To put this in perspective, Jack Clark hit into 179 double plays in his 18 year career. 6 of those were partial years. Albert 209 in 10. In 2 1/2 years in St. Louis, Clark only hit into 19 double plays. That shows you what the running game can do.Hmm... the running game. Of course, seeing a hit and run executed by Kyle McClellan and Yadier Molina of all people makes me chuckle even more, but also makes me think. Obviously, the Cardinals are not a strong running team. Not. At. All. Why should they be? Enough of the players have pop in their bats (Pujols, Holliday, Rasmus, Berkman) and are capable of putting one over the wall, so why put runners on the move and risk easy double plays or chances to double guys off?
Umm, because the entire team is hitting into way too many double plays?
Why not try it Tony? Guys are getting on base in front of Pujols. Let them run. Let them dance on the basepaths. Get the pitchers distracted, because distraction = mistakes and mistakes = long, beautiful home runs leaving the park.
Just a thought. Don't mind me... ;)
Couldn't agree more, Angela. Besides the obvious (to me, anyway) offensive advantages, the running game would inject some reliable energy and interest into a team that spent much of 2010 and all of the first week of 2011 playing DEADLY BORING BASEBALL. The dumb baserunning errors we've seen in batches during the last year or so are really just the tip of a much larger iceberg; a team that knew how to run the bases intelligently wouldn't NEED Colemanesque to use the basepaths to their benefit.
ReplyDeleteWe watched Lou Brock running drills with a bunch of 7-year-olds in Anaheim last summer....maybe the Redbirds should consider engaging his services. :)
Colemanesque SPEED, that is. Sorry. It's early in California.....
ReplyDeleteI agree - the team has had their share of baserunning blunders over the past year or so, but last I checked Yadier Molina was one of our top base stealers last year. That is not right. The boys can run, why don't they?!
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