Results for May 12th

[MrCrowesGarden]

The Memphis Redbirds defeated the Las Vegas 51s 2-0.

• Batting Highlights:
  • David Freese was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
  • Bryan Anderson was 1 for 3 with a triple and an RBI.
  • Donovan Solano was 1 for 3 with a run scored.
  Pitching Highlights:
  • 4A Filler Evan MacLane gets the line of the night. He pitched eight shutout innings, allowing five hits and striking out four.
  • Jess Todd gave up a hit in the ninth but still recorded the save.

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The Springfield Cardinals lost to the Arkansas Travelers 3-1.

• Batting Highlights:
  • Pete Kozma was 1 for 2 with a walk and a stolen base.
  • Andrew Brown was 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored.
  • Jim Rapoport was 1 for 4 with an RBI.
  Pitching Highlights:
  • Tyler Herron gave up two runs (one earned) in five innings. He allowed six hits and three walks.
  • Pete Parise gave up a run in his two innings.
  • Brad Furnish got moved to the pen and pitched a scoreless inning, though he did allow two hits.

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The Palm Beach Cardinals lost to the St. Lucie Mets 12-6.

• Batting Highlights:
  • Tommy Pham was 2 for 4 with a walk, a stolen base, a home run and three runs scored.
  • Adron Chambers was 3 for 5 with a triple and three RBI.
  • Jermaine Curtis was 2 for 5.
  Pitching Highlights:
  • Scott Gorgen was knocked around for six runs. He couldn't get out of the 2nd.
  • Shaun Garceau wasn't much better, giving up four runs in two and a third.
  • Mark Diapoules allowed two unearned runs in four innings of work.

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The Quad Cities River Bandits split a doubleheader with the Peoria Chiefs.
They lost the first game 8-2.

• Batting Highlights:
  • Chris Swauger was 1 for 3 with a home run.
  • Charles Cutler was 1 for 3 with a double.
  • Osvaldo Morales was 1 for 3 with a run scored.
  Pitching Highlights:
  • Scott McGregor gave up eight runs (six earned) in three innings.
  • Miguel Tapia threw three scoreless innings, only allowing a hit and a walk.

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They won the second game 4-0.

• Batting Highlights:
  • Osvaldo Morales was 3 for 3 with two home runs and three RBI.
  • Niko Vasquez was 1 for 3.
  • Alex Castellanos was 1 for 3 with a triple and a run scored.
  Pitching Highlights:
  • Arquimedes Nieto pitched five innings of one hit ball, striking out three.
  • Ramon Delgado pitched a perfect inning with a strikeout.
  • Casey Mulligan allowed a rare walk but did pick up another K.

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[greenback44]

Neither Pete Kozma nor Niko Vasquez has a home run yet. Brendan Ryan played part of the game at Memphis.

[MrCrowesGarden]

Neither Pete Kozma nor Niko Vasquez has a home run yet. Brendan Ryan played part of the game at Memphis.

At least Pete's errors have stopped since the promotion to AA (knock on wood). Niko had two more yesterday to give him 13 on the year.

[phins]

There is a reason we haven't been able to find a good SS yet...it's hard to do. There are just not too many players who have the athleticism, arm strength, and bat to play SS at the major league level. You also have to remember, the person must be right handed, so that thins the pool even more.

Hopefully one of these years we can either trade for one, or get one of these guys to develop into an actual above average SS. Kozma has a chance to be a league average SS, and that would be a massive upgrade to what we've had.

[robbotis]

Who is the last league average SS the Cards farm system has produced?
Ozzie, Clayton, Eckstein, & Renteria were traded for.

[phins]

Did we develop Templeton? I thought he was league average-ish. To be clear, I wasn't born when we had him, or was infant-like...

Tyler Greene has a much higher ceiling than Kozma, but Kozma is more likely to reach his.

[Popeye_Card]

Who is the last league average SS the Cards farm system has produced?
Ozzie, Clayton, Eckstein, & Renteria were traded for.

Jack Wilson, but he's below league average (despite making $7.5 million this season--wow).

EDIT: This post reminds me that in the late 90's, we were "loaded" with fringe MI prospects much like we are now with fringe OF prospects. Kennedy, Butler, Wolfe, Polanco, Wilson, Ozuna, etc. Not much came of most of those guys.

[Leroy]

Tripp Cromer.

[robbotis]

Did we develop Templeton? I thought he was league average-ish. To be clear, I wasn't born when we had him, or was infant-like...

Tyler Greene has a much higher ceiling than Kozma, but Kozma is more likely to reach his.

For his career, Templeton sucked. While w/ the Cards he was league average. So, I guess he would be the last. 1 SS in 30 years? Not impressive.

While looking this up I see how allergic to walking Templeton was. 5 seasons of playing everyday and a total of 87 walks in 2889 plate appearances! A season high of 22!

[greenback44]

There is a reason we haven't been able to find a good SS yet...it's hard to do. There are just not too many players who have the athleticism, arm strength, and bat to play SS at the major league level. You also have to remember, the person must be right handed, so that thins the pool even more.

Hopefully one of these years we can either trade for one, or get one of these guys to develop into an actual above average SS. Kozma has a chance to be a league average SS, and that would be a massive upgrade to what we've had.

Yeah, if you're Jeff Luhnow and you want avoid discussions of Scott Boras and money, then this is what you're supposed to say to defend the Kozma pick. That collection of tools is hard to find, and it's probably underrated, since there's nothing to hang your hat on, as there would be with somebody like Wallace. It would be nice if Kozma's hands are better than what I saw last year. It would be even nicer if he turned into something like Polanco or Kennedy (Angels version), among the aforementioned former Cardinal prospects. The complete lack of progress in the power department bothers me; I thought his swing looked worse in July than it did in April, and now I'm left to think that my crappy scouting wasn't quite so crappy.