I hope you can forgive a bit of rambling in this article, as a I am not even in high school yet.

My humor revolves mostly around things like ASDFmovie, and Gangnam Style.My friends and I play violent games like tennis, where one slaps the others hand and vice-versa until one of the players wimps out. Our sleepovers revolve mainly around games like Dead Island, Left 4 Dead, and MLB 2K12. (The last one is just me and my best friend)

In the past Dayton Moore has made decisions like we might at 2:00 in the morning when we are playing 2K12, and the case of Diet Code Red Mountain Dew (I have type 1 Diabetes, so we drink diet) is nearly drained. As I am currently typing this, it is very late on a Saturday night, and I have earbuds in, a laptop on the top of my lap, and the TV tuned in the MLB Network’s “Countdown, Top 25 Comebacks of All Time” But back to the point, Dayton Moore has made some pretty awful decisions since the blind squirrel that is the Kansas City Royals found an acorn in the return for Zack Greinke, but I will break that trade down in another article.

Ervin Santana is a Kansas City Royal. It even feels good to say. It is not even the best case scenario, but it is progress, and it is better that the previous news rush that Chris Volstad is a Royal. My hope with that pick up is that they hope they can fix him, and if they can’t, such as life. They cut him and pay him nothing. Let’s attempt to avoid that topic though. Santana was absolutely horrific this past season, posting a 5.16 ERA, -1.6 WAR, and a 1.27 WHIP, all while being paid 11.2 million dollars, Santana did though put up 178.0 innings in 2012. Even though there are currently 8 starters on the Royals depth chart, Santana is one of them. Some writers have been complaining that Moore should have gone after Dan Haren. Luke Hochevar was MORE horrific though, posting an ERA, WAR, and WHIP (All previous listed stats other than innings and salary) worse than Santana. I am hoping the Royals non-tender Hoch, but is highly unlikely. Just Rany predicted, Moore acted early.

I hope he acted effectively. He proved he is willing to spend money. Gil Meche was the last time Moore spent legit money on a starter, spending 12 (The option that they picked up on Santana was 13 million, but the Angels also gave Kansas City a million) million on Santana after, well, I am just assuming here, the Angels completely lost hope in him. Every few years he seems to have some kind of collapse, but I bet the Royals will only have him for 1 year. If you have been especially attentive while you have been reading this, then you have probably learned a lot. How strange I am. A great analogy about Dayton Moore’s decision making, and how this is a step in the right direction, and a decent sized one.

The song Centerfield by John Fogerty is one those songs that always reminds me that baseball is near. It reminds me of the days my coach would send me out to center field. to experience the smell of the grass and the crack of the bat. All of my senses aroused by my surroundings on the field? These were some of the best times of my life. Now I countdown to Spring Training and Major League Baseball season. Spring Training is getting closer, only 40 days away. That leads us to our topic centerfield. I will take a look and provide a comparison of the centerfielders in the American League Central.

Oh, put me in, coach – I’m ready to play today;
Put me in, coach – I’m ready to play today;
Look at me, I can be centerfield.

The projected center fielder this year for the White Sox will be Alex Rios. The once Toronto Blue Jay All Star, has not been the same player since joining the Sox. Rios provided solid offensive production in 2010 and if he can return to similar production he could a contributing force to an aging White Sox offense. Rios’ defense has never been great and is also declining as he ages. Will Rios become the All Star Chicago traded for and finally get the production they thought they were acquiring? I for one don’t think so.

Cleveland brought back the once great, but now so often injured Grady Sizemore. Grady was an outstanding center fielder early in his career. For the past 3 seasons, staying healthy has been a huge struggle for Grady. His numbers have declined significantly as Grady has battled back from all his injuries. We know the production Grady can provide to his team, but the real question is can he stay healthy.

Detroit’s Austin Jackson may be the best of the bunch. Jackson has only played two full major league seasons. Jackson’s numbers have not been anything special, but as major league careers go last year may have been Jackson’s sophomore slump. If Austin is able to raise his average he could be the best centerfielder in the Central. Jackson’s free swinging nature may impede his ability to consistently hit for average, but the potential is there.

The Royals will be starting Lorenzo Cain. Cain has a ton of potential, but he is still a relative unknown. He provided Milwaukee with solid offensive production in 2010, but that was only in 43 games. It will be hard to predict what Lorenzo will provide, but if you look at his numbers from AAA last season, you can see why the Royals acquired Lorenzo in the Greinke deal. For a more in depth look at Lorenzo please read my past article Loco for Lorenzo.

