KANSAS CITY, MO (November 5, 2012) — The Kansas City Royals today announced that Terry Bradshaw was named the organization’s minor league hitting coordinator.  In addition, Jose Castro was named the assistant minor league hitting coordinator while Milt Thompson was named outfield, bunting and baserunning coordinator.

“Terry has been an integral part in the success of our young minor league hitters as they have progressed through our system and reached Kansas City,” said Royals Director of Player Development Scott Sharp.  “He now will have the ability to positively impact our hitters throughout all levels of the organization.”

“Jose is held in high esteem as a hitting coach,” said Sharp.  “We are excited that he will join the Royals and assist Terry in preparing our young players for the challenges of professional baseball.”

“Milt has a tremendous reputation in the game as being one of the best instructors in outfield, base running and bunting,” Sharp continued.  “We are very fortunate to have him join the Royals and know he will make an immediate impact on our young players.”

Bradshaw has spent the past four seasons as a hitting coach for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (AA).  Prior to that, he served five seasons with Triple-A Omaha.  Bradshaw played for parts of the two seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1995 and 1996.

Castro joins the organization from the Seattle Mariners where he served as the minor league hitting coordinator for the past five seasons, including 2010 when he worked in several roles including interim Major League hitting coach and was named Staff Member of the Year.  2012 was Castro’s 24th as a professional hitting coach.  He played 13 seasons in the minor leagues from 1977-89 after being drafted by the Phillies in 1977.  Castro and his wife, Lisa, reside in Miami, Fla., and have two children, Rachel and Matthew.

Thompson has worked the past two seasons as the Houston Astros minor league roving outfield and baserunning instructor.  After retiring from a 13-year Major League career with the Braves, Phillies, Cardinals, Astros, Dodgers and Rockies in 1996, Thompson has served as an instructor and coach for the last 16 years with the Rays, Phillies and Astros.  He joined the Phillies as the Major League first base coach during 2003 and later worked for more than five seasons as the club’s Major League hitting coach, including the 2008 World Series title campaign. As a player, the left-handed hitting outfielder batted .274 with 214 stolen bases in his big league career and was a key member of the 1993 World Series champion Phillies, recording 5 RBI in Game 4 of the World Series.  Thompson resides in Sewell, N.J., with his family.

The greatest indictment of “the process” stood center stage on Monday and Tuesday in Cleveland. When the Royals took on the top team in their division, with a chance to gain some ground and cut into the Indians’ lead, the turned to the aces of their pitching staff… Nate Adcock and Will Smith.

You can hate Adcock and Smith for not being Tom Seaver if you want to, but they are what they are. They are second-tier prospects who are trying to learn under extreme pressure to get big league hitters out.

The problem lies deeper than Adcock and Smith. If you want to point fingers, you can start with the draft class of 2008, then 2009, and finally one curious Latin American signing.

About a year and a half ago, I interviewed player-turned-broadcaster Jeff Montgomery on the topic of Royals pitching prospects. This was just after the team’s farm system had been decorated tops in baseball.

Montgomery admitted that not all blue-chip prospects pan out. But he said at the time that the Royals had so many top arms stockpiled that he didn’t see how at least some wouldn’t reach their potential. The percentages were in KC’s favor.

Much of that stockpiling took place in June of 2008. After nabbing Eric Hosmer in the first round of the draft, the Royals used four of their next five selections on pitchers. They were heralded for using those picks on pitchers with “signability issues” – guys who would have gone much higher, but who demanded an unusual amount of cash to sign – particularly Mike Montgomery and Tim Melville.

This was a watershed moment, if you believed some draft analysts. KC was finally willing to open up the wallet to get top prospects. To Montgomery and Melville, the Royals added Tyler Sample and John Lamb.

A year later, KC risked taking a pitcher who refused to sign a big-league deal the year before – Aaron Crow. Then they took Chris Dwyer a few rounds later.

And finally in that off-season came another watershed moment. KC dug even deeper into its pocket to sign a Cuban prospect, outbidding the usual big spenders for Noel Arguelles.

By January of 2010 they looked like geniuses. The prospect rankings came out, with Montgomery, Lamb, Dwyer and Danny Duffy all in the top 100 of baseball’s prospects.

Jeff Montgomery said there was no way they could all miss.

Yet here we are, running Adcock and Smith to the mound in a crucial series, and cussing them for not succeeding.

If you want to place blame, some can be directed at health issues. Hardly underachievers, Lamb and Duffy had their success curtailed by injury.

But that leaves plenty of room for criticism.

The biggest disappointment would have to be Montgomery. A year ago he was one managerial decision away from a spot in the Royals’ rotation. Now he’s following up a miserable 2010 with a 5.17 ERA and 1.617 WHIP thus far in 2012 at Omaha.

Not far behind, however, would be Arguelles. Mysterious arm-troubles kept the Cuban in the shadows for more than a year, making his signing look like a huge mistake. With a $6.9 million signing bonus in his pocket, Arguelles sits on 7.27 ERA and a 2-5 record in Double-A.

