The hits, or lack of hits, kept coming last week as the St. Louis Cardinals continued a rough stretch that included becoming the victim of the New York Mets first no-hitter in franchise history.

Aside from being no-hit by Mets pitcher Johan Santana Friday night, the Cardinals also sent Skip Schumaker back to the disabled list to join an all-star caliber cast that includes Lance Berkman, Matt Carpenter and Jon Jay on the offensive side, and Chris Carpenter and Kyle McClellan representing the pitching staff.

On the bright side, perhaps the only bright side of the week that saw the Cardinals go 2-6 in their last eight games, Allen Craig rejoined the team Friday. Although he obviously didn’t get a hit in his first game back, the Cardinals sorely need his presence in the lineup.

It’s not surprising that the Cardinals have fallen back to the back amid all of the injuries. Sure, every team has injuries throughout the long season, but no team is going to play first-place caliber baseball with six important players hurt.

However, the Cardinals are still capable of playing competitive baseball, and better baseball than they have of late.

The bullpen has been simply atrocious for much of the last three weeks. The Cardinals had the fourth-worst ERA in May at 4.72, and the bullpen’s ERA was even higher. The disturbing part of the bullpen’s performance is injuries cannot be used as an excuse. Aside from McClellan, the bullpen pitchers have remained healthy, they’ve just pitched terribly.

Now it’s to the point where guys such as Sam Freeman, Maikel Cleto and Brandon Dickson are trying to get important outs for the big league club, when in reality they should still be playing for the AAA Memphis Redbirds.

Even with the injuries to position players, the Cardinals put up four runs or more in every game last week before running into a buzz saw this weekend against the Mets. A team that consistently scores four runs or more should win a lot of ballgames, but the pitching staff has found numerous ways to give up more than four runs.

The struggles of middle relief pitchers have been particularly back-breaking. The Cardinals have shown all season they can fight back during a game even if they fall behind early.

For example, the Atlanta Braves scored three runs in the first inning and two more runs in the third inning Wednesday to take a 5-0 lead. The Cardinals fought back and tied the game at five in the six, but Marc Rzepczynski immediately gave up three runs to take away any momentum the Cardinals had built.

So, what’s the fix? Good question. The offense will be fine. A lineup that includes Carlos Beltran, Matt Holliday and David Freese will produce enough runs to remain competitive. However, as we said before the season started, the pitching staff is going to have to be strong for the Cardinals to compete for the division crown.

That happened at the beginning of the season. The Cardinals jumped out to an early lead almost every night, and the pitchers held the opponents in check the rest of the night. The game seemed easy back in April.

That certainly changed in May. Relief pitchers such as Rzepczynski, Fernando Salas and Mitchell Boggs will have to regain their 2011 and early 2012 form if the Cardinals are going to keep up with the Cincinnati Reds throughout the summer. The Memphis Redbirds pitching staff isn’t equipped to compete in the major leagues, and it is showing right now.

Hopefully the Cardinals beat up on the Houston Astros this coming week, but after that series the team faces a stretch against AL Central powerhouses such as the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers.

Hang on tight, folks, the rough ride of the past week could continue for a while.

Old friend of I-70, Wally Fish (of Kings Of Kauffman fame), has a site known as Seedlings To The Stars. They are currently in the process of counting down their top 100 prospects and we thought our readers might like to drop by there for some insight. Below are I-70 players that are currently profiled. Drop by the site and read up on the future of your favorite franchise.

Mike Montgomery courtesy of Minda Haas

Top 100 Prospects, #85: Maikel Cleto, Cardinals
Nathan Stoltz of Seedlings To The Stars says:

Of the 662 pitchers who threw a pitch in the major leagues during 2011, none had a higher average fastball velocity than Cleto’s 98.4 mph. He fired 96-101 mph bullets in relief, and the pitch has good run and sink even at its higher velocities. As a starter, Cleto’s more in the 93-99 mph range, but still boasts a very intimidating heater.

He backs the fastball up with a solid hard curveball in the 82-86 mph range, giving him two good pitches. Ordinarily, a starter needs a more well-rounded arsenal than that, but with this sort of heat, Cleto doesn’t need a changeup as much as most guys. That said, he does throw one, which comes in (rather amusingly) in the low-90′s.

