Organizational Reports: NL Central

Chicago Cubs

The prospects at the top of the chain are having their issues, but there are some pleasant developments going on in the lower reaches of the system.

AAA Iowa (PCL)

Record: 15-15, 3rd in PCL American North

Roster moves: INF Ronny Cedeno (from Cubs), P Angel Guzman (from Cubs/to Cubs), UTIL Mike Kinkade (from DL), P Sean Marshall (from Daytona/minor league rehab), P Carmen Pignatiello (from Tennessee), C Tony Richie (from Tennessee), OF Chris Walker (from Tennessee), P Hector Almonte (released), P Federico Baez (to Tennessee/from Tennessee), P Rocky Cherry (to Cubs), INF/C Casey McGehee (to Tennessee), OF Felix Pie (to Cubs)

Moving up the charts: INF Mike Fontenot (.298/.340/.479), SP Carlos Marmol (3.74 ERA, 39/11 K/BB in 33 2/3 IP)

Struggling: 3B Scott Moore (.238/.351/.313, 27 K in ~90 PA), Guzman (12.19 ERA in 3 starts/10 1/3 IP)

Comments:
Marmol got off to a good start, pitched poorly in two starts against Nashville, then righted the ship with a seven IP, no BB, 9 K outing against New Orleans. Fontenot is showing a bit of power and had hit lefties hard so far. Guzman was also lit up twice by Nashville; his other start, against Memphis, was decent although he didn’t make it through the fifth.

AA Tennessee (SL)

Record: 15-13, 1st in SL North

Roster moves: INF Matt Craig (from DL), OF Sam Fuld (from DL), P Geoffrey Jones (signed as free agent), P Billy Petrick (from Daytona), P Jon Mueller (to Daytona)

Moving up the charts: OF Josh Kroeger (.372/.404/.511), SP Mark Holliman (2 ER in 33 IP over 5 starts, 26/6 K/BB)

Struggling: 1B Brian Dopirak (.200/.231/.253), SP Donnie Veal (6.69 ERA and 21 BB in 28 1/3 IP)

Comments:
Veal has shown signs of coming around in his last two starts after a miserable beginning in AA, pitching 13 innings and allowing just six hits and 3 ER with three walks and 12 Ks. Kroeger seems to have been around forever, but he is still just 24. Holliman is a finesse righty who depends on location and changing speeds.

Advanced A Daytona (FSL)

Record: 16-14, tied for 2nd in FSL East

Roster moves: OF Ryan Harvey (from extended spring), P Michael Phelps (from extended spring), OF James Adduci (to Peoria), P Michael Cooper (to extended spring)

Moving up the charts: OF Tyler Colvin (.315/.352/.510), SP Mitch Atkins (2.16 ERA, 22/5 K/BB in 25 IP)

Struggling: SP Todd Blackford (5.40 ERA)

Comments:
There were a lot of people (myself included) who thought the Cubs reached when they took Colvin in the 1st round of the draft a year ago, and his performance at Boise didn’t do much to erase the questions. But so far, at least, he’s showing the doubters something after being jumped directly to high A ball for his full-season debut. He’s making consistent and solid contact and took German Marte deep for a grand slam on Thursday. Atkins and Blackford, like Holliman, rely more on command than on raw stuff. Jeff Samardzija is also with Daytona, and while he’s posted a 3.52 ERA his other peripherals aren’t strong (14/10 K/BB in 30 2/3 IP); he has a lot of work to do.

