Kuzul

MEMPHIS, Tenn.—It’s not always easy to manage a team where every time a player gets hot, he gets shipped off.

Pop Warner, manager of the St. Louis Cardinals Triple-A affiliate Memphis Redbirds, says it’s just part of the job.

“When the Cardinals come calling, it’s our job to have someone ready to go,” Warner said during a recent interview in his office in the clubhouse below AutoZone Park.

In his 13 years of coaching, he’s seen some good players come and go through the various levels of the organization. Right now, he says, there is a lot for Cardinals fans to be excited about.

Warner took some time to give his take on several of the farm system’s (and MLB’s) most prominent up and comers.

On Kolten Wong

He’s the real deal. Those were the first words out of Warner’s mouth when asked about the 22-year-old second base prospect.

“He’s got a lot of range,” he said. “He comes in on the ball really well. He goes to his right, goes to his left well. He’s a quick infielder.”

What Warner sees in Wong is exactly what he should be.

“That’s what you look for in a middle-infielder—quick feet, rangy guys with good hands,” he said. “He fits the mold.

Wong is known for his speed and his ability to always get a good jump on the ball. His defensive ability is well above average.

The night of the interview with Warner, Wong made a play from second base on a short hop that went to the left of the pitching mound and made the turn in time to get the first out of the game.

It’s not a play just anybody would make.

“He jumps on the ball really well,” Warner said. “With his foot speed and quickness, the result is a guy with good range.”

With Matt Carpenter filling the gap at second base, Wong has been able to stay in Memphis honing his skills this season. That extra time to develop, Warner says, has been good for the Hawaii native.

While his day will come soon, Warner teaches his players to always keep their focus on today.

“Basically, all these guys want to be in the big leagues–obviously,” he said. “But the one thing we relate to them is that you cannot control that stuff. You go out there, do your job and when your time comes you’ll get the call—be ready.

“If you start worrying about that kind of stuff, stuff that’s out of your control, it starts weighing in on your brain and then it starts affecting your play. I’ve seen it happen to a lot of guys.”

With Wong, Warner doesn’t see that as a cause for concern and referred to his as “quite mature for his age.”

“He’s strong enough to know that he has a good future and that if he just keeps going straight forward he’ll get his time,” he said. “[Wong is] a pretty even-keeled guy. He has a good mentality and that’s what you need in this game.”

Wong is batting .300/.360/.461 in Memphis with seven home runs, 31 RBI, 15 stolen bases, 19 doubles and eight triples.

On Oscar Taveras

Oscar Taveras, the 21-year-old outfield prospect from the Dominican Republic, is arguably the most exciting prospect the Cardinals organization has seen since Albert Pujols.

That excitement comes with good reason. Taveras is yet to play at a level of the minor leagues and not win the championship.

Warner said when Taveras steps to the plate, his competitive nature really shines through.

“He gives you really good, competitive at bats,” he said. “He just gets in there and battles you.”

Warner said left-handers have been a struggle for him, but he feels it’s to be expected at that level.

“They’ve got guys that come in and specialize in getting left-handers out,” Warner said. “It’s been a good learning experience for him. I just wish he would have stayed healthy. Hopefully he can get healthy and get back to where he needs to be.”

Right now health is the key for Taveras.

He has spent the majority of 2013 battling an injury that has been classified as an ankle sprain. The injury has sidelined him three times—most recently during his rehabilitation assignment with the Cardinals rookie ball affiliate Gulf Coast Cardinals.

Prior to the injury, Taveras was off to a good start at Memphis batting .306/.341/.462 with five home runs and 32 RBI. It’s not quite on pace with his 2012 numbers from the Double-A Springfield Cardinals, but a slight drop early on is normal when making the jump between leagues.

Regardless, Warner said Taveras still needs a bit of polish on some aspects of the game.

“He’s obviously young and needs to work on the nuances of the game—the overall game like defensive stuff, base running,” he said. “Basically, he needs to work on the stuff that only experience can give you like throwing to the right bases, knowing when to take an extra base, and knowing when to stay put.”

In Dec. 2012, I suggested that Taveras could stand to benefit from spending time with Carlos Beltran—whom he will in all likelihood replace at some point in the future. I still believe that’s the right move.

