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Cardinals Heading North After Spring Training, A Preliminary Assessment


Because i love writing superfluous fanposts.

Looking at every member of the 40-man roster and Non Roster Invitees (NRIs), i will attempt to have a wild stab in the dark at who will be on the Cards' come opening day. Barring unforseen circumstances (i.e. Miles) or exceptional ST performance.

Star-divide

Position Players

Definates:

Yadier Molina
David Freese
Skip Schumaker
Albert Pujols
Ryan Theriot
Lance Berkman
Matt Holliday
Colby Rasmus

Showdown: Allen Craig vs. Jon Jay vs. Adron Chambers

Maybe giving Chambers a little too much credit, but he's certainly a good dark horse candidate for 4th OF. I reckon that with Craig (allegedly) trying to be a thridbaseman he and Jay could head out with the big boys.

Showdown: Descalso vs. Tyler Greene vs. Nick Punto

Positional versatility might give the upper hand to Greene and Punto; i think it depends on whoever is better in ST gets the backup MIF job. Descalso will (probably) start the year in the Minors.

Showdown: Gerald Laird vs. Bryan Anderson

The VEB hivemind might be rooting for Anderson, but the smart (read TLR's) money is on Laird.

Dark Horses:
Matt Carpenter (we can only hope)
Amaury Marti Cazana
Stavinoha (oh sweet jesus no)

The definately not's:

Nick Derba (who?)
Steve Hill
Audry Perez (wuh?)
Robert Stock (as a catcher or pitcher, he ain't going starting in St. Louis)
Donovan Solano
Shane Robinson
Zach Cox
Mark Hamilton
Tony Cruz

Pitchers

Definates:

Chris Carpenter
Ryan Franklin
Jaime Garcia
Kyle Lohse
Kyle McClellan
Trever Miller
Jason Motte
Adam Wainwright
Jake Westbrook
Mitchell Boggs

Showdown: Brian Tallet vs. Raul Valdes

Battle of the LOOGYs; there is a chance that both make the cut due to Tallet's starting experience. Making him a potential long reliever / swing-man. There is an even bigger chance that the FO picks up another LOOGY as an NRI.

Showdown: Miguel Batista vs. Ian Snell

Battle of the long relievers / spot starters. This really depends on ST performance and condition, it could be either of them (or neither of them)

Showdown: Fernando Salas vs. ???

The job is Salas' to lose. I'm not confident enough to say he is guaranteed a spot in the bullpen, but it would be a shock if he's not in there come April.

Dark Horses:

Adam Ottavino
PJ Walters
Eduardo Sanchez

Definately not:

Brandon Dickson
Joe Kelly
Lance Lynn (insurance in Memphis, he needs to keep starting games)
Shelby Miller
Kevin Thomas
Bryan Augenstein
Maikel Cleto
David Kopp
Francisco Samuel

 

So there you go, by my stabs in the dark; we have 18 roster spots already filled. Because TLR, i'm going to say that 13 pitchers and 12 position players make the cut; that leaves 4 hitters and 3 pitchers that need to be picked in ST, personally, i reckon; Jay, Craig, Anderson, Punto and Tallet, Snell, Salas. Your thoughts?

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I definitely think Chambers and Descalsco won't make it

I’m hoping they have Anderson as a third catcher/pinch hitter. I’d rather have him instead of Stavinoha as the professional hitter

by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jan 22, 2011 5:28 PM EST reply actions  

I certainly hope that we take 13 position players

And 12 pitchers north, not vice versa

I certainly buy into the starting 8 position players. Assuming 5 more position players,

Should go:
Anderson
Greene
Punto
Jay
craig

Will go:
Laird
Green
Punto
Jay
Craig

The closest one here is the descalso-punto-greene debate. Descalso may be better than greene, but greene is aging and has a higher ceiling. We need to fish or cut bait on him. Descalso is also hindered by the presence of skip, because of the similarities in roles.

Note – call tony cruz a VERY dark horse to go north. If laird is hurt, I could see the club taking him over anderson, because of cruz’s perceived defensive skills. I continue to think matt carpenter is a dark horse if freese is injured, even with punto on board.

Pitching – two slots

Should go:
Salas
Sanchez

Will go:
Salas
Tallet

We don’t actually need a second leftie, especially with mcclellan around. This one is pretty variable, because perceived needs change (“we need a long man”), injuries more often arise in pitchers, and there’s just a tighter competition.

"We were men - flesh and blood - and we played baseball in the sunshine. We hit doubles off the wall, slid hard into second base. We had fights, and we made love. We sang songs and prayed on Sundays. . . . We felt pain. And we felt joy. There was a lot wrong with the world. But we weren't sad, man. We had the times of our lives." Buck O'Neil, from "The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O'Neil's America."

by tom s. on Jan 22, 2011 5:44 PM EST via mobile reply actions  

I agree.

Its not like this org. to give Sanchez a job straight out of Spring Training

by Aranathor on Jan 22, 2011 6:17 PM EST up reply actions  

I agree that there should there should be 12 pitchers and 13 pos. players

But 13 pitchers and 12 pos. players fit in with what i had already written better.
Traditional thinking says that the bullpen needs 2 LOOGYS and a long man, i know that the Cards’ could probably survive with neither. But like you say, i expect Tallet to to stay on as some sort of compromise.

by Aranathor on Jan 22, 2011 6:16 PM EST up reply actions  

Why might Descalsco be better than Greene?