Low A Peoria (ML)

Record: 14-13, 5th in ML Western Division

Roster moves: P Oscar Bernard (from extended spring), P Charles Platt (from extended spring), P Jacob Renshaw (from extended spring), P Al Alburquerque (to DL), P Julio Castillo (to extended spring), UTIL Valerio Heredia (to extended spring), P Billy Muldowney (to DL/from DL), P Mark Pawelek (to extended spring)

Moving up the charts: SP Rafael Dolis (1.75 ERA)

Struggling: 3B Russ Canzler (.253/.313/.330)

Comments:
Dolis, just 19, was knocked around in the AZL last year, and it was a bit of a surprise that the Cubs sent him to Peoria rather than keeping him in extended spring and perhaps sending him to Boise. He’s still fighting his control, walking a batter every other inning, but he’s been keeping the ball in the park and has allowed just 18 hits in 25 2/3 IP. Muldowney, out of Pitt, was pitching well (21/4 K/BB in 19 innings) before being forced onto the DL. Pawelek doesn’t appear to have been injured or anything, but he was clearly having some problems with his control in his two appearances for the Chiefs.

Cincinnati

The Reds have to be really happy with how their prospects have performed so far. Sure, there are a couple of guys that could be going better, and sure, it might be nice if they had a couple more bats developing, but those are relative nits in the bigger picture.

AAA Louisville (IL)

Record: 14-15, tied for 2nd in IL West

Roster moves: C Ryan Jorgensen (from DL), UTIL Mike Edwards (signed as free agent), INF Jeff Keppinger (from Reds DL), P Marcus McBeth (acquired from A’s/trade), C Chad Moeller (from Reds), C JC Boscan (to Chattanooga), C Dan Conway (to Chattanooga), OF Bubba Crosby (to DL), INF Jesse Gutierrez (to DL/from DL), P Brad Salmon (to Reds)

Moving up the charts: SP Homer Bailey (1.98 ERA in five starts, 16 hits in 27 1/3 IP), SP Bobby Livingston (2.82 ERA, 25/3 K/BB in 38 2/3 IP)

Struggling: 1B Joey Votto (.196/.353/.359), RP Gary Majewski (6.55 ERA)

Comments:
Bailey’s been having some problems throwing his breaking stuff from strikes, but no one has hit him particularly hard yet. He’s handling right handers and left handers equally well. As long as the Reds keep getting good starting pitching (which they have been, for the most part; it’s the bullpen that’s been lousy), Bailey will stay at AAA. Votto got off to an extremely slow start (as he did a year ago); he’s been doing better of late, but he’s been absolutely awful away from Louisville Slugger Field.

AA Chattanooga (SL)

Record: 13-17, 4th in SL North

Roster moves: P Jared Burton (from Reds/minor league rehab), INF Enrique Cruz (signed as free agent), INF Jeremiah Piepkorn (from Sarasota), INF Caonabo Cosme (to DL), P Derrik Lutz (to Sarasota), C John Purdom (to Sarasota), P Brock Till (to DL)

Moving up the charts: 2B/OF Drew Anderson (.265/.319/.471), SP Sam Lecure (2.48 ERA, 31 K in 29 IP), RP Calvin Medlock (21/2 K/BB in 18 IP)

Struggling: OF Cody Strait (.220/.287/.404)

Comments:
Anderson’s really been on a tear, slugging .771 in his last 10 games. Lecure is having problems throwing his secondary pitches for strikes, which has limited his innings; he threw 85 pitches in five innings against the Mudcats a week ago. Strait keeps moving up the ladder without giving any real evidence that he deserves to do so.

Advanced A Sarasota (FSL)

Record: 20-10, tied for 1st in FSL West

Roster moves: P Daniel Donaldson (from extended spring), P Ruben Medina (from extended spring), P Dushan Ruzic (from extended spring), P Adam Pointer (to extended spring), P Travis Wood (to DL)

Moving up the charts: OF Jay Bruce (.331/.379/.612), SP Carlos Fisher (2.20 ERA, 41/7 K/BB in 41 IP), RP Ruben Medina (15 K in 15 1/3 IP, 0.59 ERA), RP Rick Asadoorian (1.49 ERA, 11 K in 12 IP)

Struggling: OF BJ Szymanski (.208/.294/.281), OF Daniel Dorn (.217/.300/.349)

Comments:
Yes, that is the former outfielder Asadoorian, now trying his hand at pitching. The only cautionary thing about Bruce at this point is that he’s fanned 34 times in ~130 PA so far, which is right on the red line; the Reds are understandably excited about him, but he probably needs to tighten his command of the zone a bit more before he moves up to AA (which will probably happen, especially if Strait continues to have problems). Cincy promoted Johnny Cueto to Sarasota in mid-year in ‘06, while leaving Fisher at Dayton all year to rack up wins and innings; now Fisher is Cueto’s teammate again and outpitching him, as he did for most of ‘06 while they were together. Fisher’s older (24) with considerably less upside than Cueto.