The Minnesota Twins will be starting Denard Span in centerfield. Span also battled the injury bug last season, only playing in 70 games. Span’s first two big league seasons were full of hope as he hit .294 and .311. The past two years he has hit .264. Span provides great speed and defense. Span’s inability to consistently hit left handed pitching is the biggest thing that holds him back. If he can improve on this facet of the game Minnesota will have a solid top of the order producer.

The center fielders of the American League Central have a ton of question marks. In my opinion this is how the centerfielders stack up.

1. Austin Jackson
2. Grady Sizemore
3. Denard Span
4. Lorenzo Cain
5. Alex Rios

Austin Jackson may be young, but has made it through his sophomore slump. I can definitely see his offensive numbers getting better and he is a great defensive centerfielder. If Sizemore can stay healthy he could be the best in this list, but his health is a huge question mark. Span has been consistent and provides solid defense and offense. As a player, he just does nothing for me. Lorenzo Cain is a relative unknown. His minor league stats give us Royals fans hope, but as of right now that’s all it is. As for Rios, he has never been a great defender and his offensive numbers have been steadily declining. I look for more of the same from Rios.

Hopefully for the Royals, Cain will produce offensively as he did in AAA in 2010. His speed and defensive ability should be a huge benefit to the Royals pitching staff. For the first time in years, maybe decades the Royals defense up the middle will be a formidable force. Let me end with this,

Got a beat-up glove, a homemade bat, and brand-new pair of shoes;
You know I think it’s time to give this game a ride.
Just to hit the ball and touch ’em all – a moment in the sun;
(pop) it’s gone and you can tell that one goodbye!

The crack of the bat is getting close, can you feel it? Thanks again to John Fogerty for the use of his lyrics to Centerfield.

On a complete side note, I feel like I want to share my opinions on Tim Tebow’s performance Sunday afternoon.

Tebow Time

How can I not address Tim Tebow? There were times during the AFC Wildcard game where Tim Tebow was highly inaccurate, but Tebow leaves everything out on the field. Obviously, someone powerful must be on his side. He showed signs of the strong arm everyone knew he had. When he is accurate you saw what can happen on the first play of OT. The threat of the running game pulled both safeties up to the line of scrimmage. The corners were stuck on an island on the outside with the wide receivers. To the Broncos credit they trusted Tebow and ran a play action pass. Tebow then threw a strike right down the middle to Thomas in stride and he did the rest. Tebow always finds a way to win and it is absolutely baffling. If only the Royals could find a #1 starter similar to Tebow. No matter what happened he would fight and do anything it took to win the game. Chris Carpenter in last year’s playoffs is the best example I can think of. An athlete of this breed only comes along once in a lifetime. Love it or Hate it, hang on and enjoy the show.

At the midway point through September, our brethren of Untied Cardinal Bloggers (UCB) band together to determine who the top seven prospects are in the franchise. A special hat tip goes out to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Derrick asked the UCB to help him compile this list a few years back and it has since become a staple around these parts.

When it comes to my list of prospects, and I admit that I am not a card carrying member of the Hyperventilating Prospect Geek Fraternity (#HPGF), I fear it may read just a little differently than some of the others. If you would like to keep track of everyone weighing in on the subject, simply click here and you will find links to all of these similar articles.

Here is my top seven prospects, listed here in reverse order to build the suspense (it works for Letterman):

Number Seven: Matt Adams, First Base

I think the easiest way a prospect ends up on my countdown is when I can say “I really didn’t see this guy coming a year ago”. I may not be a huge prospect geek, but I do keep tabs on the baby birds and Matt Adams has been impressive.

The Cardinals drafted Adams in the 23rd round of the 2009 draft. Adams came out of Slippery Rock University, a Division II school. He is what Cards announcer Mike Shannon would describe as a “big boy”, standing in at six foot three inches tall and weighing 230 pounds.

The athletic first baseman has shown that his size does not have a large impact on his glove, which raised his stock above that of just a hitter this season. What kind of hitter is he, you ask? In a word…impressive. Adams finished second in the Texas League with 32 home runs and led the league in runs batted in with 101. A .300 batting average to go along with 40 walks and 90 strikeouts projects a pure power hitter in the making. The rest of the world will take notice of Adams for a few reasons: 1 – should Albert Pujols resign, he is a blocked prospect for the team and 2 – he was named Texas League Player of the Year today.

