Progeny of Pagnozzi

Cardinals 11, Braves 2

2006-03-19T18:32:00.000-06:00

Sidney Ponson took the mound and only allowed two runs, one unearned, and five hits as he tossed five solid innings to best the Atlanta Braves 11-2 this afternoon. He had one strikeout and allowed a pair of walks. Big Sid seems to have wrapped up the final rotation spot, an announcement at this point would be nothing more than a formality.

What does that signal for the young Anthony Reyes? It’s hard to tell at this point as manager Tony LaRussa has stated he is still leaning towards carrying 12 pitchers on the roster to open the season. There could be a bullpen vacancy for Reyes, though the relievers continued to pitch well again today. A little more seasoning at triple-A Memphis seems more likely at this point.

Josh Hancock, Ricardo Rincon, Jeff Nelson and Brad Thompson each threw a perfect inning in relief. They combined to retire twelve straight batters to end the game. Non-roster invitees Hancock and Nelson each had a pair of strikeouts.

The bullpen mix is hard to figure out at this time, even though we know that there most likely will be seven slots available. The superb play by non-roster invitees and contracted players alike has not made the decision any easier for LaRussa and pitching coach Dave Duncan.

Scott Rolen had an RBI groundout in the first and a two-run single in the third. ScoRo also received a free pass in a separate at-bat. He appears to be fully recovered from a pair of surgeries in the last year and primed to make a run at the National League comeback player of the year award.

Shortstop David Eckstein continued to set the table for his teammates as he reached base three times - with a single, a walk and a hit-by-pitch. He scored a pair of runs.

Skip Schumaker went 2-for-4 with an RBI double, a single and a run scored. Chris Duncan again made good on the at-bats he has been given this spring as he drove in two runs with a double. Reserve outfielder/pinch-hitter John Gall hit a towering three-run homer to left field in the eighth.

Schumaker and Gall are still fighting for a reserve outfield role. C-Dunc is already assured of beginning the year at triple-A Memphis to get regular at-bats and some more work in the outfield.

The Cardinals will square off against the Braves again tomorrow at 12:05 p.m. CST at Roger Dean Stadium. Anthony Reyes will make his final case for a rotation job as he faces the old reliable John Smoltz of the Braves in what should be a dandy. The game will be covered by ESPN.

A Family Tradition

2006-03-19T00:03:00.000-06:00

Even though Tony LaRussa has stated that Chris Duncan will begin the year at triple-A Memphis in order to learn the intricacies of playing the corner outfield positions there is no denying the impact he has had this spring for the St. Louis Cardinals.

So while he will not be amongst the 25 players dressed in Cardinal red for the opening of Busch III there is no doubt that he will soon be donning a St. Louis uniform, and that it should be for a long, long while.

C-Dunc was a supplemental first round selection in the 1999 draft (46th overall), at the time many baseball insiders thought that the pick had some nepotism involved. By many others it was considered a reach taking him so early. This may also be compounded by the fact that the Cardinals took reigning MVP Albert Pujols’s cousin Wilfrido Pujols in the sixth round, former Card Andy Van Slyke’s son A.J. Van Slyke in the 23rd round (710th overall) and Hall of Famer Red Schoendienst’s great nephew Jesse Schoendienst in the 40th round in last years draft.

Duncan has surprised many both inside and outside the organization with his play. He started as a first baseman in the Cardinals system but has agreed to learn to play the outfield corners so that he can find his way to St. Louis, first base is currently tied up by some guy named Albert Pujols.

Duncan hit .265/.358/.469/.827 with 21 home runs, 21 doubles and 73 RBI in 431 at-bats for triple-A Memphis in 2005. Over seven professional seasons he has hit .261/.339/.413/.752 with 86 home runs and 424 RBI in 2871 minor league at-bats. C-Dunc has hit .286 with four homers and four doubles in 49 at-bats over 15 games thus far this spring for the Redbirds.

Wilfrido Pujols failed to hit for much at the high school level and that carried over into 2005 with rookie level Johnson City as he hit .143/.194/.175/.369 in 63 at-bats. He is a player that the St. Louis organization felt they had to have, even if it meant reaching for him in the draft. GM Walt Jocketty even publicly acknowledged that he may have selected Wilfrido a round or two early but that the team liked his upside and that he fully expects a hefty return on the sixth round selection. If he turns out to be anything like his cousin Albert, himself a 13th round selection in 1999, then the Cardinals front office will be elated.

A.J. Van Slyke fared better than Wilfrido Pujols in his professional debut as he hit .365/.398/.612/1.010 with four home runs and 19 RBI in 85 at-bats between rookie level Johnson City (50 at-bats) and short-season New Jersey (35 at-bats). A.J. did have a banner season for the Kansas Jayhawks in 2005 as he hit .323/.404/.538/.942 with 12 homers, five swipes and 57 RBI in 223 at-bats.

Jesse Schoendienst failed to sign with the Cards after being drafted and opted to remain at Old Dominion University. He did hit .276 with a pair of home runs, five stolen bases and 18 RBI in 152 at-bats as Old Dominion’s shortstop in 2005. The St. Louis front office advised him to return for his senior season to get a little stronger and work on his hitting. They have plans to sign him as a draft-and-follow player before he is eligible to reenter the 2006 draft pool. The Cards like his quick hands and defense but have a few concerns with the maturity of his bat at this point. Through 18 games this season Jesse is hitting .389/.439/.593/1.032 with one homer and nine RBI.

This after selecting Duncan, the son of big league pitching coach Dave Duncan, previously along with first-base coach Dave McKay’s son Cody McKay in the fifth round (127th overall) in the 1995 draft (though he did not sign). Cody did hit .278/.323/.444/.767 in 2004 and .213/.362/.319/.681 in 2005, both for triple-A Memphis after being signed as a free agent on Novemeber 5, 2003 from the Oakland Athletics whom acquired him in the ninth round (255th overall) in the 1996 draft. McKay suffered a fractured bone in his left arm and was released from the organization on July 16, 2005.

The Redbirds also had Aaron Herr playing double-A ball for them last year in Springfield. He is the son of Tom Herr who was the second baseman on the 1982 World Championship team. To be fair Aaron was a first round selection in 2000 (40th overall) by the Atlanta Braves and played quite well as he hit .298/.336/.498/.834 with 21 homers and 81 RBI. He is now in the Cincinnati Reds organization.

As you can see the Cardinals have had some hits and some misses when it comes to drafting or acquiring legacies. Has there been some degree of nepotism involved here? Only the front office truly knows, though it is quite obvious that there is a family aura taking place in and around the St. Louis organization. Once a part of the Cardinals family, always a part of the Cardinals family.

Saturday’s Birdfeed: 03.18.2006

2006-03-18T17:18:00.000-06:00

Chris Carpenter has been abut near perfect as you could possibly imagine this spring. Yes his record is 2-0 in Grapefruit League play, but that doesn’t compare to the fact that he has yet to surrender a single run (earned or unearned) in 16 innings of work thus far. That streak has now spanned four starts and counting.

Brian Falkenborg, a non-roster invitee fighting to make the ballclub, also has yet to be charged with a run this spring.

LOOGY Ricardo Rincon has joined the team since Mexico was eliminated from the World Baseball Classic. He helped the Mexicans eliminate the favored U.S. squad from the WBC. Rincon was happy to get the opportunity to represent his country but is now focused on gearing up for the regular season and helping the Cardinals return to the World Series after a one-year hiatus.

Adam Wainwright was impressive Friday versus the Yankees but still figures to open the year with triple-A Memphis. Though he could be the first pitcher recalled to St. Louis if there is an injury to the rotation or Sidney Ponson and/or Anthony Reyes fail to perform to expectations. Wainy has worked himself out of jams this spring and has shown supreme confidence on the mound, something he lacked when he first came over in the J.D. Drew deal with Atlanta.

David Eckstein returned to the lineup Saturday versus Baltimore. He had been out two days with the stomach flu. Eck collected a pair of hits and stole a base against the O’s.

Larry Bigbie’s sore left achilles’ tendon is progressing nicely. He was diagnosed with tendinitis and hopes to be back on the field this week. There is a chance he could play tomorrow versus the Braves.

Scott Rolen made consecutive starts for the first time this spring on Thursday and Friday. He has been superb both in the field and at the plate thus far. He seems fully recovered from a pair of surgeries in 2005 and should be ready to log his full load this season.

Non-roster invitee Brian Daubach continues to be impressive in his bid to make the team. He now has driven in nine runs in 24 at-bats. Dauber is definitely taking advantage of Albert Pujols’s absence as he plays in the WBC.

Tony LaRussa has once again stated that he is leaning toward carrying 12 pitchers on the Opening Day roster.

Cardinals 7, Orioles 0

2006-03-18T16:58:00.000-06:00

The St. Louis Cardinals blanked the Baltimore Orioles 7-0 in front of 6,482 onlookers at Fort Lauderdale Stadium this afternoon.

The St. Louis pitchers combined for a four hit shutout. Chris Carpenter pitched five two-hit innings, striking out three. He has continued his remarkable run this spring as he has yet to surrender a single run in 16 innings of work. He is now a perfecto 2-0 in Grapefruit League play.

Juan Mateo pitched a perfect sixth inning. Alan Benes came aboard to pitch a one-hit seventh. Randy Flores pitched a one-hit eighth, recording a strikeout. Brian Falkenborg rode a perfect ninth inning to close out the game. Falkenborg, a non-roster invitee, has yet to be charged with a run.

John Rodriguez took a free pass in the second inning and scored on Yadier Molina’s double to the left-center gap. The Cards sent eight batters to the box in the inning.

Chris Duncan and John Gall drove in two runs apiece, as the Redbirds used a four-run third to pace a 5-0 lead on Bruce Chen. Brian Daubach hit a sacrifice fly (Dauber now has nine RBI in 24 spring at-bats), Gall blooped a two-run double off of the left-centerfield wall and John Rodriguez singled to bring Gall across the plate.

Tony LaRussa also seemed to take a page from Whitey Herzog this afternoon as David Eckstein, So Taguchi and Junior Spivey all swiped bags versus the Orioles. Other Redbirds credited with base knocks were David Eckstein, who was 2-for-4, and Junior Spivey. Eck returned to the lineup after missing two days with the stomach flu.

St. Louis now heads back to Jupiter to face the Atlanta Braves tomorrow at 12:05 p.m. CST. Sidney Ponson will take the ball to begin the game as he aims to win the last spot in the Redbird rotation. Tim Hudson will take the mound for the Braves. The game will be covered by FOX Sports Net Midwest.