Low A Dayton (ML)

Record; 22-4, 1st in ML Eastern Division

Roster moves: P Anthony Gressick (from extended spring), P Jamie Arneson (to DL)

Moving up the charts: INF Chris Valaika (.388/.441/.571), INF Juan Francisco (.286/.330/.552), SP Sean Watson (1.69 ERA, 42/3 K/BB in 32 IP), SP Daryl Thompson (0.96 ERA, 24/2 K/BB in 28 IP)

Struggling: no one of note

Comments:
Even if Drew Stubbs is a bust (some people were concerned he might be when he was drafted), the Reds may still like the results from their 2006 draft, if Valaika and Watson continue to develop. I have a bit of a soft spot for Thompson, a 2003 draft pick of Montreal who washed out of their system and was picked up by the Reds - he’s from LaPlata, MD, near where I lived for the better part of 13 years. He’s still only 21. Stubbs has picked it up after a slow start - he’s up to .282/.348/.447.

Houston

There’s not much positive news coming out of the Astro farm teams, with the exception of Hunter Pence.

AAA Round Rock (PCL)

Record: 14-17, 4th in PCL American South

Roster moves: P Travis Driskill (from DL), P Travis Phelps (from Corpus Christi), OF Tim Raines (from Corpus Christi), P Scott Sauerbeck (from DL), P Matt Albers (to Astros), P Chance Douglass (to Corpus Christi), P Fernando Nieve (to DL), OF Hunter Pence (to Astros), P Stephen Randolph (to Astros/from Astros)

Moving up the charts: Pence (.341/.398/.588 before being recalled), RP Paul Estrada (see below)

Struggling: Nieve (6.23 ERA, 2.08 WHIP, 15 BB/13 K)

Comments:
It’s been a long time coming, but: Estrada, who fanned 134 in 88 2/3 IP a year ago at Corpus Christi and allowed only 61 hits in the process, has fanned 14 in 14 2/3 IP this year. He’s also walked 7 and allowed 14 hits but still has managed a 1.84 ERA. Estrada has been around since ‘99, signing as a 16-YO out of Venezuela. He came to the States in 2002, didn’t get to full-season ball until 2005, but his 2006 showing with the Hooks got him onto the 40-man in the offseason. BA rated his curveball as the best in Houston’s organization.

AA Corpus Christi (TL)

Record: 8-22, 4th in TL South

Roster moves: P Brian Gordon (from extended spring), C Jeff Mackor (from extended spring), P Kyle Middleton (signed as free agent), P Felipe Paulino (from extended spring), OF Beau Torbert (from extended spring), P Rick White (from Astros on minor league rehab), P Jimmy Barthmaier (to DL), P Chance Douglass (to extended spring), P Tip Fairchild (to DL), P Enyelbert Soto (to Salem)

Moving up the charts: SP Troy Patton (2.80 ERA), RP Ryan Thompson (21/2 K/BB in 16 2/3 IP).

Struggling: Barthmaier (9.26 ERA before being disabled), C Lou Santangelo (.236/.304/.292)

Comments:
Corpus Christi is a pitchers’ park in a hitters’ league, but Patton has more than held his own away from Whataburger Field. Thompson just keeps getting guys out while pitching in middle relief, as he has throughout his minor league career. Santangelo flashed some power in Salem a year ago, but so far has shown very little in AA. Jonny Ash keeps hitting and playing a solid if unspectacular 2B, but his stature (he’s generously listed at 5’9") works against him.

