It's a rubber match

The Cards need this one, badly

Revenge on the Braves

s

Howdy, y'all!

So the draft, it be just more than a week away, yar. (Apparently I'm doing a pirate thing today. Not sure why.) It always sneaks up on me, it does, but this year be worse than most.

Yar.

Okay, enough of that. I'll save it for National Talk Like a Pirate Day in September.

Hey, have you guys noticed Wes Anderson hasn't made a movie in a really long time? I think the last one he did was Darjeeling Limited, and that's been, what, five years ago? Wait, never mind, I forgot he did the Fantastic Mr. Fox. (criminally underrated, by the way, and unfortunately largely ignored.) I forgot that was one of his, being animated and all.

Speaking of Wes Anderson, when I heard they were trying to make a Ghostbusters 3, but Bill Murray was holding out, my former colleague at the RFT Keegan Hamilton and I were talking about Murray only doing Wes Anderson movies now, and we decided they should just have Anderson direct Ghostbusters. At the very least the Ghostbusters would have really interesting tracksuitish uniforms. And their proton packs would all be cool analog electronics from the early 70s, with big voltmeters all over the place.

I also kind of picture the film as being populated with very understatedly sad ghosts who haunt Gilded Age hotels in a very half-hearted manner, then just sort of give up once the Ghostbusters come to eliminate them. Entering in slow motion with a British Invasion band playing something very grand and sad, of course. I'm thinking something like "Imagine the Swan," by the Zombies. Fucking love that song. Ghost Peter Venkman, striding in alongside the surviving Ghostbusters, all in their old grey coveralls, with the Zombies telling you all about the colours having gone. I would totally go see that movie.

What the hell am I talking about?

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Go Cards.

Going for the sweep

Optimism in the air

Jeff Suppan. Really?

It was, to put it lightly, encouraging to see Adam Wainwright look like Adam Wainwright last night. In fact, it was better than encouraging. It was glorious.

How is everyone this morning? I hope you're all doing well.

I had hoped to have a draft preview up today, but I just don't have one ready to go. The draft is coming up in a hurry, and I haven't done nearly as many of them as I had planned on doing. Twelve to fifteen editions is a good number; I've only gotten eight up so far. Oh, well. I suppose there's not much help when days continue to both remain the same length, stubbornly refusing to offer up extra time, and march on at the same terrifying, monotonous, monstrously cruel pace, laughing at our wishes for either peace or hope.

So I don't have a slate of scouting reports today. What I do have, however, is a couple hours of relatively unoccupied time that I plan on spending with you, my imaginary digital friends. So let's have us a chat.

Topics are open; we can talk about baseball of the major league variety, or the upcoming draft, or we could talk about beer. Or the sweet new Nike Air Diamond Furys I plan on purchasing this weekend. Or, well, whatever you like, really. I can't promise I'll be all that engaging this morning, but I will certainly try.

I'm also trying to get a playlist up at the moment; something to cheer me up is what I'm shooting for. Unfortunately, either 8tracks or my computer has decided to misbehave this morning, so I'm not having much success. Hopefully I'll get it figured out relatively soon.

Anyhow, talk. Then I'll answer. You know the drill.

The Baron's Playlist for the 23rd of May, 2012 (click for 8tracks or below for embedded player)

The Baron's Playlist for the 23rd of May, 2012 from aeschafer on 8tracks.

I'm writing this Tuesday afternoon, while watching our dear Cardinals struggle to fend off the continued advances of the Chicago Cubs, who have just tied up the game again. Booo, says I. Boo.

Anyhow, writing this from the past, I have no foreknowledge of things that will be by the time you read this, dear friends. I imagine the world of tomorrow is full of sassy robots and food in pill form -- or, perhaps, suppository form. I'm hoping for pills, myself, but I suppose we'll have to deal either way.

Actually, come to think of it, if the food is all in suppository form, and you're really upset about it, go ahead and email me here in the past, and I'll see if I can't do something about it. Sort of a Twelve Monkeys kind of thing, only with suppositories instead of a killer virus. You know, I think I would totally go see that movie. Maybe not. Hmm. I'm not really sure. I would have to see what the previews look like first. I'm thinking Michael Bay should direct it. At least if he were directing a three-hour epic about ass pills he wouldn't have time to rape any more of my childhood with a film about gigantic, ravenous hippopotami whose enormous appetites threaten the future of humanity.

