Oscar Taveras

[themiddle54]

If Taveras makes a strong showing in the AFL he might just jump to AA next year out of the gate. That would be pretty exciting to have a kid on the serious fast track to the majors.

I expect him, great AFL or no, to have the same # of Palm Beach PA as Matt Mothergrabbin' Adams.

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

Why would you want him to skip A+ ball?

[pioneer98]

I don't know if he should skip a level or not but he is definitely ready to move out of the MWL. The ball jumps off his bat. Even when he is a bit late or doesn't square it up on the sweet spot, he still hits it hard. Two of his hits (including an opposite field gapper) were like that last game I saw. Also saw him play some decent RF. Made a nice play on a deep ball, and threw a guy out at 3rd on a more routine ball. Not saying he is a spectacular fielder but he at least doesn't seem like a liability out there.

[Slider]

Why would you want him to skip A+ ball?

Part of it is for selfish reasons...I am thinking that Miller and Cox are probably in Memphis next year and even Jackson and Adams...when the birds on bat come to town I want to see a real prospect, no offense to guys like Aaron Luna and Daryl Jones but that ship has sailed.

The other part I kind of get tired of the kiddy gloves with some of our legit prospects. I see Longoria, Trout, Upton, Strausburg, Zimmerman, Castro, Porcello, and many other guys in other systems get moved very very quickly. By NO means do I think Oscar is in the same level as those guys, but those are guys who all made it at a very young age and are/have contributed at the MLB level. I know some of them have struggled but the point remains. I just get tired of our prospects (even though there have been few to be excited about) spend lengths of time in the minors working on things and then brought up to the pro's and treated like a nobody trying to "earn" their playing time. It just seems other org. (and I admit I don't follow others closely) don't do that stupid stuff. I am tired of our prospects coming up at the age of 25-27 before they get a real shot.

Not to start this war up again, but I am glad they traded Rasmus...but I think we "ruined" Rasmus. for AP is the last real prospect that we were aggresive with and even then it took Bonilla getting hurt for TLR to put him on the team. Thankfully AP came out hitting like a mad man so TLR had no choice but to keep him on the roster.

I see no reason at all why Shelby Miller could not be part of our rotation next year...I know he needs to work on his secondary stuff...at least I believe he could be a very useful and dominant bullpen arm. In the "old" days it was year 1 bullpen year 2 SP...I would rather see Shelby do that than spend the next year in Memphis when he has the stuff to contribute now.

I guess my long winded point is this...if Oscar's bat is good enough for AA why would you not send him there...because they HAVE to play in each league?

[Fat Strat]

Just because his bat is playing for 300 PA's in Iowa doesn't mean that he'll be able to hit against mature, legitimate prospects in Springfield. The AFL and PB help you see where he really is. The typical pattern for guys like Taveras is a few months at PB, see if he hits, and then to Springfield. Rasmus had 340 PA's at QC and then off to PB for 200 or so, and then Springfield the next season. Well, Taveras missed a month or so of the season, so he's lost the time that he might have spent at PB this season.

You send him to the AFL, then to a brief stint at PB, and 200 pa's later he'll be in Springfield as a 20 year old, a full 2 years younger than he should be at that level, and possibly at the MLB level at age 21. That's a pretty aggressive promotion strategy, really.

[go birds]

Is Shane victorino a good projected comparison? Or can we expect more power as Taveras fills out?

And slider I completely agree with you but on the same token were not coaches so we don't see what they see. personally I'm not a fan of letting the kids figure it out at the major league level. But then again if the level they are at isn't a challenge then yea move them up.

[Fat Strat]

Is Shane victorino a good projected comparison?

Definitely not.

What you would be looking for in a comp is a guy who fell under the radar some, but has an exceptionally quick bat, a line drive hitter who hits a ton of doubles (some of which leave the park), who makes great contact, but has very good patience. This would be a guy who projects as a high average hitter, high on base percentage, with power to all fields, great plate coverage and unusual strength. Probably someone who will move quickly and challenge the organization to play him and promote him despite his age.

If only I could think of someone in recent Cardinals history who fit that profile to compare him to...

[go birds]

John gall?

[Fat Strat]

John gall?

Taveras is not a future Hall of Famer.

Seriously, though, from the Cards Pujols is probably as good a comp as any. Any comparison to Pujols makes it sound like I'm suggesting he's some all-time player and prospect. But, really, I just mean that their skillset matches up to a decent degree.

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

Why would you want him to skip A+ ball?

Part of it is for selfish reasons...I am thinking that Miller and Cox are probably in Memphis next year and even Jackson and Adams...when the birds on bat come to town I want to see a real prospect, no offense to guys like Aaron Luna and Daryl Jones but that ship has sailed.

The other part I kind of get tired of the kiddy gloves with some of our legit prospects. I see Longoria, Trout, Upton, Strausburg, Zimmerman, Castro, Porcello, and many other guys in other systems get moved very very quickly. By NO means do I think Oscar is in the same level as those guys, but those are guys who all made it at a very young age and are/have contributed at the MLB level. I know some of them have struggled but the point remains. I just get tired of our prospects (even though there have been few to be excited about) spend lengths of time in the minors working on things and then brought up to the pro's and treated like a nobody trying to "earn" their playing time. It just seems other org. (and I admit I don't follow others closely) don't do that stupid stuff. I am tired of our prospects coming up at the age of 25-27 before they get a real shot.

Not to start this war up again, but I am glad they traded Rasmus...but I think we "ruined" Rasmus. for AP is the last real prospect that we were aggresive with and even then it took Bonilla getting hurt for TLR to put him on the team. Thankfully AP came out hitting like a mad man so TLR had no choice but to keep him on the roster.

I see no reason at all why Shelby Miller could not be part of our rotation next year...I know he needs to work on his secondary stuff...at least I believe he could be a very useful and dominant bullpen arm. In the "old" days it was year 1 bullpen year 2 SP...I would rather see Shelby do that than spend the next year in Memphis when he has the stuff to contribute now.

I guess my long winded point is this...if Oscar's bat is good enough for AA why would you not send him there...because they HAVE to play in each league?

All good points. I just thought he still had a few issues to work out with his swing/holes. IFF he doesn't and he has good plate discipline, then by all means send him to AA or wherever he belongs.

FWIW, I too am sick of the Cardinals babying their minor leagues ala Rasmus in 2008. Though...they really haven't had someone to baby since then.