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The Buck Stops Here
Dan Ceasar of the St. Louis Post Dispatch writes:
For the first time since 1960, there won’t be a Buck in a Cardinals broadcast booth this year.
Joe Buck, who had been doing the play-by-play for a few Redbirds games on FSN Midwest in recent seasons, has decided not to return in order to enjoy himself at the ballpark in a nonworking capacity.
His departure ends a lengthy run of Bucks in the booth. His dad joined the club’s radio broadcast team in 1954 and was there every year except 1960 until falling ill after the 2001 season and dying the following year.
Read the entire story here.
While Joe is a great broadcaster in his own right, the news got me thinking of Joe’s father, the legendary Jack Buck, and all that his voice meant to me, listening to the games as a kid with my grandfather. I dug up this old song about Jack. Enjoy!
That’s a winner!
Here’s a montage of all of Jack’s greatest calls, and here’s a link to his 9-11 poem. We miss you Jack.
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Notes From Camp
The Cards were on the road today, playing the Nationals at Space Coast Stadium in Viera, Florida. Braden Looper pitched well in his first start of the spring, but the Redbirds lost 3-2. Check out the box score from today’s game here.
Many players stayed back in Jupiter today, and as usual, Derrick Goold has all the info, along with some amusing anecdotes, including a few Cardinals shooting a series of commercials for the team’s new slogan: Play Like A Cardinal. Read all about it over at Bird Land.
According to beat writer Matthew Leach, the Cards are still waiting for Tyler Johnson’s MRI results. Tony La Russa acknowledges the importance of a healthy Johnson (Tyler).
“We’re not real deep there,” La Russa said of left-handed relievers, ”so what Tyler does is important, and if we don’t have him, it’s a setback.”
The Cardinals have another road game tomorrow. They’ll head to Ft. Lauderdale to face the Baltimore Orioles. Anthony Reyes will get the start. He pitched well last Thursday, throwing three scoreless innings against the Mets. Now that the Cards have lost three in a row, I’d say they’re due for a win tomorrow.
Finally, the long anticipated release of MLB 08 The Show, for PS3, is this week. I liked last year’s game a lot, and will probably end up getting this one too. Check out one of the trailers for the game here, and some gameplay with the Cardinals and Cubs, here. Some of the Cardinal players and coaches recently had their heads digitally mapped for the new games. Check out the video.
Cards Lose, Johnson Shelved
March 1, 2008, 6:12 pm
Filed under: Ankiel, Flores, Freese, Herron, Izturis, Johnson, McClellan, Ottavino, Pineiro, Ryan, Thompson, Villone, Wellemeyer
Filed under: Ankiel, Flores, Freese, Herron, Izturis, Johnson, McClellan, Ottavino, Pineiro, Ryan, Thompson, Villone, Wellemeyer
The Cardinals hoped to extend their winning streak today in a game against the Florida Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium. Although the pitching was good, the Redbirds lost 3-2. I was at work all day, and didn’t get to see or hear the game, but I did follow along with the box score.
Todd Wellemeyer started the game, and was followed by Brad Thompson, Adam Ottavino, and Tyler Herron. The Marlins only picked up three hits. All three runs were unearned as Cesar Izturis and David Freese combined for three errors. Rick Ankiel and Brendan Ryan each had a pair of hits, while leadoff hitter Colby Rasmus went 0 for 3 with a walk.
The biggest news of the day came from the bullpen, when lefty Tyler Johnson was shut down after feeling tightness in his shoulder while warming up. He was evaluated by the team’s medical staff, and never entered the game. Johnson is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday.
“Any time you stop a guy from throwing, it’s a concern,” said head trainer Barry Weinberg. ”Now we just want to make sure that there’s no significant issue.”
Matthew Leach has more on the story.
If Johnson has to miss considerable time, it would seem to open the door for one of the other left-handed relievers in camp, possible Randy’s brother Ron Flores or new Cardinal Ron Villone.
Tomorrow is the second “Fins and Feathers” game of the spring. This time the Cardinals will be the home team. Youngster Kyle McClellan will get the start in place of Joel Pineiro.
