Interesting thoughts from Jocketty

stlkat · 01-12-2007, 08:46 AM

Bernie had Walt on his radio show yesterday and posted the highlights on his board. You can find the thread at:

STLtoday.com: Sports - Forums - Bernie's Pressbox - Topic - Jocketty on 1380, lots of stuff:

GoCrazyFolks · 01-12-2007, 10:07 AM

Interesting that Jocketty already said they were slotting Ankiel for AAA. I'm glad to hear it though. Let's see what he has to offer.

Good to hear that they are big on Narveson. I'm glad to see some of these guys from our system getting the attention of management.

Most importantly, I'm glad to see they are still looking for an OF.

tulcard · 01-12-2007, 11:18 AM

Thanks for the link stlkat....good read.

Kodiak · 01-12-2007, 01:46 PM

Yes good read. Ankiel must have been really working hard down in Jupiter if they are already marking him for a spot at AAA.

If we get Weaver then I think we'll really be set. I like going into spring training with an abundance of (solid) possibilities for the rotation. Without Weaver we will still be fine but we'll have to pray that Reyes and Wells can cut it and that Wainwright is what we think he is.....

bccran · 01-12-2007, 01:55 PM

Johnson
Flores
Rincon
Narveson
Keisler

We'll probably have two lefties in the bullpen. Keisler is slated for Memphis, but who else doesn't make the roster? We have to pay Rincon a major league salary and Narvy is out of options.

Kodiak · 01-12-2007, 03:08 PM

Johnson really impressed last season. He obviously has a lot of competition but I think he makes the squad. Flores took a step back last season and I see him in AAA. I think Rincon has to make the squad.

We've got a lot of great options for the bullpen.

Wainwright (though I think he'll start)
Izzy
Looper
Springer
Hancock
Thompson
Kinney

And then all the lefties. Spring training will be really interesting in terms of bullpen slots this year.

TLR likes to have a lot of lefties. Before its over we may have 3 lefties on the squad as Rincon is best used as a situational lefty anyway....

BleacherBum593 · 01-12-2007, 03:08 PM

I got the feeling we may go with 3 lefties in the pen - T Johnson, Rincon, Narveson - especially if Narvy can't win the 5th spot in the rotation.

May be a good way to break him into the majors, ala Wainwright.

Kodiak · 01-12-2007, 03:11 PM

Wow! Great minds really do think alike Bleach!

I forgot to mention Franklin in the pen. Man! We've got a lot of options for the pen. I like it!

ArRedbird · 01-12-2007, 07:23 PM

cranny, how is Narveson out of options?
The only thing I can think of is that he can be
a minor league FA at the end of the year. In that
sense, then, he's "out of options." But he could be
moved up and down from AAA to StL all year, if
I understand options.

kodiak, you've probably already seen this signing:
The Cardinals -- avoiding arbitration with LHP Randy Flores
as a super two -- signed him to a 2-year, $1.8M contract.
The deal is for $800k for 2007 and $1M in 2008.

Looks like he's expected to make the trip north.

gocrazy, when Walt says Ankiel's "slotted" for AAA he may not
mean "at the beginning of the season." He may mean, instead, that
he hopes Ankiel will slide into the AAA outfield before the end
of the season.

I wouldn't be too surprised to see him begin at AA or even Palm Beach.

-- no offense meant to anyone

BleacherBum593 · 01-12-2007, 07:33 PM

Narvy - first option year was 2004. Then he used up his other option years in 2005 and 2006. Therefore, he is out of options for this year. He'll have to be kept at the ML level, be run thru waivers to go back down or be traded (which could be a real possibility in my mind).

ArRedbird · 01-12-2007, 08:23 PM

Thanks, BleacherBum,
and sorry to dispute you, cranny!

I hadn't realized that Narveson
had been on the Red Sox 40-man roster.

Kodiak · 01-13-2007, 03:14 AM

I posted on the other thread about Flores, just found out. Based on last years performances, I would have to give Johnson a slot over Flores. I think Rincon makes the club (because he'd be a good situational lefty and TLR loves those, and he's already made a lot of money from us for doing pretty much nothing).

Bullpen slot competition in spring training is going to be tough this year.

LawlessinIndiana · 01-19-2007, 06:01 AM

Does anybody else see us trading a lh reliever this spring?

GoCrazyFolks · 01-19-2007, 10:26 AM

I see us making a trade between now and opening day. I wouldn't be surprised at all if a LH reliever was included in the deal.

fpslackers · 01-21-2007, 11:26 PM

I see us trading some relievers before Opening Day.

The whole Narveson situation concerns me. He has barely been mentioned by Jocketty and LaRussa this offseason about being a part of the 2007 ballclub. Recently LaRussa stated that Narveson will contend for the No.5 spot in the rotation and will not be considered for a bullpen spot. In essence, he's saying that Narvy is going to be sent to AAA. With Franklin likely to pick up that No.5 spot and with Looper and Thompson also contending, Narveson seems extremely unlikely to win that spot. The club is also pursuing Weaver.
The question is: What are the chances of Narveson clearing waivers? You never know what is going to happen but I would say the chances are very slim. Teams are paying $8mil/year for No.4 starters. Why would a young pitcher who would make the league minimum and possibly be a decent back end starter clear waivers?

