Redbird Rundown VI

[Ray Piggers]

[FS Hog]

Good article on Trevor Rosenthal

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/joe-strauss/rosenthal-muscles-way-into-competition/article_24de5217-a03b-54e1-ae7d-168b43b04c14.html

Hopefully he'll do better at staying healthy then Carp and pitch as well as Carp.

[pigture perfect]

Man am I ready for the first of April. I don't expect us to do as well as last year, but it's going to be fun to watch anyway. Injuries already hurting us. Including Matheny with a ruptured disc in his back. Ouch!

[jbell96]

Furcal is probably out for the year. I knew giving him a 2 year deal was risky.

[clutch]

Man am I ready for the first of April. I don't expect us to do as well as last year, but it's going to be fun to watch anyway. Injuries already hurting us. Including Matheny with a ruptured disc in his back. Ouch!

Hell, I didn't expect us to do that well last season either.

[clutch]

Furcal is probably out for the year. I knew giving him a 2 year deal was risky.

Yeah, that sucks. I wish something would come out of that Tulo talk.

[The Boar War]

Yeah, that sucks. I wish something would come out of that Tulo talk.

That would be a great move.  He's got a high price tag but we have several players who's contract goes through 2013 that I assume will not be renewed (Furcal, Carp, Beltran).  We could still afford to resign Wainwright while affording Tulowitski.

I guess the big question is who do they want in return (and who are we willing to give up)?

[clutch]

That would be a great move.  He's got a high price tag but we have several players who's contract goes through 2013 that I assume will not be renewed (Furcal, Carp, Beltran).  We could still afford to resign Wainwright while affording Tulowitski.

I guess the big question is who do they want in return (and who are we willing to give up)?

Tulo is a big risk/reward type situation. He seems to be injury prone, but if you can keep him healthy he is a great one to have. I'd like to see the Cards take the risk. I've been dying for a strong SS for a long time. Really a strong middle infield in general. Seems like it's always a hole. We just patch the middle up with utility guys. A lot of the time having second basemen playing SS like the Eckstein situation, which worked alright, but I'd rather have a great SS. Seems like our SS is always a hole in our batting lineup. Furcal has done a nice job when healthy, but he is old and probably on his way out.

[bsking]

Tulo's not happening.  No incentive for the Rockies to deal him.  They'd have to get Taveras, Miller plus someone like Wacha.  And I'm still not sure they'd do it.

[Ray Piggers]

Yeah, that sucks. I wish something would come out of that Tulo talk.

We'll see.. I definitely wouldn't let go of Rosenthal or Oscar Taveras.. Maybe a Matt Adams/Shelby Miller duo would do, idk. Hell, With Oscar coming up the way he has, try with a Beltran/Miller trade..

[The Boar War]

Tulo's not happening.  No incentive for the Rockies to deal him.  They'd have to get Taveras, Miller plus someone like Wacha.  And I'm still not sure they'd do it.

They might be looking to unload his contract.  Unfortunately I could see the Rockies more excited over a deal for Tulowitski (for $ and prospects) than the Cardinals.  Not that I'm against a strong farm system.

[bsking]

They might be looking to unload his contract.  Unfortunately I could see the Rockies more excited over a deal for Tulowitski (for $ and prospects) than the Cardinals.  Not that I'm against a strong farm system.

I still don't see why they'd want to unload the contract.  It's not a terrible one.  It's even backloaded, so why ship him off now?  Why not wait 2 seasons?  He's such a valuable piece having a big bat at the SS position.

I would be beyond shocked if anything like this went down.

[clutch]

I still don't see why they'd want to unload the contract.  It's not a terrible one.  It's even backloaded, so why ship him off now?  Why not wait 2 seasons?  He's such a valuable piece having a big bat at the SS position.

I would be beyond shocked if anything like this went down.

I'd be really shocked if anything happens too. I just don't see any way that it does. I had heard that the Rockies were looking to get rid of his contract, but I'm with you, it just wouldn't make that much sense right now. He's too valuable.

However, I'd love if it did. I'm a big Tulo fan. Love that have a big bat at the SS position somewhere in the lineup.

I seriously doubt anything comes of it though.

[Jacob "2 Scoops" Johnson]

Tulo is a big risk/reward type situation. He seems to be injury prone, but if you can keep him healthy he is a great one to have. I'd like to see the Cards take the risk. I've been dying for a strong SS for a long time. Really a strong middle infield in general. Seems like it's always a hole. We just patch the middle up with utility guys. A lot of the time having second basemen playing SS like the Eckstein situation, which worked alright, but I'd rather have a great SS. Seems like our SS is always a hole in our batting lineup. Furcal has done a nice job when healthy, but he is old and probably on his way out.

The evolution of the SS extremely interesting and happening as we speak. For the longest time, you wouldn't find these power guys in the middle infield ever. I mean look at some of the best MINF's in history. Ozzie, Larkin, Ripkin, Yount, Jeter, even go all the way back to guys like Honus Wagner and Rizzuto. None had/have a great power stroke (I guess Ripkin might count, even he was a little before my time so I'm not sure). Sure, there was the occasional rare freak of natures like Banks or even Horsby. When you used to have power guys up the middle, they always seemed to migrate to other positions on the field (see: Rodriguez, Alex and Soriano, Alfonso and even Mr. Pujols for recent examples). If you look at the MLB now though, you have guys like Utley, Tulo, Uggla, ect. staying in the middle infield that really know how to club it. To sum up my point, the reason we haven't seen that huge power surge up the middle is simply because quantity has been severely limited throughout baseball history. However, with the way the position has evolved in the last decade, I'd bet in the next 5 years we'll see at least one come through the system.

