2003 Wrapups: St. Louis Cardinals
With the 2003 season coming to a close, we will be providing a brief wrapup of the season for all 30 minor league teams. In each report, we will take a look at how the team's Top 10 Prospects performed, identify some emerging prospects and organizational leaders, and report on the performance of their top draft pick.
Complete index of Team Wrapups 2003 League Wrapups
By Kevin Goldstein
November 20, 2003
Season Results
Performance of Top 10 Prospects
Here's how our top 10 prospects entering this season performed in 2003.
| 1. Dan Haren, rhp
Age: 23 |
Haren started the year at Double-A Tennessee and was absolutely untouchable, allowing just one run over 29 innings in his final four starts for the Smokies. He delivered quality starts in five of eight outings for Memphis, and was called up to the Cardinals in late June to provide help to a decimated St. Louis pitching staff. Was 2-2, 3.38 after six starts, including seven shutout innings against the Expos on July 30, but his ERA was 6.42 thereafter and major league hitters knocked him around to the tune of a .293 batting average.
| Team |
W-L |
SV |
ERA |
G |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Tennessee (Double-A) |
6-0 |
0 |
0.82 |
8 |
55.0 |
36 |
8 |
5 |
6 |
49 |
| Memphis (Triple-A) |
2-1 |
0 |
4.93 |
8 |
45.2 |
50 |
25 |
25 |
8 |
35 |
| Cardinals (MLB) |
3-7 |
0 |
5.08 |
14 |
72.2 |
84 |
44 |
41 |
22 |
43 |
|
| 2. Jim Journell, rhp
Age: 25 |
Journell started the season in the Memphis rotation, but was sent to the bullpen after going 1-5, 5.54 in seven starts. In a relief role, Journell was able to depend primarily on his plus fastball/slider combination, and had a 2.43 ERA in 33 games out of the bullpen, averaging nearly a strikeout per inning. Struggled significantly in a pair of major league trials, specifically with his control.
| Team |
W-L |
SV |
ERA |
G |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Memphis (Triple-A) |
6-6 |
5 |
3.92 |
40 |
78.0 |
80 |
38 |
34 |
32 |
70 |
| Cardinals (MLB) |
0.00 |
0 |
6.00 |
7 |
9.0 |
10 |
7 |
6 |
11 |
8 |
|
| 3. Chris Narveson, lhp
Age: 21 |
Now two years removed from Tommy John surgery, Narveson was allowed to cut loose at Palm Beach and received a mid-season promotion to Double-A Tennessee after putting up a 1.93 ERA in his final six Florida State League starts. Tossed seven shutout innings in his Double-A debut, and allowed more than three runs just twice for the Smokies.
| Team |
W-L |
SV |
ERA |
G |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Palm Beach (High Class A) |
7-7 |
0 |
2.86 |
15 |
91.1 |
83 |
34 |
29 |
19 |
65 |
| Tennessee (Double-A) |
4-3 |
0 |
3.00 |
10 |
57.0 |
56 |
21 |
19 |
26 |
34 |
|
| 4. Justin Pope, rhp
Age: 24 |
Pope seemed on the verge of a breakout season after pitching 78 dominating innings in the Midwest League in 2002 following a return from elbow surgery. Pope struggled with his already sub-par velocity at Palm Beach and at one point went 14 starts between victories. Had his best start on Aug. 12 with seven shutout innings, and was shipped to the Yankees for Sterling Hitchcock less than a week later, delivering two solid outings for Tampa at the end of the year.
| Team |
W-L |
SV |
ERA |
G |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Palm Beach (High Class A) |
4-11 |
0 |
4.92 |
20 |
106.0 |
123 |
68 |
58 |
33 |
69 |
| Tampa (High Class A) |
2-0 |
0 |
0.96 |
2 |
9.1 |
7 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
|
| 5. Blake Hawksworth, rhp
Age: 20 |
A high profile draft-and-follow who received a $1.475 million bonus last summer, Hawksworth clearly overmatched Midwest League hitters, pitching shutout baseball in half of his starts to earn a mid-season promotion to the Florida State League. Despite a 1-3 record for Palm Beach, he limited opposing batters to a .235 average, before missing the final month of the season with an ankle injury.
| Team |
W-L |
SV |
ERA |
G |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Peoria (Low Class A) |
5-1 |
0 |
2.30 |
10 |
54.2 |
37 |
16 |
14 |
12 |
57 |
| Palm Beach (High Class A) |
1-3 |
0 |
3.94 |
6 |
32.0 |
28 |
14 |
14 |
11 |
32 |
|
| 6. Shaun Boyd, of
Age: 22 |
Coming off a spectacular year at Peoria, Boyd hit .316 in his first 15 games at Palm Beach, but fell into a tail spin after that, receiving a promotion to Tennessee despite batting just .193 in his final 30 Florida State League games. While his average picked up somewhat at Double-A, his peripheral numbers were virtually non-existent and with the conversion from second base to the outfield, he'll need to make considerable strides offensively.
