2021 Arizona Fall League

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  • #173756
    Brian Walton
    Keymaster

    Paid - Annual

    #173758
    bccran
    Participant

    The best pure hitter in the upper levels of our minors isn’t on the list. That’s shocking.

    #173762
    bicyclemike
    Moderator

    Paid - Annual

    I wonder if Yepez will turn out to be quite a player. When that deal went down for Adams it seemed as if we gave him (Adams) away. But Yepez had developed into a great minor league hitter. If he can do it in the bigs, the Braves may never deal with us again (re: Wainwright).

    #173769
    bccran
    Participant

    Can anyone explain why Burleson wasn’t on the list?

    #173811
    forsch31
    Participant

    Free

    Why is Burleson the Cardinals best pure hitter in the upper minors?

    #173847
    1982 willie
    Participant

    I’m very interested in seeing how Donovan does. I know yepez has the pop so everyone really likes him but Donovan seems to be my kind of player. Hopefully hicks doesn’t have any setbacks. I’m wondering about nootbar. Does this mean he can’t be on the post season roster if we are still playing then.

    #173848
    858booyah
    Participant

    Free

    The interesting thing besides Hicks is Nootbar likely getting an extended look. I think he and Gorman are going to be real possibilities for our DH role next season from the left side of the plate.

    #173852
    PugsleyAddams
    Participant

    Paid - Annual

    I’ll obviously be rooting on “Pez” & Co., but I’ve been a huge Salt River Rafter rooter for many years now. Our Rafters roster looks loaded to the gills this year. Should be a fun fall in Phoenix.

    #173855
    Brian Walton
    Keymaster

    Paid - Annual

    bccran asked:

    Can anyone explain why Burleson wasn’t on the list?

    Understand that each of six organizations has to provide a viable mix of positions for one AFL team. Nootbaar is apparently a higher priority outfielder right now. Yepez is an IF/OF. That is likely all the Cardinals got.

    #173857
    Brian Walton
    Keymaster

    Paid - Annual

    1982 asked:

    Does this mean he (Nootbaar) can’t be on the post season roster if we are still playing then.

    No. My guess is that if necessary, they would replace Nootbaar with another outfielder for the AFL (like Burleson).

    #173858
    bccran
    Participant

    Scouts have raved about Burleson, and said he is as sure a thing as there is in our system to gain a starting job in St.
    Louis. How many Cardinal position
    draftees can you name that made it to the AAA in their 1st season of pro ball? And in their first full season of pro ball hit 22 home runs and drove in 74 in only 117 games?

    #173859
    Brian Walton
    Keymaster

    Paid - Annual

    No one said Burleson isn’t very good, though I did not see the quotes about him being a sure thing and the organization’s best pure hitter in the upper minors. Please share the links as I’d like to read about it.

    Since when did AFL become a critical path to reach the majors? Did Carlson play there? What about Liberatore, etc? Why fixate on Burleson? They invited six top 20 prospects plus Hicks so it isn’t like they made a bunch of bad choices.

    Maybe the Cardinals felt Burleson already did enough this year and needs a rest. Maybe he has a nagging injury that requires downtime. Maybe he is getting married next month, etc, etc, etc…

    #173861
    stlcard25
    Participant

    Paid - Annual

    I agree with you, BW. I think the most likely scenario is that he played 117 games at three levels one year out of college. They probably want to give him a break.

    #173864
    bccran
    Participant

    Maybe the others have been in the system longer, and they wanted to honor tenure along with skill. I’m just surprised he wasn’t included. And my question stands, Brian – outside of Albert Pujols (who had 3 games at AAA his first season), what Cardinal draftee can you name that played at Memphis in first season? Burleson played 43 games there.

    #173866
    Brian Walton
    Keymaster

    Paid - Annual

    My questions stand, too. I don’t see why you think it is ok to dodge ones being asked of you while expecting others to answer yours.

    #173870
    bccran
    Participant

    Sorry, Brian. Mine are word of mouth from scouts and guys I know who have talked to scouts. There’s nothing in writing I can refer you to. If that’s not good enough for you, I’m happy to strike my original statements. My question to you was a question of fact, not opinion.

    #173879
    thejager
    Participant

    Paid - Annual

    i was a little surprised not to see Burleson and even Luken Baker

    I figured it was injury or rest or something…still these are just the initial lists things can change because of playoffs etc.

    Also…I do think DeJong’s AFL was pretty much his springboard to the majors, and to a handed over role at SS…I do think the FO uses AFL as a test for some guys to see if they are truly ready for a big leap to an important role the following year…not all of them, but it can be a tool they use

    Not picking Burleson and Baker to me indicates that Yepez and Nootbaar are ahead of them respectively on the potential impact next year

    maybe i am wrong…but that is what it looks like

    #173880
    forsch31
    Participant

    Free

    I can name JD Drew off the top of my head. Beyond that, I would have to look it up.

    I am sure Burleson is a polished hitter if he made it to AAA in his first full season. I am not sure I would call him the best pure hitter we have. Nolan Gorman seems pretty good, too.

    Just a thought, if you would have stated that the scouts you spoke with, personally, thought he was the surest thing, you probably wouldn’t have been questioned. I do appreciate the insight, though.

    #173882
    forsch31
    Participant

    Free

    DeJong might have been another one if Wisdom wasn’t already in Memphis. That is also the year that the Cardinals started converting him to SS. He was considered a third baseman for almost the whole year.

    #173884
    14NyquisT
    Participant

    Burleson is 22 and likely will get a shot at AFL next year…. if he isn’t already with the big team. He forced his way up to AAA. No prospect is a sure thing…. we have had some very good prospects not have much luck when they needed to. I gotta say that Burleson looks like the real thing.

    bcc, don’t let others dampen your enthusiasm.

    #173886
    bccran
    Participant

    Thanks for your advice, Forsch.
    Always appreciated.

    #173887
    Brian Walton
    Keymaster

    Paid - Annual

    Three others in recent years besides Pujols and Drew:

    James Ramsey, drafted 2012, reached Memphis 2013
    Brett Wallace, drafted 2008, reached Memphis 2009
    Adam Kennedy, drafted 1997, reached Memphis 1998

    In other words, moving fast does not necessarily correlate to being a sure thing. We remember the successes more than the failures.

    (P.S. I only did a quick look at first-rounders. There are likely other later picks, too, as were Pujols and Burleson.)

    #173888
    Brian Walton
    Keymaster

    Paid - Annual

    forsch said:

    I am not sure I would call him the best pure hitter we have. Nolan Gorman seems pretty good, too.

    Hard to overlook the kind of numbers that Jordan Walker put up in his age 18-19 season… He’d get my vote.

    P.S. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Walker arrive in Memphis in late 2022. But because he did not have a first partial season, he would not fit the fast moving criteria offered up.

    #173889
    Brian Walton
    Keymaster

    Paid - Annual

    jager said:

    Not picking Burleson and Baker to me indicates that Yepez and Nootbaar are ahead of them respectively on the potential impact next year

    It is likely no more complicated than that.

    #173890
    gscottar
    Participant

    Paid - Annual

    Michael Wacha moved through the ranks pretty fast didn’t he?

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