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The Cardinal Chronicle Cardinals’ Offense Comes Up Short in a Tough 2-1 Loss to Rangers St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurThe St. Louis Cardinals had the pitching. They had the late-inning chance. They had the tying run within reach.What they did not have Monday night at Busch Stadium was enough offense.The Texas Rangers held off the Cardinals 2-1 in the opener of a three-game interleague series, riding five scoreless innings from Jacob deGrom and just enough timely offense to spoil a solid bounce-back start from Michael McGreevy.It was the kind of game that leaves a club frustrated because the Cardinals were never buried. They were never out of it. The pitching staff kept the game close all night, but the offense could not build enough pressure or cash in enough chances.McGreevy gave the Cardinals a professional start, working six innings and allowing two runs. After his roughest outing of the season last week, this was the response St. Louis needed from him. He threw strikes, worked with tempo, and gave the Cardinals a chance to win against one of baseball’s more dangerous lineups.The Rangers finally broke through in the fourth when Ezequiel Duran doubled to left, scoring Brandon Nimmo to give Texas a 1-0 lead. Texas added another run in the fifth when Joc Pederson singled to center, scoring Danny Jansen and pushing the lead to 2-0.That was all the Rangers would need.The Cardinals had a chance in the bottom of the fourth when Jimmy Crooks lined a base hit to left, moving Bryan Torres to third with two outs. With deGrom already laboring near the upper end of his pitch count, Victor Scott II worked a full count but popped out to left, leaving two runners stranded.That inning stood out. Against a pitcher like deGrom, opportunities are rare. When they show up, a team has to cash them in.DeGrom was sharp, holding the Cardinals scoreless over five innings while allowing four hits and one walk. He struck out eight and looked much closer to the vintage version of himself than the Cardinals would have preferred.Once deGrom exited, the Cardinals finally got on the board.Masyn Winn jumped on reliever Peyton Gray in the sixth and launched a solo home run to left, cutting the Rangers’ lead to 2-1. It was the one real offensive spark of the night for St. Louis and gave the Cardinals life heading into the late innings.But that was as far as the comeback would go.Justin Bruihl retired the Rangers in order in the seventh, and the Cardinals’ bullpen kept the game within reach. The problem remained the same: the bats could not finish the job. Nelson Velázquez struck out as a pinch-hitter, Jose Fermin lined out to second, and JJ Wetherholt grounded out to second to end the seventh.The Cardinals continued to hang around, but Texas’ bullpen held the line. St. Louis finished with five hits and only one run, a familiar frustration on a night when the pitching staff gave them enough to make the game winnable.Winn’s homer was the highlight. McGreevy’s bounce-back effort was encouraging. The bullpen did its part.But baseball still comes down to 27 outs, and right now the Cardinals are giving away too many of them. In a one-run game, empty at-bats and missed chances carry extra weight.This was not a blowout. It was not a game where the Cardinals were outclassed across the board. It was a tight, winnable ballgame that slipped away because the offense could not provide enough support.The Cardinals entered the night in second place in the National League Central and opened a stretch against a Texas club that came to St. Louis trying to climb back into the American League West picture. Former Cardinal Skip Schumaker returned to Busch Stadium as manager of the Rangers, but by the end of the night, the story was less about sentiment and more about missed opportunity.St. Louis will try to even the series Tuesday night, with Dustin May scheduled to start against Nathan Eovaldi.Old School TakeThe Cardinals pitched well enough to win. That is the hard part to swallow. McGreevy answered the bell, the bullpen kept them alive, and the game was there for the taking. But one swing from Winn was not enough. At some point, the offense has to stop waiting for the perfect inning and start winning the at-bats in front of them. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: <a data-mce-href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" title="www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a> Photo Credit: Maysn Winn, St. Louis Cardinals | MLB.com

