PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — During his daily morning briefing with the media today, Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon said he was reading a copy of Branch Rickey’s book last year and realized that before Rickey, Rogers Hornsby and Sam Breadon came along the Cardinals weren’t much. And, yet, Maddon went on to say the Cardinals now standout as one of the most successful franchises of the past century.

“It’s very complimentary” that people now talk about mimicking the Rays’ success, Maddon said. “But this is just 2009. I’d like for them to say it in 2019 and 2040. When I came here it wasn’t just about being good in 2009 or 2010. I want at the end of the century people looking back” at the Rays like the Cardinals.

With the Rickey reference in mind, I asked if he wanted also to have 32 farm clubs.

“I wish.”

Clearly the Cardinals success of the last century and what the Rays did to win the American League pennant — the trophy of which is in the gift shop below — have one bedrock truth in common: Built on prospects. Rickey spread his empire throughout the country, designing what he considered a baseball academy where players went in like kindergartners, worked their way up to higher learning and graduated full-fledged Cardinals. The Rays benefited from years of losing record, high (and smart) draft picks and patience.  Whether the Rays can now turn that into contending consistently will be clearer this year … and next … and next.

It’s not absurd then to look at the what the Cardinals are attempting to do with their minor-league system and see the fingerprints of Rickey. One Cardinals executive said the club’s history may not have been the reason for the in-house shift (finances were a big one), but Rickey was an inspiration.

With that conversation as the backdrop, the final installment of this springs mailbag with Cardinals farm director Jeff Luhnow arrives. Many of the questions for today’s entry comes from the Bird Land@Facebook page. In it, he talks about Pete Kozma the All-Star, Bryan Anderson and whether or not he’s “trade bait”, and the broadening landscape of baseball scouting. That last topic is one Maddon mentioned as well. While teams can no longer have the fiefdoms of affiliates like the Cardinals and Rickey once did, they do have something similar: They have camps in the Caribbean. They have scouts combing South America. The Rays have a campus in Brazil. And the teams just getting their footing in the Asian markets are almost already to late … It’s not 32 affiliates, but it’s a similar pool to choose from.

On with the third and final mailbag with Luhnow:

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Q: Although the Cards have restocked their minor league system they still have some need for depth in certain areas. What areas do you think they need the most help in?

– Ross Mehalko

LUHNOW: Lefthanded starters and left handed relievers are a continuous need. Last year we signed some interesting guys in Freeman, Kulik and Brown (among others) but it continues to be an area we’d like to strengthen. We’d also like to get one or more high upside right handed starters.

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Q: Here’s a question for Luhnow, if you’re still taking them: who does he think will breakout this season? In 2007, it was Mather. Last year it was Jones. Who will it be this year?

– Joel Koch

LUHNOW: I wish I knew Joel! If we think about the Mather/Jones profile, it is athletic players with tools that could be Major League average or better who underperformed for a few years before having everything click and result in a breakout year. The candidates on the position player side that fit that profile would be Tommy Pham, D’Marcus Ingram, Travis Mitchell, Jon Edwards, Osvaldo Morales, Edgar Lara, and Ryde Rodriguez. If one or two of these guys (or hopefully more) take the next step we are all going to be very excited.

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Q: Are there still plans to purchase the Memphis Redbirds?

– Austin Chapman

LUHNOW: I have not been involved in the conversations, but Mo has kept me updated. My understanding is that nothing will happen this year and that right now there are no plans to continue the discussions. We like being in Memphis and hope that the relationship can continue for many years to come. The ballpark is fabulous, the city is perfect for us as it is driving distance, the fans come out to support the Redbirds, and there is so much to do in Memphis. I encourage all our fans to make a trip down there this year to see the future big leaguers in action, eat some delicious barbeque, and listen to live music on Beale Street!

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Q: What’s the future look like for Bryan Anderson? It seems like Yadier Molina will be a clubhouse figure for quite some time, and it will difficult for someone to break in the “traditional” positions that a catcher would slide over if his spot is blocked(1B, 3B, the OF).

– Tim Greenfield

LUHNOW: Yes, Yadier Molina is a clubhouse leader and a gold glove catcher who can hit. He is a very special player and we are very lucky to have him. We all hope he plays for many years in St Louis. Bryan is a young catcher who has big league potential. He has shown an ability to hit for average, hit doubles, and take walks on the offensive side, even at the higher levels. His receiving, blocking and throwing skills are good and getting even better. He is going up a steep learning curve regarding game management and game calling (all catchers have to do this). He’s not that far away from being Major League ready. When I personally think about the future, having Yadi and Andy as our catchers in St Louis is an exciting possibility. Remember, even the most durable catchers still don’t get as much playing time as other positions, so having two good catchers is not a problem, but rather an asset that we desire.

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Q: I wonder if you’d take Aaron Crow if he by chance fell to the Cardinals in the 1st round.

– Pierce Jefferson

LUHNOW: We liked Aaron Crow last year and had him in the first round, for sure. We never had to make the decision because he was gone before we picked. You can be rest assured that we will see him once he starts playing in games this year, and if nothing has changed, he would be a player we will have serious interest in drafting. Now keep in mind that if he wasn’t able to be signed last year when he was selected in the top ten picks, if he gets to #19 this year, he might be expecting to get what he wanted last year or more, and that could be an issue.

