Future Redbirds

Let’s do some housekeeping first. First of all, we had some fantastic content for you yesterday if I do say so myself. Carlos Gomez stopped by as FR discussed his breakdown of Kozma. I am getting ready to finish up the Move Him On Up series (I have every intention of having Memphis hitters up this afternoon — thanks to MikeW who had some good comments for the scales).

Also, we had our 100,000 visit yesterday (right sidebar bottom). I want to take a second to thank erik again for allowing me to join him for about 3 months now covering the Cardinal’s future. And thanks to everyone who stops by to read/comment.  I think I speak for both erik and I when I say that we enjoy your knowledgeable feedback and comments.  Here we come 1,000,000 visits — ready or not!

The Cardinals announced a bunch of draftees officially yesterday. Check here for the (nearly) complete list, thanks to Liam. The birdhouse also scoops that 22nd rounder Charlie Kingrey has been signed.

And before we get to the DPR, from the invaluable Derrick Goold:

 

1. Are the Cardinals going to pay me, or what?Comment by Kyle Russell [AZ: I'm skeptical that this is really Russell; call me crazy.]
2. Kyle,It’s certain your name will come up in the conversations the Cardinals are having with your agents — who just happen to represent their first pitcher [AZ: assuming he meant 'pick' here], Pete Kozma. Now, the Cardinals have said they plan to see you play some this summer in California. They probably want to get more info on if it’s worth what it’s going to take and your play could also determine what it’s right to demand …dg
   -30-Comment by Derrick Goold

Pay him Dewitt. Kyle Russell is the only consensus high upside guy the Cardinals drafted. Seriously, give the kid his bleepin money and we’ll all be happier.

Sweet mother of goodness. The prospects, O the prospects. You all are damn lucky I don’t sleep more than 4 hours a night or . . . well you’d probably just go on livin’ your happy lives. Reporting on the prospects, from a van, down by the river:

Memphis 4, Round Rock 5 (10 innings)

• Rick Ankiel goes 0-for-5 w/ a K.
• Tagg Bozied goes 2-for-4 with a double, HR and a walk.
• Joe Mather’s Memphis debut: 1-for-4 with 2 Ks (and then he got picked off first).
• Tomo Ohka was pretty bad his first night for a major league starter facing AAA players. He went 5 innings allowing 8 hits. Of those 8 hits, he allowed a double and 2 triples. He walked 1 and struck out 3 but the opposition scored 4 ER off him. Percival was bad in his first outing but it looks like Ohka will need at least one more tuneup.
• Speaking of Troy Percival, he went 2 IP walking 1 and striking out 2.
• Jimenez, fresh off his demotion, took the loss allowing a run to score in the 10th.

Springfield 7, Arkansas 4

• Jarrett Hoffpauir went 1 for 3 with a bases clearing double.
• Colby Rasmus: 0-for-4 with a BB.
• Bryan Anderson 1-for-3 with a HR. Is it just me or is Rasmus hot when Anderson is cold and vice versa. Anderson allowed another bleepin passed ball. That’s number 9 on the season. Someone teach this kid how to block balls in the dirt.
• Casey Rowlett went 3-for-4 with a double.
• Mitchell Boggs had a very nice outing. 7 innings pitched, 5 Ks, 1 BB and 3 ER. The 7 hits put his WHIP just over 1 for the night but still, nicely done.
• Jason Motte had a stinker. He allowed Boggs bequeathed runner to score and then allowed another run for the blown save. He did keep it together and pick up the win.
• Chris Perez struck out 2. He also walked a batter. Chris, please throw strikes. Stop walking batters. Walks are all that stand between you and a big time closers job in the majors. Thanks, AZ

Palm Beach 2, Daytona 1 (Game 1: 7 innings)

• AJ Van Slyke hit a triple.
• Nathan Southard went 1-for-3 with a double.
• Tyler Norrick threw 4.1 innings allowing 5 hits, 1BB, 2K and 1 ER.
• Kyle McClellan picked up the win with a kick-ass relief appearance. 1.2 IP & 3Ks. I love it. (Ignore the wild pitch he uncorked).
• Luke Gregerson gets save number 15 with a K and a hit in the 7th.

Palm Beach 6, Daytona 1 (Game 2: 7 innings)

• We call that run support kiddies. The 1-4 hitters all had 2 hits (Rappoport, Isaias Garcia, Craig and Buckman). Craig had the best night of the bunch going 2-for-2 with a HBP and a sac fly.
• Ian Church hit a bases clearing double.
• Adam Ottavino may not have had his sharpest command but he was dominant allowing 3 singles, 4 walks and striking out 6 in 6 innings, with 1 ER. He also had an 8:4 GO:AO ratio.
• Jon Mikrut pitched a scoreless 7th.

Batavia 7, Auburn 0

• These new kids know how to get on my good side fast. . .throw a shutout. I’m going to list positions with most of the players till we all get accustomed to who the hell these new names are. So many names. . .
• DH Steven Hill went 4-for-5 with a double and a HR.
• C Nicholas Derba went 1-for-3 with a double.
• CF Antonio DeJesus went 2-for-4 and was HBP.
• 1B Andrew Brown 2-for-5 with a triple.
• Joshua Wilson who pitched a few innings for QC last year threw 4 innings allowing 1 hit striking out 3.
• Jesse Todd, whose the only college pitcher they drafted that I don’t hate, struck out 5 in 4 innings with 4 hits allowed.
• Marco Gonzalez struck out 1 in the 9th inning.

Johnson City 7, Greeneville 3 (Game 1: 7 innings)

• 3B Nicholas Vera went 4-for-4 with 2 doubles. Vera went to Trinity University. Stats here, thanks to erik.
• 1B Charles Pelt went 2-for-4 w/ a double.
• RF Jon Edwards went 1-for-4 but collected 2 RBI with his hit.
• Tyler Leach throws 2 innings with 1 BB and 1 K.
• Charles “Thank God I know someone in baseball cause I sucked at it in college” Fick (who gives their kid a middle name like that?) picks up the win with a not sucky performance. 3IP, 1 unearned run, 2H, 1BB, 4K.

Johnson City 3, Greenville 9 (Game 2: 7 innings)

• Vera 1-for-3 with a double and a BB.
• Pelt 2-for-4 with a double.
• Brian Broderick was the only JC pitcher that wasn’t terrible in game 2. He went 4 innings with 2 hits, 2 runs (1 earned) & 3 Ks.

GCL Cardinals 7, GCL Nationals 0

• Don’t know who these bloody people are — erik’s got your back.
• LF Joseph Hage went 1-for-3 with a double.
• RF Edgar Lara went 2-for-3 with a HR.
• SS Romulo Ruiz went 2-for-3 and stole a base.
• DH Jairo Martinez went 1-for-2 with a HR.
• The Gonzalez’s pitched 8 innings tonight. Both Ruyneir and Carlos struck out 4 batters and allowed 3 baserunners.
• Eduardo Sanchez struck out 2 and walked 1 in the 9th.

Tyler Henley’s Rice Owls were eliminated beaten last night. He went 1-for-4.

I think that’s it. I think I covered every game from yesterday. . .I hope I did. Geez, that is a lot of box scores. O and I didn’t actually report this from a van down by a river. But I do miss Chris Farley.