PECOTA: Catchers

2006-03-18T12:03:00.000-06:00

Yadier Molina

Five Year WARP

EQA Distribution

2005 Equivalents:
.253 AVG // .298 OBP // .363 SLG // .230 EqA

2005 PECOTA:
-.142 MLVr // -1.1 VORP // 4.2 WARP

Diagnostics:
33% breakout rate / 53% improve rate / 19% collapse rate / 13% attrition rate

Valuation:
2006 // 0.0 OWARP // 2.7 DWARP // 2.8 TotWARP // $3.3m MORP
2007 // 0.0 OWARP // 2.8 DWARP // 2.8 TotWARP // $3.525m MORP
2008 // 0.5 OWARP // 3.0 DWARP // 3.5 TotWARP // $5.1m MORP
2009 // 0.5 OWARP // 2.7 DWARP // 3.2 TotWARP // $4.75m MORP
2010 // 0.3 OWARP // 2.1 DWARP // 2.5 TotWARP // $3.425m MORP

Career Path Analysis

Stars & Scrubs Chart

Five Year Performance

2006 // .248 (75%) // .221 (50%) // .205 (25%) // .234 weighted mean
2006 // .245 (75%) // .225 (50%) // .215 (25%) // .230 weighted mean
2006 // .270 (75%) // .240 (50%) // .219 (25%) // .244 weighted mean
2009 // .269 (75%) // .236 (50%) // .217 (25%) // .244 weighted mean
2010 // .256 (75%) // .240 (50%) // .208 (25%) // .242 weighted mean

Five Year Attrition

2006 // 13% attrition rate // 0% drop rate // 33% breakout
2007 // 25% attrition rate // 9% drop rate // 28% breakout
2008 // 26% attrition rate // 6% drop rate // 42% breakout
2009 // 30% attrition rate // 12% drop rate // 42% breakout
2010 // 38% attrition rate // 17% drop rate // 41% breakout

Most Comparable Players:
#1. Ellie Rodriguez, 1970
#2. Ray Fosse, 1971
#3. Jack Shepard, 1956
#4. Mike Sweeney, 1997
#5. Ramon Hernandez, 2000

Gary Bennett

Five Year WARP

EQA Distribution

2005 Equivalents:
.248 AVG // .306 OBP // .289 SLG // .219 EqA

2005 PECOTA:
-.253 MLVr // -6.6 VORP // 0.7 WARP

Diagnostics:
41% breakout rate / 57% improve rate / 26% collapse rate / 41% attrition rate

Valuation:
2006 // -0.2 OWARP // 0.9 DWARP // 0.7 TotWARP // $775k MORP
2007 // -0.2 OWARP // 0.5 DWARP // 0.3 TotWARP // $525k MORP
2008 // 0.0 OWARP // 0.4 DWARP // 0.2 TotWARP // $500k MORP
2009 // 0.0 OWARP // 0.2 DWARP // 0.1 TotWARP // $450k MORP
2010 // 0.0 OWARP // 0.1 DWARP // 0.1 TotWARP // $425k MORP

Career Path Analysis

Stars & Scrubs Chart

Five Year Performance

2006 // .238 (75%) // .218 (50%) // .185 (25%) // .219 weighted mean
2006 // .224 (75%) // .210 (50%) // .183 (25%) // .210 weighted mean
2006 // .228 (75%) // .210 (50%) // .179 (25%) // .212 weighted mean
2009 // out of baseball
2010 // out of baseball

Five Year Attrition

2006 // 41% attrition rate // 0% drop rate // 41% breakout
2007 // 66% attrition rate // 27% drop rate // 16% breakout
2008 // 78% attrition rate // 49% drop rate // 13% breakout
2009 // 88% attrition rate // 74% drop rate // 7% breakout
2010 // 95% attrition rate // 81% drop rate // 9% breakout

Most Comparable Players:
#1. Danny Sheaffer, 1995
#2. Mike Matheny, 2004
#3. Rick Cerone, 1988
#4. Kirt Manwaring, 1999
#5. Andy Etchebarren, 1977

You can view the entire Cardinals roster PECOTA analysis here courtesy of Baseball Prospectus.

Cardinals Probabilistic Model of Range

2006-03-18T01:01:00.000-06:00

Probabilistic Model of Range, 2005, Runs Created Against Fielders

Used is a modified version of the runs created formula that appeared in The Bill James Handbook 2005. That formula is designed for batters. I've modified it in the following ways:

• Count any time a fielder fails to get an out as a time on base. So if there is a failed fielder's choice, or the batter reaches on an error, it's a time on base. Since we're looking at defenses, this seems appropriate.

• Total bases are based on the number of bases achieved by the batter when he earns a time on base. So a two base error in this system counts the same as a double. The weights used for the various types of hits are the same as in the Handbook.

So that makes the formula (Times On Base - GDP)* (Weighted Total Base)/(Balls in Play). I'd like to hear what you think about the formula, but I believe it's a good first approximation. It was easy to apply to teams; you're just looking at all balls in play, and the likelihood that a particular ball will end in a particular result. But I wasn't quite sure how to then apply it to individual fielders.

When I was looking just at the probability of catching the ball, I wanted to look at all balls in play. I was looking at the piece of team DER that belonged to a particular fielder. But here, I'm trying to predict runs, so I made the decision to only look at balls in play in which the fielder had a non-zero chance of making the play. If you will, I used the probabilities of various balls in play to define the zone for the fielder, and the results of those balls to define runs created against (RCA).

The results made me wish I had worked on this last year. They're conveying information much more clearly than simply looking at the probability of catching the ball.

(The player is listed with their overall MLB ranking at their position, there is a minimum of 200 fieldable balls in play per position.)

#19 1B Albert Pujols
1002 fieldable balls in play
329 actual outs by fielder
302.94 predicted outs by fielder
57.80 RCA
64.84 predicted RCA
4.74 RCA/27 outs
5.78 predicted RCA/27 outs
1.035 runs saved/27 outs

Here is what it would look like if you don’t assess penalties for balls other players catch. (no out penalties) Grounders and bunt grounders only.

2226 balls in play
243 actual outs
223.51 predicted outs
0.109 DER
0.100 predicted DER
0.00875 difference

(Smoothed visiting player model.) Grounders and bunt grounders only.

2226 balls in play
243 actual outs
222.85 predicted outs
0.109 DER
0.100 predicted DER
0.00905 difference

#28 2B Deivi Cruz
358 fieldable balls in play
112 actual outs by fielder
130.55 predicted outs by fielder
19.20 RCA
22.07 predicted RCA
4.63 RCA/27 outs
4.57 predicted RCA/27 outs
-0.063 runs saved/27 outs

#34 2B Junior Spivey
625 fieldable balls in play
223 actual outs by fielder
210.83 predicted outs by fielder
41.50 RCA
36.08 predicted RCA
5.02 RCA/27 outs
4.62 predicted RCA/27 outs
-0.403 runs saved/27 outs

Here is what it would look like if you don’t assess penalties for balls other players catch. (no out penalties) Grounders and bunt grounders only.

752 balls in play
156 actual outs
143.90 predicted outs
0.207 DER
0.191 predicted DER
0.01609 difference

(Smoothed visiting player model.) Grounders and bunt grounders only.

752 balls in play
156 actual outs
144.88 predicted outs
0.207 DER
0.193 predicted DER
0.01479 difference

#39 2B Aaron Miles
744 fieldable balls in play
246 actual outs by fielder
252.32 predicted outs by fielder
54.50 RCA
48.62 predicted RCA
5.98 RCA/27 outs
5.20 predicted RCA/27 outs
-0.779 runs saved/27 outs

Here is what it would look like if you don’t assess penalties for balls other players catch. (no out penalties) Grounders and bunt grounders only.

869 balls in play
173 actual outs
179.06 predicted outs
0.199 DER
0.206 predicted DER
-0.00697 difference

(Smoothed visiting player model.) Grounders and bunt grounders only.

869 balls in play
173 actual outs
178.71 predicted outs
0.199 DER
0.206 predicted DER
-0.00658 difference

#12 3B Scott Rolen
433 fieldable balls in play
176 actual outs by fielder
148.12 predicted outs by fielder
23.05 RCA
30.52 predicted RCA
3.54 RCA/27 outs
5.56 predicted RCA/27 outs
2.027 runs saved/27 outs

Here is what it would look like if you don’t assess penalties for balls other players catch. (no out penalties) Grounders and bunt grounders only.

799 balls in play
144 actual outs
118.75 predicted outs
0.180 DER
0.149 predicted DER
0.03161 difference

(Smoothed visiting player model.) Grounders and bunt grounders only.

799 balls in play
144 actual outs
117.29 predicted outs
0.180 DER
0.147 predicted DER
0.03342 difference

#11 SS David Eckstein
1737 fieldable balls in play
615 actual outs by fielder
617.90 predicted outs by fielder
97.98 RCA
114.19 predicted RCA
4.30 RCA/27 outs
4.99 predicted RCA/27 outs
0.688 runs saved/27 outs

Here is what it would look like if you don’t assess penalties for balls other players catch. (no out penalties) Grounders and bunt grounders only.

4109 balls in play
550 actual outs
470.45 predicted outs
0.134 DER
0.114 predicted DER
0.01936 difference

Ball hogging index.

565.01 predicted outs
470.45 predicted outs no hogs
94.562 difference
0.0230 difference per BIP

#36 LF Larry Bigbie
232 fieldable balls in play
98 actual outs by fielder
96.20 predicted outs by fielder
34.67 RCA
28.06 predicted RCA
9.55 RCA/27 outs
7.87 predicted RCA/27 outs
-1.677 runs saved/27 outs

Here is what it would look like if you don’t assess penalties for balls other players catch. (no out penalties)

1464 balls in play
98 actual outs
96.20 predicted outs
0.067 DER
0.066 predicted DER
0.00123 difference

(Smoothed visiting player model.)

1464 balls in play
98 actual outs
95.08 predicted outs
0.067 DER
0.065 predicted DER
0.00200 difference

#5 CF Jim Edmonds
673 fieldable balls in play
319 actual outs by fielder
297.21 predicted outs by fielder
69.83 RCA
98.88 predicted RCA
5.91 RCA/27 outs
8.98 predicted RCA/27 outs
3.072 runs saved/27 outs

Here is what it would look like if you don’t assess penalties for balls other players catch. (no out penalties)

3538 balls in play
319 actual outs
258.07 predicted outs
0.090 DER
0.073 predicted DER
0.01722 difference

(Smoothed visiting player model.)

3538 balls in play
319 actual outs
292.73 predicted outs
0.090 DER
0.083 predicted DER
0.00743 difference

Ball hogging index.

297.13 predicted outs
258.07 predicted outs no hogs
39.062 difference
0.0110 difference per BIP

#30 RF Juan Encarnacion
521 fieldable balls in play
216 actual outs by fielder
213.79 predicted outs by fielder
68.31 RCA
66.12 predicted RCA
8.54 RCA/27 outs
8.35 predicted RCA/27 outs
-0.189 runs saved/27 outs

Here is what it would look like if you don’t assess penalties for balls other players catch. (no out penalties)

3355 balls in play
216 actual outs
213.79 predicted outs
0.064 DER
0.064 predicted DER
0.00066 difference

(Smoothed visiting player model.)

3355 balls in play
216 actual outs
215.77 predicted outs
0.064 DER
0.064 predicted DER
0.00007 difference

C Yadier Molina

Groundballs only (grounders and bunts).

1554 balls in play
18 actual outs
16.20 predicted outs
0.012 DER
0.010 predicted DER
0.00116 difference

Smoothed visiting player model.

1554 balls in play
18 actual outs
14.51 predicted outs
0.012 DER
0.009 predicted DER
0.00225 difference

C Gary Bennett

Groundballs only (grounders and bunts).

690 balls in play
9 actual outs
9.21 predicted outs
0.013 DER
0.013 predicted DER
-0.00030 difference

Smoothed visiting player model.

690 balls in play
9 actual outs
8.73 predicted outs
0.013 DER
0.013 predicted DER
0.00039 difference

Friday’s Birdfeed: 03.17.2006

2006-03-17T17:37:00.000-06:00

Aaron Miles returned to the lineup Thursday and drew the start at second base on Friday versus the Yankees. He has been hampered with injuries for the majority of spring training. He seems destined to start the 2006 season at triple-A Memphis. He is just too far behind both Junior Spivey and Hector Luna at this point to have much of a chance. He missed the opportunity to make an impression of the big league coaching staff and front office.

Yadier Molina and third-base coach Jose Oquendo were back in camp after participating in the World Baseball Classic. Molina played in Friday’s game versus the Yankees and had an encouraging performance, both defensively and with the bat.

Even though manager Tony LaRussa has stated that outfielder/first baseman Chris Duncan will not start the year with the big league club he has continued to impress. C-Dunc has been one of the better Cardinals players swinging the bat this spring. The reason he’s being sent down is so that he will be able to receive regular at-bats and continue his rapid development, though it shouldn’t be long before he rejoins the team in St. Louis and is patrolling the field at Busch for good.

