On Monday it was still an open question as to whether Pete Kozma, the St. Louis Cardinals' 2007 first-rounder, would ever reach the Major Leagues. In AAA Memphis this season he'd hit just .220, with an OPS of just .568, and his 2010 in AA Springfield had been plagued by mediocre hitting and a swarm of errors at shortstop. He'd always been pushed too fast, though, so maybe it was no surprise at all when he was called up to the Major Leagues on Wednesday. It was more of a surprise when he doubled in a run down the third base line in his first at-bat and walked in his second.
Brought in to replace 2005 first-rounder Tyler Greene at second base—who was himself replacing Lance Berkman in right field—Kozma showcased the long, finicky swing that has become his nemesis in the minor leagues. But he fought off seven pitches to draw a walk in his second plate appearance, and at this moment he's batting 1.000. It's hard to get a handle on Kozma's future, which is still fraught with uncertainty, but his present hasn't looked quite this good in some time.