MVN - Most Valuable Network

Don’t Worry About Colby

Colby Rasmus has a reputation for starting slow at times.  And that seems to be the only shortcoming in his game.  He is a five-tool player and the Cardinals top prospect.  The Cardinals were so confident in his abilities, that they let Jim Edmonds go to San Diego, knowing that they were in good hands.  Rick Ankiel is keeping the spot warm in St. Louis right now, with Colby starting the year here in the Bluff City.  His only job?  To get at bats.  He needs to get quality at bats at the AAA level.

Through the Memphis Redbirds’ first 19 games, Rasmus is hitting .221 with only 2 home runs and 7 RBI’s.  But don’t worry Cardinal Nation, this guy is the real deal.  He is mature beyond his 21 years.  He plays focused and when he gets in a groove, watch out Memphis.  He is taking good at bats for the most part.  I have seen him have a few strikeouts where he shouldn’t have gone after pitches out of the zone, but more times than not, he is hitting the ball solid, he just isn’t finding the holes.  He defense has been solid and he has got a heck of an arm.  And you have to remember, this is his first month to play above AA ball, so there is a learning curve after all.

The concern with Rasmus, in my opinion, isn’t whether or not he will start hitting.  But rather, who spot does he take when he does make it to St. Louis.  The “Fab Five” as I call them are Skip Schumaker, Rick Ankiel, Ryan Ludwick, Chris Duncan, and Brian Barton.  Schumaker is hitting .324 and doing an excellent job as the lead-off hitter for St. Louis.  Rasmus is batting lead-off for Memphis, just like he did for Team USA last fall.  But in my opinion, he has too much power to be in the number one slot.  Besides, how do you tell a guy like Schumaker that .324 isn’t good enough.  I see Rasmus as more of a number 2 hitter.

In addition to Schumaker’s success, Rick Ankiel, Ryan Ludwick, and Chris Duncan have all been spectacular as well.  Tony La Russa already has his hands full trying to decide who starts each night.  Everyone keeps making it very hard for Tony to keep them out of the lineup.  Then you have Brian Barton, a rule 5 pickup that provides the team with MUCH needed speed and a good bat off the bench.  His arm is weak and his defense is average.  But he is the speedster that we clearly lack.  But as a rule 5, he must stay on the major league roster, or be offered back to Cleveland for $50,000.

So what does all that have to do with Rasmus?  Well, what it means is that Rasmus will more than likely be called up at some point this season and that Tony La Russa will have some major decisions to make.  If it were up to me, I would put Schumaker in left, Rasmus in center, and Ankiel in right.  And Ludwick would be my fourth guy.  Duncan, while he is doing well, would be possible trade bait.  He would be attractive to an American League team especially, as a possible DH.  And Barton, well, time will tell if he has what it takes to make it as a big leage hitter.  His speed definitely makes him worth keeping around to see.

But for now, Colby will continue to collect at bats here in Memphis.  And I will continue to track his progress, as we watch perhaps the best minor league prospect to ever come up through the Cardinals system since Albert Pujols.

Colby Rasmus Is Headed To Memphis

Colby Rasmus is the most highly touted prospect to come through the Cardinals system in a long time, and perhaps, ever. Even Albert Pujols wasn’t this highly anticipated before making it to the majors. Rasmus hasn’t even swung a bat yet at the major league level, but the Cardinals are completely confident that he will be roaming center field in St. Louis for years to come. As a matter of fact, they were so confident, that they traded away Jim Edmonds to San Diego. Yes, the Jim Edmonds that was my favorite player to ever put on a Cardinals uniform. The Jim Edmonds that made spectacular catches into an art form. The Jim Edmonds that palyed over 1000 games as the Cardinals’ center fielder. The Jim Edmonds that single handedly saved the season for the Cardinals in 2004 by hitting a walk-off home run in game 6 and a game saving catch in game 7 of the NLCS that sent the Cardinals to the World Series. And yes, the Jim Edmonds that was supposed to hand the torch over to Colby Rasmus. So yes, Rasmus is THAT good of a prospect that the Cardinals sent Jimmy to San Diego in preparation for Rasmus.

But there is no rush to bring Colby Rasmus into the mix in St. Louis just yet. Coming off a very successful season at AA Springfield, another successful stint as the leader of Team USA, and then a very productive spring training with the Cardinals this month in Jupiter, he still needs some seasoning. Think of him as being in a similar position as Rick Ankiel was in last year, when he headed to Memphis. Everyone knew he had the talent, he just needed at bats. And these two have more in common than you might think. Just like Rick, who was a pitcher until he retired from the mound and redefined himself as a power hitting outfielder, Colby was also a pitching phenom for his high school in Northern Alabama. He was a dominating lefty, whose favorite Major Leaguer was Randy Johnson. These days though, Colby is being called the next “Chipper Jones,” a comparison that I don’t mind at all.

