John Lackey came up big again and the Cardinals took advantage of the Dodgers shaky bullpen to win game three and give themselves a 2-1 lead in the NLDS.
Lackey, who was acquired in a controversial trade in which the Cards gave up Allen Craig and Joe Kelly, lived up to his big game reputation, allowing just 1 run in 7 innings. However, he was matched by Dodgers lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu, who allowed just 1 run in 6 innings despite making his first start since September 12th.
However, Ryu was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the 7th and the Cardinals jumped on reliever Scott Elbert to the tune of 2 runs on 3 hits, with the big blow Kolten Wong's 2-run homer.
The Cardinals power surge has been surprising this postseason, with 6 homers in 3 games (Matt Carpenter has 3 of those, homering in each game), after finishing the regular season last in the NL with just 105 homers.
Now, with an series edge, the Cards are going to have to close it out against two of the best pitchers in the NL, as Clayton Kershaw will pitch on short rest tomorrow, followed by Zach Greinke in game 5 (if necessary).
The matchup tomorrow should favor the Cards, as Kershaw is 1-4 with a 5.20 ERA in his postseason career, including 0-3 with a 8.10 ERA in his last 3 postseason starts against the Cardinals. Plus, pitchers going on short rest rarely fair well in the postseason.
However, this is still Kershaw that we are talking about. The reigning Cy Young award winner and the guy most likely to win it again this year. So you can throw all those prior stats out the door. He will be out to prove himself and the Cards will have their work cut out for them.
He will be opposed by Shelby Miller, who was one of the Cardinals hottest pitchers down the stretch, with a 2-0 record and 1.48 ERA in his last 5 starts of the season. However, he is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA this year and 1-1 with a 6.57 ERA in his career against the Dodgers.
The Cards will hope to at least keep the game close so that they can exploit the Dodger's bullpen, which has given up 6 runs in 6.1 innings so far.
In any case, tomorrow is the game we want as we certainly don't want to head back to L.A. and have to face Greinke again (1-0, with a 1.64 record in his last 3 postseason starts against the Cards).
Showing posts with label Kolten Wong. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kolten Wong. Show all posts
Monday, October 6, 2014
Friday, July 18, 2014
Will the Cardinals make a big splash this trade season?
With the All Star Break out of the way (finally) and meaningful games being played again, many will be turning their focus to the July 31st non-waiver trade deadline.
The last couple years have seen little trade activity for the Cardinals. Last year, the Cards acquired John Axford, but not until after the trade deadline. Before that, in 2012, the team acquired Edward Mujica. In fact, you have to go back to the July 2011 trade deadline for the last significant move at the deadline. That was the year that saw the club trade Colby Rasmus, Trever Miller and a couple prospects for Edwin Jackson, Marc Rzepcynski, Octavio Dotel and Corey Patterson.
Now, with the deadline less than two weeks away, we're left to ponder what John Mozeliak has up his sleeve this year. Will he make the big move to acquire a hitter or a pitcher or will he just tinker with the bullpen (or make some other minor adjustments)?
The Cardinals have been reportedly looking at adding an offensive upgrade at second or third, which would likely push Kolten Wong to the bench. Ben Zobrist is a prime trade candidate for the Cards, but the Mariners are reportedly pursuing him, according to Jon Paul Morosi.
On the other hand, the season-ending injury to Jaime Garcia and the uncertain status of Michael Wacha, not to mention the recent demotion of Shelby Miller to the pen, have many concerned about the Cardinals pitching depth. Jeff Samardzija is already off the market and while David Price is available, the Cards will have many competitors to acquire his services (including the aforementioned Mariners.).
Derrick Goold was a guest on Buster Olney's Baseball Tonight podcast, in which he indicated that he thinks the Cardinals would at least be willing to discuss a deal involving Oscar Taveras for David Price. At a minimum, Goold says that the Cards will have to address their surplus of outfielders at some point.
Another concern is the loss of Yadier Molina, who will likely be out for the rest of the regular season. ESPN's Jim Bowden (subscription required) reports that the Cardinals are planning to scout the Twins' Kurt Suzuki as a potential upgrade over Tony Cruz and George Kottaras.
My guess is that the Cards will be relatively active this go around. They won't make any big moves, but will make a series of middle-tier moves to shore up their lineup and rotation. I think they will go after Suzuki, then add an infielder, such as Zobrist or Martin Prado and maybe an innings eater, such as Jake Peavy. None of these guys will cost the Cards a lot, but each of them would be an upgrade at the respective positions.
At this point, its all speculation as its difficult to tell which direction Mo will go or if he even will make a move. The team certainly has the pieces in place to make a splash, with an abundance of major league ready outfielders and young arms to dangle in front of selling teams--basically, the Cards have the pieces to acquire any player they want. Its just a question of who do they want and how much are they willing to give up.
The last couple years have seen little trade activity for the Cardinals. Last year, the Cards acquired John Axford, but not until after the trade deadline. Before that, in 2012, the team acquired Edward Mujica. In fact, you have to go back to the July 2011 trade deadline for the last significant move at the deadline. That was the year that saw the club trade Colby Rasmus, Trever Miller and a couple prospects for Edwin Jackson, Marc Rzepcynski, Octavio Dotel and Corey Patterson.
Now, with the deadline less than two weeks away, we're left to ponder what John Mozeliak has up his sleeve this year. Will he make the big move to acquire a hitter or a pitcher or will he just tinker with the bullpen (or make some other minor adjustments)?
The Cardinals have been reportedly looking at adding an offensive upgrade at second or third, which would likely push Kolten Wong to the bench. Ben Zobrist is a prime trade candidate for the Cards, but the Mariners are reportedly pursuing him, according to Jon Paul Morosi.
On the other hand, the season-ending injury to Jaime Garcia and the uncertain status of Michael Wacha, not to mention the recent demotion of Shelby Miller to the pen, have many concerned about the Cardinals pitching depth. Jeff Samardzija is already off the market and while David Price is available, the Cards will have many competitors to acquire his services (including the aforementioned Mariners.).
Derrick Goold was a guest on Buster Olney's Baseball Tonight podcast, in which he indicated that he thinks the Cardinals would at least be willing to discuss a deal involving Oscar Taveras for David Price. At a minimum, Goold says that the Cards will have to address their surplus of outfielders at some point.
Another concern is the loss of Yadier Molina, who will likely be out for the rest of the regular season. ESPN's Jim Bowden (subscription required) reports that the Cardinals are planning to scout the Twins' Kurt Suzuki as a potential upgrade over Tony Cruz and George Kottaras.
My guess is that the Cards will be relatively active this go around. They won't make any big moves, but will make a series of middle-tier moves to shore up their lineup and rotation. I think they will go after Suzuki, then add an infielder, such as Zobrist or Martin Prado and maybe an innings eater, such as Jake Peavy. None of these guys will cost the Cards a lot, but each of them would be an upgrade at the respective positions.
At this point, its all speculation as its difficult to tell which direction Mo will go or if he even will make a move. The team certainly has the pieces in place to make a splash, with an abundance of major league ready outfielders and young arms to dangle in front of selling teams--basically, the Cards have the pieces to acquire any player they want. Its just a question of who do they want and how much are they willing to give up.
Friday, July 11, 2014
Revisiting the Cardinals and Troy Tulowitzki rumors (again)
Don't look now, but Ken Rosenthal is stirring up rumors regarding Troy Tulowitzki and a possible trade. Per Rosenthal, Tulo indicated that he would be open to a trade, saying "I want to be somewhere where there’s a chance to be in the playoffs every single year.”