| TEAM | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Palm Beach (High Class A) |
110 |
416 |
59 |
107 |
17 |
2 |
5 |
35 |
54 |
70 |
28 |
.257 |
.343 |
.344 |
| Tennessee (Double-A) |
27 |
88 |
9 |
24 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
4 |
12 |
2 |
.273 |
.305 |
.341 |
|
| 7. Rhett Parrott, rhp
Age: 24 |
Parrott started slow at Tennessee, but came on strong after the all-star break, with a 1.50 ERA in his final nine starts, earning a late-season promotion to Triple-A Memphis, where his ERA was 2.43 before getting shelled in his final outing. He lacks any single overpowering pitch, but gets the job done with a diverse repertoire and excellent location.
| Team |
W-L |
SV |
ERA |
G |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Tennessee (Double-A) |
8-9 |
0 |
3.27 |
21 |
124.0 |
122 |
52 |
45 |
40 |
112 |
| Memphis (Triple-A) |
2-3 |
0 |
3.54 |
7 |
40.2 |
39 |
16 |
16 |
19 |
25 |
|
| 8. John Nelson, ss
Age: 24 |
Nelson was jumped two levels after an impressive .274-16-63 season at Peoria, and the results were anything but encouraging. Hit just .207 after August 1, and saw significant drops in both power and plate discipline.
| TEAM | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Tennessee (Double-A) |
136 |
506 |
60 |
120 |
22 |
1 |
5 |
42 |
44 |
117 |
10 |
.237 |
.301 |
.314 |
|
| 9. Tyler Johnson, lhp
Age: 22 |
A finesse lefty who went 15-3, 2.00 for Peoria in 2002, Johnson was having a solid year as a starter (3.36 ERA in 10 starts) but really thrived once he moved to the bullpen, reeling off nine consecutive scoreless outings, and maintaining he effectiveness after a promotion to Double-A Tennessee, where he limited batters to a .168 average.
| Team |
W-L |
SV |
ERA |
G |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Palm Beach (High Class A) |
5-5 |
0 |
3.08 |
22 |
79.0 |
79 |
29 |
27 |
38 |
81 |
| Altoona (Double-A) |
1-0 |
0 |
1.65 |
20 |
27.1 |
16 |
7 |
5 |
15 |
39 |
|
| 10. Yadier Molina, c
Age: 21 |
Jumped two levels to Double-A at the age at 20, Molina continued in the fine tradition of the catching Molinas, hitting for a decent average with little power or on-base skills, while playing outstanding defense. Hit .324 against lefties.
| TEAM | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Tennessee (Double-A) |
104 |
364 |
32 |
100 |
13 |
1 |
2 |
51 |
25 |
45 |
0 |
.275 |
.327 |
.332 |
|
Top Draft Pick:
| Daric Barton, c
Marina HS, Huntington Beach, Calif. Bonus: $975K |
Generally considered one of the better left-handed bats in the draft, Barton sneaked into the end of the first round and showed the ability to hit for average and power, along with a mature approach at the plate. Questions remain as to whether or not he can stay at catcher, but he has the skills to play third base.
| TEAM | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Johnson City (Rookie) |
54 |
172 |
29 |
50 |
10 |
0 |
4 |
29 |
37 |
48 |
0 |
.291 |
.416 |
.419 |
|
Emerging Prospects:
Cody Haerther, of: The Cardinals 6th round pick in 2002 had an impressive pro debut, batting .352 in his final 50 games for Johnson City and finishing at .332-3-39. He was converted from third base to the outfield, where he projects as an average left fielder at best.
Travis Hanson, 3b: A ninth-round pick in 2002 who earned New York-Penn League all-star honors in his pro debut, Hanson hit .370 in April for Peoria and finished at .277-9-78 while showing solid defensive skills.
Statistical Leaders
| Batting Average |
John Gall |
.314 |
| Home Runs |
Bucky Jacobsen |
31 |
| Runs Batted In |
John Gall |
85 |
| Stolen Bases |
Matt Lemanczyk |
57 |
| Earned Run Average |
Josh Teekel |
2.42 |
| Wins |
Jeremy Cummings |
15 |
| Strikeouts |
Rhett Parrott |
137 |
| Saves |
Mike Lyons |
31 |