Today we have five scouting reports instead of three; great value for you, the reader! These players are most likely not first rounders, either, but players that I, for one reason or another, find intriguing. So, they get the thumbnail report treatment. Enjoy!

Oh, and can I tell you how much it's going to piss me off if the Cardinals manage to go winless on this whole effing homestand? Grr.

Continue reading this post »

Games out west suck. It's too damned late for this shit.

You know, I sure do like having Carlos Beltran on my favourite baseball team.

I don't know that I really need to come up with much more compelling analysis than that, to be honest; Carlos Beltran is a fantastic baseball player -- still -- and I'm really glad it was the Cardinals who managed to snag his services in the offseason. Johnny Mo pulled quite a rabbit out of his hat for the second offseason in a row.

What shouldn't be overlooked, though, I think -- though it would be awfully easy too in the light of Beltran's amazing evening -- was just how good Jake Westbrook has been so far this season. I will freely admit I had mostly given up on Westy following last year's debacle; the reaction was probably more emotional than analytical, but that doesn't mean it wasn't there. There was something that was just so...unpleasant about watching Westbrook pitch in 2011 that it turned me almost completely against him. Something about the 0-2 counts turning into 3-2 counts turning into nibbling, maddening walks.

This year, though, Westbrook has looked like an almost completely different pitcher; more like the pitcher he was in the past before last season. That 1.76 ERA is certainly fantastic to see; better yet is the 2.75 FIP and 3.17 xFIP. Sure, he's getting lucky -- at least a little bit -- but the fact is he's not walking anyone, he's keeping the ball in the ballpark, and that's really all you can ask from a sinkerballer. Actually, you know what? That's not all you can ask of a sinkerballer; that 62.8% ground ball rate is downright remarkable. That's what you can ask of a sinkerballer.

Today we have a grab bag of draftable players; there isn't a connecting theme so much with this group as I usually try for. But, I'm running late and in a hurry, and I've already got notes on these three ready to go. So, after the jump they shall go.

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Ready? Oh-Kay!

Gimme a C!

Gimme an A!

I'm sure you know how the rest of it goes. I'm going to go take this skirt off now.

Okay game last night. A win, anyway. Of course, it isn't enough to simply win nowadays. We wish to see NL Central teams crushed, driven before us, and to hear the lamentations of their women, which last night's game did not really accomplish. Perhaps some moderate lamentations for Charlie Morton, I suppose, but not the kind of wailing and rending of garments I prefer to see when it is Pittsburgh standing at the other end of the proverbial blade.

I'm officially not at all worried about Fernando Salas. A friend of mine at work and I were discussing the early bullpen issues for this team the other day, and he was of the opinion that Salas is toast. At the time, I demurred, thinking Salas hasn't been great, but to say he's toast is probably overstating it a bit. He'll work out of whatever funk he's in.

Well, out of curiosity I went and looked at Fernando's actual numbers this season, and they actually showed something very different from what I expected to see. I thought he was pitching okay but not at all in line with what he did last year; the reality is he's been just as good this season as last, only the results have yet to come in line. He's striking out nearly 12.50 hitters per 9 innings this season, even better than last year's 9.0 K/9, and while his walks are also up this season, from 2.52 to 4.15 BB/9, he's still sporting a better than 3:1 strikeout to walk ratio. His FIP and xFIP this year are 3.06 and 3.30, respectively, compared to 3.16 and 3.62 last season. By most objective measures, Salas is pitching at least as well this season as last.

So why do his numbers look so gruesome? Well, that FIP of 3.06 is accompanied by a 7.27 ERA that is mostly the result of a stunningly high BABIP and an extremely low strand rate. Fernando's BABIP so far this season is .481, which is, well, probably not going to continue. (And no, before you check, that .481 is not a typo.) His strand rate of 66.3% is also exceedingly low, and likely to move toward a more normal number.

Now, I will say this: Salas is giving up a lot of hard contact early on. His line drive percentage is an horrific 35.7%, meaning he probably isn't getting hugely unlucky, just getting hit hard. However, the high strikeout rate suggests there's nothing wrong with his actual stuff this year, with the possible exception of where exactly he's putting said stuff. I think his location will improve as the season goes on, and there's been no real downtick in the quality of his arsenal.

Long story short: Fernando Salas is going to be alright. I'm just hoping he gets alright pretty soon.