However, before we all get our hopes up about the possibility of adding a true impact bat this month, Rosenthal is quick to point out that its more likely that Tulowitzki would be traded in the offseason rather than now.
Still, it makes one wonder if the Cardinals might pursue the Rockies All-Star shortstop this winter.
This season might be lost for the Redbirds, as the recent injury to Yadier Molina and the general malaise of the team have this writer wondering if they have what it takes to even make the playoffs. The Cardinals considered a trade for Tulo last winter before they ended up signing Jhonny Peralta to play short and they might revisit the idea again, if the Rockies make him available.
Peralta can easily shift over to third base, with Matt Carpenter moving to second, to make room for Tulowitzki. Kolten Wong would be the odd man out, but he hasn't exactly shown that he is major league ready. Perhaps he could end up being a trade piece (maybe even this month).
As Rosenthal points out, I'm sure many Cardinals fans would be willing to trade Allen Craig, Shelby Miller and Trevor Rosenthal to the Rockies for Tulo, as he suggested last year. The Rockies are in desperate need of pitching help and the Cards still have a nice stable of young arms.
The only thing that concerns me about Tulowitzki is his home/away splits. While he is a career .299/.374/.518 hitter, he has hit .324/.398/.565 in Colorado and just .275/.349/.470 on the road. However, fans had the same concerns about Matt Holliday and he's turned out alright. Besides, if those road numbers are his standard with the Cards, its still better than any shortstop we've had since I don't know when.
Its an interesting situation and one that bears watching this winter, however, its not gonna help the Cardinals this year.
Cards Claim George Kottaras
In other news, the Cardinals claimed catcher George Kottaras off waivers from the Indians. He will provide the Cards with much needed depth after Molina's injury. Kottaras is a career .216 hitter, but does have some power, as his career ISO (isolated power) is .199, which is above league average.
He will replace Audry Perez on the active roster and will likely split time at catcher with Tony Cruz while Molina is out.
However, before we all get our hopes up about the possibility of adding a true impact bat this month, Rosenthal is quick to point out that its more likely that Tulowitzki would be traded in the offseason rather than now.
Still, it makes one wonder if the Cardinals might pursue the Rockies All-Star shortstop this winter.
This season might be lost for the Redbirds, as the recent injury to Yadier Molina and the general malaise of the team have this writer wondering if they have what it takes to even make the playoffs. The Cardinals considered a trade for Tulo last winter before they ended up signing Jhonny Peralta to play short and they might revisit the idea again, if the Rockies make him available.
Peralta can easily shift over to third base, with Matt Carpenter moving to second, to make room for Tulowitzki. Kolten Wong would be the odd man out, but he hasn't exactly shown that he is major league ready. Perhaps he could end up being a trade piece (maybe even this month).
As Rosenthal points out, I'm sure many Cardinals fans would be willing to trade Allen Craig, Shelby Miller and Trevor Rosenthal to the Rockies for Tulo, as he suggested last year. The Rockies are in desperate need of pitching help and the Cards still have a nice stable of young arms.
The only thing that concerns me about Tulowitzki is his home/away splits. While he is a career .299/.374/.518 hitter, he has hit .324/.398/.565 in Colorado and just .275/.349/.470 on the road. However, fans had the same concerns about Matt Holliday and he's turned out alright. Besides, if those road numbers are his standard with the Cards, its still better than any shortstop we've had since I don't know when.
Its an interesting situation and one that bears watching this winter, however, its not gonna help the Cardinals this year.
Cards Claim George Kottaras
In other news, the Cardinals claimed catcher George Kottaras off waivers from the Indians. He will provide the Cards with much needed depth after Molina's injury. Kottaras is a career .216 hitter, but does have some power, as his career ISO (isolated power) is .199, which is above league average.
He will replace Audry Perez on the active roster and will likely split time at catcher with Tony Cruz while Molina is out.
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
The Cardinals offense needs a boost. What are their options?
After leading the NL in runs scored last year, the Cardinals offense has gone south this year, currently sitting in a 13th place tie with the Cubs for fewest runs scored. While their excellent starting pitching has buoyed them so far this year, recent injuries to their pitchers have put more pressure on the offense to perform.
What are the Cardinals options for boosting their sagging offense? Here are some thoughts.
Oscar Taveras
The first and foremost option was to promote Oscar Taveras and play him, which the Cardinals did yesterday. The only question now is where will he play?
Mike Matheny started him in right field yesterday, with Allen Craig moving to left and Matt Holliday spending a day on the bench and its likely that Matheny will work out some sort of 3-man platoon with Taveras, Craig and Holliday. I don't see the Cardinals working Matt Adams into that platoon, as he's been one of the team's most consistent hitters this season.
Taveras could also play center field, giving the Cardinals a bit more punch than the current duo of Jon Jay and Peter Bourjos, however that would come at the expense of the team's defense.
Acquire a Second or Third Baseman
The Cardinals second base duo of Kolten Wong and Mark Ellis have been pathetic offensively so far this season. As a team, the Cardinals' second basemen are hitting a combined .201, third worst in the NL, with a .534 OPS, second worst in the NL.
Rumors are already swirling that the Cardinals are looking for a second or third baseman (allowing Matt Carpenter to move back to second). I went into detail as to the Cards options in Monday's post, so I won't dwell on this too much. But let's just say that it doesn't appear that Wong is ready for prime time.
Give the bench a boost
On those days when Jon Jay starts, the Cardinals bench is downright laughable, with the likes of Peter Bourjos (.204/.270/.309), Daniel Descalso (.182/.232/.234), Mark Ellis (.194/.276/.239) and Tony Cruz (.229/.315/.271) waiting in the wings. None of those guys are going to strike fear in the heart of pitchers if they came up to pinch hit.
The addition of Taveras to the active roster helps in that it forces either Allen Craig or Matt Holliday to the bench, giving the team at least one potent bat to use in key situations. However, the bench could use more help.
The Cards have tried out Randal Grichuk and Joey Butler off the bench to no avail, so perhaps its time to dig a little deeper into the farm system for some help.
Stephen Piscotty is currently hitting .307/.368/.437 at AAA Memphis and doesn't seem to have anything left to prove there. However, he is primarily a corner outfielder and, with Taveras already up, the only one he could replace would be Bourjos, leaving the team with only Taveras as the backup center fielder.
Another option might be James Ramsey, who is hitting .307/.389/.550 at AA Springfield, including 12 homers, but the Cardinals would likely prefer to keep him in the minors to continue his development.
Aledmys Diaz is healthy and hitting .291/.311/.453 at Springfield and might be an upgrade over Descalso. However, he is hitting only .262/.295/.333 in June and may need some more time to get his stroke back.
Blockbuster Trade?
Around this time last year, Giancarlo Stanton was the subject of many trade rumors and this year Matt Kemp's name has come up. While their respective teams are still in contention, I tend to believe their GM's will not trade them, but you never know. The Cards have the kind of team depth to pull off such a move, if they so desired.
However, acquiring a guy like Stanton would likely require the Cards to give up a ton of prospects, starting with Oscar Taveras and adding a couple young pitchers to boot (Carlos Martinez and Marco Gonzales perhaps). In short, you would basically have to gut your farm system to land a stud hitter like him and, while adding a guy like Stanton would certainly give the Cardinals offense a boost, I just don't see John Mozeliak making such a move.
Overall, the best bets for the Cardinals to improve their offense would be to find ample playing time for Taveras and hope he hits, then go out and acquire a second or third baseman. Doing so would also improve the bench by default, by pushing Wong and either Holliday or Craig to the bench and lead to a better overall offensive team.