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Q: How much do cardinal scouts look at the independent leagues? I know Josh Kinney came from there and we grabbed Justin Fiske from an independent league and he went on to pitch in the Arizona fall league. How do you find guys like this?

– Snoopycarmichael

LUHNOW: Both Kinney and Fiske are guys we had seen when they were draft eligible, and neither signed so they both continued to play in the independent leagues. When a need arose for a pitcher, we had reports on them from their amateur days and also had their performance numbers in the independent leagues. We do analyze the independent leagues on a continuous basis and look for the top performers. Then we typically call the manager and get his point of view, as well as send out a scout if we have one available. Sig Mejdal is the independent league champion, if you will, in our front office. He typically puts together a list of the players we should consider. Last year, Ryan Bird was on this list so we brought him to instructional camp, signed him, and had him pitch in Colombia over the winter. He is currently in camp and trying to make a full season club.

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Q: There’s been a lot of discussion by the fan base on the Card’s ‘07 first round draft pick Pete Kozma. Kozma, is apparently an excellent defender, but there are questions a plenty surrounding him offensively. From what you’ve seen from Kozma thus far in his young pro career what are your thoughts on where his bat is and *needs* to be so that he can hit well enough to complement his plus fielding skills?

– emc2013

LUHNOW: Yes. I’m not sure where these questions are coming from, really. He was an all-star in the Midwest league last year in his first full season after being drafted out of high school. That’s exactly the path that Colby took, too. Look at his number in the Midwest league in 2008… 377 at bats, .284 average, 45 walks to 69 strikeouts, 12 stolen bases, 20 doubles, 4 triples and 5 jacks. Plus he played a very solid defensive shortstop on a tough field. Now, the Florida State League is tough on hitters, so I’m not going to be shocked or frustrated if he doesn’t put up those kind of numbers right away, but knowing Pete, he is going to figure it out. He’s going to have to use the entire field, hit a lot of line drives, and use his speed to contribute offensive at this level. I trust he will.

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Q: Bryan Anderson? What position? Going to be trade bait? — Matt Britton

LUHNOW: Yes. Catcher. Anyone could be traded in the right deal, Matt, but I wouldn’t consider Bryan trade bait.

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And finally, a couple Qs from David L. in Taiwan: I’m a big Cards fan and also your columns, Bird Land, fan. Thank you for the considerate service for we fans to talk to Mr. Luhnow. And here is my question for Mr. Luhnow: 1. What’s the organization’s plan on P.J. Walters? Does he has any chance to defeat other contenders such as Mitch Boggs, Jess Todd or Clayton Mortensen this year? It’s exciting to see a guy who doesn’t have good stuff but thrive in the big league. I believe P.J. is this guy and his strong performance in spring train so far proves it. And, if he comes to St. Louis, what’s the best role for him, a starter or a long reliever?

LUHNOW: David, I’m glad to know there are Cardinal fans in Taiwan that follow the minor leagues! Regarding PJ, I’ll tell you what - I’ve heard people say he doesn’t have good stuff, but that’s not true. What he lacks is a hard fastball (low to mid nineties), and many people (including some in baseball) put too much emphasis on the velocity of the fastball as an indicator of good stuff. PJ has good stuff. He has one of the best changeups in our organization, a pitch that has almost become a necessary for today’s big league starters. It’s also a pitch that some pitchers live off of because it is not only an effective weapon against the hitter but it makes the other pitches that much better. He also has very good command of his fastball, which is very important. Location can make a slower fastball much more effective. He has a curveball which at times is an above average major league pitch. Combine all that with a good pitchers body, strong work ethic, terrific makeup, and a fastball that used to be 85-88 and is now 88-91, and you’ve got the makings of a big league starter. So yes, he has the potential to be the first guy on the list when a need arises in St Louis this year.

2. Do the Cards have any scouting system in Asia? Last winter we bought two Asian relievers, one from Korea and another one from Japan. But they’re too old, and they’re not the team’s future. Does the organization try to look for some youngers like Junichi Tazawa in Red Sox or Dae-Eun Rhee in Cubs to strengthen our farm depth? If not, why the organization not willing to do this?

LUHNOW: When it comes to Asia, for us, we look at two different aspects of scouting. Professional scouting involves knowing the players from the professional leagues in Japan, Korea and Taiwan (and maybe China down the road). This allows us to know the players that either get posted or become free agents. There are two elements of this program for us - statistical analysis and scouting. Matt Slater and Rob Fidler have been dedicated to this for the past two years and we feel it’s an area we are improving but still have a way to go. The other aspect is the amateur side - high school and college baseball players who have not signed a professional contract. This area is less developed for us and we are still determining how best to tackle these markets. We have sent scouts to Korea twice and I went personally once to look at amateur players, but none of those trips resulted in a signing. What we would like to do is build up a network of bird-dog scouts in Korea, Japan, and Taiwan that can help us identify the best talent. David, now that I know we have an avid Cardinal fan in Taiwan, maybe you can help us out?

I will say we have been impressed (again) by the success of the Asian baseball teams in international competition. If that is a sign of things to come, we need to hurry up and get more involved quickly.

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That concludes this spring’s Q & A with Luhnow. … Volume 1 is available here. … And Volume 2 here.

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