He is VERY solid defensively, has a great range and a strong arm. At the dish, he has a good eye, his for a decent average, and has incredible power potential. I could see him hitting lead-off, second, third, or even cleanup at the big league level one day. He is definitely the type of prospect that you don’t come across everyday. Most guys “develop” in the minors. Very rarely do you see the level of talent and potential that Rasmus brings to a club.

And as a native Memphian, I couldn’t be happier about his coming to the Memphis Redbirds. I agree with the Cardinals’ management that he isn’t quite ready for the majors and that there is definitely no need to rush his development. And the fact that he could be the best talent to don a Memphis Redbirds uniform in quite some time is exciting as well. He will be good for Memphis, no matter how brief his stint in the bluff city. I fully expect him to bolster attendance and inject some excitement into a team that should be much improved from last year. So listen to me when I tell you, get down to Autozone Park and check out Colby Rasmus. And remember his name.

A Much Improved Memphis Redbirds Team

Who are the 2008 Memphis Redbirds?  Well, before we get going, let me assure you that they will be much different than the 2007 team that endured the most losses for a Memphis Professional baseball team since the 1949 Memphis Chickasaws.  And at 65-88, even the Chickasaws had a better record than the 56-88 produced by last year’s Memphis Redbirds.

But how do you measure success for a minor league team.  I mean afterall, the 2006 Memphis Redbirds were terrible too.  They had a record of 58-86.  Yet their parent club, our beloved St. Louis Cardinals went on to win their 10th World Championship.  So would you consider that a success, that they kept the major league team filled with talent.

To a certain extent I would say yes.  But the Cardinals have also recognized that they have neglected their farm system by depleting it over the past several years.  With the departure of Walt Jocketty as Cardinals GM came the new regime led by John Mozeliak, and a focus on growing talent from within.  The franchise has taken great steps to producing more home grown talent in the future.  And you can already  see some of the progress with the emergence of such players as Colby Rasmus, P.J. Walters, Mitchell Boggs, and Byran Anderson just to name a few.

It is hard to say who will be on the Memphis Redbirds’ roster this upcoming season, due in large part to the decisions that the St. Louis Cardinals have to make this spring.  With around 69 players reporting to camp this spring, and only 25 on the Cardinals’ opening day roster, it is near impossible to gauge who will comprise the 2008 Redbirds’ roster.

I would guess that Colby Rasmus will begin the year here in Memphis.  And trust me when I tell you that he is something special.  He is, in my opinion, the best player to come through the Cardinals’ system since Albert Pujols.  And you should see a much improved pitching staff as well.  Out is Memphis’ career saves leader Brian Falkenborg.  In is Phenom Chris Perez, the heir apparent to Jason Isringhausen.  And the rotation could inclued such names as P.J. Walters, Clayton Mortensen, and Mitchell Boggs among others.

In the coming weeks, as the St. Louis Cardinals make some decisions, we will get a better idea of who will be on Memphis’ team.  So stay tuned, it is going to be an exciting year for baseball in the Bluff City.

Is Rasmus Ready?

With the departure of Jim Edmonds to San Diego, the St. Louis Cardinals have made it no secret that his intended successor is Colby Rasmus.  But having never played a single day at AAA, is he ready?  It was all but a sure thing that he was Memphis bound next year, but Jimmy’s departure will likely hasten his arrival in St. Louis.

Rasmus hit more home runs last season (29) than any player at the AA level.   And he played a major role in Team USA’s success this fall in a pre-Olympic tournament, hitting .382 and leading Team USA with seven extra base hits.

In my opinion, there is still no need to rush the Phoenix City, Alabama native.  He will only be 21 years old next spring training.  He will get plenty of opportunity this coming spring, but I think he would benefit greatly from coming here to Memphis for a while.  It is similar to the position that Rick Ankiel was in this time last season, in that he had incredible potential but needed at bats at AAA.

The Cardinals will likely put Ankiel in center field this season.  But if Rasmus is as good as he has shown, Rick shouldn’t get too comfortable.  Rasmus’ defense has been compared to Jimmy’s.  That is very reassuring considering that St. Louis’ elder statesman in the outfield is Chris Duncan in terms of games played.  And Duncan, while much improved, is no Jim Edmonds.

Skip Schumaker and Ryan Ludwick can also play center till Rasmus’ day comes.  So what I am saying is that while Rasmus may be great, there is no need to rush and put him on our 2008 opening day roster.

What a great problem to have, right?