2000 Season

by Kevin McCann

December 21

New Haven Staff Complete: The staff for the Cardinals' new Double-A affiliate is now complete. Yesterday, the Cardinals announced that Danny Shaeffer would manage the Ravens and today it was learned that Dave LaPoint would indeed return as the Double-A pitching coach. Former Cards farmhand Ron "Pop" Warner will be the hitting coach. Warner served as an unofficial coach on Tony LaRussa's staff in St. Louis last season. Now every club but Johnson City has their 2001 staffs in place. So much for my Christmas vacation from updating the site!

December 20

New Haven Has New Manager: Today the Cardinals named former catcher-infielder Danny Sheaffer as manager of their new Double-A affiliate in New Haven, Conn. Sheaffer played six years in the major leagues, two of them in St. Louis (1995 and 1997). He spent the past two seasons as manager of the Eugene Emeralds in the Class A Northwest League of the Chicago Cubs organization. It is not yet known who will be his pitching and hitting coaches... With Sheaffer named manager at New Haven, this poses a question: What will happen to Chris Maloney, who has managed the Cardinals' Double-A club for the past three years? Lamar Boone shares this tidbit on the Potomac Cannons Booster Club site: Maloney will likely manage at Rookie level Johnson City next season, where he managed in 1991. This would displace Luis Melendez, who led the JC Cardinals last season. Among the other "displaced" Cardinals personnel are former Memphis pitching coach Bill Campbell, Arkansas pitching coach Dave LaPoint, and Peoria pitching coach Sid Monge. Campbell is believed to have a spot elsewhere in the organization; my guess would be as assistant minor league pitching coordinator, a position previously held by Dyar Miller, the new Memphis pitching guru.

Pitts Honored with George Kissell Award: Memphis manager Gaylen Pitts received the 2000 George Kissell Award for player development excellence in the Cardinals system during the Baseball Winter Meetings in Dallas, Tex. earlier this month. Pitts has managed the Cardinals' Triple-A affiliate for the past four years, three of them at Memphis, and has been in the organization for 20 years. He led the Redbirds to the Pacific Coast League championship and the Triple-A World Series last season.

NJ Cards GM Honored: Another belated congratulations goes to Tony Torre, vice-president and general manager of the New Jersey Cardinals, who was honored with the 2000 Johnny H. Johnson award for the New York-Penn League. The award is given annually to an individual or club that "displays an exemplary commitment to professional baseball, the community, and franchise stability."

Cards in the Draft: According to Baseball America, the Cardinals will have the 28th overall pick in the 2001 amateur free agent draft next June. The organization managed to hold onto their spot in the first round by not signing any Type A free agents such as LHP Mike Hampton. They did not have any prominent free agents of their own available this winter, so they will not pick up any supplemental picks from other organizations. From there, the Cardinals will have the 71st overall pick in the second round and the 104th in the third.

Random Notes: Tommy Kidwell will be the hitting coach for New Jersey next season with Gary Buckels returning as pitching coach... The Cardinals sold 1B Eduardo Perez's contract to the Hanshin Tigers of the Japanese League today.... Here are some player signings I missed a few weeks ago: RHPs Dan Carlson and Mike Cather and OF Kerry Robinson. All three are expected to play at Memphis next season... Glenn Brummer, who was hitting coach at Arkansas and Potomac the past two seasons, will not be returning to the organization in 2001.

December 19

Rupp Returns to Managing: Former Cardinals farmhand Brian Rupp, who was the hitting coach at Double-A Arkansas last season, has been named as manager at New Jersey. He will be taking over for Jeff Shireman, who managed the NJ Cardinals for the last two seasons but was shifted to Peoria and made their hitting coach for 2001. Rupp's first managerial stint was with Peoria in '99 after his retirement as an active player in the organization. It is not certain if pitching coach Gary Buckels will be returning as New Jersey's pitching coach. The Cardinals also haven't named their manager and coaching staff at Double-A New Haven, although it is probable that Chris Maloney will return as skipper and Dave LaPoint as pitching coach.

December 18

No Action: Aside from Lamar Boone's notes on the organizational changes set for next season, there hasn't been much activity from the Cardinals organization regarding player signings or who will manage at New Jersey and New Haven. The only tidbit from the transaction wire has been Arkansas OF Nate Tebbs, who played the last half of the season in Little Rock after being packaged by San Diego in the Carlos Hernandez deal, signed a minor league deal with the Boston Red Sox... I'm not sure what the status of Arkansas OF Luis Saturria is with Licey of the Dominican Winter League. I checked his stats this evening and he's only played in 17 games, batting .135 with 0 HR and 2 RBI. He had played in 7 games back in the first week of November. Is he hurt or no longer playing?

Happy Holidays to All: Barring any unforseen news breaks, there will be no updates to this column or the site as a whole the rest of the week. I want to take this opportunity to thank all our loyal readers who bookmark the site and keep up with it on a regular basis. Without you, there would be no reason for this site! The year 2001 will be another great season for Cardinals minor league baseball and I can't wait for it to start. I have been working on the draft for my book on the organization, the players, and player development staff and hope to have it available sometime in April. Thank you again for checking in with Cardinals in the Bushes. I hope you and your family has a festive holiday season! God Bless!

December 15

More Organizational Changes: It looks like most of the Cardinals' six affiliates will have new or reorganized field staffs this coming season. Our friend at Potomac, Cannons Booster Club president Lamar Boone, reports that former Cardinals farmhand Joe Hall is returning to the organization and will take the managerial reins at Peoria for 2001. The Chiefs will have a revamped coaching staff as well, with last year's hitting coach Todd Steverson returning to Potomac (where he started his coaching career in '99) and New Jersey skipper and former Peoria manager Jeff Shireman taking his place. Potomac pitching coach Mark Grater is also relocating to Peoria and will be replaced by Bryan Eversgerd, who played for Memphis last season and will be starting a new coaching career. Joe Cunningham will return as Potomac's manager. This shuffling leaves New Jersey without a manager; will the vacancy be filled by Tom Lawless, who returned to the Cardinals organization last year at Peoria? Questions: Will '00 Peoria pitching coach Sid Mongue, Potomac hitting coach Glenn Brummer, and Arkansas pitching coach Dave LaPoint and hitting coach Brian Rupp still be in the organization? The New Haven field staff as not yet been announced, although I would believe longtime Arkansas skipper Chris Maloney would continue as the Cards' Double-A manager with LaPoint and Rupp joining him in their respective roles.

