The Cardinals took one more step closer to a championship by signing Cliff Politte to a minor league contact and inviting him to spring training. YES! Another Festivus Miracle!
Sarcasm aside, Politte was originally drafted by the Cardinals in 1995 in the 54th round and once was the organizational pitcher of the year. His background is an cautionary tale when it comes to evaluating pitching prospects.
As AZ illustrated the other day, 54th rounders usually don’t make their way to the bigs. In 1996, Politte dominated the Midwest League as a 22 year old, striking out 151 batters in 150 innings, walking 47 and allowed just 108 hits. Talk about a draft day find. He showed up with a fastball that touched the mid-nineties and sharp 85 MPH slider.
In 1997 for A+ Prince William, Politte was named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Year. He struck out 118 batters in 120.1 IP. He still was proving tough to hit, giving up just 89. He was promoted mid season to AA Arkansas. He continued to do well, striking out 26 in 38 innings while walking 9 batters and allowing 35 hits. He was a Baseball America 1st team Minor League All-Star SP and also the Cardinal organizational pitcher of the year.
In ‘98 Politte started his season in the big leagues. He made 8 starts and didn’t necessarily shine. He allowed 26 earned runs on 45 hits and 18 walks, striking out 22 in 38.2 IP. He earned himself a one way ticket back to Arkansas. Back at AA he was striking out fewer batters then usual, (6.31 K/9) but he also was walking fewer (1.66). Still he was difficult to hit, allowing 56 in 87 innings. He moved up to AAA and got battered worse there then what happened to him in the show. He surrendered 10 big flies in just 50 innings, and his command was shaky.
On 11/19/98, Politte was traded by the St. Louis Cardinals with Jeff Brantley and Ron Gant to the Philadelphia Phillies for Ricky Bottalico and Garrett Stephenson. Not a world beating trade by any means for Jocketty, but the Birds did milk a couple seasons of league average pitching from Stephenson, and 20 cheap saves from Bottalico. Politte’s career took a different turn. The Phillies jerked him around from starting and relieving, from the majors and the minors, and he was the victim of some freak injuries. He was traded to Toronto and had a trial run as the team’s closer. He finally settled into the middle of the bullpen, and had a hand in the 2005 White Sox’s championship. Now he’s trying to comeback from rotator cuff surgery after a stint with the Indians.
What lesson does Politte teach us? One, it seems La Russa lost patience with him far too early. 8 wishy-washy starts to begin the season is usually a bad reason to be pulled from the rotation. Anthony Reyes isn’t the first young stud to shoot up the organizational ladder, only to be dinked around with by LaRuncan. On the other hand, despite his great minor league performance there was a reason he wasn’t drafted early. Politte’s generously listed 5′11″, when he’s more like 5′9″. Maybe he should have been pegged as a future reliever, but I’m sure the team figured “why mess with him?” because of his performance as a starter. Being that he is smallish and at that time lacking in secondary offerings, Politte at least could’ve benefited from a bullpen apprenticeship first, especially considering he skipped AAA.
I doubt he has much of an impact if any on the 2008 season, but I guess it’s sorta neat to see a local guy come around full circle. I think the biggest object lesson he serves is that pitchers are so freaking unpredictable, and they need to be handled with care.
Filed under: Cliff Politte, Redbird recollections
erik
azruavatar
fewgoodcards
roarke49
theredbaaron
It may also be a lesson about rushing pitchers too fast. A half season at AA priot to a call up seems very optimistic.
since he is local from Mo. he was probably examined and deemed OK by team doctors and thought to be of value to have at Memphis just for assurance, In case of injury he could get the call over some younger pitchers with more value but out of options. Could he be shuttled back and forth to Memphis since his is a minor league contract or would he have to be waved? Don’t know this rule.
Yes, he’d have to clear waivers every time after he’s been added to the roster (no waivers required for him to sart the season at Memphis).
carioca–agree w/you on the aggressive promotion. A full year in AAA would’ve made a lot more sense.
What about a shuttle or two on and off the DL for players like Pollite. Is this something MLB is lapse on watching or do they stay on top of moves like that and fine clubs? Seems to me it happens often.
If he’s good enough to pitch for us he’ll stay on the roster. If he’s not, probably nobody else will claim him anyway. Its not like a team will claim him hoping he will get better in the future. At his age, what you see is what you get.
that makes sense
Ahhh midnight reading. These signings can only be good from my point of view. You are really just subbing Politte in for the last pitcher on Memphis’ roster, so no biggie… Not a world beater, but won’t really hurt either.
Thanks for the read.
I think Politte never sees Memphis in any case. Either he takes Jiminez’s spot or someone else that get hurts in the Spring or he gets cut. With Perez, Motte, Worrell, Sillman, Dove, McClellen, Flores, Castellanos, and probably Haberer all pen candidates in Memphis, Politte finding a spot there seems unlikely.
I grew up playing soccer for Busch with Cliff. He was a fantastic soccer player and had there been a professional future in soccer at the time he graduated from high school his career path might have been different. i think its great that he’ll get a chance to pitch for his hometown team again and if he is recovered from the surgery he has a chance to be an effective middle reliever. For the price it is worth a shot.
Deja Vu. There was a minor league pitcher signed with the Cardinals in about 1960 by the name Cliff Politte. Any relation to the current Cliff Politte?