Spring Training may not always seem like a big deal. But not only is it a chance for the big league club to find organization and narrow the field. It’s also a chance to for guys to prove themselves. Whether it’s a guy who’s been in the game for years but has struggled, a guy who is mere steps away from a shot at the Major League roster, or a guy who is taking his first infield under a big league coaching staff, they all want the same thing — a chance to shine.
The Non-Roster Invitees each have a different story, but all have the same goal. With position players beginning to drift in to Jupiter, it’s time to step up and see what they’re made of.
Roger Dean Stadium, primed and ready to see who's got "it." [Photo credit: wallyg via Flicker
Sometimes, a Major League career doesn’t work out like it does in dreams. Sometimes, even guys who make the show have a hard time finding their place, and once free agency hits and no one picks them up, a Non-Roster spot is their chance to prove they’ve still got it.
Scott Linebrink – In 11 years, the right-hander has played with five different clubs, most recently spending a season with the Atlanta Braves. He has a career 3.51 ERA, suffered a back strain last season, and oh yeah, broke David Freese’s hand with an errant fastball back on May 1st. That was awkward at first, but Linebrink is excited to have a chance to earn a spot with the World Champs. (Oh, and all is forgiven, Scott.)
Koyie Hill – The Cards have made a habit of grabbing old foes and turning them into friends. This particular eight-year veteran spent the last five years as a Cub (as Ryan Theriot would say, on the “wrong side of the rivalry”) and now is fighting for a backup position to All-Star Yadier Molina. Last year, he played in 45 games, catching 349 innings, and allowing 25 stolen bases. Perhaps Yadi can teach him a thing or two while he’s in camp.
R.J. Swindle – Drafted in the 14th round of the 2004 amateur draft with the Red Sox, Swindle hasn’t done much but move around since then, mostly with Triple-A teams. In ’08 and ’09 he pitched in exactly 9 Major League games, giving him a career 12.71 ERA. Picked up by the Cards in December, he’s looking to right the ship and prove he’s worthy of a big league spot for the long haul.
Victor Marte – The Puerto Rico native was signed as an amateur free agent by the Kansas City Royals in 2000. Marte didn’t pitch a big-league game until 2009. Then, in his debut, he pitched a shutout inning against the Redbirds’ newest rivals, the LA Angels. At least he has that going for him. Last year, he spent the season with Triple-A Memphis.
Alex Cora – An interesting off-season signing, Cora has, perhaps, the longest history of the Non-Roster guys. In the Bigs since 1998, he has played with four different teams, accumulating a .243 average and a .648 OPS. The classic “utility man,” Cora has played every infield position, plus left field. (I bet Skip Schumaker could show him how to throw a scrappy slider, too …)
Eugenio Velez – This outfielder has spent his entire five-year big league career on the west coast. Last season, he played in a Dodgers uniform and this spring will be reunited with former teammate Rafael Furcal. Velez is a .241 hitter and a versatile outfielder.
Guys who are this close
Then there are these guys. The guys who are under the club’s eagle eye, just on the brink of breaking in. We saw the importance of these guys last year, as the injury bug swept through St. Louis. Which of these young guns will make their mark a la Lance Lynn and Allen Craig?
Shelby Miller – Obviously, he’s the buzz-maker in the St. Louis minors these days. He made a dramatic move last season, vaulting from Single-A Quad Cities all the way to Triple-A Memphis. While he has more work to do than he sometimes likes to admit, he may have a solid shot at seeing big league time at some point this season.
Matt Adams – This is a name you’ll likely hear a lot about, if you haven’t already. Drafted by the Cardinals in 2009, Adams was in a bit of a pickle as a first baseman playing behind one of the greatest of all time. With that former first baseman off in LA and veteran Lance Berkman in his place, many believe Adams — .300 hitter with 32 home runs and 101 RBI last year with Springfield — might see some time as Berkman’s backup. If he wants it, this is the time to claim it.