What are the Cardinals options for boosting their sagging offense? Here are some thoughts.
Oscar Taveras
The first and foremost option was to promote Oscar Taveras and play him, which the Cardinals did yesterday. The only question now is where will he play?
Mike Matheny started him in right field yesterday, with Allen Craig moving to left and Matt Holliday spending a day on the bench and its likely that Matheny will work out some sort of 3-man platoon with Taveras, Craig and Holliday. I don't see the Cardinals working Matt Adams into that platoon, as he's been one of the team's most consistent hitters this season.
Taveras could also play center field, giving the Cardinals a bit more punch than the current duo of Jon Jay and Peter Bourjos, however that would come at the expense of the team's defense.
Acquire a Second or Third Baseman
The Cardinals second base duo of Kolten Wong and Mark Ellis have been pathetic offensively so far this season. As a team, the Cardinals' second basemen are hitting a combined .201, third worst in the NL, with a .534 OPS, second worst in the NL.
Rumors are already swirling that the Cardinals are looking for a second or third baseman (allowing Matt Carpenter to move back to second). I went into detail as to the Cards options in Monday's post, so I won't dwell on this too much. But let's just say that it doesn't appear that Wong is ready for prime time.
Give the bench a boost
On those days when Jon Jay starts, the Cardinals bench is downright laughable, with the likes of Peter Bourjos (.204/.270/.309), Daniel Descalso (.182/.232/.234), Mark Ellis (.194/.276/.239) and Tony Cruz (.229/.315/.271) waiting in the wings. None of those guys are going to strike fear in the heart of pitchers if they came up to pinch hit.
The addition of Taveras to the active roster helps in that it forces either Allen Craig or Matt Holliday to the bench, giving the team at least one potent bat to use in key situations. However, the bench could use more help.
The Cards have tried out Randal Grichuk and Joey Butler off the bench to no avail, so perhaps its time to dig a little deeper into the farm system for some help.
Stephen Piscotty is currently hitting .307/.368/.437 at AAA Memphis and doesn't seem to have anything left to prove there. However, he is primarily a corner outfielder and, with Taveras already up, the only one he could replace would be Bourjos, leaving the team with only Taveras as the backup center fielder.
Another option might be James Ramsey, who is hitting .307/.389/.550 at AA Springfield, including 12 homers, but the Cardinals would likely prefer to keep him in the minors to continue his development.
Aledmys Diaz is healthy and hitting .291/.311/.453 at Springfield and might be an upgrade over Descalso. However, he is hitting only .262/.295/.333 in June and may need some more time to get his stroke back.
Blockbuster Trade?
Around this time last year, Giancarlo Stanton was the subject of many trade rumors and this year Matt Kemp's name has come up. While their respective teams are still in contention, I tend to believe their GM's will not trade them, but you never know. The Cards have the kind of team depth to pull off such a move, if they so desired.
However, acquiring a guy like Stanton would likely require the Cards to give up a ton of prospects, starting with Oscar Taveras and adding a couple young pitchers to boot (Carlos Martinez and Marco Gonzales perhaps). In short, you would basically have to gut your farm system to land a stud hitter like him and, while adding a guy like Stanton would certainly give the Cardinals offense a boost, I just don't see John Mozeliak making such a move.
Overall, the best bets for the Cardinals to improve their offense would be to find ample playing time for Taveras and hope he hits, then go out and acquire a second or third baseman. Doing so would also improve the bench by default, by pushing Wong and either Holliday or Craig to the bench and lead to a better overall offensive team.
Monday, June 30, 2014
Cardinals could look to add a second or third baseman, but who?
The Cardinals made a move today to try to bolster their sagging offense, promoting Oscar Taveras from AAA Memphis. His promotion likely means less playing time for Allen Craig and possibly Matt Holliday. However, the team does not appear content with just that move.
According to Derrick Goold of the Post Dispatch, the Cardinals are "open to seeking a trade for a hitter at second base or third base." In either case, rookie Kolten Wong could be out of a job, as Carpenter would likely shift to second, if the team acquires a third baseman.
So, who might be available?
As of now, it appears that the following teams are likely to be sellers at this year's deadline: Cubs, Phillies, Diamondbacks, Padres, Rays, Astros and Rangers. Here's a look at what each of those teams might have to offer at either second or third. (It should be noted that the Cards could acquire a shortstop and move Jhonny Peralta to third and Carpenter to second, giving them a few more options).
Cubs
The Cards are unlikely to find much talent here, as the Cubs currently employ Darwin Barney (.198/.243/.284) at second and Mike Olt (.142/.224/.346) at third. Emilio Bonifacio has some speed and can play second, third or center field, but he is hitting only .207 since April and is currently on the DL.
Phillies
Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins are likely off the table, as they both have no-trade clauses and have said they want to stay in Philadelphia. Cody Asche could be an option, as the Phillies have top prospect Maikel Franco waiting in the wings. However, as a young, cost-controlled player, he would likely cost the Cardinals more in terms of prospects.
Diamondbacks
Both Aaron Hill and Martin Prado are signed through the 2016 season, so its unlikely that the D'backs would trade either of them. They do have a glut of shortstops though, with Didi Gregorius, Chris Owings and the recently promoted Nick Ahmed. However, Owings is injured, Gregorius is not much of a hitter and Ahmed is unproven.
Padres
Chase Headley is certainly available. He is hitting just .204/.293/.327, so the Cardinals could potentially get him cheap. However, is he really an upgrade over Wong? He had one monster year in 2012, when he hit .286 with 31 homers and 17 stolen bases, but didn't really do much before or since then.
Rays
Ben Zobrist is likely available. He is signed through 2014 at $7.0 million and has a $7.5 million option for 2015. He is a career .262/.353/.432 hitter, but is 33 as has started to show some signs of decline. However, he has shown the ability to get on base in the past and could slot in nicely in the second hole of the lineup.
Astros
Jose Altuve's name immediately jumps out at you. When you're hitting .347 with 36 stolen bases (and just 3 caught stealings), people take notice. However, he is signed through 2017 with 2 reasonable team options, which could lock him up through 2019, so its unlikely that the Astros would trade him.
Rangers
The Rangers have made it be known that all of their players are available, but some, like Adrian Beltre, would cost a lot more than others. The Cardinals could pursue Elvis Andrus, who is a career .273/.337/.348 hitter and generally regarded as a good defensive player. However, his speed and defense don't make up for his career OPS of .685 (84 OPS+) and his contract jumps up to $15 million per season, starting next year, making him much less appealing.
Overall, there are not a lot of quality options out there, but I think the best bet would be for the Cardinals to go after Ben Zobrist. He can get on base and would definitely be an upgrade offensively over Wong. Beyond him, you're looking at guys like Asche and Headley, who carry a bit more risk and don't necessarily provide you with an offensive boost.
According to Derrick Goold of the Post Dispatch, the Cardinals are "open to seeking a trade for a hitter at second base or third base." In either case, rookie Kolten Wong could be out of a job, as Carpenter would likely shift to second, if the team acquires a third baseman.
So, who might be available?
As of now, it appears that the following teams are likely to be sellers at this year's deadline: Cubs, Phillies, Diamondbacks, Padres, Rays, Astros and Rangers. Here's a look at what each of those teams might have to offer at either second or third. (It should be noted that the Cards could acquire a shortstop and move Jhonny Peralta to third and Carpenter to second, giving them a few more options).