December 14

Reames Dealt in Tatis-Hermansen Swap: Righthander Britt Reames, who overcame two years on the shelf following Tommy John surgery to shine in the postseason for the Cardinals this year, was included with 3B Fernando Tatis in today's trade for Montreal Expos hurlers RHP Dustin Hermansen and LH reliever Steve Kline. The deal has been in the works for some time but apparently hinged on St. Louis' reluctance to part with Reames, who consistently came through for manager Tony LaRussa when his starters or bullpen faltered during their postseason drive for the World Series. "He was a hero to our teammates and our fans," he told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "I know that Walt [Jocketty] tried as hard as he could to get him out of the deal. He even offered them three or four players instead of Britt." Montreal manager Felipe Alou feels like Reames will be in their starting rotation next season... With Tatis gone, it is certain that 3B Albert Pujols will receive quite a bit of LaRussa's attention in spring training. If the 20-year-old '99 draft pick has a great spring performance, he could fill third base in St. Louis right away. More than likely he will be sent back to Memphis when camp breaks, but look for him to make his major league debut before the All-Star Break.

New Redbirds Pitching Guru: Lamar Boone, president of the Potomac Cannons Booster Club, reported this evening on www.cannonsboosterclub.com that Memphis pitching coach Bill Campbell will be replaced by the Cardinals' assistant pitching coordinator Dyar Miller. No word yet on who will fill Miller's position in the organization... Lamar also reports that Gaylen Pitts will return next season for his fifth consecutive season as the Cardinals' Triple-A manager. Hitting coach "Boots" Day will also be returning.

December 13

Random Notes: Former Cardinals OF Scarborough Green and P Dave Wainhouse have been invited to spring training by the Chicago Cubs... OF John Morris, who played for the Cardinals from 1985 to 1990, has been named as a coach at Clearwater, the Philadelphia Phillies' Florida State League entry for next season. The Phillies also named former 1B John Kruk as hitting coach at Class AA Reading in the Eastern League... Former New York Mets 3B-CF Howard Johnson will serve as hitting coach at Brooklyn, NY, the Mets' short-season Class A New York-Penn League club for 2001. Cardinals fans will remember "HoJo" as the hated Mets' home run slugger whose bat Cards manager Whitey Herzog loved to confiscate and have X-Rayed for cork during their heated rivalry in the mid to late Eighties.

December 12

No Cards action in Dallas: The Cardinals' efforts to sign LHP Mike Hampton during the Winter Meetings were thwarted by the Colorado Rockies, who signed the former New York Mets starter to an eight-year, $123 million contract. But just when the salary ceiling had been raised, the Texas Rangers blew it through the roof and beyond when they signed former Seattle SS Alex Rodriguez to an astronomical 10-year, $252 million dollar deal yesterday. So now we have our first $25 million dollar player! Oh, boy.

Rule 5 Draft: The Cardinals passed on the major league, Triple-A and Double-A players available in yesterday's Rule 5 Draft and didn't lose any of their own. "This was a weak class all the way from Triple-A down," player development director Mike Jorgensen told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Trade Talk: While the Cardinals made no free agent signings or trades, GM Walt Jocketty is believed to have laid the groundwork for a possible deal with the Montreal Expos.  Looking for another starter and bullpen help, he has reportedly inquired about RHP Dustin Hermanson and LH reliever Steve Kline. The players involved on the Redbirds side are 3B Fernando Tatis and possibly RHP Britt Reames. If Tatis is dealt, this might give Memphis 3B Albert Pujols the chance to jump to the major leagues in just his second professional season. He has had an excellent rookie year from Class A Peoria to Potomac to Class AAA Memphis and in the Arizona Fall League.

Triple-A World Series Likely Finished: It looks as if the 2000 Indianapolis Indians, who beat the PCL champion Memphis Redbirds three games to one, will be the last Triple-A championship team as the future of the Triple-A World Series is in doubt. There will be no series this coming postseason, the Pacific Coast League and Internantional League announced during the Winter Meetings. The Las Vegas Stars no longer want to host the event due to low attendance and difficulties negotiating a television contract for it.

December 8

Winter Meetings Convene: Finally, a worthwhile distraction from this presidential mess! Baseball's Winter Meetings have convened in Dallas, TX and the hot stove activity has been hot with lefthander Mike Hampton, whom the Cardinals have coveted this off-season and hoped would bolster their starting rotation, has apparently signed with the Colorado Rockies. If this is true, it is likely that righthander Matt Morris will return to the rotation next season after spending this past year in the bullpen. The Rule 5 Draft will begin on Monday.

New Bird in the Nest: The Cardinals have signed pitcher Rick Krivda to a minor league contract. The lefthander pitched at Triple-A Rochester in the Baltimore Orioles organization last season, finishing with an 11-9 record and 3.12 ERA in 25 starts. He also pitched for Team USA in the Olympics this past summer and was the losing pitcher in the team's only loss, a 6-1 defeat to Cuba. He will likely pitch for Memphis.

Other Items: Former Cardinals shortstop prospect Jack Wilson, who was dealt to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Jason Christensen deal this summer, has caught the eye of new Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon. The former major leaguer was impressed with Wilson while managing in the Arizona Fall League and feels that he could fit in at the major league level at either short or second base. ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports that Pittsburgh might trade either Warren Morris or Pat Meares to make room for Wilson... In Winter League baseball, Memphis 3B Lou Lucca is hitting .301 with 2 HR and 9 RBI in 25 games for Bayamon in Puerto Rico. Peoria switch-hitting OF Johnny Hernandez has appeared in only four games for the Carolina Giants in P.R. and is batting .333.

December 1

More Cards in Winter Ball: While scanning through the rosters of players in the Puerto Rico Winter League, I found that Memphis 3B Lou Lucca is playing for Bayamon, Memphis RHP Mike Matthews is with Santurce, and Peoria OF Johnny Hernandez is with Carolina. Nothing from the transactions thus far.

