Future Redbirds

Is this a chat with Joe Morgan…or Joe Strauss?

MaggieD:I have a question about Yadier Molina’s contract. I know his contracts have been year to year for the last few years. Is he coming up on a long-term contract at the end of this year, and if so, do any of the minor leaguers pose any significant competition for his job??
Joe Strauss:Molina becomes arbitration-eligible after this season. I anticipate the Cardinals will approach him about a multi-year arrangement. He does not have a challenger within the system as the team’s starting catcher.

Not one challenger? Not one? Really? C’mon, Joe. You’re smarter then that. The non-stop love affair this town has with all glove-no hit catchers astounds me. Maybe Kevin Goldstein can tell us who Yadi’s challenger might be in his latest editition of Future Shock.

Anderson had a very good year in 2006, batting .302/.377/.417 in his Midwest League full-season debut, but nobody saw him as the kind of talent that would be ready for a two-level jump to the Texas League. As it turned out, not only was he ready, but he’s now ranked second in the circuit’s batting race. Defensively, Anderson is neither plus nor deficient in any area, but it’s his bat that’ll keep getting him promoted. That said, Anderson’s primary value as a hitter comes from his batting average. He’s an aggressive, contact-oriented hitter who attacks balls early, with a slicing swing that isn’t designed much for power or power potential. Anderson is a very good prospect doing very well while being young for the level, but it’s easier to see him developing into that rare catcher who fits in the number two spot of a lineup than his developing into a true impact hitter.

I guess there’s no place for a hitting catcher in the Lou…the team’s crazy Matheny-esque catcher fixation. What happens with Tony and Walt in the near future should be telling regarding Anderson’s future on whether he’ll be donning the birds on the bat or if we’ll be witnessing years of Yadi-ism.

I’m not saying Yadi isn’t a fine catcher and I truly believe he should hit better then he has so far in his career…but give me Anderson over Yadi any day.