Advanced A Salem (CarL)

Record: 13-14, 3rd in CarL Southern Division

Roster moves: P Ryan Owens (to extended spring)

Moving up the charts: SP Brad James (0.80 ERA in 33 2/3 IP)

Struggling: OF Mitch Einertson (.200/.302/.291), SP Brian Bogusevic (4.94 ERA, 18/12 K/BB in 23 2/3 IP)

Comments:
James isn’t fancy, but he’s been getting the job done the last two years. The sinkerballer thrives on getting hitters to beat the ball into the ground. Einertson’s 1105 OPS as an 18-YO at Greeneville three years ago is looking more and more like a stone fluke. 2005 1st rounder Bogusevic has yet to show that he can get anyone out consistently in the minors. Chris Salamida, a 2006 13th rounder who was 10-1 with a 1.06 ERA at Tri-City a year ago and bypassed low-A, started slowly but pitched a gem on Saturday in Kinston, taking a perfect game into the ninth inning before giving up a walk and a single and being lifted.

Low A Lexington (SAL)

Record: 14-16, 5th in SAL Northern Division

Roster moves: P Sergio Severino (from extended spring), P Bud Norris (to DL), C James Goethals (to extended spring)

Moving up the charts: OF Jimmy VanOstrand (.341/.389/.557), INF Chris Johnson (.287/.333/.465), SP/RP David Qualben (2.12 ERA, 27/5 K/BB in 29 2/3 IP)

Struggling: 3B Koby Clemens (.237/.330/.382), C Max Sapp (.231/.363/.277)

Comments:
Lexington’s a good hitting park, and both VanOstrand and Johnson have done most of their damage at Applebee’s Park, so it’s probably wise to exercise some caution; neither hit well in the NY-P a year ago. Qualben, on the other hand, is carrying forward a solid debut. Sapp’s performance, a year after being selected #1 by Houston in the draft, has to be a big disappointment; he didn’t hit well in his debut at Tri-City and hasn’t hit well this year. He is only 19, on the other hand, and is making contact and showing a good batting eye at the plate.

Milwaukee

The Brewers’ talent pipeline continues to flow, with two of the best prospects in baseball sitting on the doorstep and a bevy of young arms coming up from the lower levels. And Jeremy Jeffress isn’t even playing yet.

AAA Nashville (PCL)

Record: 17-13, 1st in PCL American North

Roster moves: P Grant Balfour (from Huntsville), P Lindsay Gulin (from DL), OF Charles Thomas (from Sacramento/trade with A’s), P Luis Villarreal (from Huntsville), P Greg Aquino (from Brewers/to Brewers DL), C JD Closser (to Sacramento/trade with A’s), UTIL Joe Dillon (to DL), P Chris Spurling (to Brewers), P Mitch Stetter (to DL)

Moving up the charts: 3B Ryan Braun (.358/.426/.716), SP Yovani Gallardo (2.19 ERA, 51/11 K/BB in 37 IP)

Struggling: Closser (.188/.328/.354 before trade), RP Dennis Sarfate (4.85, 15/10 K/BB in 13 IP)

Comments:
What’s to say? Braun can play. Gallardo can pitch. Both have improved over the course of their month-plus in AAA. Both are ready to contribute, just waiting for the Brewers to create an opening for them.