I’m just wondering cause I’m seeing a HUGE gap between the two. I guess you could argue cause Descalasco has never had a shot, but for instance

Greene’s Minor League Career: .264/.337/.433 – .770
Descalsco’s MiLB career: .276/.347/.406 – .753
Greene’s AAA career: .280/.357/.445 – .802
Descalsco’s AAA career: .275/.344/.396 – .741

Plus, they are supposed to be both be roughly average fielders and play (nearly) the same position so I’m just confused

DONNIE FUCKING JONES FOR PRO BOWL!

by stlcardsfan4 on Jan 22, 2011 6:45 PM EST up reply actions  

Why can't you spell Descalso's name?

If you don't want my foot on your throat, I'll need to hear the safe word.

by spants on Jan 22, 2011 11:54 PM EST up reply actions  

I think I misspelled it

It’s my fault. I think I also started the McCutcheon craze. ugh.

by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jan 23, 2011 3:37 AM EST up reply actions  

I agree with everything here.

Also, the Punto addition (hopefully) means no Miles, but since it also fills up the 40 man, it also (hopefully) means no Stav.

by WyoCardsFan on Jan 22, 2011 7:20 PM EST up reply actions  

Don't see 13 pitchers

breaking camp. The schedule calls for a six game homestand in 7 days then a travel day before the 10 games in 10 day west coast trip. The west coast trip will IMO define the 2011 Cards season.

One item of note is the 40 man roster was filled with the addistion Punto. If any of the NRI make the team, Mo has to waive someone. Just think if the cause was so Stav could play professional hitter.

by ubeddie on Jan 23, 2011 12:33 AM EST reply actions  

13/12, only pen volatility

barring unlikely injury the 13 position players seem to be without a dark horse, but filling out the 12th pitcher, and maybe even the 11th, WILL depend on ST.
OF: Hol, Ras, Berk (Jay, Craig) 5
INF Freese, Theriot, Schu/Greene, Pu (Punto) 6
C: Yadi and Laird 2
this makes Descalso the odd man out, partly because we will get the “he still needs to play every day” argument, but mostly because the above five INF (sans Pujols) gives Tony fodder for his musical chairs mania: four 3rd basemen; three SS, four 2nd basemen. The only vulnerable one I see is the potential dog-house Greene having a really horrible spring combined with Descalso having a great one.
The pitching is set at least 10 deep, but Tallet ‘could’ lose his loggy spot with poor Florida work. Last year’s ‘who will be the fifth starter’ ST decider (won by Jaime) is this year’s ‘who will be the 12th pitcher.’

by the Tewk on Jan 23, 2011 10:07 AM EST reply actions  

I don't think there's much chance of 13 pitchers....

Laird will go over Anderson barring injury. Allen Craig and Jon Jay will almost certainly be the 4th and 5th outfielders (with Craig a backup at 1B and maybe 3B). Punto’s presence boots Descalso since Punto is a better, more versatile defender and is a switch hitter. Descalso is too similar to Skip and (barring injury) will have to wait until next year. Interestingly, Punto’s presence really puts Greene on the spot since the major league club no longer “needs” a backup capable of playing SS. I still see Greene making the roster though.

Tallet has a major league contract and is capable of spot starting or being a LOOGY. He’ll for sure make it (barring injury).

I think the last spot in the bullpen will be an open competition between Salas, Snell, and Batista (and I guess Valdes, though I think Valdes will fill the Royce Ring role at Memphis). Sanchez will close for Memphis.

by Willie McGee's Twin on Jan 23, 2011 2:28 PM EST reply actions   1 recs

unfortunately...i don't think theres much debate to be had here.

Punto, Greene, Craig, Jay, and Laird is the bench

the pen is Franklin, Motte, McClellan, Boggs, Miller, Tallet, and probably Batista.

I’d put the odds for that last reliever spot at:

Batista -45%
Salas – 35%
Snell – 20%

Greene barely nudges Stavinoha and Descalso back to Memphis. Snell is your 6th starter barring a catastrophic performance in AAA.

by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Jan 25, 2011 2:20 AM EST reply actions  

Bautista?

I don’t think that’ll happen, certainly not at better odds than Salas.

DONNIE FUCKING JONES FOR PRO BOWL!

by stlcardsfan4 on Jan 25, 2011 3:07 AM EST up reply actions  

I assure you that..

Salas will be the one trying to wrestle a spot away from Batista and not vice versa.

by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Jan 27, 2011 12:29 AM EST up reply actions  

Proof?

Is it March 31st yet?

by TBender on Jan 27, 2011 9:57 AM EST up reply actions  

TLR

Pujols + Holliday + Rasmus + Berkman = MV4

by 8th&Clark on Jan 27, 2011 11:18 AM EST up reply actions   1 recs

I agree

Salas is the more likely candidate, unless they are going to turn a blind eye to his success last season

by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jan 25, 2011 8:44 PM EST up reply actions  

My biggest worry is

that noone will make a strong enough case for the 7th spot in the bullpen to make the 13/12 ratio a slam dunk. TLR has a history of loading up on arms if the bullpen talent looks weak. Here’s hoping Salas and one of the lefties shine in spring training. Valdes actually looks a little intriguing (where was he in ‘08 and’09?).
I think the bench will be:
 Craig
 Jay
 Greene
 Punto
Laird
I agree that Cruz is a dark horse if a catcher gets hurt and I’m actually kind of intrigued by that.
The pen:
Franklin
Motte
Boggs
Mclellan
Miller
Salas
Valdes(?) I actually hope that they would go with a competent righthander rather than one or two incompetent southpaws. If Bautista, or Sanchez for that matter, has a good spring I would hope we’d go with one of them rather than trot bad lefties out there all season.

by easy on Jan 25, 2011 12:23 PM EST reply actions  

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