And then there’s Melville. Heralded coming out of high school as a first-round talent, KC took a risk by offering him top dollar as a fourth rounder. It took him two years to get out Wilmington, and now he’s showing Arguelles new ways to get shelled in Double-A. His ERA is a robust 7.71 and his WHIP is 1.800.

Compared to his Northwest Arkansas mates, Dwyer looks like Cy Young. At least he has a sub-7 ERA of 5.51. But he’s now 24 years old and looks less like a top-100 prospect all the time.

And in case you are wondering about Sample, consider this “Sample-size:” 1-6 record, 5.29 ERA at Wilmington.

Crow is the only one left, and he’s not yet been turned into a starter at the big-league level, making him a pretty pricey middle reliever.

Every time Nate Adcock and Will Smith take the hill in a KC uniform, fate proves Jeff Montgomery wrong. The Royals played the percentages, believing even with their luck that not ALL their pitching prospects could turn into busts. But thus far, Adcock and Smith are the best they can come up with.

Royals Farm Report: September 8th
Taking a season-long perspective as playoffs begin

Triple-A

In the postseason for the first time in 12 years, the Omaha Storm Chasers (Pacific Coast League) won Wednesday’s first game of their opening-round playoff series against the Round Rock Express. The Storm Chasers are now just five wins away from capturing a PCL championship and a berth in the Triple-A National Championship Game.

Stock Rising

Outfielder Lorenzo Cain showed that he has nothing left to prove at the Triple-A level. After exhausting his big-league rookie eligibility with Milwaukee in 2010, Cain spent all of 2011 with the Storm Chasers and hit .312 with a .380 on-base percentage, and cracked 28 doubles and 16 home runs. Right there with Cain is Clint Robinson, who hit .326 and led the club with 26 homers and 100 RBI. On the mound, right-hander Luis Mendoza posted a 2.18 ERA, a phenomenal figure in the hitter-friendly environs of the PCL as he seeks another shot in the major leagues. Finally, reliever Kelvin Herrera began the season without any experience above Class-A but excelled at three levels, striking out 18 in 17 innings with the Storm Chasers. He appears nearly ready to uncork his blazing arsenal against big league hitters and should get every opportunity to do just that in 2012.

Stock Falling

Kila Ka’aihue put together another solid performance with Omaha, hitting .272 with a .379 on-base percentage in 95 games. But after struggling with Kansas City in the first month of the season, he may have fallen behind Robinson on the organizaton’s depth chart. After beginning spring training on the Royals’ 40-man roster, Lance Zawadzki spent significant time at both second base and shortstop but struggled at the plate, hitting just .233.

Incomplete

Mike Montgomery had an inconsistent campaign with the Storm Chasers, his first taste of the Triple-A level. Though his basic numbers (5-11, 5.32 ERA) do not impress, the southpaw did strike out a team-high 129 batters this season and showed glimpses of why he is considered one of the top left-handed pitching prospects in baseball.

Double-A

A late-season charge put the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Texas League) into the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. The team opened the first round by losing to the in-state rival Arkansas Travelers, 2-1, in 11 innings on Wednesday.

Stock Rising

In his first season in the Royals’ organization, right-hander Jake Odorizzi took a big step forward in his development, spending just a half-season at Advanced-A Wilmington before joining the Naturals. Though Odorizzi struggled with the home run ball in the Texas League, he fired seven one-hit innings in his final start of the regular season and posted a 54/22 strikeout/walk rate with the Naturals. Left-hander Will Smith was a solid presence in the rotation who improved as the season progressed. Smith led the Texas League with 13 wins and 161 1/3 innings pitched, earning Naturals Pitcher of the Year honors.

Stock Falling

Challenged with an aggressive assignment to Double-A, Christian Colon was a steady presence near the top of the Naturals’ lineup, but hit a middling .257 with just 24 extra-base hits in 127 games. Toward the end of the season, Colon spent a bit more time at second base, where some think his future could reside. Reliever Patrick Keating was crucial to the Naturals’ bullpen during the 2010 championship run but battled injuries and ineffectiveness this season, allowing nine home runs in just 38 innings.

Incomplete

Wil Myers battled through a pair of freak knee injuries in the early part of the season and did not have a chance to truly establish himself until the second half. Still, at just 20 years old, Myers displayed an impressive eye at the plate (a .353 on-base percentage despite a .254 batting average) and hit for more power in the season’s final month. In some ways, it was a tale of two seasons for Chris Dwyer. The 23-year-old southpaw struggled to harness his stuff in the first half of the season but went 6-1 in his final nine starts. Most importantly, Dwyer stayed healthy all season after his 2010 was cut short due to a back injury. John Lamb appeared on his way to a solid season before going down with Tommy John surgery in early June. After rehab and recovery, Lamb probably won’t be ready for action until mid-season next year at the earliest, but with his arsenal and pitchability, there’s no reason to believe the southpaw won’t succeed upon his return.

