Biggest Bust In Cards History

[smilinjoefission]

I'd go with Paul Coleman...6th overall and couldn't even make it in the minors.

[Colotiger]

Ray Bussey — Best shortstop prospect since Marty Marion according to Mike Shannon.

[sikeston bulldog2]

The best part of this is many of these names I don’t know. Guess that proves they were a bust.

[ggnoobs]

Tyler O'Neill
Jack Flaherty
Shelby Miller
Carlos Martinez
Dylan Carlson for sure

I always wonder if Oscar Taveras would have lived up to the hype

[Pink Freud]

Back in the early '70s the Cardinals' front office went gaga over a young SS they got from the Astros, named Ray Busse, whom they projected as the next Marty Marion (ask your great-grandparents). The only things Busse and Marion had in common were being shortstops, and being tall. They gave him 70 ABs, then sent him and his .143 BA back to Houston, where he finished his 3-partial seasons with a career BA of .148.

Back in the early '60s the Cards traded for 1B/OF'er George Altman, who had shown a big bat with the Cubs, and they thought he'd prosper in Busch Stadium #1, with the RF foul pole at 310 and straightaway RF at 322 and 354. Nothing doing. He banged only 9 HRs and was sent to the Mets after the 1963 season for Roger Craig.

Then there was George Kernek, a minor leaguer who they thought could replace Bill White at 1B as the Cardinals bade adieu to Busch #1 before heading downtown in May 1966. Kernek didn't even last long enough to make the move to the new ballpark, as the Cards, immediately following the final game at Busch #1, traded SP Ray Sadecki to the SF Giants, who had just beaten them there, for 1B Orlando Cepeda. Sadecki and Cepeda merely had to cross the field to meet their new teammates.

Kernek's MLB stint ended after only 81 ABs, and Cepeda, the next season, was the NL MVP.

[bakker]

I'd go with Paul Coleman...6th overall and couldn't even make it in the minors.

SIAP but I think Frank Thomas but picked right after (or close to) Coleman. As someone posted above Walker Buehler was picked after Plummer. The irony is the Cards had been criticized for going the "safe" route with college pitchers and not the upside of high schoolers. Not sure Shelby Miller is among the top 5 busts but indications were that the Cards were going to pick a high schooler by the name of Mike Trout but Miller fell to them.

I was going to mention Joe Hague in the Cruz post but he didn't have the hype (nor minor league career) of Cruz. Cruz was very good in AAA at a rather young age. Hague though certainly was thought to be a future cornerstone of the team.

[LewisL]

Back in the early '70s the Cardinals' front office went gaga over a young SS they got from the Astros, named Ray Busse, whom they projected as the next Marty Marion (ask your great-grandparents). The only things Busse and Marion had in common were being shortstops, and being tall. They gave him 70 ABs, then sent him and his .143 BA back to Houston, where he finished his 3-partial seasons with a career BA of .148.

Back in the early '60s the Cards traded for 1B/OF'er George Altman, who had shown a big bat with the Cubs, and they thought he'd prosper in Busch Stadium #1, with the RF foul pole at 310 and straightaway RF at 322 and 354. Nothing doing. He banged only 9 HRs and was sent to the Mets after the 1963 season for Roger Craig.

Then there was George Kernek, a minor leaguer who they thought could replace Bill White at 1B as the Cardinals bade adieu to Busch #1 before heading downtown in May 1966. Kernek didn't even last long enough to make the move to the new ballpark, as the Cards, immediately following the final game at Busch #1, traded SP Ray Sadecki to the SF Giants, who had just beaten them there, for 1B Orlando Cepeda. Sadecki and Cepeda merely had to cross the field to meet their new teammates.

Kernek's MLB stint ended after only 81 ABs, and Cepeda, the next season, was the NL MVP.

I remember the high hopes over Busse, he was so bad, they gave up on him during the season. Ended the season with Mike Tyson at SS. Hector Cruz was very hyped those days, similar to Rasmus years later.

[Basil Shabazz]

Tyler O'Neill
Jack Flaherty
Shelby Miller
Carlos Martinez
Dylan Carlson for sure

I always wonder if Oscar Taveras would have lived up to the hype

Carlson is the only player you listed who may be an actual bust.

[Cranny]

To be fair, maybe talk about the biggest successes too? Like AP, who ranks #2 in MLB history in RBI? And also ranks #4 in MLB history in HRs?

That wasn’t what this thread was about. Start your own positive thread if you want.

Sorry, future. Forgot CT is mainly negative.

[Basil Shabazz]

To be fair, maybe talk about the biggest successes too? Like AP, who ranks #2 in MLB history in RBI? And also ranks #4 in MLB history in HRs?

That wasn’t what this thread was about. Start your own positive thread if you want.

Sorry, future. Forgot CT is mainly negative.

This wasn't a negative post-Cranny, rather it's a fair question to create conversation.

Not everything requires sunshine and rainbows

[Absolut]

To be fair, maybe talk about the biggest successes too? Like AP, who ranks #2 in MLB history in RBI? And also ranks #4 in MLB history in HRs?

That wasn’t what this thread was about. Start your own positive thread if you want.

Sorry, future. Forgot CT is mainly negative.

Nick Plummer and Delvin Perez were awesome picks! Way to go scouts and front office! Take a vacation. You earned it.

[Talkin' Baseball]

Alex Reyes, and only because of health. He was filthy. Had the stuff to be the best pitcher in baseball. Looked dominant at an early age, like Jose Fernandez, or Paul Skenes. The gap between what he could have been and how things ended up is huge.

[Talkin' Baseball]

Alex Reyes, and only because of health. He was filthy. Had the stuff to be the best pitcher in baseball. Looked dominant at an early age, like Jose Fernandez, or Paul Skenes. The gap between what he could have been and how things ended up is huge.

Honorable mention to Carlos Martinez. He is younger than Steven Matz and out of baseball.

[Ozziesfan41]

Alex Reyes, and only because of health. He was filthy. Had the stuff to be the best pitcher in baseball. Looked dominant at an early age, like Jose Fernandez, or Paul Skenes. The gap between what he could have been and how things ended up is huge.

Honorable mention to Carlos Martinez. He is younger than Steven Matz and out of baseball.

I wouldn’t call Carlos a bust. In his three healthy years as a starter he won 42 games was a two time allstar and struck out 217 batters one of them. Cardinals badly mishandled him though and injuries eventually ate him up

[Cranny]

Leron Lee.

[Talkin' Baseball]

Alex Reyes, and only because of health. He was filthy. Had the stuff to be the best pitcher in baseball. Looked dominant at an early age, like Jose Fernandez, or Paul Skenes. The gap between what he could have been and how things ended up is huge.

Honorable mention to Carlos Martinez. He is younger than Steven Matz and out of baseball.

I wouldn’t call Carlos a bust. In his three healthy years as a starter he won 42 games was a two time allstar and struck out 217 batters one of them. Cardinals badly mishandled him though and injuries eventually ate him up

I'm defining a "bust" as someone with a huge gap between what seemed reasonably within the players grasp to accomplish, and what the reality was. By that definition I call Carlos a bust. Huge disappointment. Sad what might have been.