Future Redbirds

Found these juicy scoops at the Scout.com message boards. It’s an interview with John Mozeliak and Co. It’s free, there’s some very interesting info there regarding the big club too, so check it out.  Here’s some of the minors’ info:

Q: How is the development schedule of Colby Rasmus coming?
A: He’s a 5-tool player that is on a fast track. One of the reasons we signed Edmonds to a two-year extension is because we think Colby could be ready by 09. Many minor leaguers go backward a little or plateau for awhile when they are promoted as they adjust. Every time we have promoted Colby, after a week or so he adjusted and has been able to excel at the higher level right away.

Colby will be 22 in ‘09, and if he has a good spring it he could start at AA this season. He’s added 20 pounds this winter.

Q: Are there any minor league players who could break through and play for the big club at any time this year?
A: The two players that are closest are Troy Cate and Andy Cavazos. Cate has done an extraordinary job opening our eyes and we are looking at him as both a starter and reliever. Cavazos is a big strong kid who is close to being ready for the major league bullpen. We are very also very pleased about the Cabrera signing - he can do a lot of things that give us flexibility. He has been in Japan for the past 2 years and is anxious to re-establish himself in the MLB.

I’m officially jumping on the Troy Cate Bandwagon. Cate is dominating the Mexican Winter League right now. The lefty is 3-1 with a 1.21 ERA, striking out 24 and walking 9 in just under 30 innings. He’s being used primarily as a starter there, verses his normal relief role. His team, Venados de Mazaltan, is currently in the playoffs. He pitched 7 scoreless innings in his one postseason start.  Nice to see Cavazos get some recognition as well, here’s hoping he has a good spring. I didn’t forget to mention the Cabrera signing, I just don’t think he’ll make a difference. He’s this year’s Timo Perez.

Q: Are there any specific players on a fast track we should be watching this year?
A: Mitch Boggs, Jaime Garcia, and Jon Jay. Boggs is very solid. Garcia has been a real delight. He was overweight and out of shape when we drafted him. Went to the Dominican League, got into a conditioning program, and looks great now. Fastball is in the 92-93 range and he has an outstanding breaking pitch. He is the real deal. Jon Jay is an outstanding prospect. We may do the same thing with Jay that we did with Stavinoha - jump him right to Springfield this year.

I’ve felt Boggs has been overlooked by a lot of people, but he hasn’t been overlooked by the higher ups. Not suprised to see Jay is making the jump to AA, and calling him outstanding is certainly a nice compliment. I’m really beginning to like Jay more and more.

Q: Can you rate our 3 best closing prospects - Worrell, Sillman, and Perez?
A: Worrell has a very unorthodox, goofy delivery. We don’t know whether it will relate to success at the major league level. Sillman is kind of the same way with an unorthodox sidearm delivery. Both of them might make it some day, but probably not as closers. Perez is a different story. He has electric stuff and hits 95. Big, strong kid. He should come through the system very fast. He could be 2 years away at the inside. 3 years is a good bet.

Well, that was candid on Worrell. I’m a lot more sold on Sillman, though I think he’s middle of the bullpen, situational type guy. We’ll have to see how well he fairs once out of the pitchers paradise that is Roger Dean. A lot of people have been putting Perez in the ‘07 bullpen, but it looks like the Cardinals will give him more seasoning then that.

That’s all I’ll post, go and check it out for yourself for more interesting tidbits.