Class-A Advanced

The lone full-season Royals affiliate to miss the postseason, the Wilmington Blue Rocks finished the 2011 season at 66-72. The club did finish the year on a high note, entertaining the Frawley Stadium crowd with a sweep of the Frederick Keys on the final three days of the season.

Stock Rising

Many of the team’s top early-season performers – Odorizzi, infielder Rey Navarro and southpaw reliever Kevin Chapman in particular – ended the season with Northwest Arkansas. Among those to spend the second half with the Blue Rocks, Yem Prades hit .289 in his first taste of baseball in the United States. The 23-year-old Cuban defector still needs to work on his plate discipline (10 walks against 66 strikeouts). On the mound, Elisaul Pimentel’s brief stint at Double-A didn’t go as planned, but that should not take away from a strong season that saw him walk only 31 batters in 133 innings of work. He’s likely to get a full-season taste of the Double-A level next season.

Stock Falling

Nick Van Stratten began the season at Double-A before being dropped a level right around the midway point. Though his .271 average is respectable, at 26, Van Stratten’s odds of establishing himself as a future big-leaguer have grown slim. Wilmington’s home ballpark is a noted pitcher-friendly environment, but Tyler Sample posed a 5.25 ERA in his first season in the Carolina League.

Incomplete

Taken at face value, Tim Melville’s statistics (11-10, 4.32 ERA, 108 K/53 BB) are those of a player who put together a solidly-average season. But since this was the right-hander’s second full season at Wilmington, they don’t reveal much about his growth as a player. A shot at Double-A in what will be his age 22 season should give the Royals a better sense of what the former fourth-round pick’s future may hold.

Class-A

In a twist of fate, the Kane County Cougars (Midwest League) played themselves into a first-round playoff matchup with the Burlington Bees, the club which had been the Royals’ affiliate prior to this season. Kane County shut out Burlington in the first game of their series and needs just one win to advance to the next round.

Stock Rising

Perhaps no player in the Midwest League burst onto the scene in quite the same way as third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert did. In his first taste of full-season ball, the 18-year-old native of Nicaragua hit .328 from his first game with the club until the end of July. Though fatigue led him into a prolonged slump at the end of the season, Cuthbert’s full-season debut fully established him as a prospect to watch going forward. Though his velocity only reaches the mid-80s, right-hander Greg Billo befuddled Midwest League batters all season long, as the 20-year-old posted a 1.93 ERA in the regular season and fired seven innings of shutout ball in the opening game of the playoffs.

Stock Falling

A player with prodigious power, Murray Watts hit just .211 with five extra-base hits in 35 games with Kane County before going on the disabled list. Though Watts returned to action and led the lower-level Burlington Royals in home runs, the season was certainly a disappointment for the Arkansas native.

Incomplete

Former Arkansas Razorback Brett Eibner epitomizes the “incomplete category.” A two-way player in college, Eibner opened the 2011 season with the opportunity to get a full season’s worth of at bats under his belt. But in the second game of the year, Eibner injured his thumb when diving for a ball in the outfield. After missing two months, he returned to belt 12 home runs and draw 48 walks in 76 games – but also hit just .215 and whiffed 90 times. An injury-free 2012, likely to be spent at Wilimington, should allow Eibner to harness his impressive talent and make serious strides in his development as a prospect.

Short Season/Rookie

Both the Burlington Royals and AZL Royals wrapped up their seasons before the calendar flipped to September, so the Idaho Falls Chukars (Pioneer League) remain the only of Kansas City’s short-season clubs still in action. At 33-42 overall, the Chukars have fallen short of postseason play and will wrap up their season on Sep. 8 against the Orem Owlz.

Stock Rising

Though technically no longer a Chukar, Edwin Carl had the most statistically-impressive season of any Royals farmhand. Advanced for the level at the age of 22, Carl faced 122 Pioneer League hitters – and fanned 71 of them. He only issued only three walks and held the opposition to a miniscule .145 batting average. At the plate, 2011 draftee Richard Espy made a strong impression with a .391 on-base percentage, while Daniel Mateo led the club with a .341 average. Infielder Nick DelGuidice was passed over by all 50 teams in this year’s draft, signing as a non-drafted free agent. But he batted .396 with a 1.037 OPS between Surprise and Idaho Falls and seems on track to start next year with Kane County.

Stock Falling

Like Carl, Jonathan Dooley competed in the Pioneer League as a 22-year old, where he was the Chukars opening day starter, but did not have the same success. The Arkansas native began the season in the rotation before being moved to the ‘pen, posting a 6.79 ERA in the process. Overall, the Chukars recorded a 5.38 staff ERA, with Jose Sanchez (8.17), Robert Penny (8.54) and Willian Avinazar (8.89) posting particularly high figures.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark, located in Springdale. Visit our website, nwanaturals.com, for information on season tickets and ticket plans.

ROYALS NAME PITCHERS, PLAYERS OF THE YEAR FOR EIGHT MINOR LEAGUE AFFILIATES

KANSAS CITY, MO (August 30, 2011) – The Kansas City Royals have named their Minor League Pitchers and Players of the Year for their respective affiliates. The Paul Splittorff Pitcher of the Year and George Brett Hitter of the Year will be named this Friday, September 2.

