UCB Roundtable: Thursday Edition
The United Cardinal Bloggers are up to another group project, this time an e-mail roundtable in which we discuss questions about the 2008 Cardinals. Thursday was my day to start this discussion, and we had a lot of good insight surface. To get you caught up, here are the previous days' discussions:
- Monday - Redbird Ramblings
- Tuesday - The Redbird Blog
- Wednesday - Stan Musial's Stance
- Daniel - C70 at the Bat
- Don - The Redbird Blog
- Haedar - Redbird Ramblings
- Michael - Stan Musial's Stance
- Mike - Mike on the Cards
- Me
1.) It is beginning to look like very little of Ballpark Village will be completed by next year, when the Cardinals host the All-Star Game. How concerned are you about the status of Ballpark Village, and what is your opinion on the promotion of Bill DeWitt III to team president? Do you think his promotion will expedite the construction process?
Daniel: I'm not as concerned about the Ballpark Village, but that's probably because I don't live in St. Louis. I do think that it needs to be done, that it should have been done (or well on its way) by now, but I think it will come around. I'm not sure exactly how they are intertwined, but it seems to me with III moving to team president, they may have to get someone else to lead the Village charge, and that could cost time. Though the new guy could push things through and make it a net gain. As long as something is up by the All-Star Game next year, that won't be that bad. If there is still the huge hole, that is a problem.
Don: The Ballpark Village issue is really just a part of the larger issue of downtown redevelopment and growth in St. Louis. Though I no longer live in St. Louis, I still own a loft downtown, so I've been closely involved and interested in the goings on. For All-Star Game purposes, I'm not so concerned that the "village" won't be ready, as I know the Cards will find some way to "pretty up" the gaping hole behind the stadium. DeWitt III is a powerful man with big-time connections---I don't see how his involvement can hurt the project. Those who have been involved in land and community projects, especially in tough economic times, know that sometimes these projects hit snags and move slower than people would like.
Haedar: ballpark village is just a big mess. at this point, it's just a big hole in the ground. if they had just dug deeper maybe they could have made a decent temporary lake or just pave it and make a parking lot. it looks god awful. there no way in hell its going to be done in a year; the whole united states is going to see a big hole next to busch staduim on tv and there is nothing anyone can do about it. my gut feeling says that they start working on it a couple of months before the allstar game to show the world that they are actually doing something and its going to look horrible on national television. I don't know anything about b.d.III so I cannot comment on him.
Michael: I don't live in St Louis either, so I have no visibility on this one.
I can say that the Padres are working on a similar blueprint regarding a
ballpark village here in SD; PETCO opened in 2004 and the village still
isn't done. Based on that timeline, no way is the village in St Louis
finished in time for the 2009 All-Star game. If things are as bad as
haedar described, they should put a giant tarp over the big hole with a
sign, "Under Construction Watch For Grand Opening" on top of it.
Mike: I'm very disappointed in the state of Ballpark Village. I also don't live in St. Louis, but I make a trip there about once a month for a few ball games. Last year, I brought a friend with me to St. Louis for Opening Day. He was born and raised here in South Florida, and had never seen the city. He loved the ballpark, and I explained the plan for Ballpark Village. He's coming with me to Opening Day again this year, and the project looks exactly the same as it did a year ago. It sucks.
I don't know a whole lot about DeWitt III, but I do know that it's sad to see Lamping leave. I once ran into him during an October game against San Diego. He had a beer in his hand, and was saying hi to everyone in my section.
Me: I agree that Ballpark Village is another issue in St. Louis' redevelopment problems. I hold an interest in it from a baseball side (I think it could be really cool and add to the experience of going to a game) and the economic side (it could really help boost St. Louis' push to grow and expand its marketability to outside businesses). I think Bill DeWitt III's promotion puts the Village at a higher priority than it was a few months ago; the fact that it has been virtually deserted makes you wonder how much potential money the Cardinals are losing in the process.
2.) What pitcher and hitter have impressed you the most over spring training so far? Do you think their success is temporary or will it remain with them throughout the season?
Me: I agree that Ballpark Village is another issue in St. Louis' redevelopment problems. I hold an interest in it from a baseball side (I think it could be really cool and add to the experience of going to a game) and the economic side (it could really help boost St. Louis' push to grow and expand its marketability to outside businesses). I think Bill DeWitt III's promotion puts the Village at a higher priority than it was a few months ago; the fact that it has been virtually deserted makes you wonder how much potential money the Cardinals are losing in the process.
2.) What pitcher and hitter have impressed you the most over spring training so far? Do you think their success is temporary or will it remain with them throughout the season?