To work on the areas Warner feels could stand for improvement, Taveras needs to be healthy. The preseason predictions of an All-Star break arrival in St. Louis missed the mark by a bit, but injuries can’t be predicted.

At this point, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Taveras not finish the season in Memphis. In fact, it might benefit him to simply be shut down for a longer period to have time to heal.

With that said, ankle issues can be tricky for players and until it improves, he needs to be resting. There’s no reason to rush him.

On Matt Adams

When the subject of Matt Adams came up, Warner had plenty to say.

He sees Adams as an impact player at the big leagues with a big future ahead of him—much more than just a backup first baseman.

“He’s pretty nimble for a big guy,” Warner said. “That’s one thing that really stuck out about him to me.”

When Adams first arrived in Double-A, Warner thought they were getting a guy who was going to really have to work hard to get him to be a playable big league defender.

“In reality, he’s a pretty polished defender,” Warner said, noting his initial surprise. “Obviously he still had some work to do, but he’s come a long way.”

That defense has carried over to the big leagues in 2013. While many—myself included—expected defense to be his weakness, he’s shows this year that he’s actually quite talented with a glove.

Adams’ swing, however, is what was most exciting to Warner.

“His swing—he’s so short to the ball,” he said. “We try to teach guys to go from A-to-B to the ball with no wasted movement in between. He had that. It’s very compact.”

A lack of wasted movement within his swing has a lot to do with why he’s seen early success at the big league level. When teams are scouting players, they look for problems with the swing. Can he hit a curve? Does he struggle inside? Where does he like the ball?

“You’re not going to have a lot of holes or ways to pitch him,” Warner said. “If a batter has a little loop or a little length in their swing they can get to them. Adams is just direct with a really compact swing—with power.”

Those characteristics don’t usually go together.

“A lot of guys who have that short, compact swing are just line drive guys, but he’s got power,” he said. “He has strong forearms and strong hands. He knows how to use them.”

Strike zone discipline was Adams’ biggest issue in Memphis, and while he has struggled with it to an extent in St. Louis, he’s shown signs of improvement.

His strikeout percentage has dropped from 26.4 percent down to 21.1 percent. At the same time, his walk percentage has increased from 5.5 percent in 2012 to 8.2 percent in 2013.

His SO/BB rate has also fallen by nearly half from 4.80 in 2012, to 2.57 in 2013. He’s improving across the board.

“If he ever got to where he can just make them get him out in the strike zone, he’s going to be dangerous,” Warner said. “Up there he’s doing it right now. For him to go up there, be a bench guy and still produce shows a lot about the kid.

“It just goes to show you what kind of aptitude the guy has for the game.”

Since he began playing every day over the last month, he’s been a bit exposed, but that’s just part of the adjustment to being a major league hitter.

Warner is confident he will only continue to grow. That’s largely due to the fact that he feels Adams is extremely coachable.

“He understands that what we tell him and what the St. Louis coaches tell him means something,” Warner said. “A lot of guys, you say stuff trying to teach them and it goes in one ear and out the other. He takes that and soaks it in.”

He said lots of players come along who think they know everything and don’t need to listen. Their young ego can be their own worst enemy on the trek to playing in the major leagues.

“If you get good at what people are telling you, it will make you a better player,” Warner said. “That is how Matt Adams approaches the game.”

All quotes obtained firsthand by the author.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

“He’s excited.”

That’s how St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny characterized RHP Chris Carpenter as he continues to make his way back to the major leagues.

Carpenter has been sidelined for the entire season following complications with a nerve condition he received an operation on last year.

In February, it was largely believed by Carpenter and the Cardinals that his career was likely over. Recurring pain and numbness during long toss and other offseason baseball activities left him discouraged and defeated.

For the first time in his 15-year career, Carpenter did not even attend spring training. He just needed to step away.

After a couple of months, a game of catch with his son sparked yet another “against the odds” comeback for the 38-year-old right-hander.

While the comeback itself has been the victim of a couple minor setbacks, the chances of seeing Chris Carpenter on a major league mound improve every time he throws a baseball.