A majority of the players are expected to be at Kauffman Stadium for Futures Night on Friday, September 16, where they will take part in an autograph session at Gate A from 5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m., as well as be honored in an on-field presentation prior to the Royals game against the White Sox.

OMAHA (AAA)

Right-handed pitcher Luis Mendoza has been named the Omaha Pitcher of the Year. The 27-year-old has dominated Pacific Coast League hitters all season, posting an 11-5 record with a league-leading 2.15 ERA in 32 games (17 starts). Named to the 12-member All-PCL Team yesterday, Mendoza originally recorded his second career no-hitter on July 18 at Memphis, before a reviewed ruling overturned a ninth-inning error to a double. Mendoza was acquired from the Texas Rangers on April 2, 2010.

Johnny Giavotella was named the Omaha Player of the Year. The 24-year-old was batting .338 with a minor league-leading 153 hits for Triple-A Omaha at the time of his call-up to the Royals on August 5. The second baseman had 34 doubles, two triples, nine home runs, 72 RBI and 67 runs scored in 110 games for the Storm Chasers. Giavotella was a starter on the Pacific Coast League All-Star team as well as a member of the 12-member All-PCL Team. The University of New Orleans alum was the Royals’ second-round selection in the 2008 Draft.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS (AA)

Left-handed pitcher Will Smith, 22, has been named the Northwest Arkansas Pitcher of the Year. The six-foot-five southpaw is 12-9 with a 4.02 ERA in 26 starts for the Naturals. Smith is 8-3 with a 3.44 ERA in the second half and has helped lead the Naturals to the brink of the second-half division title.

28-year-old Anthony Seratelli is the Northwest Arkansas Player of the Year. The versatile performer and Texas League All-Star selection is hitting .283 with 12 doubles, six triples, nine home runs, 61 RBI and 89 runs scored in 123 games. Signed by the Royals from the Independent Frontier League on February 27, 2007, Seratelli has appeared at first base, second base, shortstop, left field and right field this season with the Naturals.

WILMINGTON (A-ADVANCED)

Right-handed starter Jake Odorizzi was named Wilmington Pitcher of the Year. The 21-year-old, acquired as part of the six-player trade with the Milwaukee Brewers on December 19, 2010, went 5-4 with a 2.87 ERA in 15 starts for the Blue Rocks before a midseason promotion to Northwest Arkansas. The 6-foot-2 righty has combined for 151 strikeouts in 140.0 innings this season.

Rey Navarro, who will turn 22 on December 22, is the Wilmington Player of the Year. The right-handed hitting infielder batted .285 with 17 doubles, seven triples, eight home runs, 41 RBI and 34 runs scored in 72 games for Wilmington before a promotion to Double-A. Born in Caguas, Puerto Rico, Navarro, who was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 1, 2010.

KANE COUNTY (A)

21-year-old Greg Billo was named the Kane County Pitcher of the Year. The six-foot-four right-hander is 9-5 with a Midwest League-leading 1.94 ERA in 26 games, 17 starts, for the Cougars. In 130.0 innings, the Royals’ 28th round pick from the 2008 Draft out of Orland Park, Ill., has allowed 111 hits while striking out 118 against just 25 walks.

22-year-old outfielder Brian Fletcher was named the Kane County Player of the Year. The former Auburn University slugger is batting .336 (107-for-318) with 30 doubles, three triples, 13 home runs, 57 RBI and 50 runs scored in 85 games for Kane County. The right-handed hitter and son of former big leaguer Scott Fletcher was the Royals’ 18th-round selection in 2010.

IDAHO FALLS (ROOKIE-ADVANCED)

Right-handed pitcher Edwin Carl, signed by the Royals as a non-drafted free agent on July 20, 2010 out of the University of New Mexico, is the Idaho Falls Pitcher of the Year. Carl, 22, has been nearly untouchable in the Pioneer League, posting an astounding 71 strikeouts and just three walks in 33.0 innings for the Chukars. He is 3-1 with five saves and a 1.36 ERA in 21 relief appearances. He was recently promoted to Kane County.

Outfielder Runey Davis, 22, has been named the Idaho Falls Player of the Year. Signed as a minor league free agent on March 9, 2011, the 2009 Chicago Cubs 12th-round selection is hitting .325 with 14 doubles, three triples, six home runs, 36 RBI and 37 runs scored in 50 games for Idaho Falls.

BURLINGTON-NC (ROOKIE)

23-year-old right-handed pitcher Nick Graffeo has been named the Burlington Pitcher of the Year. Selected out of the University of Alabama-Birmingham and Raytown (Mo.) High in the 38th round in 2010, the six-foot hurler is 4-2 with a 2.04 ERA in 17 games, including six starts. The stepson of current Royals hitting coach Kevin Seitzer has struck out 53 and walked 16 in 53.0 innings of work while holding opponents to a .192 average.

