Following are the highlights from the fifth day of St. Louis Cardinals minor league games in spring 2011, on Sunday, March 20. On a camp day, Memphis and Springfield played as did Palm Beach and Quad Cities. After the by-default .500 day, in this case, 1-1-2, the Cardinals system is a combined 7-7-5 this spring.
Today’s photo is of Player of the Day Andrew Brown.
On Monday, the Cardinals face the Mets. The top two teams will play in Jupiter while Palm Beach and Quad Cities board the buses to travel to Port St. Lucie. For the full state of minor league spring training schedules, The Cardinal Nation subscribers can click here.
As he has been doing the last few seasons, Cardinals farm director John Vuch is sharing game highlights with this site and several others with interest in Cardinals prospects. As always, the raw data is his, but the comments mine.
Memphis (1-1-2) 5, Springfield (1-0-3) 5 (5 inning game)
Memphis pitching
Adam Ottavino had a rough day as he was touched for all five Springfield runs in two innings. He yielded five hits and two walks, but fanned four.
Chuckie Fick and Rich Rundles combined for 2 2/3 shutout innings on a total of three hits and three strikeouts.
Memphis hitting
Andrew Brown had a single and two doubles in three at-bats, scored twice, and starred with the glove, too. He made a diving play at first base to save a run. The versatile Brown can also play third base and the outfield.
Freddie Bynum, a shortstop signed to a minor league deal in the off-season, had a pair of singles in three at-bats.
Ramon Vazquez, also signed from the outside and is down from MLB camp, walked twice and doubled in three plate appearances. He scored and collected an RBI.
Daryl Jones, a former system player of the year, but an almost forgotten man, singled in two at-bats and plated two.
Tyler Henley singled and had an RBI.
Springfield pitching
Shelby Miller, the top prospect in the system, was far from perfect. He allowed two runs on three hits and a walk in 1 2/3 innings. Miller fanned three.
Eric Fornataro yielded three hits and a run in 1 2/3 frames.
Aaron Terry was the only Springfield pitcher to keep Memphis off the board, striking out one in his inning of work.
Jose Rada yielded a run on three baserunners allowed in just 2/3 inning.
Springfield hitting
Jarred Bogany singled and tripled in two at-bats and drove in two.
Matt Adams singled and doubled in three at-bats. He scored and collected an RBI.
Chris Swauger (RBI) and Zack Cox (run) each went 2-for-3.
D’Marcus Ingram walked, stole a base and scored.
Quad Cities (2-3) 3, Palm Beach (3-2) 2 (6 innings)
Palm Beach pitching
Seth Blair yielded two runs, one earned in 1 2/3 innings on one hit, but three walks. The 2010 supplemental first-rounder fanned four.
Keith Butler allowed just one hit and no runs in 1 2/3 innings.
Sean Watson, tryout player, allowed one earned run in two innings.
Palm Beach hitting
Edgar Lara doubled and scored.
Yunier Castillo singled and scored in two at-bats.
Michael Swinson collected a two-out RBI single.
Quad Cities pitching
Jordan Swagerty is getting stretched out, allowing one earned run in three innings. The former Arizona State closer and college teammate of his mound opponent Blair yielded three hits and a walk and fanned three.
Daniel Calhoun gave up one run in two innings despite yielding just one hit. He struck out three.
Josh Squatrito walked two and struck out one in 2/3 inning.
Quad Cities hitting
Starlin Rodriguez, who spent most of 2010 in the Gulf Coast League, doubled and scored. So did Matt Valaika.
Jonathan Rodriguez doubled.
Mike O’Neill walked and scored
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Oops, Carp kind of lost it there for a while.
He can be an emotional guy. Will be interesting to read his quotes as to what happened.
What happened with the Batista ejection? Did he hit Desmond on purpose or was the umpire grandstanding?
Likely on purpose. Discussed some more on The Cardinal Nation message board here.
Did Carp plunk Nix on purpose?
Unknown.
10 were Cut, including Matt Carpenter.
Blake King, John Gast, Brandon Dickson, Joe Kelly, Raul Valdes and Lance Lynn.
Hamilton, Cruz, Robinson were the others
Would appreciate an explaination of this from Goold’s article:
“Hamilton, Cruz and King were optioned to Triple-A. The non-roster players reassigned to minor-league camp are Carpenter, Gast, Dickson, Kelly, Lynn, Valdes, and Robinson.”
