Baseball Transactions - Friday
Baseball Digest Daily —
Arizona Conor Jackson - Missed 1 game (right hamstring injury). Atlanta Chipper Jones - Missed 1 game (groin). Phil Stockman - Recalled from Richmond (AAA). Chuck James - Optioned to Richmond (AAA). Baltimore Melvin Mora - Missed 2 games (right shoulder injury). Cleveland Jason Tyner - Designated for assignment by the Cleveland Indians. Jeremy Sowers - Recalled from Buffalo (AAA). Colorado Matt Holliday - Back injury, day-to-day. Houston Ty Wigginton - Missed 3 games (rib injury). Fernando Nieve - Recalled from Round Rock (AAA). Geoff Geary - Groin, 15-day DL. Kansas ...
Chris Perez Could Throw Faster?
Rockin' the Red —
I apologize for the brief hiatus. This weekend was very enjoyable and, hopefully, was the same for you. It was so enjoyable, in fact, that I couldn't find time to write anything new since Wednesday. The Cardinals have been winning games, mainly due to a resurgence of the starting pitching staff, which, by the way, had an impressive 1.89 ERA in the Dodgers series. They've won 6 of their last 8, but are only 12-11 for the month of May. The Cards have managed to stay a half-game back of the Cubs despite their mini-slump in the middle of the month, losing 8 of 10 games against the Rockies, Brewers, Pirates, and Rays. The Astros and Pirates linger ahead, ...
National League Bail Bait
FakeTeams —
... as his 2008 efforts. Almost twice as many groundballs than flyballs and a propensity to prevent HRs make me a believer.
Clayton Kershaw was sent down a couple days ago for reasons not rationally deduced. He also has a favorable GB/FB of 1.57 and a 7+ K/9, but I think that will get better as his minor league figures were considerably better. At 20 years old, he still remains a lock to be in the rotation in 2009 - if not within a month in 2008.
Chris Perez looks like the obvious closer-in-waiting for the Cardinals. With current closer ...
The Trials of Job: Position Battles in the N.L. Central
Walkoff Walk —
... too. Who will be the white knight to save the Cardinals bullpen in 2009? PECOTA is predicting four different pitchers to earn at least 8 saves for St. Lou: sexy prospect out of Miami Chris Perez, aging righty ...
Motte Likely Closer For Cards
Around the Majors —
Tony
LaRussa has not made it official yet, but Jason Motte is currently the
favorite to take over ninth-inning duties for the St. Louis Cardinals
in 2009. Motte has been impressive in camp so far, flashing his
usual high-90s heat and improving slider in Grapefruit League action.
While spring training stats do not mean all that much, he has continued
to miss bats in camp; he has struck out 16 against a lone walk in 11.1
innings pitched. In a wide-open battle for the Cardinals' closer job it
did not take long for him to solidify his chances and catch the eye of
LaRussa, who generally favors proven veteran relievers for the role. ...
Jason Motte – Cardinals’ Closer
Dugout Central —
Tony LaRussa has not made it official yet, but Jason Motte is currently the favorite to take over ninth-inning duties for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2009.
Motte has been impressive in camp so far, flashing his usual high-90s heat and improving slider in Grapefruit League action. While spring training stats do not mean all that much, he has continued to miss bats in camp; he has struck out 16 against a lone walk in 11.1 innings. In a wide-open battle for the Cardinals’ closer job it did not take long for him to solidify his chances and catch the eye of LaRussa, who generally favors proven veteran relievers for the role. Ryan Franklin, Josh ...
Daily Farm Report 4/11/09
Future Redbirds —
I feel for Jarrett Hoffpauir. He’s a marginal second baseman in an organization that LOVES to employ marginal second baseman. Yet rather than employ one from the minors the Cardinals converted Skip Schumaker to 2nd. Not to mention that Joe Thurston has shown a surprising amount of pop in his bat to further stand in the way. Still, it sounds like Hoffpauir has the right attitude about it.
Quad Cities has a really awesome ballpark. It’s nice and cozy, easy to get to and generally just a great family feel to it. They’ve also got some awesome promotions coming up. The van down by the river sounds ...
Daily Farm Report 4/13/09
Future Redbirds —
First and foremost Alex Eisenberg, FR contributor and man about town on Cardinal blogs has a guest post over at Pitchers Hit Eighth in which he takes a deep look at Jess Todd’s mechanics. He comes to the defensible conclusion that the Cardinals made the right move by switching him to the bullpen. There has been a lot of discussion for both sides of this argument, but this is a must read article, no matter how you feel now. I’m not saying how you should feel on this topic - just read it, ok!
