Future Redbirds

Be sure to check here and here for the roster transactions that happened yesterday.

Kary Booher profiles tonight’s starter for Springfield: Mitchell Boggs

I imagine that every QC player gets a piece of paper on a clipboard when they arrive at the ballpark the first day. They’re told to sit in the dugout and fill out the questions. Kind of like the Doctor’s office only small children aren’t sneezing and wiping their hands on you, old folk aren’t hacking up a lung and you generally don’t feel like you may contract some terrible illness — otherwise these “interviews” are just like the doctor’s office. Today, get to know Steve Hill C-LF who was the first of the 2007 draft to arrive in QC.

Matthew Pouliot turns in his midseason top 150 prospect list at Rotoworld. Now, things like this are inherently difficult to do. Personally, I would never try to make a list with the pitchers and the hitters together. I’d make two separate lists and then, if my editor said I HAD TO MERGE THEM, I’d go through down the hitters until I reached a point where I thought my first pitcher was better. Thank goodness we don’t have editors around here and I don’t have to try and rank the top 150 prospects. I’m disinclined to the idea of looking at the Cardinals prospects on the same list much less all the prospects. It’s like comparing apples and oranges but whatever — here’s what you really care about:

11. Colby Rasmus - OF Cardinals - DOB: 08/11/86 - ETA: 2009
Previous rankings: 2006 #135, mid-2006 #47, 2007 #27

.258/.354/.513, 16 HR, 52 RBI, 64/39 K/BB, 12 SB in 302 AB for Double-A Springfield

Rasmus figured to struggle some when the Cardinals decided to start him off in Double-A after he hit .254/.351/.404 following his promotion to the FSL last year. However, since a slow start in April, he’s been one of the Texas League’s best players. He currently ranks sixth in the league in OPS and tied for second in homers. Rasmus is penciled in as the Cardinals’ 2009 center fielder, but he’s now a legitimate option to step in next year if Jim Edmonds continues to spend time on the DL. He’s also a possibility to start over Juan Encarnacion in right. Rasmus’ left-handed swing will generate 25- or 30-homer power, and he’s solid enough against southpaws that he should prove to be capable of hitting .280-.300 with a quality OBP. He’s someone for Cardinals fans to get excited about.

Sounds about right to me. 25-30 HRs may be a touch high, but I’m quibbling at that point. Next up:

66. Jaime Garcia - LHP Cardinals - DOB: 07/08/86 - ETA: June 2008
Previous rankings: 2007 #95

4-8, 3.89 ERA, 82 H, 86/36 K/BB in 90 1/3 IP for Double-A Springfield

Garcia fell to the 22nd round in the 2005 draft despite impressive stuff for a left-hander. He gets sinking action on his 89-92 mph fastball, and his sharp curveball has led to many of his strikeouts. That he doesn’t have much more than a show-me third pitch is less of a problem because of all of the grounders he gets. Still, an improved changeup would give him more upside. As is, he appears to be a No. 3 or a No. 4.

I’d like to see another pitch as well but right now Garcia does project as a solid mid-rotation starter. I think the ETA is more like 2009.

83. Chris Perez - RHP Cardinals - DOB: 07/01/85 - ETA: Sept. 2007
85. Bryan Anderson - C Cardinals - DOB: 12/16/86 - ETA: 2009

111. Adam Ottavino - RHP Cardinals - DOB: 11/22/85 - ETA: July 2008

This is where it gets messed up. First off, anyone who ranks a reliever ahead of a 20-year old catcher hitting for average, drawing walks and some power is flat out wrong. Perez is way overranked and Anderson is way underranked. Secondly and you’ll here me say this again and again - Chris Perez has serious issues. He is not ready for the majors. His ETA is more like July-2008. But there are better relievers than Perez down in Springfield (Jason Motte most notably). Adam Ottavino will not be ready by July 2008.

Anyway this intro got a lot longer than I expected. Tonight Chris Perez melts down. Mark Hamilton goes boom. And Jared Schweitzer is perfect. Heeeeeeeeeeeere’s Johnny your Daily Prospect Report.

Memphis 1, Nashvile 7

• SS Mike McCoy went 1-for-3 with a pair of walks.
• Joe Mather went 1-for-3 with a walk.
• Rick Ankiel went 1-for-3 with a walk.
• 7 hits and 7 walks and Memphis could only push one measly batter over the plate.
• Randy Keisler went 6 innings striking out 6 allowing 3 runs.
• Hugo Castellanos and Kelvim Jimenez both allowed 2 runs in their relief innings.

