Luke Gregerson was a relief pitcher for an NAIA team. He had great stats and they were legit, because he has a strong slider. He was a good find.
Pete Parise is another converted position player, one with a sinker; fine UDFA.
OF Derrick Shepperd had the body, so why not take a gamble? He did not pan out, but its still worth a roll of the dice, because you never know how much a guy can surprise. Every 7th Shepperd or Jon Edwards might develop into a good hitter, so the more you sign, the better.
Boggs and Sam Freeman had crummy ERAs in college, but have the arm strength to break wood bats. Degerman might have worked out, if he could have controlled his curve.

Jolly good fun.

The issue only has still more downside potential. The science has been ripped to shreds, several surface temperature data bases are cross-contaminated and unreliable. This is why Al tried to re-brand it as Climate Change and then Green Energy. They are trying to change the label, since they know the scientific foundation is junk. Republicans used to assume some small amount of underlying merit, however now its becoming a litmus test to laugh at the nonsense.

On another thread, Jumbo proclaimed global warming dead, but honest Al’s book is holding at 4000+. For comparison, The Hollow Earth by Raymond Bernard,ranks way down at 300,000+. I read it over the winter while Jumbo was wasting time with Twain, and can attest to its entertainment value. “…This controversial book claims that flying saucers not only exist, but that they are the vehicles of a super-race that lives in a huge, underground world whose entrance is in the earth’s North Pole.” So I would have to dispute Jumbo’s position, and side with Westy (as to global warming and Twain). Granted, maybe Al’s stature lends staying power.

A plus, go to, unhittable pitch seems important. Wainwright’s excellence seems built on a plus curve, supplemented by other pitches. This is why Rich Hill could surprise, if he can control that thing. Luhnow may understand this, since he keeps an eye open for knuckeballers, this spring Zink.

Where does he rank the Cards system?

If higher than the consensus (I’m sure it is), what are the others missing? What specific players does he think are not being given their due by the ranksters (I love inventing words)?

Ask him to rank the system’s SS’s (Solano, Kozma, Jackson, Castillo, Valera, Hernandez, others) in terms of potential (probably wont due it).

What minor leaguers seem to have made the most progress this off season (getting in shape, seem sharper this Spring (not looking for a rehash of players that did well in Winter ball))?

Position switches for minor leaguers this year? Is Scruggs only a 1B? The same question abut Adams and Rodriguez. Will Curtis be moved to 2B? Can Brown, Smith, Hill, and/or Rivera play OF at the major league level (defensive wise). Will Hamilton see significant OF time this year? Can Conley definitely stay as an OF?

Any minor league relievers who will be tried as starters this year? Is Daley going to stay in the pen even if he has refound (love those invented words!) his control? How many walks does he think we’ll see out of the Springfield pen between Samuel, Daley, Riefer, and King (just kidding).

What is the major reason guys such as Reifer and Kelly who seem to have great stuff seem very hittable at times?

Blazek, Hooker, Zawacki, and Ferrara – who seems most poised for a breakout this year?

Are there any ground ball specialists in the system who dont have great K rates but who’s sinker is so good that is could carry them to the majors?

Who are the best Parise candidates – pitchers who have no hype, good but not great stats, yet could advance quickly?

Do soft tossers such as Addition, Hearne, Castillo and Gorgon have a greater need for an “out” pitch or is it more about mixing the pitches up?

Do they expect Castillo to still add velocity at this point?

Who would he pick as the most likely to pull a Craig or a Walters from last year’s draft class (lower round picks who were unimpressive is short season ball but took off their first full season)?

Who does he see at 3B in Springfield (no true 3B candidates that seem ready unless they think Carpenter has progressed that far) ? Is it pretty certain De La Cruz can stay at 3B defensively?

Schnieder and Mortenson had nearly identical 1st year stats – is there much chance of Schneider advancing as rapidly as Mortenson?

Does Cutler have the skills to stay at catcher? Audry Perez’s catching skills? Hill will continue catching? – would they keep him at AA to get more catching development even if they thought his bat was ready to move up? Cruz seems to have mastered throwing out runners, what parts of catching does he still need to work on most? Are there any catchers in the system who have yet to show a bat but their catching skills could carry them a long way ( a la a Pagnozzi type)? Was De La Cruz (the catcher) overhyped or is there a hidden reason he hasn’t seemed to have progressed much?

Why hasn’t Ryde Rodriguez shown much power – is it a swing issue? Do you expect that to change in the near future?

Who are the true CF’s in the system (range, speed, arm are no question for the position)

Does he think Jones has the arm to play RF?

Pham and Edwards – are their K issues related more to their swing or to pitch recognition?

Oscar Taveras – how come he gets no hype? true CF?

Are there any players from the DSL/VSL who he thinks have a legitimate shot at starting this year at JC or higher?

What is the key to Parejo advancing? He seems to have stalled.

Is there a next Fransisco Samuel in the system? (great stuff but not harnessed).

