Albert Pujols and a Fanbase in Fear…

It seems Cardinals Nation is “a Twitter” with rabid and frantic pleas to sign Albert Pujols as soon as – and “as long as” – possible. I won’t bother trying to catch you up on all the details (but visit the sites/links at the end of this post for all you can stomach), but it essentially comes down to this:  If Albert is not convinced the Cardinals front office/ownership is committed to winning as much as he is…he walks. At least, that seems to be the general consensus.

I agree.

So…this post is, quite simply, a list of the things I will burn in my schizophrenic rage when/if the news breaks that Albert Pujols has joined the ranks of another squad. Enjoy:

1. My “Lucky” Cardinals T-Shirt
I bought this raggedy shirt from Busch II “back in the day.” Somehow – don’t ask me how – I found myself at Busch Stadium without a traditional red shirt to wear before a game. So, I sauntered into the Team Store, found a simple yet sharp Cardinals shirt on the center rack, checked the price tag…and promptly bought the first shirt on the clearance rack that fit me instead. It was $16. The one I put back was $50…for a t-shirt, people. Anywho…it’s faded red with the single, solitary Cardinal sitting on a yellow bat smack-dab in the center. I like it…but it will burn.

2. My Scott Rolen Jersey
I have a confession to make. It’s my fault Scott Rolen left. No, really…it is. You see, I never buy team jerseys. They are WAY too expensive – especially when the player leaves within a season or two of your purchase and you have to do it all over again. I flat-out refuse to drop $175 on a shirt. No way. But one day, I got “lucky.” While wandering through Wal-Mart before class, I found a clearance rack of cheaply-designed Cardinals jerseys. They were solid red button-ups with a white “Cardinals” printed across the front and a blue stripe down each side. Pujols, Carpenter, and Rolen were left…at $15 each. I promptly grabbed Rolen’s (I’m not really a “pitcher” person…and everyone has Pujols, right?) and walked proudly out of the store (after paying of course). I wore it for 3 months before he was traded. Be thankful I did not buy Pujols’ jersey. Nevertheless, I like my Scott Rolen jersey. But it willburn. NOTE: I’m pretty sure I did the same thing to Steve Bono of the Chiefs “back in the day”…but don’t tell him.

3. My Colby Rasmus Bobblehead
One of the best things about having a minor league team within driving distance is the freebies. My wife and I are constantly checking the promotion nights at the Springfield Cardinals stadium (Hammond’s Field) and buying tickets accordingly. T-Shirt night? We’re there. Bobblehead night? Gotta’ have it. I mean, it’s a smorgasbord of free Cardinals merchandise! You don’t pass that up, man. Well…one night last season the team gave away Colby Rasmus bobbleheads. I told my wife, “I gotta’ have it!” So, we made the drive, got there early, stood in line…and got me my bobblehead! It was a great night. And I love my bobblehead. But it will burn.

4. All of My Beloved “Freebies” from the Springfield Cardinals
In one night – and one night only – my wife and I walked away from Hammond’s Field with a bobblehead, four Cardinals t-shirts (including 2 blue 1982 jersey replica t-shirts), two hats, and some kind of bracelet/ruler thingy we got for doing the milk-shake chuggin’ contest on top of the dugout in the first inning (I won, of course…whupped my trash-talkin’ wife’s butt!). All of it…and all of the other freebies I’ve collected…will burn.

There’s more that will burn, of course…I’ve been a Cardinals fan for quite a while and have plenty to choose from…but that’s all I’ll reveal for now. I will, however, tell you about a few items I will NOT be burning:  My Ozzie Smith autographed ball, Ozzie’s Topps rookie card, my Adam Wainwright autographed ball, and my full set of the 2006 World Series Championship DVDs. I’ll keep all of that stuff…because it is a reminder of when I loved and respected the St. Louis Cardinals.

But the other stuff…it will burn.

If Albert Pujols is not a Cardinal in 2012…I may stop watching baseball all together. In fact…I will. Honestly, how could it be any different? If this team does not do everything in their power to re-sign the game’s best player…especially one so beloved by the St. Louis fanbase…how could I – nay, ALL of us! – how could we NOT revolt against the man that orchestrated the downfall of the greatest baseball franchise on Earth…Mr. Bill DeWitt-Idiot?!?!

Okay…that’s enough. Hopefully the rain will hold off enough to get this game in tonight…and we’ll see if the team does ANYTHING to quell the fear running through Cardinals Nation over the next few weeks. In the meantime, here’s those links I promised you.

GO CARDS!