AA Huntsville (SL)

Record: 14-14, 2nd in SL North

Roster moves: 1B Mike Carlin (from DL/to DL), C Carlos Corporan (from Brevard County), P Bo Hall (from DL), P Jeff Housman (from DL), UTIL Jeff Eure (to temp inactive list), INF Adam Heether (to DL/from DL), C Max St. Pierre (released)

Moving up the charts: C Lou Palmisano (.344/.476/.531), SP Manny Parra (2.67 ERA, 29/7 K/BB in 30 1/3 IP)

Struggling: 2B Hernan Iribarren (.223/.286/.262), SP Steven Hammond (6.00 ERA, 43 hits and 5 HR allowed in 33 IP)

Comments:
After a solid debut in 2003 and a good initial full season in low A in 2004, Palmisano has gone backward over the last two seasons. With Angel Salome coming up strongly behind, the Brewers decided to keep Palmisano in AA for a second season rather than promoting him yet again. So far the move is paying dividends, as Palmisano is showing improved patience and pop. Parra’s velocity appears to be back after three injury-wracked seasons. Iribarren recovered nicely after a slow start a year ago in the FSL, and will be given every opportunity to do it again.

Advanced A Brevard County (FSL)

Record: 16-14, tied for 2nd in FSL East

Roster moves: INF Mike Bell (from extended spring), P Jeremy Lewis (from extended spring), C Angel Salome (from extended spring), P Kevin Roberts (to DL), 1B Ned Yost (to DL)

Moving up the charts: SP Will Inman (1.51 ERA, 43/6 K/BB in 35 2/3 IP)

Struggling: OF Charley Fermaint (.206/.228/.247)

Comments:
It’s hard to find things to say (beyond Wow!) about Inman, who’s only 20 and has breezed through the minors so far. OF Cole Gillespie, last year’s #3 draft pick who hit .344/.464/.548 at Helena and bypassed low-A, is coming on after a slow start, although the power stroke isn’t quite there yet.

Low A West Virginia (SAL)

Record: 20-7, 1st in SAL Northern Division

Roster moves: OF Darren Ford (from extended spring), P JT King (from extended spring), OF John Alonso (to DL), P Dustin Lidyard (to extended spring)

Moving up the charts: Ford (.363/.422/.495), SS Brent Brewer (.289/.341/.404), SP Zach Braddock (1.14 ERA, 33/10 K/BB in 23 2/3 IP)

Struggling: SP Mike Ramlow (7.15 ERA, 29 hits and 6 HR allowed in 22 2/3 IP)

Comments:
Something has clicked for Braddock, an 18th rounder in 2005 who struggled to throw strikes at Helena a year ago. Ford’s repeating the level, and hasn’t been able to sustain this level of hitting in his minor league career so far; the real test for him will be if/when he moves up. Brewer’s numbers look a bit pedestrian, and I don’t particular like the 34 Ks in ~115 PAs, but they’re pretty good for a 19-YO in full-season ball for the first time (Brewer the Brewer?)

Pittsburgh

Steven Pearce’s breakout is good news - but will the Pirates use him regularly if he continues to develop, or send him down the Craig Wilson path? The recovering pitchers at Indianapolis are, for the most part, recovering quite nicely, although what upside they had is long gone. The lower minors, as they have been for a few years now, are a wasteland of overage hitters and low-upside pitchers.

AAA Indianapolis (IL)

Record: 17-11, 1st in IL West

Roster moves: P Mark Corey (signed as free agent), INF Jose Hernandez (resigned as free agent after being released), P Juan Perez (from Pirates), C Milver Reyes (from Altoona/to Altoona), P Michael Tejera (from Lynchburg), INF Chris Truby (from Altoona/to extended spring), P Jim Brower (released), C Carlos Maldonado (to Altoona/from Altoona/to DL), C/OF Ryan Doumit (to Pirates after minor league rehab), UTIL Mike Edwards (released), P John Grabow (to Pirates after minor league rehab), P Marty McLeary (to Pirates), INF Freddy Sanchez (to Pirates after minor league rehab)

Moving up the charts: SS Brian Bixler (.333/.431/.460), SP Bryan Bullington (0.96 ERA)

Struggling: no one of note

Comments:
Bixler has hit very well over three levels during the last two seasons, and is starting to develop a little bit of pop while cutting down some on the strikeouts. He’s still not on the Bucs’ 40-man, and the Pirates think they’re set in the infield, so I don’t expect him to be able to hit his way to Pittsburgh this year. It would be nice if he could continue to hit well enough so that the team might at least think about trading Jack Wilson. Bullington’s periperhals aren’t great, he doesn’t miss a lot of bats, and I don’t expect him to sustain a microscopic ERA for very long.