Springfield 6, Wichita 3

• Mark Hamilton went 3-for-5 with a double and a HR.
• Sean Danielson went 2-for-4 with a walk.
• Colby Rasmus went 1-for-5 and stole his 14th base.
• Bryan Anderson went 2-for-5 and scored 2 runs.
• Mitchell Boggs went 6 innings allowing 2 unearned runs on 4 hits, 3 walks and 5 Ks.
• Kyle McClellan has now throw 10.1 scoreless innings at Springfield including his 2 in this game.
• Chris Perez has command issues. I know I harp on this point alot but nights like tonight are why. He came in for the 9th inning:

First Batter: Walks

Second Batter: Strikes out swinging.

Third Batter: Walks, man on 1st and 2nd

Fourth Batter: Fly out to Rasmus

Fifth Batter: Line drive single bases loaded

Sixth Batter: Walks in a run

• Finally, Jason Motte is called in to cleanup this mess and gets the first batter he faces to pop out in foul territory to Mark Hamilton stranding the bases loaded. Thank you Jason.

Palm Peach 6, Clearwater 7

• Jim Rapoport went 2-for-5 with a triple.
• Isaias Garcia and Brandon Yarbrough both went 2-for-4 with a double. Yarbrough also walked.
• SS Jose Contreras went 1-for-2 with 2 BBs.
• The PB Cardinals had 7 extra base hits and 3 walks.
• Adam Ottavino got roughed up a bit. In 5.1 innings he allowed 7 hits, 4 walks and struck out 2 for 4 ER.
• He still would have come out with a win if Matthew Trent hadn’t lost it by allowing 3 runs in 2 innings.
• The opposing starter allowed 6 runs in his 3.2 innings but the Clearwater bullpen shut down the offense after that.

Quad Cities 8, Peoria 5

• C Steve Hill goes 2-for-4 with a double and a walk. If anyone goes to a Quad Cities game (which you should, the stadium is beautiful) — I want to know what this kid’s defense is like.
• 2B Jared Schweitzer went 4-for-4 with a double.
• Every starter had a hit and the team drew 8 walks.
• Tyler Herron wasn’t as sharp as usual. He went 5.2 innings striking out only 3. He was tagged for 9 hits and 5 ER.
• Fortunately, Marco Gonzalez, Kyle Mura and Kenny Maiques combined for 4 scoreless innings receiving a win, hold and save number 20, respectively.

Batavia 5, Lowell 4

• 1B Andrew Brown went 2-for-3 with a double, triple and a walk.
• C David Carpenter, 2B Ross Oeder and RF Mateo Marquez each collected 2 hits.
• SS Oliver Marmol went 0-for-5 with his 8th throwing error.
• Jonathan Stambaugh pitched 2.1 innings allowing 2 hits, 1 walk and 2 Ks.
• Mountain Dew picked up his 3rd save with 1.2 innings allowing 1 hit and striking out a batter. He also stranded Sambaugh’s bequeathed runner.

Johnson City 4, Danville 3

• Mike Folli went 2-for-5 with a double.
• Riportella stole his 7th base in 18 games. In a 162-game season that would be 63 steals.
• Nick Additon allowed 2 HRs (3 runs) in 4 innings of work. He struck out 2 and allowed 7 hits but didn’t walk a batter.
• Steven Hill picked up a save striking out 3 and walking 1 in the 9th.

GCL Cardinals 1, GCL Mets 0 (17 innings)

• This game was started on the 7th of July.
• 2B Guillermo Toribio went 1-for-4 with 3 BBs as the leadoff hitter. He also scored the only run in 17 innings.
• A for Edwin Conde and a for John Buck.
  
• Seven pitchers were used in this game. Here are the notable performances: Carlos Gonzalez - 4IP, 0H, 0BB, 5K; Pablo Ortiz - 1.2 IP, 1H, 1BB, 3K; Matt Spade - 3IP, 2H, 0BB, 4K

GCL Cardinals 8, GCL Mets 2

• This game was played today.
• CF D’ Marcus Ingram went 0-for-1 with a SB, walk and 2HBP.
• Jairo Martinez went 2-for-3 with a double.
• The Gonzalez-es of the GCL Cardinals (Reynier and Carlos) each threw 4 innings. Kinda have to when every other pitcher was used in the previous game. Reynier struck out 3, walked 1 and allowed 4 hits. Carlos struck out 4 walked, 1 and allowed 2 hits. They both were charged with an earned run.