November 22

40-Man Roster Additions: Among the minor league players on the Cardinals' 40-man roster are Memphis lefthanders Justin Brunette and Jose Rodriguez, righthanders Luther Hackman, Chad Hutchinson, Jason Karnuth, Gene Stechshulte, and Clint Weibl. Potomac lefty Les Walrond was the only pitcher below Triple-A added to the roster. Arkansas outfielders William Ortega and Luis Saturria were included as well as Potomac's speed king Esix Snead. Third baseman Chris Haas, who split the season between Memphis and Arkansas, was on the list as well as Memphis catcher Keith McDonald.

Other Notes: Not much to report on the transactions wire except Memphis OF Ernie Young signing with the San Diego Padres organization and OF Mark Little with the Colorado Rockies.

November 8

AFL Action: Scottsdale (20-11) has a half game lead in the Arizona Fall League East Division over Phoenix (20-12)...3B Albert Pujols' average has dropped 17 points since last week to .316 but he is still sixth in the batting race... Righthander Jason Karnuth has three victories in relief so far, tying him with three other hurlers for the second-most victories... 2B Stubby Clapp is second among Cardinals prospects on the Scottsdale roster at .304... OF Andy Bevins continues to struggle in Arizona with a .185 batting average... Speedster OF Esix Snead's average has dropped 28 points to .256 this past week and he has swiped only one base to give him 11 (third in the league).

Dominican Leaguers: Arkansas OF Luis Saturria is with Licey in the Dominican Winter League. He is batting only .154 in seven games... Former Travelers teammate RHP Ontoniel Lanfranco is also at Licey. Thus far he has a 0-1 record and 4.00 ERA in two relief appearances... Righthander Jose Nunez has one hitless inning of relief under his belt so far... NOTE: I have checked the Venezuelan Winter League and Mexican Pacific League rosters and have found no Cardinals minor leaguers on them. I have added a new page for Licey in the Team Reports section.

Former Cardinals: Former '99 Memphis LHP Brian Barnes has signed a minor league contract with Atlanta... Another former 2000 Redbird and St. Louis hurler, RHP David Wainhouse, was signed by the Chicago Cubs... Toronto signed former Cards No. 1 pick SS Aaron Holbert to a minor league deal... Here are the whereabouts of several former Cardinals minor leaguers from last season and further back: Memphis OF and minor league free agent Ernie Young is playing for Mochis of the Mexican Pacific League... Another 2000 Redbird and free agent Darrell Whitmore is with Pollos in the Dominican Winter League... C Eliezer Alfonzo, traded to Milwaukee in the Fernando Vina deal, is with Oriente Carires in the Venezulean Winter League... Former Memphis and St. Louis SS Luis Ordaz is with Occidente Pastors in the same league... Highly-touted SS Pablo Ozuna, who was packaged in the Edgar Renteriea trade a few years ago, is with Estrellas in the Dominican Winter League... Former Cards OF Kerry Robinson is currently tenth in the Dominican Winter League batting race at .305... 1B Rod Brewer, who played in the Cardinals system from 1987-92 and briefly in St. Louis, has resurfaced with Obregon of the Mexican Pacific League... The official Arizona Fall League website has an article posted on former minor leaguer Brent Butler.

November 2

Updates Every Wednesday Evening: I am planning on updating this column every Wednesday evening with news on the Cardinals in the Arizona Fall League as well as any free agents signings or player releases. Sorry it's been a while since it's been updated; I kind of went into winter hibernation prematurely!

AFL Action: Albert Pujols continues his torrid hitting in his first pro season and his .333 batting average is seventh in the Arizona Fall League. He also leads Scottsdale in the hitting department ...Esix Snead has been quite a sensation with the Scorpions so far. He is third in the league with 10 stolen bases and is batting a respectable .284 in 20 games. But he is still striking out too much with 21 whiffs and only eight walks in 57 at-bats...Stubby Clapp, filling in for oft-injured Jason Woolf on the Scorpions roster, is batting .310 in 14 games and his hustling style is winning over many AFL fans (see below)...Chad Hutchinson has a 5.40 ERA in five starts so far. He is third in the league with 22 strikeouts but leads in bases on balls with 15...Righthander Jason Karnuth has a 2-0 record with a 3.85 ERA in nine games, all but one in relief...Scottsdale pitchers are leading the AFL with a combined 3.43 ERA.

Cardinals in the News: Cardinals lefthander Les Walrond, who pitched this past season at Potomac, is featured this week "In The Spotlight" on Gary Reed's excellent site at Minorleagueball.about.com....Fan favorite Stubby Clapp is "Player of the Week" on Bill's Arizona Fall League Report.

Minor League Free Agents: These are the Cardinals' free agents this winter: Pitchers-- John Ambrose, Rick Heiserman, Mark Thompson, Allen McDibb, Jim Dougherty, Bryan Eversgerd; Catchers--Steve Beiser, Jovany William; Infielders--Jason Benham, Luis Garcia, Pablo Martinez, Mike Mitchell, Eddie Pearson (Arkansas), Nate Tebbs (Arkansas); Outfielders--Mark Little, Ron "Pop" Warner, Darrell Whitmore, Ernie Young. It's unlikely most of these will not be resigned. Of these, Bryan Eversgerd will retire and become a pitching coach in the organization and "Pop" Warner, who spent the season at St. Louis, will likely retire as well (if he hasn't already).

Departures: Potomac righthander Dave Daniels has been released. The following players were released from the Cardinals' teams in the Dominican and Venzuela Summer Leagues: righthanders Orlando Ortega, Jhonatan Simono, and Ignacio Yan; catcher Guillemo Bobea; infielder Luis Cordero, and outfielder Christian Escalante.

September 23

Indianapolis Wins Triple-A World Series: Memphis lost three games to one in the Triple-A World Series held in Las Vegas this week. Still, the Redbirds organization had a very successful season overall. They finished the regular season at 83-61, leading the PCL's East Division by 13 1/2 games, and went through two postseason series with Albuquerque (Dodgers) and Salt Lake (Twins) to get to the World Series. Plus they opened their superb ballpark, AutoZone Park, in the downtown area to great reviews. After the Redbird's loss, the Cardinals recalled pitcher Luther Hackman and first baseman Larry Sutton for the postseason.

September 18

Cards Add New Bird to the Flock: The Cardinals announced today that the New Haven Ravens, who won the Eastern League champion- ship this past season, will be their Double-A affiliate for the 2001 and 2002 seasons. "Obviously there's a lot of history and a lot of tradition involved with this ballpark and this organization," Player Development Director Mike Jorgensen said at today's press conference.