AA Altoona (EL)

Record: 13-13, tied for 3rd in EL Southern Division

Roster moves: INF Jason Bowers (signed as free agent), OF Matt Meath (from DL/to DL), 1B Steven Pearce (from Lynchburg), OF Vic Buttler (to DL), INF Javier Guzman (to DL), P Mike Nannini (to DL/from DL), P Jason Roach (to DL)

Moving up the charts: 3B Neil Walker (.280/.349/.505)

Struggling: OF Andrew McCutchen (.188/.240/.344), P Yoslan Herrera (7.13 ERA, 34 hits and 4 HR allowed in 24 IP)

Comments:
McCutchen could benefit from a few weeks in Lynchburg; he’s not showing significant signs of adjusting at all. Walker’s still learning how to play 3B, and his defense is still rough around the edges, but right now what he needs most is to play after two seasons where he’s missed chunks of time with various injuries.

Advanced A Lynchburg (CarL)

Record: 12-13, 3rd in CarL Northern Division

Roster moves: P Ronald Belizario (signed as free agent), C Brian Peterson (signed as free agent), INF Greg Picart (from extended spring), OF Jamie Romak (from Hickory), INF Cameron Blair (to Hickory), P Brian Holliday (to DL), C Steve Lerud (to extended spring)

Moving up the charts: Pearce (.347/.412/.867, 11 HR before being promoted; .273/.273/.500 at Altoona), OF Jason Delaney (.322/.427/.494), P Todd Redmond (3.46 ERA, 24/6 K/BB in 26 IP)

Struggling: P Clayton Hamilton (5.73 ERA, 8/7 BB/K in 22 IP), OF Brad Corley (.178/.232/.289)

Comments:
Pearce is a right-handed power bat who is pretty much limited to 1B - something the Pirates have shown little use, or desire, for over the past few years. Delaney is a typical lower-level position player in the Pirates’ organzation; old for the level, some talent but not a real prospect. Corley was the Bucs’ #2 pick in the 2005 draft, widely considered to be an overdraft. He did have a decent year at Hickory, although his 6/1 K/BB ratio wasn’t exactly what you’d hope to see, but he’s old for the level (stop me if you’ve heard this before) and is still having trouble making solid contact.

Low A Hickory (SAL)

Record: 12-16, 6th in SAL Northern Division

Roster moves: INF Victor Alvarez (from extended spring/to extended spring), P Matt Lorenzo (from extended spring), P Yoffri Martinez (from extended spring), P Jacob Cuffman (to DL), INF Jim Negrych (to DL)

Moving up the charts: no one of note

Struggling: P Brad Clapp (7.98 ERA), P Mike Felix (8.53 ERA, 15/15 K/BB in 12 2/3 IP)

Comments:
Negrych was hitting .305/.368/.390 when he went on the DL. That’s the type of player he’s going to be - hit a lot of singles, draw an occasional walk, maybe pop a double every so often. But he’s short, he’s never going to hit for significant power, he’s not fast, and he’s limited defensively to 2B. I saw Jared Hughes pitch in Greensboro, and he threw almost nothing but fastballs for three innings; he’s got a good one, and you can see the talent is there, but he needs to be working on his secondary pitches.

St. Louis

The Cardinals are trying to find a major league bullpen and bench from the minor league vets they have in Memphis. With the exception of a feel-good story here and there, the real prospects are hard to find.