Greg Clifton, the agent for left-hander Mark Mulder passed through the Cardinals camp on Thursday, though no talks took place between him and the front office. But could this signal a long-term agreement between the Cards and Mulder?

The front four of the rotation has pitched strongly this spring and seems ready for the grind of the 2006 baseball season. The heated battle between Sidney Ponson, Anthony Reyes and Adam Wainwright for the final rotation slot might go right up until Opening Day.

Cardinals 5, Yankees 2

2006-03-17T17:23:00.000-06:00

The St. Louis Cardinals rallied in the bottom of the eighth for four runs to pull out a 5-2 victory versus the New York Yankees. John Galls’ sacrifice fly broke open the tie to send the Cards to the win. Hector Luna followed Gall’s clutch hit with a two-run single to provide a healthy cushion for Tony LaRussa and company.

Deivi Cruz hit his first homer of the spring off of the Yankees’ Shawn Chacon. Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina - back from the World Baseball Classic - singled twice, drew a base on balls and drove in a run.

Also collecting hits for the Cardinals were Chris Duncan, Jim Edmonds, So Taguchi, John Rodriguez and Skip Schumaker.

Jeff Suppan began on the mound for the Redbirds, he gave up two runs (both earned) off of six hits in four and a third innings. He struck out two. Suppan did look good on the hill and seems ready to begin the grueling regular season slate.

The bullpen got their work in today as four Cardinals pitchers pitched a combined four and two-thirds innings of shutout ball. Carmen Cali gave up one hit and worked himself out of a tight jam in the fifth. Redbirds closer Jason Isringhausen surrendered a hit and came up with a strikeout. Braden Looper was credited with the win as he coughed up a pair of base knocks and registered one strikeout. Tyler Johnson held New York to a single hit as he pitched the ninth inning.

St. Louis will travel to Fort Lauderdale to resume Grapefruit League plays versus the Baltimore Orioles tomorrow at 12:05 p.m. CST. Tony LaRussa will send staff ace Chris Carpenter, who has yet to surrender a run this spring, to the mound to face off against Bruce Chen.

Prospect Perch: RHP Mark Michael

2006-03-17T12:15:00.000-06:00

The St. Louis Cardinals selected right-hander Mark Michael in the fourth round (125th overall) of the June 2003 entry draft out of the University of Delaware.

Mark Michael was a two-way star at Gloucester (New Jersey) Catholic high school, earning post-season honors both as a hitter and pitcher. He was part of the Gloucester team that went 33-1 in 2000 and won the state championship, they were also named the nation’s top prep team that year by USA Today. Michael himself was named a USA Today All-American, the South Jersey player of the year (2000) by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Camden Courier Post and the Gloucester County Times. He continued his two-way status at the collegiate level for Old Dominion after he failed to sign with the Minnesota Twins who drafted him in the 21st round.

In 2001 at Old Dominion University he started all 51 games hitting .243 with four homers and 28 RBI. Michael appeared in four games on the mound (three starts) compiling a 1-1 mark with a 14.04 ERA. This was his only season at Old Dominion as he transferred to Delaware following the ‘01 season.

Michael hit .307/.372/.503/.875 in 199 at-bats for Delaware in 2002. He had 61 hits, eight home runs, seven swipes and scored 61 runs. On the occasions he toed the rubber he posted a 11.25 ERA as he surrendered eight hits and five runs (all earned) in three innings of work. He struck out five and walked one.

In 2003 for Delaware Michael hit .265/.329/.456/.785 with 11 runs, 18 hits, three homers, 14 RBI and six walks in 68 at-bats. On the mound he posted a 3-4 record with a 6.96 ERA, 66 hits surrendered, 45 runs (41 earned) and a .299 average against in 53 innings of work (12 appearances, 9 starts). Mark struck out 52 and walked 27.

Michael made his professional debut for short-season New Jersey as he compiled 54 innings of work in 11 appearances (10 starts). He amassed 56 strikeouts and surrendered 20 bases on balls. Mark posted a 1-2 record with a 3.17 ERA (1.30 WHIP, 4.35 PERA), served up 50 hits, 23 runs (19 earned) and .249 average against (.321 BABIP).

In 2004 he took a step up to Low-A Peoria where he finished at an even 6-6 with a 3.36 ERA (1.29 WHIP, 3.36 PERA) in 20 starts. He coughed up 117 hits, 59 runs (45 earned), nine homers and a .259 average against (.306 BABIP) in 121 innings of work. Michael struck out 95 and walked 39.

Last season he took another step up the proverbial organizational ladder to High-A Palm Beach where he finished with a 4-5 record, 4.05 ERA (1.25 WHIP, 4.05 PERA), 57 strikeouts and served up 35 free passes. He was touched for 68 hits, 47 runs (37 earned), seven home runs and a .224 average (.255 BABIP) in 82 innings.

His career minor league line of 11-13, 3.54 ERA, 257 innings logged, 208 punch-outs, 94 bases on balls and a .246 average against are not exactly awe-inspiring. Though to be fair he has had a few run-ins with the injury bug since focusing his attention on the mound as a pro.

Michael had shoulder problems in 2004 and underwent surgery to repair fraying in his rotator cuff and a small ligament tear. In 2005 he was set back by shoulder tendonitis and missed nearly two months of the season.

Injuries aside, he has very good stuff - a live fastball that clocks between 93- and 95-mph on the gun, an above-average changeup (his best pitch) and an effective curveball.

A very athletic pitcher who field his position well and keeps runners at bay on a short leash. One of the best pickoff moves in the minor leagues.

His multiple injuries can be traced to his mechanics where he doesn’t stay up on the ball during his delivery, putting unneeded pressure on his body and causing it to break down faster than it normally would due to the stress (especially on the shoulder). His delivery and mechanics need to become more fluid so it eases the pressure on his body. He will return to High-A Palm Beach to begin 2006. His focus will be on remaining healthy for an entire season, the rest should take care of itself.

Prospect Perch: LHP Eric Haberer

2006-03-16T21:06:00.001-06:00

The St. Louis Cardinals drafted left-handed pitcher Eric Haberer in the third round (90th overall) of the June 2004 entry draft out of Southern Illinois.

Attended Bloomington (Illinois) high school where he compiled a record of 24-6 with 281 strikeouts over three seasons. He was a two-time Big 12 all-conference selection and was awarded the MVP of the Bloomington Pantagraph Area All-Star Game as a prep senior.

In 2002 he was named honorable mention Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American for his remarkable collegiate debut. He worked primarily out of the bullpen in 21 appearances (two starts) as he logged 39.1 innings. Haberer posted a perfect 4-0 record, 4.12 ERA, 37 hits allowed, 19 runs given up (18 earned) and a .252 average against. Eric punched out 24 batters and walked 19 on his way to posting four saves for the Salukis.

In 2003 he again got the majority of his work out of the bullpen (23 appearances, one start) as he logged 33.2 innings and a 5.08 ERA. He surrendered 39 hits, 25 runs (19 earned) and a .283 average against. Eric fanned 15 and walked 12. He collected a pair of saves for the Dawgs. In addition to his on-field accolades he earned second-team all-MVC scholar-athlete (3.32 GPA in Economics).

As a junior he moved into the Saluki rotation as he started 12 games in his 17 appearances. Haberer pitched 84 innings giving up 78 hits, 43 runs (33 earned), 8.36 H/9, 0.21 HR/9, 3.75 BB/9 and two long balls. He posted a 6-3 record with a 3.54 ERA and 1.35 WHIP. (6.43 K/9)

Haberer started out as a relief pitcher for Southern Illinois and had it not been for them being in dire need of an additional arm for their rotation in 2004 the Cardinals may never have even considered him as an elite-level prospect in that years draft. Even if St. Louis had went ahead and taken him, his one-pitch repertoire would have sent him scurrying to the bullpen at the professional level.

Haberer began his professional career at rookie-level Johnson City where he started nine games, posted a 2-2 record, 4.69 ERA (1.49 WHIP, 6.39 PERA), 47 hits allowed, 30 runs against (21 earned) and .287 average against (.341 BABIP). He struck out 37 and issued 13 bases on balls in 40 innings.

He then received a promotion to short-season New Jersey in 2004 where he tossed 19 innings in three games. He had an 0-0 record, 2.37 ERA (1.21 WHIP, 7.02 PERA), 14 hits allowed, seven runs (five earned) and a .226 average against (.250 BABIP). Eric struck out 12 batters and walked nine.

Haberer split the 2005 season between Low-A Quad Cities and High-A Palm Beach. He got 55 innings of work for the Swing as he posted a 4-2 record with a 2.12 ERA (1.25 WHIP, 4.39 PERA), 52 hits allowed, 20 runs allowed (13 earned) and a .248 batting average against (.294 BABIP). He struck out 33 and walked 17 in the nine games he started.

For Palm Beach he had a 8-6 record with a 3.71 ERA (1.38 WHIP, 4.73 PERA), 96 hits allowed, 42 runs (39 earned), two homers surrendered and a .270 average against (.319 BABIP) in 17 starts. He struck out 58 and walked 35 in 95 innings pitched.

His fastball has always been a reliable pitch for him, it rides in at around 90-mph with a heavy sinking action and late life that produces a lot of ground balls. The command of his heater was a question when he was drafted in ‘04, but he has put his doubters at bay as he honed it to the point where it’s now considered one of his strengths.

Haberer has been working diligently on his changeup and curveball since his initiation into the Cardinals farm system. The changeup is a serviceable pitch at this point and the curveball is still very much a work in progress. It is a below-average pitch though it was improved by seasons end.

He has a ceiling as a back of the rotation lefty and could be a devastating LOOGY if starting does pan out. Early returns on the lifelong Cardinals fan are very promising. He is slated to begin the 2006 season at Double-A Springfield. St. Louis farm director Bruce Manno may hold Haberer back and start him off back at High-A Palm Beach before a promotion to Springfield to ease the transition. This may not be played out until the third of April, when minor league rosters for the organization will be finalized.

Thursday’s Birdfeed: 03.16.2006

2006-03-16T17:53:00.000-06:00

Jason Marquis started for Triple-A Memphis today versus the Las Vegas 51’s, a Dodgers affiliate, working 4 1/3 innings as he surrendered four hits and one walk. He struck out five. Marquis was pitching a minor league game so that fifth starter candidate Adam Wainwright could get some extra work in major league camp.

Travis Hanson, Brendan Ryan, Blaine Neal, John Riedling, John Webb and Brad Voyles were all formally reassigned to minor league camp.

Voyles had pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings with four strikeouts and no walks. Riedling is sidelined with an injured shoulder, there is no time table for his return at this point.

Only four non-roster pitchers remain in the big league camp - Josh Hancock, Alan Benes, Brian Falkenborg and Jeff Nelson. Hancock and Nelson both pitched this afternoon versus the Orioles in the 4-2 loss.

Infielder Aaron Miles saw his first action this afternoon, grounding out in the fourth. He is expected to start at second base tomorrow versus the Yankees.

Outfield prospect Daryl Jones, St. Louis’ third-round pick in the June 2005 entry draft is ailing from a strained quadriceps muscle. He is expected back to minor league camp within a week.

Third-base coach Jose Oquendo and catcher Yadier Molina are expected to join the big league camp tomorrow as Puerto Rico was ousted from the World Baseball Classic after suffering a 4-3 loss to Cuba on Wednesday evening.

In other news, work crews began laying thick Kentucky bluegrass yesterday at the new Busch Stadium in preparation for the April fourth game between Triple-A Memphis and Double-A Springfield. The Cardinals will open the season and christen their new home April tenth versus the Milwaukee Brewers.

Orioles 4, Cardinals 2

2006-03-16T17:51:00.000-06:00

Brad Thompson coughed up a two-run single in the top of the ninth to Baltimore’s Brain Bock as the Cardinals lost 4-2 at the hands of the Orioles this afternoon. Thompson gave up four hits, walked one and struck out one as he was credited for the loss.