And now we are going to jump into the DFRs this evening as there has been plenty of discussion about Luis Perdomo, Matt Scherer and ...
Daily Farm Report 4/17/09
Future Redbirds —
I blame danup for the cult of Trey Hearne. I’m pretty sure it originated on Get Up, Baby during Hearne’s ridiculously good 2006 season. According to the Springfield News-Leader, Hearne is returning to form after last year’s stint in Mexico. Hearne’s return to the United States is linked to the increased drug-cartel violence as his henchmen try to extend their influence into Cardinal fan territory.
Ottavino on Ottavino:
”It didn’t go very well out there for me,” Ottavino said. ”It was just a bump in the road, but we still won the game, which is ...
Daily Farm Report 5/15/09
Future Redbirds —
Link Dump for this week:
Big Miles: I feel your pain Skip
Pitchers are gritty too:
”I was bummed to have to come back, but to come back and play for Hammer (manager Chris Maloney) and Blaise, they remember how I used to take care of my business,” Kinney said.
Hammer and Blaise, coming to a Saturday morning cartoon near you. Speaking of Saturday morning cartoons, I came across and old TMNT cartoon on VHS at my parents house — that cartoon was awesome. I watched it while wearing my awesome TMNT homage shirt.
Lance Lynn - a ...
Daily Farm Report 5/24/09
Future Redbirds —
Weekly Link Dump:
Need a Venezualan Summer League fix? Josh Jones has details over at The Cardinal Nation. It’s important to remember that stats from the VSL and DSL are going to be highly variable due to the quality of competition from a year to year basis. The league is probably on par with one of the short season clubs but not low-A ball.
Blake Hawksworth is having quite a run.
“It feels like it’s been a long time since I’ve had a stretch like this, but at the same time I’m trying not to make too much of a big deal out of it, just keep working,” said the ...
A Trade To Be Fully Analyzed Later: Mark DeRosa, Chris Perez, and Mr. X
Driveline Mechanics —
... If you look at his FIP and WAR numbers at FanGraphs so far this season, you see that he is at or below replacement level so far, and wasn't much better in 2008. Stat Corner's ...
Mark DeRosa Trade Round-Up
The Tribe Daily —
So here is the round-up as far as the Mark DeRosa Trade is concerned. We've now found out that there is a September 1st deadline attached to the Player to Be Named Later. There is an unknown as far as the list goes. That above link mentioned two names. One is Jess Todd, the other is Francisco Samuel. It's going to sound like that there is nothing but pitchers on this list though. How long is the list? Who knows. Samuel and Todd are just possibilities, not actually on the definite list. Todd is the fourth ranked prospect in the Cardinals organization according to Baseball America, right behind ...
Daily Farm Report 6/28/09
Future Redbirds —
Quad Cities decides they hate me with a double header today. Batavia shows some love with a postponed game. (It could all be weather related too but the plantes rotating around me beg to differ.)
The system goes 3-for-6 and bids a fond farewell to Chris Perez as it waits for the second shoe to fall.
Memphis 10, New Orleans 9
Mark Hamilton was 4-for-5 with a double.
Jon Jay went yard in a bid to not be the PTBNL.
The Redbirds had 5 doubles and a HR among their 12 hits.
Mitchell Boggs pitched just 3 innings allowing 4 runs on 3 hits and a ...
Daily Farm Report 7/5/09
Future Redbirds —
Jess Todd moves faster than the wind. If he’s involved in the DeRosa deal, that’s going to be a harder trade to stomach. It’s one thing to give up you future closer (Chris Perez) but another to give up him AND the guy that might have been setting him up next year. I still wonder if Todd could handle starting but in the pen he’s a setup guy for me and possibly more than that.
Brett Wallace is a sponge. Everyone should read this closely:
”I don’t think he’s really found his power stroke yet, but that’s something that’s kind of been his ...
THT Awards
The Hardball Times —
... He gets 6.1 runs of support when he takes the mound this season. He has been a very good pitcher, but his 18-7 record is as much about the Yankees offense as it is about him. He has had to be awful to lose a game. In his losses, he has allowed more than five runs a game on average and he even won one game in which he did allow that many, and he got off the hook with a no-decision in another. Bad luck division Jeremy Sowers fell victim to a blown save when the Twins tore Chris Perez to pieces. Sowers had given the Indians seven shutout innings and walked away ...
Bullpen Management
Baseball Analysts —
... , and Chris Perez were names you heard vying for that closer job. After Franklin, though, La Russa has had struggles. He’s given high-leverage appearances to Motte, who has not been one of his better relievers. Hawksworth also may be a guy who's emerging that La Russa can start to trust more. ...