Health status of Kopp, Diapoules?

If you think the interview will be too short I have some more

Flashlight and gloves for looking under rocks – he thinks there is gold there but it is simply snails and slugs.

Odor detector – despite the fact that a reliable one doesn’t exists, he thinks everything smells.

Pop psychology book – used for explaining any situation where a player struggles (and some where they don’t).

Conspiracy Theory DVD and DVD player – a must watch every night so that Westie doesn’t loose the faith that Bud istays up late every night trying to figure ut how to manipulate the game.

There is the problem of a weak backup SS, and makeshift backup CF. Short on left handed bat when Lopez is taking a turn at third or corner outfield. But even with that it’s way above last year.

The main problem is Tony will want to play Lopez a lot and I just can’t see him not having a lefty to come off the bench. If we were to get an innings eater like Looper as the #5, then maybe we can carry another position player.

The drawback to that is there would be one more guy for Tony to be sticking in there disrupting the lineup. A Jay, for example, would get a start in center every time Colby got on a roll. Don’t say it, I know, momentum does not exist.

Why do we spurn an underachieving Stanford OF in Taylor, who has upside tools and was recently traded one for one for Wallace, and instead sign a mediocrity like Eager, who now cant rise above A level?

In 2009, we selected Scott Bittle in the 4th round. Bittle had a sore arm, off and on, for years. Was this a calculated medical gamble he could gain from a cleanup shoulder operation?

How are the experiments of converting Tony Cruz and Stephen Hill to catchers going?

More questions:
–with benefit of hindsight, what’s Luhnow’s biggest regret so far on draft day? (Maybe he will not want to answer, but one good answer would be passing OF Taylor for RHP Tom Eager.)
–do the Cards value determination and good attitude too much on draft day versus innate athleticism?
–do the Cards have more permissive size requirements than some other teams?
–what’s more important in scouting: an uncommonly good evaluation on one player or consistently accurate evaluations for many players?

The above piece notes McIlvaine works for the Twins and the Globe-Democrat article gives Rigoli credit for discovering Morris. You seemed to have missed those the first time through.

I will include your questions in the mix. Thanks for them.

how much time is devoted to having to recruit new scouts (to back-fill departures)? is there more scouting turn-over outside the US?

do the Cards, as a routine business practice, aim to learn from past drafts and factor lessons into future ones?

given monster bonuses commanded outside the US, illustrated with Chapman, does this give the Cards new incentive to offer above slot bonuses within the US?

Re 2009, Joe McIllvaine has been a strong talent guy for many years, ultimately becoming GM of the Mets. He probably drafted Dwight Gooden, among others. Hes with the Twins now. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_McIlvaine Terry Ryan with the Twins has been saluted in 2010.

Rigoli would have signed Jason Motte, 19th round catcher from a low profile New York college. He could have been involved in picking Matt Morris, who played collegiately for Seton Hall in north Jersey, near where Rigoli has been based.

Al Goldis helped the White Sox select Auburn 1Bman Frank Thomas, after the Cards picked a lemon back in 1989. He claims credit for outstanding defensive CF Devon White. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/28/sports/baseball-pair-of-scouts-are-using-history-to-help-shape-the-mets-future.html?pagewanted=1

I was glad to hear Wainy admit he wasn’t mentally prepared to pitch yesterday, and even gladder to hear TLR say that is unaccepable in an elite player.

Too bad about Kinney, probably will not end well for him. Another step closer to seeing Smoltz or Looper back. They should both be getting cheap and flexible as to role about now.

Looking at the rest of the unsigned free agent pitcher list is scary.

How about that Alan Craig…………… They put Stavi in the hot seat. If he doesn’t produce here. He will go in the next cut…….or worse. The Colby/ Ludwick relationship is more significant. If Colby stays hot, he will hit 5th.

The true sign of a functioning sanctuary is it utility. Jumbo has crossed the gulf between the Samuel Longhorn quietude and reverence , returning to a Jumbo we are more accustomed too, in a very short period of time. His renewed interpretation of the function of the board, is a representation of his need for reinforcement and peer group recognition surrounding his declaration of a danger signal or perceived threat. This is most often found as a behavior in prairie dog colonies I believe. The measurement of qualitative differentials then would represent the actual size and structure of Jumbos functioning sanctuary. (in this case a short run and a head first entry into a small burrow or prairie dog hole as it were).

(A cut and paste from WC’s notes)

What you write about here is the large majority of cardinals fans in a nutshell, God love em. I like reading WC just because he adds a little black to a sea of cardinal.

I see JumBeau Shrimp as the GOD like figure sitting up high, the halo shining brightly, seeing only good and then there is WC sitting in the shadows, wearing his devil horns who speaks on conspiracy theory after conspiracy theory including everything from baseball conspiracies to political party factoids, Poetry, all the way down to “Opera for $200 Alex”. Incredible entertainment…

I’m pointing this out again, as I did when it started last year, because it is so fascinating to watch. These emotional thresholds or metanoia that Albert is used to enjoying or crossing, are now becoming impediments, apparently equivalent to the intensity in which they are utilized by the spiritual needs of the individual. Albert has blended sports and religion as few athletes have in my experience. He may need some help in this. These things most often manifest themselves in a physical injury in my experience.