A great piece by Will Leitch of deadspin.com:
http://deadspin.com/5291272/how-the-cardinals-could-lose-albert-pujols

St. Louis Post-Dispatch writers weigh-in:
http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/round-two/round-two/2009/06/will-albert-be-a-cardinal-in-2012/

Brian Burwell’s usual “you’re not helping at all, Brian” approach:
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/columnists.nsf/bryanburwell/story/AC51EFAC911211D2862575D7000E773A?OpenDocument

And finally…the man who seems to have started it all…the internet “mad-bomber-what-bombs-at-midnight” when it comes to St. Louis Cardinals outrage…Mr. Bernie Miklasz’s plea to Cardinals’ ownership:
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/columnists.nsf/berniemiklasz/story/DBD78F6E69FA9BAE862575D600116C98?OpenDocument

In the 7 Spot, Yadi the Body Steps Up…

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote a statistically well-researched piece (blog…column…article…? Idk.) about Yadier Molina’s recent struggles at the plate. It was well-written, insightful, and full of statistical evidence. You can find it somewhere at www.stltoday.com (I couldn’t find it quick enough, so you’re on your own). But ultimately, I think it missed the point. 

Bernie tends to focus quite a bit on pitch selection, location, and what a hitter does or does not do with said pitch in said location. That’s not Yadi’s problem. Yadi, the great catcher/player that he is, is a victim of Tony La Russa’s wishful thinking and lineup switching. Constantly being misplaced in the batting order has destroyed Molina’s stats and effectively neutralized one of our more consistent hitters in the bottom half of the order. Let me explain:

In a baseball lineup, hitters and batting positions have roles and a purpose. The leadoff guy gets on. The 2-hole (according to TLR) is a damage-potential hitter who knows what to do with improved pitch selection/location. The third spot is traditionally your best hitter/RBI guy – the one you want to build your lineup around and maximize his number of ABs (see Pujols). The 4 spot? Oh, come on…that’s the big bopper…the cleanup guy. In the 5 spot, a power-hitting RBI threat to pick up what the 3 and 4 guys have left behind. Six spot guys are what I call “mop-up” hitters. If, for some reason, the 3-5 hitters didn’t get it done…the 6 spot guy has a puncher’s chance of driving in a run. Finally, we’re left with the 7 through 9 spots. The 9 spot (excluding TLR) is reserved for the pitcher, but the 7 and 8 spots? They are reserved for what I call “complementary hitters.” 

A complementary hitter is a bat in the lineup that must hit but is not relied upon. The heavy lifting in the offense is performed by the 1 through 6 spots (and the 9 spot is a throw-away or sacrifice position). The 7 and 8 guys, however, are seen as a complement to whatever the rest of the offense is able to put together. If they hit, awesome. If they don’t, no big deal. They’re usually on the team for their defense – not their bat (see Cesar Izturis). Their best approach at the plate is to work ABs and try to get on base for the offense to turn over and drive them in. Their secondary concern – to get the pitcher to the plate so the next inning starts in the top of the order. 

Okay…you get the point. Comp hitters are not exactly thought of as run-producers. This is where Yadi comes in.

It’s hard to think of Yadier Molina as a complementary hitter based on the job description I’ve provided – but that’s exactly what he is for the Cardinals. He’s a catcher first – a hitter second. But when he does hit, he’s usually one of the hardest in the NL to strike out. He works at bats. And…furthermore…he hits for a respectable average. Throw that together and a manger may be tempted to bump his line-driving hitting catcher up in the order to get his bat involved in the RBI slugfest taking place in the 3 through 6 spots. For Yadi…such a move is offensive suicide.

Take a look at Yadi’s splits based on batting order over his career and during this (2009) season:

CAREER

4th Spot – 45 ABs  .178 BA
5th Spot – 78 ABs .256 BA
6th Spot – 453 ABs .269 BA
7th Spot – 718 ABs .283 BA
8th Spot – 596 ABs .242 BA

2009 SEASON

4th Spot – 16 ABs .063 BA
5th Spot – 39 ABs .282 BA
6th Spot – 106 ABs .255 BA
7th Spot –  29 ABs .379

Also worth noting, Yadi has 1 HR in only 29 ABs in the 7 spot compared to 3 HRs in 106 ABs in the 6 spot (1 HR in 29 ABs in 7 – 1 HR per 35.3 ABs in 6). Plus, in just 29 ABs – Yadi has 6 RBIs in the 7 spot compared to 9 in 106 ABs in the 6 spot. 

Look…enough…the problem is clear. The more pressure on Yadi – the more TLR expects out of Molina in the lineup – the less he produces. Maybe it’s the pitcher’s increased focus on Yadi in a higher batting position, maybe it’s Yadi trying to do too much…who knows? But whatever the reason, Yadier Molina NEEDS to hit in the 7 spot in the lineup. Hitting him anywhere else nearly neutralizes his bat and all but eliminates a valuable complementary hitter.

With all the databases and charts running around the Busch Stadium clubhouse and manager’s office these days…you would think someone would notice.

Ah well…hey…Carp vs. Lee tonight on ESPN…what a treat, eh?

GO CARDS!!!!