Following are the highlights from the first full minor league spring games of 2012 against external competition. A pair of intersquad games were held on Wednesday in preparation for Thursday’s contests against the Marlins, which were rained out after three innings.
That made Friday’s action the Cardinals’ initial games against external foes. Their shared opponent was the Miami farmhands once again, with the Cardinals side of the complex the home field.
My Friday Player of the Day: Palm Beach’s David Medina collected a single and two doubles in five at-bats.
My Friday Pitcher of the Day: Quad Cities’ Dail Villanueva started and pitched two perfect innings for the Field 4 club.
As he has been doing the last few seasons, Cardinals farm director John Vuch will be sharing game stats with this site and several others with interest in Cardinals prospects. As always, the raw numbers are his, but the comments mine.
Don’t read too much into which rosters on which players are appearing as early spring assignments are especially fluid.
On Saturday, Memphis and Springfield travel to Port St. Lucie while the Mets’ two Class-A clubs will bus to Jupiter.
The Cardinal Nation subscribers can check out the full minor league schedule and spring training working rosters. The entire system view by level and position is available via the Roster Matrix, right here at The Cardinal Nation Blog.
Memphis 8, New Orleans 6
| Memphis pitching | IP | H | ER | BB | K | Notes |
| Tyler Lyons | 1.2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | Cards starter in Arizona Fall League |
| Brian Broderick | 1.1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Pete Parise | 1.2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| Nick Greenwood | 1 | 0 | 1 | Down from MLB camp | ||
| Logan Billbrough | 2 | 0 | 2 | |||
| Justin Wright | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Last pitched in AFL |
| Memphis hitting | AB | R | H | RBI | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | Notes |
| Jose Garcia | 5 | 3 | Has been with Memphis before | ||||||
| Oscar Taveras | 3 | 1 | Long home run to right field | ||||||
| Zack Cox | 3 | 2 | 1 | Will he remain with Memphis? | |||||
| Alan Ahmady | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Kolten Wong | 1 | Leap over PB to Springfield? | |||||||
| Amaury Cazana | 1 | Back from Mexico to stay? | |||||||
| Audry Perez | 1 | ||||||||
| Xavier Scruggs | 1 | Catch his Monday blog at TCN | |||||||
| Pete Kozma | 1 | Down from big league camp | |||||||
| Greg Garcia | 1 | 1 | 1 | Unheralded infielder to watch |
Jacksonville 11, Springfield 4
| Springfield pitching | IP | H | ER | BB | K | Notes |
| Scott Gorgen | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Back from Tommy John |
| Seth Blair | 2 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | Still searching for ASU success |
| Ricky Martinez | 2 | 1 | 0 | PB pitching coach Dennis’ son | ||
| Seth Maness | 2 | 6 | 2 | Plus two unearned runs allowed | ||
| Chase Reid | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | A perfect line |
| Todd McInnis | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Starred for Batavia last year |
| Springfield hitting | AB | R | H | RBI | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | Notes |
| Jonathan Rodriguez | 5 | 2 | 1 | Has the bat; where to play? | |||||
| Cody Stanley | 1 | Could be next top C prospect | |||||||
| Packy Elkins | 1 | ||||||||
| Travis Tartamella | 1 | ||||||||
| Rainel Rosario | 1 | ||||||||
| Mike O’Neill | 1 |
Jupiter 5, Palm Beach 3
| Palm Beach pitching | IP | H | ER | BB | K | Notes |
| Zack Russell | 0.2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | Spent ’11 in Quad Cites rotation |
| Pat Daugherty | 1.2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| Aidan Lucas | 2 | 1 | 0 | Unheralded reliever | ||
| Justin Edwards | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| Kevin Jacob | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| Dyllon Nuernberg | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Palm Beach hitting | AB | R | H | RBI | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | Notes |
| David Medina | 5 | 3 | 2 | Three of team’s five hits | |||||
| Garrett Wittels | 1 | 1 | |||||||
| Roberto Reyes | 1 | 1 |
Quad Cities (Field 4) 9, Greensboro 5
| Quad Cities Field 4 pitching | IP | H | ER | BB | K | Notes |
| Dail Villanueva | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Perfect line for ’11 Gulf Coast pitcher |
| Travis Miller | 2 | 3 | 1 | |||
| Danny Miranda | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Batavia’s 2011 closer |
| Nick Gillung | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | ||