AAA Memphis (PCL)

Record: 16-15, 2nd in PCL American North

Roster moves: P Hugo Castellanos (from Springfield), P Chris Lambert (from Springfield), P Mike Parisi (from Springfield), INF Rico Washington (from Springfield), INF Jolbert Cabrera (to DL), P Dennis Dove (to Cardinals/from Cardinals), P Brian Falkenborg (to Cardinals), P Kelvin Jimenez (to Cardinals), OF Ryan Ludwick (to Cardinals), P Mike Sillman (to DL)

Moving up the charts: OF Rick Ankiel (.272/.316/.563, 8 HR)

Struggling: OF John Rodriguez (.209/.353/.313), SS Brendan Ryan (.254/.321/.331), 3B Travis Hanson (.183/.248/.215)

Comments:
If you had told me before the season that Dove and Jimenez would get major league roster time with the Cardinals this year, I’d have laughed. Ankiel might be playing his way into a major league roster spot as an outfielder; who’da thunk it? Travis Hanson looked like he had a chance at a major league career after a fine 2005 season at Springfield, but he didn’t hit in either AA or AAA a year ago and isn’t winning any converts this year; the power he flashed with the AA Cards in 2005 seems to be gone, goodbye.

AA Springfield (TL)

Record: 11-15, 3rd in TL North

Roster moves: P Michael Cooper (from Palm Beach), OF Sean Danielson (from Palm Beach), OF Juan Encarnacion (from Cardinals on minor league rehab), 1B Mike Ferris (from Palm Beach), P Ryan Meaux (signed as free agent), P Nick Webber (from Palm Beach), P Jason Motte (from Palm Beach), OF Reid Gorecki (to DL), P Eric Haberer (to DL), P Zach Zuercher (to Palm Beach)

Moving up the charts: OF Colby Rasmus (.277/.348/.535), SP Jaime Garcia (3.04 ERA, 30/13 K/BB in 26 2/3 IP)

Struggling: SS Tyler Greene (.226/.293/.393), SP Cory Rauschenberger (12.64 ERA, 4 HR allowed in 15 2/3 IP)

Comments:
The good news is that Greene’s power stroke hasn’t completely disappeared. The Cardinals took a risk, pushing him to AA after a less-than-stellar half-season at Palm Beach; they probably should have given him a couple of months back in the FSL to get some success back under his belt. Garcia’s rocketed through the system, to a point where he’s holding his own in AA at age 21. He’s added some velocity to go with a curveball rated the best in the system by BA.

Advanced A Palm Beach (FSL)

Record: 16-13, 1st in FSL East

Roster moves: OF Ian Church (from DL/to DL), INF Isaias Garcia (from Quad Cities), P Kyle McClellan (from DL/to DL)

Moving up the charts: SP Adam Ottavino (2.79 ERA, 34 K but 17 BB in 29 IP), INF Allen Craig (.364/.395/.645)

Struggling: no one of note

Comments:
Palm Beach has a lot of older players. Craig (#8 in 2006) was drafted as a shortstop, and played some center field in State College a year ago, but will likely wind up at a corner. ‘06 1st-rounder Ottavino has the highest upside in the bunch but needs to locate his pitches more consistently.

Low A Quad Cities (ML)

Record: 16-13, 3rd in ML Western Division

Roster moves: P Armando Carrasco (from extended spring), INF Jaime Landin (signed as free agent), C Christian Reyes (from extended spring), P Matthew Lane (to extended spring), P Brian Schroeder (to temp inactive list), INF Jared Schweitzer (to DL)

Moving up the charts: SS Christian Lopez (.306/.412/.417), SP Shawn Garceau (2.38 ERA, 24 K/7 BB in 22 2/3 IP)

Struggling; OF Daryl Jones (.200/.313/.306), SP Tyler Herron (4.97 ERA), SP Blake King (5.48 ERA, 22 K/17 BB in 21 1/3 IP)

Comments:
The Cardinals use a tandem starter arrangement (which used to be a lot more popular than it is now) at Quad Cities. I’m not sure that it makes all that much of a difference in pitcher development, but it sure seems as though most of the Swing pitchers have been affected negatively by it, to be sure. Jones is still relatively young (he doesn’t turn 20 until June), but somewhere along the way he’s going to have to start making solid contact more often.