2003 Scouting Report

Peoria Chiefs

• O'Brien Field, Peoria, Illinois.
• Affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals.
• Manager: Joe Cunningham.
• Coaches: Derek Lilliquest (pitching), Tony Diggs, R.J. Robero (trainer).
• History: MWLguide.com

This page profiles the 2003 Peoria Chiefs, a Single-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals and a member of the Midwest League.

Profile

Post-Season Profile

The Chiefs were an OK team; this was a team without stars, and with some weaknesses, but overall a pretty much average MWL team. Their performance in the second half-season seems a better gauge of their talent, overall, than the first half's fizzle. The hitters had little power, and none had a standout season; the pitching was about the same. The hitters were strikeout-prone, but ran the bases well. The team defense was about league-average.

Six regular starters--outfielders Reid Gorecki, Matt Lemanczyk, & Terry Evans, first baseman John Santor, second baseman Mike McCoy, and third baseman Travis Hanson--are fine ballplayers, and formed a solid basis for the lineup. Lemanczyk is an exceptional baserunner, and McCoy's a very good one; while several hitters promise to develop power, only Gorecki delivered this season.

Closer Ben Julianel--traded to the Yankees late in the season--was easily this team's most talented pitcher. That said, starters Blake Hawksworth and Josh Teekel were strong spokes in a reasonably reliable rotation. In relief, Bradley Thompson did well in a mixed role, and Joe Rogers pitched well in the middle innings.

Except where otherwise specified, all statistics are through the end of the season.

Season Summary

• Second Half: 35-34, .507 (4th place, 8.0 behind)
• First Half: 30-39, .435 (7th place, 10.5 behind)
• Pitching: 65-73, 3.48, 36 saves, 5 complete games, 779 strikeouts
• Hitting: .249, 571 runs, 71 HR, 171 steals (70% success)
• Defense: 146 errors (1.06 per game); .698 defensive efficiency
• April: 16-9 (.640)
• May: 12-17 (.414)
• June: 11-16 (.407)
• July: 14-16 (.467)
• August/September: 12-16 (.429)

• Position Players used: 24
• Pitchers used: 27

Leading Players

• Best Player on the Team: Outfielder Reid Gorecki

• Best Starting Pitcher: Blake Hawksworth (2.30, 5-1, 57 strikeouts)
• Bullpen Stopper: Ben Julianel (1.05, 4-2, 9 saves, 78 strikeouts)
• Strikeout Pitchers: Blake Hawksworth, Ben Julianel, Joe Rogers
• Control Pitchers: Blake Hawksworth, Ben Julianel, Bradley Thompson, Joe Rogers

• Best Hitter: Reid Gorecki (.267, 15 HR, 61 RBI; 77 runs scored)
• Home Run Leader: Reid Gorecki (15)
• High Batting Average: none
• High On Base Percentage: none
• High Slugging Percentage: Chad Ehrnsberger (.287--includes Wisconsin stats)
• Notable Baserunners: Reid Gorecki, Mike McCoy, Matt Lemanczyk, Tyler Parker, Kyle Boyer, Tim Lemon
• Notable Batting Eye: none

The Chiefs at Mid-Season

The Chiefs have scored 279 runs and have permitted 280 runs. Joe Cunningham uses 3.3 pitchers per game.

After stumbling through May, the Chiefs collapsed completely in early June. There's some talent on this team, but it doesn't seem well-arranged; they're certainly a better team than the record shows. Presumably the Cardinals will shuffle things a bit at the break. These guys play good defense, and the team has excellent speed and basepath skills.

The offense features one exceptional hitter (first baseman John Santor), a fine all-'round talent (outfielder Reid Gorecki), some minor power sources (Gorecki, third baseman Travis Hanson, and outfielder Terry Evans), and a great baserunner (outfielder Matt Lemanczyk). Second baseman Tyler Dunham and catcher Clint Chauncey are also solid players. This very speedy team rarely hits into double plays.

Don Graves has been anchoring this team's rotation, and has pitched very well; Blake Hawksworth's a clearly better performer when he's able to pitch, and Miguel Martinez has also been effective. Several pitchers--Josh Teekel, Ben Julianel, and Wilson Ciprian--have done well from the bullpen. There are some weak links, but too few to fully explain the team's weak record.

Promoted and missed: Closer Anthony Rawson.

Worth watching: Pitcher Joe Rogers.

June 1 Profile

The Chiefs followed a spectacular April with a disappointing May, and now look like a fairly average MWL team. This team has very good hitting, exceptional team speed, and pretty much average pitching.

First baseman John Santor is a well-rounded talent who's having a strong season; he has some power, hits lots of doubles, and takes his share of walks. Outfielder Matt Lemanczyk is an exceptional baserunner who hits decently. Third baseman Travis Hanson and outfielder Reid Gorecki are the power sources on this squat, though neither is a true slugger. The catchers--Tyler Parker and Clint Chauncey--both hit well; Parker's a surprisingly well-rounded talent.

Blake Hawksworth is clearly the best talent on the pitching staff, though rotation mates Don Graves and Andy Cavazos have been about as successful. Ben Julianel has pitched well as the relief swing man. Everyone else is either inexperienced or inconsistent.

May 5 Profile

The Chiefs are a pretty good team. The hitting's among the MWL's best, the pitching's about average for the league, and the defense has been just terrific.

Manager Joe Cunningham's blessed with a fine lineup. Corner infielders John Santor (first) and Travis Hanson (third) are among the best hitters we're going to see this summer; both are patient hitters with some power and good general skills. Outfielder Matt Lemanczyk's baserunning's been spectacular.

While the pitching's not particularly deep, the team features three fine starters in Blake Hawksworth, Miguel Martinez, and Tyler Adamczyk. Hawksworth deserves special mention; he's been exceptional in the early going. No one in the bullpen has pitched enough to merit our attention, yet.

Pre-Season Profile

Manager

There is nothing unusual about Joe Cunningham's managerial tactics; in all respects, he's a very conventional minor league manager. walks.

First Round Draft Selections

• none

Team Age Information

• Average Team Age: 22.0
• Pitchers: 21.6
• Hitters: 22.3

• Oldest Player on the Team: Nick Planich (September 12, 1978)
• Youngest Player on the Team: Blake Hawksworth (March 1, 1983)

The average player in the Midwest League this season is about 21.7 years old.

Where they played last season

This summary was based on the team's opening day roster and will not be revised to reflect roster changes.

The 2003 Chiefs come from throughout the Cardinals system, though many of them were in New Jersey last summer.

Team           League            W/L     Place    Hitters Pitchers
                                        (Teams)
Potomac        Carolina (A+)     59/81    6(8)       1      3
Peoria         Midwest (A)       85/53    1(14)      3      4
New Jersey     New York-Penn (A) 39/37    6(14)      8      5
Johnson City   Appalachian (R+)  29/38    7(10)      3      3

A handful of this year's Chiefs played for two teams last season and are counted twice in this table. One of these players was in another organization in 2002.