Do not get your hopes up too high, fans, just because he comes in at number seven does not mean that everyone above him is better than the impressive young man at the entry point of this countdown. Adams ranks seventh due to being blocked at the Major League level and my belief that he will help this club more from the player they get in return for him in a trade then he will by reaching the majors with the birds on the bat across his chest.

Number Six: Zach Cox, Third Base

I think I rank Cox lower than most of my fellow UCB members. A lot of this has to do with the position he is still playing despite the fact that no one in baseball, let alone the organization, feels that he can and will be playing that position at the major league level.

Cox was the first round pick of the Cardinals just last season out of Arkansas and, despite his college playing days being at the hot corner, was projected as a major league second baseman from the start. Cox is a small frame guy who tips the scales at 215 pounds and stretches to a six foot even height.

Cox did what he needed to do in 2011: he played average defense, hit for a decent average, found ways to get on base, and kept his head down and learned from the staff at Palm Beach and Springfield. He will need to work on his patience at the plate, however, if he expects to be around at the major league level. He has some pop in his bat, driving 13 home runs out of the park this year to go with 27 doubles, but with 98 strikeouts he either needs to be hitting for a lot more power or learning to draw a few more walks.

Cox comes in at number six due to the fact that he is still playing a position that the team feels he will not contribute at, and he’s not playing it overly well on the defensive side of things. Cox will most likely make his impact felt with another major league team, possibly as early as 2013 as I have to agree with Daniel Shoptaw in the thought that Cox may not wear a Cardinal uniform of any kind by the time Spring rolls around.

Number Five: Kolten Wong, Second Base

Wong is a player in the organization that is playing the position he should be, playing it well, and squeezing fellow prospect Zach Cox out of the picture because of it.

The talented Second Baseman was the first round pick of the organization this season and went right to work at Class A Quad Cities. A prototype figure at middle infield, Wong stands five foot nine inches tall and weighs 190 pounds. At the ripe old age of 20, Wong seems virtually ready to be at the major league level sooner rather than later.

Wong has a few things going for him in his young career: he is a patient hitter, a solid base runner, does not hurt himself in the field, and finds himself playing his natural position for a team that needs someone to step up at that position. By no means do I think Wong will see major league action in 2012, but he will have the Cardinals looking for a bridge type player at second instead of looking for someone long term. The goal of the organization at second base this offseason will be to acquire someone to hold the position down until Wong arrives. In a 47 game sample this season, Wong was able to produce five home runs, 25 runs batted in, 15 doubles and nine stolen bases. All of this while hitting for a .335 batting average and posting a .401 on base percentage. He would strike out 24 times but he would also draw 22 walks, showing patience, a good eye, and an ability to potentially be the catalyst at the top of the Cardinals order that they so desperately desire.

Wong is my first ranking that projects to be a strong part of the organization by staying in the organization. Look for the young man to get some playing time in Spring Training next year and head off to Springfield for some seasoning immediately afterwards. I would anticipate him arriving in Memphis around the midway point of 2012 and in St. Louis as they break camp in 2013.

Number Four: Ryan Jackson, Shortstop

Jackson makes this list as another one of those players that opened my eyes this year without previous knowledge of him coming into 2011. He ranks high on the list due to his position because it has been a while since the Cardinals have developed a shortstop within the organization worth getting excited about.

The tall and lanky Jackson finds himself at six foot three inches tall and an mere 180 pounds, but finds a way to turn that small frame into a combustible element at the plate.

Our friend over at Diamond Diaries, Erika Lynn, might keep a close eye on Jackson as he has been described as “Brendan Ryan with a bat” by many scribes. While Jackson has made his share of errors this season at 19, that number is influenced by the sheer number of balls the young man can get to. His defensive ability has been that of a highlight reel player that you never take your eyes off of for the fear of missing that “Holy Cow” moment. While his defense has been impressive, his stroke at the plate has suddenly pushed him onto the scene. With 34 doubles, 3 triples, 11 home runs and 73 runs batted in, Jackson has become a respected bat at the plate in a potent Springfield (AA) lineup this season. If he can draw a few more walks above this year’s 44 and cut down on the 91 strikeouts a bit, his numbers will improve and St. Louis will find their shortstop of the future.

