Spring Training Thread

[cardsfan04]

WL obviously means nothing in ST, but we are destroying teams right and left. A couple of things I'm interested in this year:

-Taveras. I suspect Taveras could make the opening day roster of many teams in baseball and not look foolish in the MLB. But, if he waits until June 1 to make his debut, he is cost-controlled for an extra year. So long as Holliday/Beltran can stay healthy for that long, probably should wait to bring him up, but I think he will be up before September.

-Wong. I've heard he could be up as soon as May, but that's largely because of a lack of confidence at 2B.

-Matt Carpenter. If he can play adequate defense, his bat would be great in the lineup everyday.

-Miller/Rosenthal/Kelly. I think there's a good chance at least 2 are in the rotation by the end of the year.

-Wacha. Molina said yesterday that Wacha is MLB ready today. With less than 12 months of pro ball, that's incredible, even for somebody that played all 4 years in college.

[cardsfan04]

-Furcal to have Tommy John surgery. Why they waited until now to do it is baffling, but he's done for the year now.

-Matheny is going to name the 5th starter soon. It won't be Rosenthal as he will be in the bullpen. I think it's between Kelly and Miller, and I assume the other will go to AAA. I anticipate some injuries to our rotation this year, so we need a spare arm in AAA that is starting, not transitioning from the bullpen.

-Our lineup is stacked, like REALLY stacked. Once Taveras is up, Craig/Holliday/Taveras/Freese/Molina for 3-7 is absurdly good. Adams is crushing too, but I think he gets traded at some point, hopefully for a SS.

-Taveras and Wacha were named the 3rd and 7th hottest players of the Spring a week ago.

[cardsfan04]

Cards are apparently interested in a SS and P from the Astros. Haven't seen a SS name mentioned yet, but Bud Norris and Lucas Harrell were two pitcher's names I've heard.

This is per Peter Gammons though, so take it with a grain of salt.

Other than a LOOGY, I don't see why we would trade for a pitcher (unless maybe we have an unannounced injury to the rotation, but I doubt that's the case). We have the sickest pitching depth I have ever seen.

[DaDitka]

I don't see why we would trade for a pitcher

Well, we're going to have half of the AAA staff up here and they have to field a team as well. May not be a major league arm.

[cardsfan04]

Miller got the start today. I thought Kelly would, but Kelly will relieve him. Miller with 1H/3K/1BB/0R through 4.

I'm curious if Miller starting means he is the favorite for the 5th spot in the rotation.

[dmiles2186]

The Ronny Cedeno era is over before it started. Yay!

[cardsfan04]

Couple of surprises for me:

-Miller is 5th starter. I thought Kelly would win that. Miller has higher upside, but I thought he would need to be clearly better than Kelly to get that job.

-Adams is going to make the team. This adds a ton of flexibility to our bench. He can play 1B and Craig RF to give Beltran days off. He is a legit power bat off the bench. I'm surprised though because I thought he'd be in AAA where he'd be guaranteed a lineup spot everyday. I still could see him being traded midseason if a SS becomes available.

[DaDitka]

I think Adams is a big deal too. I thought in the world series season two years ago it was the threat of Craig's bat off the bench in critical situations that took this team from average to dangerous.

I know they are going to have to work to keep his eye good (make sure he get's enough at bats), but I think it's well worth it.