Another batch of draft reports, this time focusing on a grab bag of position players, is right after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

Let's hope this is going well today. I don't know if I could handle a sweep at the hands of the Cubs. No, I don't care how well the Cards are playing so far. They get swept by the Cubs, I'm officially out for the season. Hear me, Cardinals? I'm out if you don't win! I mean it this time!

Good morning, everyone. How are you today? Did you sleep well? I hope you did.

I had planned on doing a draft preview this morning; I'm way behind where I wanted to be on those this year. However, an unfortunate confluence of work, personal life, and the fact I completely forgot today was an early game in spite of it being in Chicago at Wrigley Field, has put the kibosh on those plans. Ergo, in an atempt to get a thread up at a decent hour of the morning, long enough before game thread time to offer a chance for proper conversation, I shall endeavour to bring you a brief, to the point post containing a few thoughts you can hopefully run with.

I will, however, avoid any sort of in-depth discussion of Skip Schumaker starting at second base last night. This isn't a family blog, exactly, but I would prefer to not push so far that VEB starts tripping workplace obscenity filters. And, honestly, much discussion of Skippy at Second is going to bring just that out of me. So, moving on.

I bring you bullets, you bring me your love.

• I am much relieved this morning after seeing A.D.A.M. pitch the way he did last night. He was infinitely sharper than he had been in his first three starts of the season. The fastball had more pop to it than recent starts, the slider wasn't spinning up there like a Jason Marquis Special, and the curveball, oh, the curveball. It was beautiful, my friends. I missed you, Adam's Curveball. Let's never fight again, okay?
• You know how I know I've been watching way too much hockey this season? Last night in the ninth I was silently urging the Cards to keep it tied so they could at least get the one point for extra innings.
• I've decided I'm tired of watching all the Cardinals' options at second base. I like Dirty Dan well enough, but I don't think he's quite starter quality. Love the guy playing all over the diamond, but I"m just not sure I want his bat in the lineup every single day. Tyler Greene has long been a favourite of mine, and I've defended both his real numbers and the ones I put together in my head for him, but he's the one who left the door open for Schumaker. If Tyler had come out and performed like half the player I think he has the talent to be, Skip would have no shot. I'm pinning my hopes now on Kolten Wong, who is currently hitting .339/.431/.579 in Springfield, good for a 185 OPS+. He has 9 extra base hits and an 8:8 BB:K ratio in 72 plate appearances. There was much consternation when Wong was selected last year; I'm proud to say I was higher on him than most. However, I did not see him bursting out of the gate like this. He's putting himself in a position that the club could very well be forced into making a decision about promoting him to Memphis by midseason, and from there who knows what could happen? Help us, Obi-Wong, you're our only hope.
• Matt Holliday is a strong dude. It was freezing cold in Chicago last night, he did not catch Carlos Marmol's hanging slider on the sweet part of the bat really at all, and yet he still had the strength to drive that ball out of Wrigley. More of that from Matt would go a long, long way toward making up for the players the Cardinals are missing right now.
• This bullpen scares me a little. Not a lot, necessarily, but a little. I believe in Jason Motte, I believe in the Scrabbler. I partially believe in Mitchell Boggs (I want to believe in him, but we're not quite there just yet), and I mostly believe in Fernando Salas. The rest? Not a bit. The trouble with your good relievers blowing a game or two isn't just the losses; it's the accompanying panic you feel as you realise those were the good guys out there, and there wasn't anything better the manager could have done about it.
• The Albert Pujols homerless watch now stands at 74 plate apperances in an Angels uniform. I'm just saying, is all.
• I'm curious as to what the community here would be willing to give up in trade for, say, Matt Garza. No, I haven't heard any rumblings or rumours; I was just watching him pitch the other night and thinking the Cubs are probably going to end up moving him, and he's going to be quite a get for some team. Still squarely in his prime years, he posted one of the least-celebrated 5.0 WAR seasons I think I've ever witnessed last year. I don't know what it would take to get him, but I would imagine it would have to be a pretty spectacular package. (Obligatory that's what she said.) Would anyone here be interested in dealing from the Cards' currently loaded farm system to try and grab up such a prized commodity while the Cubs are in between competing?

Go Cards. Go Jaime. Eff you Reds.

The outlook was growing cloudy for the Redbird Nine last night:

The score had been one to zero, but the defense lost the fight.

