Archive for August, 2011

Yesterday’s report was much more positive than today’s.

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The farm goes 4-2 on a night powered by Allen Craig, Matt Adams, and Roberto De La Cruz.

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Three games, three starters. This past weekend I had the opportunity to see Trevor Rosenthal, Zach Russell and Boone Whiting start for the Quad Cities River Bandits. Two out of three weren’t bad.  I’ve also got some notes on Ryan Copeland.

I’ll have more scouting reports on Saturday (relievers) and Monday (hitters). I had originally thought this would be one post but … it turned out to be considerably longer than I expected.

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David Freese reminds me a lot of that film Final Destination. No matter what he does, what armor he wears or how careful he is, nature is going to get him. He is going to find a way to be injured, in the most unusual usual way.

On to the DFR!
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Kary Booher, the beat reported at the Springfield News-Leader gets the scoop yesterday from an email from John Vuch to the News-Leader that Matt Adams will stay in Springfield for the rest of the season and will not be promoted to Memphis.

Memphis players on the 40-man roster simply require at-bats, Vuch said.

“Matt’s done extremely well during his time at (Double-A), so it’s certainly not a matter of any dissatisfaction with the job he’s done,” Vuch wrote. “It’s simply that, at 22 years old and with less than 325 (at-bats) above the low-A level, there’s no need to rush him for the sake of rushing him.

Speaking of the job he’s done, Adams has certainly earned the promotion as he has hit and hit with authority since joining the Cardinals system.  In three seasons so far, he has seasonal OPSes of .947, .896 and .980.  He was skipped straight from Low-A Quad Cities to Double-A Springfield, skipping over High-A Palm Beach without missing a beat.  To extend the metaphor, he made the beat bigger and stronger with increases in BA, OBP and SLG.  Springfield and the Texas league is a hitter’s park and league, but Adams is bashing right through those barriers with a 116 wOBA+. (Which is normalized for home park and league with 100 being average.)

The best news in the story is for the Springfield Cardinals and the people of central Missouri.  The fans get to see Adams continue play the rest of this year and the Cardinals get the playoff push and corresponding gate receipts and attention.  Additionally, Matt Adams is only 22 (turns 23 later this month) which puts him a whole year younger than the average for the double-A leagues.  For all the talk of ages and leagues yesterday, Matt Adams is certainly young for his league because he skipped Palm Beach and still having a great year in Springfield.  And his year in Springfield will be whole as the Cardinals will keep him there for the rest of the season.

Probably the best day of starting pitching prospects this year.

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Memphis on the late side of the country (updated) and Batavia rained out.

On to the DFR!
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Commentor Gruntosaurus made a comment yesterday indicating interest in hearing more about Ryan Copeland, the lefty who has been tearing up the Midwest league.  Ask, Gruntoaurus and you shall receive.

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