Tulsa Gets Drilled
Posted April 14, 2005

The future is grim for Colorado Rockie fans. Not only has Todd Helton's remarkable reputation been forever tarnished, but the major league team sucks, and after seeing their AA affiliate, the Tulsa Drillers, go down 8-3 in a game against our own woeful Springfield Cardinals, it's safe to say that the AA team sucks as well. I was a year too late to see Jeff Francis, who has moved on to bigger and better things (if one can call pitching in Coors a good thing), and apparently any other prospect worth watching.

Springfield did play rather well, getting six strong innings from southpaw starter Buddy Blair and a three run homer from Papo Bolivar in a crooked bottom of the fourth that saw the Cardinals put up six runs. Bolivar, already a fan favorite for his quirky name and pudgy stature, hit a drive that hooked sharply and then dramatically hit the foul pole. Papo appears to be set on either hitting home runs or striking out during his at bats, and he really looks awkward in the outfield. There is no way he is actually his listed weight of 168 pounds. Maybe when he was in first grade.

Cardinals' first round pick in the 2000 amateur draft Shaun Boyd had a good night setting the table, getting on base three times (2 hits and a walk), scoring two runs and driving in one as well, although he was caught stealing on what appeared to be a terrible base running gaffe. Of course, considering he was drafted five years ago, he should be setting the table at a higher level than AA, but that doesn't seem too likely to happen. Outfielder Tyler Minges and infielder Kevin Estrada each contributed two hits as well, the former driving in a run as well as hitting a triple in the left field corner in the seventh. Gabe Johnson, Travis Hanson, and Bo Robinson (who has an erie name combination of Kerry Robinson and Bo Hart, which is not a good omen) all contributed singles as well.

Again, I'm no scout, but I sincerely doubt I'm seeing any major talent here. Most of the players in the respective lineups tonight will never crack the major leagues, and those that do can only aspire to be journeyman. All the same, a trip to Hammons Field would be wasted without a few pictures. This was a night game, so the images may be darker as the game progresses. If so, I do not apologize. Turn up the brightness of your monitor and shut up. And stay tuned for more entries of the best baseball in Springfield (seriously).

Pictures
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Whoever made it mandatory for all of the Springfield players to wear
high socks needs to remember not everyone likes looking at a field of
Jason Simontacchis.