CRAZY LIKE A FOX?

All Winter long, I have been hearing from fans how crazy John Mozeliak has been for not aggressively pursuing Free Agents.  With the depth of talent in our Farm System, I have to wonder:  Is John Mozeliak Crazy Like A Fox?

1.  The Cardinals have David Freese who came over for Jim Edmunds.  He had previously never been above High A and hit .306 for AAA Memphis.  This Spring Training might be key for him with regard to whether or not he can hit Major League pitching.  He might have to step up to The Show due to the injury to Troy Glaus.  If Glaus walks after the 2009 Season, could Freese be the Cardinals’ Thrid Baseman of the Future?

2.  There is also Brett Wallace.  The Cards top pick of the 2008 Draft has been rising through the system very rapidly.  He will probably start this year at AA Springfield, but should move up to AAA Memphis very soon afterwords.  Could a September call-up to The Show be in the (if you’ll pardon the expression) CARDS?

3.  Joe Thurston.  Once labled “can’t miss” by the Dodgers, he encountered a logjam at Third in the Dodger chain, but moved over to the Red Sox organization and hit .316 at AAA Pawtucket this past year.  The acquisition of Thurston could prove to be very valuable indeed for the Cardinals as far as providing them with additional depth in the infield.

4.  Mitchell Boggs.  Started off 3-0 in his first tour of duty in the Show.  As the season wore on, his inexperience started to show as he tailed off to a 3-2 record with an ERA of 7.41!  However, the organization sees enough potential to consider him as part of their future plans.

5.  P.J. Walters and Jess Todd.  Could these two be the future anchors of the Cardinals’ Starting rotation?  Todd went 4-5 for AA Springfield, but had a 2.97 ERA and 81 K’s in 103 IP.  He then went 1-1 with a 3.97 ERA in a brief stint for AAA Memphis, but he had 20 K’s in 22 IP.  Todd was also on the short list for selection to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Baseball team.  Begining this past season at Springfield, P.J Walters went 1-2 with a 3.25 ERA, but he had 34 K’s in 36 IP.  He then moved up to Memphis where he went 9-4 with an ERA of 4.87, but he had 122 K’s in 122 IP.

6.  John Jay (no, not the First Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court), Shane Robinson, and Daryl Jones.  As crowded as the Cardinals’ outfield situation is at the Major League level, it is just as if not more so at the Minor League level.  This trio starred at Springfield, where they hit .306, .352, and .290 respectively.  Jay even earned a brief promotion to Memphis where he hit .345!  Could they make the Cardinals’ Major League outfield situation even more crowded in 2010 or 2011?

7.  Colby Rasmus.  His first full season at AAA Memphis was hampered by a knee injury and caused him to miss some time, including a chance to play for his country at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.  However, he is still labled by the Cardinals’ organization as “can’t miss”.  A lot of roster scenarios have him making the Major League squad and one baseball preview magazine – Lindy’s – has him winning the 2009 National League Rookie of the Year award.  However, he might need some more time at AAA to prove that he is fully recovered from his injuries.  The Cards have so much faith in him, that they have assigned him a “baseball number” – 28 – for this year’s Spring Training.

8.  Jarrett Hoffpauir.  A .300 hitter in 2007 at AAA Memphis, he tailed off just a bit, but still hit a respectable .273.  Is he ready to hit Major League pitching yet?  Over the long haul, could he make the Cardinals’ decision to seemingly pass on Orlando Hudson look like a smart one?  Or, perhaps, could he be ready to handle the Cardinals’ Second Base duties right now?

9.  Tyler Greene.  The Cardinals have shown enough faith in this kid to send him to their Rookie Development Camp.  He might need a full season at AAA before he is deemed ready for The Show.  One thing is certain.  For the the forseeable future, be he Khalil or Tyler, the Cardinals’ starting shortstop could very well have the last name of Greene.

Judging by what I have seen of the Cardinals’ Farm System depth, it looks like the Cardinals could be a force to be reckoned with for many years to come.  Should these prospects live to their massive potential, could this change a lot of fans’ impressions of John Mozeliak and end up making him look like a genius?  I think it is entirely possible, but only time will tell.