Outfielder Jorge Bonifacio, the 2010 Dominican Royals Player of the Year, is the Burlington Royals Player of the Year in 2011. Bonifacio, 18, is hitting .284 with 20 doubles, four triples, seven home runs, 30 RBI and 26 runs in 62 games. A resident of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Bonifacio was signed as a non-drafted free agent on December 9, 2009.

SURPRISE (ROOKIE)

Andrew Stueve, a 21-year-old right-hander, has been named the Surprise Royals Pitcher of the Year. The six-foot-one hurler was 1-3 with a 2.14 ERA in 21 appearances, including one start, before a promotion to Wilmington. Stueve signed with the Royals as an undrafted free agent on June 11 out of Stanislaus State University.

Shortstop Nick DelGuidice has been named the Surprise Royals Player of the Year. The 21-year-old right-handed hitter batted .408 (51-for-125) with 16 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 24 RBI and 32 runs in 34 games for Surprise before he was promoted to Idaho Falls. DelGuidice was signed by the Royals as an undrafted free agent out of Florida Atlantic University on June 12.

DOMINICAN ROYALS (ROOKIE)

Right-handed pitcher Yender Caramo is the Dominican Royals Pitcher of the Year. The just-turned 20-year-old (his birthday was August 25) is 10-3 with a 1.26 ERA in 13 games, including 12 starts. His 10 wins were tied for the league-lead while his ERA was second in the 33-team league. Signed by the Royals as a non-drafted free agent on November 22, 2010, Caramo is from San Felix, Bolivar, Venezuela.

Infielder Ramon Torres, signed by Kansas City as a non-drafted free agent on July 13, 2009, is the Dominican Royals Player of the Year. The 18-year-old hit .260 with 16 doubles, three triples, two home runs, 24 RBI, 35 runs and 14 stolen bases in 60 games. Torres, a switch hitter, resides in Santiago Rodriguez, Dominican Republic.

Yesterday, I-70 Baseball examined the thought that Ryan Franklin was simply a victim of “bad luck”. The pitcher seems to be finding a way to deflect all the blame from the concept that maybe, just maybe, he does not have what it takes to get big league hitters out consistently any longer.

After a tough outing in game one of a double header, Ryan Franklin was asked about the reaction of the fans as they booed him coming off the field after surrendering a home run and a walk in his second inning of work. Franklin took exception to anyone who would boo a player from the home team. The quote that jumps off the page, however, was “You should go write stories about the fans booing. They’re supposed to be the best fans in baseball. Yeah right.”

Later in the evening, Franklin would release a statement explaining the best he could about his frustration that led to the comments and apologizing for saying things out of emotion.

What does that mean? Does that mean that 50,000 people poor into the park every night and refuse to say anything bad about the players that wear the colors of the home team? Does it mean that, no matter what, they will stand behind their own? No, it does not.

When the term was used for the fans in St. Louis, it was used to describe a fan base that was intelligent, understood the game, and expected the best from any player that set foot on the grass of Baseball Heaven. When an outfielder dives and makes a miraculous catch, when an infielder stabs a ball that was a sure double, when a player shows respect to the game, and when a veteran has given his blood, sweat and tears to this game, the crowd acknowledges it. The crowd cheers. When someone speaks out against the team, when someone disrespects the game, when someone under performs and refuses to acknowledge that something may be wrong, they boo. It is not because they dislike or even like the player that gets the cheers or boos, it is based on the knowledge of the game and the desire for the player to act appropriately.

You see, the best fans in baseball will boo. It is their right. When you retire, when you hang ‘em up, and when you walk onto that field for the last time, those same fans will give you the ovation you deserve for your entire body of work in St. Louis and in baseball as a whole. The reaction in the middle of a ballgame is not about your career, it is about your current work.

Maybe Ryan Franklin should shag some fly balls with Rick Ankiel this afternoon and talk to him about the fanbase here. Ankiel was not always cheered and adored in St. Louis. A year later, he realizes how supportive these fans were to him and he acknowledges that. The visiting team’s center fielder showed class and received a standing ovation when he approached the plate. The home team’s relief pitcher simply states over and over that it is not his fault and he gets booed.

The fans may boo. They may cheer. They may even be indifferent. But in the end every player to wear the birds on the bat will tell you there is no place quite like St. Louis to play baseball. They may not love their players blindly, but they will reward them accordingly when the time is right.

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.

As Chris Carpenter prepares to take the mound to start the 2011 season, I thought it would be interesting to take a look back at some of the pitchers who took the mound in opening day. The Bob Gibson era (1959-1975) seemed to be as good a place as any to start. It may surprise you to learn that Gibby didn’t get the opening day call until 1965. In fact, early in the Solly Hemus era (1959-61), the future Hall of Fame pitcher would be moved between the bullpen, the rotation and the minor leagues, in spite of consistently demonstrating his enormous talent. It wasn’t until the arrival of Johnny Keane that Gibson got a chance to show what he was capable of – and National League hitters were never the same.