Daniel: Besides the fact that I've been glad to see Pujols having no problems in the spring and having a much stronger one that last year, the hitter that has impressed me most is Barton. I was very afraid that he'd give TLR a reason to have him returned to Cleveland, but he's gone out and hit, which is a very good thing for him and the Cardinal organization. Obviously he won't stay to that level during the season, but I think he'll do well enough that we won't regret having him on the roster.
Pitching? Perez has looked fairly good, at least from what I recall. And I'm surprised that the Cards are so high on McClellan, but he's not doing much to disprove that. It'll be interesting to see if they put him in the middle of the bullpen and give him some experience. I'd be a little surprised if he was ready, but they know more about this stuff than I do.
Don: On the hitting side, I have to say that Pujols continues to amaze me, but we've all come to expect it (but, hopefully, not take him for granted). Aside from Pujols, I've really been struck by Rick Ankiel's spring numbers. Thus far, he's sporting a .380 AVG and 1.026 OPS. Better yet, he's struck out just four times (and walked three times) in 50 at-bats. He's not going to hit .380 this year, but if he can cut down on the strikeouts, and hopefully draw a few more walks, I can really envision a season of .285 with a .900 OPS.
As far as pitchers go, Wainwright is emerging as an anchor. He seems to really have an idea about how to pitch, and show's no indication's that he's trying to skate by on the strength of his "stuff."
Haedar: I know I'm being kind of repetitive but reyes has really been impressive. he went into the offseason with a chip on his shoulder, he worked out and got in shape. he also seems to have fixed his mechanics, got velocity on his fastball back and can throw all three pitches for strikes. I think this change is permanent except for a couple of games here and there in which he might give up a couple of bombs. I think reyes will be prone to giving up homers from time to time because he is a fastball pitcher; it goes along with the decent amount of k's that he accumulates. as for a hitter, I gotta go with barton. I don't think anyone expected this from this guy. he came in and just hit the cover off the ball. to me, he is a lock to make the team and juan gone should be getting his release papers in the next couple of days.
Michael: Too many to mention. Reyes has impressed, but he's done this before
and flopped once the season starts. I was really glad to see Thompson
pitch well yesterday. Barton; Schumaker continuing his torrid hitting
from last season; Kennedy finding his hitting shoes again; Parisi's
maturation; all pleasant surprises.
Mike: The pitcher that has impressed me the most is Adam Wainwright. He just keeps getting better. It's great that the Cards locked him up long term.
As far as position players, I'm impressed with what Barton has done, but he's sure to come back down to Earth soon. I also liked all of the walks that Rasmus took. More impressive, is what Rick Ankiel is doing. His average is up, and his strikeouts are down. Exactly what we were hoping for.
Me: The outfield has really been impressive this spring. Barton, Ankiel, and Schumaker are all having terrific campaigns. Since Barton has done the most with the opportunity he has been given and has essentially created his own destiny, I think he has had the best spring. Schumaker and Ankiel have really been pleasant surprises though, as well as Albert's dominance so far. If you look at the offense as a whole, we have really been solid this spring aside from Izturis and Molina. Even Kennedy deserves credit for kicking it up a notch.
From the pitching side, I have to concur on Wainwright. He has absolutely been an ace for us so far, and has consequently been handed a brand new contract as a reward. He really has been unbelievable in his time with the Cardinals, dating back to 2006.
3.) How do you envision the outfield playing out during the season? Who gets the most starts, is anyone traded, and does Juan Gonzalez factor in at all? Does Chris Duncan continue to struggle during the season (although he was great in his most recent game)? How many at-bats does Brian Barton get and why?
Daniel: I think we can agree that Ankiel is a lock somewhere in the outfield on an almost every day basis. Tony even let him hit against some lefties last year, so Ankiel will be playing CF or RF regularly. Duncan will probably be out there as well, unless he moves to first after a Pujols surgery (as we discussed Tuesday). I'm not sure what to make of his struggles and his back issue, but I think that he'll probably be playing most of the time, even if he has a short DL stint. Other than that......Schumaker, Ludwick and Barton will all be in the mix, with LaRussa playing matchups, the hot hand, whomever he needs to keep fresh, etc. I think Barton will get at least 300 or so ABs, either as a defensive replacement or pinch-hitter to go along with his starts.
Don: The outfield will be interesting to watch. I can see one or both of Duncan and/or Schumaker being traded at some point this season. During the first couple of months, I think you're looking at Ankiel being a true "regular" player, with Schumaker and Barton in a semi-platoon depending on whether the Cards are facing a righty or lefty pitcher. Ludwick and Duncan will platoon the other OF spot. By August, however, I think rasmus is the everyday center fielder, with Ankiel shifting to right. Left field will remain a platoon of the remaining outfielders on the roster. I don't see Gonzalez being a factor for the Cards this season.