His Monday evening start with the Springfield Cardinals, while a bit shaky, showed the Cardinals several things they needed to see.

Carpenter’s fastball velocity was clocking in around 94 mph which is faster than he was getting in 2012 during his brief return. His sinker also had better movement on it than in the past.

Of course, the start didn’t turn out well. Carpenter surrendered two earned runs and a home run in 2.2 innings pitched.

However, five of his eight outs came via strikeout.

The most important take away from this has little to do with his baseball abilities—it’s the fact that he’s not hurting.

“He feels good,” Matheny said prior to Friday evening’s game against the San Diego Padres. “He felt good last time out, too.”

While he hasn’t necessarily progressed quickly, Carpenter has progressed steadily.

After 2012, Carpenter nor the Cardinals’ front office want to rush him along, and that’s the right call.

There is nothing for either to gain by rushing him into a situation he’s not yet prepared for.

“Overall, he’s doing exactly what we need him to do,” Matheny said. “He’s continuing to progress.”

Carpenter’s July 20 start will take place with the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds—not in Springfield.

Does that mean they felt he pitched well enough to warrant a promotion?

“Don’t read too much into Triple-A over Double-A,” Matheny said, noting that Memphis’ schedule was more on pace with the schedule the Cardinals want to see Carpenter move toward.

In short, the move had to do with pitching against the right competition.

“He’s a big league pitcher, and we want to get him the best competition so we can get him back here,” Matheny said.

Carpenter will presumably make three to four minor league starts. During that time, the Cardinals will be evaluating the best way to use him.

After his final bullpen session at Busch Stadium prior to the All-Star break, Carpenter made it clear that his goal is to get back to where he once was as a dominant starting pitcher.

He also knows that rushing things is not there.

When asked how he was going to get there, Carpenter’s answer was simple.

“One throw at a time, one step at a time.”

All quotes obtained firsthand by the author.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The bat that St. Louis Cardinals backup first baseman Matt Adams packs at the plate has a reputation that precedes it.

Adams has demolished balls at every level of professional baseball. His lightning fast bat speed, combined with a tight swing and a good eye, is what have carried Adams to where he is today.

Little has been said of his glove—until now, that is.

The last couple of weeks, thanks to an abundance of interleague play, have given the oft-underplayed Adams a much needed period of consistent playtime. The Cardinals have benefited from having him in the lineup both offensively and defensively.

A series of key defensive plays in the series against the Los Angeles Angels and the Miami Marlins has brought his underrated glove to the forefront.

“I’m surprising myself,” he said following Friday night’s victory over the Marlins. “Last year I wouldn’t have got to those balls I got to the past two nights. It’s just the work I put in this offseason and the work that Jose [Oquendo] has been doing with me since spring training.”

Any mention of his defense is quickly turned around with ample credit to third base coach Jose Oquendo.

“He’s a great guy to have for our infield guys,” Adams said in a pregame interview while he prepped for the night’s game. “He positions us where he thinks the guys are going to hit, and that helps out big time.”

Part of that training, he said, has dealt with changing the defender’s angles of attack by better positioning.

He said the key to good defense is paying close attention to Oquendo to see where he wants him on the field. Sometimes he can be seen checking not just between batters, but between pitches.

“It cuts down a couple steps,” Adams said. “He’s very, very smart in the way he goes about things with the infield guys.”

Manager Mike Matheny said he thinks Adams has been underestimated defensively for quite some time because of his size. Those people may be eating their words this week.

“He’s quicker, too, than what people are going to give him credit for being a big fellow,” Matheny said. “But he’s made some real nice plays going side to side.”

Adams’ defensive growth is a big benefit to the Cardinals because it means bringing him into a game isn’t offering up offense at the cost of defense. The young man, called ‘Big City’ by his teammates, is the whole package.

“He really moves well,” Matheny said. “You talk to Jose Oquendo, and he really likes the way [Adams] catches the ball, the way he moves, his first step, and just his instincts over there.”

Don’t be misled by his relaxed, country demeanor either. Adams has a sharp baseball mind. He doesn’t just show up at the park with his bat hoping to smash home runs―he does his homework.

