FanNation - The Republic of Sport

Operative description of the day:

Coupling a beautiful hot day but comfortably overcast day and an unusually full pressbox and I got to spend nearly the entire game in the stands, checking out the action like a fan for a change. It was a good game for that too, with the Cardinals starters staying in through seven innings, this was played much more like a regular season contest than a game during the second week of spring training.

Cardinals fans are some of the most rabid in baseball, and Roger Dean Stadium was a sea of Cardinals red. The greatest piece of memorabilia I’ve seen all trip has to be the bright red Incredible Hulk Hand beer cozy glove. Think about that for a second. Yes, that’s what it looks like. Now for the action:

GOOD IMPRESSIONS: For the second day in a row Brian Barton impressed with the stick, knocking out four more hits, including a mammoth blast to left in the bottom of the eighth for his first home run of the spring. His shot also came right after another by his biggest competition right now, rightfielder Ryan Ludwick, so his timing was impeccable. Barton has been lacing the ball every time to the plate, raising his average to .375, and is making a case for the Cardinals to keep him on the big league roster. If they don’t, the Rule 5 pickup has to be offered back to the Indians for a mere $25,000 (they picked him up for $50,000). The way he’s playing, Barton might be the Indians best corner outfield if the Cards unexpectedly (and unwisely) let him go. The Cardinals outfield is crowded but Barton is definitely crashing the party.

For good measure Barton also had second base stolen on the ball that hit Joe Mather in the fourth.

The much-maligned Cristian Guzman has always had a great glove, there’s no doubting that. He also had a credible bat while he was amember of the Twins. But since he’s struggled, both hitting and with injuries. However it’s all coming together for him this spring so far, as he’s playing a spectacular shortstop and hitting .471 following his two for four day today. He’s the leader against Felipe Lopez right now in the competition for the starting shortstop job.

Nationals starter John Lannan was very effective against what amounted to most of the Cards regulars. The second year lefty allowed two walks and three hits in three innings of work although he wisely pitched around Albert Pujols.

Joel Hanrahan, once the Dodgers top pitching prospect, came in to get one out in the seventh. It’s possible that the Nationals are grooming him to be a setup man and lefty specialist. In that case, whatever potential fantasy value he once had would totally evaporate.

BAD IMPRESSIONS: Both teams were issued warnings after Nationals reliever Chris Schroeder hit Ryan Ludwick in the helmet with a ninth inning pitch. Tony La Russa appeared to be jawing at the umpire after the play (Ludwick was fine and stayed in the game to run the bases) who then issued the warning to both benches. Um, fellas, uh, this is SPRING TRAINING.

One day after raking against the Orioles, Juan Gonzalez failed to further his comeback case going 0 for 3 and leaving a whopping seven runners on base. I still haven’t seen him play the field (he DH’d again today) but from what one of my collegues who has seen him in the outfield said, “whatever outfield arm he used to have is now officially gone.”

Former Yankee Tyler Clippard, acquired by the Nats in the offseason for reliever Jonathan Albaladejo, didn’t fare well at all in his attempt to crack Manny Acta’s staff. He allowed seven base runners and two earned runs in just 22/3 innings.

MIXED IMPRESSIONS: The aforementioned Elijah Dukes was also quite impressive early today ripping a two-run triple to right center off of starter Mike Parisi in the first and then making an excellent attempt, nearly dislodging the right field fence from its foundation, on a triple by left fielder Joe Mather. However he went 0 for three the rest of the day.

Yadier Molina finally broke the schneid, collecting his first hit of the spring after going 0 for his first 12 an RBI single in the seventh, finishing the day 1 for 5. You didn’t read it wrong, his hit came in the seventh. In fact Molina played the entire day behind the plate, an incredible rarity for a spring game this early in March.

One of the Nationals who played the entire game was second baseman Bret Boone who went one for four with a walk and a double as the DH. Despite his .383 spring average, he’s got to fill up the stats sheet more than he has since there are a plethora of options at second in Felipe Lopez, Ronnie Belliard and Pete Orr.

As for Orr, the former Brave hit a long home run, a true no doubter to right center in the seventh off of sidearming righthander Hugo Castellanos. However in the bottom of the inning he booted a grounder at third that was generously scored as a hit, but was a play that needed to be made. Orr’s value comes more from his glove than from his bat, so the error was more of a negative than the home run was a positive. In any case, I doubt you need me to tell you not to draft Pete Orr.

Tomorrow I’m likely not going to file from a game, instead continuing to work on my team-by-team scouting reports that will begin showing up in the Fan Nation Fantasty Section sometime next week. I will return to the ballpark on Friday, back in Fort Lauderdale where the Red Sox split squad will come over from Fort Myers to take on the Orioles. Red Sox Nation: Feel Free to say hi.