HOMESTAND
AMID INFURIATING SCHEDULE, CATCH REDBIRDS WHILE YOU CAN.
Two weeks into the 2014 baseball season, the Memphis Redbirds and their loaded roster have done exactly what many expected them to do — win games and send players to the major leagues.
The players who went to St. Louis weren’t really expected (Seriously, raise your hand if you thought Eric Fornataro and Jorge Rondon would be the first callups). But their early-season promotions are a good sign the club is still on the right track from a developmental standpoint.
Likewise, the team’s 8-7 record and tie atop the Pacific Coast League’s American Southern Division suggest things are going well.
Now the infuriating schedule continues.
After opening the season with an eight-game trip and coming home for just four games (one of which was rained out), the Redbirds embarked on a four-game trip to Nashville. Saturday at 6:05 p.m., they’re back home to start a four-game stand against the Okla- homa City RedHawks. The other three games will be 1:35 p.m. Sunday, 7:05 p.m. Monday and 11 a.m. Tuesday.
After Tuesday, they’re gone again — and they won’t play their first extended homestand at AutoZone Park until May 10-18, when they’ll host four games each against Round Rock and Omaha.
So here’s another version of
our “See Them While You Can” Redbirds Homestand Guide:
Redbirds who’ve left for St. Louis: The promotion of Fornataro and Rondon from Memphis to the St. Louis Cardinals’ bullpen puts both of the righthanded relievers in position to finally make their major league debuts at age 26. But on Thursday night — their first game with the big club — Adam Wainwright forced them to wait at least one more day.
The Cardinals’ ace was brilliant in an 8-0 road victory over the Washington Nationals, pitching a twohit, complete-game shutout with eight strikeouts. He also went 2-for-3 and drove in a run.
You don’t crack the Cards’ lineup just because they give you a uniform.
And by the way, Fornataro is wearing jersey No. 67, while Rondon is sporting No. 68.
Redbirds who are still here: The Redbirds won seven of their first 10 road games, the best road start in franchise history. They did it because a number of players are off to sizzling starts.
Though not regarded by many as one of the Redbirds’ top three outfielders before the season, Joey Butler has rocketed out of the starting gate with a league-leading .471 batting average, three home runs and 10 RBIs. His .794 slugging percentage also ranks second in the league.
Butler’s production has helped make the outfield everything many hoped it would be before the season. Stephen Piscotty and Randal Grichuk are each batting . 327 and they’ve combined for three homers and 22 RBIs.
On the mound, Tyler Lyons and Tim Cooney are off to fantastic starts. Lyons is 2- 0 with a 3.32 earned-run average in three starts, and Cooney is 3-0 with a dazzling ERA of 2.04 in three appearances.
Prospect watch: If Cardinals manager Mike Matheny was serious when he said his team will call up the players who are performing best at the moment and not the prospect with the biggest name, then it would seem that the Cards’ top minor league prospect, Oscar Taveras, might be third or fourth in line if outfield help is needed any time soon.
Taveras was batting .273 with two homers and 10 RBIs going into Friday’s series finale at Nashville — and although he has hit safely in eight of his last 10 games, that places him behind Butler, Piscotty and Grichuk in the statistical pecking order.
Basically, anytime a Redbirds outfielder comes to bat this homestand, you’re watching a guy who could get the call from St. Louis any day.
This time last week, the top prospect for Oklahoma City would have certainly been outfielder George Springer. But he joined the Houston Astros on Wednesday and had a successful major league debut, going 1-for-5 against the Kansas City Royals — even if the scoreboard operator at Houston’s Minute Maid Park did misspell his name on the jumbo-tron.
Springer’s departure leaves right-handed pitcher Michael Foltynewicz (No. 35) as the Oklahoma City player ranked highest by most news outlets.
Promotions: This homestand starts on a Saturday, and Saturdays at AutoZone Park mean postgame fireworks. On “Organ Donor Awareness Night,” the Redbirds players will also be signing autographs in the plaza before the game.
Sunday’s game will feature an Easter egg hunt for the kids, with eggs hidden around the ballpark and an opportunity for children to run the bases when the game is done. Tuesday is “Twosday” with $2 hot dogs, sodas and popcorn.
What have Redbirds batters done to tick off pitchers around the league? After Friday’s 5-1 loss at Nashville, Redbirds batters had been hit by a pitch 13 times in 15 games. That put them in the PCL lead over Sacramento, which had 12 going into a later game.
Tickets and other info: memphisredbirds.com.