Archive for the “Colby Rasmus” Category

Once again, you’ve probably all heard by now, but I will post the link to Team USA’s 7-0 victory over Netherlands. They play Cuba tonight.

Derrick Goold has some notes about Colby Rasmus‘ rehab and Josh Kinney‘s intention to return to the team this season. Goold also posted this article about Rasmus and a whole lot of other minor league related notes.

Kevin Goldstein answered three Cardinals questions in his chat the other day. Since it isn’t a subscription piece, I don’t feel bad giving them to you here in their entirety (although you really should subscribe to BP and visit every day):

KCardinal (KC): With Daryl Jones turning his tools into performance this year, will he make your top 100?

Kevin Goldstein: I’m a big Daryl Jones supporter and he’s got a lot of tools, but Top 100 is pushing it.

MikeJordan23 (Brooklyn): I’ll keep asking until you answer: With Brett Wallace hitting abilities but lack of position should the Cardinals trade him to the AL when he’s eligible or find him a new position? And thoughts on Niko Vasquez?

Kevin Goldstein: Stop asking! You don’t really worry about any sort of logjam until you are forced to. The Cardinals right now have a valuable commodity in their minor league system, but there is no reason to start making any decisions on it. Thoughts on Vasquez? I’m a big, big fan.

Jason Motte (Memphis): Would my one-pitch repetoire hold up in the Majors right now?

Kevin Goldstein: Seriously, what’s up with all the Jason Motte questions? Is there a fan club or something? I love the guy, gotta give it up for any converted catcher who has 97 whiffs in 58.2 innings at Triple-A. That said, I think he’d get righties out right now, but his arm angle and lack of secondary stuff would give him trouble against lefties.

Action all over the system (and the globe) – all the details are after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

The deadline has passed and the Cardinals were not involved in any trades, so the farm system remains the same as it was 24 hours ago. Bernie has an article about the Cardinals posture at the trading deadline. He uses a bit of a tortured metaphor in comparing prospects in the farm system to cheetah cubs and finishes the article with this:

If Mozeliak must pass up reasonable, non-crazy trades to protect the cheetah cubs that are tucked away in the thick brush, I just hope DeWitt and Luhnow are as smart as they think they are. I hope all of these STL prospects are as dynamic as advertised.

I don’t know what the standings will look like in 2011.

I don’t know if the Cardinals will have a chance to win in 2012.

But I can see the 2008 standings and I do know this: The Cardinals have a chance to win now.

This is the type of thinking that had me worried for the last couple of weeks. The Cardinals are set up far better to make a move next year than they are this year. Just because they’ve overachieved this season and are a fringe playoff contender doesn’t mean we should scrap the bigger picture plan.

Derrick Goold asks the “what-if” question about the untouch-ability of Colby Rasmus.

The system had another full slate (I was just about blogged out after putting together last night’s DFR with eight games) and finished 4-2.  All the details are after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

I sent an email to Will Carroll of the Baseball Prospectus to ask him for his take on the Colby Rasmus knee injury news. Here is his response:

It’s the same thing [Juan] Pierre had, so long term is not a concern. G1 is a good sign.

So that’s comforting, coming from an injury expert. Here is Goold’s reporting of the injury for the Post-Dispatch. It sounds like we dodged a bullet, but I feel bad for Rasmus that he will miss the Olympics – it would have been a great honor for him.

The system played six games tonight and went 5-1. All the details are after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

The Post Dispatch ran an interview with Bill DeWitt that had a lot of juicy comments about his feelings on the minor leagues, player development and player retention. This quote discusses the focus on building up the minor league system:

P-D: You’ve publicly made player development a priority. We’ve seen sweeping changes in staffing, greater commitment in the Caribbean and more outside recognition for a number of your prospects. Are you satisfied?

BDJ: We’re having a good year in the minor leagues. We’re winning at Triple-A (Memphis) and pretty much up and down the line. The nice thing is we’re winning as we’ve developed our players, by and large, as opposed to bringing in from other organizations as minor-league free agents. I think you see various people and publications outside this organization recognizing the progress we’re making. It’s something we plan to sustain.

