Chat Room Session of February 11th with Guest Mike Lindskog

[BleacherBum593]

Ewttexas We're going for a threepeat tonight.

BleacherBum593 Lets go ahead and get started, the rest can catch up when they get here

BleacherBum593 You once said that the Springfield Cardinals' job was the premier announcing job in all of minor league baseball. Do you still feel that way?

Mike Lindskog No doubt, between the Stadium, the fan support and the fact that it's owned and operated by the Cardinals, there's a lot of guys that would give up a limb to work where I do...I'm very lucky

Ewttexas Do you announce the games on the road as well as at home?

Mike Lindskog Yes...travel with the team for a 140-game schedule - lots of bus trips....tough ones to places like Midland and Corpus

BleacherBum593 I saw in another interview that you did this week, that you were able to take you dad to Game 5 (The Clincher) of last years World Series in St Louis. How special was it to be there with your dad?

Mike Lindskog It was awesome...I'm from Washington State and he was flying in so we could do the Chiefs/Hawks game in KC...we were fortunate to find some tickets and made the drive up to STL at the last
moment. It was definitely a weekend I'll never forget

BleacherBum593 First time at a clincher?

Mike Lindskog I've been to three WS but yes this was the first clincher...it was the first WS game for my dad, so he will always remember it as well

BleacherBum593 Did you stick around all weekend for the festivities?

Mike Lindskog No, we had some stuff to do on Saturday morning but it was an adventure just getting back to the car...the city was going CRAZY! They were well behaved but 24 years is a long time to wait

Mike Lindskog I read to a lot of kids in the community, as part of our reading program, and I always joke to them that I was their age the last time STL won the World Series. They look at my like I'm REALLY OLD.

BleacherBum593 I asked Cody Haerther last week about the “Saturday Night Miracle” game in Little Rock last season. He said it was one of his most memorable games ever. In that game, Little Rock led by 7 with 2 out in the top of the ninth. Springfield proceeded to score 8 runs
after 2 were out and then set them down in the bottom of the 9th. What was it like announcing that comeback in the top of the ninth?

Mike Lindskog That game was as memorable as I've ever been involved with. Cody was struggling and worked the count for a walk...so that was as big of an at-bat as any in the inning. The inning started harmless enough and at the time, you're starting to talk about who's pitching tomorrow and what you're going to cover in the post-game show. The hits kept coming and I remember the ARK outfielder had a chance to catch Stavinoha drive at the wall, but he let it go over his head...that tied the game. Josh Pressley, who's no longer with the Cardinals, dropped the game-winning hit to complete the comeback...it was awesome...biggest comeback I've ever been a part of in 14 years

BleacherBum593 Who did you have on the post-game show that night?

Mike Lindskog Our post-game show unfortunately doesn't give us the opportunity to do interviews, but you could have picked about nine guys that were instrumental in the comeback

BleacherBum593 Speaking of the left fielder

BleacherBum593 Then the next day, another bizarre thing happened. Springfield jumped out on top early and when Little Rock made a pitching change (I believe in the third), they also removed their LF, who still had not made a play that whole weekend. As he approached the dugout, one of the coaches for Little Rock, met the LF a few feet in front of the dugout and tore into the player about his lack of fielding. It got pretty heated and then the next thing you see is the coach and player going at it, tumbling down the steps, swinging away at each other. Did you catch that “event” for the radio and have you ever seen anything similar in all of your broadcasting days?

Mike Lindskog Wow...you are very wise

BleacherBum593 I had front row seats behind the Cards dugout for both of those games that weekend.

Mike Lindskog That's pretty much what happened. I didn't get the visual but I heard from the players exactly how it went down. You never want to see that happen, but they were struggling and sometimes tempers
flare when a player may be dogging it. The only thing I saw was some scuffling and heard a lot of yelling. It was quite the ordeal...the player got suspended for about a week.

BleacherBum593 To the right of me was a cameraman from a local station and he got it all on tape. He was going bananas of thinking it would make the 5 o'clock news. Unfortunately, it never did.

Mike Lindskog That was a wild series. There was also a walk-off grand slam by ARK that same series.

BleacherBum593 Changing gears - Part of your job is doing pre and post game interviews? Is there any one interview that stands out in your mind?

Mike Lindskog This past season, I got to do Bob Gibson during the game...that was memorable

BleacherBum593 (Gibson) Bobblehead night?