Adam Wainwright took to the mound to begin the game for the Cards as he pitched four innings, allowing two runs - both unearned - off of three hits. Wainy struck out one Oriole and issued a walk to another. Adam pitched effectively in his spring debut as a starter today, after a pair of relief performances, but miscues out of his reach ended up costing him the win.

Wainwright did nothing to hurt his chances in the heated duel he is in with Sidney Ponson and Anthony Reyes for the fifth spot in the St. Louis rotation.

Non-roster invitee Jeff Nelson pitched the fifth inning as he surrendered a walk. Baltimore failed to cross the plate versus Nellie. Josh Hancock then came on to pitch the sixth and seventh innings, registering a strikeout and no runs allowed.

The Redbirds has quite possibly their worst day at the plate as a team this spring, scoring just two runs off of a paltry four hits. Scott Rolen did single home Hector Luna in the first inning. Skip Schumaker matched ScoRo in the second as his RBI single scored catcher Michel Hernandez. So Taguchi was the only other Cardinal, aside from ScoRo, Skip and So, to register a base hit this afternoon.

Shortstop David Eckstein was a late scratch from Thursday’s lineup as he was sent home with the stomach flu. Hector Luna, originally slated to play right field versus Baltimore, took his place at short. Skip Schumaker was inserted into the lineup at right field.

The Cardinals will wear green uniforms tomorrow in honor of Saint Patrick’s Day as they do battle against the hated New York Yankees at 12:05 CST as Roger Dean Stadium. Jeff Suppan is scheduled to toe the rubber for St. Louis as he faces off against Shawn Chacon.

Around the Birds Nest

2006-03-16T02:16:00.000-06:00

Second baseman Aaron Miles has been bothered with a bone bruise on his left wrist. The injury has not only cost Miles time and valuable spring at-bats but may also end up ultimately costing him a job with the Cardinals. He was brought over in a trade this off-season from the Colorado Rockies where he served as their starting second baseman in 2005 hitting .281/.306/.355/.661 (.074 IsoP, .105 SecA) in 324 at-bats.

He has yet to be cleared to take a game at-bat and in practice the wrist still stings when the switch-hitter swings from the left side. He was brought in to challenge Hector Luna and Junior Spivey at second base, though with the lost time it may end up making him the odd man out.

Outfielder Rick Ankiel is also missing valuable at-bats this spring due to injury. Though his injury is a patellar tendon strain. He had another physical setback over this past weekend that could further delay his 2006 debut. Ankiel has been experiencing swelling and soreness in his left knee. It was originally thought that he could begin playing this week but now that timetable is indefinite. His bid to make the club has fallen by the wayside as the team has seen strong spring performances by Chris Duncan, John Rodriguez and John Gall. Those three figure to battle So Taguchi for two reserve outfield roles on the roster. He appears headed to the disabled list to begin the season.

LaRussa confirmed that Duncan will begin the year at Triple-A Memphis where he will receive regular at-bats and time in the field as he learns the nuances of the outfield corner positions. He came up through the system as a first baseman but that position is blocked by reigning National League MVP Albert Pujols likely for at least the next decade.

2005 Cardinals minor league player of the year Travis Hanson has been battling a parasite. It has caused him nausea and a loss of weight over the past week or so. Hanson figures to make a full recovery but it may take some time for him to put the weight back on and get into baseball shape. He did receive some at-bats in Wednesday mornings simulated game. Hanson has been optioned to the minors to begin 2006.

Pitchers Blaine Neal and John Webb was also optioned to minor league camp for extended spring training. shortstop Brendan ryan was also sent down.

Brian Daubach is making a push to make the major league team out of camp, though it is likely he will be offered a spot at Triple-A Memphis and play the season as a AAAA player - shifting between Memphis and St. Louis as needed. He homered in two separate games on Wednesday as he played in both a Triple-A Memphis and Double-A Springfield spring game to get some extra work in.

Minor league spring training games began on Wednesday for Cardinals farmhands with five games versus the Florida Marlins system.

Tuesday’s game versus the Yankees was a family affair for the Duncan family. Most Cardinals fans know that first baseman/outfielder Chris Duncan is the son of big league pitching coach Dave Duncan. But the Yankees have another of Dave’s sons, infielder Shelley Duncan. shelley went 0-for-1 versus the Cards.

Junior Spivey was hit on the left forearm by Yankees relief pitcher Kyle Farnsworth in Tuesday’s game. It is still bruised but shouldn’t affect him too much the rest of the spring as he bids to become the everyday second baseman for St. Louis.

With the beginning of minor league spring games Tony LaRussa will finally be able to get his bullpen some extended work in preparation for the season. St. Louis has some new components to this seasons bullpen and they still need to be further evaluated by LaRussa and pitching coach Dave Duncan. It will also allow the fifth starters spot to settle itself out as Sidney Ponson, Anthony Reyes and Adam Wainwright battle for the job.

Rotation Ramblings

2006-03-15T22:52:00.000-06:00

Tony LaRussa and Dave Duncan will tinker with the rotation in the final spring outings as the Cards prepare for the grind of the regular season. They would like to see each of the number five starter candidates - Sidney Ponson, Anthony Reyes and Adam Wainwright - get as much work as possible over the last few outings so that they can make a final decision as to whom will be joining Chris Carpenter, Mark Mulder, Jeff Suppan and Jason Marquis in the rotation.

Ponson and Reyes have been pitching on the same day in the current setup. Each pitcher has upped their pitch count so it is no longer possible to carry on with this scenario. Sidney will take the mound next Monday versus Atlanta and Reyes will start against the Braves on Sunday.

Adam Wainwright was pitching in relief on the days that lefty Mark Mulder toed the rubber. He was scheduled to pitch today but was instead moved to the starting role versus Baltimore tomorrow afternoon at 12:05 p.m. CST to face off with the O's Eric DuBose. Wainwright should be expected to pitch five innings if everything goes as planned.

Mulder will now start a Triple-A game on Monday. Additionally, Jason Marquis - Thursday's originally scheduled starter - will pitch for Triple-A Memphis instead.

The new-look spring rotation will give plenty of work to the trio and ample opportunities for each of them to separate themselves from one another and claim hold to the fifth starters job opening.

Prospect Perch: SS Juan Lucena

2006-03-15T22:44:00.000-06:00

Juan Lucena was signed out of Lara, Venezuela in 2002 by Enrique Brito. St. Louis Cardinals VP Jeff Luhnow has set out to rectify the rarity that is Juan Lucena, a legitimate Latin American prospect in the Cardinals farm system.

He played 2002 with the Cardinals’ Venezuelan Summer League squad hitting .191/.208/.213/.421 with three RBI in 47 at-bats. He almost turned into an afterthought from there and didn’t fare much better for the Cardinals Dominican Summer League squad in 2003 as he hit only .234/.287/.327/.614 with six swipes and 18 RBI in 248 at-bats.

Lucena then appeared with Johnson City and won the 2004 Appy League batting title in his stateside debut. during his “coming to America” campaign he hit .332/.365/.439/.804 with four home runs, seven stolen bases, 13 extra-base hits and 30 RBI in only 205 at-bats. He was named to the post-season Appalachian League All-Star team.

He was promoted to Low-A Quad Cities in 2005 and handled the jump in competition superbly as he hit .301/.329/.349/.678 (mostly off of singles) with a pair of homers, nine swipes and 43 RBI in 332 at-bats. He posted a .400 average in June as he was named the Cardinals minor league hitter of the month.

He has an easy line-drive swing and a high contact ratio. He struck out just once every 32.7 plate appearances, a ratio that was the best in the entire minor leagues. Lucena has tremendous pitch awareness but needs to take more pitches to go deeper into counts and draw more walks (12 in ‘05). Power will never be his forte, but he should be a solid line drive hitter with a decent batting average.

Lucena is the best defensive infielder in the system. He possesses good range, sure hands and a decent arm. His versatility to play numerous positions should garner him consideration in the future as a utilityman for the big league club. He will begin 2006 at High-A Palm Beach.

Cardinals 2, Marlins 2

2006-03-15T22:11:00.000-06:00

In what is a bit of a spring oddity the St. Louis Cardinals tied the Florida Marlins 2-2 in front of a reported 5,515 fans at Roger Dean Stadium. That attendance mark may very well be the highest the Marlins will see this season as many fans have been turned off by their most recent “market correction” (see fire sale). The game was called after a agreement between the two teams in the 10th inning.

Left-hander Mark Mulder continued to impress the Cardinal faithful this Spring as he pitched four innings and allowed only one run and four hits. He is now 2-0 with a 1.69 in Grapefruit League play.

His curveball was sharp this afternoon and his location was magnificent as Mulder struck out two and walked none.

Alan Benes pitched the fifth and sixth innings, allowing one run off of a trio of base knocks. He struck out two and walked a pair. Tyler Johnson then came into the game and allowed a single hit over one and a third innings. Brian Falkenborg pitched two-thirds of an inning for the Cards with a blank pitching line. Randy Flores pitched the ninth and tenth innings, giving up one hit and striking out three.

Scott Spiezio continued his strong effort to make the roster by opening up the second inning with a double down the right field line. Two batter later, Larry Bigbie blooped an RBI single over the Marlins’ infield defense off of right-hander Sergio Mitre. The young Mitre, acquired in the Juan Pierre trade with the Cubs, allowed the single run and only two hits in five innings of work for the Fish.

Chris Duncan matched Bigbie with his own RBI single in the sixth inning off of Randy Messenger that notched the game at two runs apiece.

Duncan has been playing as well as any Cardinal this spring and has made a very good case to be included on the Opening Day roster. His play along with that of Scott Spiezio may have Tony LaRussa rethinking his notion of carrying 12 pitchers on the roster to begin the season.

The only other Cardinal with base hit (other than Spiezio, Bigbie and Duncan) was outfielder Skip Schumaker. John Gall, bidding to make the squad as a reserve outfielder and pinch-hitter, made a great throw from left field to preserve the tie as he pegged the Marlins’ Mike Kinkade out at the plate.

St. Louis will remain in Jupiter to face the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday at 12:05 p.m. CST. Adam Wainwright will toe the rubber for the Cards as Baltimore sends Eric DuBose to the mound.

Prospect Perch: RHP Mark Worrell

2006-03-14T22:58:00.000-06:00

The St. Louis Cardinals selected right-handed pitcher Mark Worrell in the 12th round (360th overall) of the June 2004 entry draft out of Florida International University.

Worrell was the last U.S. high school pitcher to defeat Cuba in international play. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 11th round (319th overall) of the June 2001 entry draft but failed to sign and enrolled in a junior college.

In 2002 Worrell pitched at Indian River (Florida) community College. He had 77 punch-outs in 77 innings. He was named the number one overall junior college pitcher in the country by Baseball America.

Worrell spent the 2003 season pitching for the University of Arizona as he made 17 appearances, including one start. In 25.1 innings of work he struck out 23 batters (walked 13) and posted a 2-4 record. He posted a 6.75 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP.

In 2004 for FIU he made 19 appearances on the mound (12 starts) as he posted a 4.25 ERA and 2-9 record. Worrell surrendered 86 hits and five home runs in 84.2 innings of work. He struck out 107 batters and walked 43. Opponents hit him to the tune of a .268 batting average.

He spent his first professional season between Rookie League Johnson City and Low-A Peoria. At Johnson City he made 17 appearances posting a 1.21 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 1-0 record, fanning 35 (14.10 K/9) while allowing seven free passes. He surrendered 12 hits (4.84 H/9) and three runs (all earned) in 22 innings of work. Opponents batted .152 off of him.

After being promoted to Low-A Peoria he posted an 0-2 record with a 4.29 ERA (1.02 WHIP) in 12 games. Worrell allowed nine hits and ten runs (seven earned) in 15 innings. He struck out 20 (12.27 K/9) while walking six. He was touched for a .170 batting average while pitching for Peoria.

