My Visit to Cardinal Camp
Written by Mike on February 22, 2008 – 3:14 am -
I spent some time at Cardinals camp yesterday, and as promised, I’ll use this post to share my experience.
There was more traffic than I anticipated, so I didn’t arrive at camp until 9:45. Although it was raining when I left my place, the weather was great in Jupiter (Today I can really feel the sunburn). I easily found a parking place in front of Roger Dean Stadium and made the short walk around to the back fields. If you’ve never been to the complex, it’s a beautiful place to see. Behind the stadium, there are twelve full-size ball fields, and a couple of small ones, all shared by the Cardinals and Marlins. When I arrived, the team was just finishing their stretching and throwing.
I quickly found the workout schedule, made by Tony La Russa, posted on one of the backstops. Upon first glance, I thought I’d need Tony’s secret decoder ring to decipher the mess on the page, but after a little studying, I figured it out (at least in part). The schedule is complex and precise. Every player and coach is put into a group. The groups rotate between fields and stations at certain times. Everyone has a place to be, and everyone really hustles from field to field. It’s fun to watch.
I started by watching some fielding practice. All of the catchers, and Mike Matheny of course, gathered in the small field between fields 1 and 6. The catchers took turns blocking balls in the dirt fed from a pitching machine. Matheny painted a half-circle in the dirt, and the idea was to keep the ball within the arc. The machine was putting some serious spin on the balls, and bouncing them several feet in front of the catchers. It was funny to see the guys block the ball and then dive after the ricochet. Molina even threw his mask at a ball.
During this same time, the pitchers were also doing fielding drills. Most of the big leaguers were on field 1, while the younger guys were on 6. Both groups were fielding ground balls after a simulated delivery, and throwing them to either first or second. Then there were rounds of grounders to Pujols, with the pitchers covering first.
On the far fields, the outfielders and infielders were also doing drills, but I didn’t make my way over there. Since the interior paths are blocked off for the players to use, the only way to get to the far fields is to walk around the outfield fences, or take a trolley, which has a few stops along the way.
After a short meeting with La Russa on the small field, the pitchers broke off into more groups, and a catcher or two headed to each station. Some pitchers were throwing bullpen sessions, some were doing more fielding, this time in front of a big wall, and others were practicing bunting. They had to lay several bunts down each line, then had to show bunt and swing away. There was a lot of smack-talking between the pitchers during the swinging away part.
Next, I watched a little situational infielding practice with the “B” squad. Included in the group was Brian Barden, Rico Washington, David Freese, and surprisingly, Brendan Ryan. The drills were about reading the batter for bunt coverage with runners on. If you’re wondering, Jarrett Hoffpauir was in the group with Cesar Izturis, Adam Kennedy, and Aaron Miles.
I spent most of the rest of my time watching live batting practice. I watched four groups. The pitchers were Adam Ottavino, Chris Perez, Tyler Herron, and Todd Wellemeyer. I know that early on in camp the pitchers have the advantage, and that was certainly the case with Ottavino. He pitched to a group of Colby Rasmus, Brian Barton, Josh Phelps, Cody Hearther, and Jason LaRue. I think I only saw one ball get hit fair, and it was a soft liner to short. The first time through there were several swing and misses.
There wasn’t a lot of excitement from the “power” group, which included Albert Pujols, Troy Glaus, Juan Gonzalez, and Scott Spiezio. Pujols smashed one back up the middle off of Wellemeyer, but it was pretty quiet otherwise.
By far, the most impressive hitting group was the outfielders Rick Ankiel, Chris Duncan, Ryan Ludwick, and Skip Schumaker. Maybe they’re ahead of the rest because they were in camp early. All hit the ball hard, and all over the field. Edit (02/23): I thought the pitcher during this group was Herron, but I guess I was mistaken.
I noticed a lot of other interesting things yesterday too. Here are some:
- Chris Perez throws hard.
- Brian Barton is very athletic, but doesn’t look it.
- Troy Glaus is a much bigger guy than I thought he was.
- Ryan Franklin needs a haircut.
- They sell beer and hotdogs. Big plus in my book!
- “Professional” autograph hounds piss me off. Let the kids get a ball signed.
- Mickey the munchkin from The Wizard of Oz was there signing autographs.
- Red was cruising around in his golf cart.
- Chris Carpenter was jogging the neighborhood and nearly ran me over as I was leaving.
- The team store was open and I wanted one of everything.
Overall, it was a great day. I think it’s neat to see major league ballplayers doing the same kind of drills that you do in high school and Legion ball. Although nothing profound, take a look at the some of my pictures. I had a lot of fun, and would recommend it to any baseball fan. If you haven’t been to camp, go. It’s free. Six more days until the first Spring Training game.
Minor News
Written by Mike on February 16, 2008 – 3:27 am -It was just as beautiful a day today in South Florida as it was yesterday. Day two of Spring Training went as expected. It was the first full scheduled workout for pitchers and catchers. As I’ve said before, there are a lot of new faces this spring, many of whom are getting their first taste of a big league camp. Tony La Russa took note of the many young players.
“Shouldn’t be any sleepy spring training games,” he said. ”Guys will be out there playing for their major-league lives.”
I know how much Tony prefers the veteran guys, and emphasizes the value of situational and pressure filled experience, but it would be nice to see a rookie or two break camp with the Cardinals this March. I think the younger guys, especially the ones playing for the league minimum, can really bring some much needed energy to a stagnant ball club. It was great during the stretch run of the ‘06 World Championship season to see some of the unseasoned guys step into big roles. Guys like Adam Wainwright, Anthony Reyes, Tyler Johnson, and Josh Kinney stepped up when the team needed them to, and the Cardinals wouldn’t have brought home the trophy without them.
