Future Redbirds

Only in Iowa:

The River Bandits are working with Crop Production Services on the small plot of corn and team groundskeeper Ben Kratz will have the task of overseeing the crop.

“We’ve already got a rabbit or two living in that area, so we’re interested in seeing what else we attract,’’ Goodman said. “By late July, August, we think it’s going to look pretty cool.”

How did I ever find my way up to this state? For those of you who have never had the pleasure of driving through Iowa, this about sums it up-

It’s a slow news day for the farm, so let’s talk draft for a bit.

Saberscouting has it’s first mock draft. Kiley has the Cardinals taking Wentzville’s own Tim Melville. Melville’s numbers are pretty underwhelming as opposed to last season, and many draftniks see Gerrit Cole as having passed him as the top high school pitcher in the draft. There’s an interesting video of Melville at the Suburban Journal website. His velocity was down and he wasn’t his sharpest at the beginning of the season, but reportedly he’s been back sitting in the low nineties and touching 94 again. He received a scare by getting hit in the eye with a stray hockey puck not long ago, but he came back and pitched one of his better games of the season last week; a game in which he cracked a couple of homers. He’s has been called Phil Hughes-lite, which is kind of ironic because the Cards passed on Hughes to get Chris Lambert 4 years ago.

Another mock has the Cards taking high school 3B/RHP Ethan Martin of Georgia. Martin was seen as a 1st rounder because of his bat going into the year, but now scouts think his future is on the mound. He has been throwing 94 with regularity, and touching 96. He also has a slider and a decent splitter. If the Cards had to choose between Melville and Martin, I’d expect they would take Martin but we’ll see. How much do we chalk up the normal ” cold weather-slow start” for Melville? I do know as a former St. Charles county-ite, it’s hard not for me to root for him, but unless is looking really good the rest of the season, and I’m not so sure he’s the guy I’d want to see the Cards take.

On to the action of the night.

Burlington 5, QC 2

• Over 4 innings, Andres Rosales allowed 3 earned runs on 3 walks and 4 hits, including 2 homers while striking out 3. Both homers came against Jason Taylor, a 2nd round pick of the Royals in 2006. Taylor also stole 2 bases against King and De La Cruz.
• Blake King gave up 2 runs, 1 earned on a couple of hits and a couple of walks. He struck out 5 and had a HBP.
• Domnit Bolivar, Jose Garcia and Andrew Brown both went 2 for 4.
• Matt Arburr had the team’s only extra base hit, a double.
• Pete Kozma went 1 for 4 and was hit by a pitch.

Palm Beach 3, St. Lucie 1

• Mark McCormick has only allowed 1 run over 16 innings so far despite walking 12. Tonight he allowed just 2 hits over 4 innings, but walked 4 batters w/ just one K.
• Brad Furnish also gave up just 2 hits over 4 innings, but with no walks and 4 K’s.
• Recently promoted Fransisco Samuel allowed St. Lucie’s only run in an interesting fashion. He allowed a ground rule double to start the inning, walked the next batter, struck out the next two, and then walked the bases loaded. He then balked a run in, and finished the game off with a swinging k. I take it Kenny Maiques has lost the closer job, but judging by this outing the spot is still up for grabs. Samuel, Maiques and Daley have to make up the wildest bullpen in all the minors right now.
• Isa Garcia went 3 for 4 with a double and a walk. In 36 at bats, the former 34th round pick from the 2006 draft is hitting .417/.488/.556.
• Arnoldi Cruz went 3 for 5.
• Daniel Descalso went 1 for 2 but was on base 4 times with a walk and 2 HBP. Gotta like a guy who will do whatever it takes to reach.
• Tommy Pham doubled, walked and struck out.

Springfield 7, Northwest Arkansas 4 (14 innnings)

• Clayton Mortensen went 7 strong innings, allowing a run on 5 hits and walk while striking out 4. He induced 10 ground ball outs and also had a pick off. Mort is looking very strong so far.
• Josh Dew and Zach Zuercher allowed 3 runs in the 8th.
• Fernando Salas held NW Ark in check for 3 innings, allowing 1 hit and K’ing 4.
• Luke Gorsett drove in the go ahead run in the top of the 14th with 2 outs after AJ Van Slyke doubled and Jon Jay was intentionally walked. Gorsett finished 2 for 6, Van Slyke also was 2 for 6, both of his hits were doubles. Jay went 3 for 5 with 2 walks.
• Brandon Yarbrough drove in the Jay and Gorsett in the very next AB. He was 4 for 7.
• Allen Craig was 2 for 7 with a double and had his 3rd error of the season.
• Jose Martinez was 2 for 7 and was caught stealing.
• Tyler Greene went 1 for 5 with a walk, a sac, a K and his 6th error of the season.
• Bryan Anderson (and his pitchers) had a rough night defensively. He allowed 5 steals, catching 2 runners. He allowed 3 steals alone against Ovandy Suero. Anderson was 2 for 6 with a sac. He’s hitting .369 so you can overlook the less then stellar defensive play, I guess.
• Nick Webber picked up the “win”, allowing a hit, a walk w/a K.
• Luke Gregerson picked up the save, walking 1 and striking out 1.

Memphis 10, Round Rock 4

• Mitchell Boggs didn’t have his best game. He went 5 innings, allowed 4 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3.
• Mark Worrell threw a perfect 2 strikeout inning.
• Jason Motte struck out 2 and walked 2 in his 1 inning of work.
• Colby goes yard for the 2nd time in as many days. He also was intentionally walked.
• The red hot Nick Stavinoha goes 4 for 5.
• David Freese went 3 for 5 with a double and a HR and 3 RBI. Sure, he’s 25. But he also skipped AA and seems to have adjusted to AAA just fine. In his last 10 games, he’s hitting .325 with 3 HR and 3 doubles.
• Amaury Marti doubled. Marti shot the sheriff. And he frozen roped the deputy off the right field wall.