And then when Holly popped to first, and Berkman did the same,

A nervous silence fell upon the patrons of the game.

-

A straggling few got up to leave; work in the morning called,

The rest still stayed and hoped and cheered each strike and every ball.

They thought, if only we could find an extra inning hero,

We could forget the gloves that cost Kyle Lohse his zero.

-

There was a man named Carpenter who seemed to fit the bill,

But he was sitting on the bench, a rather bitter pill.

So upon that thronging multitude a desperate longing sat,

To see a hero from the dugout rise and take his turn at bat.

-

Mr. Freeze was first to bat and worked a walk to first,

Replaced by Tyler, fleet of foot, and with a stealer's burst.

Molina bunted, the pitcher threw, and when the play was done,

The crowd saw Greene on second, representing the winning run.

-

Strategic wheels were turning fast in Dusty Baker's mind,

He put four fingers in the air and Jay got four out wide.

In came Billy Bray when Dusty gave the lefty sign,

Then Dirty Dan came up and took four balls to shine.

-

From 40,000 throats and more there rose a lusty yell,

It rattled down through Soulard and far over to Lindell.

It knocked upon the brewery and recoiled off 55,

For Carpenter, Matty Carpenter, came to keep hope alive.

-

There was ease in Matty's manner as he stepped into his place,

There was pride in Matty's bearing and a certain willowed grace.

And when, responding to the cheers, he waved a gloveless hand,

There was no doubt in any mind that Carpenter was the man.

-

A million eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with tar,

A million tongues applauded when he dug in for his war.

Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,

A calmness shown in Matty's eyes, a zen like smile turned up his lip.

-

And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,

And Matty stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.

Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped-

"That ain't my style," said Matty. "Strike one," the umpire said.

-

From the stands all red with sherseys there arose a muffled roar,

Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore.

"Kill him! Kill the umpire!" shouted someone on the stand,

And it's likely they'd have killed him had not Carpenter raised his hand.

-

With a smile of Buddhist charity great Matty's visage shone,

He stilled the rising tumult and he bade the game go on.

The pitcher threw a slider low to even up the count,

Then came with heat and Matty swung, a foul ball up and out.

-

"No!" groaned the maddened thousands; it echoed far and near,

But he dug back in unworried, two strikes for him held no fear.

Another slider for a ball, then a heater on the ground,

Then another foul and it was clear that Carp had come around.

-

The smile is gone from Matty's lip, his focus is pristine,

His callused hands they squeeze the bat as tight as ever seen.

And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,

And now the air is shattered with the force of Matty's blow.

-

Oh somewhere in this favoured land the sun is shining bright,

The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light.

And somewhere men are laughing, children shout into the night,

There is joy here in St. Louis, Mighty Carpenter flew to right.

The Cardinals played their first game of the year one week ago today; they close out the opening road trip today at an irritatingly early hour then head home for the first time in 2012. There are plenty of things we could talk about regarding the Cardinals, from the starting rotation to the bullpen worries to the noticeable lack of sacrifice bunting in the Mike Matheny era. But, I'm kind of planning to do a first impressions article tomorrow at my other gig, so I won't just repeat myself.

Instead, here are four non-Cardinal impressions I get from around baseball through this first week of the season.

1. The Tigers are most definitely for real. I actually picked Detroit to win the World Series in my preseason picks (beating our own Redbirds, no less), and I'm feeling pretty good about that pick after seeing the Tigers play in the early going. The defense sucks -- having Miguel Cabrera's rather large posterior parked at third base will do that to you -- but their offense is so good it might not matter. I do worry about pitchers like Fister and Porcello, groundball guys, pitching in front of that infield, but the Tigers are absolutely loaded, and I think they're going to just absolutely demolish that division this season.
2. The Phillies are in trouble. When I was picking teams, I thought the Phillies would win their division this season, but also added that I might say differently if you asked me next year. Well, I may have been off by a year. Their starting rotation is still great, but the offense is much worse than I expected it to be. We all knew the Phils were getting old; it looks like it may have already caught up with them.
3. I don't think the NL West is a very good division this year. The Diamondbacks are a very solid team, capable of winning in a variety of ways, but every other team in that division looks to be extremely flawed -- possibly even fatally so -- right out of the gate. The Giants have no offense, the Rockies have no pitching, the Dodgers have Magic, but will need actual magic to compete this year, and the Padres look like a team still a couple years away.
4. Walt Jocketty clearly didn't learn anything about not signing players to big contracts that will take them well into the declining years of their careers. I understand that the Brandon Phillips/Joey Votto signings were more than just contract extensions. Both were supposed to serve as statement contracts, statements that the Reds could keep their players and compete with anyone. Considering the direction the Reds' farm system is heading in,though, I'm thinking the message they end up sending may be a cautionary tale, focusing on how easy it is for mid-market teams to spend themselves into a corner.

