Comments on: UPDATED: No Russell or Stutes http://futureredbirds.com/2007/08/15/no-russell/ Baseball's Future in the Gateway City Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:25:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU hourly 1 By: Grant http://futureredbirds.com/2007/08/15/no-russell/#comment-5697 Grant Thu, 16 Aug 2007 20:53:36 +0000 http://futureredbirds.com/2007/08/15/no-russell/#comment-5697 I don't know what to think about the leaders of this organization anymore. They won't spend money on Free Agents (good ones anyway), or on the draft. I hope there is a change in philosophy before Albert becomes a FA. As for Stutes, I'm not that upset he didn't sign. From what I saw of him, we have enough pitchers like him in the system already. His stuff reminded me of Josh Kinney. I don’t know what to think about the leaders of this organization anymore. They won’t spend money on Free Agents (good ones anyway), or on the draft. I hope there is a change in philosophy before Albert becomes a FA.

As for Stutes, I’m not that upset he didn’t sign. From what I saw of him, we have enough pitchers like him in the system already. His stuff reminded me of Josh Kinney.

]]> By: lopey http://futureredbirds.com/2007/08/15/no-russell/#comment-5655 lopey Thu, 16 Aug 2007 05:37:38 +0000 http://futureredbirds.com/2007/08/15/no-russell/#comment-5655 I'm not sure i buy this entire "rift in the front office thing" either, azru. the main thing is, like whiteyball mentioned, they had to know that this guy was going to want some big bucks since he has great power potential (and before people scoff at an Adam Dunn comparison they might be interested in knowing that Dunn is projected to finish top 5 in Homeruns in the major leagues this year). So why did they even waste the pick if they weren't willing to break the bank from the get-go? They could have just picked some college senior with triple a potential and signed him at the slot price instead of just flat out wasting a 4th rounder. Then again, maybe they wanted to draft him just so they could keep someone else from drafting him and wait and see how his next college season goes? Seems unlikely, but i've seen crazier things happen i suppose. I’m not sure i buy this entire “rift in the front office thing” either, azru. the main thing is, like whiteyball mentioned, they had to know that this guy was going to want some big bucks since he has great power potential (and before people scoff at an Adam Dunn comparison they might be interested in knowing that Dunn is projected to finish top 5 in Homeruns in the major leagues this year). So why did they even waste the pick if they weren’t willing to break the bank from the get-go? They could have just picked some college senior with triple a potential and signed him at the slot price instead of just flat out wasting a 4th rounder.

Then again, maybe they wanted to draft him just so they could keep someone else from drafting him and wait and see how his next college season goes? Seems unlikely, but i’ve seen crazier things happen i suppose.

]]> By: erik http://futureredbirds.com/2007/08/15/no-russell/#comment-5649 erik Thu, 16 Aug 2007 03:16:15 +0000 http://futureredbirds.com/2007/08/15/no-russell/#comment-5649 i think the bottom line is we can speculate all we want, but we don't know who's fault it really is. the hendrick bros could be asking for too much jack, dewitt could be being cheap, walt could not be sold on him and therefore unwilling to negotiate more...who knows for sure? after calming down a bit and getting my emotions out of it, it's not the end of the world. yes, russell struggled with wood bats but i still think he'll be fine and his upside was worth spending what they would spend on a run of the mill reliever or a bench player. apparently the cardinals didn't. that's the bottom line. just hopefully he doesn't go to the cubs or the astros or something like that. :) i think the bottom line is we can speculate all we want, but we don’t know who’s fault it really is. the hendrick bros could be asking for too much jack, dewitt could be being cheap, walt could not be sold on him and therefore unwilling to negotiate more…who knows for sure? after calming down a bit and getting my emotions out of it, it’s not the end of the world. yes, russell struggled with wood bats but i still think he’ll be fine and his upside was worth spending what they would spend on a run of the mill reliever or a bench player. apparently the cardinals didn’t. that’s the bottom line. just hopefully he doesn’t go to the cubs or the astros or something like that. :)

]]> By: whiteyball http://futureredbirds.com/2007/08/15/no-russell/#comment-5646 whiteyball Thu, 16 Aug 2007 01:42:32 +0000 http://futureredbirds.com/2007/08/15/no-russell/#comment-5646 Russell's teammate, Brad Suttle, was also a fourth round pick and got 1.3 million from the Yankees. Suttle, too, is represented by the Hendricks. His bonus in a record for a fourth round pick. Russell is considered to have a higher upside but Suttle is supposed to be a safer bet to hit at the higher levels. So, I would guess that Russell was asking for this much or more and the Cardinals were not willing to set the $$ record for a fourth round pick. Do you want to give a record bonus to a guy who has tremendous power, but strikes out quite a bit and has struggled with wood bats? www.whiteyball.com Russell’s teammate, Brad Suttle, was also a fourth round pick and got 1.3 million from the Yankees. Suttle, too, is represented by the Hendricks. His bonus in a record for a fourth round pick. Russell is considered to have a higher upside but Suttle is supposed to be a safer bet to hit at the higher levels. So, I would guess that Russell was asking for this much or more and the Cardinals were not willing to set the $$ record for a fourth round pick. Do you want to give a record bonus to a guy who has tremendous power, but strikes out quite a bit and has struggled with wood bats?