Worrell paced the minor leagues with 35 saves in 2005 as he helped propel High-A Palm Beach to the Florida State League championship. His save total more than doubled the previous franchise record, he also added three more saves in the playoffs.

Mark appeared in 53 games for Palm Beach logging 56 innings. He surrendered 38 hits, 20 runs (14 earned), six homers and 19 bases on balls. Opponents were held to a .191 batting average against him as he posted a 2.25 earned run average (1.02 WHIP) with 53 strikeouts (2-3 record).

Worrell was named the 2005 Rolaids Relief Man award given to the top relief pitcher in the minors. Was also named the Cardinals pitcher of the year for the 2005 season.

He pitched in the Mexican Pacific League this summer for Mazatlan (where fellow St. Louis prospect Chris Duncan was his teammate), allowing one run over 11.2 innings (13 appearances), good for a 0.77 ERA. He struck out ten and allowed only a single walk. Mark posted a 3.86 ERA during the Mexican League’s post season.

Worrell has a very unorthodox delivery. He never throws from a windup, has next to nothing of a leg kick and keeps his upper body back until the moment his arm forces it to open towards the plate. He also slings the ball from a variety of sidearm angles and veers towards first base upon initial release.

His mechanics have been questioned by many scouts throughout the game, pushing him down and even off of more than one teams’ draft board.

Despite the concerns over his delivery and mechanics Worrell has been very durable as a relief pitcher. He is very deceivable towards batters as they never quite know what to expect. It also puts very little stress on his arm, which is why the Cardinals have not attempted to alter him thus far.

He has thrown in the low-90’s since high school. His fastball normally sits between 90- and 93-mph, it is more of a sidearm version versus righties and conventional two-seamer against lefties.

Worrell definitely has the makeup to be a closer and has been money in pressure situations throughout his two professional seasons. His command still needs to be harnessed and that will be the area of concentration as he opens 2006 as the closer for Double-A Springfield.

Spiezio Stepping Up This Spring

2006-03-14T16:20:00.000-06:00

Just before beginning Spring camp the Cardinals signed free agent Scott Spiezio as a non-roster invitee. Scott is the son of Ed Spiezio who won two World Championships with the Redbirds (1964 and 1967). He even got assigned uniform number 26, the same that his father wore for the Cards.

The switch-hitting Scott Edward Spiezio has long been considered an average hitter who shows occasional pop. He has the ability to spray the ball to all fields from the left side of the plate, his more natural hitting side.

He is an average defender at the hot corner and above-average at first base. Has some limited middle infield experience and is an adequate corner outfielder on defense.

He gets good jumps off of pitchers and that could enable him to swipe ten bases annually. Very good reads on the base paths.

Lifetime .253/.324/.414/.738 hitter. Has gotten more selective at the plate since while he’s aged (4.25 P/PA in ‘05). .161 IsoP, .266 SecA, 48.72 PSN, .710 BB/SO, .091 BB/PA

He brings veteran leadership and high character to the clubhouse. Not to mention a World Series ring won with the Los Angeles (then Anaheim) Angels in 2002. Spiezio was clutch in their series win versus Balco Bonds* the San Francisco Giants. He came up huge with a three-run homer in the eighth inning of game six that started the Anaheim rally from a 5-0 deficit to a 6-5 victory. (Totals of .327 with 3 homers and 19 RBI in the ‘02 post season)

Spiezio’s career average over 162 (513 at-bats) games is 15 homers, 53 bases on balls, 74 strikeouts, 67 runs scored, 130 hits, 30 doubles, three triples and 70 RBI.

Here is a look at his splits (2003-05):

As a left-handed batter (all versus right-handed pitchers): .247/.316/.428/.744 in 696 at-bats --- 172 hits, 39 doubles, nine triples, 23 home runs, 95 RBI, 68 walks, and 105 strike outs.

As a right-handed batter (all versus left-handed pitchers): .201/.261/.301/.562 in 239 at-bats --- 48 hits, 10 doubles, one triple, four homers, 30 RBI, 18 bases on balls and 39 strike outs.

Spiezio batted .423/.444/.577/1.021 the fourth time through the order over the last three seasons. He also hit .289/.327/.480/.807 in 152 at-bats from the number two hole in the lineup, by far his most productive place in the order.

Spiezio did hit .285/.371/.436/.807 in 2002 and .265/.326/.453/.779 in 2003 while playing for the Angels. It looks as if he has regained that stroke this spring in his bid to be there for the opening of the new Busch Stadium (his father was there for the opening of it’s predecessor - Busch II)

The biggest thing that Spiezio offers outside of veteran leadership in his bid to make the Cardinals roster is his versatility in the field. Scott has experience playing first base, second base, third base and both corner outfield spots on the major league level. Tony LaRussa has an affinity for versatile players and that should work in Spiezio’s favor. He’d be just be happy to call himself a Cardinal, regardless what role he plays for the team.

Cardinals 4, Yankees 3

2006-03-14T16:16:00.000-06:00

The St. Louis Cardinals stepped onto Legends Field this afternoon to battle the New York Yankees and left-hander Randy Johnson. the Redbirds walked away with a 4-3 win.

Sidney Ponson drew the start and allowed one run (a homer by robinson Cano) and two hits over four innings. Ponson pitched very effectively against a Yankee lineup that include big-boppers Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield and Hideki Matsui. Sidney has made a case for the fifth spot in the Cardinal rotation.

Jason Isringhausen came on to pitch the fifth inning. He gave up one hit and struck out Davis in his only inning of work.

Ponson’s competition for the number five starters slot, Anthony Reyes, pitched the sixth through ninth innings. He allowed two runs and five hits while striking out a pair of Yankees.

Chris Duncan again made a case for his inclusion on the Opening Day roster with a towering home run of off the Big Unit. C-Dunc also drove in the game-winning run in the eighth inning, scoring Larry Bigbie to break open a 2-2 deadlock.

Scott Spiezio made a couple of fine defensive plays at first base for the Cards and finished the day going 1-for-4 for the Cards. Hector Luna started at shortstop and went 2-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base on the afternoon.

Junior Spivey, So Taguchi, Larry Bigbie, Deivi Cruz and Michel Hernandez also pitched in base knocks as the Cardinals touched five different Yankee pitchers for ten hits (five off of Randy Johnson).

The Cardinals return to jupiter where they will host the AAAA Florida Marlins tomorrow at 12:05 p.m. CST. Mark Mulder will take to the hill to face off against Sergio Mitre.

Cards ink Taguchi for 1 yr./$550k

2006-03-14T15:59:00.000-06:00

The Cardinals signed reserve outfielder So Taguchi to a one-year deal worth a reported $ 550-thousand dollars. Taguchi played in a career high 143 games in 2005 due to a rash of injuries to the Cardinals outfield. He hit .288/.322/.412/734 with 8 homers, 11 swipes and 53 RBI.

The Cards non-tendered Taguchi then re-signed him, circumventing the 20% maximum pay cut rule set forth by MLB.

Taguchi is a career .289/.329/.422/.751 hitter.

Prospect Perch: RHP Nick Webber

2006-03-14T12:14:00.000-06:00

The St. Louis Cardinals drafted right-handed pitcher Nick Webber in the second round (78th overall) of the June 2005 entry draft out of Central Missouri State.

He came to Central Missouri State from Lee’s Summit (Missouri) high school where he lettered in both football and baseball

As a freshman at Central Missouri State he made four starts in 12 appearances. In 32 innings he struck out 26 and allowed just one extra base hit while holding opponents to a .211 average. Went at least 4.2 innings in four starts (at least five innings in three). In 2003 he posted a 3-0 record, gave up nine runs (eight earned), 15 free passes in 136 batters faced.

Webber had a great summer as he pitched 15 scoreless s innings at the 2003 National Baseball Congress tournament in Wichita, Kansas.

Webber was the closer for Central Missouri State in 2004 as he posted a 2-3 record in 23 appearances. He had a 1.54 ERA in 35 innings of work. He gave up 27 hits, eight runs (6 earned), seven bases on balls and three doubles in 131 batters faced. He held opposing hitters to a .206 average and collected eight saves. He was named to the third-team GLVC All-Region team.

webber pitched in the 2004 Cape Cod League posting a 3-1 record in 20 appearances. He worked 23 innings facing 111 batters. He posted a 3.91 ERA and collected one save. He struck out 29 and walked 20 (three intentional). He surrendered 15 runs (10 earned) and two homers. He plunked two batters.

Webber pitched in 29 games for Central Missouri State in ‘05 posting a 3-1 record and 1.06 ERA in 42.1 innings pitched. He collected 11 saves. He surrendered 20 hits in 144 batters faced (.139 AVG), 12 bases on balls, one double, a single homer and seven runs. He struck out 45 batters.

His 11 saves for Central Missouri State in ‘05 was good for second place on the school’s single-season record list. His 19 career saves was a MIAA record. He earned second-team ABCA All-America honors.

He ranked first in the MIAA in relief appearances and saves.

Webber served as the closer for the NCAA Division II powerhouse Central Missouri State Mules in 2005. The Cardinals immediately moved him into the rotation at short season New Jersey as they envision him as a future part of their starting rotation in St. Louis.

At New Jersey he started nine games as he compiled a 5-2 record and 1.87 earned run average in 53 innings. Webber struck out 43 batters and walked 15, surrendering 35 hits and two home runs. He held opposing batsmen to a .179 average.

Webber quickly made the jump to Low Class-A when he was promoted to Quad Cities. His numbers were not quite as good for the Swing as fatigue began to sink in for the former collegiate closer. He started five games for Quad Cities, compiling an 0-4 record and 3.41 ERA in 29 innings pitched. Nick punched out 11 batters and offered up free passes to nine. Opponents hit .250 off of him in Low-A ball.

Cumulatively he posted a 5-6 record, 2.41 ERA, 82 SAPP, 54 K, 24 BB, 63 H, 33 R, 3 HR, 1 CG and held the opposition to a .205 BA during his professional debut in 2005.

Webber possesses one of the best fastballs in the farm system, it sits between 91- and 94-mph with a heavy sink and unbelievable movement. As a closer at the collegiate level he relied mostly on his heat and will need to develop both his slider and changeup if he is to make the full transition from reliever to starter.

Nick will have to hone his command and build himself up to where he throws his fastball consistently. At times the velocity on his number one dropped to the high-80’s on the radar gun.

He does have the makeup to succeed as a closer but St. Louis would like to see him climb the ranks of the organization in the rotation. Webber may very well end up in the bullpen when he is ready to pitch in St. Louis but for the time being he will hone his craft in the rotations of various minor league affiliates of the Cards. He should begin the year back at Low-A Quad Cities and earn a promotion at some point to High-A Palm Beach.

Prospect Perch: OF Nick Stavinoha

2006-03-13T23:03:00.000-06:00

The St. Louis Cardinals drafted Nick Stavinoha in the seventh round (230th overall) of the June 2005 entry draft out of Louisiana State University.

Stavinoha played his high school ball at Houston (Texas) Jersey Village where he was an Class 5A (Texas’ largest) All-State selection as a catcher in 2000.

Nick began his collegiate career as a middle linebacker for Rice but was unable to find the field. He became a long snapper in order to see the field. He eventually transferred to powerhouse San Jacinto (Texas) Junior College during his freshman season to play baseball since the Rice football coaches didn’t want him dabbling in both sports.

As a freshman in ‘02 he hit .377 with 24 home runs and 87 RBI. He batted in the three-hole for San Jac during the 2002 Junior College World Series.

In June 2002 he was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 39th round. He rejected the Astros’ overture and played in the Cape Cod and Shenandoah collegiate leagues that summer.

As a sophomore in 2003 he hit .391 with 13 homers and 45 RBI (47 hits in just 120 at-bats) as he earned NJCAA Division I All-America honors.