Cardinals’ Offense Comes Up Short in a Tough 2-1 Loss to Rangers

The Cardinal Chronicle Prospect Stock Market Report: Odle, Cho and Davis Push Their Stock Higher St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurProspect watching is not for the faint of heart. One week a player looks ready to kick down the door, and the next week the same player is back in the cage trying to find his swing, his command, or in some cases, his health.That is the nature of player development. It does not move in a straight line. It moves in bumps, bruises, hot streaks, cold spells, promotions, injuries and adjustments. The trick is knowing when to react — and when to simply let the game breathe a little.This week’s Prospect Stock Market Report looks at three players rising, three holding their position and three whose stock has slipped, at least for now.STOCK RISING Jacob Odle, RHP, Peoria Chiefs The Movement: Jacob Odle may be one of the fastest-rising arms in the Cardinals’ system.Named The Cardinal Chronicle’s Player of the Month, Odle has forced his way into the conversation with performance that can no longer be tucked away in the lower-minors notebook. The right-hander has posted a 1.96 ERA with 54 strikeouts over 36.2 innings this season, and the Cardinals rewarded that work by moving him from Palm Beach to Peoria on May 26. That is the kind of promotion that tells you the organization sees the same thing the box scores have been saying. (MLB.com)Odle has size, strikeout ability and momentum. More importantly, he is beginning to look like something more than a nice story. He is starting to look like a real prospect.Old School Take: You do not need a spreadsheet the size of a church directory to figure this one out. When a pitcher keeps missing bats, keeps limiting damage and gets promoted, his stock is rising. Odle has earned every bit of attention he is getting.Won-Bin Cho, OF, Peoria Chiefs The Movement: Won-Bin Cho has turned himself into one of the hottest bats in the Cardinals’ system.Cho was named Midwest League Player of the Week for May 26-31, becoming the first Peoria Chief to win the award this season. That honor does not come by accident. It comes from impact, production and a player putting together the kind of week that makes people look twice. (MLB.com)Cho has always had tools. The question has been whether those tools would consistently show up in games. Right now, they are. He is driving the baseball, getting on base and turning his physical ability into real production.Old School Take: Cho is the kind of player who can be easy to overlook until he gets hot — then suddenly everybody remembers why he was interesting in the first place. The talent has always been there. Now the performance is catching up.Braden Davis, LHP, Springfield Cardinals The Movement: Braden Davis moves into the rising category this week after a strong bounce-back stretch and a recent Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day performance.Davis struck out a season-high 10 batters across 5.2 scoreless innings for Double-A Springfield on May 25. That is exactly the kind of outing he needed. Earlier in the season, the run prevention had been uneven, but the swing-and-miss ability never disappeared. A start like that reminds everyone why he still belongs firmly on the prospect radar.&nbsp;The left-hander led all Cardinals farmhands last season with 153 strikeouts while posting a 2.85 ERA across Palm Beach and Peoria. That history matters. He has already shown he can miss bats over a full season. Now the challenge is carrying that forward at Double-A.&nbsp;Old School Take: Left-handers who can strike hitters out always get another look. Davis still has some cleaning up to do, but that last outing was not just a good box score. It was a reminder. The arm is still very much alive.STOCK HOLDING Rainiel Rodriguez, C, Springfield Cardinals The Movement: Rainiel Rodriguez is holding, not falling, and that distinction matters.The 19-year-old catcher has hit a rough patch since moving to Double-A Springfield. Through his early work at the level, Rodriguez has slashed .175/.258/.246 with a .504 OPS, and the strikeouts have begun to show up against older, more advanced pitching.&nbsp;But this is also a teenage catcher playing Double-A baseball. That matters. A young hitter can struggle and still remain one of the most important prospects in the system. Rodriguez was promoted to Springfield on May 12 after forcing the issue at Peoria, and the adjustment period should not surprise anyone.