Cards Win First Grapefruit Game
February 28, 2008, 8:04 pm
Filed under: Ankiel, Castellanos, Glaus, Gonzalez, La Russa, Larue, Molina, Rasmus, Reyes, Rolen, Schumaker, Wainwright
Filed under: Ankiel, Castellanos, Glaus, Gonzalez, La Russa, Larue, Molina, Rasmus, Reyes, Rolen, Schumaker, Wainwright
The Cardinals opened their Grapefruit League play with a win over the New York Mets today by the score of 7-0. After yesterday’s beating of St. Louis University, the Cards are now 2-0 in the early going.
I was at the opener for the second straight year. It’s a fun time to be a Cardinal fan. A fresh season brings new hope. Although the Redbirds aren’t predicted to contend for the division title, I can never discard a team in the spring, especially one managed by Tony La Russa.
It was cold in Jupiter today. With the temperature only getting into the mid sixties, I had a hard time holding onto my beer. I got to watch the end of the Cards’ batting practice and all of the Mets’. Anthony Reyes took the mound for the first pitch at 1:05. Knowing how much is riding on a productive Reyes, I was anxious to see how he’d do today. He did great. Reyes went 3 innings, allowing two hits, and striking out one. He escaped trouble in the first when Mets’ third baseman David Wright drilled a ball to deep center, but was robbed of extra bases by Rick Ankiel’s acrobatic catch at the track. Reyes walks away from today’s game with something good to build on. He needs to continue to boost his confidence throughout the spring, and today was certainly a step in the right direction.
The defense to start the game for La Russa could closely resemble the one we’ll see on opening day. Yadier Molina was the only regular who didn’t start. Backup catcher Jason Larue took his place, hitting ninth. Old timer Juan Gonzalez was penciled in as the DH, and went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored.
The most exciting part of the day was when Colby Rasmus came into the game. Rasmus reached base in all four of his plate appearances in yesterday’s game. He entered today’s game as a pinch runner for Albert Pujols in the fifth. He doubled in his first at-bat, and walked the next time up. Rasmus has now reached base in all six of his appearances. He’ll be with the big club sometime in ‘08, but if this keeps up you’d have to think he’ll be heading for St. Louis when the team breaks camp at the end of March.
A few other notes from today’s game:
- Troy Glaus had a nice barehanded play but the throw wasn’t in time - three people around me simultaneously said, “Rolen would have made that play.”
- Skip Schumaker was 3 for 4 with a stolen base.
- Hugo Castellanos pitched well but I wouldn’t mind seeing the radar gun on him - looks very slow.
- Girls that drink beer are more attractive than ones that don’t.
- Mets fans were pleasant.
Aside from the cold, it was a great day at the ballpark. Feel free to check out some of my pictures. For all the stats from today’s game, check out the box score. Tomorrow the Cardinals will head to Port St. Lucie to play the Mets again. The starting pitchers will be Adam Wainwright and Johan Santana. Go Cards!
Spiezio Released
Shortly after the Cardinals learned of a warrant being issued for the arrest of utility man Scott Spiezio, the team officially released him. Sources say that Spiezio is wanted in Orange County, California on six different charges, including driving under the influence and assault, all stemming from an incident in late December.
Spiezio missed over a month of the 2007 season while receiving treatment for substance abuse. It was thought that he had gotten past those problems and was ready to take back his role with the ‘08 squad.
“I was out of control for a while,” Spiezio said late last season. ”I learned a lot and I’m ready to start contributing in a good way now.”
I wish Scott the best and hope he can get the treatment he needs to get his life in order. I also think this was a smart move for the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. There were too many non-baseball stories accompanying last year’s team, and more off the field trouble is the last thing La Russa and the Redbirds need.
With Spiezio now out of the picture, an opportunity presents itself for one of the other infielders to make the club out of camp. It would seem that no one has quite the flexibility of a Scott Spiezio, but there are some candidates that can play multiple positions, including Brendan Ryan and D’Angelo Jimenez. We’ll soon have a better idea of what the opening day roster will look like. The Post Dispatch has more on the Spiezio story here.