Cubs
The Cards are unlikely to find much talent here, as the Cubs currently employ Darwin Barney (.198/.243/.284) at second and Mike Olt (.142/.224/.346) at third. Emilio Bonifacio has some speed and can play second, third or center field, but he is hitting only .207 since April and is currently on the DL.
Phillies
Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins are likely off the table, as they both have no-trade clauses and have said they want to stay in Philadelphia. Cody Asche could be an option, as the Phillies have top prospect Maikel Franco waiting in the wings. However, as a young, cost-controlled player, he would likely cost the Cardinals more in terms of prospects.
Diamondbacks
Both Aaron Hill and Martin Prado are signed through the 2016 season, so its unlikely that the D'backs would trade either of them. They do have a glut of shortstops though, with Didi Gregorius, Chris Owings and the recently promoted Nick Ahmed. However, Owings is injured, Gregorius is not much of a hitter and Ahmed is unproven.
Padres
Chase Headley is certainly available. He is hitting just .204/.293/.327, so the Cardinals could potentially get him cheap. However, is he really an upgrade over Wong? He had one monster year in 2012, when he hit .286 with 31 homers and 17 stolen bases, but didn't really do much before or since then.
Rays
Ben Zobrist is likely available. He is signed through 2014 at $7.0 million and has a $7.5 million option for 2015. He is a career .262/.353/.432 hitter, but is 33 as has started to show some signs of decline. However, he has shown the ability to get on base in the past and could slot in nicely in the second hole of the lineup.
Astros
Jose Altuve's name immediately jumps out at you. When you're hitting .347 with 36 stolen bases (and just 3 caught stealings), people take notice. However, he is signed through 2017 with 2 reasonable team options, which could lock him up through 2019, so its unlikely that the Astros would trade him.
Rangers
The Rangers have made it be known that all of their players are available, but some, like Adrian Beltre, would cost a lot more than others. The Cardinals could pursue Elvis Andrus, who is a career .273/.337/.348 hitter and generally regarded as a good defensive player. However, his speed and defense don't make up for his career OPS of .685 (84 OPS+) and his contract jumps up to $15 million per season, starting next year, making him much less appealing.
Overall, there are not a lot of quality options out there, but I think the best bet would be for the Cardinals to go after Ben Zobrist. He can get on base and would definitely be an upgrade offensively over Wong. Beyond him, you're looking at guys like Asche and Headley, who carry a bit more risk and don't necessarily provide you with an offensive boost.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Should the Cardinals pursue Texas' Joakim Soria?
The trade market just got a whole lot more interesting.
According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Texas Rangers have made it be known that they are willing to listen on anyone.
What does that mean to the Cardinals?
Well, for one thing, they could possibly pursue someone like Elvis Andrus, who would give the team a better defensive shortstop than Jhonny Peralta, and allow them to move Peralta to second.
The Cards second basemen, led by Kolten Wong, have struggled on offense and the addition of Andrus could certainly give the team's offense a boost.
Joe Strauss of the Post-Dispatch suggested that the Cardinals could look for an upgrade at second. However, the cost for Andrus could prove prohibitive.
While looking for ways to improve the offense is all well and good, I think the Cards should focus their attention on Joakim Soria.
The Cardinals bullpen has seen its share of ups and downs so far this year. While Jason Motte has come back from Tommy John surgery and pitched well, his velocity is down from his pre-surgery days and he has lost some of his former dominance as a result.
In addition, losing Kevin Siegrist to injury and Carlos Martinez to the starting rotation has also depleted the bullpen. Therefore, adding another quality arm to the pen makes sense.
In the past the Cards have gone after struggling relievers like Edward Mujica and John Axford, who they were able to get for cheap, and were able to turn them around. However, their luck is bound to run out at some point. Why not get a proven guy for once to strengthen the back end of the pen?
Soria has been downright nasty this season with a 1.75 ERA and a 35/3 K/BB ratio in 25.2 IP. Adding him to the pen would help ease the burden on the Cardinals current closer, Trevor Rosenthal, so that he no longer has to pitch 1.1 innings and throw 41 pitches to nail down the save (and then be expected to throw again the next day).
Finally, while landing a quality reliever like Soria would cost the Cardinals more in terms of prospects, he would not be just a summer rental. Soria is signed through the 2014 season at $5.5 million, but has a $7 million option for 2015. With Motte, who is earning $7 million this season, potentially becoming a free agent after this season, if the Cards cannot resign him, then they can just pick up Soria's option to replace him.
Overall, I think it would be a good move for the Cards, unless the Rangers start asking for a king's ransom in return. The hope is that the offense will finally kick into gear and the starting pitching will get healthy, leaving the bullpen as the only area of need.
According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Texas Rangers have made it be known that they are willing to listen on anyone.
What does that mean to the Cardinals?
Well, for one thing, they could possibly pursue someone like Elvis Andrus, who would give the team a better defensive shortstop than Jhonny Peralta, and allow them to move Peralta to second.
The Cards second basemen, led by Kolten Wong, have struggled on offense and the addition of Andrus could certainly give the team's offense a boost.
Joe Strauss of the Post-Dispatch suggested that the Cardinals could look for an upgrade at second. However, the cost for Andrus could prove prohibitive.
While looking for ways to improve the offense is all well and good, I think the Cards should focus their attention on Joakim Soria.
The Cardinals bullpen has seen its share of ups and downs so far this year. While Jason Motte has come back from Tommy John surgery and pitched well, his velocity is down from his pre-surgery days and he has lost some of his former dominance as a result.
In addition, losing Kevin Siegrist to injury and Carlos Martinez to the starting rotation has also depleted the bullpen. Therefore, adding another quality arm to the pen makes sense.
In the past the Cards have gone after struggling relievers like Edward Mujica and John Axford, who they were able to get for cheap, and were able to turn them around. However, their luck is bound to run out at some point. Why not get a proven guy for once to strengthen the back end of the pen?
Soria has been downright nasty this season with a 1.75 ERA and a 35/3 K/BB ratio in 25.2 IP. Adding him to the pen would help ease the burden on the Cardinals current closer, Trevor Rosenthal, so that he no longer has to pitch 1.1 innings and throw 41 pitches to nail down the save (and then be expected to throw again the next day).
Finally, while landing a quality reliever like Soria would cost the Cardinals more in terms of prospects, he would not be just a summer rental. Soria is signed through the 2014 season at $5.5 million, but has a $7 million option for 2015. With Motte, who is earning $7 million this season, potentially becoming a free agent after this season, if the Cards cannot resign him, then they can just pick up Soria's option to replace him.
Overall, I think it would be a good move for the Cards, unless the Rangers start asking for a king's ransom in return. The hope is that the offense will finally kick into gear and the starting pitching will get healthy, leaving the bullpen as the only area of need.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
This time the Cardinals Kolten Wong appears to be getting it right
In many ways, Kolten Wong was the poster child for the Cardinals offensive struggles at the beginning of the season. While the team was struggling with a .246 average in March and April, Wong didn't help matters, hitting .225 with a.544 OPS.
Never mind that other players were also struggling who were counted on to produce (I'm looking at you Allen Craig), the Cardinals felt the need to make an example out of Wong and sent him to the minors.
To his credit, Wong did not sulk or pout. He took the demotion as a challenge and tore up AAA pitching to the tune of .344/.382/.484 in 15 games, earning a promotion back to the Cardinals. Of course, it didn't hurt that his replacement at second base, Mark Ellis, hit only .204 in his absence.
So, Wong got his second chance and thus far he's made the most of it.
