Redbird Report: Spring Battles
All throughout baseball this week, pitchers, catchers and even some early arrivals of position players have reported to there spring training camps. 12 of MLB’s teams set off for Arizona, where the Cactus league will soon begin for spring training. The other 18 teams set off for Florida, where the Grapefruit league is held.
The St. Louis Cardinals, who are among those in the Grapefruit league, reported to their camp in Jupiter Florida on last Thursday. Almost all of the 66 players who were invited to spring training have shown up for early workouts before the first Spring Training game, about 10 days away. The main activities that players will preform at their camps consist of simple exercises, like running and weight lifting. But before that, all players must complete a physical.
Among those who were invited to the Cardinals Spring Training camp include all the main roster players, many prospects, like Colby Rasmus, Bryan Anderson, Chris Perez, Adam Ottavino, and some other minor league player and non-roster invitees, like D’Angelo Jimenez, Josh Phelps, Mark Johnson, and even 38-year old Juan Gonzualez, who will try to prove the Cardinals over for one last season in the bigs league.
Gonzalez, who has only 1 at-bat in the Major league since 2004, and hasn’t played pro baseball since 2005. With currently seven outfielders, Rick Ankiel, Chris Duncan, Ryan Ludwick, Skip Shumaker, Brian Barton, Colby Rasmus, and Gonzalez all competing for 3 outfield jobs, Gonzalez will have to earn his spot on the team. The oldest of the 6 outfielders, not including Gonzalez, is Ryan Ludwick, who is 29 –9 years younger than Gonzaluz. But with the outfield for ‘08 looking very young, a veteran like Gonzual might be just what the Cardinals need.
Some other news coming out of Spring Training this week includes the fact that pitcher Matt Clement will not be available for the opening week of baseball in April. He is estimated to be ready to pitch in mid-march. Until then, his vacancy in the rotation means that probably either Brad Thompson, Todd Wellemeyer or Anthony Reyes will be battling to get 2 of the 3 spots in the starting rotation.
Also, the Cardinals have signed left-handed relief pitcher Ron Villone to a minor league deal. Villone, 38, has played 13 major league seasons with 11 different team. He spent 2007 with the New York Yankees, collecting a 0-0 record with a 4.25 ERA in 37 games in relief. In his career, played mostly as a starter, he has a 55-57 record with a 4.76 career ERA. It is possible he might get a job in the Cardinals bullpen, due to a lack of left handed pitchers. He will be battling another lefty, Ron Flores, for a possible spot.
So with the Cardinals gearing up for ‘08, nothing is final, as the battles for the starting jobs begin.
(c) Copyright 2007. K.B. is a writer and founder of the International Association of Baseball Writers.
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