.229/.292/.369/.661.

That was the aggregate batting line of the gaggle of individuals who attempted to play third base for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2009. Each (BA/OBP/SLG/OPS) was the lowest of any of the eight non-pitching positions on the team and the ugly numbers above weren’t close to the next-worst spot. It is clear to say that the 91-win club excelled in spite of third base, not because of it.

What a difference a year makes.

In 2008, veteran Troy Glaus was a rock on the left side of the Cardinals infield. The veteran third baseman played in 151 games and his 544 at-bats represented his personal highest single-season total since 2002. He contributed 27 home runs and drove in 99. His line was .270/.372/.483/.856.

Yet late in the season, a shoulder ailment was reported. Originally thought to be minor in nature, it wasn’t. Just a few days after stating he was fine at the team’s January 2009 Winter Warm-Up fan event, Glaus underwent surgery. Original estimates of an early season return were questioned from the start and later proven to be wildly optimistic.

From that point on, the third base job became as unstable in 2009 as it was steady the previous season. Following Glaus’ surgery, at least seven others either held the job or was considered the front-runner. The position had as much turnover as the drummer in Spinal Tap, though none of the players actually exploded on the field, at least not literally.

By February, another surprise in a long list of them ensued as rookie David Freese, the new leader coming into camp, reported soreness in his Achilles tendon that was later disclosed to have been related to a January auto accident in which his automobile was totalled. Freese would be among the first cuts of the spring as he was unable to play.

Joe Mather, primarily an outfielder as a professional, was instilled as the new spring training favorite to take the interim starting third base job. However, an illness coincided with a long hitting slump that soon relegated Mather to competing for a reserve outfield spot. He lost out and was optioned to Triple-A Memphis before ongoing wrist problems effectively scuttled his season.

In another unexpected and unusual move, Freese was recalled from minor league camp in late March and made the major league club to start the season. With Mather cut, a pair of long-time minor leaguers, journeyman Joe Thurston and Brian Barden, also both joined the 25-man roster out of spring training.

As the regular season got underway, time at third base was split between the left-handed hitting Thurston and the righty Barden as Freese was not right and was sent down by the third week of April. Barden, the opening day starter, went on to enjoy his 30 days of fame, actually earning the National League Rookie of the Month Award for April. After a .132 May, Barden was back in Memphis by early June. Thurston also began fairly well in April, posting his best period of the season. He quickly became exposed, with his OPS dropping each subsequent month.

In long-rumored move, but still a bold stroke, Mark DeRosa was acquired on June 27 from Cleveland for two relievers who had seen major league duty, Chris Perez and Jess Todd. The excitement was short-lived, however. By July 1, DeRosa was on the disabled list with a wrist problem, a torn tendon sheath that would require post-season surgery.

DeRosa returned in the later half of July, but despite having slammed eight home runs in his first 22 games with the club, DeRosa would bat a career-low .228 in his first and only partial season with St. Louis and add just two home runs the rest of the way.

During one of his numerous rehab outings, troubled shortstop Khalil Greene was converted to third base, but he was clearly not the answer, either. Rookie Tyler Greene had seven starts at the hot corner though Brendan Ryan did not appear there after having made 29 appearances at the position in 2007 and 2008.

The eight named third basemen did not even include the man some had expected to step in and take over by mid-season. Top prospect Brett Wallace had barely been given a look-see in spring camp and after a partial-season with Springfield and Memphis, was dealt to Oakland in late July as the centerpiece of the Matt Holliday trade.

Following a long minor league rehab and several setbacks, Glaus was finally reactivated on September 1, but was clearly not ready for starting duty. Freese returned to St. Louis once Memphis’ season was complete and hit well in limited action, but could not be added to the post-season roster since Glaus was deemed to be “healthy”. Despite Glaus missing more time with a September oblique injury, he made the NLDS roster as a reserve.

Amazingly, Thurston was the only one of the eight third basemen who spent the entire season active in the majors, including the post-season. After having posted a dismal .225/.316/.330/.646 line over an amazing 307 plate appearances, Thurston was removed from the 40-man roster following the season.

Ironically, both Thurston (minor league deal) and Glaus have signed with Atlanta for 2010. Barden inked a minor league contract with Florida. DeRosa is a new member of the San Francisco Giants. Khalil Greene is a free agent whose career seems in jeopardy.

Currently, it is as difficult to forecast how third base will evolve in 2010 as it was to predict at this time one year ago when Glaus’ surprise surgery set in motion a season of complete turmoil at the position.

Freese, Mather and Tyler Greene all remain on the 40-man roster and should return in 2010. Rookie Allen Craig is also expected to compete for a job, though among the four, only Freese is considered a full-time, major league-quality defensive third baseman. The latter’s reputation has been sullied by a December drunken driving incident, his third alcohol-related arrest.

It remains to be seen whether this band of survivors will be augmented by another veteran third baseman from outside the organization. My guess is yes.

Regular season starts, third base, 2009 St. Louis Cardinals

DeRosa 58, Thurston 55, Barden 20, K. Greene 13, T. Greene 7, Freese 5, Glaus 4, Mather 0.

Link to The Cardinal Nation Blog’s top 20 stories of the year countdown

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The San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser reported Thursday morning that the Cardinals “might be edging closer” to meeting Oakland’s asking price for Holliday, a free agent following this season. That price is reportedly top Cards minor league prospect, Memphis third baseman Brett Wallace.

The Chronicle’s report goes on to state the Cardinals’ “other option essentially would be” Washington outfielder Josh Willingham. It does not explain why these are apparently the only two fish in the sea.

ESPN’s Buster Olney lines up with the Chronicle’s report, quoting a source familiar with the negotiations that puts the odds at 50-50. Olney mentions the Cards have known for weeks that Wallace is required by Oakland to make the deal, but perhaps the A’s will agree to cover some of Holliday’s salary.

Holliday makes $13.5 million this season or has about $6 million to go on the final year of a two-year, $23 million deal signed with the Rockies prior to the 2008 season.

SI.com’s Jon Heyman is also in the camp that says the Cards are “seriously pursuing” Holliday. Heyman only states that Wallace is “in the mix” as Oakland’s take, however.

Finally, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal has chimed in quoting his sources as saying both “there is nothing going on” while also labeling the Cardinals interest in Holliday as only “mild”.

Who knows what or who to believe?

Personally, I am not even focused on the money. I am among those against giving up six Major League seasons of Wallace for two months of Holliday. There is always the chance that Holliday will like St. Louis and want to stay, but Scott Boras is his agent.

