Texas notes: Adams emerging quickly

If not for Dan Hudeck's oblique muscle, the Springfield Cardinals might not have their top slugger and run producer, Matt Adams. They might not have him at first base every day, at least.

Adams entered Monday with a Texas League-leading 13 home runs and 40 RBIs after he paced the Midwest League with 88 RBIs and finished second with 22 homers last year.

A Pittsburgh native drafted in the 23rd round in 2009 out of Division II Slippery Rock (Pa.), Adams was so impressive last season that he skipped Class A Advanced and started this season at Double-A.

"They're smarter about how they go about the game," Adams said of Texas League pitchers. "Like when you're in a fastball count, they'll give you off-speed stuff. Being able to make adjustments to that has been the big key."

Adams, 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, was a catcher in college, but during his sophomore year, as Slippery Rock entered the postseason, the afore-mentioned Hudeck suffered an oblique injury and Adams was called from behind the plate to play first base.

He was deft enough at first to split time at the position the following season, and though the Cardinals drafted him as a catcher, Adams was asked to move to first at Rookie-level Johnson City when the team turned out to be overloaded behind the plate.

"It's basically getting the footwork down," Adams said. "Being a catcher, just having those soft hands, helps out at first base too, being able to pick the ball coming from those infielders.

"I think it was a good adjustment and maybe a faster adjustment than most people would have thought I'd make."

As it turns out, the Cardinals already have a fairly well-known slugging first baseman at the Major League level. But even with the presence of Albert Pujols, Adams said he had no qualms about trying to get to the bigs playing first.

"I didn't really let that get to me," Adams said. "I just wanted to go out there. I knew that I could swing it and just had to get better at first base and wanted to keep moving up and getting better each year."

Preseason contract squabbles led the Cardinals front office and fans to seriously consider, perhaps for the first time, a future without Pujols. But Adams would rather create his own opportunities than have the business side of baseball open a door for him.

"I hope they re-sign Albert," Adams said. "He's a great guy for the organization and they love him, but whatever happen, happens. I like first base, but I know the Cardinals like Albert too."

In the meantime, Adams continues to drive in runs and impress people with his plate know-how, despite his humble draft position and an alma mater not known for its baseball tradition.

"We had some football players when I was there get taken, I think, by the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles," Adams said. "That put them on the map for football, and then just me hoping to be able to get my coach and the team a little bit of recognition so the scouts can get out there and scout that area of the state."

Blanks check: Not only did San Antonio's Kyle Blanks win Saturday's extra-inning game with Frisco on a grand slam, he extended the Missions' home winning streak to 10 games with the 9-5 victory. The Missions' streak reached 11 on Sunday with a 6-2 victory over Frisco.

It's a wash: The Arkansas Travelers and Northwest Arkansas Naturals were finally forced to cancel a game because of rain Friday night. The game will not be made up because the teams, already playing two doubleheaders thanks to previous rainouts, have no more available make-up dates during the first half of the Texas League season.