September 17

Cards to Become Ivy Leaguers? In his daily Cannons report, Lamar Boone reported this morning that the New Haven (Conn.) Register states in this morning's edition that the Cardinals will sign a 2-year Player Development Contract with the New Haven Ravens of the Eastern League tomorrow. The Ravens had been affiliated with the Seattle Mariners for two years and just won the Eastern League championship this season. Remember how the Cards were unhappy with 68-year-old Ray Winder Field and wanted Arkansas to seek funds for a new stadium? Well, if this deal goes through, their minor league prospects will be playing at Yale Field which is 73 years old! Go figure.

It could be possible that this is only a temporary fix. Besides Arkansas, the closest Double-A team to Memphis is Jackson, Tenn. which is about 80 miles northeast of the Bluff City. The West Tenn Diamond Jaxx are finishing the second season of a four-year deal with the Chicago Cubs and play at Pringles Park, a 6,000-seat stadium that is only three years old. Having lived there most of my life, I know that Jackson and West Tennessee are Cardinals territory and would be thrilled to host the Cards' Double-A affiliation.

September 15

Jocketty Blamed for Travs' Departure: And so the saga continues. This morning's edition of the Arkansas Democrat Gazette features two stories on Arkansas' none-too-surprising decision to sever their ties with the Cardinals. Outspoken GM Bill Valentine places the blame solely on Cards GM Walt Jocketty for the ending of their 34-year affiliation. "Walt Jocketty orchestrated this. He was flat out trying to push the Travelers into building a new stadium," he told writer Darren Ivy. "He tried to pull a bluff on the Travelers and make us do something we couldn't do, and it has backfired." No comment from Jocketty. I did have the chance to ask Cards player development director Mike Jorgensen about the situation last night before Memphis' victory over the Salt Lake Buzz at AutoZone Park. "There's a lot of history and tradition with the Cardinals being in Arkansas," he said. "All things change; even good things change. It was a cordial parting of the ways if you will. We wish them a lot of luck... I think both of us felt that it was time for a change."

Cards Should Have New AA Affiliate Next Week: Jorgensen also noted that the Cardinals should have a deal in place with one of three Double-A clubs by early next week: San Antonio, Tex. (Texas League), Jacksonville, Fla. (Southern League), or Erie, Pa. (Eastern League). "There are different things you look for," he said. "I think the reason we wanted to look around in the first place was just to maximize our opportunities as far as player development. Facilities have a little bit to do with it, personnel has to do with it. Sometimes change is for the good."

September 14

Happy Trails: Like their namesake, the Arkansas Travelers have moved on to greener pastures and hopefully more winning seasons. Yesterday the Cardinals' Double-A affiliate signed a two-year Player Development Contract with the Anaheim Angels, ending a historic 34-year association that began in 1966. The local reaction has been mixed according to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Some felt that the switch was justified by St. Louis' reported demand that the Travelers seek financing for a new stadium to replace 68-year-old Ray Winder Field. Many longtime Cardinals fans however were upset with the new agreement and not being able to see the future Cardinals in their backyard. As of this morning, there have been no comments from St. Louis concerning the situation or where the organization will place its Double-A affiliation. They are reportedly looking at the San Antonio Missions, also members of the Texas League, who recently rejected a renewal of
their 23-year association with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The loss of Arkansas as a Cardinals affiliate means that CITB will be losing its great Travelers correspondent, Bob Razer, for the 2001 season. Bob has done a great job and his work is appreciated by myself and other Cardinals minor league fans. Bob is working on a final end-of-season report on the Travs which should be posted sometime ths weekend.

September 12

Redbirds Flying High: Memphis took the American Conference title in five games against the Albuquerque Dukes, capped by a 12-6 onslaught on Sunday at Autozone Park. Leadoff hitter Mark Little had three hits and Stubby Clapp, Lou Lucca, and Larry Sutton each had two. Reliever Bryan Eversgerd earned the victory with two scoreless one-hit innings that featured three strikeouts. The Redbirds took a three-run lead in the second inning, added three more in the fourth, and threw six more in for good measure in the eighth. They face the Pacific Conference champion Buzz in Salt Lake City this evening with 17-game winner Robert "Bud" Smith on the mound. The winners of the five-game series are not only crowned Pacific Coast League champions but also face the International League champions in the Triple-A World Series in Las Vegas beginning September 18.

Double-A Changes? While the Redbirds' postseason heroics have the attention of most Cardinals minor league fans, there were some interesting happenings with their Double-A affiliate late last week. Arkansas' player development contract with St. Louis expired at the end of the season and members of the Travelers and the Cardinals met in Little Rock on Friday to begin negotiating a new deal. But a renewal is not a guarantee. According to Arkansas GM Bill Valentine, Cards GM Walt Jocketty would like a new stadium in Little Rock but Valentine has stated that there is no interest in replacing 68-year-old Ray Winder Field in the near future. The Cards are reportedly talking with the San Antonio Missions, who recently decided not to renew their agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Like the Travelers, the Missions are also members of the Texas League. Arkansas is also reportedly exploring its options with the Anaheim Angels and Seattle Mariners organizations.

August 20

Make that Esix Speed: Potomac outfielder Esix Snead reached another stolen base milestone when he took his 100th of the season at Wilmington, DE on Thursday, Aug. 17. Last night he swiped four against the Frederick Keyes to leave him only one away from tying Lenny Dykstra's Carolina League record of 105. According to Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Esix may earn himself a major league promotion as a pinch-runner for the parent Cardinals when the major league rosters expand on Sept. 1.

Reames Called Up: Memphis RHP Britt Reames was promoted to St. Louis on Thursday when Andy Benes went on the DL. The 27-year-old starter has battled back from Tommy John surgery in '97 and posted a 6-2 mark with a sparkling 2.28 ERA with the Redbirds this season. He started in today's game at Busch Stadium against former Card Kent Bottenfield and Philadelphia and gave up four funs on four hits in the 6-0 loss. I was fortunate enough to have talked with Britt last season at Potomac and can honestly say that such a promoton couldn't have happened to a classier individual. Congratulations, Britt!

100 RBI Man: Like teammate Esix Snead, Potomac 1B Troy Farnsworth is also approaching a record. As of Saturday, the 32nd-round '98 draft pick has 102 RBI for tops in the Cardinals organization (Memphis OF Ernie Young is second with 95) and is four RBI away from the Cannons' franchise record of 107 held by former Cards farmhand Nate Dishington.