For every Kyle Lohse that spurns free agency, there are many more Boras clients that hit the open market. A couple of potential compensation draft picks received if Holliday walks after the season are not enough to change my view.

I find myself wondering exactly who is viewed to be the one putting Mo on that hot seat. Is it the dugout, the press, the fans, himself?

Just a few months ago, the upper levels of the organization were awash with third base prospects, with no place to play Brett Wallace (pictured) at Memphis with David Freese and Allen Craig ahead of him.

Now, everything has changed. The rest of the world has finally figured out that Troy Glaus isn’t going to be much of any good this season and the April shine has worn off the rookie replacements, Joe Thurston and Brian Barden.

Freese required surgery this month, Craig isn’t viewed as a major league third baseman and Joe Mather, thought to be good enough to play at the hot corner at the major league level this spring, is out with a recurring wrist problem.

Wallace has just 11 games and 47 at-bats with Memphis to date. Mozeliak and manager Tony La Russa both agree that Wallace isn’t ready. To help put that into perspective, I ran major league equivalencies (MLEs) for Wallace’s limited Triple-A sample and compare them to the incumbents’ season results.

Wallace doesn’t stack up well here. One reason is that he has taken just one walk with Memphis after showing a good eye in the past.

Now, let’s compare Wallace at Memphis to Thurston and Barden this month only. The picture changes. Still, Wallace’s .626 MLE OPS is nothing to get excited over.

One challenge the Cardinals face is that it is early in the trade season. We are barely one quarter of the way into the regular season, a full two months ahead of the July 31 deadline, a date that many clubs still find too early. The advent of the wild card keeps more teams in the hunt longer.

Following are the year-to-date lines for the three names that have been mentioned as possibilities for the Cardinals in various reports. They are Garrett Atkins of Colorado, Mark DeRosa of Cleveland and Melvin Mora of Baltimore.

Clearly in the case of two of the three, Atkins and Mora, the reason they may be available now is that they are having subpar seasons. In acquiring them, one would have to believe a rapid rebound is likely.

Just for grins, I included the line from the Cardinals’ most recent reclamation project, Khalil Greene. Notice how closely his stats this season mirror Atkins’.

Keeping money aside, each has significant warts. Mora is 37 years old and Atkins’ career nums were impacted by the reality that he plays 81 games a year in Colorado. DeRosa is playing at an above-average level for him this season, but will he maintain that pace after another move? (DeRosa was traded from the Cubs to the Indians over the winter.)

So, are any of these three going to be better than what the Cardinals already have?

What are the possible reasons to not call up Wallace?

1) There’s a better option on the trade market.

2) Wallace is not ready offensively.

3) Wallace is not ready defensively.

4) He is out of shape – reportedly 23% body fat this spring.

5) The 40-man roster is going to be tight this winter and Wallace would not need to be added.

6) His arbitration and free agency clock will begin prematurely.

7) The major league coaching staff is against the idea.

We will take these one at a time.

1) A better option may exist on the market. Can’t argue with that if it means someone other than the three names already mentioned. How long will it take for such individuals to become available, however, and what would it take to get them?

2) Wallace isn’t ready with the bat. Can’t argue with that either. More time at the plate in Memphis would be ideal. But, isn’t Wallace probably better offensively than Barden and Thurston today?

On an aside, but parallel bent to Wallace, I just read that the first-place NL West Dodgers, dealing with outfield injuries and one very high profile suspension, just called up Jamie Hoffman. He was a Double-A All-Star last season, was raking back in Double-A this season (.952 OPS), but only has 35 Triple- A at-bats.

3) Wallace isn’t ready with the glove. If range is truly the issue and I am not doubting that, how much can it improve by more reps in the minors? Once he is positioned properly, his range is what it is, right? One argument is that his range will only erode as he ages, so…

4) Wallace is out of shape. Let’s face it; his body type is not that of a weight-lifter. Yet, there are others in the majors today who are much worse. Chances are that physically, Wallace is what he is. I suggest basing any decision on results, not physique.

5) 40-man roster issues. This is not an immediate problem, but will become one this winter as the Cardinals have to make decisions on a number of players or risk losing them in the Rule 5 Draft.

Having been drafted last June, Wallace would not need to be protected this winter unless he is called up during this season.

For me, the real question is whether or not it is believed that Wallace can contribute at the major league level in 2009. If so, then the future roster issue has to be secondary to improvement in St. Louis now.

6) Arbitration and free agent clocks would begin prematurely. Not a major issue. It is late enough into this season that the Cardinals would not be forced into early arbitration in just under three years. Same with free agency at six.

If he isn’t good enough to stick, he won’t accrue MLB service time back in Memphis. Even those most pessimistic about Wallace think he will make his major league debut in 2010, anyway.

7) Political issues. This is a very thorny one, as based on remarks by Post-Dispatch beat writer Joe Strauss, La Russa is very much against a Wallace promotion. Despite the glaring need at the position, Wallace barely received a sniff in major league camp before being cut.

While Mozeliak is in public agreement at least that Wallace isn’t ready, would his opinion change if the third baseman puts in a good month with Memphis and a fair trade cannot yet be found?

Is there any scenario under which La Russa embrace a Wallace promotion this season? The signals say “no”.

In summary

I am not sure why there is such a negative vibe about Wallace, but it seems other organizations are not reluctant to promote players who excelled at Double-A.

If nothing else is cooking, why not give Wallace a try soon? If he stumbles, it will be a lot closer to the trade deadline when more teams may be in the mood to deal.

Remember that other rumors have the Cardinals looking for a right-handed hitting outfielder, too. What are the odds Mozeliak could land both an impact outfielder and a third baseman and do it within the club’s current financial constraints? What is a higher priority for the club? What may be easier to find?

Considering all, it is more realistic to assume the Cardinals will move to bring in an Atkins-like player in hopes he can pick up the slack at third. If another Khalil Greene-like failure occurs, there could still be time for Wallace later this summer – if the Cardinals can remain in contention that long with their sputtering offense.

Here in part three, I look forward to 2009, considering which St. Louis Cardinals minor league players may debut along with the subset that may stay up long enough to exhaust their rookie qualification.

In contrast to parts one and two, which reported fact – what happened in the past – this article is based on my personal assessments. By definition, some of you are going to see it differently. That’s ok; just sound off below.

Just remember that the scope of this article is the entire 2009 season, not the opening day roster. My annual forecast of how I see that shaking out will be a separate piece.

As another reminder, here are the rookie qualification guidelines: More than 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the Major Leagues, or more than 45 days on the Major League active roster during April-August, excluding time on the disabled list.

The other first-year players that are projected to fall short of rookie qualification are noted as such, “Cup of java”.