With this game, you get

The first haiku of the year

Feels like coming home

In just a handful of hours now the baseball season will begin. The Cardinals will play the newest kids on the block, the Miami Marlins, and there will be a real game of baseball. It will be, in some small way, the best moment any of us will have this year. Maybe not the only best moment we'll have, but the best moment all the same.

The event of Opening Day is always special, but the sport of baseball doesn't lend itself to special occasions quite the same way some of the others do. When the first game of the season is over and in the books, we all know there will 161 more just like it (at least), and only the most devoted hyperbolic could ever worry too much over one game. That's not to say we won't; it just means we're all devoted hyperbolics who gather on an internet site 365 days a year to discuss a game. And that's actually pretty cool.

I've said before I always think of baseball differently from most of the other sports; that I think of baseball as a companion and a friend more than an event. A baseball game holds the same expected pleasure as meeting your oldest friend for a drink after work. It's not unusual, and it probably won't be life-changing. And yet it's that very quality, that expectedness and smallness, that works its way into your life and makes this game a part of you. Familiarity only breeds contempt when there's no love to keep it special.

The small moments are always the best; it's why baseball is the sport most like life. A great marriage isn't a beautiful, elegant, and oh-so expensive wedding; a great marriage is heating up a can of soup for dinner on a Thursday night and enjoying it because you have someone special to share it with. For six months of the year there's always a baseball game on the radio in the car, or on the television while you're eating that can of soup. Good times and bad. You can always find a game.

My personal life is a mess right now, as it usually seems to be; I'm beginning to think I'm just one of those people who's never going to quite get it right. Even so, I'll be watching the Cardinals play tonight, and I will enjoy it. I will have a beer (maybe a couple), and I will eat a large soft pretzel because large soft pretzels are even better at home than at the ballpark. I will sit on my sofa and watch the Cardinals play 0.61% of their season, and I will live and die with every pitch. And then when it's over I will remember it was 0.61% of the season and smile a little. And then I will do it all over again for the remaining 99.39%. Life and baseball will both go on.

Hello, baseball. Hello, old friend. It's good to see you again. I missed you.

Ladies and gentlemen, Opening Day is upon us.

No, seriously. The first real game of the 2012 MLB season is being played right now. Don't believe me? Turn on MLB Network. See?

That's right; it's Japanese Opening Day! Concocted by major league baseball to even further water down a product that needed no help!

Here's the thing: I really like Japanese baseball. I do. I'll actually watch NPB games, even though I only actually catch one word in five the announcers are saying. (And, thanks to my fascination with Japanaese anime, most of what I do understand comes in those odd occasions when the announcers are describing a hitter entering some sort of super-powerful glowing fire form, which isn't all that common. More common than in American baseball, sure, but still not the most regular of occurences.) Speaking of anime, I just finished watching the final episode of a horror series new this season called Another. Really excellent, and this is coming from a usual non-fan of most horror.

Wait, what was I talking about? Oh, that's right, the Japanese Opening Day thing. See, I like Japanese baseball. And I think it's really cool that MLB is doing some things to foster interest between the leagues. But what I object to is having the first games of the baseball season taking place a week before Opening Day, several thousand miles away, at seven o' clock in the morning. Baseball's Opening Day, that orgasmic marathon of long-awaited games from morning 'til night, is one of the most special days on the sporting calendar. For some reason, though, baseball is obsessed with destroying what is great about itself by attempting to remake itself to compete with football; constant publicity grabs and goofy rules changes. Like Kate Winslet trying to one-up Kate Moss by losing 30 pounds, you only end up with a watered-down, unappealing version of what was once great -- no, not great; far greater -- all on its own merits. But I digress.

Point is, I like the World Series playing the one game before official Opening Day. But please, can we stop playing weird pseudo-exhibition games in foreign countries before the actual majesty that is Opening Day?