That’s not easy for a guy who doesn’t know if he will be playing from one game to the next.

“I just come to the park, get my workout in the gym, go down to the cage and get my early swings in and then hit the video room,” Adams said of his normal afternoon routine.

That’s his everyday routine. It goes different directions, however, depending on whether he’s starting or will be working off of the bench.

“I check to see if my name is in the lineup and then check out the starter that day,” he said. “If my name’s not in the lineup, I just go through the bullpen and see what their pitchers’ tendencies are.”

Adams checks out each reliever’s individual pitches and when they like to use them. He wants to know what they will throw to a left-handed batter on a 2-2 count before the pitcher knows.

So far, it’s worked for him.

The humble 23-year-old from Philipsburg, Penn. is quick to divert the credit for his accomplishments to those who help him every day.

“Our staff as a whole has a lot of guys who had great MLB careers and know a lot about the game,” Adams said. “So, I mean it’s rubbing off on the players and you can see it. The guys take to the field, play their best and want to get the ‘W’ that night.”

For him, that means working hard to stay fresh both offensively and defensively.

“I just keep taking ground balls,” he said. “So, the days I’m not in there, I just have to stay fresh with that so the glove stays smooth, and I’m ready for when the games pick up.”

Adams’ swing has been smooth from day one. That’s partly due to his maturity as a hitter. Adams is not a power hitter―he’s a consistent hitter who has serious power.

That can carry a player a long way in this league.

One thing is certain. If he keeps it up, ‘Big City’ won’t be headed back to the country any time soon.

All quotes obtained firsthand.

Follow @coreynoles

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The St. Louis Cardinals will spend Independence Day in 2013 remembering the day Albert Pujols became independent from their team.

This week’s three-game series against the Anaheim Angels will mark the first time ever that the Cardinals will take the field against the man once deemed to be the organization’s successor to Stan Musial.

His departure sent Cardinals Nation reeling as fans wondered how the team would get by without their superstar first baseman. The answer to that question has been quite obvious: just fine.

The Cardinals weathered not only the loss of Pujols, but the absence of iconic manager Tony La Russa and longtime pitching coach Dave Duncan as well.

No one could have predicted that in the year after those three losses and during the rookie season of manager Mike Matheny, the Cardinals would come to within one win of their second World Series appearance in as many seasons.

Despite the fact that there were seriously hurt feelings on both sides when Pujols left, the chance to play against him for the first time should bring about a sense of nostalgia.

Sure, most were upset to see him go, but at the same time, we should remember that during the Pujols era, the Cardinals saw more amazing feats accomplished than some organizations see in a lifetime.

Following are 10 of the top highlights from Pujols’ career as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Begin Slideshow

With the MLB First-Year Player Draft set to kick off Thursday evening, the St. Louis Cardinals are no doubt busy with their own mock drafts.

Touted for several years now as having one of the best farm systems in the MLB, the Cardinals‘ front office takes its drafts quite seriously.

The Cardinals have already seen a glimpse of what their top pick from 2012 can do at the major league level. Now it’s on to the future.

Will the Cardinals continue their tradition of chasing pitching in early rounds or will they find themselves in search of a position player?

Either way, the Cardinals could see the need to address multiple issues including pitching, middle infield depth and even replenishing outfield prospects with Oscar Taveras expected to be on the big league roster before season’s end.

Following are two picks the Cardinals could find themselves chasing on draft day and what makes them the right choice.

Round 1 (Pick 19)

Name: Chris Anderson

Position: RHP

School: Jacksonville University

Ht./Wt.: 6’4”/225 lbs.

Why this pick fits? Traditionally, especially after the steal they made with the 19^th pick in 2012, one could easily expect the Cardinals to snag another power arm that is reasonably close to being major league ready.

There’s little reason to expect them to stray from a plan that seems to be working. If by some chance he’s still available, 20-year-old Chris Anderson would be a good fit.

Anderson projects as a possible number two starter at the major league level. He has solid low-mid-90s fastball velocity with a sinker that could be his meal ticket to the big leagues.

The real question with Anderson is whether he will still be in the mix at 19. If he is, he may very well be their first pick-up.