He was also asked about the upcoming trade deadline and his response gives me some comfort that we won’t be trading our top prospects for a rental:

P-D: It can be argued the club has legitimate prospects at every level now. As you amass talent, what is your philosophy regarding keeping them for yourself or using them to address immediate needs on the major-league club?

BDJ: I believe the best way to use value in your system is either to bring it up and play it if there is need or, if you’ve got a surplus in certain areas, try to be in position to help you improve yourself through other means, such as trades. As far as winning the division, you look at whatever means you can to help yourself. When you look at the current race, we’re interested if it’s something that helps us now and in the future.

And finally, this answer to a direct question makes me happy:

P-D: Is there a chance that Rasmus could play his first major-league game in another uniform?

BDJ: I don’t anticipate that. No.

Quick injury rehab note: Chris Carpenter will be pitching in Springfield this weekend.

Memphis is still off for the AAA All Star break, but all five of the other teams were in action. Contrary to rumors, Brett Wallace is still at Quad Cities. All the details of his night and the rest of the system are after the jump.

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As mentioned in the comments to yesterday’s DFR, Derrick Goold reports that Colby Rasmus and Brian Barden have been selected to play on the US Olympic team. Barden is a little bit of a surprise to me, but I suspect that he is being valued as a bench player for his ability to play anywhere on the infield and provide a little pop with the bat. I am most surprised that Bryan Anderson didn’t make the cut.

Memphis is still off, with the AAA all star game being played tonight (Nick Stavinoha is Memphis’ lone representative – he went 1-2) so that leaves five teams in action tonight and they went 2-3 on the evening. All the details are after the jump.

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Erik chiming in here with a quick update: Friend of the blog Keith Law will be on with Jeff Gordon on 590 The Fan at 12:30pm today.

This is old, but I had not seen it before. The Hardball Times analyzes the top draft picks, including scouting video. The bit on Brett Wallace is interesting, comparing his swing to Prince Fielder‘s.

The Cardinals finally gave in and put Colby on the DL with his groin injury. Groin injuries seem to linger – I strained mine a couple of years ago and it wouldn’t go away until I finally stopped doing anything for two weeks.

All the teams were in action today and finished 2-4 on the night.  All the details are after the jump.

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I attended the Memphis Redbirds game on May 30th in Des Moines. I have not gone through and applied scounting grades like Az did for the 5/4/08 game, but I was able to make some useful observations. I also took a lot of pictures (I was a guest at the game of friends that have season tickets directly behind home plate) which I will share with you after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

My week at Spring Training is over, but my sunburn should last another week or so. I wasn’t able to post as often as I would have liked due to my computer situation (borrowed) and my schedule (Mrs. roarke). Regardless, I have several hundred pictures of various Cardinals players and prospects – I’ll post some with my impressions after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

My first day in Jupiter afforded me the opportunity to get a first hand look at some of the prospects we write about for the first time.  My first impressions are after the jump.

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Yesterday was an ugly day for the Cardinals, losing 20-6 to the Dodgers.  My man in Jupiter described the scene as “pathetic”.  The good news is that Brian Barton continues to make a strong case for making the team.  He went 2-3 yesterday with a triple.  Colby Rasmus (who really needs a good nickname, if you ask me) went 1-2 with a double and a run, and Joe Mather went 1-2 with an RBI single and a run scored. 

 On the pitching side of the prospect ledger, Mark Worrell went one inning and gave up two hits, one a homerun, and walked a man.  His spring ERA is now at 6.00, which puts a damper on my hopes that he would make the club out of Spring Training.  Blake Hawksworth gave up three runs in two innings of work, but struck out five Dodgers. 

 Today, Clayton Mortenson started because Anthony Reyes has flu-like symptoms.  I will be in Florida starting on Wednesday, so I will be reporting back on what I see with pictures and words.