Stat of the Week: New Jersey OF Chris Morris is batting only .180, but he has taken advantage of every opportunity when he has reached the basepaths. He leads the NJ Cardinals with 37 stolen bases through Saturday and has scored 31 times to lead the club. He has also drive in 15 runs, which is third-best on the team.

Attention: Parents of Cardinals minor leaguers: I am looking for comments of stories from the players' parents and family members on what they think about the work of the various booster clubs in the Cardinals organization. I will be talking about the clubs in my upcoming book and I would like to include some nice stories about how they have helped you or your sons. Please send them to me here. Thanks!

August 18

Bye, Bye 'Birds: The 4:00 EST trading deadline passed yesterday with a total of five Cardinals minor leaguers ending up in different uniforms. PCL Eastern Division leaders Memphis lost OF/1B Chris Richard and RH starter Mark Nussbeck to the Baltimore Orioles for RH reliever Mike Timlin. Arkansas SS Jack Wilson was sent to the Pittsburgh Pirates for LH reliever Jason Christensen and 3B Jose Leon to the Orioles for former San Francisco Giants 1B Will Clark. Perhaps the most surprising loss was Peoria OF Ben Johnson, who with Cardinals RH reliever Heathcliff Slocumb was traded to the San Diego Padres for C Carlos Hernandez and INF/OF Nathan Tebbs, who was at their Triple-A Las Vegas affiliate. Tebbs, 27, was originally drafted by the Boston Red Sox and has played second, third, and in the outfield with Las Vegas and Double-A Mobile this season. For my take on the Cardinals' moves, please see my new column Views from the Cheap Seats.

Apologies: I'm sorry that it's taken me so long to update my column (Yikes! It's been two months!!). Hopefully I can get back on track the remainder of the season and provide Cardinals minor league fans with some weekly updates on what's going on in the system.

To Publish or Not to Publish? A few weeks ago, I let readers of CITB know that I am considering publishing my '99 trek through the Cardinals system in book form. It will contain profiles of many of the organization's propsects, managers, coaches, and general managers to give fans an inside look at the Cardinals organization. This book will be a self-published effort through my small publishing company, Three Star Press, but I need to know who would be interested in such a book. Please e-mail me with your name, e-mail address, and how many you might be interested in purchasing. If I receive a hearty response, I will go forth with it; if I don't, I won't, so
please let me know!

June 14

Number One Pick Signed: The Cardinals have inked Shaun Boyd, their number one pick in the 2000 amateur draft, to a professional contract. The 5'-10", 190-pound outfielder will make his debut with at Johnson City on July 1...St. Louis has also signed fifth-round selection RHP Josh Axelson of Michigan State University, 16th round pick IF Justin Hileman, 22nd round pick William Schmitt, and 40th round pick RHP Nathaniel Meza. Axelson and Meza will be sent to New Jersey and Hileman and Schmitt to Johnson City.

Fernando Vina Deal Completed: The Cardinals completed their end of the trade with the Milwaukee Brewers that brought leadoff hitter Fernando Vina to St. Louis over the winter, sending Peoria catcher Eliezer Alfonzo and reliever Matt Parker to their NL Central rivals. Catcher Gabe Johnson was recalled from extended spring training, where he had batted .250 in 39 games with four home runs and 21 RBI. Alfonzo had a good first-half for the Chiefs that was worthy of All-Star consideration in the Midwest League, hitting .309 with five homers and 21 RBI in 49 games. Parker had allowed only nine runs in 31.1 innings with a 2-2 record and 2.59 ERA. I was surprised to see that Alfonzo was packaged in the deal, what with the organization's lack of catching depth.

Britt Reames Honored: Lefthander Britt Reames was recently honored as the Pacific Coast League's Pitcher of the Week for May 29-June 4 after his callup to Memphis from Arkansas. As you may recall, he is coming off Tommy John surgery. I had the opportunity to talk with Britt at Potomac last season. Despite the hardships he has endured both on and off the field, he has maintained a great attitude and one can't help but pull for him. Congratulations, Britt!

Other Moves: Third baseman Chris Haas, rehabbing from shoulder surgery shortly after spring training, was promoted along with 3B Alex Eckelman and RHP Kevin Crafton to Memphis recently... Memphis acquired SS Pablo Martinez from Atlanta's Triple-A club at Richmond... Potomac righthander Jason Navarro was promoted to Arkansas... The Cardinals signed former Chicago White Sox first-round pick first baseman Eddie Pearson to a minor league deal and assigned him to Arkansas... Anyone notice in Baseball America's minor league transactions that Arkansas batting coach and former Cards farmhand Brian Rupp was signed to play for the Travelers? Recently he had been dispatched to Memphis to fill in for their bullpen catcher... Righthander Tristan Jerue, who had recently been promoted to Arkansas from Potomac, is on the DL with a thumb injury... RHP Jeremy Lambert was also sent up to the Travelers... Shortstop Geraldo Vasquez, who had been sent to Arkansas from the Johnson City roster, was shifted back down to New Jersey's roster.

Ex-Card Update: Righthander Cliff Politte, who was part of the Ricky Botallico trade with Philadelphia, has been called up by the Phillies.

May 31

Major League Moves: After yet another bullpen implosion last week, the Cardinals made shuffled the Memphis roster by sending reliever Jose Rodriguez back down and recalling rehabbing hurlers Matt Morris and Alan Benes and promoting reliever Mike Matthews... Lefthanded starter Britt Reames was promoted to Memphis from Arkansas this past week to start the first game of a doubleheader versus Omaha (Kansas City). Britt did very well in his Triple-A debut, pitching seven innings and striking out the same number; his undoing was an unearned run in the first inning that proved to give Omaha the edge in their 1-0 victory...Arkansas hurler Clint Weibl and hitting coach Brian Rupp was also sent up to Memphis. Rupp, who played for the Redbirds just three seasons ago, is filling in for their bullpen catcher. I have no idea why... : )

Major League Rehab at Peoria: Veteran lefthanded reliever Jesse Orosco, whom Cardinals fans remember as a member of the hated New York Mets during their heated rivalry in the '80s, made a quick one-inning appearance with the Peoria Chiefs Tuesday evening as he rehabs his left elbow before returning to the St. Louis bullpen. Orosco is the first Cardinals player to have a rehabilitation stint at Peoria since Tom Pagnozzi did so three years ago.