Anyhow, I've got a little bit of time this morning, so rather than cook up another batch of draft reports I thought I would do a late spring training/Japanese Opening Day/preseason kind of chat. I'll be here until, say, 11:15 ish. Let's have us some conversationality, shall we?

The Baron's Playlist for the 28th of March, 2012 (click for 8tracks or below for embedded player)

The Baron's Playlist for the 28th of March 2012 from aeschafer on 8tracks.

"I've Got to Have You" - Sammi Smith

"I Miss You Most When You're Right Here" - Sammi Smith

"Dckhdbtch" - Ikonika

"Please" - Ikonika

"In the Hearts of Men" - First Aid Kit

"Blue" - First Aid Kit

"Por Un Amor" - Linda Ronstadt

"I Won't Be Hangin' Round" - Linda Ronstadt (incredible vocal on this one)

"Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me is Gone" - The Walkmen

"Hang On, Siobahn" - The Walkmen

I've had a couple things come up this morning, work-wise, and so find myself without much time. I hope you'll forgive the rushed nature and brevity of this post.

Anyhow, I wanted to kind of update our Spring Surprises game this morning. I had been planning on going through the comments in the original post and pick out individuals who were doing well so far with their picks, but the time crunch has unfortunately put the kibosh on that. So, instead I'm just going to leave the link in case anyone would like to go and see which of our posters are doing well and which ones clearly don't know the first thing about baseball and should really consider leaving the site, followed by a nice long round of ritual self-flagellation.

Glancing at the actual Spring Surprises post, I see I really only put it up that day due to another morning with no time and no post ready to go ahead of time. Kind of funny. I also see I haven't exactly knocked it out of the park with either of my picks, so perhaps I'm one of those people who should really be leaving the site and flogging myself.

Anyhow, on to the updates!

Continue reading this post »

As part of the crew working on what was supposed to be the Maple Street Press Annual for 2012, I composed a couple of articles. An overview of the minor league system was my biggest assignment; I wrote a piece on the large number of double plays hit into by the 2011 edition of the Cardinals as well.

My conclusions: the minor league system is good. Really good. Double plays are bad. Really bad. But not bad in the way you think they are, and almost completely inexplicable. Want more details? Go and get yourself a copy of the VEB Annual eBook. Order it here. Order it on Amazon. Order it from iTunes. Just order it from somewhere so we can all get paid. (It's the biggest downside of the company you're working for going under; when they collapse there's no one left to write you a check.) Plus, it really is good, guys. And gals. (All four of you.)

Anyhow, whoring aside, each year in the past I've written a sleeper column as a companion piece to my system overview. Guys you don't know yet, but I think you will in the future. My track record is pretty decent, if mixed. I tabbed Alex Castellanos all the way back the first year I did it; his bat advanced to the point he was moved for Rafael Furcal at the deadline last year. Good call, Aaron. (I did praise his defense, though, which at the time was still of the middle infield variety, so not all good. Then again, the Dodgers are trying him out at second base, so maybe they see something the Cardinals didn't.) I also picked Blake Murphy, the athletic catching prospect from a small school in Carolina. He did not do so well. Last year I tabbed Trevor Rosenthal; I'm wicked pleased with that call.

This year I wrote a sleeper piece as usual, but forgot to send it along with the overview. In the chaos of Maple Street going under and Larry trying to get this thing put together himself, we never did get the sleeper section put in. So, in order to tease the book and convince you to buy it if you haven't already -- and also because I'm writing this up ahead of time and probably won't be around on Wednesday -- I'm putting my 2012 Sleeper Picks here. You've probably heard these names before, at least in passing, but these aren't top prospects by any means.

I wrote this list back in November; looking at it now I'm not sure how good a list it really is. I can't necessarily argue with myself on any of the names or the logic behind them, but thinking on it now I might choose different players. Or perhaps not.

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Halloo, ladies and jellyspoons!