If Gibson wasn’t the opening day starter, who was and how did they do?

Larry Jackson (1959, 1960, 1962) 1-1 with 1 no decision

Larry Jackson

Larry Jackson was one of the best pitchers of his era but had the misfortune of playing his career on non-contending teams – sort of an anti-Jason Marquis. The first part of his career (1955-1962) was with the St. Louis Cardinals, who were rarely over .500. Unlike the his team, Jackson was consistently over .500, going 116-87 in those 8 seasons. He would earn 3 All Star Game invitations as a Cardinal plus one more with the Cubs in 1963. His 24-11 record with the Cubs in 1964 would earn him second place in the Cy Young voting. Unfortunately for Jackson, the award was only given to one pitcher, not one per league as it is done today. Jackson was clearly the best pitcher in the National League in 1964. Not only could Jackson pitch, but he could also field his position, earning him the reputation of being the best defensive pitcher of his generation. He would consistently lead the league in fielding percentage and at one time held the major league record for most consecutive chances without an error. By any measure, Larry Jackson was a bona fide ace.

Jackson would pitch well enough to win all three opening day starts, but would end up 1-1 with one no-decision. A blown save by Jim Brosnan in 1959 would cost him a win against the Giants. Some shaky Cardinals defense and a lack of hitting would hand Jackson a tough loss against the Giants in 1960. In his last opening day start for the Cardinals in 1962, the schedule makers gave Jackson the advantage as he would earn an easy win against the expansion New York Mets.

You may be asking why Jackson didn’t get the opening day start in 1961 ? During spring training, he was hit by a piece of Duke Snyder’s shattered bat and suffered a badly broken jaw. He would miss the remainder of spring training as well as the first two weeks of the regular season. Because his jaws were wired shut, the liquid diet did not give him adequate nutrition and he lost a lot of weight. As a result he struggled early in the season. By July 1, all of that was in the past and he would have a terrific second half, posting an 11-3 record with an ERA just over 3 runs per game.

As for home openers during Jackon’s era,Vinegar Bend Mizell and Lindy McDaniel would combine for a nice 5-2 win over the Cubs in 1960.

Before moving on, let’s close the book on Larry Jackson.

After a blowout season in 1964, Jackson ran into a bit of trouble in 1965, losing 21 games. He didn’t pitch poorly, in fact quite the opposite. It was more a reflection of the Cubs than anything Jackson had done. Early in the 1966 season he would be traded to the Phillies in their version of the Lou Brock for Ernie Broglio deal, with the Cubs receiving a young right hander named Ferguson Jenkins. After getting off to a slow start for the Cubs in 1966, Jenkins would go on to win 20 or more games for six consecutive seasons (67-72). He would start nearly 40 games a season, and average over 300 innings pitched during that stretch. He would win the Cy Young award in 1971 with his league leading 24 victories, and get a second place in 1967 and third place in 1970 and 1972. Yes, the Cubs got the better of that trade, perhaps to make up for the Lou Brock deal in June 1964.

While nowhere near as dazzling, Jackson had a fine end to his career in Philadelphia. Jackson was selected by the Montreal Expos in the 1969 expansion draft and rather than pitch for another losing team, he retired after the 1968 season.

Ernie Broglio (1961, 1963, 1964) 1-1 with 1 no decision

Ernie Broglio

Ernie Broglio would get the next few opening day starts – 1961, 1963 and 1964. Like Jackson, the fan favorite would go 1-1 with one no decision.

The 1961 opening day in Milwaukee against the Braves was a great game. If featured two of the best pitchers at the time, Broglio (who had gone 21-9 in 1960) and Warren Spahn (who was one of the greatest left handed pitchers ever, and had gone 21-10 in 1960). Few runs were scored, as expected, and Broglio left after 7 innings with the Cardinals down 1-0. A late run by the Cardinals tied the game and a home run off Spahn in the 10th inning gave reliever Lindy McDaniel the victory.

In 1963, Broglio would open the season in New York against the Mets. He would throw a complete game 2 hit shutout, striking out 8. Young Ray Washburn would follow that up with a 4 hit complete game shutout. And to complete the most amazing start to a season, veteran left hander Curt Simmons would throw a complete game shutout in the home opener against the Phillies. Three games, three shutouts. What a start to the 1963 season. If not for a certain left handed pitcher in Los Angeles, the Cardinals might have won the pennant in 1963.

Broglio would have the misfortune of hooking up against that same lefty, Sandy Koufax, in the last of his opening day starts for the Cardinals. The year would be 1964, and Broglio was about to be traded to the Cubs for a young unknown left fielder. The trade would be one of the most lopsided in baseball history – certainly one of the most unpopular. Broglio would develop arm trouble and his career would soon be over. We all know how the Lou Brock story ends – a trip to Cooperstown, NY.

In the 1964 opener, Broglio would be let down by his team’s defense and Ron Taylor could not keep the game close. Koufax was, well….. Koufax and he threw a nice complete game shutout. The Cardinals had their chances but could never break through against the lefty. Not many teams did.