Since his return, Wong is hitting .364/.432/.455 and has found a home in the second spot in the batting order. He has helped spark the Cardinals offense while raising his season average to .269.
The Cardinals offense should kick into gear at some point. Guys like Allen Craig and Peter Bourjos are starting to show signs of life and top prospect Oscar Taveras could come up next week to DH during the interleague game at the AL parks.
But having a guy at the top of the order who can get on base and wreck havoc will help this team manufacture runs when needed.
Never mind that other players were also struggling who were counted on to produce (I'm looking at you Allen Craig), the Cardinals felt the need to make an example out of Wong and sent him to the minors.
To his credit, Wong did not sulk or pout. He took the demotion as a challenge and tore up AAA pitching to the tune of .344/.382/.484 in 15 games, earning a promotion back to the Cardinals. Of course, it didn't hurt that his replacement at second base, Mark Ellis, hit only .204 in his absence.
So, Wong got his second chance and thus far he's made the most of it.
Since his return, Wong is hitting .364/.432/.455 and has found a home in the second spot in the batting order. He has helped spark the Cardinals offense while raising his season average to .269.
The Cardinals offense should kick into gear at some point. Guys like Allen Craig and Peter Bourjos are starting to show signs of life and top prospect Oscar Taveras could come up next week to DH during the interleague game at the AL parks.
But having a guy at the top of the order who can get on base and wreck havoc will help this team manufacture runs when needed.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Cardinals are content to stand pat...for now
While many Cardinals fans may be panicking over the team's sluggish start, GM John Mozeliak is not. Both Rick Hummel and Ken Rosenthal posted articles recently indicating the the Cardinals GM is not looking to make a move any time soon.
However, that doesn't mean that one won't be coming in the future, as Mo says "That doesn’t mean we’re going to sit back and be complacent and do nothing. We’ll survey markets and see where we might go. It’s a little too early to say what we might chase.’’
The Cardinals offense has started to show signs of life and their bullpen will get a boost from the return of Jason Motte, so its hard to see where the Cards have a glaring need.
One area where the Cards have struggled is second base, where the team has a .207/.276/.250 line so far this season. However, since his return from the minors, Kolten Wong has gone 5 for 11 to raise his average to .256 and is starting to look like he belongs in the majors.
Another problem area has been right field, where Allen Craig resides. His .226/.281/.354 line is the main reason the Cardinals right fielders are hitting .203/.254/.326 as a group. However, Craig is still a career .297 hitter and its too soon to give up on him.
Finally, center field has been an issue for the Redbirds, where projected starter Peter Bourjos got off to a slow start, leading Manager Mike Matheny to play the defensively challenged Jon Jay more in the early going. However, Bourjos' bat has come alive in May, to the tune of .324/.390/.486, leading to more playing time for him and less talk of promoting Oscar Taveras.
Overall, the Cardinals have the talent and the depth to get on a hot streak and pass the fading Brewers. Once guys like Craig, Matt Holliday and Matt Carpenter start hitting like they should, the wins should follow.
However, that doesn't mean that one won't be coming in the future, as Mo says "That doesn’t mean we’re going to sit back and be complacent and do nothing. We’ll survey markets and see where we might go. It’s a little too early to say what we might chase.’’
The Cardinals offense has started to show signs of life and their bullpen will get a boost from the return of Jason Motte, so its hard to see where the Cards have a glaring need.
One area where the Cards have struggled is second base, where the team has a .207/.276/.250 line so far this season. However, since his return from the minors, Kolten Wong has gone 5 for 11 to raise his average to .256 and is starting to look like he belongs in the majors.
Another problem area has been right field, where Allen Craig resides. His .226/.281/.354 line is the main reason the Cardinals right fielders are hitting .203/.254/.326 as a group. However, Craig is still a career .297 hitter and its too soon to give up on him.
Finally, center field has been an issue for the Redbirds, where projected starter Peter Bourjos got off to a slow start, leading Manager Mike Matheny to play the defensively challenged Jon Jay more in the early going. However, Bourjos' bat has come alive in May, to the tune of .324/.390/.486, leading to more playing time for him and less talk of promoting Oscar Taveras.
Overall, the Cardinals have the talent and the depth to get on a hot streak and pass the fading Brewers. Once guys like Craig, Matt Holliday and Matt Carpenter start hitting like they should, the wins should follow.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Jaime Garcia set to return to Cardinals rotation and other notes
Tyler Lyons was placed on the 15-day DL today, one day after getting roughed up by the Cubs. While that is an interesting move (considering that Mike Matheny left him in the game long enough to give up 9 runs in 4 innings), what is more interesting is who might replace him in the rotation...Jaime Garcia.
Garcia pitched 5 innings on Monday for AAA Memphis, giving up just 2 runs on 3 hits, while striking out 5. It was just his second rehab appearance, but speculation has already begun that he will get the call for the Cardinals on Saturday.
If Garcia makes the start on Saturday, it will be one year to the day from his last major league start, which came on May 17, 2013 against the Brewers.
It will be interesting to see if he still has the same stuff as he had before his shoulder issues. Shoulder injuries are the most difficult to come back from as a pitcher, so here's hoping for the best for Garcia.
In other news, GM John Mozeliak indicated that Kolten Wong could be recalled soon. He's reportedly "checked all the boxes" while hitting .344/.382/.484 in 15 games since his demotion.
The Cardinals are certainly looking for any kind of spark to their offense (as long as it does not involve calling up Oscar Taveras before June) and Mark Ellis (.203/.273/237) hasn't exactly been tearing it up as Wong's replacement.
Finally, the Cards continue to shuffle the back end of their bullpen, calling up both lefty Sam Freeman and righty Jorge Rondon, while sending down Eric Fornataro and placing Lyons on the DL. However, their stays may be short as one of them will be replaced by Garcia this weekend, while the other could soon be replaced by the rehabbing Jason Motte.
Motte has yet to give up a run in 5 appearances between AA Springfield and AAA Memphis (4.2 IP, 2 hits, 1 walk, 3 K's) and his return would certainly provide a boost to the Cardinals pen.
Garcia pitched 5 innings on Monday for AAA Memphis, giving up just 2 runs on 3 hits, while striking out 5. It was just his second rehab appearance, but speculation has already begun that he will get the call for the Cardinals on Saturday.
If Garcia makes the start on Saturday, it will be one year to the day from his last major league start, which came on May 17, 2013 against the Brewers.
It will be interesting to see if he still has the same stuff as he had before his shoulder issues. Shoulder injuries are the most difficult to come back from as a pitcher, so here's hoping for the best for Garcia.
In other news, GM John Mozeliak indicated that Kolten Wong could be recalled soon. He's reportedly "checked all the boxes" while hitting .344/.382/.484 in 15 games since his demotion.
The Cardinals are certainly looking for any kind of spark to their offense (as long as it does not involve calling up Oscar Taveras before June) and Mark Ellis (.203/.273/237) hasn't exactly been tearing it up as Wong's replacement.
Finally, the Cards continue to shuffle the back end of their bullpen, calling up both lefty Sam Freeman and righty Jorge Rondon, while sending down Eric Fornataro and placing Lyons on the DL. However, their stays may be short as one of them will be replaced by Garcia this weekend, while the other could soon be replaced by the rehabbing Jason Motte.
Motte has yet to give up a run in 5 appearances between AA Springfield and AAA Memphis (4.2 IP, 2 hits, 1 walk, 3 K's) and his return would certainly provide a boost to the Cardinals pen.
Monday, April 28, 2014
Does the Cardinals' Greg Garcia have what it takes to start at second base?