After playing two seasons at San Jac he transferred to NCAA powerhouse Louisiana State (LSU). As a college Junior he primarily played DH for the Tigers hitting .323/.368/.509/.877 with 8 dingers and 42 RBI in 232 at-bats.

As a senior he moved to the LSU outfield and hit .370/.408/.677/1.085. He also slugged 18 homers and drove in 65 runs in 257 at-bats.

Stavinoha burst onto the Midwest League scene with Low class A Quad Cities as he hit .344/.398/.564/.962 with 14 homers, four stolen bases, 23 bases on balls and 53 RBI in only 250 at-bats.

Nick led the topped the St. Louis farm system in batting average (.344) and OPS (.962) for the year, ranked third in the system for on-base percentage (.398) and slugging percentage (.564), fourth in home runs per at-bat ratio (1:17.9) and had the fifth best strikeout per plate appearance ratio (1:11).

Stavinoha played 45 games in right field and first base, being credited with only a single error. Nick absolutely tore the Midwest League apart over 108 at-bats in August as he hit .361/.403/.648/1.051 with 9 homers and 25 RBI (26 runs scored).

When he was drafted by the Cards it was originally planned to have him develop as a catcher, but he does not appear to have the tools to succeed behind the plate at the major league level. St. Louis will try him at both corner outfield slots in 2006.

Yes it is true that it was only Low-A ball where Stavinoha did his damage last year but it was none the less a stellar debut to his professional career. He is definitely a prospect that is worth watching this season. Besides it is more likely that a good hitter remains a such as they climb levels in the minors, at least more so than pitching prospects.

Nick should begin 2006 at either High-A Palm Beach or Double-A Springfield.

Stavinoha is already one of the most advanced hitters in the organization and should hit for both power and average once he cracks the big league lineup. He has shown very good plate discipline at both the collegiate and Low-A levels. Nick has an average arm in the field and will have to work diligently on his defensive skills in order to develop into an everyday outfielder for the Cardinals.

It is always tough to accurately project a minor league prospect after only 250 professional at-bats though Stavinoha looks to develop into at least a platoon outfielder at the major league level. The Cards could use a homegrown outfielder and he may be on the fast track to Busch Stadium if his bat stays hot throughout his ascension and he can hone his defensive inefficiencies.

The Great Discussion

2006-03-13T20:19:00.000-06:00

Recently at BaseballAnalysts.com Cardinals senior statistical
analyst Mitchel Lichtman along with fellow sabermetricians Tom Tango from TangoTiger.net and Red Sox consultant Eric Van of Sons of Sam Horn fame sat down with Baseball Analyst’s Rich Lederer in a follow up to The Great Debate hosted by Alan Schwarz of Baseball America.

Here are a few excerpts from ”The Great Discussion”:

Rich Lederer: It's March 2006. Nearly 30 years have passed since Bill James wrote his first Baseball Abstract. The sabermetric community has grown significantly in numbers and respect over the last few decades. Our voices are now being heard more than ever. Let's take a few minutes to assess where we've been, where we are, and where we're going.

Mitchel Lichtman: Wow, that's a heck of a question to start off with Rich! It sounds like the topic for an entire book (by Bill James no doubt)! The way I see it is that there has been an evolution of sorts on two fronts. One is with the technology/information itself. We know and understand infinitely more about baseball (in a sabermetric sense) than we did 30 years ago. Two is with the acceptance and use by the fans, the media, and the teams themselves. The latter appears to be much slower and much more disjointed, for various reasons.

As far as the future is concerned, I anticipate that teams "jumping on the sabermetric bandwagon," if you will, will continue to accelerate at a rapid pace. As far as the information and technology is concerned, I anticipate that the evolutionary pace will slow down considerably. In certain "industries" there is a limit to the amount of information/understanding that can be gleaned. Sabermetrics and the game of baseball in general is one of those industries I believe. Sabermetrics is more like "trigonometry in mathematics" then "computers in science." With sabermetrics, as with trigonometry, you create a number of theories, constructs, and paradigms, and then you move on to something else. We are not quite ready to move on to something else, but we are close, in my opinion.

Rich Lederer: Well, now that you've raised the question, how many teams would you estimate employ sabermetric consultants?

Mitchel Lichtman: Good question. I have no idea exactly. Obviously St. Louis, Oakland, and Boston are the most notable. I have heard that Cleveland, Toronto, and San Diego may use sabermetrics and employ analysts.

Eric Van: Mitchel, do you make an exception at the top of the talent pyramid? Do you break the bank just for the elite? You're not going to wrap up Albert long term for that kind of money.

Mitchel Lichtman: Yes and no, Eric. As I've said many times in many different forums, the essential bottom line for the owner (for whose interests I essentially look out for) is, "How much net profit will this player provide over the course of his contract, as compared to how much money we are paying him, and what are the alternatives?" That is usually a function of that player's marginal win value (as compared to some baseline, like a replacement player) over the length of that contract (among other things). As Tom said, to figure that, teams don't really need sabermetricians. All they need is the Marcel Formula and a calculator or spreadsheet!

I do "allow" some leeway for elite, "top of the pyramid" players, where supply and demand really affects the market (even though it really shouldn't). But anything more than 3 or 4 million per marginal win (per year, of course) is generally a waste of money. Compare that to Konerko's contract which will cost the White Sox around 8 or 9 mil per marginal win - or Jeter's current salary, which is almost 7 mil per marginal win. Heck, Albert is currently worth around 7 wins above replacement and is making only around $15 million per. Of course, he was signed pre-arb, I think, which entitles the Cards to a substantial discount, as compared to a free-agent player.

Mitchel Lichtman: I'm not really working on anything earth-shattering right now. I have recently revamped my entire UZR methodology, which doesn't really mean anything to too many people, as I haven't published any wholesale results in a long time anyway. And, of course, I've been "scooped" by John Dewan in terms of any future public disclosure of UZR ratings in the form of a book. That is fair, as the original concept of a "zone rating" and even an "ultimate zone rating" was originally published by John and STATS Inc (although I developed my own "zone rating" independently and about the same time - along with several other people that I know of - remember DeCoursey's and Nichols' "defensive average" back in the late 80's or early 90's?).

Mitchel Lichtman: I am also working on an "ultimate, ultimate zone rating (UUZR)" which, rather than using distinct zones or vectors and the probabilities of catching a certain type ball within them, uses a smooth function such that we can basically plug in the x, y coordinates of a batted ball (along with the usual characteristics - speed, type, etc.) and come up with the probability of that ball being caught, regardless of whether we already have an historical "baseline" for that particular type of ball at those coordinates. I am also going to incorporate into the UUZR methodology subjective ratings on all plays made (which STATS routinely provides) to improve the integrity of the data.

As well, I am working on better ways of "park adjusting" player stats in order to do better context-neutral projections as well as to determine the future value of a player in a specific park, especially when that player changes home teams. I am continually working on improving my projection models, as these are really at the heart of what a sabermetrician can do for a team. Tom might disagree with this as he tends to think that one projection system is basically as good as another.

Cards Senior Statistical Analyst Mitchel Lichtman also has co-authored a book along with Tom Tango and Andy Dolphin, The Book: Playing The Percentages in Baseball, aimed at coaches, managers, and front office executives, as well as baseball fans interested in strategies such as batter/pitcher matchups, platooning, the sacrifice bunt, base stealing, and much more.

You can read the entire discussion involving Mitchel here.

An older excerpt from Sports Illustrated:

"If one had exact information on every batted ball," said Mitchel Lichtman, a consulting statistical analyst for the St. Louis Cardinals, "then one should easily be able to say at what rate an average fielder would have turned any given ball into an out, given its exact characteristics, and compare that to whether a fielder actually did or did not turn a ball into an out. That is essentially the 'Holy Grail' of defensive metrics, and is really quite simple."

Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR), devised by Lichtman, is considered by many in this pursuit to be as close to a Grail-safe system as baseball has seen. To some extent, it is a victim of its own success -- it led to the Cardinals hiring Lichtman, and removing his data from publication -- and the mechanics of the system are complicated enough to defy easy imitation.

Cards option Reid Gorecki to Triple-A Memphis

2006-03-13T19:17:00.000-06:00

Outfielder Reid Gorecki was the Cardinals’ 2004 minor league player of the year after a good season at High-A Palm Beach. He started 2005 there and then struggled when he was moved up to Double-A Springfield. He failed to make Baseball America’s St. Louis Top 10 Prospect List.

Cardinals 9, Braves 0

2006-03-13T16:58:00.000-06:00

Chris Carpenter looks as if he hasn’t missed a beat during the off season as he has yet to allow a run in Grapefruit League play. Carp pitched four scoreless innings this afternoon as the Cardinals shut out the Atlanta Braves 9-0.

Carp has now pitched 11 scoreless innings this Spring. He retired the first 10 batters he faced and only allowed two hits (one to Edgar Renteria) as he walked one and struck out three in four innings worth of work.

Three relief pitchers mopped up Chris’s handiwork. Jeff Nelson pitched the fifth (one hit, two walks, one punch-out), Josh Hancock pitched the sixth and seventh innings (zero hits, two strikeouts) and Brad Thompson came on to pitch the eighth and ninth innings (three hits, one strikeout).

Atlanta starting pitcher John Thomson didn’t fare as well as he surrendered eight hits and four runs over four innings.

Scott Rolen and Jimmy Edmonds capped their two-hit afternoons with back-to-back singles to begin a three-run fifth inning.

Scott Spiezio continued his push to make the team with a three-run shot in the fifth. Spiezio went 2-for-4 with four RBI’s on the day. He is hitting .500 with a team-high 10 RBI’s this Spring.

Chris Duncan also had a big day for the Cards as he chirped in with a moon-shot two-run homer in the sixth. C-Dunc wrapped up the day 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and the homer. He is making a strong push as of late to win a spot on the Opening Day roster.

Gary Bennett went 2-for-2 and each of Skip Schumaker, Hector Luna, Brian Daubach, Deivi Cruz, Chris Carpenter and Michel Hernandez got a base knock.

The starting pitching remained a team strength this Spring as Carpenter turned in yet another gem. The offense also hit it’s stride this afternoon, touching Braves pitchers for 17 hits and 9 runs. the Cardinals are now 6-6 this Spring.

Next up the Cardinals will travel to Legends Field to take on the New York Yankees and Randy Johnson tomorrow at 12:15 p.m. CST. Sidney Ponson draws the start for the St. Louis Cardinals.

‘06 Cards Positional Analysis

2006-03-12T19:42:00.000-06:00

The Cardinals begin the Spring looking to answer a few questions about their lineup as they move into the new Busch Stadium. Who will replace the departed Mark Grudzialanek at second base?

Can Larry Bigbie produce as the everyday left fielder?

Will Scott Rolen be 100% recovered from a pair of off season surgeries?

Will Yadier Molina find his offense?

These are just a sample of the questions that are staring down G.M. Walt Jocketty and manager Tony LaRussa. Here is an inside look at the projected batting order and makeup of the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals.

David Eckstein returns in 2006 to the top of the Cardinals batting order to set the table for what should again be a fine offensive ball club. The X Factor sizes up nicely with former Yankee great Phil Rizzuto when you look at his approach and career numbers. Eck is a very good contact hitter with nice bat control.

He is able to handle the ball with the bat anywhere in the zone. He provides a spark plug from the leadoff spot, a very good on base percentage allows him to set up his teammates nicely. Eck struck out only 44 times in 630 at-bats last season, finishing with a .294/.363/.395/.758 batting line. He will always give you a quality at-bat as he works the count well by fighting off pitches and putting the ball into play.

Eckstein is one of the premier two-strike hitters in all of baseball. He hit .373 (12.3 clutch) and a .571 slugging percentage with runners in scoring position in 2005. David created 106 runs (6.3 RC/27) in 713 plate appearances and saw an average of four pitches per plate appearance last year.