There is another set of important considerations – those players that must be protected by November by being added to the 40-man roster or risk being lost in the December Rule 5 Draft.

As a refresher, here are the 11 first-year players and rookie qualifiers from 2008.

Let’s go around the diamond by position as we consider 2009.

Catcher

Bryan Anderson should make his major league debut during the 2009 season, but unless either Yadier Molina or backup Jason LaRue spend time on the disabled list, Anderson’s call up may not occur until September when rosters expand. Anderson would become Rule 5 eligible if not protected.

Catcher	#	Meet rookie qual	Cup of java
	1	none	Bryan Anderson

* already on 40-man

italics: not on 40-man

First base

Not only is there not a first baseman high in the system threatening to break into the bigs, the Cardinals already have two qualified reserve first basemen on the roster in Joe Mather and Chris Duncan. Nothing to see here. Move along, folks…

Second base

Minor league non-roster invitee Joe Thurston has a chance to make the Cardinals coming out of spring camp and if not, still could see 150 at-bats at some point this season as an interim fix if injury strikes one of the players in St. Louis. Assuming a major DL stint somewhere seems most reasonable and I am guessing that up the middle will be such a place.

Not having ever seen Thurston play, I am basing my push of him to the front of the line primarily due to Jose Oquendo’s support and the shakiness of the current Adam Kennedy – Brendan Ryan combo.

Still, I would be far more optimistic about Thurston if he only batted right-handed, as we all know how well La Russa likes his match ups. Neither Kennedy (.596 OPS vs. LHP in 2008) nor Schumaker (.423 OPS vs. LHP in 2008 – not a typo!) can hit lefties worth a lick.

Thurston backers point out that at least in the minors last season, his OPS against lefties and righties were basically the same (.831 vs. .832) solid nums. While that is true, his 2008 seems an outlier, as the 29-year-old hasn’t been nearly as good against left-handed pitching in past years.

Thurston’s Triple-A splits

OPS	vs. LHP	vs. RHP
2008	0.831	0.832
2007	0.706	0.841
2006	0.675	0.831
2005	0.648	0.732

I don’t see Thurston as a long-term answer, but may serve as an ok 2009 fill-in if needed. It is worth noting that if necessary, Thurston can be removed from the 40-man at the conclusion of the season to make room for a prospect needing protection. (Update: As DD17, reminded me below, though Thurston would make his Cards debut in 2009, he has had several cups of coffee in the past with the Dodgers, Phillies and Red Sox.)

Jarrett Hoffpauir has been on the 40-man roster for over a year now, but hasn’t sniffed the majors. He seems closer to being removed from the roster than making his MLB debut.

Until proven otherwise, I will also continue to question the successful conclusion of Skip Schumaker’s attempt to execute a mid-career transition to second base. He played a little shortstop in a college career that ended eight years ago and has never been at second – until now.

Shortstop

What Brian Barden needs is an injury to starter Khalil Greene or to beat out current reserve Brendan Ryan to get a chance beyond a third straight September call-up. This seems another place to expect some DL time, though it is hoped Khalil won’t be punching any more storage cabinets in frustration.

Since Barden is not a first-year player, he isn’t the focus of his piece, yet he and Ryan have a direct an impact on the others. There is another factor to consider in that Ryan is out of minor league options, but Barden still has one remaining. If for some reason, the Cardinals wanted to open 40-man space by dropping Barden instead of optioning him out, I suspect he could clear waivers if necessary.

I will forecast a September call up for former first-rounder Tyler Greene, as dependent as anything on his ability to put together a solid season with the bat as well as continue to work defensively at third, short and second. Greene seems aligned to replace Ryan when ready and like Barden, is already on the 40-man.

SS	#	Meet rookie qual	Cup of java
	1	none	Tyler Greene*

Third base

Much has been written about this position already. With Troy Glaus’ season-opening injury, David Freese seems poised to become the interim starter. If he wins the competition, he could reach his 150 at-bats relatively quickly. Joe Mather should be a reserve only.

I do see Brett Wallace most capable of playing well enough this season to warrant at least a September call-up. However as I noted in the Rule 5 article, there are also valid roster reasons to delay Wallace’s arrival in St. Louis until 2010. To beat that, he will not only have to play well, but will need a break or two as he got in 2008. If Freese stubs his toe, an earlier arrival in St. Louis by Wallace is not as unlikely as it once seemed.

3B	#	Meet rookie qual	Cup of java
	2	David Freese	Brett Wallace

Outfield

I imagine that by now, we all know the current roster configuration makes finding room for top prospect Colby Rasmus (pictured) difficult, but not impossible. Without a trade or injury, his chances of making the team out of spring training still seem less than 50%, in my opinion here today on February 9.

Yet the players have not even taken the field in camp and a lot could change very quickly. Something will happen soon enough such that we should see Rasmus in St. Louis long before the summer is out. It could be a trade, it could be an injury to another, but I just do not see the door for Rasmus remaining closed all season.

I wanted to put Jon Jay on the cup of coffee list because I have a feeling that he is going to emerge this coming season. He has already been invited to big league camp and with a solid, injury-free season in Memphis, could at least receive a courtesy call-up for the final month. One small downside is that seemingly like every other outfielder, Jay hits left-handed. Like Rasmus, Jay will require Rule 5 protection by November, helping his case. A trade involving outfielders up the pecking order could further improve Jay’s chances, or maybe he is one sent packing.

OF	#	Meet rookie qual	Cup of java
	2	Colby Rasmus	Jon Jay

Starting pitcher

As odd as it may seem, for now I am forecasting no new first-year starting pitcher debuts during 2009, despite 2008 call-ups Mike Parisi and Jaime Garcia being sidelined effectively all year.

If the club does bring in an experienced starting pitcher this spring, this already-tight position will get even tighter. Sorry to P.J. Walters and the others chomping at the bit, but I see some combination of Mitchell Boggs and Kyle McClellan as being the most obvious starters in reserve. Obviously, neither of them are roster first-timers.

Then we have Brad Thompson, Joel Pineiro and “the new guy”, who will all need homes, but all can’t fit on the current roster. I can’t bring myself to actually forecast another extended outage for Chris Carpenter, as much as I fear it.

Check the earlier Rule 5 article for a detailed explanation why I think top prospects Jess Todd and Clayton Mortensen making their 2009 debuts is a long shot no matter how well they pitch in Memphis. Yes, there is always a chance one could force his way up with a spectacular season, but I feel it would either take that or a devastating run of injuries in St. Louis or more likely, both.

