Guess the Memphis opening day roster
(update-WordPress’s comments filters is out of whack, a lot of your comments are showing up as spam. I’ll check the spam filter and release them as I get them, hopefully WP will get the matter resolved soon.)
Just for fun today, we can start our guesses for the rosters of full season teams. Here’s mine:
Lineup-
C-Mark Johnson
1B-Josh Phelps
2B-Jarrett Hoffpauir
3B-Brian Barden
SS-Brendan Ryan
LF-Cody Haerther
CF-Colby Rasmus
RF-Joe Mather
DH-Nick Stavinoha
Bench- C Matt Pagnozzi, 1B/3B Rico Washington, UTIL D’Angelo Jimenez
Rotation-
SP-Blake Hawksworth
SP-Mike Parisi
SP-Dewon Brazelton
SP-Mitch Boggs
SP-Kyle McClellan
Bullpen-
CL-Chris Perez
SU-Jason Motte
MR-Mark Worrell
MR-Hugo Castellanos
MR-Ron Flores
MR-John Wasdin
MR-Eric Haberer
For once in a long time, baseball could be pretty exciting in Memphis this year.
Filed under: 2008 rosters













It’s a bit early to be predicting who will be on the Memphis roster since we don’t know yet who will be with the Cardinals. You are obviously assuming Ryan won’t be in St. Louis on opening day; I think he will. I also think Freese will be given a shot to play third at Memphis, clearing the way for Craig in Springfield. I think the Memphis shortstop will be either Barden or Martinez. If Martinez loses that competition, he returns to Springfield as a starter (perhaps at second with Greene at short); if Martinez wins, Barden remains to fill in at short, second, or third as needed. I see Jimenez as more likely a backup in St. Louis than Memphis; I suppose he could wind up as the starting shortstop in Memphis if Martinez isn’t ready or Barden is deemed inadequate.
I also think Marti is going to get a shot at Memphis this year.
I tried to post this earlier but it didn’t stick so here goes again:
C - Mark Johnson
1B - Josh Phelps
2B - Jarret Hoffpauier
3B - David Freese
SS - Brian Barden
LF - Cody Haerther
CF - Colby Rasmus
RF - Joe Mather
Bench - Same as erik (not too important)
SP 1 - Kyle McClellan
SP 2 - Mike Parisi
SP 3 - Mitch Boggs
SP 4 - Stu Pomeranz
SP 5 - Blake Hawksworth
CL - Chris Perez
8th - Mark Worrell
7th - Jason Motte
MR - Dewon Brazleton
MR - Hugo Castellanos
LH - Ron Flores
LH - Eric Haberer
I have tried twice to post my guesses…neither has shown up.
Is this the Memphis opening day roster? Because I’m thinking that at some point this year, the Memphis rotation could include Jaime Garcia, PJ Walters, Clayton Mortensen, and possibly Adam Ottavino. Not to mention all of the position players who could be promoted midseason.
>>3B-Brian Barden<<
I thought David Freese was supposed to go to AAA to play 3B. The Cardinals should have given Barden the 3B starts last year that went to Miguel Cairo just to get a look at what he has to offer. With Allen Craig at AA and Freese at AAA, I wonder what becomes of Barden? Perhaps he’ll start @ SS if Ryan makes the Cardinals due to Speizio falling off the wagon (if he were on the wagon).
Erik,
I don’t see Brazelton starting, but I honestly have no idea who to replace him with. My dream would be to have Garcia penciled in, but I figure he would be the first on called up from Springfield.
As for the everyday roster, I want to see Rasmus play everyday so Memphis makes more sense until July. Our two 3B prospects could be at Memphis and Springfield if Barden gets the back-up job to Glaus.
Wow, I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun thinking about the Redbirds! Thank goodness baseball is back.
Dont forget about Juan Gozalez. I read in the post that if he doesnt make the team out of ST then he will accept a AAA assignment. That hurts just typing it.
Gonzalez, sorry
do i have to have a website to comment?
it is fun. ill be glad to see mather back if he plays here. he’s so close to ready.