On the base paths he is an instinctive base runner who seems to rise to the occasion when the game is on the line. Eckstein isn’t the fastest runner but can be counted on to swipe between 15 and 20 bags annually.

In the field Eckstein has altered his mechanics and it has had a direct result in the speed of his release and throwing motion. He doesn’t have the strongest arm of the shortstops on the Senior Circuit but he positions himself well and that masks some of his limited range and lack of agility. david gets the most out of his abilities and his intangibles are through the roof.

He is a real gamer on the field, every managers dream. While Eck isn’t the most prototypical leadoff hitter or shortstop he is exactly what Tony LaRussa is looking for at the top of the order and in the field, a player that brings his lunch pail to work with him everyday and plays to the best of his abilities. This kid leaves it all out on the field, you couldn’t ask for much more from the Cards’ offensive catalyst.

The second spot in the batting order could either be handled by Larry Bigbie, who is expected to start in left field, or by new right fielder Juan Encarnacion.

Bigbie was brought over from the Colorado Rockies via trade in the off season after underperforming (in part due to injuries) miles above above sea level. Bigs possesses only average bat speed and has somewhat of a elongated stroke. He prefers balls low in the zone where he can really hammer them straight away. He is looking to get back to the numbers he posted in 2004 with Baltimore, when he hit .280/.341/.427/.768 with 15 homers and knocked in 68 runs.

He missed some time in 2005 due to a strained right achilles tendon. Bigbie is an average base runner who could use some work getting good jumps and tightening up his mechanics on the base paths.

He is nothing special defensively, strictly average across the board. He has decent speed for the outfield but over thinks himself at times and occasionally will take bad reads and jumps on balls. His arm strength is only average though it is very accurate.

Bigbie should be able to become a serviceable left-handed hitter in St. Louis and could really surprise some folks if he can stay healthy and regain his line-drive stroke.

Encarnacion is the other candidate to bat in the number two hole. Though he most likely will slide into the six-hole for the Cards. His good bat speed is often negated by his long swing and slight uppercut. He’ll need to work on shortening his swing in able to become a real force for the Cards at the plate. Juan is more of a pull-hitter and will suffer from a lot of strikeouts (104 in ‘05).

He is a good fastball hitter, he’ll absolutely kill the ball out and over the plate. His problem is that he struggles at times with breaking balls and good heat on the inside half of the plate. If he can maintain his plate discipline and stay healthy the Cardinals could have a real bargain at an average of $5 million per over the next three seasons. He batted .331 with runner in scoring position (8.6 clutch) and created 91 runs in 563 plate appearances (6.8 RC/27).

Encarnacion has the speed to give opposing teams fits on the bases though he could use some tutelage to refine his base running skills. At times he doesn’t get good reads or jumps off of pitchers. He is a definite 20/20 threat, especially if he moves up in the batting order. Juan did swipe 19 bases as recently as 2003.

In the field he has an above-average and accurate arm but takes poor routes to the ball too often.

Encarnacion can be a force in the lineup when he is taken out of high-pressure situations, as evidenced by his .373 average and .667 slugging percentage when batting in the six-hole for the Marlins last year in 75 at-bats.

El Hombre, Albert Pujols, finally won the elusive National League MVP Award last season after two second place finishes. It was definitely well deserved as he once again had one of the finest all-around years in baseball history. Ever since his first big league game back on April 2, 2001 Pujols has been one of the best players on the Senior Circuit.

Albert’s career numbers are stacking up nicely through age 25 with those of Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantel, Hammerin’ Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson and Jimmie Foxx - all of them baseball immortals in their own right. He has been most favorably compared offensively with DiMaggio, very elite company indeed.

All of this by a lowly 13th round draft selection by the Cards back in 1999. He has to be considered the greatest draft pick, both overall and value wise, during the Walt Jocketty era.

Pujols enters the 2006 campaign as on of the best, if not the best, pure hitters in baseball. His swing is a piece of art as he possesses power to all fields and can hit the most unhittable of pitches. He topped the 40-homer mark for the third consecutive season in 2005, finishing at .330/.430/.609/1.039, 41 dingers, 117 runs driven in, .318 BABIP and 142 runs created in 700 plate appearances (9.7 RC/27). Pujols hit .329 with runners in scoring position, cementing himself as one of the best clutch-hitters in the National League. He is very selective at the plate, seeing an average of 3.9 pitches per plate appearance in ‘05.

The heart and soul of the St. Louis lineup joined an elite club in 2005 as he became only the fourth player in baseball history to knock in over 100 runs in each of his first five seasons. He joined Joe DiMaggio, Teddy Williams and Al Simmons in that exclusive club.

Prince Albert isn’t all about offense, this guy can play some defense as well. He is one of the best first basemen on the Senior Circuit as he has good agility and mobility around the bag. He also has good hands and footwork. Pujols can save some erratic throws and dig the ball out of the dirt. He has a strong arm and can really charge the ball during bunt situations very well. It wouldn’t be a stretch to see him win a Gold Glove in the near future, he just keeps improving in all aspects of the game. If his play continues at this pace he could rewrite the St. Louis record books and punch his own ticket to Cooperstown in the process.

If healthy, Scott Rolen, should bat cleanup for the Cards in 2006. He is coming off of shoulder surgery that limited him to 56 games last year and the Cards are hoping that it doesn’t affect his stroke. Rolen has also experienced problems with his knee in the past and that has to concern the front office as well. The shoulder surgery was due to a collision with Hee Seop Choi last May, he ended up going under the knife in both May and August of last year.

Rolen is one of the best all-around third basemen in the game when healthy. He hits from a wide stance and a deep crouch. Scotty gets the most out of it as his very quick hands generate tremendous bat speed and underrated power. He likes the ball out and over the plate but can turn on inside stuff as well. Rolen has plus power and can really drive the ball to all field with authority.

Scott is a very smart base runner, perhaps the best in the game today. He is capable of giving you 15-25 steals on an annual basis.

Rolen is a great defender at the hot corner, one of the very best of his generation. He displays tremendous footwork, first-step quickness and agility around the bag. Scott possesses the best arm and accuracy of any third baseman in the majors.

As the perennial Gold Glove winner at third base in the National League the question many people ask is if Rolen is better than Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt? Everyone but the folks in the City of Brotherly Love (coincidentally Rolen’s old haunting grounds) seems to think so. He’s a special player that adds so much to a ball club whenever he steps onto the field.

Rolen is the key to the Cards’ season in 2006, remember this is a guy who hit .314/.409/.598/.997 with 34 homers and knocked in 124 runs as recently as 2004. If he can remain healthy and produce as he always has it could be the difference between St. Louis bringing home the World Series Trophy and another playoff exit. His presence in the lineup, both offensively and defensively, mean so much to this club.

Jim Edmonds returns in 2006 to provide protection in the lineup for both Pujols and Rolen. Jimmy has a very quick bat and one of the most productive swings in the game. He possesses power to all fields and has been very productive over his career with runners in scoring position. For the most part he is a very patient hitter (4.2 P/PA), though he does chase the occasional high heater.

The .263 batting average that he posted in ‘05 was the lowest in his career when playing at least 55 games. Last season he hit .297 with runners in scoring position (4.9 clutch) and created 97 runs in 567 plate appearances (7.6 RC/27). Edmonds should remain a constant source of power over the next couple of years though his best days could be in the rearview mirror, not exactly what Cardinal fans want to hear.

In the field Edmonds is an eight-time Gold Glove winner in center field. his reads and routes in the field are truly exceptional, he is one of the greatest defensive outfielders in the game today.

Edmonds does turn 36 in June and has experienced problems with his hamstrings the past couple of years but if he can hold his body together throughout the season he will be a huge asset to the Cardinals in their chase for the World Championship.

In the six hole you should expect to see either Bigbie or Encarnacion, whomever doesn’t bat number two in the order.

Batting seventh will be the winner of the second base derby created when 2005 starter Mark Grudzialanek was not re-signed by the club. Junior Spivey, Hector Luna and Aaron Miles will battle it out this Spring to team up with David Eckstein as the Cardinals’ double play combination.

Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty has been telling anyone who will listen this Spring that Junior Spivey is a player that the Redbirds have had their eyes on for a number of years and have inquired about obtaining many times. No joke, Spivey was originally drafted by the Cardinals organization in the 28th round of the 1995 draft (the same draft that saw Matt Morris go #12 overall to St. Louis) but failed to sign. Have the Cardinals finally righted the mistake of not poneying up to get him inked back then?

Junior hits the fastball well but will struggle with some off-speed pitches. He can drive balls up in the zone with authority. The Cards hope that he will learn to be more selective at the plate because he can become an above-average offensive second baseman if he worked deeper into the count.

In the field Spivey has good quickness, range and athleticism but needs to hone his footwork. He turns the double play well and has a nice arm but can be erratic with his throws at times.

Injuries have limited Junior to only 136 games the past two seasons, as he saw very limited action in the second half of both 2004 and 2005. A shoulder injury in ‘04 cost him all of the second half of the season. He broke his forearm in a freak batting accident last year though he still managed to hit .286 with runners in scoring position.

If Spivey can approach his 2002 All-Star form when he hit .301/.389/.476/.865 with 16 round-trippers and 78 RBI’s the front office will be doing cartwheels in the Busch Stadium parking lot. He has the tools to be a very nice second basemen for the Cards but the jury is still out as to whether he will put it all together in 2006.

Hector Luna is a classic line-drive hitter with a shorter stroke than when he first came up to the bigs. Luna has worked really hard at the plate and improved his bat speed though he is still impatient at times in the box. He batted 61 points higher in the majors than he did at Triple-A Memphis last year and Cardinal fans shouldn’t expect that trend to continue. Luna has very good instincts on the base paths and would have a place as a pinch hitter/pinch runner should he not win the second base derby.

He is a quality jack-of-all-trades utility infielder. Hector offers versatility in the infield as he can play second, short or third. He has good arm strength but needs to work on his footwork.

Hector hit .285/.344/.409/.753 in 137 at-bats once he arrived in St. Louis in 2005. He hit .282 with runners in scoring position and posted a .342 BABIP. The Cardinals have a lot of time invested in his development and would like to begin to see it start producing the fruits of their labor.

Aaron Miles is the other candidate for the second base opening. Miles missed a month in ‘05 with a strained back and struggled outside of the ultra-friendly confines of Coors Field (.208 average on the road).

Aaron had his most productive season in 2004 hitting .293/.329/.368/.697 with six homers, 12 swipes and 47 ribbies for the Rockies.

Miles has good bat control and an affective inside-outside stroke but doesn’t drive the ball and is only adequate in the field. Miles is a switch-hitter who could be used to expose match-ups in the National League Central, but it is doubtful that he could up over the long haul as the primary two-bagger. He needs to work the count better and work on plate discipline (3.3 P/PA).

Rounding out the Cardinals’ batting order (besides the pitchers) is last but not least up-and-coming catcher, Yadier Molina, the Cards’ 4th round draft pick in 2000.

Yadier has become a more selective hitter at the plate and has improved his bat speed and his ability to take the ball the other way.

Molina has very quick feet and good agility behind the plate. He showcased his excellent arm and soft hands in 2005 as he gunned down 55% of would-be base-stealers. Molina has the ability to single-handedly shut down the opposing running game. His defensive prowess should eventually earn him a Gold Glove behind the plate.

He ha shown the ability to command of the game and works well with his pitchers. There is an advanced presence about him, you’d never guess he was only 23-years old.

One of the best defensive catchers in the game his offense is finally starting to catch up with him.

Molina got off to a slow start in 2005, hitting just .162 in April then spending some time on the disabled list (missing 55 games) due to a broken left hand. He was able to raise his average to .252 (.295/.358/.653) by seasons end, as he hit .321 in May and .279 in June. Molina did hit .330 with runners in scoring position (8.3 Clutch).