http://www.whiteyball.com

]]> By: Paul http://futureredbirds.com/2007/08/15/no-russell/#comment-5641 Paul Wed, 15 Aug 2007 23:54:12 +0000 http://futureredbirds.com/2007/08/15/no-russell/#comment-5641 McKormick??? Awesome! Hope he can stay healthy and advance quickly McKormick??? Awesome! Hope he can stay healthy and advance quickly

]]> By: Mike http://futureredbirds.com/2007/08/15/no-russell/#comment-5640 Mike Wed, 15 Aug 2007 23:39:41 +0000 http://futureredbirds.com/2007/08/15/no-russell/#comment-5640 How is this Jocketty's fault? He needs Dewitt's approval to sign these kids. How is this Jocketty’s fault? He needs Dewitt’s approval to sign these kids.

]]> By: picklefork http://futureredbirds.com/2007/08/15/no-russell/#comment-5639 picklefork Wed, 15 Aug 2007 23:18:20 +0000 http://futureredbirds.com/2007/08/15/no-russell/#comment-5639 If the guy is so bad with the wood and is going to be expensive, why was he picked in the 1st place? Again to me its either them being cheap or them being poor talent evaluators. Either way, its not a good scenario. If the guy is so bad with the wood and is going to be expensive, why was he picked in the 1st place?

Again to me its either them being cheap or them being poor talent evaluators.

Either way, its not a good scenario.

]]> By: mateodh http://futureredbirds.com/2007/08/15/no-russell/#comment-5638 mateodh Wed, 15 Aug 2007 23:16:11 +0000 http://futureredbirds.com/2007/08/15/no-russell/#comment-5638 Mark McCormick sighting! Pitched a perfect inning for the GCL team today, struck out one. Let's hope he stays on the mound from here on out, and can finish with something encouraging. Mark McCormick sighting! Pitched a perfect inning for the GCL team today, struck out one. Let’s hope he stays on the mound from here on out, and can finish with something encouraging.

]]> By: snakestl http://futureredbirds.com/2007/08/15/no-russell/#comment-5637 snakestl Wed, 15 Aug 2007 22:49:09 +0000 http://futureredbirds.com/2007/08/15/no-russell/#comment-5637 It's not a big deal. The guy hasn't shown any ability to hit with a wood bat and, if there's one thing the Cardinals have, it's OF prospects. Move on. It’s not a big deal. The guy hasn’t shown any ability to hit with a wood bat and, if there’s one thing the Cardinals have, it’s OF prospects. Move on.

]]> By: erik http://futureredbirds.com/2007/08/15/no-russell/#comment-5636 erik Wed, 15 Aug 2007 22:46:21 +0000 http://futureredbirds.com/2007/08/15/no-russell/#comment-5636 the rift has already been noted by local and nat'l media alike. i don't think walt was doing this as a jab at jl, but i think luhnow would've done more in negotiating then walt did. i mean, it took them how long to get an official offer, if he ever got one? i don't know what happened behind closed doors so i can only draw stupid conclusions. just put yourself in luhnow's shoes and ask yourself how you would be feeling right now. you pick the guy. take a calculated risk. and the guys who are threatened (reportedly) by you don't do the job it takes, and down play the abilities of a player you were thoroughly sold on. russell would've been a feather in luhnow's cap, now he's gone because these guys can't get on the same page. it's ludicrous. the rift has already been noted by local and nat’l media alike. i don’t think walt was doing this as a jab at jl, but i think luhnow would’ve done more in negotiating then walt did. i mean, it took them how long to get an official offer, if he ever got one? i don’t know what happened behind closed doors so i can only draw stupid conclusions.

just put yourself in luhnow’s shoes and ask yourself how you would be feeling right now. you pick the guy. take a calculated risk. and the guys who are threatened (reportedly) by you don’t do the job it takes, and down play the abilities of a player you were thoroughly sold on.

russell would’ve been a feather in luhnow’s cap, now he’s gone because these guys can’t get on the same page. it’s ludicrous.

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