01-12-2007, 08:46 AM	#1 (permalink)
stlkat Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: St. Louis Posts: 167	Interesting thoughts from Jocketty Bernie had Walt on his radio show yesterday and posted the highlights on his board. You can find the thread at: STLtoday.com: Sports - Forums - Bernie's Pressbox - Topic - Jocketty on 1380, lots of stuff:

01-12-2007, 03:11 PM	#8 (permalink)
Kodiak Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 746	Wow! Great minds really do think alike Bleach! I forgot to mention Franklin in the pen. Man! We've got a lot of options for the pen. I like it! Last edited by Kodiak; 01-12-2007 at 03:20 PM.

01-12-2007, 10:07 AM	#2 (permalink)
GoCrazyFolks Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 167	Interesting that Jocketty already said they were slotting Ankiel for AAA. I'm glad to hear it though. Let's see what he has to offer. Good to hear that they are big on Narveson. I'm glad to see some of these guys from our system getting the attention of management. Most importantly, I'm glad to see they are still looking for an OF.

01-12-2007, 11:18 AM	#3 (permalink)
tulcard Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 876	Thanks for the link stlkat....good read.

01-12-2007, 01:46 PM	#4 (permalink)
Kodiak Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 746	Yes good read. Ankiel must have been really working hard down in Jupiter if they are already marking him for a spot at AAA. If we get Weaver then I think we'll really be set. I like going into spring training with an abundance of (solid) possibilities for the rotation. Without Weaver we will still be fine but we'll have to pray that Reyes and Wells can cut it and that Wainwright is what we think he is.....

01-12-2007, 01:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
bccran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 40	Johnson Flores Rincon Narveson Keisler We'll probably have two lefties in the bullpen. Keisler is slated for Memphis, but who else doesn't make the roster? We have to pay Rincon a major league salary and Narvy is out of options.

01-12-2007, 03:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
Kodiak Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 746	Johnson really impressed last season. He obviously has a lot of competition but I think he makes the squad. Flores took a step back last season and I see him in AAA. I think Rincon has to make the squad. We've got a lot of great options for the bullpen. Wainwright (though I think he'll start) Izzy Looper Springer Hancock Thompson Kinney And then all the lefties. Spring training will be really interesting in terms of bullpen slots this year. TLR likes to have a lot of lefties. Before its over we may have 3 lefties on the squad as Rincon is best used as a situational lefty anyway....

01-12-2007, 03:08 PM	#7 (permalink)
BleacherBum593 Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: St Louis (LF Bleachers) Posts: 1,903	I got the feeling we may go with 3 lefties in the pen - T Johnson, Rincon, Narveson - especially if Narvy can't win the 5th spot in the rotation. May be a good way to break him into the majors, ala Wainwright.

01-12-2007, 07:23 PM	#9 (permalink)
ArRedbird Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Arkansas Posts: 588	cranny, how is Narveson out of options? The only thing I can think of is that he can be a minor league FA at the end of the year. In that sense, then, he's "out of options." But he could be moved up and down from AAA to StL all year, if I understand options. kodiak, you've probably already seen this signing: The Cardinals -- avoiding arbitration with LHP Randy Flores as a super two -- signed him to a 2-year, $1.8M contract. The deal is for $800k for 2007 and $1M in 2008. Looks like he's expected to make the trip north. gocrazy, when Walt says Ankiel's "slotted" for AAA he may not mean "at the beginning of the season." He may mean, instead, that he hopes Ankiel will slide into the AAA outfield before the end of the season. I wouldn't be too surprised to see him begin at AA or even Palm Beach. -- no offense meant to anyone

01-12-2007, 07:33 PM	#10 (permalink)
BleacherBum593 Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: St Louis (LF Bleachers) Posts: 1,903	Narvy - first option year was 2004. Then he used up his other option years in 2005 and 2006. Therefore, he is out of options for this year. He'll have to be kept at the ML level, be run thru waivers to go back down or be traded (which could be a real possibility in my mind).

01-12-2007, 08:23 PM	#11 (permalink)
ArRedbird Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Arkansas Posts: 588	Thanks, BleacherBum, and sorry to dispute you, cranny! I hadn't realized that Narveson had been on the Red Sox 40-man roster.

01-13-2007, 03:14 AM	#12 (permalink)
Kodiak Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 746	I posted on the other thread about Flores, just found out. Based on last years performances, I would have to give Johnson a slot over Flores. I think Rincon makes the club (because he'd be a good situational lefty and TLR loves those, and he's already made a lot of money from us for doing pretty much nothing). Bullpen slot competition in spring training is going to be tough this year.

01-19-2007, 06:01 AM	#13 (permalink)
LawlessinIndiana New Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 3	Does anybody else see us trading a lh reliever this spring?

01-19-2007, 10:26 AM	#14 (permalink)
GoCrazyFolks Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 167	I see us making a trade between now and opening day. I wouldn't be surprised at all if a LH reliever was included in the deal.

01-21-2007, 11:26 PM	#15 (permalink)
fpslackers Rookie Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 9	I see us trading some relievers before Opening Day. The whole Narveson situation concerns me. He has barely been mentioned by Jocketty and LaRussa this offseason about being a part of the 2007 ballclub. Recently LaRussa stated that Narveson will contend for the No.5 spot in the rotation and will not be considered for a bullpen spot. In essence, he's saying that Narvy is going to be sent to AAA. With Franklin likely to pick up that No.5 spot and with Looper and Thompson also contending, Narveson seems extremely unlikely to win that spot. The club is also pursuing Weaver. The question is: What are the chances of Narveson clearing waivers? You never know what is going to happen but I would say the chances are very slim. Teams are paying $8mil/year for No.4 starters. Why would a young pitcher who would make the league minimum and possibly be a decent back end starter clear waivers?