Round 1 (Pick 28)

Name: Eric Jagielo

Position: 3B

School: Notre Dame

Ht./Wt.: 6’3”/215 lbs.

Why this pick fits? For their second pick in the first round Thursday evening, the Cardinals may well need to look toward something other than high-end pitching talent.

With Kolten Wong nearing his rise to the major leagues, Pete Kozma cementing his place on the big league roster and Matt Carpenter’s All-Star worthy early season performance, the Cardinals are getting thin on top notch infield talent.

Eric Jagielo could be the perfect fit for the team’s direction for the future. While there is a lot of contention regarding where he could be drafted, there’s no doubt this left-handed power bat could find his future in St. Louis.

There has been some debate about his glove, particularly at third base, but his bat makes him a viable candidate in the outfield or even at first base.

Regardless, the Cardinals could stand to start replenishing some minor league power and Jagielo, if he’s still around for the Cardinals second first round pick (28), may be just the man they need.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

As I awaited the beginning of St. Louis Cardinals‘ pitching prospect Michael Wacha’s MLB debut Thursday afternoon, the Kansas City Royals announced that they had hired Hall of Famer George Brett as assistant hitting coach to help aid their faltering offense.

I went down to gather some quotes from the press conference where they announced the move and was pleasantly surprised to listen to Brett field questions from a combination of St. Louis and Kansas City media.

Brett pulled no punches on the field, and he is treating his new job just the same.

So, why is a man who loves his golf, spending time with his family and is making the most of retirement coming back to work?

“Out of frustration,” he said. That simple sentence fragment likely echoes the sentiments of every Royals fan right now.

Brett said that just like everyone else, he was frustrated watching a team that he believes is filled with potential struggle to score runs.

There was no sugar-coating or concerns about political correctness—simply put, their offense was playing horribly.

Fortunately for them, George Brett is going to try to help and he’s brought his usual fire back with him.

That fire is something he plans to share, and they should welcome it with open arms.

As a player, Brett was known for his hustle. He ran out ground balls and always spoke up when he should.

There were no Bull Durham-style generic answers. If George Brett had a bad night, he’d say he screwed up.

There was no complaining about nagging injuries or pain, because in professional sports everyone plays through pain. It’s in the nature of all sports.

That’s exactly how he plans to handle his new role. With grit, blunt honesty and persistence.

“I know how hard this game is to play,” Brett said. “Every day I got to the ballpark I was scared to death. I didn’t know if I was going to go 0-for-4 or 4-for-4. I didn’t know if I would have two balls go through my legs or make an amazing play.”

Brett learned firsthand what it was like to be a young player with a bright future who simply couldn’t get things working. His goal is to do for the young players on the Royals team what Charlie Lau did for him.

He went so far as to say that he was going to be “Charlie Lau’s ghost.”

“I think we have young kids on our team that are having problems coping with the situation they are in right now,” Brett said. “I just want to come and share my life with them—how I got through things like this, how I became a more consistent player, how I became a leader of a ballclub and instill in them the passion that I played with. I think I can help them learn that.”

When a whole team goes south, he explained, everybody starts pressing a little bit trying to do more than they are capable of doing. They try to stretch the strike zone and get out of whack.

The key for Brett’s philosophy is to get them in their comfort range where they can have fun, be selective and drive the ball.

There is so much young players today could stand to learn from Brett about the value of hard work and the importance of being honest to others as well as yourself.

That is true for young players throughout MLB, not just in Kansas City.

Brett has never been one to sugarcoat things. If he had a great day, he took credit like all players should. If he has a bad day, he owned up to his mistakes.

He might not have been in the best mood, but he never passed the buck.

With the youth movement we’re seeing throughout baseball, specifically along the I-70 corridor in Missouri, players need to take notice of George Brett again.

Can he turn this franchise around? Who knows. But, if there’s anyone capable of energizing a group of exciting young players, it’s George Brett.

If it doesn’t work out, he’ll hit the road. He made that abundantly clear during the press conference.

“I don’t want Dayton [Moore] to have to fire me from the Kansas City Royals,” Brett said. “Hopefully, I’ll be here for awhile. I’m planning to be here for at least a month—hopefully more.”