Is is correct to say that players on the 40 man are optioned to a specific minor league team, whereas non 40 man roster players are reassigned ot minor league camp, where they will later be assigned to a specific roster?
So was Cox optioned when he went out to minor league camp? If so, to which minor league team?
In my articles, I just say they have been optioned to the minor leagues. The Cardinals are not obligated to keep the 40-man players on any particular roster. Nor are they required to place any of the reassigned (non-40-man) players at a specific level.
Cox has been playing for Springfield and that seems his likely destination… but the key point to remember is that until the regular season starts, no minor leaguers are set on any roster.
I had the same question bling. I thought the PD was wrong when they referred to players being optioned to specific teams and seems Brian has confirmed that.
I didn’t mean to say anyone is wrong. For all I know, paperwork is required that specifies a level to assign a player’s contract. Sometimes the Cardinals press release even mentions levels. During the season, this makes a lot of sense because the player has to go somewhere. 99% of the time, that is Memphis. It makes less sense during the spring.
My point is that the real, actual assignments are fluid during spring camp. I try to avoid confusion and keep people from drawing early conclusions that decisions have been made regarding levels when they have not.
Thanks for the help. On one of the radio shows a stink was being made of MCarp not being sent right to AAA as were some others. As though he were being disrespected. I had the feeling it had to do with his NRI status, as the “AAA” guys were all on the 40 man.
That sounds like the people reporting the news do not understand. Carpenter has received as much or more praise than anyone in camp this spring. I doubt he has been disrespected.
Putting all this aside, it would be suprising if Carpenter isn’t starting at 3B opening day for Memphis and Cox the same for Springfield.
See? As soon as I said that, word from camp is that Cox has been moved down to Palm Beach’s roster…
Today’s game is a good example of what our offense consists of if the top of the order does nothing.
Addressing the top of the order problem was something I believe Mo mentioned early in the off season. Now he is looking at Skip down further in the order. Freese seems an unpopular choice, so we are looking at Theriot and Rasmus, like today. Berkman has been mentioned, but come on, besides, Tony wants him 5th. When he sits, Craig or Jay could be up there. But my point is, the problem is still there.
If Schumaker keeps hitting like he has been then maybe he should go back to lead off. Theriot has been a big disappointment so far. If Theriot doesn’t improve once the regular season starts then I would do a Brendan Ryan on him and bat him down at the bottom.
Given how hard Skip is on himself, letting him get into a groove hitting lower might not be a bad thing. I would think that Theriot has at least until Punto is back to right his ship.
I too like the idea of Skip hitting down in the order. Same for Colby.
My fear is if Theriot sucks at the plate, Tony will stick with him in the leadoff or #2 spot until July. He’s like that sometimes.
Sometimes?
PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) — The Seattle Mariners say Brendan Ryan will be their starting shortstop this season and Jack Wilson will shift over to second base.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/baseball/mlb/03/22/mariners.infield.ap/index.html
I saw that earlier. It will be good for Brendan to play everyday. And for the moment the replaced is batting better than the replacement. He has hit a HR, a triple and a double in his last three games.
Hopefully he has learned a valuable lesson and will hit close to .300 all year so Ichiro, Hernandez and Wedge won’t decide he is a distraction responsible for failed leadership and spineless collapse down the streatch. I can’t imagine where someone banished from the Mariners would go.
Based on the Carlos Silva trade, I would say the Cubs.
Wait….that sounds familiar.
Yeah, it never made sense to me that they said that they were planning to use Brendan Ryan at 2B in the first place. If you’re using him as a starter, he’s there for his defense. Of course he should be at the more important position.
And Ackley will be starting at second soon if not opening day.
Ackley will be starting at second on opening day – in Triple-A as he was sent down. He will be back, though. He looked very good in the AFL. First time I had seen him in person.
If we insist on playing him (at second base), I am fine with Skip leading off against righties. In fact, he almost certainly should lead off against righties.
I don’t think anyone has said he is a poor hitter (against righties).
If he can match his career splits rather than 2010. Based on his ST compared to last year’s, he might. It would be awsome if the goes .310 with .370 or so OBP against RHP.