Around the Circuit: Arkansas outfielder William Ortega continues to tear up Texas League pitching and is currently touting a 19-game hitting streak to go with his .371 average (2nd in the league), 75 hits (2nd), and 49 RBI (4th). He also shares the league lead of 5 three-baggers with teammates Luis Saturria and Jack Wilson and one other player...First baseman Juan Munoz is batting .343 for 6th-best in the circuit... On the CITB Message Board recently, reader Rich Warrick remarked that the Top 10 prospects list would need to be updated to include Memphis starter Mark Nussbeck, who has really opened eyes with his performance this season. After a lackluster 6-10 record and 8.23 ERA split between the Redbirds starting rotation and bullpen in '99, Mark is tied for the Pacific Coast League lead with his 7-1 record and sports a much-improved 2.35 ERA on the heels of two great pitching performances recently, one of which was almost a perfect game. He is certainly contributing to Memphis' current status as the league's best pitching staff with a 3.94 ERA as of May 30... Redbirds rightfielder Chris Richard now leads the PCL with 52 RBI and is third in the hits department with 52. He belted two home runs and drove in three runs on Tuesday evening in the Redbirds' 3-1 win over Omaha (Kansas City)... Potomac starter Chance Caple fanned seven and boasted six shutout innings in the Cannons' 2-1 victory over Myrtle Beach. Teammate Troy Farnsworth is the Carolina League's leading slugger with 10 homers and 50 RBI... The Cardinals organization looks to have a good crop of young stoppers: Arkansas' Corey Avrard leads the Texas League with 14 saves, Potomac's Jason Marr paces the Carolina League with 15, and Memphis' Gene Stechshulte is tied for the PCL saves lead with 9...Peoria's shaky defense is starting to have its effects on the Chiefs pitching corps, particularly with righthander B.R. Cook. The Cardinals Minor League Player of the Month in April has struggled with a 0-5 record and 8.57 ERA a month later and has 15 unearned runs to his credit... Every team except Peoria has a winning record thus far, with Memphis enjoying a five-game lead in the PCL East Division at 34-19; Arkansas in second place in the Texas League East Division and 4.5 games behind Shreveport (San Francisco) with a 27-25 record; and Potomac only 2.5 games out of first in the Carolina League Northern Division at 26-25. Peoria's struggles continue, however, as they sit in the Midwest League cellar at 18-33, 13 games behind Beloit (Milwaukee).

May 22

Twenty-Three Men Out: Midwest League president George Spelius returned his final verdict this week on the infamous Peoria Chiefs-Lansing Lugnuts brawl that broke out on April 30. There were 23 suspensions handed down and 48 players were fined on both teams, with 10 Peoria players suspended from one to three games and 23 fined a grand total of $1,850. INF Danilo Araujo, C Greg Clark, 1B Chris Duncan, and 2B Gustavo Escobar, who were ejected from the game, each received three-game suspensions and were levied a $150 fine. Six other Chiefs--C Eliezer Alfonzo, 1B-DH Travis Bailey, 1B Albert Pujols, and pitchers B.R. Cook and Cheyenne Janke--were believed by Spelius to be "instigators" in the melee and were given $100 fines and one-game suspensions each (see the May 1 entry below for all the fight details).

Around the Circuit: Rehabbing Memphis righthander Alan Benes was rocked during his start yesterday, giving up 10 runs on 10 hits (including three home runs), striking out three and walking six. He has allowed 20 runs in his last seven starts. Benes was ejected from the game in the fifth inning when he argued with home plate umpire Mike Alvarado after issuing his third straight walk. Redbirds skipper Gaylen Pitts had been tossed earlier for the same reason... It was Russellville, Arkansas Night at Ray Winder Field yesterday and Russellville native and Travelers relief pitcher Lance Franks earned the victory in Arkansas' 9-7 win over the Witchita Wranglers... Arkansas hurler Chad Hutchinson had his second encouraging start in a row Saturday night, earning his first professional complete game and shutout with a 6-0 three-hitter against Witchita... Potomac outfielder and cleanup hitter David Kim abruptly chose to end his professional baseball career after Saturday night's game and return to Seton Hall University and complete his degree... Minor league baseball's top base thief and Cannons leadoff hitter Esix Snead fouled a pitch off his right leg Sunday, limped down the first-base line when he grounded out to second, and had to be helped back to the dugout. He leads the Cardinals organization--and all minor leaguers--with 35 stolen bases in games. He is currently listed as day-to-day... Peoria hurler and the Cardinals' No. 2 pick in the '99 draft Nick Stocks was listed as the losing pitcher in the Chiefs' 2-0 loss to Clinton Saturday evening, though he held the Lumberkings to two hits and only one run in six innings' work. His record is now 2-4.

Former Farmhands: "Super Joe" strikes again! Former Cardinals Player Development Poster Boy Joe McEwing, recently called up to the New York Mets, tagged a home run off Arizona's Randy Johnson yesterday... Righthander Larry Luebbers, now with the Louisville RiverBats (AAA Cincinnati), twirled a seven-inning no-hitter in the first game of a doubleheader last Sunday, May 15. He struck out three and walked five.

May 16

Two-Hit Performance: Memphis righthander Mark Nussbeck tossed a two-hit shutout yesterday at Autozone Park to beat the Colorado Springs Sky Sox 9-0. He had a perfect game through eight but a grounder to first baseman Eduardo Perez went off his glove and into right field for a single to lead off the ninth. His record is now 6-1, which leads the Pacific Coast League... As of Sunday, Memphis pitchers Mike Matthews and Luther Hackman are both tied for the fourth-best ERA's in the PCL (2.57) and Matthews' 42 strikeouts tie him with two others for third-best... Rehabbing Cardinal hurler Matt Morris is now with the Redbirds and pitched four innings last Friday evening, yielding five hits and three runs and fanning two and walking two. He should make three more starts before returning to St. Louis... LHP Bryan Eversgerd went on the DL and catcher Keith McDonald was activated.