With the demotion of Kolten Wong and the promotion of infielder Greg Garcia, fantasy baseball players everywhere were left asking the question: Will Greg Garcia start?
Its a legitimate question, as the Cardinals other option, Mark Ellis, is currently hitting .100 (2 for 20), however, is Garcia a legitimate starting second baseman for a major league team?
Short answer--probably not, but that's not to say that Garcia doesn't have his merits.
Over 5 seasons in the minors, he has compiled a .280/.385/.411 line. He has a little pop, with a career high 10 homers in 2012 and he can steal a base on occasion, with 14 stolen bases in 2013.
However, what is most impressive about Garcia is his eye and ability to get on base. In his 2012 breakout season, he drew 80 walks against 83 strikeouts finishing the year with a .408 OBP.
His minor league stats are very similar to Ellis, who put up a .293/.393/.419 line in the minors prior to his first callup.
Best case scenario - Garcia, who hits left handed, forms a platoon with the right handed Ellis and gets the majority of the at bats while Wong sorts things out in the minors.
Worst case scenario - Garcia spends a month with the team as a pinch-hitter, defensive replacement before being sent back down to the minors when Wong is deemed ready.
While its unlikely that Garcia will make a big impact during his current stay, he could eventually replace the light-hitting and overused Daniel Descalso as the Cardinals primary utility infielder.
Its a legitimate question, as the Cardinals other option, Mark Ellis, is currently hitting .100 (2 for 20), however, is Garcia a legitimate starting second baseman for a major league team?
Short answer--probably not, but that's not to say that Garcia doesn't have his merits.
Over 5 seasons in the minors, he has compiled a .280/.385/.411 line. He has a little pop, with a career high 10 homers in 2012 and he can steal a base on occasion, with 14 stolen bases in 2013.
However, what is most impressive about Garcia is his eye and ability to get on base. In his 2012 breakout season, he drew 80 walks against 83 strikeouts finishing the year with a .408 OBP.
His minor league stats are very similar to Ellis, who put up a .293/.393/.419 line in the minors prior to his first callup.
Best case scenario - Garcia, who hits left handed, forms a platoon with the right handed Ellis and gets the majority of the at bats while Wong sorts things out in the minors.
Worst case scenario - Garcia spends a month with the team as a pinch-hitter, defensive replacement before being sent back down to the minors when Wong is deemed ready.
While its unlikely that Garcia will make a big impact during his current stay, he could eventually replace the light-hitting and overused Daniel Descalso as the Cardinals primary utility infielder.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Cardinals look to shake thing up by demoting Kolten Wong
With their offense continuing to struggle, the Cardinals decided to shake things up by demoting second baseman Kolten Wong to AAA. Wong has certainly struggled on the season, hitting just .225/.276/.268, but he is not the only one.
Shortstop Jhonny Peralta (.195/.290/.476) is not doing much to make Cardinals fans forget about Pete Kozma and his offensive struggles. "Clutch" hitter Allen Craig is sporting a .177 average and just 6 rbi's and offseason acquisition Peter Bourjos has lost his starting job to Jon Jay thanks in large part to his .163 average.
Unfortunately, the Cards cannot demote their entire team, so they are making this change to try to light a fire under the team.
The Cardinals have recalled Greg Garcia to replace Wong on the roster. Mark Ellis should get the lion's share of the starts at second, however, with Ellis hitting only .100 since coming off the DL, don't be surprised to see Garcia split time with Ellis.
In addition to Wong's demotion, the Cardinals also sent down Shane Robinson and called up Randal Grichuk. Grichuk was hitting .313/.356/.542 in AAA and will look to provide a spark off the bench.
Hopefully Wong's demotion will be short-term as he looks to get his stroke back. However, it is good to have a veteran like Ellis available to plug into the void and hopefully either he or Garcia can provide the offense with a boost.
Shortstop Jhonny Peralta (.195/.290/.476) is not doing much to make Cardinals fans forget about Pete Kozma and his offensive struggles. "Clutch" hitter Allen Craig is sporting a .177 average and just 6 rbi's and offseason acquisition Peter Bourjos has lost his starting job to Jon Jay thanks in large part to his .163 average.
Unfortunately, the Cards cannot demote their entire team, so they are making this change to try to light a fire under the team.
The Cardinals have recalled Greg Garcia to replace Wong on the roster. Mark Ellis should get the lion's share of the starts at second, however, with Ellis hitting only .100 since coming off the DL, don't be surprised to see Garcia split time with Ellis.
In addition to Wong's demotion, the Cardinals also sent down Shane Robinson and called up Randal Grichuk. Grichuk was hitting .313/.356/.542 in AAA and will look to provide a spark off the bench.
Hopefully Wong's demotion will be short-term as he looks to get his stroke back. However, it is good to have a veteran like Ellis available to plug into the void and hopefully either he or Garcia can provide the offense with a boost.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Bird's Eye View: Cardinals Season Preview
Each year, a group of us Cardinals bloggers puts together a newsletter that is e-mailed out before each series. The bloggers take turns writing the newsletter, so you get a different style and viewpoint each time.
This year, we put together a season preview as well. I did the writeup on the infield, while other bloggers discussed the lineup, outfield, bench, defense, starting pitching, bullpen, manager and front office.
Here's a sneak peak at my section:
This year, we put together a season preview as well. I did the writeup on the infield, while other bloggers discussed the lineup, outfield, bench, defense, starting pitching, bullpen, manager and front office.
Here's a sneak peak at my section:
The Cardinals infield underwent some significant changes over the
winter, as the team looked to shore up its defense while also improving
the offensive production from the shortstop position. Here’s a
position-by-position look at the Cards 2014 infield.
First Base
With the free agency
departure of Carlos Beltran, Allen Craig moves to right field to replace
him and Matt Adams steps into a full-time role at first base. After
hitting .284 with 17 homers in just 296 at bats, Cardinals fans are
excited to see what numbers Adams can put up in a full season.
Second Base
The departure of David
Freese caused the biggest shake-up, allowing Matt Carpenter to move to
his natural third base position and opening the door for rookie Kolten
Wong at second. Wong didn’t hit much in his limited exposure to big
league pitching last season (.153 in 59 at bats), but is a career
.301/.365/.446 hitter in the minors.
Third Base
Matt Carpenter takes
over at third for the departed Freese. He hit .318/.392/.481 and
finished 4th in the MVP voting last season. His shift to third and the
addition of Wong at second should greatly improve the Cardinals’ defense
at those positions.
Shortstop
Obviously displeased with
the offensive production they received from the shortstop position in
2013, which finished 13th in the league in OPS (.583), the Cardinals
quickly addressed that issue in the offseason by signing Jhonny Peralta
to a 4-year, $53 million contract. While the Cards may lose a little
bit defensively over the displaced Pete Kozma, Peralta, and his career
.755 OPS, should make up for it offensively.
Utility
The Cardinals brought in
second baseman Mark Ellis as an insurance policy for rookie Kolten Wong
and holdovers Daniel Descalso and Pete Kozma should back up the other
positions. The X factor is recently signed Cuban defector Aledmys Diaz.
Capable of playing second, third or short, he could replace Descalso
or Kozma on the Cards bench when ready.
If you're interested in seeing the rest of the season preview as well as receiving the newsletter before each series, you can signup using the following link:
Thanks and Go Cards!
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Cardinals sign Aledmys Diaz. But where will he play?
According to Jennifer Langosch (and other) the Cardinals have signed infielder Aledmys Diaz to a major league deal. The team did not release details, but it is believed to be for 4 years.
