Jon Jon Gazdar Named Minor League Player of the Day

The Cardinal Chronicle
Jon Jon Gazdar Named Minor League Player of the Day
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

Jon Jon Gazdar gave the Springfield Cardinals the kind of offensive lift Sunday afternoon that can change the feel of a game.

Gazdar went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBIs in Springfield’s 11-5 comeback win over the Corpus Christi Hooks, earning The Cardinal Chronicle’s Minor League Player of the Day honors.

Springfield trailed 4-1 before its offense came alive, and Gazdar was right in the middle of the turnaround. His production helped the Cardinals erase the early deficit, build pressure throughout the lineup and finish the homestand with one of their better offensive efforts of the season.

For Springfield, the win was not built around one swing or one inning. It came from a lineup that kept applying pressure after falling behind. Travis Honeyman homered. Ryan Campos delivered his first three-hit game at Double-A. Jeremy Rivas extended his hitting streak to eight games. But Gazdar’s all-around line — two hits, three runs and three RBIs — stood out because it touched every part of the scoreboard.

That matters.

A player can have a good day by collecting hits. He can have a useful day by driving in runs. He can have a winning day by scoring them. Gazdar did all three.

His work also came in a game Springfield needed. The Cardinals have had a difficult start to the season, but Sunday’s win showed some of the fight that has to become part of their identity. Falling behind early and still winning by six runs is not just a good box score. It is a sign that the lineup did not fold.

Gazdar’s performance was part of that answer.

The final line was clean and complete: two hits, three runs scored and three RBIs in a Springfield comeback win.

That is a full day’s work.

Old School Take

There is something to be said for a player who helps a club in more than one way.

Gazdar did not just get on base. He scored. He did not just score. He drove in runs. He did not just contribute while the game was already decided. He helped Springfield turn the game around.

That is winning baseball. It does not always come wrapped in prospect hype or national rankings, but it shows up in the dugout and on the scoreboard.

Honorable Mentions

Bligh Madris had a strong day for Memphis, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs in the Redbirds’ win at Toledo.

Jonathan Mejia and Jack Gurevitch both homered for Palm Beach in the Cardinals’ 11-0 shutout win over Clearwater.

Won-Bin Cho homered for the second straight game for Peoria, hitting his fourth home run of the season.

Ryan Campos collected his first three-hit game at Double-A for Springfield.

Jeremy Rivas went 2-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and extended his hitting streak to eight games.

The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports
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