He was quick to acknowledge that he believes today’s athletes are superior to him in several ways—size, athleticism and speed.  

“They need somebody they can trust,” Brett said in a way only he can. I like to call it compassionate grit.

He may have been speaking about the Royals players, but there is a lot to learn from not just Brett’s words but from how he handles himself and his team. He expects a lot, but what he teaches will come from the heart.

Young players could learn a lot from watching George Brett.

“I’ve never backed down from a challenge,” he said.

That’s a mentality baseball could use a little more of today.

–

All quotes obtained firsthand by the author.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The St. Louis Cardinals entered the quarter-season mark of 2013 with the best record in baseball.

To say that exceeds the expectations of some is quite the understatement. Many, arguably most, baseball writers had the Cincinnati Reds picked as clear favorites to win the National League Central Division.

With the Cardinals estimated to end the season in the 85-win range, the fact that the team has amassed 25 wins by May 15 puts them well above expectations.

While it is extremely early to be thinking about the end of the season, the Cardinals are currently on pace to win 100 games.

Will they keep up this pace? That remains to be seen.

Every team has its slumps and streaks—the 2013 Cardinals will be no exception. Remember, even a team with an amazing 102-win record still loses 60 games a year.

With that said, the Cardinals have a lot of things on their side in 2013—most notably, their depth.

That depth has made all of the difference in where the Cardinals find themselves in the standings in mid-May.

Following is a breakdown grading the Cardinals on each aspect of their game.

All stats gathered from MLB.com.

Begin Slideshow

A broken-bat bloop from Colorado Rockies right fielder Eric Young Jr. is the only thing that separated Shelby Miller from a perfect game Friday night.

The St. Louis Cardinals No. 5 starter got his fifth win, but that statement doesn’t even touch the gravity of his performance.

Miller dominated from the moment he took the mound. He owned the entire strike zone with ridiculous control and maintained his velocity through all 113 pitches, topping out with a four-seam fastball clocked at 97 mph.

He didn’t look like a 22-year-old rookie who was still a little rough around the edges. He looked like a seasoned veteran, well-poised and on a mission.

As Miller stepped back onto the field for the final three outs of a game many big league pitchers will never experience, you could sense the energy. His team wanted it for him as much as he wanted it for himself.

In the end, he sent 27 straight batters back to the bench with their heads hanging low.

While he’s only made seven starts this season, Miller is the real deal, and he’s just getting started.

Friday’s start showed people outside of St. Louis that this kid is the top early contender for NL Rookie of the Year honors.

Here are a few notes regarding Miller’s early-season performance and why it’s time to take notice.

Low ERA

On the surface, finishing with a 1.58 ERA may not be a big shock early in the season, but major league hitters simply aren’t hitting him.

Even when they do hit him, they’re not stringing together hits. As a result, in 45.2 innings, he’s given up only eight earned runs on 29 hits.

In Friday night’s game, the frustration in the eyes of the batters said everything you need to know about Miller’s start to the season.

Walk-to-Strikeout Rate

Miller has racked up only 11 walks to go with 51 strikeouts. That point I mentioned a moment ago? This number also illustrates it quite well.

While strikeout pitchers haven’t been the norm for the Cardinals in recent years, they definitely have one in Miller. The lesson on pitching to contact was one Miller must have missed.

His 13 strikeout performance tied an all-time Cardinals record for most K’s in a game by a rookie.

While the strikeout numbers are flashy and fun to look at, the walk total says a lot about this young man’s control. He keeps the ball over the plate but works the corners well.

On a side note, of his 11 walks, four of them came in his first start of 2013. He has only seven over the remaining six starts.

That’s crazy good.

Deep Pitch Counts

Miller has crossed 100 pitches four times so far, and thrown 113 pitches three times.

Even on the occasions that he didn’t go deep into a start, Miller is still getting deep pitch counts.

Never this season has Miller thrown less than 95 pitches in a start. Sure, strikeout pitchers will throw more, but a rookie who is averaging more than 100 pitches per start is the exception and not the rule.

This isn’t a trend I would expect him to keep up all season, because the Cardinals don’t want him to run out of gas too early. However, there has been no talk of an innings limit or a need to shorten his appearances.