Mike Lindskog Being owned by the Cardinals, you can imagine we get more perks than other affiliates and interviewing Bob Gibson or having Stan the Man throw out a first pitch is pretty awesome

Mike Lindskog Bob Gibson wasn't actually there for his bobblehead night...he made opening day. This year it will be Red Schoendienst. Again...we're very fortunate.

BleacherBum593 That answers my next question.

Mike Lindskog The plan is for Red to throw out the 1st pitch on Opening Night...we will also be doing figurines of him later in the year. At least that's the plan...

BleacherBum593 Sounds like your going to do all the Hall of Famers.

cardsfan What's the latest on Rick Ankiel--do you think he'll ever make it back to the majors again?

Mike Lindskog I do a lot of public speaking circuits.... and that's the most common question I get. I have him starting the year in AAA, but he may very well start in Springfield. The Memphis outfield is very crowded and there's guys that need Abs.

Ewttexas With all of the off season moves, how do you see Springfield this year?

Mike Lindskog Haerther, Gorecki and Stavinoha are all prospects...it's strange that they could all be starting in AAA or all be starting in AA, but I doubt they'll ALL be in Double-A. Maybe Stav, just because it's only his third year coming up

Mike Lindskog I was telling some people the other day that this year is my toughest to gauge. So many questions about pitching and outfield.
There are a number of guys that should most likely be in AAA.
Parisi, Pals, Lambert and Pomeranz should all make the jump, but chances are 1 or 2 may be left in Springfield, so it's a matter of who stays and who advances .

BleacherBum593 Springfield’s OF could be loaded this year. There’s the possibility of Colby Rasmus Jon Jay, Ian Church and Joey Mather making the jump to AA, plus depending on the situation at Memphis, you could see anyone of the following - Haerther, Stavinoha, Ankiel and/or Gorecki - looking for playing time at Springfield. Which 5 would you
like to keep?

Mike Lindskog Rather than say "like to keep", I'll say who I think will be in Springfield.... I want to see them advance...so I'd be selfish to hold them back .

Mike Lindskog I think it'll be some combo of Rasmus for sure. Then maybe Stavinoha and Ankiel....but Amaury Marti factors in there. As does Jay...I honestly don't know, nor expect the other two to be in Springfield when camp breaks

Mike Lindskog Church and Mather...don't know much about them

BleacherBum593 Bouncing back to pitching - This upcoming season, you’ll probably get a chance to see a couple more potentially. John Vuch said in week 1 of our chat series here, that Mitchell Boggs and Jaime Garcia could open the season with Springfield. Have you seen either one pitch before? And are you looking forward to seeing them on the mound?

Mike Lindskog Could...I'd guess should....no I haven't seen them pitch yet. I bet they both are in the rotation in April though....I know that Garcia is a huge prospect...future's game last year and Boggs...I think he threw a no-no for Palm Beach last year...so that will be something fun to talk about.

BleacherBum593 Who do you look for to make the Springfield Bullpen in 2007?

Mike Lindskog Well, I think Sillman is going to big league camp...he'll be our closer. We were very happy with Mark Worrell last year. So far Palm Beach has sent us some good closers. Hard to say with some of the rest...Dennis Dove should be working for us, but he'll have a shot to make the AAA club. Maybe Mark McCormick...I heard he's got good stuff. A lot of these questions will get better answers upon visiting spring training in March.

Mike Lindskog Last Spring Training, I remember watching Colby Rasmus hit on the extended Spring Training field. He looked so thin and lanky...I thought, man he's the CF of the future? But, he had a great year....show's what I know.

BleacherBum593 Understand. I believe you said earlier that you were going down in March. Still true?

Mike Lindskog That's the plan....head down to ST around mid-march for a few days. Our staff has organized a trip to entertain sponsors the last few years and I've been lucky enough to tag along....mixing in some "work" but mostly, catching up with the guys and figuring out who's coming to Springfield

BleacherBum593 Nothing like watching 4 games at once on the back 40, is there?

Mike Lindskog Being around the minor league facility is a lot of fun...if you've never done spring training, it's worth the trip. I hope to get to AZ for a quick weekend as well....hopefully the week before FLA. That would be the ultimate, to pull two spring trainings in one year. My
wife is a Flight Attendant for Southwest Airlines so i have some free flight benefits...that's how I can hopefully mix in a trip to AZ for a weekend.

BleacherBum593 I've got a bunch of people trying to get in to the room. So if anyone has any questions, go ahead for the next few minutes and ask them.

Ewttexas Does it give you a special felling when one of the players ie Kinney, Thompson, etc. make s it the big leagues?