Jackson is the reason the team is looking at players like Rafael Furcal currently. The franchise has seemingly lost faith in Tyler Greene and will look for a player that can contribute through 2012 in order to get to the arrival of Jackson in 2013. Expect Jackson to open the season at Memphis next year if the organization either promotes or trades Greene. Otherwise, he may remain at Springfield until the team can find an appropriate home for Greene.

Number Three: Carlos Martinez, Pitcher

Projecting minor league pitchers is one of the most tedious processes any scout or pundit can find himself in. Arms come and go, control is erratic and pitchers can seem dominate in one league and less than impressive in another. Martinez seems to have all the stuff to be effective and impressive at the major league level but he has a few levels to go through first.

At six feet tall and only 165 pounds, you would not expect Martinez to be striking fear into opposing hitters very often. With an array of pitches, impressive control, and a keen sense of the game, the Dominican right hander is doing just that, however, and doing it all at 19 years of age.

Martinez signed with the Cardinals last season and went to work in the Dominican league before coming to the United States and playing at Quad Cities and Palm Beach this season. In 11 starts this season, Martinez posted a 5-2 record with a minuscule 2.14 earned run average. Our stat heads will tell you neither of those stats matter much, especially at the minor league level, but there are a few stats that show the maturity of this young man. In 54 2/3 innings pitched this season, Martinez struck out 66 hitters while only walking 17 and allowing only 43 hits. That equates to a 1.098 Walks/Hits Per Inning Pitched (WHIP), 2.8 walks per nine innings, 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings and a 3.88 strikeout to walk ratio. Add into all of that the fact that he surrendered just two home runs and you can see that he is both dominant and effective at the lower levels. His array of pitches suggest he will remain a starter, though his style may see him end up as a swing man/reliever early on in his career.

Expect the team to handle Martinez with a little bit of care (see: Rick Ankiel) but push him just a bit. He will see some action in the Spring next season and most likely start his year at Springfield (AA).

Number Two: Shelby Miller, Pitcher

Here is where I break rank from most every other list I have seen. Shelby is the highest ranked prospect in the Cardinal organization by many, but has slid down my list a spot due to recent developments in the youngster’s career.

The six foot three, 195 pound lefty from Texas is truly one of the baby birds at age 20. His fastball clocks mid to high 90′s and has movement. His curveball buckles batters and he relies on his defense when he does not have his best stuff.

Miller’s ability on the field shows that of a mature ball players that knows how to get out of trouble on the mound in multiple ways. His 2011 season opened at Palm Beach but he quickly found his way to Springfield and the AA Cardinals. Dominant would be the best way to describe Miller on the mound, posting 140 strikeouts to 33 walks over 139 2/3 innings pitched shows that he has hitters figured out beyond what any 20 year old should. He limits his damage and is learning to pitch to contact, which will have fans drooling over his arrival in the very near future.

Miller slides to number two for me due to off the field issues this past season. While rumors have circulated that the issues are alcohol related, those rumors have not been officially confirmed by the club despite a suspension of the young man this season for a second offense. A pitcher who shows maturity on the field will need to ensure maturity off of it or he will simply become known as a dominant minor league player. Should he get these issues under control, look for Shelby to see time at Memphis in 2012 and most likely make his major league debut next year as well.

Number One: Adron Chambers, Outfield

Another Junior College product (Pensacola State), Chambers is the player on this list most likely to be in the majors when Spring Training closes next year.

He is five foot ten inches tall and 185 pounds and is a more typical prospect age of 24 years old. His speed on the base paths is something to marvel at and his patience at the plate may be just what the Cardinals need. If the team wants a prototype lead-off hitter for the first time in decades, they need look no further.

Chambers showed some pop this season at Memphis, driving 10 home runs when his previous career high was six. Beyond that, it was more of the same from the young center fielder. Strong defense, a good arm, a good batting eye and flat out speed have led the young man to a September call up for a cup of coffee at the major league level. Chambers set career highs in stolen bases (22), walks (53), slugging percentage (.415), runs (73), home runs(10) and doubles (19). He projects as a lead off hitter and center fielder in an organization that is transitioning in the outfield and the top of the lineup.

Chambers is in a position to control his destiny and take advantage of a situation with a team that needs someone to step into the roles that he can fill. Expect Chambers to get a long look at Spring Training next season and break camp with the club. Chambers will get every chance to be a part of this team for the immediate future.