Relief pitcher

Here is another position that is clearly stacked with different piece-part options. However, Josh Kinney remains an injury risk and Jason Motte and even Chris Perez could find themselves heading back down I-55 to Memphis if they struggle with their secondary pitches.

Fernando Salas and Francisco Samuel represent a pair of emerging right-handed alternatives. Salas is currently ahead on paper, having been the 2008 Springfield closer, while Samuel was the ninth-inning man for Palm Beach but is considered the better prospect. Each scored a spring training non-roster invite, but Samuel is heading toward Rule 5 exposure this winter. Since both have such a long way to go, neither should be a factor to start the season. Still I can see Samuel at least getting a late-season look.

An unheralded candidate that may make his debut in 2009 is Memphis’ Matt Scherer, already added to the 40-man roster last fall. I think Scherer could come up sooner, with Samuel as a September possibility. I also think at some point during the summer, Mike Sillman may get at least a short look-see, especially if injuries strike.

From the left side, free agent signee Ian Ostlund has a shot, even in spring training. With three lefties already on the 40-man roster though, Ostlund will need help even if he pitches well in March. I can see him getting to St. Louis during the summer but fall short of 50 innings and 45 days like the other first-time relievers.

RP	#	Meet rookie qual	Cup of java
	4	none	Matt Scherer*
			Francisco Samuel
			Mike Sillman
			Ian Ostlund
total	10	2	8

Summary

Though I honestly did not plan it this way, note that my expected total of 10 first-year players is very close to what actually ensued during the 2008 season. My forecast of two being up long enough to exhaust their rookie eligibility is two off last year’s La Russa-era high-water mark.

While this is an aggressive number of players, my biggest concern is represented by the eight names noted in italics. Of the 10, only Scherer and Greene are on the 40-man today. For this scenario to play out, the Cardinals would need to add the other eight new players to the 40-man roster, which currently sits at 35.

Some space can be made by transferring players in-season to the 60-day disabled list, which does not count against the 40-man limit. Even if so, other players may find themselves removed from the roster during the season. Candidate names that immediately come to mind are Blake Hawksworth, Hoffpauir and Nick Stavinoha.

In the meantime, I will be closely watching spring training battles and regular season action to assess how accurate this forecast might actually become.

How the Troy Glaus injury situation was handled has already been well-analyzed by others, so I won’t excessively beat that horse further.

I will say that it is impossible for me to come up with a scenario where management allowed this to happen on purpose. After all, how could the club benefit by Glaus missing up to two months of the season? It’s not like they think they will play better without him and they do still have to pay him, either way.

Still, the investigative journalist side in many people will not seem to be happy until proper blame can be laid on someone. By default, that always seems to be management. In this case, it seems partially valid at least, in terms of how the communication was handled.

I find it disappointing that during the Winter Warm-up fan event, just a few days prior to the surgery announcement, both the club and player covered up the problem, likely to avoid having to answer tough questions. That is not the way to foster trust with an already-wary wary fan base.

No matter whose fault it is, it provides yet another opportunity to criticize ownership and management at a time when the fan’s confidence level in them seems to be following a George Bush popularity trajectory. Hmmm, maybe that is explainable, since Bill DeWitt, Jr. and “43” are buds.

One positive that may come from this injury is the chance to find out early on if David Freese has what it takes to become a major league third baseman. With Glaus’ contract up following the 2009 season and if the “powder dry” Cardinals continue on their cost-cutting trajectory, Glaus will most likely be playing elsewhere in 2010.

Already on a very aggressive schedule since being drafted in the first round just last June, Brett Wallace would have to wow the coaches in camp to become a serious factor to open the season in St. Louis. Yet, crazier things have surely happened.

Speaking of crazy, let’s move on to second base, home of Adam Kennedy and some very unsettled plans.

One of my pet peeves was recently surfaced in the news. If I had a dollar for everyone who thinks Player A, who apparently isn’t good enough to start at his current position, can magically convert to second base overnight, I would be most wealthy. Trying it at the major league level is even more risky.

Yet, that is precisely what Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak offered up for the Cardinal Nation the other day in a chat at StLToday.com. The subject was Skip Schumaker.

“Schumaker was drafted as an infielder but has not played there since making the move to the OF. I have spoken with Tony on this and we have included Oquendo in these talks as well. Skip may get a look there this spring to gauge how comfortable he would be with trying to move back to the infield. He had a good offensively (sic) and we always look for creative ways to get players more playing time,” Mozeliak said.

Up until that point, I refused to believe the scuttlebutt about Schumaker, just as I did about the earlier rumors about outfielder Shane Robinson, who did not see action during the Arizona Fall League at second base, by the way. (As an aside, Jon Jay received a spring training invite and Robinson did not. Consider that an indication of the outfield pecking order.)

Since Mozeliak had discussed the idea of trying Schumaker at second with Tony La Russa and Jose Oquendo as he says he did, why didn’t any of them actually discuss it with the player, too? Couldn’t they have gotten the player some reps in winter ball to test the idea and increase the odds of success?

Of course, the player needs to be sold on the idea first. Earlier, at WWU, Schumaker seemed lukewarm at best, joking that there was likely a reason he hadn’t been put at second base since college in 2001 and prior. Probably knowing he had to be politically correct, the outfielder also said he would try to do whatever the coaches ask.

Why Mo divulged the idea about Schumaker in the manner he did now seems a bit odd. It may not be completely fair, but it felt to me like the GM is trying to generate hope any way possible no matter how unlikely it seems as this increasingly-long, tiring and frustrating off-season continues.

What was unsaid is that if Skip is able to cover second, that creates more outfield room for top prospect Colby Rasmus. In a season with not much new to be excited about, at least so far, more and more signals are pointing to Rasmus as becoming a 2009 focal point – if he makes the team, that is. (An indicator of the hope is the assignment of number 28 to Rasmus this spring, something that stands out among all the number 70s and 80s assigned to the other non-roster invitees.)

Joe Mather, who hasn’t ever played second, recently commented that he would be excited to get the chance to try to play there, too. La Russa had previously laughed off the idea, noting the 6-foot-4 Mather would be one of the tallest second basemen ever. Seems to me that in camp Mather ought to be concentrating on becoming a credible third base reserve, anyway.

Stop! Let’s get real here. This is the major leagues, not some rookie tryout camp. The Cardinals already had two other proven second basemen and they let them walk.

They watched Felipe Lopez leave because he supposedly wanted a multi-year deal. Yet he signed just a one year contract with Arizona for just $3.5 million. They ran Aaron Miles, who was still under team control, out of town because they were scared of arbitration. Miles signed with the Cubs for an average of $2.45 million for the next two seasons, hardly a king’s ransom.

