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Vuch Report: McCoy traded, Hearne return
By Derrick Goold
03/18/2008 9:15 am

The Cardinals also expect the infield to get a little overpopulated in the near future, so this morning they traded infielder Mike McCoy to Baltimore’s Triple-A team for future considerations. Described as a Bo Hart/Stubby Clapp-type player, McCoy was going to feel the pinch of playing time toward the end of spring, so the Cardinals decided to find a place now before a) having to release him or b) all the other jobs out there for him filled up.

McCoy, 26, spent six years in the Cardinals system after being a 34th-round pick in 2002. The infielder hit .256, and in 2006 he was second in the entire organization with 30 stolen bases. Last season, he spent 90 games at the Triple-A level.

In his final Cardinals “game”, McCoy went 2-for-2 with a double and a run Monday.

– Trey Hearne, the pitching sensation of 2006 who climbed the prospect lists with his sharp performance in Low-A, pitched three scoreless innings, got the win and gave up two runs. In vintage Hearne fashion — recall he’s the 80s-mph pitcher with the late movement and control — he walked no one and struck out four.

– St. Louis native David Freese ripped two doubles, a home run and four RBIs. It’s clear that Freese will be the starting third baseman in Memphis, and that means Allen Craig will get his turn in the Texas League.

– Mitchell Boggs pitched four innings, allowed four hits and three runs.

– Pride of Tulane Mark Hamilton, who knows something about being a power hitter in the graveyard gaps of the aforementioned Zephyrs’ , launched a two-run home run and doubled in the tie. … A. J. Van Slyke doubled and tripled. Craig, mentioned above, doubled.

– TCU-alum and lefty Brad Furnish pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing two hits, on run (earned) and striking ouot three against one walk.

– Kyle Sadlowski and Cordoza Tucker combined to pitch three scoreless innings.

– Still one of the rawest baseball players in the system and also one of the finest athletes, Daryl Jones is entering a pivotal year in his professional career. He and Mark McCormick can either establish themselves as deserving of the prospect tag or lose it. Jones, the outfielder who has spent the better part of the past two seasons at Low-A, is likely to start at High-A. For Palm Beach on Monday, he tripled, walked, scored twice and drove in a run.

– Gary Daley pitched three innings, and the Mets’ Single-A team tagged him with three hits, two runs and two walks. He struck out three. … Jess Todd allowed four runs in three innings pitch, and Pete Parise got the loss for allowing four runs in his inning.

– Francisco Samuel, in relief,was impressive again, averaging 92 mph and touching 94 mph in a scoreless inning. He did not allow a hit and struck out two.

– James Rapoport had a couple doubles.

– Andres Rosales led a group of four stingy pitches for the Cardinals’ Low-A team. Rosales pitched three innings, allowed one hit (a wind-aided home run), the lone run and walked two against four strikeouts. … The bullpen then combined for six scoreless innings. Mark Diapoules got the win with three scoreless innings and four strikeouts. Deryk Hooker – one of those names to know; a prep pitcher with a peppy fastball — pitched two scoreless, and Davis Bilardello got the save with a scoreless ninth.

– Ryde Rodriguez tripled. Pete Kozma and Paul Vazquez had base hits, and Justin Roberson went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.

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