A really horrendous night for the farm system as every team losses. The lone bright spot was Palm Beach’s leadoff hitter and left fielder, Mike O’Neill who was perfect at the plate.
- Jamie Romak is 2-for-3 with a double.
- Eugenio Velez was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles.
- The Redbirds had exactly one player in the lineup that could constitute a prospect: Ryan Jackson. He was 0-for-3 with a walk. St. Louis has robbed this team of most of its worthwhile position players.
- Shelby Miller was touched up for 5 runs on 4 walks and 2 hits in 3 innings. He struck out 3.
- Jess Todd struck out 3 in 2 IP. He allowed 4 hits and 1 walk. Todd has a nearly 5:1 K:BB ratio and is striking out better than a batter an inning.
- Kolten Wong was 1-for-4.
- Oscar Taveras was 1-for-3 with a walk.
- Springfield had just 7 hits (all singles) and 3 walks.
- Scott Gorgen pitched 5 innings allowing 4 runs on 4 hits and 4 walks. He struck out 3. It was a season high walk total for Gorgen who still has a 2:1 K:BB rate.
- Mike O’Neill went 5-for-5 with 3 doubles.
- Geoffrey Klein was 2-for-3.
- Anthony Ferrara struck out 6 in 4 innings of work. He walked 3 and allowed 5 hits for 3 earned runs.
- Virgil Hill was 1-for-4 with his 3rd home run of the season.
- Quad Cities tallied just 5 hits in the game.
- Dail Villanueva struck out 6 in 5 innings. The walk problem was infections throughout the system as Villanueva walked 5 and allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 4 hits.
- Robert Stock was also hit hard in 2 innings of work allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 2 walks and 2 hits (including a home run). Stock struck out 3.
Entries (RSS)
Springfield did face Marquis…so Wong/Oscar have seen a MLB-caliber pitcher and each had a hit.
Law has heard that Miller is bored in AAA but also noted his velocity is down.
He’s “bored” in AAA? What does that even mean?
I don’t like the sound of that at all. He hasn’t pitched horribly, but it’s not like he’s mowing everyone down.
They said the same thing about Rasmus. It’s not an uncommon refrain to hear about young (elite prospect) players who perform well and don’t immediately get to the big leagues.
“They said the same thing about Rasmus.”
I’m not so sure Miller should want that comparison.
heh
Heard something similar here in DC about Harper. It was a surprise callup to the Nats since he really wasn’t tearing the cover off of the ball in the minors this year, but people said he just didn’t get up for minor league games as much. Since he’s come up to the Show, he has played much better and has been a spark for the team. Wonder if Miller is the same way? Not saying it’s a good thing and the stuff I’ve read here following his progress/results doesn’t seem to scream that he’s ready, but sometimes it seems like these guys can go through the motions when they aren’t where they want to be. Don’t know if that should e rewarded, though, and just wanted to relay the story from DC.
My friends son played with Harper in AA and AAA. He’s a good kid and they all like him, however, he was very much protected, he lived with his parents or if not with the GM’s family due to his age.
He adds a good feeling to the clubhouse and he was more than ready to fly.
I was at the game. Taveras hit was a seeing eye high chopper through the right side. Wong’s hit was not against Marquis.
Gorgen did not look good last night. He was pitching behind in the count alot. The wind was blowing in strong from left field or he would had given up a couple of home runs.
Miller seems immature to me. Being bored means you can sorta suck?
If he DID say he was bored, I can understand why he is not a crowd pleaser anywhere he goes.
Let’s hope that was a misinterpretation because if I were one of his teammates, I wouldn’t be very happy with his attitude, or would his manager.
What do you do with Shelby? He doesn’t belong in AAA, not sure they want him in AA I said that in the beginning of the season, he hasn’t adjusted and boredom can’t be the reason, perhaps he is fighting an injury, he knows when you get injured how it can set you back. His first season he threw 3 innings, the second 104, is he a victim on the verducci affect? Anyone know what he pitched the year he got drafted?
Maybe that is why they are pushing CMart, Shelby looks like he will not make his ETA in STL, so just push up your next big prospect. Is that what other teams do?
It’s a shame what has happened in Memphis, STL is now the Memphis Cardinals. I am happy for the guys who get to go up and stick, the others on the shuttle, it’s very difficult. I am glad they sent Fick and Dickson back where they can get their work in and needed more than in STL.
I do understand that injuries can’t be prevented, but once you dip into the farm and start pushing up prospects to cover where they don’t really belong, I am of the opinion once again, it’s never a good thing.
For all of those who disliked TLR’s methods, I can understand why he would rather have those of experience over those prospects being rushed through the system.