If the Cardinals want another real second baseman, just go get one now, for Pete’s sake. Waiting until camp to determine if any of the in-house candidates are capable is a gamble. Perhaps some decent right-handed hitting second basemen will be available then, but perhaps not.

Among the second basemen still on the market today are Orlando Hudson and Ray Durham. Hudson is a Type A free agent, so his price may be too high due to the compensatory first-round draft pick lost. Former Cardinal Mark Grudzielanek is also out there and any of the three could be a serviceable Kennedy alternative from the right side of the plate. (AK is a left-handed hitter as is Schumaker, another reason the proposed switch seems questionable.)

Since the Cardinals were willing to pay Matt Holliday and Brian Fuentes, there must be a little dry powder that could be spared to acquire a decent second baseman if the club wants someone who is actually proven at the position. Yahoo Sports’ most recent projection has the Cardinals coming in with a $91 million payroll in 2009, an almost 10 percent drop from 2008.

Instead, are we really supposed to feel confident about the idea of Skip Schumaker playing second base?

I am not big into playing the blame game myself, and have been trying to wait to pass judgment until the off-season is complete, but Cardinals management isn’t doing anything to help their standing in the court of public opinion. Lately, it seems just the opposite.

What is unusual about the 2009 crop of NRIs is not the size of the population. 20 is just three players below the average in camp over the last seven years, but also remember the Cardinals still have time to make some additional player invitations if they so choose.

Opened camp	2009x	03-08 Avg	2008	2007	2006	2005	2004	2003
Roster	35	39	40	40	38	38	38	40
NRI	20	23	29	19	23	20	24	23
Total in camp	55	62	69	59	61	58	62	63
x as of 1/25/09

Speaking of player additions, the 40-man roster is at quite a historically low rate to open camp, at just 35, or four below the 2003-2008 average. It is the lowest total since at least 2002. While the Cardinals could sign another major leaguer or two, they may be holding some of the spaces for a few of those NRIs that may come through in the spring.

Recent history tells us that several non-roster invitees typically do make the 25-man roster at the end of training camp each March. As the data below indicates, on the average two players earn their way both onto the 40-man roster and the 25-man active roster to start the season. In one year, 2007, no NRIs made the team.

	2009	Avg	’08	’07	’06	’05	’04	’03	’02	’01
NRI made 25-man	TBD	2	2	0	2	2	3	4	1	3

All NRIs are not created equal, however. Traditionally, I group them into three broad categories:

1) Veterans trying to catch on. These could be major leaguers or minor leaguers that had to sign minor league contracts to get a camp invite, but do it to try to secure that all-important upgrade to a big-league deal if they make the team.

2) Extra catchers. Usually Double-A and even a few Single-A level catchers score an invite to camp solely for the purpose of catching all the pitchers in camp early on. Traditionally, the Cards have at least eight catchers in uniform when camp begins. Some of these could become top prospects later on, but none are ready yet and therefore have no chance whatsoever to make the club.

3) Prospects. Some of the best prospects at the highest levels of the system have been around long enough that they had to be added to the 40-man previously. The others here typically represent the best prospects at the top two levels of the system that are not yet on the 40-man. Obviously, none of them have appeared in the majors to date.

To illustrate the latter point, take a look at this table.

2001-08	Made 25-man	1st timers	%
NRIs	17	3	18%

Of the 17 NRIs to have made the Cardinals since 2001, a span of eight years, only three were making their MLB debuts in the process. The other 13, or 82% of the NRIs to open the season on the 25-man roster had already been to the bigs previously.

The two most recent of the three first-timers were not even products of the Cardinals farm system. Reliever Kiko Calero was on the 2003 opening day roster after having been signed by the Cards as a minor league free agent. Last spring, a career minor leaguer like Calero, Rico Washington, made the Cardinals only because Brendan Ryan was out due to injury.

Think about that for a minute. Last year when a third baseman went down, Washington was the answer. This year, it is David Freese and Brett Wallace instead. Quite the difference, isn’t it?

So, what is the identity of the third NRI to make the Cardinals out of spring training with no prior MLB experience, you ask?

That would be none other than Jose Alberto Pujols, the only Cardinals player to have made the leap from home-grown NRI to major leaguer in one huge bound during this period, back in 2001. (We’ll likely never, ever see Pujols wearing uniform number 68 again!)

While regular readers of my articles know all too well, I often use the past to help project the future. In doing so, my ground is made firmer by the long-run of the Tony La Russa regime in St. Louis and in this case, some fairly consistent roster behavior during that period.

Yet for NRIs in 2009, the landscape is clearly changing. As a first illustration, here is my take as to the split of this spring’s 20 NRIs into the three categories noted above. My rank of the players in our Scout.com Cardinals top 40 is also included.

2009 Cardinals NRIs (20)
Minor league deals (3)	Extra catchers (4)	Rank	Prospects (13)	Rank
Ian Ostlund	Steven Hill	34	Colby Rasmus	1
Justin Knoedler	Tony Cruz	36	Brett Wallace	2
Joe Thurston	Luis De La Cruz	36(’08)	Bryan Anderson	3
	Matt Pagnozzi	NR	David Freese	5
			Jess Todd	7
			Clayton Mortensen	11
			Jon Jay	12
			Adam Ottavino	15
			P.J. Walters	17
			Allen Craig	18
			Francisco Samuel	21
			Tyler Herron	25
NR = not ranked			Fernando Salas	31

As you can see, 13 of the 20 2009 NRIs are legitimate top prospects and even two of the extra catchers made my personal top 40 ranking this year. One other, Luis De La Cruz, only fell off this time due to an injury-ruined 2008.

This is a very different dynamic from past seasons. For example, let’s look at the NRI list from just 12 months ago.

2008 Cardinals NRIs (29)
Minor league deals (11)	Extra catchers (5)	Rank	Prospects (13)	Rank
D’Angelo Jimenez	Nick Derba	NR	Colby Rasmus	1
Josh Phelps	Gabe Johnson	NR	Jaime Garcia	2
Rico Washington	Matt Pagnozzi	NR	Bryan Anderson	3
Mark Johnson	Brandon Yarbrough	NR	Chris Perez	4
Dewon Brazelton	David Carpenter	NR	Adam Ottavino	5
Hugo Castellanos			Clayton Mortensen	6
Ron Flores			Tyler Herron	7
Cliff Politte			David Freese	11a
John Wasdin			Mitchell Boggs	16
Ron Villone			P.J. Walters	17
Juan Gonzalez			Stuart Pomeranz	23
			Nick Stavinoha	25
NR = not ranked			Amaury Marti	NR

Starting on the right, the 2008 NRI prospect list is of the same length (13 players) as 2009 and they are pretty comparable in terms of prospect ranking. Yet, none of the extra catchers made my 2008 top 40 prospect list.