Daniel: I definitely agree on that last point. I think the best thing that can happen to Gonzalez is that he gets some time in Memphis, tears it up, and we trade him off to an AL team. I don't know that he can stay healthy if he plays the outfield regularly, and if Ludwick can do well from the right side, there won't be much need for him in St. Louis.
Haedar: I think the only lock in th outfield is slick rick. he will play almost everyday whether its centerfield or rightfield. the outfielder with the second most at bats will probably be duncan. if he is healthy he will put up a decent set of numbers. I think he is a very good big league hitter; he just needs to be completely healthy when playing. the third outfielder is ludwick. he showed what he can do last year and I think he will live up to expectations this year; he won't be in a platoon per say, but he will not play every day. the two guys who will be the alternates and pinch hitters will probably be skip and barton. that's a good righty lefty combo. you can even alternate them between starts and have one of them lead off everyday. I think the best thing for the team is this: have ankiel play right field everyday, platoon schumaker and barton in centerfield depending on matchups and who is the opposing starting pitcher that day, and platoon duncan and ludwick when need be. ludwick was a great pinch hitter last season and I think he should be the primary pinch hitter for this club. I don't think juan gonzalez will be a factor at all.
Michael: I noticed in yesterday's box score that Phelps is back with the big
club and got into the game. Based on that, the OF picture is still
muddled somewhat. I agree with all who've said Ankiel is an everyday
player; I don't see how you can keep him out of the lineup, especially
given LaRussa's preference to hit a lefty behind Pujols and Glaus'
career success out of the #5 spot in the order. Schumaker should start
in RF and get the majority of starts/AB there. We really need to
improve our overall defense from last year, so I see Duncan turning into
the primary left-handed pinch hitter; that leaves Ludwick the LF slot.
Gonzo gets a well deserved 'well done' on his comeback attempt, but I
don't see him on this team other than perhaps as a right-handed bench
player. Barton will probably platoon with Ludwick in LF and spell
Schumaker on occasion out in LF.
Daniel: I've not looked at it, but just because Phelps played with the big boys yesterday doesn't mean that he's been recalled. With all of the teams still playing down there in the same area, occasionally they'll take a guy off of the minor league lots to play a game with the major leaguers, mainly to give a day off/have a backup. Especially road trips they don't want to take veterans to. I've not read anything about Phelps coming back up, but I might have missed it.
Michael: I hadn't read about his recall on the transaction wire either. I did
make the leap that, with the season starting next week, the roster was
pretty much finalized at this point.
I guess we'll see what happens.
Mike: Rick Ankiel will get the most playing time. Barton and Schumaker will probably platoon for a while, at least until Barton starts to trail off. Duncan needs to get right at the plate, so he'll get plenty of ABs even if he continues to struggle. Juan won't be a Cardinal in a couple of weeks. Ludwick will spell the others. Rasmus will be up sometime after the break, and play everyday.
Me: I think we'll start to see Skip Schumaker get some of the starts in the number one slot, and who could argue with it? He has been very impressive this spring when getting work there. It almost makes Chris Duncan even more expendable than he already was, coupled with the emergence of Brian Barton. I really like Barton in the number two spot, along with Ankiel batting cleanup. The 2-5 spots could be really strong this year. Ludwick almost gets lost in the fray, but I think he and Brendan Ryan make for an exceptional bench. As far as at-bats go, here's what I think each player will get: Ankiel 430; Duncan 415; Barton 355; Schumaker 325; Ludwick 265. I don't think Gonzalez will make it, despite his valiant effort at a comeback.
(Point of Clarification): Josh Phelps is not on the 40-man roster. It is widely accepted that he will start the season a Triple-A Memphis.
Thanks to everyone who participated. We got some good discussion going.
Me: The outfield has really been impressive this spring. Barton, Ankiel, and Schumaker are all having terrific campaigns. Since Barton has done the most with the opportunity he has been given and has essentially created his own destiny, I think he has had the best spring. Schumaker and Ankiel have really been pleasant surprises though, as well as Albert's dominance so far. If you look at the offense as a whole, we have really been solid this spring aside from Izturis and Molina. Even Kennedy deserves credit for kicking it up a notch.
From the pitching side, I have to concur on Wainwright. He has absolutely been an ace for us so far, and has consequently been handed a brand new contract as a reward. He really has been unbelievable in his time with the Cardinals, dating back to 2006.
3.) How do you envision the outfield playing out during the season? Who gets the most starts, is anyone traded, and does Juan Gonzalez factor in at all? Does Chris Duncan continue to struggle during the season (although he was great in his most recent game)? How many at-bats does Brian Barton get and why?