Curt Simmons (1966) No decision

Curt Simmons

During the Ernie Broglio era, Curt Simmons would get the start in the home openers in 1961, 1963 and a rather late one in 1964. As he did so frequently in a Cardinals uniform, Simmons would pitch well and go 2-0 with one no-decision.

Curt Simmons would get the opening day start in 1966, the last of his Cardinals career. He would face the Phillies and their left handed ace, Chris Short. Short is at the high point in his career, winning 17 in 1964 and 18 more in 1965. He would go on to win 20 for the only time in his career in 1966. On this day, he was as good as any pitcher the Cardinals had faced. He would go 9 2/3 innings before being relieved by former Cardinal, Roger Craig. Simmons pitched well for the Cardinals, but the story was the bullpen. Nelson Briles, Joe Hoerner and Al Jackson had pitched 4 innings of shutout baseball. Dennis Aust, a short right hander would finish up the game with 2 strong innings. Unfortunately he would pitch three. In the twelfth inning, former Cardinal Bill White and future Cardinal Richie Allen would get to Aust and give him the only decision in his short career, an opening day loss.

Bob Gibson (1965, 1967-1975) 2-2 with 6 no decisions

Bob Gibson

The Gibson era would truly begin with a historic season opener in 1965 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. New manager Red Schoendienst was handed one of the finest rotations in Cardinals history, and at the top of it was Bob Gibson. Gibson would respond with the first of his five 20 win seasons (to go with two more 19 win seasons and an 18 win one). Facing Gibson was former Cardinal ace, Larry Jackson. Jackson wouldn’t make it out of the first inning as the Cardinals jumped out to a quick lead. Cubs errors (5 on the day) and the inability to find the strike zone doomed Jackson. Unfortunately Gibson was not all that much more effective and left after 3 1/3 innings. The bullpen did not fare any better as Ron Taylor, Tracy Stallard and Barney Schultz got roughed up by Cubs bats, although Stallard was the best of the three, going 4 1/3 innings and allowing only a single hit. It was that hit plus a walk that led to a Ron Santo three run homer in the bottom of the ninth off Barney Schultz which tied the game at 9.

What happens next makes this game historic. In the bottom of the tenth inning, a young left hander named Steve Carlton makes his major league debut. He faces one batter, and walks him. To make things even more historic, the game would end after 10 innings as a 10-10 tie. Yes, a tie in the Major Leagues. In 1965, there were no lights at Wrigley field and there was a late afternoon curfew that came into play.

The game would be made up on July 11 and the Cardinals would lose both games of the double header 6-0. Wrigley Field wasn’t being friendly to the Cards lefties on this day.

Gibson would return as the opening day starter in 1967 and throw a complete game shutout against the Giants, striking out 13 along the way. Not to be outdone, he would combine with Ray Washburn to throw a brilliant 3 hitter against the Braves in 1968. Washburn would collect the victory in relief. With a healthy Ray Washburn, the Cardinals run on their second consecutive National League pennant was all but assured. The only question would be who they would face in the fall classic.

Gibson would again take the mound in the 1969 opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but would be long gone by the time a decision was recorded. As they had been for several years, Bob Gibson and Joe Hoerner were brilliant. Gibson went 9 innings, striking out 10. Hoerner went another 4 innings without allowing a hit, facing the minimum number of hitters (12). Mel Nelson would take the mound in the 14th inning give up 4 runs in 2/3 of an inning. This was Nelson’s second time with the Cardinals and this would be his only decision in his final year in the majors.

In 1970, Gibson would open the season in Montreal and combine with Chuck Taylor for a nice 7-2 win. George Culver, obtained from Cincinnati for long time fan favorite Ray Washburn, got the home opener against the Mets and pitched a good game for the win.

The 1971 opening day game was one for the ages. It featured two of the best right handers in the game – Bob Gibson and Chicago’s Fergie Jenkins. The battle in Chicago did not disappoint anybody, although Cardinal fans didn’t like the outcome. Both men brought their “A” game, as they always did when facing each other. Jenkins went 10 innings, allowing only a single run on a home run by Joe Torre. Gibson went the distance as well, 9 1/3 innings. A one out home run by Billy Williams in the bottom of the 10th inning was the difference in the game as the Cubs won 2-1.

The home opener in 1971 was a sentimental one as the St. Louis native, lefty Jerry Reuss took the mound against the Giants. He lasted all of three innings and would take the loss. Reuss would never live up to his potential for the team he grew up watching. After a clash with Cardinals owner Gussie Busch over facial hair, Reuss would be sent to Houston following the season. He would go on to have a nice long career for Pittsburgh and Los Angeles, helping both teams get into post-season with regularity. He would end his 22 year career with an amazing 220 victories, which proves that if you are a lefty and can throw strikes, you can have a long career in the major leagues.

