OPINION |
Since the Springfield Cardinals arrived downtown in 2005, we’ve gone to Hammons Field to watch prospects develop, with 133 of them making it to Busch Stadium. Winning games at the Double-A level takes a backseat to player development.
But something is happening in this 20th anniversary season of the Cardinals that’s pretty cool. The best of both worlds is colliding on a regular basis, with several top prospects — and some not considered so — helping the Baby Birds soar in the early going
Only Mother Nature has been able to slow down this team. A heavy downpour suspended the home game on April 25 with the Cardinals leading Arkansas 4-2 in the fourth inning. That game was scheduled to resume at 5:15 p.m. on April 26, prior to the regularly scheduled contest.
Springfield is off to a 14-3 start, not only the best in franchise history but the best in the Texas League since at least 2005. It seems that no records are available prior to that. No matter, this 2024 edition of the Cardinals continues to win and do so in relentless fashion.
Cardiac Cardinals have come from behind in 10 games
Before the current homestand began earlier this week, manager Jose Leger told me how impressed he’s been by his team’s approach in all facets of the game. The Cardinals believe they are going to win and do whatever it takes to make it happen.
Too bad we aren’t seeing more of that at the big-league level in St. Louis.
During Springfield’s first 17 games, it has fallen behind in 10. But of those 10, the Cardinals have rallied to win nine times, a stat nearly unheard of in baseball. Six times the opponent has taken a 1-0 first-inning lead and Springfield is 6-0 in those games.
The first two games of the homestand against Arkansas this week showed this team’s will to succeed. Springfield trailed 5-0 on April 23 and rallied to win 7-6, getting a two-run, go-ahead home run in the eighth inning from Chandler Redmond. A fan favorite, Redmond tied Xavier Scruggs for the franchise career home run record of 59 with the clutch blast.
One day later, No. 1 pitching prospect Tink Hence had a rare rough start. No problem. The Cardinals rallied to take the lead, fell behind in the top of the eighth, then regained it on Noah Mendlinger’s two-run double in the bottom half.
Then the top of the ninth produced a memorable finish. Arkansas loaded the bases with two out when Hogan Windish singled to right. One run scored, but Chris Rotondo threw a strike to catcher Wade Stauss, who applied the tag on Kade Polcovich to end the game.
Exciting baseball. And winning baseball.
Several undrafted or minor-league free agents are contributing
For a team with five pitching prospects among the team’s top 23 according to MLB.com, much of the credit goes to an everyday lineup that is well under the radar when it comes to big-league prospects. Eight position players who were undrafted free agents or minor-league free agents have played roles on an offense that leads the Texas League in several categories, including determination.
Catcher Jimmy Crooks, at No. 11, is the only Springfield position player ranked in the top 30 and he’s missed seven games with an injury.
“We’re among the league leaders in walks and we’re the team that strikes out the least,” Leger said. “That is a good (combination) right there. We’re getting on base and putting the ball in play with two strikes. Having those grinders that give you that versatility, they find a way to get on.
“The other thing, we’ve been productive with runners in scoring position and leading the league in sac flies. We have a lot of lefties in the lineup, which helps, But we also have some righties, which help with balance. You know you’re gonna face about 75% right-handed pitchers, so it is an advantage to our lineup having all those lefties.”
Those pitchers have been pretty good, too
On the mound, No. 2 prospect Tekoah Roby had a terrific outing on April 25 before the rain. He struck out eight and allowed two runs in four innings.
Max Rajcic, the organization’s minor league pitcher of the year in 2023 when he spent most of the season at High-A Peoria, is scheduled to start at 6:05 p.m. on April 27. Rajcic demonstrated in his last start, at Amarillo, the way minor-league prospects have to make adjustments.
After allowing eight runs and eight hits in 1 ⅔ innings of the series opener on April 16, he came back five days later against the same team to earn the victory, allowing just one run and two hits in six innings.
“He wasn’t happy with how things went,” Leger said. “He went and fixed some things mechanically and changed his game plan without losing his aggressiveness. He was able to mix all his pitches for strikes in the strike zone.
“They were onto his fastball the first outing. The second time, he did throw his fastball, but he knew when to throw it and how to set up hitters better. He had the upper hand going into that second outing even though they got to him that first time.”
“He adjusted. That’s the name of the game. It’s a game of failure and you have to be able to adjust and overcome it.”
The Cardinals continue to overcome just about anything thrown their way so far in what could be a memorable season at Hammons Field.
Big home weekend for Drury baseball
There are also some meaningful baseball games on the south side of Springfield this weekend as the surging Drury Panthers play host to Maryville with the Great Lakes Valley Conference title within sight.
The series at the refurbished Mark Worley Field at Meador Park has been converted into a pair of doubleheaders. The first twinbill starts at 5 p.m. on April 26, with the second set for 1 p.m. on April 27. Admission is $5.
Drury has won 10 of its last 13 games and enters the series 24-17 overall and 21-7 in the GLVC. It trails first-place Indianapolis by only one game. Maryville was leading the conference race until last weekend when it was swept in four by Indianapolis. The Saints are 28-14, 20-8 in the league and trail the Panthers by one game for second place.
After this weekend’s series, the Panthers end the regular season with a four-game series at Southwest Baptist next weekend.
Drury is one of 10 teams under consideration for the 2024 NCAA-II Midwest Regional rankings. Seven will be selected for a regional, May 16-19.
Cardinals homestand April 23-28
- April 23 — Springfield 7, Arkansas 6
- April 24 — Springfield 7, Arkansas 6
- April 25 — Game suspended by rain
- April 26 — vs. Arkansas, 5:15 p.m. resumption of suspended game, with regularly scheduled game following
- April 27 — vs. Arkansas, 6:05 p.m.
- April 28 — vs. Arkansas, 1:05 p.m.
Tickets are available at the Hammons Field box office, on the Springfield Cardinals website or by calling (417) 863-2143.