Steven Hill – In 2010, Hill became the first Cardinal to jump from Double-A to the Majors since Matt Duff in 2002. He played in one game, hitting a home run in his second at bat. Since then, he has been between AA Springfield and AAA Memphis. Now, with Molina’s impending contract drama on everyone’s mind, Hill has a chance to step up and stand out.
Ryan Jackson – A teammate of Adams’, Jackson has created some buzz at the Short Stop position in Springfield. In a similar situation, with Rafael Furcal a bit of a question mark as far as his health, Jackson would serve himself well to build on his .278 average, and .969 fielding percentage in case his services become necessary.
Nick Greenwood — A part of that talented Springfield team, was good enough to take a shot at Memphis last year, but only for one game. Drafted in 2009, the lefty split his time last year, starting at Palm Beach, and moving up to Memphis, to go back to Springfield where he pitched in 59 games for a 4.31 ERA.
Kids with a big-league dream
This group is a list of hopefuls. A list of guys with plenty of promise, and plenty of work to do. But for them, this is the chance they’ve been dreaming of. But can they play that big?
Kolten Wong – The first-round draft pick last year, Wong created all kinds of buzz when he made his way to the Quad Cities from Hawaii. When he arrived with the River Bandits, he was a kid with some offensive pop, but a second baseman with much to be desired. When the season ended, he was one of the best defensive second baseman in the league and, oh yeah, a Midwest League champion. Not bad, eh?
Trevor Rosenthal – Last year was Rosenthal’s first with the Quad Cities club, also. He pitched 120 innings in 22 starts, striking out 133, marking his strongest season in the minors thus far. He, too, helped his team to a MWL title.
Tyrell Jenkins – After spending two years with Johnson City, Jenkins turned some heads the first week of ST. Check out this video from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch coverage of the rookie taking in his first big league Spring Training bullpen. While he’s certainly not there yet, his promise is evident. Oh, yeah, and he’s only 19 years old.
Jordan Swagerty – Swagerty started last season with the Quad Cities club, but quickly found himself moving up the system, pitching 22 games at Palm Beach before moving on to Springfield, where he continued to pitch well, posting a 2.89 ERA in nine games. He also traveled with the Cards Caravan this summer as one of the organization’s rising stars.
John Gast – While Miranda’s certainly the John Gast expert, I can tell you what I know. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the 6th round of the 2012 draft (after being drafted by the Rockies in 2007). Last year, he too made the move from Single-A to Double-A. There, he pitched in 13 games, struck out 54 in 79.1 innings.
Joe Kelly — Adding another pitcher to the bunch, Kelly was a third-round pick in the 2009 draft who has consistently worked his way up. In 2010, he pitched with the River Bandits for most of the year. Last season, he made that common move from Palm Beach to Springfield. The transition wasn’t necessarily easy for Kelly, but the experience no-doubt paid off.
Kevin Siegrist – This lefty has been at it a little longer than some of these new kids. Starting his career in 2008, he’s played mostly A-ball. Last season, he went 8-1 with a 1.15 ERA in the Quad Cities before moving to Palm Beach.
Luis De La Cruz – Here, too, we see a guy with some time in the minors. De La Cruz saw a pair of games in Springfield in 2010, but played last year only for Palm Beach.
Cody Stanley — The fourth-round pick of the 2010 draft, Stanley did work in the Quad Cities last year. He played in 101 games, 80 times as the catcher, on the way to helping his club win a title.
Robert Stock – Stock played with Stanley, to start the season at least. But he was only with the River Bandits for 16 games before heading off to Florida to compete in Palm Beach. There, he caught 42 error-free games.
Each player heading into camp has a goal — to play at the big-league level. For some, that’s still a ways off. But for others, this might just be the shot they need.
Who will make the biggest splash this Spring?
Tara is a St. Louis Cardinals reporter for Aaron Miles’ Fastball and a contributor to Around the Horn. Follow her on Twitter @tarawellman.
