It may seem trivial to the reader, but getting players’ information right is very important to me. I spend hours behind the scenes ensuring The Cardinal Nation player database and team rosters are accurate – down to dates of birth, high schools and yes, even the most basic data – their names.
For example, Quad Cities’ reliever Aidan Lucas’ first name was misspelled by many sources as Aiden when he was drafted last year. Fortunately TCN Johnson City reporter Shawn Kerrick spotted that immediately and I corrected it on our site. This spring, when I first met Lucas in spring training and we shook hands, I opened by saying, “Aidan with two ‘A’s’, right?” We shared a laugh.
In other cases, it is not so clear. For whatever reason, until my current trip to Springfield, I had never talked with catcher Charles Cutler. That changed on Monday. As you might expect, I had to ask him if he prefers to be called “Charles” or “Charlie.” We have been using the former, while many others use the latter.
He chuckled and said, “Charles is my business name. All my friends call me Charlie. We’re now friends, right?” Of course, I had to agree. In the process, I added a to-do for when I get home – to change his first name in the data base.
A second target in Springfield was Texas League all-star pitcher Mike Blazek. Most other sources use his formal name, Michael. I searched him out to learn his preference. Blazek explained that most people in baseball call him ‘Blazer’ and others ‘Michael.’ While he has no problem whatsoever with ‘Mike,’ he says it isn’t used much. Change number two.
Then there is reliever Samuel Freeman, shown on the Springfield mound Monday night. The lefty from the University of Kansas has been pitching effectively coming off Tommy John surgery though his velocity is not completely back. Freeman is a most engaging and polite man. In fact, so much so that I forgot to ask him how he wants his name specified. For now, it may remain “Samuel,” but I suspect another change is coming.
Also on my to-do list to resolve is Palm Beach’s Dan/Daniel Calhoun. The 2011 draft is bringing a whole new group, as well… Is it Michael Knox, Bradley Watson, Daniel Miranda… ?
Focusing on getting all last names in the proper places, I hope to have a new roster matrix ready on Thursday incorporating the short-season teams. In the meantime, the individual team rosters on The Cardinal Nation site are very close to accurate.
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Brian, I have great respect for you and TCN and Mr. Orf. As someone whose job totally depends on accuracy I say “KUDOS!”. I think we know the affects of poor journalism (you had a recent blog article regarding one such occurance). TCN is the standard bearer in Cardinals baseball. I picked a good place to further my baseball education!
Amen.
1. Ryan Theriot (R) SS
2. Jon Jay (L) CF
3. Matt Holliday (R) LF
4. Lance Berkman (S) 1B
5. Yadier Molina (R) C
6. Andrew Brown (R) RF
7. Daniel Descalso (L) 3B
8. Kyle Lohse (R) P
9. Pete Kozma (R) 2B
Lynn has a golden opportunity in the pen. A couple effective appearances and he’s the new go-to guy.
Well, before injury, mid-season callups quickly became the closer and setup man, so why not another?
Right. We have no set-up man now and the closer has blown more than he’s saved lately, so its wide open. Actually, we don’t have a 7th inning guy, or a long man either, so its wide open if he can be effective.
Effective defined as not hitting guys and walking in runs.
Hopefully he won’t get injured tripping over the bar.
Still think Lynn should be a starter and Mac back to the pen.Lynn has always been a starter and has improvef every year.Nac is more versatile overall and right now he is needed in the pen.Lynn has pitched okay in his 2 startsso why not let him stay in his comdort zone.
I agree Mac would be great in the pen, but I think he’s needed in the rotation. He’s been one of the stronger starters mostly. Not that Lynn wouldn’t be ok in the rotation. Hopefully Lynn will adapt.
I’m guessing we’ll see Cleto again soon, see if he can settle down, or not.
Read on a another Cards site that Cards Signed top pick Kolten Wong and will assign him to Quad Cities.Looking for more info.
http://www.kitv.com/r/28322623/detail.html
BB- nice .Thats the report i saw also.Now get the other ones signed.Pretty quick movement by the Cards FO.
Lohse doesn’t waste time out there.
I see Holliday is back to the long pants.
Last few games the stirrup guys got the crucial hits. The pen has been th achiles heel. Mac has been a good starter and Lynn had two strong appearances. (the first one errors sunk him) but that’s a small sample size for majors. We still need loogy and set up if mack or lynn is long relief
Nice throw by Kozma going away, sort of like the Albert injury throw. Glad to see he’s not being timid. Tony will say he should have planted, even though the guy would have been safe.
Cheeky
Three rookies in the lineup against Lee isn’t fair. Especially for Kozma and Brown.
Nice to see Andrew Brown ground out, after two whiffs. Its a lot sweeter now we have Cancer Albert out of the way.
AP 1 for 8 against Lee. He’s just a phenom pitcher. I wish AP a speedy recovery and that he returns to past form soon.
Hamilton, Cruz, Kozma. Lee must think he’s on a rehab stint in AAA.
Brutal, but they had a few hits. Couldn’t string em together.
Fine work by the Kyles, McClellan last night and Lohse tonight. The Phillies have way to much for the Birds, without HIM on their side.
Disappointing. Do better tomorrow.
1 inning, 1 run for the pen. Another failure even though it didn’t matter.
Wonder if we will see Colby in CF tomorrow?
Yep…Colby will roam CF and prevent the sweep.
When we wasted Lohse’s lead-off double in the third and couldn’t plate him, I knew our goose was cooked. That was poor…I don’t care how you slice it. Kozma appears to be an adequate 2nd bagger, and is, at least at this point, much better getting to balls hit to his right than to his left. His attempt on that ball hit to his left by Polanco (don’t recall the inning…maybe the 3rd) was weak, and I’m convinced Schumaker would have gotten to that ball. Not that it matters…we were soundly beaten last night, so (as TLR might suggest) you tip your hat to the guy, Lee, and go get ‘em next game! I’m not a gamblin’ man, but I’d feel safe betting on our Cards to win tonight.
A couple of things for today. Roster moves today are interesting. Bring up Valdes and send down Cleto. Cleto not ready, but I would rather Tallet be gone. Continuing to pitch him is a recipe for disaster. Also, Cruz starting for the 2nd time with Carp, is this going to be the norm and what message, if any, is being sent?
Details of roster moves posted on the main site.
Valdes wasn`t very good versus LHB at AAA.Cards hoping for better results.
Valdes has been good as a reliever in Memphis.
Crdswmn-good catch.I looked up his stats and he has been very good since going to the pen.
16.1 IP
6 H
1 ER
6 K
1 BB
very impressive.
Here`s hoping he shows enough to allow Cards to say sayanora to Tallet.