[ucahogfan]

Top 10 prospects according to Baseball Prospectus:

1.  Oscar Taveras (perennial all star)
2.  Shelby Miller (no. 2 starter)
3.  Carlos Martinez (high end no. 2 starter/elite closer)
4.  Trevor Rosenthal (no. 2 starer/elite closer)
5.  Michael Wacha (no. 3 starter)
6.  Kolten Wong (solid averge major league regular)
7.  Tyrell Jenkins (no. 2-3 starter)
8.  Matt Adams (solid average major league regular)
9.  Patrick Wisdom (solid average major league regular)
10.  Carson Kelley (above average corner infielder)

Top 10 players under 25:

1.  Oscar Taveras
2.  Shelby Miller
3.  Carlos Martinez
4.  Lance Lynn
5.  Trevor Rosenthal
6.  Michael Wacha
7.  Kolten Wong
8.  Tyrell Jenkins
9.  Matt Adams
10.  Patrick Wisdom

[pigture perfect]

Tulo would be a great addition to the line-up. Colorado needs certain types of pitchers to pitch in the Altitude. I just don't know about trading pitching. I would rather get offense via free-agency and keep pitching talent.

[Ray Piggers]

So, whatever happened to Zac Cox?

[pigture perfect]

Traded last year, forget to who.

[Ray Piggers]

Was it in the Mujica deal with the Marlins??

Just looked it up. It was

[The Boar War]

I still don't see why they'd want to unload the contract.  It's not a terrible one.  It's even backloaded, so why ship him off now?  Why not wait 2 seasons?  He's such a valuable piece having a big bat at the SS position.

I would be beyond shocked if anything like this went down.

I don't know if they would be interested in unloading his contract.  There had been some talk of it. 

My point (which wasn't well stated) was that the Rockies might be more interested in some money and prospects than we would be giving away some key parts of a farm system that's been a couple of years in the making.  It would seem like a complete change in strategy to trade them away just when they could be useful.

[Jacob "2 Scoops" Johnson]

Top 10 prospects according to Baseball Prospectus:

1.  Oscar Taveras (perennial all star)
2.  Shelby Miller (no. 2 starter)
3.  Carlos Martinez (high end no. 2 starter/elite closer)
4.  Trevor Rosenthal (no. 2 starer/elite closer)
5.  Michael Wacha (no. 3 starter)
6.  Kolten Wong (solid averge major league regular)
7.  Tyrell Jenkins (no. 2-3 starter)
8.  Matt Adams (solid average major league regular)
9.  Patrick Wisdom (solid average major league regular)
10.  Carson Kelley (above average corner infielder)

Top 10 players under 25:

1.  Oscar Taveras
2.  Shelby Miller
3.  Carlos Martinez
4.  Lance Lynn
5.  Trevor Rosenthal
6.  Michael Wacha
7.  Kolten Wong
8.  Tyrell Jenkins
9.  Matt Adams
10.  Patrick Wisdom

Our farm system is widely considered the best and deepest in the league. Can't really argue with that either.

[johnny cash]

I'm ready!

[clutch]

It's getting awfully close. Can't wait for opening day!

[dhornjr1]

The evolution of the SS extremely interesting and happening as we speak. For the longest time, you wouldn't find these power guys in the middle infield ever. I mean look at some of the best MINF's in history. Ozzie, Larkin, Ripkin, Yount, Jeter, even go all the way back to guys like Honus Wagner and Rizzuto. None had/have a great power stroke (I guess Ripkin might count, even he was a little before my time so I'm not sure). Sure, there was the occasional rare freak of natures like Banks or even Horsby. When you used to have power guys up the middle, they always seemed to migrate to other positions on the field (see: Rodriguez, Alex and Soriano, Alfonso and even Mr. Pujols for recent examples). If you look at the MLB now though, you have guys like Utley, Tulo, Uggla, ect. staying in the middle infield that really know how to club it. To sum up my point, the reason we haven't seen that huge power surge up the middle is simply because quantity has been severely limited throughout baseball history. However, with the way the position has evolved in the last decade, I'd bet in the next 5 years we'll see at least one come through the system.

I remember Hubie Brooks had 100 RBI's as a shortstop in 1985. Everybody made a huge deal of it because it was almost unheard for a shortstop to do it then.

[dhornjr1]

Our farm system is widely considered the best and deepest in the league. Can't really argue with that either.

I'm excited to see those young arms.

[Ray Piggers]

Hoping for a speedy recovery for Motte. Let's hope Boggs can fill that gap to start the year

[The Boar War]

Freese will begin the season on the DL.  Targeted to be back on April 8.

[pigture perfect]

About time to start RR VII isn't it? Hogtrop you usually start it. You've got honors.

[Ray Piggers]

Freese will begin the season on the DL.  Targeted to be back on April 8.

Descalso at 2nd and Matty Carp on 2nd to start the year? I bet Carpenter is our everyday 2nd baseman.

[Hogtropolis™]

About time to start RR VII isn't it? Hogtrop you usually start it. You've got honors.

Got it started. Hope it's a good one!