State of the Peoria Cardinals

We’re into the seventh week of baseball and the Peoria Cardinals have shown little to no signs of life in the standings thus far this season. Sporting a league worst record of 14-40-6, Peoria fans have had very little to cheer about on the field this year. However, Peoria’s front office has been hard at work this season building for the coming years.


So far this season the Cardinals have signed 24-year-old Jhonny Peralta (8HR, 28RBI), 27-year-old Dan Johnson (.385, 4HR, 13RBI), and top Major League catching prospect, 22-year-old Jarrod Saltalamacchia. These players help sure up a young nucleus that already includes such rising stars as 22-year-old Ryan Zimmerman, 24 year old Robinson Cano, 26-year-old Chris Duncan, and 24 year old Ian Kinsler. With 22-year-old prospect Matt Kemp eager to contribute at the EHCC level. The Cardinals offense has been nothing short of atrocious this season, but with this influx of young talent Peoria fans do have reason for optimism in the coming years.

Pitching on the other hand has been the one bright spot for the franchise this season. Led by a handful of good-looking pitchers under the age of 30, Peoria has been putting up very competitive pitching stats. Cole Hamels, Chris Young, Chris Capuano, Chuck James, and Jason Bergmann make up a formidable front five, who, for the most part, have yet to reach their prime. Additionally, Peoria has had by far the best bullpen in the league. Led by Jon Papelbon and Francisco Cordero, the Cardinals have racked up 45 saves, 10 more than the next best team. With Peoria having absolutely no chance at sniffing the playoffs this season, the Cardinals will look to trade closers Todd Jones and Al Reyes by the deadline as well as potentially other veterans.

With this team being pitching dominant, Peoria will look to sure up some offense before the deadline and certainly during the 07/08 off-season. Look for slow improvements out of the Peoria Cardinals camp as GM Dave Grubb was recently quoted as saying, “this lackluster play is unacceptable and we will be doing what we can to move this franchise into another direction. With the young core of this organization it will take a little time, unfortunately we can’t jump from 12th to playoff contenders over night. Baby steps.”