Comments on: Cardinals Minor League Spring Training Notebook: 03/17

By: JumboShrimp

JumboShrimp — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 21:45:32 +0000

Some fans like signing athletes out of high school, such as Jon Edwards in 2006. 3.5 years later, he is working to become established at low A, illustrating the potential cost of developing a raw talent. It can easily take 7 years to go from high school to the majors, for many players. In contrast, college senior Allen Craig is a ML candidate in just 3.5 years. This is why the Cards like signing a few older collegiates, like Conley.

By: JumboShrimp

JumboShrimp — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 21:35:45 +0000

Ryde Rodriguez is a month younger than Edwards, born Feb 1988.
Ryde’s upside is he is a switch-hitter. A drawback is it was unclear he played amateur ball in Cuba, so he was a diamond in the rough. Signing Ryde also cost $460K, since he had to be signed in a competitive labor market. Ryde was not a cost controlled college senior like Conley.
Because Conley was a year ahead in high school and went to a good college program, he can potentially slot into the Cards minor league system at a rung above Edwards and Ryde, who are both working to make the team at Quad Cities.

By: JumboShrimp

JumboShrimp — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 21:09:02 +0000

I looked up Conley and will correct erroneous memories above. He played at the Univ. of Washington, on the baseball team for 4 seasons. Did not get a lot of at bats his first two years there. Had a fine junior season and a good senior 1, though his OPS declined. So the guy played PAC-10 elite college baseball.
Conley finished high school in 2005, a year before Jon Edwards. Conley is about 9 months older, born March 1987, Edwards in Jan 1988.
Conley went in the 16th round his junior year at Wash U, then was redrafted by the Cards after his senior year in round 7. Though he hit better as a junior, Conley went up in the draft the next year, go figure. Maybe teams figured he would return for his senior year, so discounted him as a junior.
The Cards have had luck with well trained college hitters like Stavinoha from LSU, Allen Craig from California-Berkeley, Freese from S Alabama, Steve Hill for Stephen Austin College. Conley is another of these bets.

By: blingboy

blingboy — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:37:48 +0000

I saw Matt Adams playing collegiate summer league ball a couple years ago. That Illinois league, whatever its called now. The ball really jumped. He had a really big swing though. He stood out against the competition. I’m sure it was the same guy.

By: JumboShrimp

JumboShrimp — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 02:45:53 +0000

Matt Adams could be a pleasant surprise. He was too big, 240 lbs, for catcher. He played at Division II Slippery Rock, so was no high pick. His value is in his bat. He will go as far as his bat will take him. His bat could be good. Shifted to 1B, Adams coule be useful. He could excel at Quad Cities. Big Matt Arburr better lift his game, lest Big Matt Adams elbow him aside.

By: JumboShrimp

JumboShrimp — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 02:40:45 +0000

Conley, Ryde-Rod, and Edwards……

Conley played at the U of Washington or Wash State. He red-shirted and played 3 years, so by age he turned pro as a senior, though he still had a year of eligibility. He’s a big lug who can pull for power, but is not clever like Craig in using the whole field. Someday, Conley might move to 1B; he is not as athletic an OF as Mather.

Coming out of the Pac-10, Conley should open at Palm Beach, as did Craig, who played 4 seasons at UCal Berkeley. Based on experience, Conley is developmentally ahead of Edwards and Ryde-Rod, still trying to make low A. If they improve their skills, they might surpass him someday, but right now, he is ahead of them.

By: Brian Walton

Brian Walton — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:21:49 +0000

You are welcome. There are many more where that came from. Check back each evening.

In addition, for TheCardinalNation.com subscribers, I am just in the process of posting the detailed minor league rosters with team designations, starters broken out from relievers and more. Of course, it is all subject to change… and it will!

By: bigchieftootiemontana

bigchieftootiemontana — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:05:59 +0000

thanks for sharing the minor’s report !

By: Brian Walton

Brian Walton — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:46:32 +0000

One player development staffer I spoke with is much higher on Conley’s potential than Ryde Rodriguez or even Jon Edwards, two players against whom he may be competing with for jobs at PB.

By: Lou Schuler

Lou Schuler — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:33:17 +0000

I’m curious about Kyle Conley. He had that rough start in QC, but then tore through the NY-P: .385/.452/.752, with 24 XBH in 29 games.

He’ll be 23 in May, so there isn’t any time to waste. It’ll be interesting to see if he can handle PB right away.

By: Brian Walton

Brian Walton — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:01:05 +0000

Adams had a tremendous start offensively in short-season ball. If could maintain his power and somehow manage to continue to hit for average, too, it would be quite the combination. Those who do the former without the latter tend to fall by the wayside as they move up.

By: blingboy

blingboy — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:35:49 +0000

Matt Adams has some power potential. I take it he is not a big league fielder though.

By: Brian Walton

Brian Walton — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:16:01 +0000

Lou, Shepherd was out of the game last season. Technically on the restricted list. I don’t have the details of his personal situation that was behind it.

M25, great point on the lack of power. It is really system-wide. It is on my long list of blog topics. Last season, only two players across the nine minor league clubs hit more than 15 home runs.

By: Lou Schuler

Lou Schuler — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:08:41 +0000

Where was Devin Shepherd last year? I must’ve missed that story.

It’s fun to see all these names again.

By: Memphis25

Memphis25 — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:32:01 +0000

Thanks Brian, I’m glad these are back! The Memphis club projects to have next to no power outside of Mark Hamilton if Mather and Craig make the big club, thank goodness they should have some arms or it could make for a long year playing small ball vs all the HR’s in the PCL..

By: JumboShrimp

JumboShrimp — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 02:08:52 +0000

Shepherd has a ML body, but is a project. Good he is back. Cant succeed unless you try.