Cards Prospect Watch
« Open Thread: Steroids | Main | The Home Stretch »1. Rick Ankiel is moving back up to AA ball after posting a .270/.368/.514 line for the Swing of Quad Cities. This will be his second run in Sprinfield after posting a .083/.120/.083 line before getting hurt and sent down to the Swing. Cardinals brass would like to see him reach AAA by the end of the season in order to become a serious prospect for the big club.
2. After making the move to Quad Cities, Mark McCormick has continued to impress. So far in three games he is 1-0 with a stingy 1.80 ERA. He is still struggling somewhat with his control with 10 BB in only 15 IP, but he also has 14 Ks. There is no doubt that McComick has electric stuff. Look to him to be an eventual bullpen candidate or trade bait if he is unable to lower his BB.
3. After seeing his ERA balloon above 7, Chris Lambert has finally begun to settle down after making the jump to AA ball Springfield from Palm Beach. He is now 2-3 with a 4.37 ERA. As with McCormick, Lambert has an electric arm but control can be a problem at times. He has 33 BB in 57.2 IP, but has the high K count that you like to see with a young prospect with 53. Due to the struggles of one time top prospect Blake Hawkesworth after coming back from sugery, Lambert and McCormick are neck and neck for to become the #3 pitching prospect in the Cardinals organization behind Wainwright and Reyes. Lambert could be the logical replacement in AAA should either of the Wainwright/Reyes tandem get the call to the bigs.
4. Finally, after all the talk about the weak Cardinals farm system, it is nice to see so many Memphis guys contributing at the big league level. John Rodriguez just might save WJ the need to get a young OF to replace Larry Walker in the offseason.
Posted by Beau at August 3, 2005 10:43 AMI haven't seen either pitch, but from what I've read, I'd rather have Lambert than Wainwright.
Posted by: Rob at August 3, 2005 09:34 PMRob,
I am inclined to agree with your assessment that Lambert has the higher ceiling. But, at this point, Wainwright is the more polished prospect. Jocketty said last night that Reyes is the best prospect in the Cards org...but he did say it is different from week to week. Sometimes Reyes is, sometimes Wainwright is. My feeling this is b/c the Cards see the weaknesses Wainwright has and want to eventually use him as trade bait. I think Wainwright's relatively small frame causes him to wear down easily and lose velocity and movement off of his ball.
So in my opinion yes, I think Lambert has the higher ceiling. But at this point, Wainwright has produced at a higher level and does not struggle with control issues like Lambert does. So at this time, I still have to rank Wainwright higher.
Posted by: Beau Chapman at August 4, 2005 02:30 PM