| Yunier Castillo | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Converted from SS during 2011 | |
| Corey Baker | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Quad Cities Field 4 hitting | AB | R | H | RBI | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | Notes |
| Charlie Tilson | 6 | 1 | 3 | 1 | Taken 79th overall in ’11 draft | ||||
| Sam Tuivailala | 2 | 1 | 3 | Good plate discipline | |||||
| Breyvic Valera | 1 | ||||||||
| Luis Perez | 1 | ||||||||
| Gerwuins Velazco | 1 | ||||||||
| David Washington | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Player to watch |
Marlins (team 5) 11, Quad Cities (Field 6) 3
| Quad Cities Field 6 pitching | IP | H | ER | BB | K | Notes |
| Ryan Sherriff | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | Four unearned runs scored |
| Brandon Creath | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Ethan Cole | 2 | 3 | 1 | |||
| Heath Wyatt | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | Pitcher of the Day runner up |
| Tyler Mills | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9th rounder in 2011 |
| Adam Bileckyj | 2 | 6 | 3 | 2 | Former free agent signee |
| Quad Cities Field 6 hitting | AB | R | H | RBI | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | Notes |
| Roberto De La Cruz | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | Former Dominican big bonus 3B | ||||
| David Bergin | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |||||
| Adam Ehrlich | 1 | Catcher was 6th-rounder in ’11 | |||||||
| Anthony Garcia | 1 |
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I’m not sure who was playing RF for the Cards today, but 500 lb. Prince Fielder got a triple down the line. I’m hoping it wasn’t Beltran.
Even more astonishing, Greene looked good at the plate.
Komatsu was in right. He didn’t get to the ball quickly. Cabrera scored all the way from first on that play. I like Komatsu’s hitting better than his defense but his chances of sticking look better with Skip hurt.
Greene has always been able to hit in the minors. Maybe the green jerseys helped today. I am sure tired of TLR being offered as the reason for Greene underachieving as a major leaguer.
Bryan Anderson had a rough game behind the plate.
He must have been dragging a piano if Prince made it to 3rd.
TLR has been a convenient excuse for others as well.
George Brett is saying if PED users start getting into HOF, then he and other inductees will boycott ie. not attend HOF events.
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/03/16/george-brett-if-steroid-users-get-elected-to-the-hall-of-fame-current-inductees-will-boycott/
Tough stance. Wonder how he can sort out who is who.
Like, what about a Braun, caught red handed but gets off on a technicality. Would he boycott if Braun ends up getting in?
The continuation of Garcia into the 5th was significant ………….. Matheny wants to expose the prima donna’s while he has some room to work…………… Anderson was once again a big contributor…….. and I’m not talking about the obvious past balls ……….. I’m talking about the trips to the mound after they have shaken off all his suggestions ………….. the guy has a good swing ……….. he needs a position…….
Just took a look at Colby’s last AB ””””””””’————…………… I will review the complete game later…………. any success he’s had of late have been lucky miss hits …..a result of continued poor positions and thus pitch selection…….. there is trouble headed his way ……………..
I see that Mendoza-boy is not hitting his weight. In the past, the only thing that put him right at the plate was his dad showing up to give him some coaching. I’m not saying that will happen now, but that is what happened in the past.
Perhaps Brian will mention how little brother is doing on the back fields.
Descalso looks like a guy who wants a job. He’s going to take it away from Greene. We all know that and I’m sure MM and Mo know it by now. It’s fun to pretend, though. Go Tyler.
Danny D’s stock is way up …………….. they are trying to recoup the Green investment ……. they will add all the value they can ……………. he may just be a flawed competitor ……… think Tiger Woods in golf now……… he brings his impediments to work every day ……….. lines them up really well ……… its a common malady ………………………
That isn’t what Mr. Brett says in the article. He mistakenly says that Michael Jack Schmidt would refuse to attend any future functions
at the HOF. In another article Mr. Brett also says that he (George) would keep attending events at the HOF.
There are some HOF ers who on record that they would not attend any more events at the HOF if PED users are admitted to the club,
most notably Bob Feller, but he would have a hard time attending now anyway !