&nbsp;Old School Take: This is where patience comes in. You do not downgrade a 19-year-old catcher just because Double-A pitchers punched back. You watch the adjustments. The bat still matters. The profile still matters. He holds.Liam Doyle, LHP, Springfield Cardinals The Movement: Liam Doyle remains a hold because the talent is obvious, but the consistency is still catching up.The Cardinals’ No. 1 prospect showed his swing-and-miss ability again on May 30, striking out eight batters over 4.2 innings for Double-A Springfield. That kind of outing shows why the organization remains high on him. (MLB.com)Still, the overall line shows the development work ahead. Doyle has a 5.82 ERA with 48 strikeouts and a 1.56 WHIP over 34 innings. The strikeouts are encouraging. The traffic and run prevention keep him from rising this week. (Bally Sports Live)Old School Take: There is no panic here. Doyle has the stuff. What he needs now is command, efficiency and the ability to turn promising outings into steady starts. He is not falling. He is learning.Jimmy Crooks, C, St. Louis Cardinals The Movement: Jimmy Crooks is holding because his stock has changed categories altogether.Crooks is no longer just a Memphis prospect waiting on the next phone call. The Cardinals promoted him from Triple-A on May 29, with Yohel Pozo and César Prieto optioned to Memphis in corresponding moves. (MLB.com)That call-up is a reward, but it also changes the evaluation. Crooks is now trying to carve out a role in St. Louis as the No. 2 catcher. His bat earned the opportunity, but now the daily questions become different: handling a major-league pitching staff, earning trust behind the plate and making the most of limited at-bats.Old School Take: Once a catcher gets to the big leagues, the box score is only part of the story. Crooks has reached the door. Now he has to prove he can stay in the room. That is a hold, but it is a good kind of hold.STOCK FALLING Hancel Rincon, RHP, Memphis Redbirds The Movement: Hancel Rincon lands in the falling category because the season has not matched the track record.Rincon has posted a 5.83 ERA with a 1.57 WHIP over 29.1 innings this season. He has still struck out 33 batters, so the arm has not gone quiet, but the overall run prevention and baserunner traffic have moved in the wrong direction. (MLB.com)This is not a case of writing him off. Rincon has a long professional track record and enough pitchability to work his way back. But Triple-A does not offer much hiding room. If command slips or mistakes catch too much plate, hitters punish it.Old School Take: Rincon has been around long enough to know what this level demands. The strikeouts keep him interesting. The ERA and WHIP put him on the wrong side of the board this week.Ryan Mitchell, OF, Palm Beach Cardinals The Movement: Ryan Mitchell is still a young player with real tools, but the early full-season results remain uneven.Mitchell is hitting .199 with a .379 on-base percentage and a .706 OPS for Palm Beach. The batting average is low, but the on-base percentage tells you he is not completely overmatched. He has also shown some power and speed with five home runs and 12 stolen bases. (MLB.com)That makes this a complicated falling call. The tools are still visible, and there are pieces to like. But when a young hitter is under .200 in Single-A, even with walks and flashes of power, the stock has to come down some.Old School Take: Mitchell is not a lost cause. Not even close. High school bats take time. But this is where development gets honest. The Cardinals need the contact quality and consistency to start catching up with the tools.Deniel Ortiz, 3B/1B, Springfield Cardinals The Movement: Deniel Ortiz is falling for the same reason he has been stuck in this category: lost time.Ortiz was assigned to Springfield but placed on the 7-day injured list in early April. For a player who needed Double-A at-bats to prove last year’s breakout was ready to travel, the injury has stalled the evaluation.&nbsp;This is not a talent downgrade as much as an availability downgrade. Ortiz needed plate appearances, defensive reps and daily rhythm. Instead, the season has been interrupted almost before it began.Old School Take: Sometimes falling stock is not about failure. Sometimes it is about not being on the field. Ortiz can climb back quickly when healthy, but for now, the market has to mark him down.The Closing Bell This week’s board shows just how quickly the farm system can shift.Jacob Odle looks like one of the fastest-rising arms in the organization. Won-Bin Cho has turned a hot stretch into league-wide recognition. Braden Davis reminded everyone that a left-hander with strikeout stuff should never be ignored.On the holding side, Rainiel Rodriguez is getting his first real Double-A test, Liam Doyle continues to flash top-prospect stuff while working through inconsistency, and Jimmy Crooks has moved from prospect watch to big-league opportunity.The falling group is a mix of performance and availability. Hancel Rincon needs cleaner innings. Ryan Mitchell needs more contact and consistency. Deniel Ortiz needs to get back on the field.That is the farm system. Nobody stays still for long. The games keep coming, the reports keep changing, and every week brings another chance for a player to change the conversation.The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: <a data-mce-href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" title="www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a> Photo Credit: Won-Bin Cho, OF, Peoria Chiefs | MiLB

