played his junior year the way he played his sophomore year (minus the freakish 56-game hitting streak), he probably would’ve been considered a top 200 player entering the draft, and taken somewhere between the 4th and 6th rounds. Even if he’d fallen off a bit, he might still have been taken before the 10th round.
Of course that’s all moot now. All that matters is how well he plays at Batavia and beyond.
I have some reservations about Wittels. Something in the situation doesn’t make sense to me. I read articles that he was fully cleared of charges (and that it certainly seemed like extortion) and I read articles that are generous reviews of his talent. Why then did the Cardinals essentially pick him up for peanuts? The impression I have (completely speculative) is that they had injuries throughout the system and needed another shortstop. This seems like an afterthought for a guy who is legitimately talented.
I agree. I feel like it was the case of the Cardinals giving an offer and Wittels wanting to get out of college, where the case probably weighed on him a bit and pushed down his numbers. He wanted to move on and the Cardinals benefit because he’s more talented than your average UDFA.
I’ll have a quick paragraph on him up later today.
I am somewhat in the know on Wittels…During the draft, his charges were still pending…plenty of teams were interested from rounds 5-10, however, no one was going to take someone with those kinds of charges hanging over his head. Now, if he threw 100 mph or was a bryce harper…then maybe. But, he was never considered that type of prospect, so taking a chance was less likely. The charges were officially dropped 10 days AFTER the draft, and the calls started coming in. Garrett wanted to go to an organization in the NL, because thats where he fits talent wise. He can play 3B, SS and 2B. We all know how the Cardinals value those type of players. He also wanted to go to an organization that had a good opportunity for him. The Cardinals present that with their weak infield throughout the minors. Also, he was going to go to Batavia instead of GCL or Rookie ball…and he as told, he would play plenty and he was viewed at as someone they wanted, and not your typical free agent “filler”.
Would Garrett have gone in rounds 5-10? I can’t say for certain…but I do know, this kid would have gone at least rounds 10-20 if it weren’t for the Charges.
Another thing people don’t realize, is he has a cannon of an arm. He was a pitcher at FIU as well. He was up to 93 at one point. There is talk of him being moved to catcher in the Cardinals organization to show off the arm, if he isn’t quick enough to play SS or 2B.
I was at the game last night, and though he went 0-3, he was robbed of a hit in his first at bat, and he looked safe to me as I thought he beat it out. This kid is pretty fast.
Defensively, there was a wheel play, where they were trying to bunt the guy from 2nd to 3rd. This was the 9th inning. They bunted it, and Garrett ran over to 3rd base to cover, caught the ball, touched the base and on his back foot (falling into foul territory) he launched a strike across the diamond on the money for the double play!!! That arm is amazing.
He’s 6’2″ and 205 lbs…so, he’s not your typical “pip squek” infielder…if he is able to stay at SS (which will be hard I think), I think arm wise and bat wise, he could be just as good as anyone in our system at SS (which doesn’t say too much, lol). The kid doesn’t have a ton of power, but he can run, hit and has a cannon arm. I could see him as a .275-.300 hitter with 6-8 homers and 20 steals each year type of player. IF he can do that as a major league SS, 2B or Catcher…he will have a long career in my opinion.
What I love about this kid, is the WAY he plays the game….He’s so passionate and a leader…You can see it out there, people draw to him.
Wittels is the guy that had the long hitting streak a couple of years ago correct?
I did not know he was in the system. Was he a non-drafted free agent?
Yes and yes. Just signed yesterday.
Jeff, thanks for the info! Looks like an interesting guy to follow.
Thank you for the evaluation/scouting report/article, I enjoyed it and it gave good insight on Garrett. This was a very good move by the Cardinals,and it will pay off one day
One more thing….many in the industry, likened him to a Bill Mueller…not sure if people remember him, but he played quite a bit of 3rd base for the Giants…
If Garrett could add some more power, he’d be a perfect fit as a 3rd baseman…but as of now, the power just isn’t there.
Of course we remember Bill Mueller, DeSmet Jesuit High in St. Louis County. Mueller won an AL silver slugger award @3B so that would be a tough comp to live up to. Wittels looks to be bigger and more athletic than Mueller though. I don’t see a downside to this acquisition. Glad the Cards acquired Wittels. Thanks for the scouting report from the Batavia game.
I thought I remember a few people trying to compare Cox to Mueller when we first drafted him. I don’t know about that.
Aaron Luna seems to be a great fit for this organization. TLR will love this guy next year. Could we see a Skip-like move back to the infield for the former 2B?
I wouldn’t think so otherwise they would have already started the process. Seems that Kozma has been getting some time at 2nd in Memphis since Greene went down. Much to my chagrin, seems Solano is buried behind them.
I would think Descalso is first in line for the job at second. Tony seems to like him a lot.
I expect Luna to be in the competition next spring for a bench job as a right-handed PH and 5th outfielder/backup 1st baseman. Might be between Luna and Brown, with Carpenter and Hamilton competing as lefties.
Of course all this depends on Albert’s situation. Whether he signs or doesn’t shifts the dynamics considerably.