Travs Notes: SS Jack Wilson is batting .358 after his early-season call-up and owns a .456 on-base percentage... Former Cuban defector Wlliam Ortega continue to fuel the Arkansas offense with a team-best 11 homers and 38 RBI while hitting .333... First baseman Juan Munoz owns a .351 batting average and .404 OBP... Third baseman Chris Haas, trying to bounce back from shoulder surgery, is struggling at .220 in 41 at-bats... Pitcher Robert "Bud" (No-Hit) Smith's 3.35 ERA and 34 K's are tops among Travs starting pitchers... In two starts at Arkansas, Chad Hutchinson is winless with a 15.50 ERA in 5 innings pitched and the Texas League is working him over with a .444 average... Lefty Britt Reames is also struggling in his first Double-A season and has a 1-3 record... Outfielder Glenn Murray was released.

Cannon Shots: With a pitching staff that includes No. 1 pick Chance Caple and Josh Pearce, Cristobal Correa is the top hurler at 4-1 with a 2.04 ERA in 35 IP and Carolina League batters are hitting only .179 against him... Pearce shut out the Lynchburg Hillcats last Wednesday on two hits to win 2-0... First baseman Troy Farnsworth's 8 home runs and 33 RBI lead the Potomac offense, which is only batting .238 overall.

Chiefs Notes: A decision is expected today by the Midwest League on the big brawl between Peoria and Lansing... Offensively, Eliezer Alfonzo looks like the Cardinals best catching prospect thus far, hitting a club-best .315 while more highly-touted Gabe Johnson is batting .231 in extended spring training... Outfielder Ben Johnson had a big day last Saturday, going 5-for-7 in a doubleheader against the Michigan Battle Cats. The 19-year-old Germantown, TN native, who had been out a week with a sore shoulder, hit two doubles, two homers, and drove in three runs to raise his .219 batting average to .268... Fielding errors have been a problem with the Chiefs thus far and manager Tom Lawless isn't too happy about it. "If you can't catch the ball, you can't play," he told Peoria writer Dave Reynolds. "It's as simple as that. You make your pitcher throw too many pitches when you give the other team four, five, six outs in an inning." Chris Duncan alone has 12 errors at first base... First baseman Albert Pujols went 3-for-4 with two doubles and 3 RBI in Peoria's 4-2 win over Wisconsin Saturday. That gave him 10 extra base hits in his last eight games... Second baseman Danilo Araujo is on the DL retroactive to May 7 with the chicken pox. First baseman Chris Kelly was activated to take his spot, but he quit the team on Saturday and reliever Scotty Layfield, who had been on the DL working on his mechanics, was activated.

Former Farmhands: Third baseman Brent Butler, who was traded to Colorado in the Darryl Kile deal, is tied for the PCL hits lead with 49 with Colorado Springs and is fourth with a .371 average...Outfielder Scarbrough Green was promoted to the Texas Rangers..."Super Joe" McEwing, who was a big fan favorite last season in St. Louis and was traded to the New York Mets in spring training, was also promoted to the majors from Triple-A Norfolk.

May 7

Stingy Bud: Arkansas righthander Robert "Bud" Smith pitched a complete-game no-hitter against the Midland Rockhounds yesterday in the second game of a doubleheader at Ray Winder Field. The 20-year-old hurler struck out five batters in seven innings; he had a perfect game in the works through five until he yielded a leadoff walk in the sixth.

Trophy Collector: RHP B.R. Cook was named the St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April as well as the Midwest League Pitcher of the Week. Through last month, he went 1-0 with a microscopic 0.38 ERA in 24 innings and gave up only nine hits. Last week he allowed only three hits and an unearned run in 12 innings pitched.

Rehab Updates: RHP Alan Benes was rocked last Friday night with Memphis, allowing eight runs on six hits in two-and-a-third innings... RHP Matt Morris will be making his second start for Arkansas this afternoon in his comeback bid from Tommy John surgery. He did well in his initial appearance, giving up only two hits and two runs while striking out four and walking two...'99 Cardinals No. 1 pick Chance Caple will make his first appearance this season with Potomac this afternoon at Wilmington, DE. He has been sidelined since the end of spring training with a rib cage injury and should be held to 75 pitches.

Hutchinson Back with Travs: Highly-touted RHP Chad Hutchinson continues to struggle with his control this season and after a horrendous 27 walks in only 8-and-one-third innings (and an astronomical 25.92 ERA) at Triple-A, he was sent back down to Arkansas on Monday to try and straighten himself out. His first start back didn't seem very encouraging; on Friday night, he walked five, struck out four, and gave up six hits against Midland in three-and-two-thirds innings.

Rockin' Redbirds: Memphis OF Chris Richard had a big night at the plate in the Redbirds' 19-9 romp over the Calgary Cannons. The San Diego native had two doubles and a two-run single to net 5 RBI... Teammates OF Ernie Young and 3B Eduardo Perez continue to provide the punch in the Redbirds lineup, one that led all minor league baseball in home runs during the first month of the season with 34. Young, who has major league experience with the Oakland Athletics, leads the Pacific Coast League in homers (11), is tied with Perez with 28 RBI, and is tied for the ninth-best batting average in the league at .351. Perez is tied with two others for third on the home run list with 8. So why wasn't one of them promoted to St. Louis when 3B Fernando Tatis went on the DL instead of 1B Larry Sutton? Manager Tony LaRussa explained that Sutton was already on the 40-man roster, which makes it easier for the Cardinals to send him back down if necessary... As a team, Memphis is batting .291 (fifth in the PCL) and its pitching staff has a 4.20 ERA, also fifth-best. RHP Mike Matthews is third in the league with 38 strikeouts.

Around the Circuit: RHP Nick Stocks, the Cards' second pick (36th overall) in last year's draft, was placed on the Peoria DL as well as C Shawn Schumacher, who broke his leg during a collision at home plate. Pitchers Brandon Peck and Paul Fahs were brought up from extended spring training to take their place... RHP Marino Sanchez and OF Luis Joseph were released from the Johnson City roster... RHPs Pedro Mateo and Roberto Volquez and OF Francisco Pineda were released from the Cards' Dominican Summer League roster... Former Cards minor leaguer RHP Clint Davis was promoted by the Arizona D'Backs to their Triple-A Tuscon club... Another ex-Card, SS Tripp Cromer, was taken off the suspended list by Houston and assigned to their Triple-A New Orleans club.

April Web Poll Results: 42 readers participated in the April Web Poll which asked the question: "How would you rate player development in the Cardinals system?" The votes initially were not very favorable toward the Cards, but other readers rallied to give the system a "decent" rating (38%) in the end. The votes were as follows: 38% decent; 26% great; 19% poor; 14% average; and 2% excellent. May's poll has already been posted, so please vote. Thanks to everyone who took the time to participate!