Daniel: I think we can agree that Ankiel is a lock somewhere in the outfield on an almost every day basis. Tony even let him hit against some lefties last year, so Ankiel will be playing CF or RF regularly. Duncan will probably be out there as well, unless he moves to first after a Pujols surgery (as we discussed Tuesday). I'm not sure what to make of his struggles and his back issue, but I think that he'll probably be playing most of the time, even if he has a short DL stint. Other than that......Schumaker, Ludwick and Barton will all be in the mix, with LaRussa playing matchups, the hot hand, whomever he needs to keep fresh, etc. I think Barton will get at least 300 or so ABs, either as a defensive replacement or pinch-hitter to go along with his starts.
Don: The outfield will be interesting to watch. I can see one or both of Duncan and/or Schumaker being traded at some point this season. During the first couple of months, I think you're looking at Ankiel being a true "regular" player, with Schumaker and Barton in a semi-platoon depending on whether the Cards are facing a righty or lefty pitcher. Ludwick and Duncan will platoon the other OF spot. By August, however, I think rasmus is the everyday center fielder, with Ankiel shifting to right. Left field will remain a platoon of the remaining outfielders on the roster. I don't see Gonzalez being a factor for the Cards this season.
Daniel: I definitely agree on that last point. I think the best thing that can happen to Gonzalez is that he gets some time in Memphis, tears it up, and we trade him off to an AL team. I don't know that he can stay healthy if he plays the outfield regularly, and if Ludwick can do well from the right side, there won't be much need for him in St. Louis.
Haedar: I think the only lock in th outfield is slick rick. he will play almost everyday whether its centerfield or rightfield. the outfielder with the second most at bats will probably be duncan. if he is healthy he will put up a decent set of numbers. I think he is a very good big league hitter; he just needs to be completely healthy when playing. the third outfielder is ludwick. he showed what he can do last year and I think he will live up to expectations this year; he won't be in a platoon per say, but he will not play every day. the two guys who will be the alternates and pinch hitters will probably be skip and barton. that's a good righty lefty combo. you can even alternate them between starts and have one of them lead off everyday. I think the best thing for the team is this: have ankiel play right field everyday, platoon schumaker and barton in centerfield depending on matchups and who is the opposing starting pitcher that day, and platoon duncan and ludwick when need be. ludwick was a great pinch hitter last season and I think he should be the primary pinch hitter for this club. I don't think juan gonzalez will be a factor at all.
Michael: I noticed in yesterday's box score that Phelps is back with the big
club and got into the game. Based on that, the OF picture is still
muddled somewhat. I agree with all who've said Ankiel is an everyday
player; I don't see how you can keep him out of the lineup, especially
given LaRussa's preference to hit a lefty behind Pujols and Glaus'
career success out of the #5 spot in the order. Schumaker should start
in RF and get the majority of starts/AB there. We really need to
improve our overall defense from last year, so I see Duncan turning into
the primary left-handed pinch hitter; that leaves Ludwick the LF slot.
Gonzo gets a well deserved 'well done' on his comeback attempt, but I
don't see him on this team other than perhaps as a right-handed bench
player. Barton will probably platoon with Ludwick in LF and spell
Schumaker on occasion out in LF.
Daniel: I've not looked at it, but just because Phelps played with the big boys yesterday doesn't mean that he's been recalled. With all of the teams still playing down there in the same area, occasionally they'll take a guy off of the minor league lots to play a game with the major leaguers, mainly to give a day off/have a backup. Especially road trips they don't want to take veterans to. I've not read anything about Phelps coming back up, but I might have missed it.
Michael: I hadn't read about his recall on the transaction wire either. I did
make the leap that, with the season starting next week, the roster was
pretty much finalized at this point.
I guess we'll see what happens.
Mike: Rick Ankiel will get the most playing time. Barton and Schumaker will probably platoon for a while, at least until Barton starts to trail off. Duncan needs to get right at the plate, so he'll get plenty of ABs even if he continues to struggle. Juan won't be a Cardinal in a couple of weeks. Ludwick will spell the others. Rasmus will be up sometime after the break, and play everyday.
Me: I think we'll start to see Skip Schumaker get some of the starts in the number one slot, and who could argue with it? He has been very impressive this spring when getting work there. It almost makes Chris Duncan even more expendable than he already was, coupled with the emergence of Brian Barton. I really like Barton in the number two spot, along with Ankiel batting cleanup. The 2-5 spots could be really strong this year. Ludwick almost gets lost in the fray, but I think he and Brendan Ryan make for an exceptional bench. As far as at-bats go, here's what I think each player will get: Ankiel 430; Duncan 415; Barton 355; Schumaker 325; Ludwick 265. I don't think Gonzalez will make it, despite his valiant effort at a comeback.
(Point of Clarification): Josh Phelps is not on the 40-man roster. It is widely accepted that he will start the season a Triple-A Memphis.
Thanks to everyone who participated. We got some good discussion going.
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1 comments:
This has been a lot of fun, but it's going to make it tough for me to come up with a good question to wrap it all up!
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