We are just over a month into the 2009 season and the St. Louis Cardinals have already employed the services of ten rookies, the most in the Major Leagues. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and San Diego Padres are next, having both deployed nine rookies to this point.
The difference is in the bottom line as neither of the other clubs have a winning record. The second-place Angels came into Saturday at .500 in the American League West, while the woeful Padres, coming off a 99-loss season, are four games under .500 in the National League West.
Seven of the ten rookies are currently still with the Cardinals and five of the ten made their Major League debuts this season. Six rookies were on the Opening Day roster for the club.
Rookie position players Brian Barden, Colby Rasmus (pictured) and Joe Thurston along with pitcher Jason Motte opened the 2009 season with the club and remain there.
They were later joined by pitcher Mitchell Boggs, infielder Tyler Greene and outfielder Shane Robinson.
The three rookies now in Triple-A are third baseman David Freese and reliever Josh Kinney, both of whom were on the Opening Day roster, and starting pitcher P.J. Walters, who was called up and later returned to Memphis.
The five who made their first Major League appearance this year have been Freese, Greene, Rasmus, Robinson and Walters.
Rookies have taken 1/4 of all the at-bats for St. Louis this season at 26% (265 of 1034 ABs) and are hitting a combined .242 (64-for-265). Rookie pitchers have made four starts and thrown 43 2/3 IP.
That makes 16 Cardinals first-timers to have arrived on the scene over the last season plus one month, as 11 Cardinals rookies made their MLB debuts in 2008. They are Kyle McClellan, Brian Barton, Rico Washington, Mike Parisi, Chris Perez, Joe Mather, Boggs, Nick Stavinoha, Jaime Garcia, Mark Worrell and Motte.
That was the largest number of first-timers to don the Cardinals uniform in any single season since the second year of the Tony La Russa era, which began in St. Louis in 1996. 12 players debuted in 1997.
2009 offers a decent chance to exceed the 2008 mark as at this point last year, only four of the 11 had been called up – McClellan, Barton, Washington and Parisi.
Lance Nix comes to the plate. Figures they’re going low and away. Looks there, and puts a base hit swing on a ball out side the Zone. Rookies don’t do that. Watching Albert turn his nose up on pitches on the black away, in a band box stadium, over and over, is disturbing to me. Ludwick got the only mistake. Manny would have went OPO yard at least twice in that game. All other Cardinal hitters are trying to turn or pull balls that are away, just like last year. Shu, because he will go opposite field, got some inside pitches. I am at a complete loss watching no adjustments made.. Lohse’s right Knee soreness is causing him to push off less, thus he is dropping down and getting under his slider. Don’t throw it for Christ’s sake, (and mine). Films should solve that I would think. Waino breaking pitch may be effective tomorrow, if he doesn’t throw it 60% of the time. I watched three games yesterday. Cardinals were easily the worst team I saw. The clock is ticking on K Greene as we speak. His effective range is greatly reduced for some reason. There is a mystery game going on with his wrist. If we fall into 4th place by months end, I would look for him to go before the break, instead of to FAcy.
Regarding youth, Barden is 28 and Thurston 29, Motte shortly to turn 27. Among recent rookies, only Rasmus and Garcia turned pro after high school.
Khalil Greene was a 3Bman at Clemson U, until his senior year, when he greatly boosted his draft status by shifting to strong hitting SS. His forte is offense.
Maybe Manny’s female drugs help him go the other way. Since Manny is presently suspended, he could not have gone yard once, let alone twice.
Solid points Jumbo. (:
Rasmus at third with one out. Ludwick strikes out on a fastball away, looking. (Who would of thunk it!) He never even considered a simple ground ball to the right side scoring the run. The different between a good team and a bad game???
Barden at 28 and Thurston at 29 replaced veterans Glaus and Miles (both age 32) on the roster. Motte at 26 is substantially younger than Russ Springer at 40 (or Izzy at 36 if you prefer). No matter how you cut it, that is clearly getting younger – in both age and MLB experience.
Yeah for Christopher Duncan, a situational response. Keep it up big guy.
Any idea why Ostlund starting at Memphis today instead of Mortensen
We can disregard my Q above – boxscore has been updated to show Mortensen is pitching for AAA today.
Albert cheats up for coverage, ball trails back over the center, he can’t turn so he stays on it, crushes center yard…….. muy better. WC smiles his biggest mothers day smile.
Duncans extension, and once again going away for the money is very encouraging for me. If this is McRae getting on everyones one case, good for him. If not, find out who did and promote them. If its Dave on the side to sonny boy, or Tony finally saying something, let do the right thing.
I like it that Franklin had smile on his face after that 2nd home run. He is keeping perspective anyway. I hope he doesn’t lose it now.
The Montague’s and the Capulet’s. Never was there a tale of more woe than that of Master Ryan and his home boy Adam Wainwright. Who pitches next Friar Tony.
That was a memorable pink wrist band day. Its good to have new hero’s.
Its can be a sign of a good team to win the last game of a set on the road. This overcomes negative momentum. Franklin blows a save and the Reds blast 5 homers, but the Cards still pull out a win.
The weakest part of this team is probably the rotation. Hence Tony’s stockpiling of 8 relievers.