I will not be around on the Wednesday of the morning of Wednesday, so I'm writing this on the morning of the Tuesday foolsday lacka lacka brewsday and bruiseday too. So many things may have happnened since this time I do not know wherefore to begin, but I shall do so anyhow. Last Wednesday I wrote of a catcher with a bat, and our catcher with a bat was officially inked to a deal as inky and permanent as neck ink I think but don't blink or else it's gone. This Wednesday I bring you a bevy of righties, all collegiate and wise, and perhaps the elusive righthanded tractor fish will reverse positions and suddenly sign with magic powers working to pull the Mississippi mud from his muddy Mississippi boots. But nay, perhaps not friends it will never be, only in July a Ranger reunion or hired gun to the other league we go. Evenso I write of these pitchers these hurlers these inning unfurlers who all come dextrous and near ready, taken from the box the value is lost leave them mint in box 'til you have to break that seal. The sad sad duty of the sad sad moody draft report writer to draft report write writing one of the dextrose throwing men will gone long be by Cardinal picking, but still reporting is worth your time and his. Gausman the name, too early he goes, a favourite from the past and only we knows how we got here from there these draft report years, to look back and forth and question. And also to answer. But only to question still.

Reports after the jump.

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I'm feeling down this morning, friends. I know that's not exactly a rare situation for me -- see my previous published works for details -- but this is an unusual type of down. I had a spat with someone I care about deeply, and now we're stuck in this weird, walking-on-eggshells small talk nightmare. Unfortunately, a way out, or perhaps a way in, seems to be eluding both of us at the moment. It's like having a fishbone stuck in your throat all day every day; you keep coughing and coughing but it won't come loose. It doesn't hurt, exactly, but there's something just wrong all the same. And until you can get it gone you just aren't going to be able to relax. It's...really at least slightly awful.

So that's how I am this morning. Miserable and frustrated. How are you? I hope you're having a nice morning. Spring is very nearly here, so that should cheer everyone up. Spring training is up and running, which is even better than the season itself.

I've got another batch of three scouting reports for your edification this morning, and today we're focusing on hitters with true star potential. It's something the Cards have a very limited supply of at the moment, and I expect with their bumper crop of draft picks this year we'll see them try to bring in a couple of upside guys. So, without further ado or author megrims, onward to this week's edition of the draft preview.

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Ah, Spring Training, she be upon us. So far we have only goofy catcher mask news items and the inevitable parade of optimism, but it's still good to know there are men in Jupiter, men who play baseball. Men who, right now, are getting ready to play baseball in Florida. Jupiter men of the baseballing lifestyle. Men with baseball in their blood like Jupiter had escaping from his father's stomach in his blood. Eff you, Saturn. This is Jupiter, and this is baseball.

Anyhow, here is us at Spring Training time and here is chatting in a Viva thread. I am being until the eleven of the clock to spring chatting window for questions. We shall avail ourselves of the asking, and the answering, and the pleasure of interaction until such time as I am drawn away from my computer screen by the inevitable demands of non-virtual life, at which point I shall depart with such sorrowful words as to make grown men openly weep.

I cleaned a pair of tennis shoes this morning and they are very white. Ask me questions and let's us talk about stuff.

Bake 'em away, toys.

The Baron's Playlist for the 22nd of February, 2012 (click for 8tracks or below for embedded player)

The Baron's Playlist for the 22nd of February, 2012 from aeschafer on 8tracks.

"Over the Falls" - Primus

"Wynona's Big Brown Beaver" - Primus

"Boobs" - Ruth Wallis

"Drill 'em All" - Ruth Wallis (love this song sooo much)

"Equus" - Blonde Redhead

"Publisher" - Blonde Redhead

"Another Lonely Day" - Kasey Chambers

"Water In the Fuel" - Kasey Chambers

I was planning on doing a chat thread this morning, sort of pre-Pitchers and Catchers Report Day celebration type thing, but unfortunately I find myself a bit more pressed for time today than I had anticipated. Thus, the two hour or so window I usually try to set aside for chats just isn't going to be feasible.

So I was thinking of what I could do instead, and I considered another batch of scouting reports. Since I hadn't actually put together a group for this week ahead of time, though, that would actually be more time-consuming than a chat, not less. So a draft preview post be out.

It was then I suddenly realised I had failed as of yet to do one of my annual tradition posts. I speak, of course, of the Spring Surprise Game.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Spring Surprise Game, the rules are as follows: I want one (1) pitcher and one (1) position player who you think is going to make a big impression in camp this year. It can be a major leaguer or minor leaguer, but let's face it: we're mostly talking either prospects or guys on the margins here. The players in question do not have to make the team out of spring training to qualify as a Spring Surprise; I just want to know who you think we'll all be excitedly discussing come the second week of March.

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