The primary difference between the 29 NRIs last year and the 20 this year is in the veteran minor league free agent column on the left. Gone this time are the journeyman roster fillers clearly destined for Triple-A Memphis.

Take a good look at the names of those 11 2008 NRIs. With the exception of Ron Villone, who made the big league club out of camp because Tyler Johnson couldn’t answer the bell, none of these players contributed to the 2008 Cardinals.

I submit that with the improving Cardinals prospect pipeline, the 2009 Memphis Redbirds will be a competitive team even without the John Wasdins and D’Angelo Jimenez’s on the roster.

Even better yet, the lucky 13 prospects slated to arrive in big league camp in just three weeks should receive more instruction, more innings and more at-bats as they strive to impress the staff and perhaps make their first major league roster.

The cream of that prospect crop, players like Rasmus, Wallace and Freese, just might have what it takes to join Pujols in that very elite club of NRI spring achievers.

Bottom line, I am all for the slimming down the non-roster invitee list for 2009 in terms of quantity and excited about the quality.

In part two of this article, I will look at NRI highlights from past Cardinals spring camps each year from 2001 through 2008.

The Cardinals announced Thursday that third baseman Troy Glaus underwent arthroscopic surgery on Wednesday, January 21 for the debridement of his right shoulder.  The surgery was performed by Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles, California.  Glaus will begin physical therapy next week and his recovery is estimated by the club to be 12 weeks.

The late timing of the surgery in the off-season means Glaus will miss at least the first two weeks of the regular season. That opens the door for a pair of third base prospects, David Freese and Brett Wallace, to compete for a first-time ever MLB roster spot. Outfielder Joe Mather is also scheduled to see time at third base during spring training and though primarily a middle infielder, Brendan Ryan can also play there.

GM John Mozeliak will meet with the press this afternoon to answer the obvious question, “Why now?” Glaus just returned from last weekend’s Winter Warm-up, where there was no indication of injury or impending surgery.

Update: The Post-Dispatch reports Glaus had been troubled by the shoulder since last season and rest was prescribed. His discomfort returned as he began preparations for 2009 and he informed the club several weeks ago. A recent injection did not help, so surgery was set.

Templeton Golden again

The Long Beach (CA) Armada of the independent Golden Baseball League announced that former Cardinals shortstop Garry Templeton will return to the league as manager of their team for the 2009 season. A former skipper in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League (2001-02), Templeton also managed in the GBL from 2005-2007.

Laying down the prospect Law

In a Wednesday ESPN Insider article, baseball analyst Keith Law ranks the Cardinals’ system number six of the 30 MLB organizations. Comments are positive about three top “star” prospects, which include Colby Rasmus (#12), Brett Wallace (#19 – pictured) and Daryl Jones (#50). Chris Perez also made the list at #80. System depth and impact are complemented.

I did see one other thing worth noting. Law seems very excited about the (#1) Rangers’ integration of amateur, professional and international scouting along with their baseball operations staffs. He notes the Red Sox (#7) and Rays (#2) have also gone down this path. In what seems an oversight, Jeff Luhnow and the Cardinals are not mentioned, however.

Law’s remaining top 100 prospects have now been posted, with prospects #1-25 free and the remainder subscriber-only content, providing a welcome diversion during an increasingly-tedious off-season.

I’ll update this section later if I have anything more to say after seeing Law’s full descriptions.

Jay McGwire squeals for cash

I had already posted this link on the La Russa/Mc Gwire thread, but wanted to call it out here, as well.

I’m not a fan of Deadspin’s brand of internet “journalism”, especially after they had to recant their slanderous steroid accusations against Albert Pujols’ trainer that therefore indirectly implicated Albert.

Now they have another Cards-related ‘roids story – this one about Mark McGwire’s brother Jay’s proposed new book. The estranged little brother and body builder seems to be in a debate with Jose Canseco over who injected Big Mac first.

It’s really sad what people will do for money…

Legends camp tightening security

Although I can’t imagine why other than the possibility of autograph hound control perhaps, the annual Cardinals Legends Camp being held this weekend in Jupiter, is being closed to the public. Family members will still be allowed, but that is it, according to the TC Palm.

The Mets’ nearby camp, running in parallel to the Cards’, is open to all, although I would imagine the over-30 fantasy campers themselves are not the attraction. Instead it would be the former major leaguers invited to coach.

For the Cardinals, the invitees included Lou Brock, Whitey Herzog, Jack Clark, Danny Cox, Ken Dayley, Bob Forsch, Tom Herr, Rick Horton, Al Hrabosky, Mike LaValliere, Dave LaPoint, Tom Lawless, John Mabry, Ted Savage, Scott Terry, and Todd Worrell. Of course, since camp is closed, we may not know which ones showed up!

For those considering this splurge next year, the prices this time around ranged from $4,295-$7,495 for five days of action. More info here.

Crusin’ again?

Another annual event that occurs after Winter Warm-up and Spring Training is the Cardinals Cruise. This year, the sold-out event departs from Ft. Lauderdale on February 1 and returns on the 8^th. 2010 information is not yet available but I am told by the folks at Altair Travel and Cruises that their brochures will be available in one month.

Wainwright/Pence win Darryl Kile Awards

Over at Scout.com, I saluted Adam Wainwright, this year’s winner of a rarely-noted, but most important piece of recognition voted upon by Cardinals players and run by the local Baseball Writers of Association Chapter, the Darryl Kile Award.

The Astros also initiated a similar “Good Guy” Award upon Kile’s passing with their first winner being his former Houston teammate Jeff Bagwell. This past weekend, outfielder Hunter Pence took their 2009 honor.

Vuch picks up award

Speaking of good guys, MLB.com’s recap of Monday’s St. Louis Baseball Writers Dinner mentioned another award winner, Cardinals Director of Minor League Operations John Vuch. He was given the Harry Mitauer Good Guy Award – a most appropriate choice.

“I would have been flattered if they just told me my name came up in the conversation, let alone being the recipient,” Matthew Leach reported the humble and talented Vuch as saying.

Congratulations, John!

Liga Paralela results

For those interested in the how the Cardinals recruits fared this winter in the Liga Paralela in Venezuela, check out Josh Jones’ series of detailed reports over at Cardinals Best News Links. He has covered the hitters so far, with the pitchers up next. This is information you can’t get anywhere else.