As a 22-year-old, the righthander had no trouble pitching in the High-A Florida State League, and he also handled Double-A with aplomb–no small feat considering that his home park there was the most hitter-friendly park in Double-A. He continued to strike batters out at a solid clip in both Triple-A and the majors; were it not for a disastrous first inning of MLB pitching (which can be excused, certainly), his line would indicate that he didn’t have too much trouble even at the highest level.

Holding his own after all the promotions was a great accomplishment, and Cleto’s premium arm strength gives him tons of upside.

Read Cleto’s full profile by clicking here.

Top 100 Prospects, #84: Mike Montgomery, Royals
Nathan Stoltz of Seedlings To The Stars says:

Montgomery boasts plus stuff, with a good low-90′s fastball and a curve and changeup that flash plus at times. At 6’4″ and with a lanky, projectable frame, he could grow into more velocity, and he could end up with three plus offerings–after all, he just turned 22 in July.

Statistically, Montgomery doesn’t have a whole lot left to prove in the minors after being a mid-rotation workhorse for Triple-A Omaha last season. After he missed significant time in 2010, getting through 150+ innings this season was a big step for the lefthander, and better still, he improved as the year went on. His strikeout-to-walk ratio was just 65/46 through the end of June, but was nearly twice as good thereafter, at 64/23.

Montgomery has always put up good groundball numbers and projects to excel in that area at the MLB level as well.

Read Montgomery’s full profile by clicking here.

If prospects are what you are looking for and you want the most in-depth analysis available, all of us here at I-70 would suggest you drop by Seedlings To The Stars often. I know it is sitting at the top of my bookmarks currently.

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.

Editor’s note: The content in this article is pulled directly from Press Release information from the two clubs.

Springfield Cardinals send five players to North Division Texas League All Star Roster, Northwest Arkansas Naturals send two.

Naturals’ do-it-all utilityman Anthony Seratelli and catcher Salvador Perez will represent the Naturals while first baseman Matt Adams and outfielder Alex Castellanos were elected starters at their positions. Shortstop Ryan Jackson was selected as a reserve infielder, and Maikel Cleto and Michael Blazek make up one-fifth of the All-Star pitching staff.

Despite battling an oblique strain since late May, Adams is still among the Texas League leaders in virtually every hitting category. His batting average (.354) is good for second in the Texas League, as are his 15 home runs. Add in Adams’ 47 RBIs (third in the league), and the Philipsburg, Pa. native is the obvious choice at first base. Just 21 years of age, Adams is enjoying one of his finest seasons as a professional.

Joining Adams in the starting lineup is 24-year-old outfielder Alex Castellanos. In his first year in Springfield, Castellanos has already eclipsed his home run total for all of 2010. His 14 home run total is third best in the league. Castellanos surely turned voter’s heads with his high average (.308), RBI total (41) and laser arm in right-field. The Miami, Fla. resident joins Tulsa’s Tim Wheeler and Arkansas’ Mike Trout to form an outstanding trio in the North Division outfield.

Seratelli, voted in as the starting designated hitter, has been a primary offensive catalyst for the Naturals this season, batting .320 with six homers and 27 RBI’s, second on the club, in 54 games. His six homers double the regular season total from 2010 for the 28-year old from Matawan, NJ. Seratelli has logged time all over the field, at first, second, shortstop, and outfield. He was originally acquired by the Royals in February of 2007 when they purchased his contract from an unaffiliated independent league team.

Rounding out the Cardinals position player All-Stars is shortstop Ryan Jackson. Although Jackson’s bat has been steady throughout (.265, 4 HRs, 26 RBI’s), it is his excellent glove work that sets the 23-year-old apart from other infielders in the Texas League. Jackson has routinely been cited for making the difficult look routine, a trait Springfield pitchers undoubtedly appreciate.

Perez will serve as a reserve catcher for the North Division squad. The defensive-minded backstop is batting .247 with three homers and nine RBI’s on the season as one of the youngest players in the circuit. More importantly, the 21-year old Valencia, Venezuela resident leads all Texas League backstops in games played (44) and assists (39), and leads all Texas League catchers in catching would-be opposing base stealers, gunning down runners at a 44.4% rate (24 CS in 54 opposing SB attempts). Perez was ranked prior to the season by Baseball America as the Kansas City Royals’ 17^th best prospect.

