Monday, May 11, 2009

In St. Louis, the time to perform is now

St. Louis, MO - In the first 6 seasons of existence in the CAPB, the St. Louis River Dogs have played a combined 12 games over .500 (487-485), finished 2nd in the NL East three times, and 3rd the other three times while making only one playoff appearance (season 4). As the league enters its seventh season, the fans, players and management in St. Louis are looking for more...and many think they finally have a team that can live up to expectations.

This past offseason, the River Dogs added to a team that finished last season on a 7 game winning streak to finish over .500 (82-80) with a number three starter (Rodney Lee), two setup relievers (Brad Bryant and Goose Washington) and a third basemen (Davey Brokowski). Three September callups also earned themselves spots in season three 1st round draft pick, #5 SP Vinny Cheng (3-1, 1.51 ERA in 6 starts last season), LH reliever Cy Richards (0.78 WHIP and 0.00 ERA in 9 IP) and 2B Ernest Newson, who blistered the ball in his callup last season by going .613/.636/.871 in 33 PA. Richards has been splitting time between St. Louis and the AAA club over the past 6 seasons and already owns a career 4.36 ML ERA in 154 2/3 IP.

Returning SPs Jose Costilla (15-9, 3.24 ERA), Turner Brock (11-5, 4.08) and Andrea Redman (5-14, 5.12) round out the rotation with Lee and Cheng, while former #3 SP Rudy O'Malley (11-6, 3.14 ERA) shifts to the long relief role for St. Louis. Costilla and Brock are legit top end starters, and a return to his pre-season 6 form (18-20, 3.96 ERA, 1.32 WHIP in 56 ML starts) would make Redman a formidable #4. The bullpen boasts the arms of Bryant, Washington, O'Malley and Richards, together with holdovers Tommy Brooks (4.75 ERA), Juan Ordonez (4.19 ERA) and Alan Barfield (3.10 ERA), who owns only 7 career ML saves, starts this season as the new closer.

The offense has a distinct new look this season as well. Together with Borkowski and Newson, season 6 acquisitions Jack Malone (SS) and rookie Darren Haynes (1B) each begin their first full seasons in St. Louis. Haynes supplants last season's rookie 1B Albert Johnson, who becomes the 4th OF and backup 1B this season after posting a .271/.340/.438 mark in his initial ML campaign. Sophomore CF Jose Villalona is back and shifts to the leadoff spot this season after hitting 2nd most of last season.

A great balance of young players and experience, St. Louis is hoping that it's belnd of pitching, hitting and defense can carry this team to 88+ wins and a playoff berth.

Here is the lineup and bench (with season 6 stats):
LINEUP:
CF - LH Villalona (.283/.346/.488, 25 HR, 85 RBI, 97 runs, 37 SB)
3B - RH Borkowski (.304/.378/.491, 12 HR, 64 RBI, 14 SB)
RF - RH Diego Duran (.278/.339/.495, 38 HR, 123 RBI, 92 runs)
C - LH Walt Lockwood (.255/.320/.519, 35 HR, 66 RBI)
LF - RH Jose Cairo (.303/.364/.520, 33 HR, 96 RBI)
1B - LH Haynes (.353/.453/.570, 20 HR, 73 RBI in 402 AB)*
SS - RH Malone (.231/.285/.380, 14 HR, 60 RBI, 10 SB)
2B - RH Newson (.301/.383/.423, 12 HR, 63 RBI, 22 SB, 114 runs)*
BENCH:
COF/1B - LH Albert Johnson (.271/.340/.438, 13 HR, 42 RBI, 15 SB)
C - SH Ramon Seung (.272/.316/.401, 6 HR, 19 RBI)
CF - Brian Brown (.220/.274/.254, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 12 SB)
COF - Brandon McMillan (.305/.364/.503, 10 HR, 69 RBI, 16 SB)*
UTIL - Fernando Soriano (.171/.213/.271, 2 HR, 7 RBI)

Here is the pitching staff (with season 6 stats):
ROTATION:
#1 - RH Jose Costilla (15-9, 3.24 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 222 IP, 200 Ks)
#2 - RH Turner Brock (11-8, 4.08 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 180 2/3 IP, 128 Ks)
#3 - RH Rodney Lee (11-9, 4.08 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 167 2/3 IP, 129 Ks)
#4 - LH Andrea Redman (5-14, 5.12 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 153 IP, 117 Ks)
#5 - RH Vinny Cheng (11-9, 2.97 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 145 1/3 IP, 122 Ks)
BULLPEN:
LR - RH Rudy O'Malley (11-6, 3.14 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 154 2/3 IP, 128 Ks)*
SU - LH Brad Bryant (6-3, 8 Sv, 3.34 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 107 2/3 IP, 92 Ks)
SU - RH Goose Washington (2-6, 2 Sv, 4.08 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 53 IP, 41 Ks)
SU - RH Juan Ordonez (4-2, 2 Sv, 4.19 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 68 2/3 IP, 43 Ks)
SU - LH Tommy Brooks (3-3, 2 Sv, 4.75 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 41 2/3 IP, 35 Ks)
CL - RH Alan Barfield (2-3, 3 Sv, 3.10 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 69 2/3 IP, 61 Ks)
LHS - LH Cy Richards (1-5, 26 Sv, 3.74 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 43 1/3 IP, 52 Ks)*

* = Minor league stats