Shelby looks like he won’t make his ETA of 2013?
There’s four more months of the season and I expect Miller to improve, not sure I would go as far as your assumption
I agree there is plenty of time for Miller to turn it around, however, he is somewhere around 25-30% deep into the season – it’s hasn’t been a good trend. His SO’s/9 is still good, but his velocity is reportedly down (someone said he is sitting around 91) with too many HR’s allowed to date. Something isn’t right, but I have no idea what.
Didn’t you mention something on another site about him being on the wagon? What did that mean?
Ha! It was a joke. Another poster used to make jokes about Miller’s partying (you may recall his suspension last year?), so I joked that maybe his problem was he quit drinking (vs. drink too much).
TLR used the same prospect shuttle. Especially with relievers. It is not uncommon for teams to bring arms up from the minor leagues to give their bullpens a rest.
I think if I were a fringe prospect like Dickson or Fick I would be happy that at least I got the opportunity to spend some time in the majors.
Exactly. And it is not like they are super young and it is ruining their development. They are old enough to handle the shuttle IMO. Lets see what they have at the major league level when injuries hit.
with all of the Cardinal injuries in the OF right now, would the Redbirds dare call up Oscar Tavaras?
40 man roster issue. With so many injuries to the parent club, there is no room for OT on the 40 man, unless someone is released.
Well, agree it is a 40 man issue but not immediate one. McClellan to the 60 man DL is a no brainer. You kinda wonder about Hamilton still having a spot on the 40 man as well. But if JMo maxed out the 40 roster on June 1, he will be in a tight spot if injuries hit later in the year or we wish to add reinforcements via trade. Motte is in a total funk right now. Gotta to image we add a vet arm for the back end of the pen if this continues.
I believe the shuttle back and forth from AAA is to see who they are going to lift off the 40, especially the ones who have never been in STL. DFA has lots of implications, just ask Jess Todd, who probably deserves more to be on the 40 than some others.
I like JMo, he handled the situation well last year, how he does this year will determine how really good of a GM he is.
Bring back Salas and place him in as the closer. What have you got to lose?
So you think Fick and Dickson were on the shuttle auditioning for their spots on the 40 man? Not a bad theory. It also would explain why Freeman is now on the shuttle. The fringe guys on the 40 man should be nervous.
I agree about the fringe guys. I didn’t exactly mean Dickson, they know what he can or can’t do, but not the new 40 man guys, another go at it for Cleto as well. Wonder if Reifer is next.
In spite of his less than stellar numbers at AAA, I wouldn’t put Freeman on that fringe just yet. He is younger than most of the aforementioned “fringe” guys, (Fick-26, Dickson, Hamilton, and now that I mentioned it, Steven Hill, all 27). Add in the fact that he is the only lefty relief pitcher other than Scrabble on the 40-man, with no clear replacement ready (maybe John Gast, if the Cards are ready to move him to the pen), and I would say he is fairly safe. This dilemma is EXACTLY why I found it absurd that Steven Hill was promoted & given a spot on the 40-man roster. Its not like Hill was killing it at AAA, he was just playing a little bit better than the rest of the struggling offense. I’m also very confused as to why certain potentially valuable players (not necessarily all-stars like Taveras or even just regulars like Wong) are being held back while the Cards continue to sign AAAA fodder for the Redbirds roster (Bates, Canham, Montanez, Zavada, & Romak, although he was technically traded for). For example, Jermaine Curtis had a great year at Springfield last year, and was off to pretty good start at Memphis, when he was demoted back to AA. He has been playing very well at AA (again), and yet when the injuries started piling up, he was left at AA while the Cards brought in roster filler at AAA. Curtis defensive versatility, combined with his developing bat, make him a great candidate for a utility spot in majors. Why continue to hold him & others back, while accruing a bunch of AAAA guys?
Good questions about Curtis, I don’t get it either.
That is a good one to ask the farm director.
I can handle that one: what are baseball games, lol.
look at Matt holiday had just average numbers in the minors but great numbers in the bigs
I remember seeing reports that the Cardinals were not happy with Miller’s physical condition coming into Spring Training. Too thin, and not having his pitching arm conditioned and in shape, if I remember.
Yep they were. His velocity is down his Walk Rate has increased and his FIP has increased over the course of the season.
he’s been very unlucky with batted ball luck…and the HR/FB is way high…he’s been getting pretty unlucky…his SIERA is 3.50
and while the walks have risen a tick, the strikeouts are still there and he has a ratio approaching 3:1
he’s been better than his numbers would indicate
Does O’Neill have another tool besides being able to hit?