Blazek, from Las Vegas, Nev., has quietly become the Texas League leader in wins. His impressive 7-2 record is a major reason Springfield has a chance at finishing first in the division at the halfway point. Blazek’s 64 innings pitched is best on the staff, as are his 52 strikeouts. A 35th round selection in the 2007 MLB Draft, Blazek’s impressive 2011 campaign is making a case for his baseball future.

The final Springfield Cardinals’ All-Star is also the only member not originally drafted or signed by the club. Maikel Cleto was acquired from the Seattle Mariners for former St. Louis Cardinals’ shortstop Brendan Ryan in a trade on Dec. 12, 2010. Possessing a plus fastball, Cleto has always been an intriguing big league prospect, but under the tutelage of Springfield Pitching Coach Bryan Eversgerd, Cleto has harnessed his potential into impressive results. In just five starts, Cleto is 2-1 with a 2.70 ERA and 34 strikeouts.

The rest of the North Division All Star Team pitching staff includes Orangel Arenas, Ryan Braiser, Trevor Reckling, Garrett Richards and Matt Shoemaker from the Arkansas Travelers, and Juan Nicasio, Christian Friedrich and Stephen Dodson representing the Tulsa Drillers.

Accompanying Adams and Castellanos in the North Division starting lineup are catcher Wilin Rosario (Tulsa), second baseman Ryan Mount (Arkansas), third baseman Luis Jimenez (Arkansas), shortstop Darwin Perez (Arkansas), designated hitter Anthony Seratelli (Northwest Arkansas), and outfielders Wheeler and Trout (Tulsa and Arkansas, respectively).

Rounding out the 24-man roster are reserves Darin Holcomb, Ben Paulsen and Scott Beerer (Tulsa) and Salvador Perez (Northwest Arkansas).

Naturals’ skipper Brian Poldberg, in his fourth season with Northwest Arkansas, along with Hitting Coach Terry Bradshaw, Pitching Coach Larry Carter, and Athletic Trainer Tony Medina will also represent Northwest Arkansas in San Antonio. The most experienced coaching staff in the league, the quartet won the first Texas League Championship in Northwest Arkansas’ short Texas League history and has the Naturals fighting down the wire in the first half of this season for a playoff spot, as well.

The 24-man All-Star rosters were selected by a voting panel which includes the Texas League President as well as the league’s managers, coaches, radio broadcasters, and newspaper beat writers. For tickets to the All-Star game and further information, visit the San Antonio Missions’ website, www.samissions.com.

Being an outspoken defender and ever-faithful fan of Brendan “Boog” Ryan, I was both delighted to be asked to contribute a piece dedicated to my favorite shortstop and yet bummed about the context. Hearing the label “former Cardinal” attached to Brendan still tugs at my heart, and seeing Brendan in a Mariners uniform this year will be bittersweet.

During the offseason, the Cardinals openly shopped Brendan Ryan amid cruel rumblings that Ryan had become a distraction in the Cardinals’ clubhouse. Brendan was eventually traded to the Seattle Mariners for Class A pitcher, Maikel Cleto. Those of us who enjoyed Brendan’s personality and marveled at his valuable defensive wizardry were appalled by the seemingly lopsided deal. But I digress…

This spring as in countless years before, fans all over the nation will be coming out of hibernation to reunite with baseball. Cardinal fans will notice new names on the roster, and the infield will showcase a different glove with #3 Ryan Theriot replacing #13 Brendan Ryan at shortstop.

Recap: The Cardinal Years

Brendan Ryan was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 7^th round of the 2003 MLB amateur draft (215^th overall) at age 21. Working his way up the farm system, Ryan was promoted to Class AA Springfield Cardinals by the middle of 2005. A wrist injury limited his playing time considerably for the 2006 season. However Brendan rebounded in 2007, playing at both AAA Memphis and the big club, making his major league debut with the Cardinals on June 2, 2007. In 2007 Brendan split his time among 2^nd base, 3^rd base and shortstop. In 2008 Brendan played primarily middle infield and notably hit his first career grand slam on August 20^th at San Diego, giving the Cardinals a 5-1 win.

