1. Jeff Weaver pitching a AAA game in Memphis - Just watching Jeff Weaver on the hill brings back memories of Game 5 of the 2006 World Series. Jeff Weaver resurrected his defunct pitching career when Dave Duncan made him one of his now famous reclamation projects. After dropping Sidney Ponson, the Cardinals needed an arm. Enter Jeff Weaver. A Jeff Weaver that was released from the Angels to make room on their roster for his little brother Jared. But Dave Duncan took Weaver under his arm and Weaver in return became a valuable member of the rotation, helping them in winning their 10th World Series title (well 11th in my opinion, but we won’t talk about 1985). Weaver left St. Louis after that year, signing for more money with Seattle. And he returned to his “funk”. He is now with the Brewers organization, trying to pitch his way back to the majors. So here he is, pitching in Memphis today for the Nashville Sounds, the Brewers’ AAA affiliate. And he doesn’t even look like the old Jeff Weaver. Hs long hair isn’t the only thing missing. His speed is down about 4-5 mph on his fastball, and his movement is mediocre at best.

2. Colby Rasmus hitting .186 - If you had told me that Colby Rasmus would be hitting .186 coming into today’s game in Spring Training, I would have asked you where you buy your crack. If ever there was a blue chip prospect, it is Colby. He has all the tools, and had an excellent season last year, an excellent stint with Team USA, and an excellent spring with the Cardinals. But Colby is known for slow starts. But this slump is beyond a slow start. For the first time in his life, Colby has hit a wall. He will be fine in my opinion, but he needs plenty of time here at the AAA level. In my opinion, the Cardinals should be thinking about Rasmus coming up in 2010, not 2009. Besides, I think the Cardinals have more than enough outfield talent this season. Colby has the luxery of taking his time to develop. Colby has lost his lead-off spot on the Memphis Redbirds and is hitting farther down in the order until he regains his stroke.

3.  The Future of the Redbirds up in the air - I also didn’t think I would see the future of the Memphis Redbirds’ affiliation with the St. Louis Cardinals up in the air at this point.  I mean, Memphis as the AAA team for St. Louis makes perfect sense, but the Redbirds only have an agreement with the Cardinals through this season.  The Memphis Redbirds have had some financial struggles the past few seasons and are the only not for profit team in all of minor league baseball.  Those two things make them less appealing in my opinion to potential buyers.  And that was my hope, that the Cardinals would just buy the Memphis Redbirds.  Friday, Bill DeWitt and John Mozeliak were in Memphis to meet with the Redbirds about the future of their relationship.  All indications are that they will hammer out a new agreement.  But I have to say, I didn’t think I would see this if you had told me a year ago.  Attendence is down, but with the Redbirds in first place in the PCL North, maybe that will bring more fans out to the ballpark.  It is still the nicest minor league park in all of baseall in my opinion.  And the 2008 version of the Redbirds is  much better than last year’s.

4.  The Redbirds in First Place - While I am happy to see the turnaround the past few weeks by the Memphis Redbirds, I have to confess that I didn’t think the Memphis Redbirds would be atop the PCL North.  But they are.  And they have more prospects than they have had in a long time.  Joe Mather, Coby Rasmus, and Nick Stavinoha make up the outfield and all have incredible potential.  David Freese has been a pleasant surprise for the Redbirds, even though every time I look at him, I just think of Jim Edmonds being traded away.  And now worse than being away from St. Louis, Jim Edmonds is now a Chicago Cub.  Oh I hate to even say that.

5.  Actually this last one I should have seeing coming.  Anthony Reyes posting a 2.04 ERA as a member of the Memphis Redbirds rotation.  Never before have a I seen a player that is so good at the AAA level, yet struggles at the major league level to even keep a job.  A move from the Cardinals rotation to their bullpen briefly benefited him, but then the Anthony of old reared his ugly head again.  He quickly earned a demotion to Memphis.  And wouldn’t you know it?  He is pitching well again.  He has allowed just 4 runs in 17 2/3 innings of work as a member of the Memphis rotation.  But I say, let him pitch here all season.  We don’t need him in St. Louis and he could benefit from time at AAA.

So there you have it folks, the five things I didn’t think I would see on this Memorial Day 2008.  And as of the writing of this article, the Memphis Redbirds are leading Jeff Weaver and the Nashville Sounds 5-3.

Joe Mather had a great spring training with the Cardinals and is having a great season at AAA Memphis.  He is hitting .316 with 8 home runs in 27 games and the Cardinals have said that IF they put Ankiel on the DL, then Mather should expect a call-up.  I would LOVE to see Mather join the Cards.  He has incredible potential.  He, in essence, totally replaces Chris Duncan.  He has just as much power (more these days), plays better defense, and can play first base too, just like Duncan.  So he could back up Albert if needed.  Dunc just isn’t the same since his hernia surgery.