So far in 2013, manager Mike Matheny has shown a strong willingness to let his pitchers go deep into games. Some of that has to do with bullpen concerns early in the season, but it must have more to do with a strong faith in his pitchers.

He depends on them (and catcher Yadier Molina) to let him know when it’s time to sit down. If they tell him they’re good to go, he’s taking them at their word.

It seems to be working—and Miller is responding to that trust.

Team Respect

Miller knows the role his team plays in his success, and he respects it. The reputation that arrived in St. Louis ahead of Shelby Miller didn’t lend one to expect a humble young man who knows his place, but that’s exactly what we’ve seen from him.

In postgame interviews, Miller doesn’t spend much time talking about “his” performance and “his” control. He does, however, love to talk about “his” catcher, Yadier Molina.

The right-handed rookie from Houston knows that there is much more to this game than just what he brings to the table. He always credits Molina, even before himself, with every win.

He’s quickly learned the true value of an elite catcher, and it’s helping him grow as a pitcher.

With that said, Miller deserves the credit for Friday night. A catcher can put down fingers all night, but if the pitcher misses his location, the team doesn’t win.

It’s as simple as that.

All that said, don’t expect him to keep up this pace all year. Even the great ones have their struggles from time to time, so to expect a rookie to keep this up isn’t realistic. Or is it?

Regardless, after Friday’s start, there’s simply no debating Shelby Miller is the clear front-runner in the NL Rookie of the Year race.

Kudos to Miller for one of the greatest starting pitching performances I’ve witnessed—ever. Something tells me we’ll be seeing a lot of fireworks in St. Louis during this young man’s career.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Friday night’s game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers was destined to be an interesting game. Not because of a division rivalry, but because of the story behind the two men taking the mound.

The battle of veteran pitcher vs. rookie stud in many ways went as it should.

The veteran looked solid, kept his count low and pitched deep into the game. The rookie showed his flash, but at the same time made it clear that he belongs with the big league club.

Former St. Louis pitcher Kyle Lohse received a warm welcome from the Cardinals fans, and Yadier Molina even stepped out from behind the plate to give him a moment to acknowledge the applause. It was a classy move by both the fans as well as Molina.

That was where the hospitality ended for the Brewers.

If Cardinals rookie pitcher Shelby Miller was intimidated by facing his predecessor on Friday night, one certainly couldn’t tell.

Miller dominated the Brewers’ lineup, at one point setting down 17 batters in a row while giving up only one hit.

Pitch count was a problem for Miller early, with several batters taking him deep into counts. A 25-pitch first inning was his biggest hiccup, but he was dominant from there on—lasting seven full innings, throwing 113 pitches (87 for strikes).

Several batters took him deep into at-bats, but he kept coming out on top.

After a leadoff hit to start the game, Miller settled in. The only thing he gave up from that point on was a badly bruised hand to Alex Gonzalez in the second.

Aside from his eight strikeouts, Miller had 10 ground-ball outs and only two fly-ball outs. He managed to keep the hitters off balance to the point where they simply weren’t able to get the barrel of the bat on the ball to make solid contact.

Miller worked fast and smooth, relying heavily on his fastball throughout the game. He threw in the occasional curveball, but only with two strikes when he was chasing the out. He stayed ahead in the count.

Basically, he pitched like he was the veteran in the matchup.

Just one year ago, Miller was in Memphis struggling with his control and giving up huge run totals. After some minor corrections and a little time to mature, Miller returned to the game with a vengeance.

After getting back in his groove at Memphis, he was called up to St. Louis for the first time in his career. Most likely that will also be his last call-up.

For anyone who was still wondering whether the Cardinals should have re-signed Lohse instead of moving Miller to the rotation, now you have your answer. Sure, it’s still a small sample size (yeah, I know), but the talent is there, and it’s ready to face major league batters.

Ask Ryan Braun about Shelby Miller. Or Rickie Weeks.

Miller still has some growing to do as a pitcher. His changeup still needs a little work, but his curveball already looks good.

His biggest hurdle will be learning to be more efficient with his pitches as a starter. For a strikeout pitcher, which Miller is, that’s often a problem.