Prospect Stock Market Report: Odle, Cho and Davis Push Their Stock Higher

The Cardinal Chronicle Pitching Carries Cardinals Past Cubs in Weekend Series Win St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurST. LOUIS — The Cardinals needed a clean, steady, professional pitching performance Sunday night.They got exactly that.Matthew Liberatore set the tone, Hunter Dobbins delivered important bulk innings out of the bullpen, and the Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 5-1 at Busch Stadium to take the weekend series from their longtime National League Central rivals.After splitting the first two games of the series, St. Louis needed more than a good offensive night. The Cardinals needed pitching stability after a bullpen-heavy Friday win and a frustrating Saturday loss. Liberatore gave them the kind of start that let the game breathe, and Dobbins followed with the kind of relief appearance that saves a bullpen and wins a series.That was the story of the night.Liberatore attacked early, worked with purpose, and kept the Cubs off the board long enough for the Cardinals to build a lead. He opened the game by striking out Alex Bregman in the first inning, an early sign that his stuff was playing and that Chicago was not going to get comfortable right away.The Cardinals struck first in the bottom of the first when Jordan Walker delivered an RBI single, giving St. Louis a 1-0 lead.From there, the Cardinals added on in the third inning and created separation. Masyn Winn delivered the biggest swing of the inning with a two-run single, helping push the lead to 5-0. JJ Wetherholt and Iván Herrera were again in the middle of the offensive action, giving the Cardinals early pressure and forcing Chicago to chase the game.That was more than enough for the way the Cardinals pitched.The Cubs finally broke through in the sixth when Bregman drove in Chicago’s only run against Dobbins, but the rookie right-hander did not let the inning become something larger. That mattered. With a four-run lead, the job was not to be fancy. It was to throw strikes, keep the ballpark quiet, and get the game to the finish line.Dobbins did that.Recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A Memphis, Dobbins stepped into a bullpen role and gave the Cardinals the kind of multi-inning coverage that can change the shape of a pitching staff. He is not just a one-batter reliever or a matchup arm. He gives Oliver Marmol length, flexibility, and protection on nights when the bullpen needs to avoid being emptied.That has real value, especially during a long homestand and a stretch of divisional games.The move to bring Dobbins back came with Matt Pushard being designated for assignment. On the surface, that was a pitching transaction. Underneath it, it also carried roster significance. Pushard’s DFA clears a 40-man roster spot, giving the Cardinals more flexibility as Lars Nootbaar nears a return from his rehab assignment.Nootbaar’s return has been moving closer, and the Cardinals have needed a clean roster path for his activation. The Pushard decision appears to help create that path.On the field Sunday night, though, the Cardinals’ pitching staff owned the moment.Liberatore gave St. Louis the start it needed. Dobbins gave the club the relief length it needed. Together, they held a dangerous Cubs lineup to one run and allowed the Cardinals to control the game from the early innings through the final out.After Friday’s 6-5 win and Saturday’s 6-1 loss, Sunday was the separator. The Cardinals did not just win the rubber game. They won it the old-fashioned way: score early, pitch well, play from ahead, and make the other club earn everything.Against the Cubs, that still plays.Final Score St. Louis Cardinals 5 Chicago Cubs 1Key Game Notes - Matthew Liberatore set the tone with a strong start. - Hunter Dobbins, recalled earlier in the day, delivered valuable multi-inning relief. - Matt Pushard was designated for assignment, opening a 40-man roster spot and giving the Cardinals flexibility for Lars Nootbaar’s expected return. - Jordan Walker drove in the first run of the game. - Masyn Winn delivered a two-run single in the third. - JJ Wetherholt and Iván Herrera helped fuel the early offense. - The Cardinals held the Cubs to one run and took the weekend series.Old School Take This is how winning baseball is supposed to look.The Cardinals did not need fireworks all night. They needed a starter to take command, a long man to save the bullpen, and enough early offense to make Chicago play from behind.Liberatore and Dobbins gave them the backbone of the game. The bats gave them the cushion. That is a series win you can build on. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: <a data-mce-href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" title="www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com﻿</a> Photo Credit: Hunter Dobbins | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pitching Carries Cards Past Cubs in the Weekend Series Win

The Cardinal Chronicle Braden Davis Earns Pitcher of the Week Honors&nbsp; St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurBraden Davis is The Cardinal Chronicle’s Pitcher of the Week after a dominant stretch for Double-A Springfield.Over his last 11 innings, Davis did not allow an earned run, striking out 19 while posting a 0.64 WHIP. That is not just effective pitching — that is taking command of the baseball game.Davis has been one of the more interesting arms to watch in the Cardinals’ system, and this two-week run shows why. He missed bats, limited traffic and gave Springfield exactly what every club wants from a starting pitcher: clean innings and swing-and-miss stuff.The 19 strikeouts stand out, but the 0.64 WHIP may be just as important. It shows he was not simply escaping trouble. He was controlling it before it started.For a Cardinals system that has seen several arms push their way into the conversation this season, Davis added his name to the list with authority.Pitcher of the Week Braden Davis, LHP, Springfield Cardinals 11.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 19 K, 0.64 WHIP The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: <a data-mce-href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" title="www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a> Photo Credit: Braden Davis, Springfield Cardinals | MiLB