Shameless Self-Promotion : )Yesterday afternoon, I was honored to be a guest on the "Saturday Sports Review" on WDBX FM in Cardondale, IL hosted by Mark Bausch, who is also the editor of St. Louis Sports Online. I would definitely recommend this site to any Cardinals, Rams, or Blues fan for its great articles and interviews. We talked about this site as well as my work-in-progress book on the Cardinals organization; to hear the interview, please click here.

May 1

Chiefs on the Warpath: There was a brawl-to-end-all-brawls during the Peoria Chiefs-Lansing Lugnuts contest yesterday, one that Peoria Journal-Star writer Dave Reynolds described as "probably the ugliest, most violent bench-clearing brawls in Vonachen Stadium history." Oh, did I mention that Lansing is an affiliate of the Chicago Cubs?

Anyway, here's the blow-by-blow details: The tension started in the 7th inning when Shawn Schumacher tried to score from third on a ground ball but was called out in a collision at the plate that left the Peoria DH with a broken left tibia and on his way to the hospital in an ambulance. Apparently Lansing catcher Casey Kopitzke made light of the injury and "laughed" at Schumacher, which naturally didn't set well with his teammates. As fate always has it, the perpetrator came to bat in the following inning and he was hit by a Trevor Sansom pitch, though Sansom claimed it had simply gotten away from him. That's one batter hit; the next Lugnuts batter swung and missed but was hit by the pitch anyway. Now to the Chiefs half of the round--er, inning: the first Peoria batter, Danilo Araujo, dropped to the ground after a pitch by Lansing's Matt Bruback (or was that Brushback? Sorry, couldn't help it! : )) and Chiefs skipper Tom Lawless argued that Bruback should've been automatically ejected. But he was only issued a warning by the home plate umpire.

Well, the next pitch found its target, hit Araujo in the back, and the fight was on: Araujo tore into catcher Kopitzke as the benches were quickly vacated. The Lansing catcher was a pretty popular target as a few Peoria players specifically sought him out. Cardinals minor league field coordinator Joe Petini was among those trying to restore order; so was Chiefs hitting coach Todd Steverson, who was blindsided from behind during the melee. Araujo, Chris Duncan, Greg Clark, and Gustavo Escobar were the four Peoria players ejected while five were tossed for Lansing, including their manager. There is an automatic $150 fine and three-day suspension by the Midwest League for the ejected players and more fines/suspensions might follow. Pitcher Trevor Sansom remarked to writ Dave Reynolds: "This was my first brawl. I just ran out there to see what I could do. It was fun, but it wasn't fun, you know what I mean?"

Catcher Shawn Schumacher will be out indefinitely.

Oh, by the way, the Chiefs won, 2-1.

Around the Circuit: Righthander Alan Benes continues his comeback at Memphis, pitching seven good innings yesterday (his longest stint so far) and allowing only three hits, walking none, and fanning eight... Ernie Young hit his ninth home run of the young season yesterday for the Redbirds and leads the PCL...Chris Haas has come off the DL after shoulder surgery near the start of spring training and is with Arkansas. He played first and third base in his first game back on Sunday and hit a home run... Left-handed reliever Jose Rodriguez was bumped up from the Travs to the Redbirds this weekend and LHP Britt Reames came off the Arkansas DL.

From the Mailbag: There have been a few readers who've sent me e-mails in the last couple of weeks that I neglected to answer promptly and thus "lost" the addresses. I'm usually very good about answering reader questions and will do so again, but here are the answers to a few of the "lost" ones: A few readers have asked about the status of '99 first-rounder Chance Caple. He suffered a rib cage injury during spring training and the last I heard, he was supposed to make his first start for Potomac in early May. I'll have to check on that again, but a good source for any Cannons news and game results is the Cannons Booster Club site, which is maintained by its president, Lamar Boone. He updates it most every morning and through the Booster Club sometimes know some good "inside" information, especially player promotions and demotions. Another question concerned Peoria pitcher B.R. Cook, who has had a good start in his first season at full-season Class A. I did not see him pitch during my trip to New Jersey last summer but hope to see him when I make it to Peoria in June. If I do, I will be sure to post my observations.

If you have a question about a specific player or players or any other Cardinals minor league-related questions, I would be happy to try and answer. Just send them to me at: cardsinthebushes@aol.com

April 18

Around the Circuit: Almost two weeks into the new season, Memphis is sitting atop the PCL Eastern Division with a 10-2 record, two games ahead of Oklahoma (Rangers). The team's offense is second in the league with a .308 BA and leads with 20 round-trippers. Stubby Clapp's .405 BA paces the Redbirds and is second overall in the PCL and Chris Richard is sixth at .357. It's gotta be the new stadium! ... William Ortega has taken up where he left off after his Double-A promotion to Arkansas late last season and is batting .327 for second-best on the Travelers with club highs in HR (4) and RBI (17). First baseman Juan Munoz is ninth in the Texas League with his .375 BA and reliever Corey Avrard is tied for the saves lead with 3. Arkansas is currently tied for second place with Witchita (Royals) in the East Division at 5-5, just two games behind first-place Shreveport (Giants) ... The Potomac Cannons offense has been anemic thus far and is last in the Carolina League with a .201 team BA--ouch! Their pitching overall hasn't been much better with a 5.01 ERA, although Ryan Christiansen is tied with four other hurlers for the wins lead at 2 and Jason Marr has 3 saves, tied for second-best in the league. The Cannons rest in last place in the Northern Division at 4-7, two games behind Frederick (Orioles) ... But things could be much worse for Potomac; just ask Peoria! The Chiefs are languishing in a nine-game losing skid and their 1-9 start is the worst in team history. The team record for consecutive losses is 13 (which was set last year) and the Midwest League record is 15. Their poor performance so far can be attributed to poor defense with a league-high 20 errors! Righthander B.R. Cook is third in the league with a 0.77 ERA and has 13 strikeouts in 12 IP. Needless to say, the Chiefs are in the Western Division cellar and 5 games behind first-place Clinton (Reds) and Beloit (Brewers). They will start a four-game series this evening against South Bend (Diamondbacks), a team that is also struggling. Hopefully the Chiefs can halt the losing streak.