Brendan’s 2008 sophomore batting average slumped to .244 from .289 in 2007, but then rebounded to an impressive .292 for 2009 when Brendan also showcased a breakout season as the Cardinals’ everyday shortstop. Ryan turned heads with his brilliant defense and spectacular range (1^st in the NL that season). His .984 fielding percentage ranked him 4th among all shortstops for 2009 and Brendan also led the NL in assists during both the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

The 2010 season started out bumpy for Ryan who opted for wrist surgery in February after battling pain and discomfort for years. The surgery delayed his Spring Training progress and after an attempt to retool his swing under the guidance of Cardinals hitting coach, Mark McGwire, Brendan started the season struggling to find his comfort at the plate. His 2010 batting average danced around the Mendoza line much of the year, ending at a meager .223 (a far cry from the .292 he posted in 2009.)

Looking Ahead:

In January, Ryan avoided arbitration, signing a 2-year, $2.75 million contract with his new ballclub. He enters Spring Training in competition for the Mariners starting shortstop position with 33-year-old incumbent shortstop, Jack Wilson. Wilson spent most of last season plagued by injuries and is in his final year of a 2-year, $10 million contract. Brendan’s chances to start at either shortstop or 2^nd base are considered extremely good.

I expect Brendan Ryan to rebound from his poor offensive showing in 2010. Mariners fans will delight in his range and defense while a new ballclub, manager and league may provide the perfect fresh environment for Brendan’s unbridled passion and enthusiasm for the game.

Keep your eyes on the 2011 highlight reels. I predict we will be seeing a lot of Brendan Ryan this year, even though he will not be wearing the Birds on the Bat.

Go Boog, Go! ;)

Erika Lynn is a contributor for i70baseball.com, BaseballDigest.com and writes about the Cardinals at Cardinal Diamond Diaries. You can also find her on Twitter: @Erika4stlcards

References: Baseball-Reference.com and mlb.com

The Brendan Ryan Era has officially come to an end in St. Louis.

The Cardinals today have announced that Brendan Ryan has been traded to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for prospect pitcher Maikel Cleto.

According to early speculation in Seattle, Ryan will be given the opportunity to challenge Jack Wilson for the starting shortstop position and will, most likely, see time at second base while rookie Dustin Ackley develops in through the system.

The Mariners have acquired the best defensive shortstop in the game, a high-energy ball player that sometimes can be his own worst enemy, and a fan favorite player that is incredibly endearing. But what did the Cardinals get in return?

Cleto is a pitcher that has confused most people that have evaluated him. He is a high velocity guy that throws consistently in the low to mid 90′s, sometimes reaching 97 MPH. He has struggled to develop a secondary pitch with various scouts opining about his “below average curveball” or his “yet to be developed slider”. Additionally, scouts have been confused by the hit-ability of his fastball. Most reports suggest that his heater is incredibly straight and shows little movement, leaving it hittable, even at High-A ball, where Cleto spent most of 2010. During his tour in High-A ball, Cleto would establish a 4-9 record with a 6.16 earned run average in 23 games (21 starts). He would strikeout 83 while walking 44, surrender more than a hit per inning pitched, and give up just under one home run per nine innings pitched. Cleto is a 21 year old starting pitcher from the Dominican Republic who spent most of 2009 battling Visa issues after being traded from the Mets’ system to the Mariners in the JJ Putz trade two years ago today. The Mariners had placed Cleto on their 40-man roster in order to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.

Not regarded as a top prospect, Cleto does show the potential to be impressive, though most experts predict any pending success will come in the bullpen and not in the starting rotation. With development of his slider and a decent off-speed pitch, I would have to wonder if the Cardinals are seeing a potential back of the bullpen type arm.

Brendan Ryan may very well be the type of player that looks to rebound from a forgettable season while enjoying a change of scenery. Ryan last season hit .223 after posting a .292 average and winning the starting shortstop position the year before. He would struggle at the plate, showing little patience and taking his frustrations onto the field, allowing it to affect his otherwise brilliant defense. Given playing time, constructive criticism, and ample structure in his job, Ryan has the opportunity to reinvent himself in the American League and show the Cardinals’ organization that they may have given up a little too soon. With a young, rebuilding, struggling and often frustrating team in Seattle currently, Ryan will not have to perform at astonishing levels to keep his position in the Mariners’ starting lineup.

The story of Brendan Ryan in St. Louis suggests that there is more to the story than the public is being made aware of. If that is true, I commend the organization and the shortstop for being sensitive to the matter and ensuring that a player was not “run out of town”.

All things considered, this trade may have been just what the doctor ordered for the player and both teams involved.