Mike Lindskog We didn't have Brad Thompson...but Josh Kinney is our boy! He's one of those guys that you really end up rooting for. Great guy, loves to fish and hunt, fits into the Springfield scene very well. To watch him get Piazza out and then Beltran...it was awesome! I was nervous for him in the World Series....more like rooting for your buddy than rooting for your team.

cardsfan Do you think a lot of the first basemen in the organization will eventually get traded or converted to a different position?

Mike Lindskog 1st base certainly seems to be a dead end.... you have to stockpile your minor league system...so that means all positions. But, if there was a chance to draft a picher or a 1st baseman....I think they
should be looking pitching.

Mike Lindskog They've filled 1st base with a minor league veteran last year...Juan Richardson and he did very well for us.. in memphis...I think they've done the same thing. Last year it was Juan Diaz.... and a host of other non-prospects

cardsfan I know someone that knows Mike Ferris who played for Palm Beach last season. I think he was a second round pick a while back.

Mike Lindskog Yeah...I don't know a whole lot about Ferris…struggled to hit the mendoza line.

BleacherBum593 Ferris - great hitter in college with the metal bat, but that hasn't translated very well with the wooden bat. But, Duncan started slow and look at where he's at today.

Mike Lindskog (Matt) Dyer can play first...and third. You have to be versatile.

Mike Lindskog Matt Dryer that is. He began the year as our first baseman...struggled and was sent down to PB, finished playing a lot of 3B there

Ewttexas I guess that I'm confused, Mike. Where were you when Thompson set the minor league record for consecutive scoreless innings?

Mike Lindskog Are you talking about when Thompson was in Double-A, cuz that would have been in Tennessee with the Smokies, pre-2005. I've never covered him.

Ewttexas Yes but that was our affiliate at the time.

Mike Lindskog Right...pre-2005. So at that time, I was in El Paso, Texas. Conor Jackson, Carlos Quentin....big Dbacks prospects

Ewttexas Gotcha. Thanks.


End of Part 1

[BleacherBum593]

Part 2

BleacherBum593 Speaking of Kinney, who was with SPR '05 and he helped out the St Louis bullpen during the playoff run in 2006…What reliever(s) inthe organization that you saw in '06 could help out the Cards this coming season during the stretch drive?

Mike Lindskog Andy Cavazos is a guy who could make a splash. He got some pub last year going to the AAA all-star game. He's got good stuff.

BleacherBum593 Troy Cate?

Mike Lindskog Troy Cate is a guy I'm rooting for as well. He pitched in the Cal League for the Seattle affiliate when i was there back in 2001 and 2002. He's got a good future and may be a real good find for the Cards...considering the M's gave up on him.

BleacherBum593 How far has he progressed since then?

Mike Lindskog Well, considering he was put on the 40 man....it's obvious STL thinks highly of him. He was good in the Cal League...took a step back...but then last year, he dominated. His demeanor on the mound was just soooo in control.

cardsfan I think Goold had him as one of the guys competing for the 3 SP spots

Mike Lindskog Our manager, Chris Maloney, relied on him late in the year as one of the only guys he could count on coming out of the pen....makes you wonder why they had him in PB nearly the whole year. Typically they don't promote a guy who's not home-grown...but I thought he was more than deserving of a promotion to AA before he got it

Ewttexas I was surprised to read some negative comments on Corey Doyne. He seemed to be a very likeable guy.

Mike Lindskog Cory’s history is one that has had some discipline problems in the past. He's a good guy and he's got good stuff, but sometimes, guys just need to bounce around before they figure it all out. I had him for two years and we got along great...I'll root for him, but I wish he could have pulled it off wearing Cardinals' colors. Now he's with Baltimore.

Ewttexas Agreed. I wish him the best of luck.

Alex Austin Which Texas League slugger do you think has a bigger upside and a shot to be in the bigs, Joe Koshansky and Nate Gold?

Mike Lindskog Koshansky looks to be a better hitter.... Gold just got hot last year and had a great second half. I like Koshansky though....I think he's a bit more complete. Left-handed too.

BleacherBum593 My next to final Q from a poster who’s been transplanted to SW Missouri – Maria’s on South Street over Mexican Villa? Agree?

Mike Lindskog Maria's is awesome! Not a big Villa guy.