So while Memphis needs Joe Mather, St. Louis may soon come calling.  But not to worry, I think Nick Stavinoha (.375) can lead this Redbirds offense. One thing is for sure, Colby Rasmus sure isn’t.  He is hitting .182 and has been taken out of the lead-off spot some too.  I think Colby will be okay, he is known for slow starts.  But you have to hit better than .182.

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.

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.

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.

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?

In 2007 alone, Ryan Ludwick went from injury prone journeyman and outfielder for the AAA Memphis Redbirds, to a valuable member of the St. Louis Cardinals. He was third on the Cardinals in home runs with 14, and that was not even playing a full year and starting. He had 14 home runs in 303 at bats. If Ryan had had the same amount of at bats as Albert Pujols’ 565 at bats, he would have been on pace to smack 26 home runs, which would have put him at second. Ryan was very much needed last year, especially when Duncan went into his nosedive of a slump and eventually landing on the disabled list with a sports hernia.

As a matter of fact, Ryan Ludwick was SO good, that I think he has a good chance of starting next year. At the time of his call up from AAA Memphis, Ryan was hitting .340 with 8 home runs and 36 RBI’s in just 29 games. He was either at or near the top of each of those stats for the Pacific Coast League. He came to the Cardinals organization with some major league experience, having spent time with the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers. But a knee injury set him back and he had fallen from prospect and up and coming player to question mark. Well, Walt Jocketty saw the diamond in the rough, and we are a MUCH better team in St. Louis because of Ryan Ludwick. I like his hard nosed approach, I like his toughness, and I REALLY love his power. He hit one shot this year that had to be the farthest home run hit by any Redbird in 2007.

I think Ryan has seen his last of the minors. I look for him to be a very valuable member of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2008, and I for one, couldn’t be happier about that.

Dewon Brazelton - He was a first round (3rd overall) draft choice in 2001 by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He has a career Major League record of 8 Wins 23 Losses and an ERA of 5.98. He was a member of the Devil Rays’ rotation until he struggled to a 1-8 record to start the 2005 campaign. He went to camp with the Royals last season, but was optioned to AAA Omaha. He was released and was picked up by the Pirates, where has been at AA. It would seem as if he is in the right place with Dyar Miller and Dave Duncan if he is going to find his groove. Both have reputations for getting the most out of guys who have struggled elsewhere. And after all, Brazelton was a first round draft choice.

John Wasdin - I don’t understand this signing AT ALL. He is 35 years old. We don’t need that at AAA Memphis, we have too many good young arms that need to move through the system to clog up the pipeline with over-aged minor league free agents age 35. Nothing personal, but a guy that has bounced around 12 years in the Majors with 7 different teams and a career record of 39-39 (5.28 ERA) doesn’t impress me much. But just like Brazelton, there is little risk. So you never know.

Colby Rasmus is the heir apparent to Jim Edmonds in center field.  He has been starting in center for Team USA, as well as being a very productive lead-off hitter.  The Alabama native hit .275 with 29 home runs for AA Springfield in 2007, and I fully expect him to be the starting center fielder for the AAA Memphis Redbirds next season, replacing Rick Ankiel (who will be in St. Louis, most likely in right field).  Colby is hitting .357 for Team USA during the World Cup.

Brian Anderson hasn’t started every game, but when he has played, he has been a major contributor as well.  He is hitting .417 as a part time player and has been great behind the plate.  He is so good, that he may one day give Yadier Molina a run for his money, and that is a serious compliment.  Hmm, maybe Anderson should try to learn to play third base.

And finally, Chris Perez has been solid out of the bullpen for Team USA.  He has only made it into three games and has not factored in a decision.  I have heard that he has had slight control problems at times, but there is so much talent there, that I still expect big things from him.  He is almost certainly going to be the closer in AAA Memphis next year, taking the job away from our all time saves leader here in Memphis, Brian Falkenborg.

Randy Keisler is a lefty who spent most of the season here in Memphis, but was called up a couple of times for spot starts with the Cardinals. He pitched in 4 games for St. Louis, 3 of them starts. He had a record of 0-0 and an ERA of 5.19. The only reason he was called up was that it was his turn in the Memphis rotation when the St. Louis Cardinals came calling. He did decent enough, but was very inconsistent after returning to Memphis.

The LSU alumni started 24 games for Memphis, going 8-11 with a 4.79 ERA. I saw him pitch a lot and while he had good stuff, he never had the “wow factor” in my opinion. He could use a little more movement on his fastball, and has no doubt worked with Dyar Miller and Dave Duncan on improving his pitches.

But as far as where he fits into the Cardinals’ future? Probably not at all.  He is a minor league free agent, and in my opinion it is unlikely that he will be re-signed. We have too much talent that is going to make the jump from AA to AAA next year, so he could find himself the odd man out.

Say what you will about Randy, but one thing is for certain. He was there when we needed him in St. Louis and he didn’t lose. He may have had a higher than desired ERA and some no decisions, but he still did a better job than Kip Wells and Anthony Reyes. I liked Randy, but just don’t think he fits into our plans for next year.