Springfield Cardinals: Braden Davis Earns Pitcher of the Week Honors

The Cardinal Chronicle Joshua Báez Named Player of the Week St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurJoshua Báez is The Cardinal Chronicle’s Player of the Week after putting together one of the loudest offensive weeks in the Cardinals’ minor league system.The Memphis Redbirds outfielder continued to show the kind of raw power that has long made him one of the more intriguing bats in the organization, hitting .345 with five home runs, 10 RBIs and a massive 1.406 OPS.That kind of production does not need much dressing up. Five home runs in a week will get your attention in any league, but doing it at Triple-A makes it even more notable. Báez is no longer simply flashing tools. He is turning those tools into results.The swing-and-miss concerns have always been part of the conversation with Báez, but when he is locked in, the impact is obvious. His combination of strength, athleticism and power gives him a ceiling few hitters in the system can match.For a Cardinals organization looking for more offensive thump, Báez picked the right time to remind everyone why his name still belongs in the bigger-picture discussion.Player of the Week Joshua Báez, OF, Memphis Redbirds .345 AVG, 1.406 OPS, 5 HR, 10 RBI The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports&nbsp; Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: <a data-mce-href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" title="www.cardinalchronicle.com" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>Photo Credit: Joshua Baez | Memphis Redbirds | MiLB

Joshua Báez Named Player of the Week

The Cardinal Chronicle Won-Bin Cho Named Midwest League Player of the Week St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurWon-Bin Cho has been one of the hottest bats in the Cardinals’ minor league system, and now the Midwest League has taken notice.The 22-year-old Peoria Chiefs outfielder was named Midwest League Player of the Week after putting together a five-game stretch that looked more like a video game line than a box score. Cho slashed .412/.524/.882 with four doubles, two triples, two stolen bases, seven RBIs, and a league-best 1.406 OPS.That is not just a good week. That is the kind of week that forces people to start paying attention.Cho’s biggest performance came on May 28, when he delivered three extra-base hits and drove in five runs, giving Peoria the kind of middle-of-the-order production every club hopes to see from a developing outfielder. MiLB’s video logs also confirm Cho’s run-producing double that night for Peoria, part of his strong offensive stretch.Signed by the Cardinals as an international free agent in January 2022, Cho has long been an intriguing name in the system because of his athletic frame, left-handed bat, and outfield profile. Baseball-Reference lists him as a left-handed hitting outfielder, while MiLB’s official player page confirms his current standing in the Cardinals’ organization.For Cho, this week was about more than just numbers. It was about impact. He hit for average, reached base, drove the baseball with authority, showed speed on the bases, and produced runs. That is the kind of all-around offensive week that stands out in any league, but especially in High-A, where consistency often separates prospects from suspects.The Cardinals have several young bats trying to push their way into the larger organizational conversation, and Cho just made sure his name remains in that discussion.One week does not make a season, but a stretch like this can be a marker. Cho is 22, still developing, and now showing signs that the tools are beginning to play in games. When a player starts stacking hard contact, extra-base hits, and quality at-bats together, people notice.This past week, the Midwest League noticed.And so should Cardinals fans.Congratulations to Won-Bin Cho, The Cardinal Chronicle’s salute for earning Midwest League Player of the Week honors. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: <a data-mce-href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" title="www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>Photo Credit: Won-Bin Cho, Peoria Chiefs | MiLB

Won-Bin Cho Named Midwest League Player of the Week

The St. Louis Cardinal Chronicle 

The St. Louis Cardinal Chronicle is dedicated to preserving Cardinals history, covering today’s game, and following the next generation through the minor leagues. Written in the tradition of the old beat writers, it’s baseball with perspective — steady, faithful, and rooted in a lifelong love for the game.

The St. Louis Cardinal Chronicle, Ray Mileur

The Cardinal Notebook

Cardinals’ Offense Comes Up Short in a Tough 2-1 Loss to ...

Prospect Stock Market Report: Odle, Cho and Davis Push Th...

Pitching Carries Cards Past Cubs in the Weekend Series Win

Springfield Cardinals: Braden Davis Earns Pitcher of the ...

Joshua Báez Named Player of the Week

Won-Bin Cho Named Midwest League Player of the Week