There you have it, I-70 Baseball’s look at the top seven prospects in the St. Louis Cardinals organziation. Let us know how you think they rank in the comments below.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball as well as the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com.
He is the host of I-70 Radio, hosted every week on BlogTalkRadio.com.
Follow him on Twitter here.

The Albert Pujols contract negotiations have been discussed over and over and over again these past few months, and you’d think we’d have heard just about every scenario and perspective imaginable. Yet instead, we keep hearing the same discussion repeatedly. Here are a few different angles for you to digest as the countdown to Pujols’ spring training dwindles.

The Reason for Pujols Deadline

What we’ve heard – “Albert doesn’t want any distractions during the season, so he won’t discuss his contract once he arrives for spring training.

Alternate Perspective – Pujols imposed this deadline because he wants to become a free agent, and doesn’t want to have media members constantly badgering him with contract questions from February 16^th through October. It’s as if he’s already made up his mind that he’s going to test the free agency waters, and this was the least stressful way for him to personally go about achieving that goal.

Does Albert Want to Stay in St. Louis?

What we’ve heard – “Albert has long said he wants to be a Cardinals for life.”

Alternate Perspective – While Pujols has said that, what he’s been saying since about mid-2008 on is “I want to play for a team that shows it will be a constant contender.” Sound familiar? That’s because it’s the same thing LeBron James said in the final seasons of his contract with the Cavaliers. That’s why Cleveland went out and got Shaq, and that’s one of the reasons the Cardinals got Matt Holliday. But really, I view the statement as an easy out for Pujols. Saying “I want to play for a winner” instead of “I want to play for the Cardinals” was his not-so-subtle way of opening the door to the possibility of him leaving.

What Teams are in the Running?

What we’ve heard – “The Yankees, Red Sox, and Cubs are the most likely places Pujols could end up because they’ve got the money to do it.”

Alternate Perspective – I’ll again draw a comparison with LeBron James since he was the most recent mega-star to jump ship from his original team. Think back to who his “suitors” were. Most people though he’d go to the Knick, Nets, or Dallas, Orlando, or perhaps he’d remain with Cleveland. He eventually ended up in Miami, though most experts didn’t have the Heat on their radar until the last couple of weeks of negotiations. So the question to ask is: “In the Pujols sweepstakes, who are the Heat?” My dark horse is Cincinnati. They have built a core of young players, and former Cardinals GM Walt Jocketty has built a legitimate contender there. Don’t be surprised to see a mini-reunion between Pujols, Jocketty, Scott Rolen, and a few other former Red Birds.

The 10 Year Deal

What We’ve heard – “The Cardinals can’t afford to give Pujols a 10 year deal, he won’t be worth 30 million dollars during the last 3 years of his contract. It would be one thing if we were in the American League and he could be the designated hitter, but he’ll be useless to the Cardinals by then.”

Alternate Perspective – To jump out of order, I’ll just get the DH argument out of the way. First base is arguable the least strenuous (dare I say easiest) of all the positions on the diamond. Very few long throws, not as much range required as say a middle infielder or outfielder, not hard on the body like a catcher. It’s first base, people! He can play first base until his 40, I really don’t understand why everyone’s been getting all bent out of shape about this issue. Now, will he be worth $30 million dollars when he’s 40? To any other team he could potentially sign with, no. But to the Cardinals, absolutely. Think about all the revenue Pujols will generate for the team. Not only will he have career milestones like 3,000 hits and 500, 600, and maybe 700 career home runs, but he’ll bring in crazy amounts of cash well after he’s retired. Bobble head days and jersey sales could go on for decades; just look at all the Stan Musial jerseys you see around Busch Stadium (and Stan also had a bobble head doll within the past couple of years despite being nearly 5 decades removed from his playing career). So no matter what Pujols makes the next 10 years, it’s a worthwhile investment for the Cardinals. For those of you still hung up on the “he’s not going to be worth $30 million when he’s 38-40 years old” argument, just think of it as buying 7 years for $42 million apiece, and getting 3 years free.

Only time will tell to see how the Pujols’ saga plays out. I’d be utterly stunned if he signed with any team, Cardinals included, before at least mid-November. I have a feeling he’s going to feel out all his options, and he’s earned that right. Selfishly, I hope he remains a Cardinal. Realistically, it’s getting to the point where I’d be surprised if he actually stayed. Hopefully we don’t see a repeat of “The Decision” at any point along the way.