Pitchers who look for contact tend to get out of innings with fewer pitches. With that said, they also tend to give up more runs than strikeout pitchers like Miller or Trevor Rosenthal.

Don’t expect every outing from Miller to look like Friday night. He will have his struggles and hiccups just like every other pitcher.

When he does struggle, though, remember that game and know that the future is bright for him.

For Lohse to put up a solid effort at Busch Stadium, and lose, was a very fitting way for the organization to move forward from that era. The Cardinals are no doubt grateful for the solid years he gave them but are also looking forward to the future.

The pitchers are growing younger and the fastballs are coming faster. The pitching staff is evolving from one of finesse and experience to a rotation of power and youth.

While the names may change and the styles will shift, the winning nature of this organization is still in full force. A new crop of young Cardinals is ready to show that they have what it takes to keep that tradition alive.

That’s exactly what you saw from Shelby Miller Friday evening. The next generation is here.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

With Shelby Miller preparing to make an impact at the major league level to start the season, the focus on prospects within the St. Louis Cardinals farm system will continue to shift toward the next generation.

Two of the hottest commodities within reach of the major league club, outfielder Oscar Taveras and RHP Michael Wacha, might be closer than you think.

Taveras is the gem of the organization. The 21-year-old outfielder has been named the No. 3 prospect in all of MLB, and with good reason.

He’s a consistent .300-plus hitter whose patience at the plate is far beyond his years. There has been little concern about Taveras with a bat—the majority of his continued development has to do with defense.

He’s a solid defender and has shown multiple times during spring training that his arm is no joke.  

The question is, when will he arrive in St. Louis? There’s little doubt he’ll be there in 2013, but it’s tough to say when.

With the success first baseman Matt Adams has seen in Grapefruit League play, the Cardinals are also left to find a way to get him into the lineup. Given that he is further along in his development, the season will likely begin with Adams in St. Louis sharing time at first base while Allen Craig allows other outfielders a chance to rest.

The reason that matters to Oscar Taveras is because that could potentially have been him filling in where Allen Craig likely will. But remember, there’s no need to rush Taveras.

Having people in place where he would play just gives the Cardinals the opportunity to allow him to continue his development. Taveras has never played a game in Triple-A. While he’s likely capable of skipping it altogether, if the team isn’t in desperate need of him he should at least spend a little time at that level.

It’s also important at this stage in his development that he be in the lineup every day. Sitting on the bench in St. Louis won’t benefit him in any way. If he’s in St. Louis, he will be getting regular playing time.

How long? It could be as little as a few weeks or as long as three to four months, but he will undoubtedly make his debut this season. Whether it comes as an injury replacement or a basic roster move, Cardinals fans have something to look forward to this season.

To date he has never played on a professional team that did not win a championship, and that’s a streak the Cardinals, no doubt, would like to see him keep alive.

Another rising star in the Cardinals farm system who wasn’t known by anyone before June 2012 is Michael Wacha. Those who didn’t know the name before spring training won’t be forgetting him anytime soon.

Wacha made a rapid rise through the farm system from draft all of the way to Double-A Springfield in just the second half of 2012. In 11 appearances and 21 innings, Wacha gave up only eight hits and two runs with 40 strikeouts.

He has a career 17.1 SO/9 ratio. To expect him to keep that number up is a stretch, but he has what it takes to be an impact pitcher at the major league level.

Wacha showed it again this spring when he out-pitched, well, just about everyone. He threw 11 innings over five games this spring and surrendered seven hits and one unearned run. He struck out 15 of the 44 batters he faced and walked only one.

While the Cardinals have an abundance of right-handed pitchers, Wacha stands out among them all. Whether his future is as a starter or reliever, he has the potential to go far.

He has a powerful fastball and continues to develop his off-speed deliveries, which are apparently the only thing keeping him from the major leagues at this point.

He’ll start the season at Double-A Springfield where he finished, but it’s likely his time there will be brief.

When will Wacha arrive in St. Louis? The chances are high that he could make an appearance this season, but there are no guarantees. If he keeps up at his current pace, he will make it hard for them not to promote him.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com