The lineup looks pretty close. I would definitely prefer to have Ryan in at SS. Wouldn’t you think that Schumaker should be in CF and Ankiel in RF?

Thanks.

Does this mean than Juan Gone starts the season in AAA? Could he be swapped to an AL team for, say, a pitcher?

I’m also among those rooting for Boog Ryan… if for no other reason than he shows the Cards’ socks!

Do you think Barton will make the team to platoon with Schumaker and bat leadoff?

Do you think the Cardinals would be foolish enough to let go of Barton and give his potential five years of low-cost high-quality performance back to Cleveland, when other players (Gonzalez, Ludwick, Mather) could be sent to AAA, without losing a player, to serve as backups when the big league players have the inevitable injuries?

I like yesterday’s lineup better. Yesterday with no Izturis or Kennedy they scored 6. Addition by subtraction.

Anyone else surprised that Juan hasn’t played more this spring?

Gonzalez isn’t going to make the team.

Give Barton an infielder’s glove and see if he can play 2B.

Does Tony think that anyone - Cards’ fan, baseball fan, random senior citizen on the street - will buy the sell he’s trying to make for Izturis and Kennedy?

Read this latest ridiculous quote on Izturis:
“You just watch, he’s a real good looking fielder,” La Russa said. “He has great, quiet hands. He has an accurate arm. He’s very quick. Picks a ball up like it’s nothing. Very impressive.

“I liked him from the first time I saw him with the Dodgers. He is really fun to watch catch the ball.

“Offensively, he hasn’t had a big hitting spurt or anything like that, but he’s putting the ball in play. He’s working. He’s also shown, by the way, good legs. That’s an important part of the game.

“He’s a very useful offensive player. He can do anything. He can put the ball in play, bunt.”

He’s impressive allright. The impression I get is the guy can’t play baseball at the AA level, let alone MLB. Looks like Tony switched from the red wine this spring to the peyote.

I pencil Juan “GONE”– it was a good story– but given his limited availability I just don’t see him being one of the 25: Bullpen(7)+Starters(5)+Catchers(2)+Infield(6)+Outfield(5). We know the catchers, my infield includes Izturis, Kennedy, Miles, Glaus, Pujols, & Mather. That leaves an outfield of Ankiel, Duncan, Schumacher, Ludwick, & Barton. Mather is a power option that Ryan is not and Mather provides a corner infield/outfield option. I believe Schu is out of options and Barton is a Rule Five. The pitching is just a mess.

After Glaus hits, you can go get your beer and hotdogs. As long as you return before Skip bats again, you won’t miss anything.

Seriously, I don’t think Tony plays Kennedy against Francis — not with all the other lefties in this lineup.

As just added to the blog, Gonzalez’s absence from the lineup — and from the bench — was the subject of this morning’s Cardinals Newsletter. You can find it linked above or here:

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/11CD0574C555B1048625740B004C9372?OpenDocument

dg

DG:

Has TLR said how many relievers he’s going to carry in the early part of the season? I’m just thinking about who he’s going to go with. We know that, most likely, he’ll take:

Izzy
Franklin
Springer
Villone
Flores

But who do you see in addition to that?

Ceasar Izturis is garbage. He shouldn’t even be on this team He has NO upside whatsoever. For a team that’s supposed to be moving in a different direction, wouldn’t it make more sense to start Brendan Ryan there? He at least has some upside.

Ridiculous.

I know Kennedy was awful last year and started off slow this year, but the best MI group the Cards can put out right now would involve him being at 2nd. He has started to come around offensively, he has performed in the past, and Miles can’t play everyday. Miles has proven he wears out during the season, and he is best suited for a bench position. Right now, you have to put Ryan in at SS. Again, based on past track record, the kid hit well lest year and provided a spark for the team. Izturis has had one, count it one, productive year at the MLB level. His performance this spring has done nothing to change that forecast. He hasn’t even been defensively competent, and that is his only upside.

I agree with all anti-Izturis sentiment. I disliked the move when it was made. I dislike the move even more now.

I’m no expert on these various projection systems so let me know if I’m missing something. But looking at the Chone projections for SS D’Angelo Jiminez is projected to lead all SS in OBP. Intuitively something seems amiss here. Any of the SABRphillics care to explain this.

Here’s the link:
http://www.fangraphs.com/projections.aspx?pos=ss&stats=bat&type=chone

Wish they would just dump either Izturis or Kennedy, actually both. Much rather have Miles & Ryan on the team starting each day.

Pitching is worse than last year and management made no major upgrades since last October to fix it.

let shumacker or barton play second. then let ryan play ss.

adding those two improves the lineup by a ridiculous amount. i actually like our offense with..

Shumacker-RF
Ankiel-CF
Pujols- 1
Duncan-LF
Glaus- 3
Barton-2
Ryan-SS
Molina-catcher
Pitcher

that looks really good actually

#15…I’d have to agree with most Bird fans that Miles isn’t an everyday player. He’s best off the bench getting his starts in every couple of series.

I think by season’s end, the middle infield starters will be Ryan and Barden (who is currently with Memphis, but homered yesterday according to the Vuch Report). Schu and Barton will stay in the outfield, but we need them there.

This team should improve steadily as the season goes on the more the young talent gets to play. Hopefully by mid-year, Izturis, Kennedy and Looper won’t be on the field, unless they’re performing much better than I expect. And I don’t see any point giving innings to retread pitchers like Lohse or Weaver if it will help the development of a younger guy to give him the start.

The other teams in this division aren’t very good. I think this team can contend this season while still developing some of the young players. And then be set up for ‘09.

This lineup sucks. Izturis and Kennedy are trash. Will Brian Barton please step in to this popless lineup and provide some intrigue at the top of the order.

They’re bringing Kyle Lohse in for a physical.

-Reyes-

Mr. Miklasz,

I believe you’re looking for the blog entry one door over.

dg