For what it is worth, and I don’t know if he knows what he is talking about, but Joe Strauss on a number of occasions in his chats has indicated that the sentiment of the Cards (presumably TLR and his coaches) is that Descalso does not have the range to play 2b in the majors on a regular basis.
Interesting. I didn’t know that was the perception.
But Skip Schumaker does???? Call me skeptical.
I was thinking more as a supersub….LF, RF, 1B, 2B, 3B. He could be a real weapon in that capacity.
I agree. That is also what I would hope that Tyler Greene could also become, with the additional ability to play SS and CF. However he seems to have “stage fright” at the major level. Still hoping with him. Solano is another one on the horizon.
I would be curious if I am the only one that is starting to feel that the Cards minor league system, in conjunction with what is at the big league level, is developing so much depth (not necessarily starts/starters) that the system is becoming clogged and players are not getting enough playing time to maximize their potential and value to the Cards (even as potential trade bait).
You’re not the only one, nor is the Cardinals system the only one with this property. This is what the concept of “replacement level” is all about: players on the major-league roster who could be replaced by readily-available minor leaguers who would perform at about the same level. A good major-league team, like St. Louis, will have few players on the 25-man who are replacement-level contributors, leading to the kind of logjam you’re reporting. A bad team will have more. The thing is, though: wherever they are, they’re still replacement level, and since they’re out there in swarms, there isn’t much market for them.
It is a fair question, though, how many Cardinals farm hands from AA on up have reasonable chances of putting up better than replacement-level performance in the Show. There are several — lots of pitchers, Adams (usual caveats re BB% apply, but the man can hit), Carpenter, Chambers, Tools if he gets it all together, probably Jackson and Cox, maybe Castellanos and Luna, conceivably Hill. To see them blocked by replacement-level players (e.g. as Stavinoha and Hamilton are blocking Adams) is unfortunate and needs to be resolved. One potential replacement-level guy blocking another, by contrast, is no big deal.
It is important to remember that some of the above mentioned players are in “developmental stages” planned out by the organization. When the decision-makers feel they are ready, no replacement level player will stand in the way.
Certainly true with the pitchers, and I am in no hurry to see any of the top pitching prospects moved any faster than is actually occurring. With the position players — I wonder. Clearly there is no room for Chambers and Jones on the major-league roster, given the quality of the major-league outfield (nobody close to replacement level there, to put it mildly), so there is not much they can do BUT persevere at Memphis until an opportunity comes along, here or elsewhere. Most of the other guys I mentioned probably fit into your developmental-stages model.
But I wonder about Adams. What “development” is he undergoing at Springfield? He certainly isn’t learning much about being a slugger; he’s got that down already, to put it mildly. It is unclear to me that he will be able to “develop” defensive skills there. Do they hope he “develops” the ability to talk a walk, which I and many others continue to believe he’ll need as he goes forward? I don’t know, but I don’t see why that couldn’t be accomplished just as well at Memphis, as the rest of his game “develops” at a higher level that he seems ready for, Stavinoha or no Stavinoha.
I think the scenario you’re describing re: Adams and Stav arises next year but not yet this year. Adams has spent a half-year at AA after skipping a level and has missed some time because of injury this year. He’ll probably start at 1B next year in Memphis, which is fine. Stav can be dumped whenever of course.
I think Mark Hamilton is more of a block for Adams than Stav. I think they’ll release Stav as and when it becomes applicable to do so (i.e. when there’s not a spot for him in Memphis) but Hamilton has hit legitimately well the last two years in Memphis, he’s blocked in LF by Brown, and it would be hard on the guy to dump him now (also, there’s an argument that he has some utility to the big-league club as a backup option, although I personally don’t think he has any significant upside). I don’t think Adams’ development is being hurt by staying in Springfield for a little while, instead of moving to Memphis, so I think he’ll probably stay there at least until the Brown/Hamilton logjam is resolved in some way (wouldn’t surprise me to see one or other traded as a throw-in in any deal we make).
Good problem to have. I don’t think there can truly be too much depth. It allows for the truly bright spots (Martinez, Miller) to be pushed and others (Rosenthal, Swagerty) to get plenty of time.
I think Allen Craig is the second baseman of the future for larussa
@PJ–yea, we signed him a few days ago
Wow….very cool! He can hit obviously. Might be a nice pickup.
Joe Kelly promoted to Springfield.
From Twitter: Jkell005 (Joseph Kelly Jr.)
“Going to be In Springfield tonight!”
O’neill and Rahmatulla continue to hit.Nice,alot like Longmire last year.Get them signed and start playing,that’s what we like.
Wittels was also a college teammate of Jeremy Patton who also plays at Batavia so that may have had something to do with him choosing the Cardinals.
@Jjray. Don’t you know that White + Little power + Good batting average = Bill Mueller?
White + Little Power + Good batting average + not a long term middle infielder = bill mueller
here’s another funny thing…how many black players are called “gritty”? Thats a name used only for white players..lol
Derek Jeter gets an honourary half-grit, I think.
Garrett is playing 2B tonight and leading off