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| | Wednesday, April 19 Cardinals minor-league report | |||||
| By John Sickels Special to ESPN.com System overview The Cardinals farm system is in a good news/bad news mode. The good news is that there are two high-ceiling, star-caliber pitching talents available in Rick Ankiel and Chad Hutchinson. The system produced enough talent to help bring Darryl Kile and Pat Hentgen to town for a playoff run in 2000. But that's just a short-term solution. In the long run, the Cardinals, who lack tremendous financial resources, must have a strong farm system in order to compete. The bad news is that the system lacks depth. J.D. Drew was a major underachiever as a rookie in 1999, but will still have an excellent career. Beyond him, there is a notable lack of position players with star ability. Many Cardinals minor league hitters have good athletic skills, but don't know how to play baseball. Several pitchers expected to move forward in 1999 instead stagnated. The Cardinals usually focus on college pitching, an approach that brought Alan Benes and Matt Morris to the majors. But the injuries to that pair, and the failure of other pitchers to develop, have been a sharp blow. The front office is aware of the organization's problems, and knows that farm system investment is the key to success. For this reason, they have been willing to pursue players that have high price tags, but premium abilities. 1999 minor league W-L percentage: .442 (ranked 30th) 1999 amateur draft The Cardinals had three picks before the second round, selecting two college pitchers and a high school first baseman. Chance Caple, from Texas A&M, throws hard when he is on his game, but can be erratic. Nick Stocks, from Florida State, signed too late to pitch in 1999, but has a 93-mph fastball and good breaking stuff. He is more likely to move quickly than Caple. Chris Duncan, a high school first baseman from Tucson and son of pitching coach Dave Duncan, has good power, but a long swing. He won't be on the fast track. Second-round pick Josh Pearce, from Arizona, and third-rounder B.R. Cook, from Oregon State, are college pitchers with good arms who should improve the system's pitching depth. Fourth-rounder Ben Johnson, a high school outfielder from Tennessee, played surprisingly well in rookie ball, and could end up being a major steal. If Johnson continues to develop, and the college pitchers mature as expected, this draft will be a success. Top prospects 1) Rick Ankiel, LHP: Who else? The only thing that will keep Ankiel from being a star is injury. He must be handled carefully, and even then there is no guarantee that he won't get hurt. 2) Chad Hutchinson, RHP: Throws 94 mph with a great breaking pitch. Less advanced than Ankiel, despite being older. Mechanics and control are problems, and he needs a year of Triple-A. 3) Adam Kennedy, 2B: Likely to start 2000 at second base. Good line-drive hitter, glove work is adequate. Should hit .280 with lots of doubles. 4) Jack Wilson, SS: A-ball shortstop, hit .343 in the Midwest League and .296 in the Carolina League. Good athlete with a solid swing, needs to improve his glove. 5) Bud Smith, LHP: Stuff is average, but he is young, and great K/BB ratios in his first full year augur well for his future. Others of note Justin Brunette, LHP: Elbow surgery increased his fastball from 88 to 92 mph. Slider is good, too. Should contribute in the bullpen eventually. Stubby Clapp, UT: Minor league vet, capable of doing what Joe McEwing did last year. Jason Woolf, SS: Injury-plagued, but talented. Solid athletic skills, will have a chance to move up after trade of Brent Butler to Colorado. Bill Ortega, OF: Cuban defector, a fine defensive outfielder with a developing bat. A bit old for A-ball last year, will have to adjust fast to Double-A. Luis Saturria, OF: Outstanding physical specimen, with power, speed, and a cannon arm. Bad strike zone judgment in Double-A a major negative. Chris Richard, 1B: Career slowed by injuries, but he has good power from the left side. Other names to know: Chris Haas, 3B; Jesus Ametller, 2B; David Kim, OF; Andy Bevins, OF; Jose Leon, 3B; Steve Stemle, RHP; Tim Lemon, OF. John Sickels is the author of the 2000 STATS Minor League Scouting Notebook. You can email your questions to him at JASickels@AOL.com. | ALSO SEE Hot Stove Heaters: Cardinals ESPN.com's Hot Stove Heaters  | |||||