BleacherBum593 Since Mr. Lindskog had an opportunity to watch both Josh Anderson and Hunter Pence, which is the better bet this spring to replace Taveras in the Astros OF? (Sounds like someone is fishing for fantasy baseball info)

Mike Lindskog I don't think that Josh Anderson is going to do what Pence can do at the big league level. I thought trading Taveras and the rest of those guys to the Rockies was foolish. Where was Walt during that deal? I'd take Taveras and the other two pitchers they gave to Colorado. Houston has made some BAD deals lately....they dealt a couple guys for Aubrey Huff....way to go...that worked out well. Those guys are going to be playing for TB this year and Huff is now long gone.

BleacherBum593 Thanks Mike! Okay - if you got any Q's, now's your time to ask them.

cardsfan What was your most memorable call?

Mike Lindskog This past season's 8-run ninth inning comeback (vs Little Rock) was pretty memorable. Calling the game at Busch Stadium between Memphis and Springfield was awesome as well. First game ever...very cool !

Mike Lindskog I'll have more details on a lot of these guys in march...hard to comment on these guys during the offseason. Some of it sounds repetitive...but I'll have fresh stuff in late March

cardsfan Do you think McGwire belongs in the HOF?

Mike Lindskog I do. I honestly want to close my eyes and hope the steroids thing goes away. Some say the American way is innocent until proven guilty, but he certainly didn't do himself any favors by wavering in front of congress. I think he'll get there some day....he's not Pete Rose. I'd keep Pete Rose OUT. He's ungrateful and is going about it all the wrong way.

Alex Austin What are your thoughts on Mike McCoy, could he be a quality utility player?

Mike Lindskog Mike McCoy was as underrated as anyone last year. One of the reasons we competed in the first half. He doesn't look like your typical major league player, but he works hard and hustles and I love that about him....another guy I'll be rooting for.

cardsfan What about broadcasting--would you like the chance to call games at a major league level someday?

Mike Lindskog I'd love to carry Mike Shannon's bags around someday. That's the ultimate goal...get to the big leagues. I'd work for the Expos if I could....no wait...

cardsfan Same here--I'm calling some collegiate softball games this season and then start the job search.

Mike Lindskog Anyone looking to get into baseball on a full-time basis HAS to go to the winter meetings in Dec. Networking is the key and that's where to break in...whether it's broadcasting or for any position in
baseball

bedir than average Mike, I may have missed it but how did your play by play career start? Did you climb the market ladder?

Mike Lindskog Definitely payed my dues. I started in Spokane for George Brett's group - the Brett brothers own a handful of teams around the west coast. I got my start there...worked for them for 12 years. Bobby
Brett put in a good word with Mr. Lamping of the Cardinals and I was lucky enough to end up in Springfield and hopefully the next stop is STL. Hopefully …..

cardsfan Do you prefer radio or would you like to do TV, too? What about other sports?

Mike Lindskog It really doesn't matter to me...whatever would be quickest to the show...i know I can do both, so wherever the break comes from, I'm ready for it

Ewttexas In case I don’t get to say it later, this has definately been a 3-peat. I didn't think it could be as good as the last 2 but it has been great. Thanks for taking the time with us.

Mike Lindskog thanks for the feedback EW...I'd be happy to come on during the season and give REAL details

Ewttexas I'd look forward to that.

BleacherBum593 And we'll hold you to that Mike.

Mike Lindskog Take me up on it....the season will be much more fresh in my head then.

Mike Lindskog Any more ?s?

Mike Lindskog Well in that case, I'd like to thank the fans for this grammy....I love you!

Alex Austin What are your thoughts on Shaun Boyd?

Mike Lindskog Shaun's a great guy that looks like he got lost in the shuffle....I still hadn't heard that he signed with a team...do you have that?

BleacherBum593 He's still looking

Mike Lindskog Another guy I had for two years that was great to work with, but unfortunately didn't have that breakout season that you'd like to see from a 1st rounder .

Alex Austin Do you think if he didn’t get hurt last year in Memphis things could been different

Mike Lindskog Things could have been different...guys need at-bats to succeed and he wasn't playing as much as he liked at triple A. He was consistent for us in Springfield, but I don’t think they wanted to
spend a 40man spot on him.

BleacherBum593 Mike, I’d like to thank you for showing up tonight. I know you made a big effort to get back here from the West Coast today to be with us. We’d love to have you come back and join us next month after you make the trek down to Jupiter and get a look at what’s
happening on the back fields of Roger Dean.

Mike Lindskog I'd love to...thanks for having me...hope it was worth it for the guys in the forum. Thanks again guys....feel free to email me with any questions....mlindskog@stlcardinals.com

Mike Lindskog Take care and good night!



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