He abandoned the exaggerated crouching position at the plate in favor of a stance more spread out, ala Albert Pujols. He began to hit to all fields and, though he still prefers to take the ball to right field.

Hit .302 in 129 Triple-A at-bats in 2004 but has yet to approach that level in St. Louis. He Needs to work the count better, as he only saw an average of 3.2 pitches per plate appearance.

Molina should continue to evolve into one of the better all-around catchers in the game and eventually develop into an All-Star backstop for the Cards.

The Cardinals have a number of options for the remaining bench spots. You have the eight starters, the five pitchers in the rotation, and whether manager Tony LaRussa decides to go with six or seven relievers to begin the years will have a huge impact on the makeup of the Cardinal bench. There could either be six or seven openings.

One bench spot is assuredly going to backup catcher Gary Bennett. Bennett doesn’t hit much as defense and his handling of a pitching staff are his forte. He possesses a strong arm behind the plate and has the toughness to block the plate when needed. He was brought to St. Louis to provide defensive stability when Yadier Molina needs a breather. He is a very professional backstop who should be able to mentor the young Yadier on the finer points of catching at the major league level.

Reserve outfielder, So Taguchi, is also a lock to make the team out of Spring Training. Taguchi is an asset off of the bench as he has matured into a dependable - and clutch - hitter for the Cardinals. He can play all the outfield slots and figures to be used to spell Edmonds in center quite a bit throughout 2006. Taguchi is being given the opportunity to challenge Larry Bigbie for the starting left field job, though he figures to come out on the short end of the stick there.

Tags played in a career high 143 games in 2005 due to a plethora of injuries to the Cardinals outfielders, seeing time at all three outfield positions. He is a good role player but not an everyday outfielder. Taguchi hit .288/.318/.408/.726 (.325 BABIP) in 396 at-bats and .407 with runners in scoring position (9.6 Clutch).

Taguchi is a valuable commodity off of the bench as he can fill a gap for an extended period of time if injuries hit (as they did in ‘05), provide a quality bat off of the bench or provide LaRussa with a late innings base runner/defender.

The last four or five spots on the bench will be open to a free-for-all during Spring Training. Whomever doesn’t win the second base opening between Junior Spivey, Aaron Miles and Hector Luna could find themselves filling the backup middle infield void. The nod there would have to go to Luna as he is more versatile defensively than either Spivey or Miles. My thinking here is that Aaron Miles could be the odd man out in the numbers game unless the Cards are willing to send Luna back down on the farm to begin the year.

Filling the other backup infield slot should come down to a number of players, let’s take a glance at each of them.

Scott Spiezio offers the Cardinals versatility galore as he has experience playing first base, second base, third base, left field and right field at the major league level. That is a major plus as he could fill in many gaps and LaRussa wouldn’t have to worry about where he’d play defensively when utilizing him as a pinch hitter/runner.

Spiezio has some pop, is a switch-hitter, plays all over the field and has had a strong Spring to date. What’s not to like about this guy? Scott also has a history of coming up with the big hit when needed, always a plus as a pinch-hitter. He also could step up and fill in as a starter for a stint if needed. There is a lot to like about him making the team as a bench/role player in 2006.

He is a lifetime .253/.324/.414/.738 hitter. Spiezio’s best season was in 2002 when he hit .285/.371/.436/.807 with 12 homers, six swipes and 82 RBI’s for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (also of Stockton, Huntington Beach, San Jose, Tijuana, etc.). Scott only received 47 at-bats for the Seattle Mariners last season and hit a pedestrian .064/.137/.149/.286 with one home run.

Deivi Cruz was handed an $800k guaranteed contract for this season by G.M. Walt Jocketty and that may be reason enough to justify him making the team, even if it were for the sole purpose of management having to confess they may have made a blunder.

Cruz is a slashing-type hitter who makes contact but rarely walks. He needs to learn better plate discipline to see more at-bats for the Redbirds. A career .269/.293/.388/.681 hitter, he loves to hit the fastball but will struggle often with some breaking balls and off-speed pitches. Split 2005 between San Francisco and Washington, hitting a combined .265/.298/.387/.685 in 280 at-bats.

Cruz has average range but a good arm in the field. The biggest attribute that he offers the team is his versatility as he played 49 games at second base, 24 at shortstop and five at third base in 2005.

Outfielder John Gall is LaRussa’s favorite late-innings pinch hitter against lefties. Gall has decent power, makes contact and works the count. He’s an average fielder but his pinch-hitting skills are what could keep him on the final roster. Gall has stated that he would accept a bench role with the ‘06 Cards. He’ll turn 28 the day before the season opener, so accepting any role may be very wise for Gall at this point in his career.

He can best be classified as the classic AAAA guy; nothing left to prove at the minor league level but no real niche or place for him on the big league roster.

Gall may very well have to fend off John Rodriguez to make the Opening Day roster.

Rodriguez is a homegrown talent and manager Tony LaRussa really likes the potential in what he has seen thus far. J-Rod has some serious pop, is aggressive at the plate and gets quality at-bats. He needs to cut down his overall strikeout numbers to earn an everyday role with the Cards.

He may platoon with Bigbie in left or could be a decent left-handed option off of the bench. J-Rod’s play at Triple-A Memphis forced the Cards to call him up to the bigs in mid-July last year. He was hitting .342 with 17 homers and 47 RBI’s in only 120 at-bats. He continued to hit well in St. Louis posting a batting line of .295/.382/.436/.818 with 5 homers and 24 ribbies in only 149 at-bats. Rodriguez hit .282 with runners in scoring position. He is only an average fielder and base runner.

Rodriguez has fluid in his shoulder joint and that won’t help in his bid to win the starting left field job this Spring, he should still be able to make the team as a fourth/fifth outfielder and provided some extra pop off of the bench.

First baseman/outfielder Chris Duncan could provide a lefty option for LaRussa if he makes the Opening Day roster. The son of Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan had 21 homers and 73 RBI’s at Triple-A Memphis before being called up and given an opportunity with the parent club in 2005.

Duncan has taken advantage of the extra playing time provided by the WBC (World Baseball Classic) and has been impressive throughout his extensive action. He is doing everything in his power to make the team out of Spring Training.

First baseman Brian Daubach is also making a bid to make the team by coming through in opportunities afforded to him by the World Baseball Classic and Albert Pujols’s absence. Dauber was a perennial 20-homer threat for the boston Red Sox between 1999 and 2003 but has fallen off of the baseball map since (only 9 homers in the majors the past three years).

Daubach is a lifetime .259/.341/.476/.817 hitter who could provide some pop off of the bench in giving Pujols an occasional breather. He is not the most fluid defender so the likely choice would be Duncan in this slot. Dauber will be hard pressed to make the Cardinals’ final roster, he definitely has his work cut out for him this Spring.

The Cardinals have the makings of a strong lineup and deep bench for the 2006 season as they strive to make it back to the World Series and bring the crown back to St. Louis this time around. Walt Jocketty and company have done a fine job assembling a team that should mesh very well together both in the clubhouse and out on the field. When you add that to the managing of future Hall of Famer Tony LaRussa it has the fingerprints of success all over it.

Braves 4, Cardinals 3

2006-03-12T16:34:00.000-06:00

The Cardinals dropped their Grapefruit League record to 5-6 with a 4-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves this afternoon in front of a reported 10,785 fans at Cracker Jack Stadium in Kissimmee, Florida. Former Cardinal shortstop Edgar Renteria punished his former team with two hits and three RBI's, including a two-run homer.
Skip Schumaker and Jeff Suppan began the Cards' two-run third inning with back-to-back singles. Chris Duncan added his own RBI single in the inning.

So Taguchi singled to knock Suppan in to give the Cards a 2-0 lead in the third. Both teams scored a run apiece in the fourth inning. The Braves scored three runs in the fifth to put the game away, highlighted by Renteria's two-run shot off of Braden Looper.

John Gall, Junior Spivey and Gary Bennett also got base knocks versus the Braves today.

Jeff Suppan continued the strong outings by Cardinal starters, allowing one earned run and four hits over three innings. He walked one and struck out two. Expected set-up man, righty Braden Looper, gave up four hits and only retired two of the six batters he faced.

Randy Flores and Juan Mateo (no hits) each pitched two and two-thirds scoreless innings. Alan Benes (zero hits allowed) and Brian Falkenborg each pitched an inning apiece, neither surrendering any further runs.

The Cardinals will get the chance to avenge today's loss as they will once again face the Braves tomorrow afternoon at 12:05 p.m. CST as Chris Carpenter takes on Atlanta's John Thomson to begin the game.

Cardinals 5, Orioles 0

2006-03-11T17:35:00.000-06:00

The Redbirds appeared in mid-season form as they blanked the Baltimore Orioles 5-0 this afternoon in front of a reported 6,398 fans at Roger Dean Stadium.

The Cards managed five runs off of nine hits versus the Orioles but the story of the day was the combined 7-hit shutout that the Redbird pitchers pieced together.

Jason Marquis took the start and pitched a near flawless game, giving up just two hits and one walk. Jason Isringhausen toed the rubber for the fifth inning and got credited with the win in his one inning of work. The Cards closed it our with lefty Carmen Cali in the fifth, righty Blaine Neal in the sixth, southpaw Tyler Johnson (a pair of punch-outs) in the seventh, right-hander John Webb (two strikeouts) in the eighth and Brad Voyles in the ninth.

The right-left-right-left-right pitching combination employed by manager Tony LaRussa proved to be very effective in shutting down the Oriole offense. LaRussa gave the OÂs a decent mix of grizzled veterans, up-and-coming prospects and non-roster invitees. In the end it proved to be too much for Lee MazzilliÂs squad to handle this early in the Spring.

Centerfielder Jimmy Edmonds finished the day going 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI. David Eckstein went 1-for-3 at the plate with a pair of ribbies and a run scored. Scott Rolen continued to trod down the comeback trail as he hit 2-for-3, including a double, with a stolen base and an RBI. Gary Bennett dialed up two singles for the Cards this afternoon.

Others getting a base knock were John Rodriguez, who started as the Designated Hitter, and Chris Duncan who played some right field for the Redbirds. The Cardinals came together this afternoon defensively and at the plate, they played their first complete game of the Spring and things look to be coming together thus far for the team. You have to be very pleased with the pitching performances turned in the last two games, especially since pitchers traditionally take longer to knock the rust off than hitters do.

The Cardinals hit the road to take on the Atlanta Braves tomorrow at 12:05 p.m. CST. The Redbirds also play the Braves again on Monday in what should be an exciting two-game Spring series as St. Louis warms up heading into the regular season.

Cardinals 11, Mets 3

2006-03-10T07:05:00.000-06:00

Mark Mulder took the mound for the Cardinals versus the New York Mets on Friday allowing one earned run off of four hits in three and two-thirds innings of work. Mulder earned his second win of the Spring as the Cards clubbed the Mets 11-3.

Uber-prospect Adam Wainwright gave up two runs (one earned) off of six hits in his three and two-thirds innings on the mound. He got into a jam in the sixth inning as he surrendered three straight singles to load the bases with no outs. Wainwright showed some mettle as he struck out Lastings Milledge but Hector Luna's error (one of two on the day) allowed a run in before Adam retired the next two batters to end the inning.

Retread Brian "Dawber" Daubach had two hits, including a double (and two RBI's), though he did get thrown out at the plate by Xavier Nady in the third inning. So Taguchi knocked in two singles on the day. Junior Spivey was 2-for-4, including a double, with two ribbies. Michel Hernandez drove in three runs.

The Cards offense scored 11 runs off of 13 hits and still managed to leave seven runners on. The pitching is starting to come together as both Mulder and Wainwright showed some very positive things versus the Mets.

Up next for the Cards are the Baltimore Orioles and Hayden Penn on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. in Jupiter. Jason Marquis and Jason Isringhausen are scheduled to pitch for the Redbirds.