This represents the biggest investment ever by the Cards in a Cuban player and while that is all fine and good, the first question I asked myself is where will he play?
According to scouts, Diaz is capable of playing second, third and short. However, the Cardinals currently have Kolten Wong, Matt Carpenter and Jhonny Peralta manning those positions. Carpenter just received an extension from the Cards, which has him under team control through 2019. Peralta was signed as a free agent through the 2017 and Wong is under team control through 2019. So, there is no obvious spot for the young Cuban.
But there are some scenarios under which he could make an impact this season:
1. Kolten Wong struggles
This is Wong's first full season in the majors. He was a September callup last year and hit an uninspiring .153 in 59 at bats (small sample size rules apply). However, he is a career .301/.365/.446 hitter in the minors.
He could hit the ground running or he could struggle in his first extended taste of the bigs. If its the latter, look for Diaz to get the call.
2. Someone gets injured
Obviously, the addition of Diaz gives the Cardinals some much needed infield depth. Behind the starting 3, there is only Daniel Descalso, Pete Kozma and Mark Ellis. Ellis has only really played second base in his career and while Descalso and Kozma can play short, neither is a very good hitter.
Diaz would give the Cards a decent hitting backup to Wong, Carpenter or Peralta, should they get injured and would not be as big of a downgrade as Kozma or Descalso would be.
3. Trade
The Cardinals could decide to jettison one of their infielders for an upgrade elsewhere. This doesn't seem likely though, as it appears that the Cards are committed to Carpenter, Peralta and Wong on the infield.
4. Utility Infielder
This seems to be the most likely scenario. With his ability to play 3 different positions, Diaz could become a better hitting version of Descalso. Despite hitting a meager .238 with a .656 OPS last season, Descalso still managed to play in 123 games last season "earning" 328 at bats. He played 39 games at second, 55 at short and 38 at third.
Diaz does not have a lot of pop, but he showed the ability to hit for average, batting .315/.404/.500 with 12 homers and 11 stolen bases in his last season in Cuba. In fact, Diaz' presence could spell the end of Descalso's career with the Cards.
My guess is that the Cardinals will start Diaz in the minors to get him accustomed to American baseball. Ones he proves himself, he will get called up to play a utility role. He could get significant playing time if there is an injury or Wong struggles, so I could see him getting around 300 at bats.
This represents the biggest investment ever by the Cards in a Cuban player and while that is all fine and good, the first question I asked myself is where will he play?
According to scouts, Diaz is capable of playing second, third and short. However, the Cardinals currently have Kolten Wong, Matt Carpenter and Jhonny Peralta manning those positions. Carpenter just received an extension from the Cards, which has him under team control through 2019. Peralta was signed as a free agent through the 2017 and Wong is under team control through 2019. So, there is no obvious spot for the young Cuban.
But there are some scenarios under which he could make an impact this season:
1. Kolten Wong struggles
This is Wong's first full season in the majors. He was a September callup last year and hit an uninspiring .153 in 59 at bats (small sample size rules apply). However, he is a career .301/.365/.446 hitter in the minors.
He could hit the ground running or he could struggle in his first extended taste of the bigs. If its the latter, look for Diaz to get the call.
2. Someone gets injured
Obviously, the addition of Diaz gives the Cardinals some much needed infield depth. Behind the starting 3, there is only Daniel Descalso, Pete Kozma and Mark Ellis. Ellis has only really played second base in his career and while Descalso and Kozma can play short, neither is a very good hitter.
Diaz would give the Cards a decent hitting backup to Wong, Carpenter or Peralta, should they get injured and would not be as big of a downgrade as Kozma or Descalso would be.
3. Trade
The Cardinals could decide to jettison one of their infielders for an upgrade elsewhere. This doesn't seem likely though, as it appears that the Cards are committed to Carpenter, Peralta and Wong on the infield.
4. Utility Infielder
This seems to be the most likely scenario. With his ability to play 3 different positions, Diaz could become a better hitting version of Descalso. Despite hitting a meager .238 with a .656 OPS last season, Descalso still managed to play in 123 games last season "earning" 328 at bats. He played 39 games at second, 55 at short and 38 at third.
Diaz does not have a lot of pop, but he showed the ability to hit for average, batting .315/.404/.500 with 12 homers and 11 stolen bases in his last season in Cuba. In fact, Diaz' presence could spell the end of Descalso's career with the Cards.
My guess is that the Cardinals will start Diaz in the minors to get him accustomed to American baseball. Ones he proves himself, he will get called up to play a utility role. He could get significant playing time if there is an injury or Wong struggles, so I could see him getting around 300 at bats.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Cardinals place 4 in Composite Top Prospect List
Each year as part of my fantasy baseball prep, I create a composite top prospect listing using the various top 100 prospect lists from around the web. Through today, I have compiled 10 such listing into my preliminary top prospect list, which includes over 150 prospects.
Despite the graduation of many of their top prospects from last season, including Trevor Rosenthal, Michael Wacha, Shelby Miller and Matt Adams, the Cardinals still place 4 prospects in the composite top 100. They are Oscar Taveras (#3), Kolten Wong (#48), Carlos Martinez (#52) and Stephen Piscotty (#92). Martinez probably would have ranked higher, but he was inexplicably left off 3 of the 10 lists.
You can check out the full listing at MLB Composite Prospect Index.
Sleeper Alert
For those of you looking for the next big arm in the Cardinals system, keep an eye on Alex Reyes. He was highly thought of enough to sneak into the composite listings at #154 and is ranked amongst the Cardinals top 10 prospects (#7 to be exact) by Baseball America.
Signed out of the Dominican Republic, he has a mid-90's fastball and an excellent curve. He could follow a similar path to that of fellow Dominican Carlos Martinez.
Despite the graduation of many of their top prospects from last season, including Trevor Rosenthal, Michael Wacha, Shelby Miller and Matt Adams, the Cardinals still place 4 prospects in the composite top 100. They are Oscar Taveras (#3), Kolten Wong (#48), Carlos Martinez (#52) and Stephen Piscotty (#92). Martinez probably would have ranked higher, but he was inexplicably left off 3 of the 10 lists.
You can check out the full listing at MLB Composite Prospect Index.
Sleeper Alert
For those of you looking for the next big arm in the Cardinals system, keep an eye on Alex Reyes. He was highly thought of enough to sneak into the composite listings at #154 and is ranked amongst the Cardinals top 10 prospects (#7 to be exact) by Baseball America.
Signed out of the Dominican Republic, he has a mid-90's fastball and an excellent curve. He could follow a similar path to that of fellow Dominican Carlos Martinez.
Monday, February 10, 2014
2014 Cardinals Composite Top 10 Prospect List
Welcome to the unveiling of the second annual Cardinals Composite Top Prospect list. For those of you who missed last years' edition, this list takes the top 10 prospects lists from around the web, assigns points to each ranking (10 for first, 9 for second, 8 for third, etc.) and the puts them all together into a composite list.
Below is a preliminary Composite Top Prospect list, based on the top 10 lists posted to date. I expect to update this again towards the end of February.
2014 Cardinals Composite Top 10 Prospect List (Preliminary):
1. Oscar Taveras, OF (90 points)
Despite his injury prone season, Taveras still rates as the consensus top prospect for the Cardinals and could compete for a spot on the opening day roster.
2. Kolten Wong, 2B (72 points)
Penciled in to be the Cardinals starting second baseman in 2014, Wong should provide the Cardinals with some much needed speed and defense.