10. Kyle Lohse: From Jobless to Four-Year Contract

After having been traded at the deadline in two consecutive seasons, right-hander Kyle Lohse arrived in Philadelphia in time for the 2007 stretch drive. Though the Phils fell in the playoffs to the National League champion Colorado Rockies, Lohse wanted to stay in the City of Brotherly Love.

Despite the then-29-year-old’s career record of 11 games under .500 and an ERA pushing five, Philly reportedly floated a reasonable three-year, $21 million offer past agent Scott Boras early last off-season. Rejected then withdrawn, it would be the last bid Boras and Lohse would see until spring.

Meanwhile, the St. Louis Cardinals were patching together their 2008 rotation, hoping Matt Clement, then Mark Mulder and Chris Carpenter could return from injury and lead them into the playoffs.

Even as spring camp began, it became clear that Clement could not contribute and the others may not be able to be relied upon, either. When Joel Pineiro added to the woes with shoulder problems in March, Cards GM John Mozeliak quickly dialed up Boras.

The resulting deal was a bargain – one year at a base of $4.25 million, reaching $4.75 million with innings-pitched incentives. Lohse would go on to lead the 2008 Cardinals in victories with a career-best 15 and post the lowest ERA of his eight years in MLB at 3.78.

Lohse was the first Cards pitcher since Matt Morris in 2004 to start both Opening Day and the initial post-All-Star break game. He cracked off a nine-game win streak that ended in late July which was the longest on the team since Carpenter’s 13-game run in 2005. Lohse’s .714 win mark (15-6) was fifth-best in the NL.

Lohse didn’t want to be homeless again this off-season, so in September, he ordered Boras (against the agent’s better judgment) to negotiate an extension to enable the pitcher to remain in St, Louis. A four-year, $41 million deal ensued, announced as the season ended.

It remains to be seen whether the extension will prove to be a wise business move for the club, but where would the 2008 Cardinals have been without Kyle Lohse?

I prefer not to think about it.

9. The Drafting and Success of Brett Wallace

The 2008 First-Year Player Draft was an important one for the St. Louis Cardinals. While the overall reputation of their farm system has been steadily improving in recent years, it seemed more a measure of quantity than top quality.

Other than top prospect Colby Rasmus, few if any Cardinals farmhands were being mentioned by industry watchers as among the best in the game. With the 13th overall pick this June, their best position since prior to the Jeff Luhnow years, the organization had a chance for a big move.

They passed with flying colors by taking third baseman Brett Wallace of Arizona State University, recognized by many as the most polished hitter in the entire draft. The two-time Pac-10 Player of the Year and the only hitter in ASU history to hit over .400 in two consecutive seasons, the California native received a signing bonus estimated at $1.84 million.

The rap on the 22-year-old is his defense, though he is still learning, with only a couple of years of experience at the hot corner. Some critics can’t get past Wallace’s 6-foot-1, 245 pound frame and assume he is a statue defensively.

While at least one writer derisively asserted that Wallace has “falling down range”, others, including yours truly, have seen him play and believe he can be a credible major league third sacker. Wallace hears the negatives and told me he uses them as motivation.

This fall, I asked Wallace where his defensive efforts are being focused.

“The angles for me are a big thing and reading the ball off the bat. I think there are sometimes balls that I am not used to because I haven’t been playing there that long. A ball is hit and it takes me a second… It’s a constant adjustment, reading different hops and reading the angles are some of the main things I am trying to work on.”

There is no doubt about the bat. Between Quad Cities and his season-ending skip-level promotion to Double-A Springfield, Wallace’s line was a solid .337/.427/.530 (BA/OBP/SLG).

He was asked to participate in the prestigious Arizona Fall League and though he started slowly, he then came on strongly. Against the higher-quality arms in the AFL, Wallace improved his slugging while keeping his OPS constant (.309/.381/.585).

With Troy Glaus in his final season contractually in St. Louis, the only remaining question is whether Wallace will execute another leapfrog manuever, this time over David Freese. The latter, acquired from San Diego for Jim Edmonds one year ago, excelled with the bat at Triple-A Memphis last season and currently seems to be Glaus’ heir apparent, though that is a most tenuous title.

If he continues at his current pace, established in less than six months as a professional, Wallace could make his first appearance in the majors before the conclusion of the 2009 season, with 2010 still anyone’s guess.

Mark DeJohn

8. Minor League Success: 60 Games over .500

For some years the laughingstock of those who rank farm systems, the St. Louis Cardinals’ investment in rebuilding their minor leagues is finally getting noticed. Just this past week, it became known that Baseball America plans to rank the Cards as the number eight system among the 30 across MLB.

One measure of success is minor leaguers joining the big league team. As I noted here, eleven different players made their major league debuts for the Cardinals in 2008, nine of whom were products of the farm system. At least three of them became major contributors to the club – Kyle McClellan, Joe Mather and Chris Perez, while Mitchell Boggs, Jaime Garcia and late addition Jason Motte all showed promise.

Two players were invited to join Team USA for the Olympics and five were selected to play in the Futures Game. While Memphis had just one All-Star, Springfield had eight, Palm Beach seven, Quad Cities three and Batavia six. Johnson City and the Gulf Coast League Cardinals had one All-Star each, with the former’s representative, Curt Smith, was named the Appalachian League’s Player of the Year.

In addition to individual success, there were positive results on the field in 2008, too. The Cardinals top six minor league affiliates all had winning records and combined to win 60 more games than lost (376-316, .543).

Chris Maloney’s Triple-A Memphis Redbirds reversed several losing seasons, finishing in second place in the Pacific Coast League American North Division.

The Springfield Cardinals of the Double-A Texas League just missed the second-half North Division crown. Pop Warner’s team actually had the division’s best first half-second half record combined, but did not make the post-season.

The Palm Beach Cardinals won the first-half East Division crown in the Florida State League, but lost in the playoffs to the eventual league champion.

Steve Dillard’s Quad Cities River Bandits ended the season two games over .500 in Midwest League play.

Not only did the Batavia Muckdogs win the Pinckney Division of the New York-Penn League, they took the league crown. It was the first title in the 51-year history of the franchise. Mark DeJohn was named our Scout.com Cardinals Minor League Manager of the Year.

The Johnson City Cardinals of the Appalachian League finished six games over .500, their first winning season since all the way back to 1996!

Only the Gulf Coast League Cardinals struggled, as they were a feeder for other clubs while relying on high school draftees and Caribbean academy players making their US debuts. One of the league’s youngest clubs finished 17-38.

In addition, a vast majority of the managers and coaches will be returning in 2009, offering continuity and the potential for further improvement next season.

