Comments on: Daily Farm Report 08/03/2011

By: Felonius_Monk

Felonius_Monk — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 09:20:40 +0000

Duncan is like 28 or something. He’s hit nicely this year but he’s a AAAA guy playing in AA.

By: Felonius_Monk

Felonius_Monk — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 09:19:20 +0000

I think Cox might have the most trade value, but I’m not sure how they’d feel about trading him.

My biggest worry all along is that I think Carp is the best of the three and will probably go on to have the best MLB career, if given the chance, but I worry that he won’t be that highly rated due to his unusual skillset and may end up being traded for peanuts. I really hope he gets chance to platoon a little at 3B next year with Freese, perhaps with some starts in RF if he hits. Carpenter looks like the perfect lead-off hitter, and from what I’ve seen and heard is a very competent defender.

By: Felonius_Monk

Felonius_Monk — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 09:16:03 +0000

“but if he stays healthy next year and puts up numbers even close to those he’s posted this year and last, I don’t see how he won’t be a top outfield prospect.”

Oh absolutely, and I’m a big Taveras fan, but you have to realise that at this point that’s a very significant IF. If Kolten Wong puts up this year’s numbers split between Palm Beach and Springfield next year, he’s also probably a top-30 prospect in all of baseball, but again that’s a big ask for a young player.

By: Felonius_Monk

Felonius_Monk — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 09:13:28 +0000

The concern is, from his point of view, that I guess he won’t make it as a major leaguer at all if he goes under the knife now, at his age. Perhaps he’s hoping he can get SOME service time. From a financial and career point of view, you can sort of see why, although it’s pretty clear at this point (as you said) that if there’s a problem, it needs fixing.

He still has reasonable numbers against righties so I wonder if there’s still not a glimmer of hope that he end up as a Russ Springer-esque ROOGY. They should’ve moved him to the pen already, though.

By: Gruntosaurus

Gruntosaurus — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 23:11:29 +0000

I’m reminded of last year, when he was diagnosed with a shoulder injury (variously reported as a “strain” or a “SLAP tear” — if the latter, he’s screwed, IMO), but decided to rehab it rather than undergo a comparatively risky surgery. It is not obvious to me that he made the right decision then, and it is not obvious to me that he has ever been right since.

The guy seems, understandably, to be resistant to being put in a position of going under the knife. I think it’s time, though, for the team to get tough with him. He’s not going to have any chance at a major-league career unless these problems get FIXED. If they can only be fixed surgically, well, so be it. Declining the surgical option only works if there really is an option.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 23:04:55 +0000

I checked it out Ottavino was actually put on the DL on July 7th and come off of it on the 18th. If Post Dispatch said he was going back on the DL after that then obviously he’s still hurt. I think he probably hurt anyway even if your time table on when the Post article was.

By: mizzcards

mizzcards — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 22:59:09 +0000

3 weeks ago it was reported in the STL post that he was being put on the DL with elbow tightness and never was. He apparently is trying to pitch through it. This has corresponded with his last 3 horrible outings. The guy is hurt.

By: GTL

GTL — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 22:08:27 +0000

Yeah I agree it’s very unlikely he turns things around enough to become as valuable as we thought he might be after 08. I’m just saying it wouldn’t be completely unprecedented.

By: Brian B

Brian B — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 20:49:53 +0000

Carpenter is doing an awesome top. Keep up the good work and Duncan is showing power hitting in Springfield aside from Adam

By: GTL

GTL — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:12:29 +0000

Good question. I’d say Freese has the most trade value, but is the least likely to be traded. Carpenter is great and could potentially be even better than Freese for the Cards, but unless Freese gets injured again I don’t see Carp getting the chance to replace him. I wouldn’t be opposed to Carpenter working on 2B this offseason and maybe they could start him there at Memphis next year and see how he does. I know that the coaching staff loves Carpenter (TLR was all over him in Spring Training) and would probably love to find a place for him on the team. With Freese doing as well as he has, though, I just don’t see a place for him right now.