Speaking of Kinney, today was his third time throwing off a mound this spring. Although his rehab is going well, it looks as though he might not see any game action for a while longer. Matthew Leach has more.
Cardinals’ hitting coach Hal McRae was involved in drills with some of the hitters today decked out in his new #15 jersey. Remember my thoughts on that?
According to Derrick Goold, Colby Rasmus arrived to camp today. ”The Chosen One” has an outside shot of making the club, but more than likely he’ll start the year in Memphis. Don’t forget to check out Goold’s Bird Land, for all the inside happenings down (up for me) in Jupiter. Today he discusses a possible Mark McGwire appearance, as well as the “save the bullets” rule. Find it all here.
And Chris Lee has more eye-popping photographs to share, this time of Mike Matheny instructing the catchers. Find them here. It’s great to see Mike with the Birds on the Bat.
It’s Time For Baseball!
Written by Mike on February 15, 2008 – 3:03 am -
It’s here. No more waiting. Today is the official day for pitchers and catchers to report. Any that weren’t already at the Spring Training complex in Jupiter, Fl are there now. There are also several position players in camp, even though they’re not required to be there until next week.
Tony La Russa seems excited to get back to work. He was in good spirits as he arrived to camp today. Tony loves competition this time of year, and it looks like there will be plenty this spring, as several players are trying to win a roster spot with the big club. One such player, infielder Brendan Ryan, arrived today to get a jump on his routine. He is one of nine infielders fighting for only six spots.
Also arriving today were former Cardinals Mike Matheny and Cal Eldred. Both are in camp to help instruct the catchers and pitchers.
Be sure to check out Derrick Goold’s Bird Land for more on the start of Spring Training. Also, for the must see pictures from today, courtesy of Chris Lee, click here.
There should be plenty of news coming out of Cardinal camp over the next couple of weeks. Workouts will continue until the first exhibition game, scheduled for February 27th, against St. Louis University. I’ll keep you posted.
Super Bowl Sunday
Written by Mike on February 3, 2008 – 8:52 pm -As I sit here with my beer, waiting for this over-hyped game to begin, I can’t help but feel nauseated by the endless hours of pre-game coverage. By game time I’ll be so sick of football I might not stay tuned long after the kickoff.
During the coverage, I was surprised to see most of the fans bundled up in sweatshirts and jackets, after all, the Big Game is in Arizona. I checked the weather online and found it’s only 50 degrees there, with a 60 percent chance of rain. Bummer. Here in South Florida, the temperature just outside my door is a mild 83 degrees, and it’s sunny.
What does this have to do with Cardinal baseball? Well, pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training in Jupiter, FL in just eleven days. So, get your butts down here, Cards fans! The weather is perfect for baseball.
More on Spring Training
Written by Mike on January 28, 2008 – 4:45 am -
The excitement of buying my Spring Training tickets has yet to wear off. This spring is my third year of attending the games in Jupiter, which is only an hour from my place. My excitement, along with the lack of Cardinals news, allows me to take this time to get a little personal.
I moved from St. Louis to South Florida in March of 2006. The move was kind of an “all-in” situation, where not making it wasn’t an option. Although times were tough at first, and we were counting our pennies, saving enough for a Spring Training game was a must.
I’ll never forget that first game. We enjoyed a few beers as we waited for the gates to open. I had heard good things about Roger Dean Stadium, but this was my first experience. I remember thinking how small the concourse and vending area was as I passed through the entrance. I guess I was comparing it to a major league park. I made a quick stop at the beer cart before climbing the few steps to the seating area. At the top of the staircase my breath was taken away. It was amazing. I couldn’t believe how close the field was. The proximity of the players was unreal. At that moment, I thought, I’ll be back here often.
Since that first game, I’ve enjoyed several trips to Jupiter, as well as a few other ballparks within driving distance. The more I learn about Spring Training, the better it gets. I’ve seen the AB hitch, clydesdales and all, marching around the warning track just as they would in St. Louis. I’ve seen all the stars, as well as the prospects, trying to shake off the winter rust. I’ve gotten countless autographs from Cardinal greats, including Hall of Famer, Bob Gibson. Now that I know what to expect, I’m more excited about camp than ever before.
For those who haven’t been to a Spring Training game, I couldn’t recommend it more. You don’t know what you’re missing. If you can’t make it down to Florida, I’ll do my best to provide you all the insights I can. As I said in yesterday’s post, I’ve already purchased tickets to four games, and I’m sure I’ll attend more. I’ll take a ton of pictures, and do everything I can to give you an idea of all the happenings from camp. If there’s anything in particular you’d like to see or hear about, please email me, or leave me a comment.
Spring Training Tickets and More
Written by Mike on January 27, 2008 – 2:08 am -Cardinals Spring Training tickets went on sale this morning at 8am. If you’re anything like me, you were sitting in front of the computer, credit card in hand, waiting for the hour. I bought tickets to four games so far, but don’t worry if you haven’t ordered any yet. Check out Stubhub. There’s a link in the sidebar, and they’ll have plenty of good tickets still available. I hope to see you in Jupiter.
Speaking of Spring Training, the non-roster invitee list is out. NRIs are players not on the roster, but who’ll be in camp either getting an extended look from the coaching staff, or competing for a spot with the club. There are quite a few intriguing names on the list, including top prospects Colby Rasmus and Bryan Anderson. Matthew Leach has the full story here.
Also, be sure to check out Leach’s latest “Around the Horn”. He discusses the new look outfield here.
Finally, the Cardinals have announced their television schedule on Wednesday. FSN Midwest of course gets the bulk of the load, while KSDK returns to televise 20 games, all in high definition. You can get all of the information here.