The way I see it we have way to many guys we really don’t want to lose and not enough places to put them. Pitching being relatively deep in our system in AA and AAA. The farm has definately improved in recent years but we are lacking in high cieling toolsy prospects. I don’t see how we can stay stocked to the gills with these middle infielders and not let some one go or trade them. The way I see it is if Tony keeps Ryan with the big club I’d be surprised. That leaves us with (betwee 2b, ss, and 3b) Hoffpauier, Freese, Barden, Ryan, Jimenez, and Washington. That’s not including Martinez who I think should be playing in AAA and I’d still like to see what Greene can do when healthy. I wonder if we can turn some of or excess mediocracy into some low level talent.
I think we’ll see Marti on the big league roster since they’ll be afraid of what he would do to them if he was sent away from camp. As some may have noticed, he wasn’t one of the 10 cuts recently made.
first off, ryan is making the team unless they sign someone else between now and march 31st.
1B Josh Phelps
2B Jarrett Hoffpauir
3B David Freese
SS Brian Barden
C Mark Johnson
LF Cody Haerther/Nick Stavinoha
CF Colby Rasmus
RF Joe Mather
SP Mike Parisi
SP Kyle McClellan
SP Mitch Boggs
SP Blake Hawksworth
SP Dewon Brazelton
CL Chris Perez
RP Jason Motte
RP Mark Worrell
RP Hugo Castellanos
RP John Wasdin
RP Ron Flores
Any of these rosters makes Memphis more interesting than the last several years. There is also likely going to be a great deal of movement during the year with Garcia, Ottavino, Anderson, Martinez, Jay et al pressing for advancement. Hopefully some of the Memphis roster can move up to the big club or perform well enough to have trade value.
I also think that Ryan will make the Cardinals and stay all year.
Here’s my guess. Mostly I agree with eric, but with a few changes.
Lineup-
C-Mark Johnson
1B-Josh Phelps
2B-Jarrett Hoffpauir
3B-David Freese
SS-Brian Barden
LF-Cody Haerther
CF-Colby Rasmus
RF-Joe Mather
DH-Nick Stavinoha
Bench- C Matt Pagnozzi, 1B/3B Rico Washington, UTIL D’Angelo Jimenez
Rotation-
SP-Blake Hawksworth
SP-Mike Parisi
SP-Dewon Brazelton
SP-Mitch Boggs
SP-Kyle McClellan
Bullpen-
CL-Chris Perez
SU-Jason Motte
MR-Mark Worrell
MR-Hugo Castellanos
MR-Ron Flores
MR-John Wasdin
MR-Eric Haberer
This is one of my favorite exercises:
Lineup:
Johnson C
Phelps 1B
Hoffpauir 2B
Freese 3B
Jimenez SS
Stavinoha LF
Rasmus CF
Mather RF
Bench:
Gonzalez OF/DH
Haerther OF
Barden IF
Washington IF
Pagnozzi C
Rotation:
Boggs R
Hawksworth R
Parisi R
Brazelton R
Haberer L
Bullpen:
Perez CL
Motte R
Worrell R
Politte R
Scherer R
Flores L
Villone L
I see Kelvin Jimenez getting cut, since he’s redundant with Politte around. I’m like Castellanos to make the ML roster. McClellan starts the year out at Springfield making the transition to starter. Haberer gets pushed to AAA for his age 25 season. Marti either plays in Mexico again or goes back to AA. If Gonzalez makes the STL roster, I’d guess that he’d push out either Barton or bump Ludwick down to AAA, both undesirable outcomes. I like Barden in a 3B-SS-2B utility role with Jimenez working out at short regularly.
C Johnson
1B Phelps
2B Hoffpauir
SS Barden
3B Freese
LF Stavinoha
CF Rasmus
RF Mather
C Pagnozzi
IF Jimenez
IF Washington
OF Haerther
OF Marti
SP McClellan
SP Boggs
SP Hawksworth
SP Parisi
SP Brazelton
CL Perez
SU Worrell
MR Motte
MR Politte
MR Castellanos
MR Haberer
LR Villone