Future of the Franchise?

by tristarscoop on Jul 6, 2009 1:00 PM CDT Comment 22 comments

Got a surprise when we arrived at the Timber Rattlers game tonight and Lorenzo Cain was in the lineup. The news broke about 6pm, from what I can tell, so his arrival was a surprise to pretty much everyone, including the uniform guy, who didn't even get a chance to put Cain's name on the back of his jersey.

The best part was seeing two of the biggest prospects in the system hitting next to each other in the lineup. As they both warmed to bat in the bottom of the ninth, it was seemed like a perfect photo-op to capture the possible look of the 2012 Brewers lineup.

Cain was in the three hole and Lawrie batted cleanup behind him. Each guy was 1-4 with run. Lawrie's hit was a double and he also had a walk.

A little late on this news, but we read in the program that Lawrie participated in the Midwest League All-Star Game Home Run Derby on June 22 and took second to Peoria's Rebel Ridling (he of the best name and mustache in the Midwest League).

Since we just had Kirbir's pics, those who are dying to see the swings of Cain and Lawrie in action, follow the jump for a few more pictures from the game

Cain at bat.

Lawrie's stance

Lawrie catching a pop-up in th early innings.

Cain at bat, full extension

Cain about to be driven in - love it with the sign in the back

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Nice!

Very cool, I’m jealous. I doubt I’ll be able to make it to another TRats game while Cain is still in town. Any noticeable hitch in his gitty ’up?

by SgtClueLs on Jul 6, 2009 1:16 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

no

He had really good range in centerfield, making a few nice catches and he was getting around the bases well. We were pretty impressed.

by tristarscoop on Jul 6, 2009 5:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, man, I really want a T-Rats Cain jersey now.

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by Jack Moore on Jul 6, 2009 1:28 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

speaking from an ignorant standpoint

What’s Cain’s upside and where does he rank within our system for prospects? Lastly how old is he and when do people project him getting called up?

Ring Out Ahoya!

by bleedbluegold03 on Jul 6, 2009 1:47 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The top of Cain's upside might be everyday centerfielder

But he’s got some durability concerns that could prevent him from reaching that.

He turned 23 in April and had a nice showing in spring training with the Crew that probably pushed him up the ladder a bit. If he’d stayed healthy he might have been able to parlay a nice first half in Huntsville into a second half in Nashville and maybe a September call up. Now, he needs to have a pretty good couple of months to prove he belongs in Nashville to start 2010. If he hits there, organizational need in center field could put him in the big leagues as soon as mid-to-late 2010.

"The reports are that he is getting better. The definition of better is nebulous."

by KLSnow on Jul 6, 2009 1:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

well put

thanks.

Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, ""That’s all they need is another home run hitter".

by tcyoung on Jul 6, 2009 2:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

So, you're saying...

we’ll see Cain as soon as he’s able?

[stale rimshot]

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Jul 6, 2009 2:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Glad to see you haven't lost your touch

for causing me to /facepalm

"That's not a weird stat. Rickie is a run-scorer," Yost said. "It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter," Yost told reporters. "See, you guys have no concept. He's a run-scorer. So there's nothing weird about it. That's what he does."

by Hyatt on Jul 6, 2009 4:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Durability concerns?

It was a great selection of awesome.

by battlekow on Jul 6, 2009 3:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, he's had two semi-serious leg injuries in as many seasons.

He was shut down for some time with hamstring issues last year and this year he tore a ligament in his knee. They’re unrelated, obviously, but it he hadn’t missed parts of the last two seasons (including most of this one so far) he’d probably be knocking on the door of the big leagues by now.

"The reports are that he is getting better. The definition of better is nebulous."

by KLSnow on Jul 6, 2009 5:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

That doesn't mean he has durability concerns

The knee injury might impact his skills, but it’s a freak-type injury that isn’t going to recur the way muscle problems do. Until he’s had continuing hamstring problems, I’m think it’s irresponsible to slap him with an “injury-prone” label.

It was a great selection of awesome.

by battlekow on Jul 6, 2009 5:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not that this is really all that similar

But the last time I handed out a prospect evaluation with a red flag on it and you called me out for it, the guy was Jeremy Jeffress.

Whether durability or simply bad luck is the concern, though, Cain likely needs to play a full, uninterrupted season in the upper levels of the minors before getting a shot to play full time in the pros, and he’s 0-for his last 2 in that effort.

"The reports are that he is getting better. The definition of better is nebulous."

by KLSnow on Jul 6, 2009 6:00 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Well, if it's really not all that similar, why bring it up?

Unless you were blazing up with the guy, I continue to find saying “If the Brewers can get much of anything for Jeffress at this point, I’d suggest they take it” an overreaction to his early-season struggles. In fact, most of your concerns about Jeffress were performance-based; the fact that he’d been previously busted for weed merited a for-spice mention in your elaboration. But I guess maybe your crystal ball isn’t that specific.

As for Cain, he played 126 games last year between three levels, but spent most of the season at Brevard County, so even though he was healthy for most of the year, he didn’t get a chance to play a “full, uninterrupted season in the upper levels of the minors”; he also played in 126 games in 2007 and 132 in 2006 (out of 140). If he hadn’t suffered a fluke knee injury, he’d have been playing at Huntsville since mid-April and we wouldn’t even be having this “conversation”.

It was a great selection of awesome.

by battlekow on Jul 6, 2009 6:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Anbody else concerned about that shot of Lawrie catching a popup?

Is he taking flycatching lessons from Soriano?

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Jul 6, 2009 2:53 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

HA!!!!

thanks for sharing the pics!

Spring Training 2009 Pics!

by Jamie in LA on Jul 6, 2009 2:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hughie Jennings

Ee-yah!

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Jul 6, 2009 5:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

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