Would one of our Veb readers kindly reprint this over there as a gift and reminder from the Opera Card.

I’ve only seen him one game, but I chuckled when he snuck his hands back to their old position during the wind up. That’s how you do it. If he is moving in the box, they will plunk him but having multiple hand position to solve different counts and expected locations is completely acceptable. To me it shows your thinking, not guessing.

To me a great hitter isn’t afraid to start a swing in a certain location on a hitter advantage count. The rule is, win time for yourself to adjust, but don’t distort your swing too much in search of just any contact. So many guys are afraid to just swing and miss. That isn’t nearly as bad as the weak ground balls and foul pops that haunt the chasers. You have to believe you can beat that pitchers strikeout pitch. Knowing and trusting in that, you can take some titanic stokes that make baseball tonight highlights. Enough of those and he will be asking you to move your car out of the garage so he can park his Lamborghini out of the weather when he comes home.

I’d like to personally see Albert hitting in the 4 spot myself Bling but I don’t figure to see it happen anytime in the near future.

this is the first year in the last 3 where someone hasn’t tried to recreate the wheel in regards to Colby. I believe Colby to be as determined as ever to use the entire field. He continues to speak highly of Mark and how much Mark’s approach to hitting differs from Hal’s. They are trying to keep the bat in the zone longer. Its early but he has shown improvement to this point. We’ll see how the spring unfolds and see if he continues to develop his approach.

I like the L-R-L-R at the top of the order today. R-L-R-L would be better. Tony will get around to that.

RC, I like what Colby is up to.

You guys should get together. Maybe a weekend camping up along the Shasta River. Look for Bigfoots or something. Bring a web-cam. It would go viral.

But if not, Mo might package a Lugo and a Hawk in exchange for a guy. I’m not sure that a team would want to take a guy who really hasn’t established himself but is out of options. But the rest of our RHRP’s either can’t be counted on to throw strikes or to keep the ball in the park. We’ll see. Be nice if Hawk ends up filling that role. Mo says he’ll be patient.

Jumbo, the people that are good at measuring things are also critically aware of the limitation and scope of what they do and can measure. And they are very concerned.

People are talking about the salmon crisis out on the coast Jumbo. Ask Weyerhauser where the salmon went. After 30 years of clear cutting they say, eat trout. Stick to baseball Jumbo.

I don’t often go to that board as the personality of it does not fit me, but s.f. over there is very knowledgeable. A quick glance of his information tells me most of the important ones are accurate, but there are a few minor differences from what I was told by the club and what I have compiled over the years.

The reason I didn’t answer bb quickly is that I have a story all ready on both options and outrighting that will go up on the main site, probably Tuesday. Outrighting has to do with removal from the 40-man roster, which is allowed at most once without risking losing the player. It is another important factor to consider.

Here is Luddy telling all about it.
http://www.lvrj.com/sports/swinging-mcgwire_s-praises-85938832.html

There are a number of aristocratic folks about these days Jumbo that are convinced that this country was always intend to be a republic, not a democracy. BD is one of them. They are aware of the limitations related to religious beliefs and democratic institutions when it comes to regulating population and reproductive privilege. In their own sordid way, they are prepared to join forces with the natural planetary regulations on species selectivity and all the variables surrounding living in a balanced ecosystem……………….. So confident are they in their roll in this realization to our future society, that they have endeavored to create superstition and a false sense of security amongst the weak and vulnerable so that the cull might be more graceful than past attempts. in this great tradition of mind manipulations first pioneered by the Romans some days past, they will xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx the American Spectator right to your door.

I wonder if Al ever got rid of the energy sucking, carbon spewing family estate with sprawling mansion, fleet of SUV’s, heated pool, etc. That was so funny, while he was lecturing us.

It seems ok to state the obvious, provided defensible.

I didn’t say he couldn’t blow it. All he has to do is hit and stay out of trouble..

What if Mo and Luhnow actually know what they are doing, and the ‘tradeing away the farm’ last year was really just getting return for guys that were assessed as mostly just AAAA, marginal MLB players clogging up the pipeline.

There seem common systemic ways that some players at AAA are under-appreciated. They may have played too long in the minors to be seen as exciting or too old to make a ML debut or have gotten low signing bonuses. Jamie Garcia has been low profile because of a TJ operation, but seems restored.

2010 Regular Season Wins – New York Mets
Over 89½ regular season wins +125 – –
Under 89½ regular season wins -165

http://www.whiteyball.com/pujols-worth-money/

As to your posts above, you call that verse? Try

all winter it’s a bummer,
but the remedy is near,
hear come the boys of summer,
and the bratwurst and the beer!

– – – – William Wordsworth Blingfellow -