Comments on: Cardinals prospect leftovers: November 25

By: Axcion

Axcion — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 07:44:28 +0000

Brian, I’m pretty sure Gorecki was rated so high in our system for lack of anything else better. Luhnow has thankfully changed all of that.

I like Scott Gorgen and I think he will be our break through pitcher in 2010. I like Tyler Henley and Kyle Conley to raise their value considerably too, but what I really want to see is if Matt Adams can become that big masher our system has lacked since Albert.

By: JumboShrimp

JumboShrimp — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 02:51:50 +0000

After 4 college seasons, Gorecki’s first full pro season was at low A (Peoria). This helps illustrate the more aggressive promotions the Cards now follow. Henley started his first full pro season (2008) at a higher rung After two seasons, Henley has completed AA. Not a surprise Henley would continue to hit well in the Arizona fall league.
Darryl Jones is a bit more athletic and may have more long term potential, but Henley is more skilled with the bat right now.

By: JumboShrimp

JumboShrimp — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:32:47 +0000

I thought Gorecki was terribly fringy. His popularity may have been indicative of the lack of talent in the system. Gorecki played 4 years at U Delaware. Given that background, his hitting performance in the Midwest League was not encouraging.
Gorecki can play defense, a good thing, but as a light hitting right swining CF, he was a platoon CF candidate at best. Robinson can fill this role better, because a contact hitter.

Henley played 3 years at Rice, a much better program. He has the physical matchup advantage of a left swinger. Played running back in Dallas area high school football. Hes a tough kid. I like his chanced to be a useful ML 4th OF.

We have a few guys with similar profiles, in Jay, Henley, Jones, because we invested in them and they have been pretty good personnel decisions. Some can be traded (eg Peterson).

I like Descalso and Shane Robinson. They just need reps at AAA. Its a funny thing that the closer prospects get to the majors, the harder the game gets, and the sooner some fans start to pan them, until they make adjustments and its a surprise.

As a 1B, failed 3b type LF, Craig is unlike Gorecki, Robinson, Henley, etc., because he cannot play CF.

A healthy Joe Mather could provide some power. Not sure if and when his pop will return.

By: Brian Walton

Brian Walton — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:58:14 +0000

I compared Henley to Gorecki because they both came to the AFL as taxi squad outfielders at comparable ages and stage of their careers and fared well. People were also very optimistic once about Gorecki, the former organization Player of the Year.

With Rasmus apparently set in center for the next five years at least, the system has a bunch of smallish outfielders at the upper levels that lack power and don’t profile all that well in the corners. Perhaps Henley will continue to progress. Maybe Craig will get a chance, but the post-Colby impact player pipeline looks pretty dry.

I guess Anderson could have been lying, but he insisted to me that his shoulder is 100 percent.

Hoffpauir is still not MLB-ready defensively, which is part of the reason why he is elsewhere. So far, Descalso is patterning himself after Shane Robinson, who had a monster first half of 2008 with Springfield and then went nowhere. Here is hoping Descalso turns it around.

By: JumboShrimp

JumboShrimp — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:55:43 +0000

Jarrett Hoffpaiur needed 2.5 seasons at Memphis to become a ML ready candidate. It takes time and reps. Descalso will need at least 1+ seasons at AAA to reach the same level of development.

By: JumboShrimp

JumboShrimp — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:53:44 +0000

In his free Scout article, Brian looks at the 4 hitters in Arizona: Henley; Descalso; Jones; and Anderson.
He compares Henley to Gorecki, which I would not do. Gorecki played 4 years of college and swings right. He had 2.5 minor league seasons before going to Arizona. Henley has the matchup advantage of swining left. He has a full year at AA behind him already, after 2 minor league seasons. Henley is in good shape as a hitter and is ready for Memphis in 2010. He is a 4th OF type, who can play all the OF positions, a bit like Jon Jay and Darryl Jones.
Descalso will also play at Memphis.
Darryl Jones has been saddled by high expectations. He should return to Springfield and work on becoming a steady hitter at this level.
Anderson had a bit of a down 2009 as a hitter, followed by a shoulder injury. He should return to Memphis in 2010, work on rehabbing his shoulder, getting his stroke back, and on defense.

By: JumboShrimp

JumboShrimp — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:44:42 +0000

We can see why Daley is in Arizona, though he has not enjoyed much success as a starting pitcher in the minors: arm strength. He must not have a breaking pitch that he can reliably control, hence the Cards are going to try him as a reliever.
Reifer was injured his junior season of college, hence fell in the draft to the 11th round as a rehab play.

By: WestCoastbirdWatcher

WestCoastbirdWatcher — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:21:04 +0000

Have a good day everyone……..BB, be sure to give your turkey a name, and offer a prayer of some sort……….good to be save.

By: blingboy

blingboy — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:38:17 +0000

It goes without saying Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. We’ve got a 24 pound bird this year and cooking it is my job, at least until my sons and dad and I get into the beer too much. All five kids still live in town and we will have four generations present. Man, that’s living. Thanks Brian, everybody, have a nice holiday.