In 1972, Gibson would open the season at home against the Montreal Expos. Montreal would get off to a quick lead on a two run homer by future Cardinal Mike Jorgensen. Gibson would settle down and leave after 6 innings, down 2-0. The Cardinals would later tie the game at 2. In his second inning of relief, Al Santorini would give up a leadoff single to future Cardinal, Ron Hunt. Jose Cruz misplayed Hunt’s single, allowing him to advance to second. An infield ground out and a sacrifice fly and the Expos led 3-2, a lead they would make hold up. One hit and Santorini takes a hard luck loss.

Bob Gibson takes a 5-2 lead into the bottom of the 8th inning in the 1973 opener at Pittsburgh. With one out, the Pirates loaded the bases against Gibson and Red Schoendienst went to his bullpen, calling on Diego Segui. Segui would be lit up like a Christmas Tree and would take the loss as the Pirates scored 5 runs, three being charged to Gibson.

Bob Gibson would face former Cardinal Jerry Reuss in the home opener in 1974. It was a typical Reuss pitched game. The Cardinals always seemed to have runners in scoring position, and managed to plate 4 of them in his 7 innings. Gibson went 8, and while he looked much better than Reuss, the score was tied at 4. The Cardinals would light up former Cardinal relief specialist, Dave Guisti and Al Hrabosky would earn the first of his 8 victories, although it was not a spotless outing for the Mad Hungarian. Al Hrabosky put together two amazing seasons in 1974 and 1975, going a combined 21-4, all in relief. Many of those appearances were multiple innings. Nobody was any better than Hungo and he received quite a few Cy Young votes for his 13-3 1.66 ERA 1975 season.

In his last season in the majors, Bob Gibson took the ball on opening day against the Montreal Expos. This was a historic game as two of the best pitchers of their era were making their last opening day starts. Facing Gibson was former Baltimore Orioles ace, Dave McNally. Both hurlers would finish the season with 3 victories, McNally getting one of them in this game. A huge crowd turned out to cheer on these two legends, and both starters turned in a good game. Had Red gone to his bullpen after 7 innings like he should have, Gibson might have one more victory. Cardinal fans will still remember those 12 strikeouts, as if it was Gibson’s farewell gift to all those in attendance.

In the post-Gibson era, Lynn McGlothen would get the first opening day start in 1976. It was hoped that McGlothen would follow in Gibson’s footsteps, but alas that was not to be. John Denny and Bob Forsch would get the next opening day starts as the Cardinals searched for an ace to anchor the top of the rotation. That would eventually happen as Joaquin Andujar and John Tudor formed one of the best 1-2 starters in the 1980s.

Bob Netherton covers Cardinals history for i70baseball.com and writes at On the Outside Corner. You may follow Bob on Twitter here or on Facebook here.

Blake Hawksworth is getting acquainted with his new Dodgers teammates in his first spring training outside the Cardinals organization. He was taken in the 28^th round by the Cardinals in the 2001 draft, and not surprisingly, it took him 7 seasons of development before he made his big league debut. Despite struggling in AAA Memphis, Hawksworth took full advantage of his first opportunity to play in the major league and is looking to bounce back from his sophomore slump.

After joining the Cardinals at age 19, it took Blake 5 years to get to AAA Memphis. His ERA was 5.28 in 2007, and ballooned to 6.09 in 2008 before he finally settled in with a 3.58 ERA in 2009. The success was enough to earn him a mid-season role in the Cardinals’ depleted bullpen, and he never looked back. In his 30 appearances in the big leagues in 2009, he was lights out, putting up a 2.03 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, gave up just 2 home runs and posted a 4-0 record.

But in 2010, the big league hitters caught up to Hawksworth and neutralized his early success. In 45 appearances (90.1 innings) hitters shelled him for 15 HRs, which helped raise his ERA to 4.98 with a WHIP of 1.64.

2010 definitely didn’t turn out how Hawksworth or the Cardinals would’ve liked and the club dealt him to the Dodgers for shortstop, Ryan Theriot, during the offseason. The move was made in part because the Cardinals needed to replace recently ousted shortstop, Brendan Ryan, and in part because they had a deep bullpen, especially in the right-handers department.

Fast-forward to spring training 2011 and now the trade is looming as one the Cardinals might want to have back. Starting pitcher, Adam Wainwright, is lost for the season with an elbow injury and the Cardinals will likely look to right-hander reliever, Kyle McClellan, to fill in for at least some of those starts. McClellan may take the role permanently. As the saying goes, you can never have too much pitching.

As for Blake Hawksworth, he’s looking to lend a helping hand to a Dodger bullpen that ranked 11^th in the National League in bullpen ERA, while it was asked to eat up the 6^th most innings in the league. While he’ll certainly miss seeing the Pittsburgh Pirates’ lineup 19 times a year, he is moving to the lowest scoring division in the National League and that certainly won’t hurt his chances of rebounding in 2011. Blake’s former teammates will pay him a visit in Los Angeles for a 4 game series April 14-18, and he’ll make his first trip back to Busch Stadium August 22-24. Aside from those 7 games, most Cardinals fans will be wishing Hawksworth the best as he continues his career out on the west coast.