Cards Pass on Bonds
There were confirmed reports from Cardinals camp today that manager Tony La Russa was quietly lobbying for Barry Bonds. Spring Training games start this week and the home run king still remains a free agent. There has been little interest in the 43 year old slugger, as an investigation continues with possible perjury charges hanging overhead.
La Russa discussed the notion with his coaching staff, where he received a mixed response, then took the idea to general manager John Mozeliak.
“When you look at somebody dangerous to hit behind Albert, Barry was the guy I thought of,” said La Russa. “For whatever reason, at the general manager or ownership level, they didn’t agree.”
Barry Bonds doesn’t fit into the plans of Cardinal team trying to get younger. Certainly he would be asking for more than the club would be willing to pay, and would take away precious at-bats from the young outfielders already in camp.
Personally, I’m not a big fan of Bonds. However, I think he was one of the best baseball players of my generation. Bonds has always carried an intimidating bat. His on-base percentage is one of the greatest, and combined with his power potential, it’s hard to imagine him not yet having a team for the upcoming campaign. Unfortunately, Barry’s bat is the only part of his game that is still attractive to teams. A National League team like the Redbirds would have to stick him in right field, where he would be a defensive liability.
Although it’s fun to speculate the production of a lineup that includes Pujols, Bonds, Troy Glaus, Chris Duncan, and Rick Ankiel, the reality is that it just doesn’t make sense for the ballclub. Joe Strauss and Jeff Gordon have more on the story.
It’s Reyes’ Time To Shine
Cardinals pitcher Anthony Reyes has a momentous opportunity in front of him in 2008. He’s in a competition with at least two of his teammates to win one of a couple of open spots in the starting rotation. This position is nothing new for Reyes, as he was also competing for a spot with the ‘06 and ‘07 clubs. The difference this time around however, is that if he’s unsuccessful, he could pitch his way out of the Cardinals’ organization altogether.
Reyes, 26, was drafted by the Cards out of USC in the 15th round in 2003. He quickly moved up the ranks, pitching in 7 games for the Palm Beach Cardinals and 12 for the AA Tennessee Smokies in 2004. He had a good year with the AAA Memphis Redbirds in ‘05, and was considered the Cardinals’ top pitching prospect. His success earned him his first call-up in August of ’05, where he earned the win against the Milwaukee Brewers, pitching 6 1/3 innings and giving up just two runs on two hits. He was even more impressive in his second call-up in June of ‘06, where he pitched an eight inning complete game one-hitter against the World Champion White Sox in Chicago. The lone hit was a solo home run to Jim Thome, and Reyes took the loss. Reyes also dominated the first game of the ‘06 World Series against the Tigers, going 8 innings and giving up two runs on four hits, and setting a rookie record by retiring 17 consecutive batters. View all of Reyes stats here.
Aside from a few flashes of brilliance, Reyes has had a tough time translating his minor league success to the big leagues. In 2007, he finished with a very forgettable 2-14 record and a 6.04 ERA. The lack of run support that Reyes got only partially attributed to his abysmal season. Many fans believe Reyes isn’t on the same page as pitching coach Dave Duncan, and the debate on whether to throw the two or four-seam fastball never ends.
Reyes’ competition, both Todd Wellemeyer and Brad Thompson, could end up in the bullpen if they fail to make the rotation. Reyes, on the other hand, is more suited to be a starter. Although he still has an option year, and Memphis is again a possibility, it’s more likely that if he doesn’t make the cut, a trade would be forthcoming.
According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Reyes had an intense workout regimen this off-season, and spent a lot of time working on locating his pitches and keeping the ball down. Anthony apparently feels good this spring, and his comfort level and optimism is encouragingly high.
“I feel like my old self again,” Reyes said. ”I’m doing things I used to be comfortable doing.”
Goold says that Reyes looked good in camp today, and is scheduled to make the start against the Mets on Thursday. Check out all of his notes from Jupiter here.
The bottom line: Reyes needs to forget about last season, pitch the way he knows he’s capable, and show Cardinals’ fans the reason he was once a top prospect.
