DOWNTOWN — One of the best bats in the St. Louis Cardinals system and one of the most reliable arms at their minor-league affiliates won the team’s organization awards for 2009. Outfielder/third baseman Allen Craig, who led Class AAA Memphis to a Pacific Coast League championship with his power, won the Player of the Year Award from the team. Righthanded starter Lance Lynn, who had a cameo appearance in Triple-A about a year after he was drafted out of Ole Miss, won Pitcher of the Year Award.
The honors were announced this afternoon by the Cardinals and their front office.
LF Allen Craig, Cardinals' Player of the Year
Craig, 25, batted .322 with a .547 slugging percentage at Triple-A Memphis this season. His average ranked fourth in the Pacific Coast League, and his slugging percentage ranked seventh. He was also third with 26 home runs and ninth with 83 RBIs. The righthanded-hitting Craig has a bat that begs for a position. Since being taken in the eighth round of the 2006 draft, Craig has climbed the ranks mostly as a third baseman. The perception is that he won’t be able to stay there in the majors, so Craig has moved all over the field — seeing time at first, third and in the corner outfield positions. His coaches at Memphis believe he could be adequate if not better than average in left field, where he saw time late in the season.
Lynn, 22, went 11-4 with a 2.85 ERA overall and he appeared at three different levels this past season. Lynn had one start at Memphis, where he’s expected to start 2010 as a member of the starting rotation. Lynn went 11-4 with a 2.92 ERA in Double-A Springfield, and he was an All-Star in the Texas League. There in Springfield, Lynn made 22 starts, pitched 126 1/3 innings, allowed 117 hits, walked 51, struck out 98 and held opponents to a .251 average. A hulking righthander with good, heavy sink on his fastball, Lynn was taken 39th overall in the 2008 draft.
Both players will invited to receive their awards Jan. 18 in St. Louis as a part of the annual Baseball Writers’ Dinner.
RHP Lance Lynn, Cardinals' Pitcher of the Year
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Wow. I had no idea how burly Lynn is.
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I wonder if the people who are touting for A.Craig to play LF were also some of the very same people who denounced C.Duncan’s defense, even before his hernia and neck surgeries.
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Craig will never see the light of the Cardinals’ MLB dugout while LaRussa is manager. It will have to be forced on him by Mozeliak. I don’t think Mo has it in him to do that. Time will tell if it a LaRussa General Mangership or a Mozeliak One. Craig deserves a shot at Spring Training, and through May 2010. There tons of options left on him.
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Lynn? hmmm wonder who was tooting his horn through all these votes the past two weeks? oh that would be,…me!
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It would have been nice to see Craig at the end of the season, even if it was for just a few at bats. It would have been a nice acknowledgment for his AAA season. But then again, you don’t want him to get a big head.
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I Think its time to see if the luhnow character has an eye for talent or what.Theres no reason to rush the pitcher,but if Craig can hit like that,he should be given his shot.Save the money you’d spend on Holliday or Bay and put it to better use in the bullpen.
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Craig sounds like a good match with left field if Holliday and Bay aren’t avail. Rather try him out there than a retread.
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Ladies and Gentlemen, meet your 2010 starting Left Fielder and 2011 #4 starter.
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