7. Long-Term Extensions for Young Stars Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright

Some may be surprised to see this topic rate so highly. On the other hand, I feel so strongly about it that I can’t help but wish I could have scored it higher.

While many fans focus on the bottom line of payroll spent and agonize over high-priced free agents, the key to be able to afford such luxuries is to grow and protect top talent.

Such was the case early in the year when the Cardinals locked up two important parts of their future, catcher Yadier Molina and pitcher Adam Wainwright, long before they had to. Each player signed a long-term deal that carry into his free agent years, assuring him of remaining with the Cardinals for some time.

Molina was first. In January, he agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $15.5 million with a club option for a fifth season. With the agreement, the Cardinals and Molina avoided salary arbitration and keep one of the game’s best young catchers in the organization through at least 2011. The deal includes the first and potentially second of Molina’s free-agent eligibility years.

The catcher rewarded the club with his trademark defense, recognized as the NL’s Gold Glove backstop for 2008. It was Molina’s first award. He also batted a career-high .304.

Wainwright followed. In March, he inked a deal that covered 2008 plus Wainwright’s three arbitration-eligible seasons, 2009, 2010 and 2011, along with a pair of team option years that would eclipse his first two seasons of free agency. As a result, the now-27-year-old could remain in a Cardinals uniform through the 2013 campaign.

Financially, the contract can be four years, $15 million, five years, $24 million or six years, $36 million. No matter how you slice it, the deal looks to be a bargain for the club, while giving the player earlier financial security than he would achieve otherwise.

6. Troy Glaus for Scott Rolen Trade

Two birds with one stone. Addition though both subtraction and addition.

Characterize it how you want, but make sure you recognize this deal for the masterful stroke it was.

On January 14, Mozeliak and the Cardinals traded disgruntled third baseman Scott Rolen to the Toronto Blue Jays for their third sacker, Troy Glaus. Rolen’s once powerful offensive game had declined after three shoulder surgeries and his dissatisfaction with team management deteriorated to such a level that something needed to be done.

All over baseball, it was known the Cardinals had to move Rolen. Not a great bargaining position to be in. To that time, the best (and perhaps only) public offer for Rolen was made by the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers, who anted up injured left-hander Chris Capuano. Mo wisely passed.

Glaus, while a solid player since coming up with the Angels in 1998, had struggled with foot injuries recently, possibly aggravated by the artificial turf in Toronto. In addition, Glaus’ name was among the many that had come up in the Mitchell Report.

Following the trade, the newest Cardinals third baseman did everything that was asked of him and more. Though lacking the range of Rolen, Glaus was very dependable, with a league-high fielding percentage at the position of .982 against just seven errors all season long, the latter setting a new club record.

Offensively, Glaus answered the bell for 544 at-bats over 151 games, with the former his highest count since 2002. He delivered results, too, with 27 home runs and 99 RBIs that were both third-best on the club as was his OPS+ of 124. Glaus typically batted in the number five spot in the lineup, behind Albert Pujols and either Ryan Ludwick or Rick Ankiel.

As noted above, Glaus is under contract with the Cardinals for 2009. He has the right to test free agency following the upcoming season. On a Cardinals team that was labeled by many as being “in transition” in 2008, the addition of Glaus was huge, though it was generally unheralded.

Already posted:

Top 20 Cardinals Stories of 2008: #16-20

Top 20 Cardinals Stories of 2008: #11-15

Coming soon:

Top 20 Cardinals Stories of 2008: #1-5

Projected Top St. Louis Cardinals Stories of 2009

To help pass the time over the various off-seasons in recent years, we compiled lists of some of the top current Cardinals minor leaguers and past major leaguers as well as engaged in some very interesting debate as a result.

Following are the links to these lists:

Top 20 Cardinals Stories of 2011

Top 20 Cardinals Stories of 2010

Top 20 Cardinals Stories of 2009

Top 20 Cardinals Stories of 2008:

Top 20 Cardinals Stories of 2008: #16-20

Top 20 Cardinals Stories of 2008: #11-15

Top 20 Cardinals Stories of 2008: #6-10

Top 20 Cardinals Stories of 2008: #1-5

Cardinals Minor League Players and Managers of the Year

2011

Starting pitcher, reliever and position players by level and system-wide

Top winners: Brandon Dickson, Keith Butler and Matt Adams

Top rookies also awarded system-wide: Seth Maness, Danny Miranda and Kolten Wong

Manager of the Year: Johnny Rodriguez, Quad Cities

2010

Starting pitcher, reliever and position players by level and system-wide

Top winners: Brandon Dickson, Fernando Salas and Matt Carpenter

Top rookies also awarded system-wide: John Gast, Hector Corpas and Oscar Taveras

Manager of the Year: Mike Shildt, Johnson City

2009

Starting pitcher, reliever and position players by level and system-wide

Top winners: Lance Lynn, Eduardo Sanchez and Allen Craig

Top rookies also awarded system-wide: Scott Schneider, Josh Squatrito and Matt Adams

Manager of the Year: Chris Maloney, Memphis

2008

Starting pitcher, reliever and position players by level and system-wide

Top winners: Jess Todd, Jason Motte and David Freese

Top rookies also awarded system-wide: Scott Gorgen, Adam Reifer and Brett Wallace

Manager of the Year: Mark DeJohn, Batavia

2007

Starting pitcher, reliever and position players by level and system-wide

Top winners: P.J. Walters, Luke Gregerson and Colby Rasmus

Manager of the Year: Ron “Pop” Warner, Springfield

Top 40 Cardinals Prospects

2012

Top prospect: to be named

2011

Top prospect: Shelby Miller

2010

Top prospect: Jaime Garcia

2009

Top prospect: Colby Rasmus (three-peat)

2008

Top prospect: Colby Rasmus (repeat winner)

2007

Top prospect: Colby Rasmus

2006

Top prospect: Anthony Reyes

Top 40 Cardinals Players of All Time

(includes top Cardinals team by position, Hall of Fame distribution and more)

#1: Stan Musial

Top 15 Cardinals Teams of All Time

#1: 1942

Minor league history series

Top Cardinals minor league managers – 1966 to present
Cardinals minor league franchise census since 1974
Cardinals in the Gulf Coast, Arizona and Pioneer Rookie Leagues
Cardinals in Triple-A – 1977 to present
Cardinals in Double-A – 1966 to present
Cardinals in the Florida State League – 1966 to present
Quad Cities: Cardinals top minor league club has a long history
Cardinals in the Appalachian League – 1975 to present
Cardinals in the New York-Penn League – 1981 to present
A quarter century of Cardinals minor league results