3. Carlos Martinez, RHP (63 points)
Martinez pitched well in relief for the Redbirds down the stretch and in the playoffs. With an abundance of starters in their system, Martinez could serve in a setup role in 2014.
Note: Martinez would have ranked second if two lists had not left him off completely.
4. Stephen Piscotty (54 points)
The "other" prospect that the Cardinals got as compensation for losing Albert Pujols, Piscotty put up some fine nu mber in his first full year in the minor.
5. Marco Gonzalez (51 points)
The Cardinals first selection in the 2013 draft (19th overall), Gonzalez is another one of those high floor/low ceiling kind of prospects the Cards seem to like (ala Michael Wacha).
6. Carson Kelly (34 points)
Kelly, a second round pick in 2012, had a decent first full season in the minors, holding his own in A ball at a young age. He should move up to high A in 2013.
7. Rob Kaminsky (28 points)
Taken after Gonzalez in the 2013 draft (28th overall), Kaminsky has higher upside than that of Gonzalez, but also has a longer way to go to get there.
8. Alex Reyes (25 points)
Reyes made the biggest jump of any Cardinals prospect, going from a virtual unknown last year to cracking the top 10 this year.
9. Tyrell Jenkins (24 points)
Jenkins has battled shoulder issues most of the year before finally undergoing surgery in August 2013. He still has tremendous upside, but we will have to see how he recovers from the injury.
10. Tim Cooney (14 points)
Cooney, a 3rd round pick in 2012, allows his fair share of hits (9.9 H/9 in 2013), but offsets that with excellent control (1.3 BB/9).
Others receiving points:
John Gast (13), James Ramsey (12), Charlie Tilson (5), Randal Grichuk (4), Patrick Wisdom (2), Greg Garcia (1), Vaughn Bryan (1)
Again, this is the preliminary list and I expect to add another 5 or so websites to the list by the end of February, so stay tuned for the update.
Below is a preliminary Composite Top Prospect list, based on the top 10 lists posted to date. I expect to update this again towards the end of February.
2014 Cardinals Composite Top 10 Prospect List (Preliminary):
1. Oscar Taveras, OF (90 points)
| Year | Age | Lev | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 21 | AAA-Rk | 174 | 25 | 54 | 13 | 0 | 5 | 32 | 5 | 10 | 22 | .310 | .348 | .471 |
| 5 Seasons | 1437 | 235 | 460 | 104 | 23 | 45 | 275 | 34 | 125 | 212 | .320 | .377 | .518 | ||
Despite his injury prone season, Taveras still rates as the consensus top prospect for the Cardinals and could compete for a spot on the opening day roster.
2. Kolten Wong, 2B (72 points)
| Year | Age | Lev | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 22 | AAA | 412 | 68 | 125 | 21 | 8 | 10 | 45 | 20 | 41 | 60 | .303 | .369 | .466 |
| 3 Seasons | 1129 | 186 | 340 | 59 | 16 | 24 | 122 | 50 | 106 | 158 | .301 | .365 | .446 | ||
Penciled in to be the Cardinals starting second baseman in 2014, Wong should provide the Cardinals with some much needed speed and defense.
3. Carlos Martinez, RHP (63 points)
| Year | Age | Lev | W | L | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 21 | AAA-AA | 6 | 3 | 2.49 | 79.2 | 65 | 25 | 22 | 4 | 28 | 72 | 1.167 |
| 4 Seasons | 21 | 15 | 2.69 | 327.2 | 260 | 113 | 98 | 14 | 118 | 340 | 1.154 | ||
| Year | Age | Tm | W | L | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 21 | STL | 2 | 1 | 5.08 | 28.1 | 31 | 16 | 16 | 1 | 9 | 24 | 1.412 |
Martinez pitched well in relief for the Redbirds down the stretch and in the playoffs. With an abundance of starters in their system, Martinez could serve in a setup role in 2014.
Note: Martinez would have ranked second if two lists had not left him off completely.
4. Stephen Piscotty (54 points)
| Year | Age | Lev | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 22 | A+-AA | 427 | 47 | 126 | 23 | 2 | 15 | 59 | 11 | 37 | 46 | .295 | .355 | .464 |
| 2 Seasons | 637 | 76 | 188 | 41 | 3 | 19 | 86 | 14 | 55 | 71 | .295 | .362 | .458 | ||
The "other" prospect that the Cardinals got as compensation for losing Albert Pujols, Piscotty put up some fine nu mber in his first full year in the minor.
5. Marco Gonzalez (51 points)
| Year | Age | Lev | W | L | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 21 | A+-Rk | 0 | 0 | 2.70 | 23.1 | 18 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 23 | 1.114 |
The Cardinals first selection in the 2013 draft (19th overall), Gonzalez is another one of those high floor/low ceiling kind of prospects the Cards seem to like (ala Michael Wacha).
6. Carson Kelly (34 points)
| Year | Age | Lev | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 18 | A--A | 417 | 53 | 107 | 22 | 1 | 6 | 45 | 1 | 33 | 56 | .257 | .322 | .357 |
| 2 Seasons | 630 | 77 | 155 | 32 | 1 | 15 | 70 | 1 | 43 | 89 | .246 | .303 | .371 | ||
Kelly, a second round pick in 2012, had a decent first full season in the minors, holding his own in A ball at a young age. He should move up to high A in 2013.
7. Rob Kaminsky (28 points)
| Year | Age | Lev | W | L | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 18 | Rk | 0 | 3 | 3.68 | 22.0 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 28 | 1.455 |
| 1 Season | 0 | 3 | 3.68 | 22.0 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 28 | 1.455 | ||
Taken after Gonzalez in the 2013 draft (28th overall), Kaminsky has higher upside than that of Gonzalez, but also has a longer way to go to get there.
8. Alex Reyes (25 points)
| Year | Age | Lev | W | L | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 18 | Rk | 6 | 4 | 3.39 | 58.1 | 54 | 26 | 22 | 1 | 28 | 68 | 1.406 |
| 1 Season | 6 | 4 | 3.39 | 58.1 | 54 | 26 | 22 | 1 | 28 | 68 | 1.406 | ||
Reyes made the biggest jump of any Cardinals prospect, going from a virtual unknown last year to cracking the top 10 this year.
9. Tyrell Jenkins (24 points)
| Year | Age | Lev | W | L | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 20 | A-A+ | 4 | 4 | 4.70 | 59.1 | 64 | 34 | 31 | 4 | 25 | 40 | 1.500 |
| 4 Seasons | 12 | 10 | 4.57 | 200.2 | 213 | 120 | 102 | 12 | 76 | 177 | 1.440 | ||
Jenkins has battled shoulder issues most of the year before finally undergoing surgery in August 2013. He still has tremendous upside, but we will have to see how he recovers from the injury.
10. Tim Cooney (14 points)
| Year | Age | Lev | W | L | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 22 | AA-A+ | 10 | 13 | 3.56 | 154.1 | 170 | 72 | 61 | 9 | 22 | 148 | 1.244 |
| 2 Seasons | 13 | 16 | 3.51 | 210.0 | 226 | 96 | 82 | 13 | 30 | 191 | 1.219 | ||
Cooney, a 3rd round pick in 2012, allows his fair share of hits (9.9 H/9 in 2013), but offsets that with excellent control (1.3 BB/9).
Others receiving points:
John Gast (13), James Ramsey (12), Charlie Tilson (5), Randal Grichuk (4), Patrick Wisdom (2), Greg Garcia (1), Vaughn Bryan (1)
Again, this is the preliminary list and I expect to add another 5 or so websites to the list by the end of February, so stay tuned for the update.
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