Sunday’s opponents: New York Mets (Memphis and Springfield at Port St. Lucie with Palm Beach and Quad Cities at Jupiter).
Monday’s opponents: Five games against the Marlins on the home side of the complex.
I’ve added a new feature today – the aggregate won-loss record of the clubs this spring. Now that ten games have been played, it is enough to at least consider.
Memphis: 5-5-0
Springfield: 3-6-1
Palm Beach: 6-3-1
Quad Cities #1: 2-6-2
Quad Cities #2: 5-1
Total: 21-21-4
Sunday marks the first day since the third day of games that the overall system record inched up to .500. There has yet to be a time when all four (or five) clubs have won on the same day.
In all fairness, I should note that four of the ten days have been camp days. In those instances where the Cardinals play each other, their records then will be .500 by definition.
The following game summaries are provided through the courtesy of the St. Louis Cardinals by Director of Minor League Operations John Vuch.
Memphis defeated New Orleans, 5-3
Memphis pitching
P.J. Walters, 4.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K’s
Katsuhiko Maekawa, 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K’s
Marco Gonzalez, 1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Memphis hitting
Nick Stavinoha, 3-for-4 with a run scored and RBI
Casey Rowlett 3-for-4 with a SB
Jon Jay 2-for-4 with a 2-run HR
Tyler Greene and Brian Barton both 1-for-3 with a walk
Mark Shorey, Bryan Anderson and Brandon Yarbrough all added singles
Springfield lost to Binghamton, 5-4
Springfield pitching
Justin Fiske, 5 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K’s
Elvis Hernandez 1.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K’s
Kristhiam Linares 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K’s
Springfield hitting
Brandon Buckman 2-for-4 with a double
Donovan Solano had a 3-run HR – also made a nice pick and tag on a steal attempt
Daryl Jones doubled
Jim Rapoport and Mike Folli singled and scored a run
Palm Beach defeated St. Lucie, 5-3
Palm Beach pitching
Mark Diapoules 3.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 4 K’s
Richard Castillo, 3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Blake King, 1 IP, 1 K
Adam Reifer, 0.1 IP, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Eduardo Sanchez, 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 K’s
Palm Beach hitting
Paul Vasquez 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI
Pete Kozma and Tommy Pham both tripled and scored a run
Charlie Kingrey doubled
Jon Edwards was 1-for-2
Jermaine Curtis, Shane Peterson, Francisco Rivera all singled
Quad Cities tied with Savannah, 1-1
Quad Cities pitching
Brett Zawacki (pictured), 3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K’s
Gary Daley, 2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Eric Fornataro, 2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1K
Dylan Gonzalez, 1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER
David Carpenter threw one perfect inning
Quad Cities hitting
Beau Riportella, 2-for-4
Paul Cruz, 1-for-3 with a double, RBI and a walk
Brian Buck singled and scored a run
Brett Lilley, Ryde Rodriguez and Michael Swinson singled
Brian, you have to find out for us – did Smith actually go hitless or did he have a day off?
Looks like our starting pitching at Arkansas is going to be a little weak. Ottavino and Herron and a bunch of other guys. We need Diapoules, Additon and Castillo to start hot at Palm Beach and move up.
Also I am encouraged with the performance of Daley so far. Maybe he can move up.
Looks like we will have some hitters there too, in fact at all levels.
Does anyone know when Jose Martinez will come in.
Today’s P-D reports the roster is almost set. Looks like the bubble guys are Perez and Thompson in the pen. Sounds like third base is still up for grabs, but reading between the lines it looks like Freese is definitely in the hunt, with Mather duking it out with Thurston and perhaps Rasmus for the fifth outfield position instead of starter at third. I hate to try to read a map drawn by Tony LaRussa on a fogged up mirror, but–if the article has pretty much the whole story–Ryan, Rasmus and Motte are in and Barden is out. There was some chatter today that Thompson may get shelved in Memphis until one of the starters melts down, and that the bullpen may be without a long man to start the season.
Smith may have felt sorry for the others and asked out of the lineup.
All I know on Martinez is that he was told to take all the time he needs and that his return may not be quick.
I haven’t read the P-D article yet, but for the roster in terms of hitting, it has been pretty set in my mind for the last week. With Freese at third, Barden gets pushed out. Thurston offers a LH bat that the others don’t have. Mo pretty much pegged Rasmus on the team so that isn’t a big question. Ryan and Mather are the others with LaRue.
On the pitching side, again little intrigue. The only way Brad would get bumped is if they want to keep both Perez and Motte. With a heavy early schedule and the starters not yet going deep into games, they will need the long man. My guess remains that Thompson stays.
Sooner , still living in the past , eh?
(Arkansas?)
I think the Springfield pitching will be OK. Fiske and Mura don’t project well to the majors but they both proved last year they can win at the AA level. Who knows what we will get with Furnish. He was awesome in his few AA starts last year.
I think if Lynn starts well at PB he moves up before any of those guys. The next guy scheduled to move up (if performances are equal) might be Kopp due to age.
Not sure where he would go but Linares is trying to make a case with those 5 K’s.
Here’s an article on the possible makeup of the Springfield rotation. Looks like Garceau may not start in Springfield as Luhnow indicated over the Winter.
http://www.news-leader.com/article/20090330/SPORTS02/903300361/1002/SPORTS
A nice article from the news-leader. It looks like the Cards will tee up premium picks Ottavino, Herron, and Furnish. They are supplemented by unheralded signees like Fiske and Mura, who obtain outs.
A strength of the minor league system are the 8 man rotations at the A level since these supply depth. If another pitcher becomes needed at AA, there are 8 candidates at Palm Beach.
Last season, a number of players quit or were released at AA. Its a tough hurdle.
Barden deserves to make this team.
When I went looking for the earlier P-D article on the roster referenced above by RedC, I found instead a Goold article from late this morning noting the need for TWO long men on the roster. Don’t know who wrote the other one – I would imagine it was not Derrick. This latter one is more aligned with my thinking.
P-D article
CC, I hear you about Barden, but they have limited their options by their roster construction. No switch-hitters anywhere to be found and without Thurston, likely only one left-handed hitter on the bench.
Thurston’s assets are swinging lefty and speed. Barden’s assets are he is a better defender at 3B and SS, and he has hit well during spring training. Both Thurston and Barden have played years upon years at AAA. It cannot be easy for TLR to decide between them. If Freese’s heel is still a bit sore, this could give an edge to Barden.