Post by Zig on Mar 18, 2016 12:55:36 GMT -5
St. Louis Cardinals
Young outfielders bid for spot on opening Cards roster
LAKELAND, Fla. • The outfielder who leads the Cardinals’ current roster with steals this spring moved into a tie for the team lead in home runs Thursday. But he still has a ways to go before he opens a spot on the roster for himself.
“Open their eyes,” Jeremy Hazelbaker said. “As best I can.”
The lefthanded-hitting Hazelbaker lifted a three-run home run Thursday during the Cardinals’ 5-4 loss to Detroit at venerable Joker Marchant Stadium. The home run was Hazelbaker’s first of the season, and nine other Cardinals have one. Only four of the team’s 10 homers this spring have come from players headed for the opening-day roster. Almost as many have come from three outfielders looking for their place on the depth chart, Hazelbaker, Carlos Peguero and Anthony Garcia.
The injury to shortstop Jhonny Peralta (hand) could leave the Cardinals with an opening on the 25-man roster, and management is reluctant to go into the early schedule with an extra pitcher.
That spot on the bench could go to a power option such as one of the outfielders, but manager Mike Matheny mused Thursday that a defensive-oriented player might fit better. Without Peralta to start, the desire is to have a good-hands fielder on the bench for late-inning defensive work, Matheny described.
Aledmys Diaz, who is competing for the starting job at shortstop to open the season, could be that fit and Matheny allowed that Diaz’s situation isn’t a simple binary choice: start in St. Louis or start at Class AAA Memphis.
“It’s still early to start drawing all the conclusions together,” Matheny said. “We’re not in the development business, right now. We’re going to have to see what makes our best team that we can possible have. It might be something that is out of the norm for the development of a young player, then so be it.”
The Cardinals don’t have that slick fielder such as Pete Kozma or Brendan Ryan in camp. The Mets released infielder Ruben Tejada and he’s set to become a free agent this weekend. The Cardinals have discussed pursuing him. He would add needed infield depth and while he might contend for the starting job at shortstop, he would give them a seasoned, versatile fielder.
He’ll have other suitors.
The Cardinals will have other options.
Hazelbaker elevated his batting average this spring to .304. Garcia leads the team in doubles, with five. Peguero was slowed by a shoulder injury, though he’s been impressive in glimpses.
Matheny said, specifically about Hazelbaker, he has “done everything asked.” He added that the power option off the bench or a spare outfielder just may not be something the team “necessarily needs,” not with the other holes and the possibility of taking three shortstop into opening day.
“I feel we’re pretty covered on the outfield side,” Matheny said. “I do think we have some more depth than we’ve ever had before. Regardless of who is out there playing, we’ve got a thumper or two who is going to be sitting on the bench. Don’t rule it out. We want to leave with our best 25. Defense seems to be a premium right now with what we’re trying to do.”
www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/young-outfielders-bid-for-spot-on-opening-cards-roster/article_9d9b3069-831c-5099-8e4e-1f36adc04b3f.html
Young outfielders bid for spot on opening Cards roster
LAKELAND, Fla. • The outfielder who leads the Cardinals’ current roster with steals this spring moved into a tie for the team lead in home runs Thursday. But he still has a ways to go before he opens a spot on the roster for himself.
“Open their eyes,” Jeremy Hazelbaker said. “As best I can.”
The lefthanded-hitting Hazelbaker lifted a three-run home run Thursday during the Cardinals’ 5-4 loss to Detroit at venerable Joker Marchant Stadium. The home run was Hazelbaker’s first of the season, and nine other Cardinals have one. Only four of the team’s 10 homers this spring have come from players headed for the opening-day roster. Almost as many have come from three outfielders looking for their place on the depth chart, Hazelbaker, Carlos Peguero and Anthony Garcia.
The injury to shortstop Jhonny Peralta (hand) could leave the Cardinals with an opening on the 25-man roster, and management is reluctant to go into the early schedule with an extra pitcher.
That spot on the bench could go to a power option such as one of the outfielders, but manager Mike Matheny mused Thursday that a defensive-oriented player might fit better. Without Peralta to start, the desire is to have a good-hands fielder on the bench for late-inning defensive work, Matheny described.
Aledmys Diaz, who is competing for the starting job at shortstop to open the season, could be that fit and Matheny allowed that Diaz’s situation isn’t a simple binary choice: start in St. Louis or start at Class AAA Memphis.
“It’s still early to start drawing all the conclusions together,” Matheny said. “We’re not in the development business, right now. We’re going to have to see what makes our best team that we can possible have. It might be something that is out of the norm for the development of a young player, then so be it.”
The Cardinals don’t have that slick fielder such as Pete Kozma or Brendan Ryan in camp. The Mets released infielder Ruben Tejada and he’s set to become a free agent this weekend. The Cardinals have discussed pursuing him. He would add needed infield depth and while he might contend for the starting job at shortstop, he would give them a seasoned, versatile fielder.
He’ll have other suitors.
The Cardinals will have other options.
Hazelbaker elevated his batting average this spring to .304. Garcia leads the team in doubles, with five. Peguero was slowed by a shoulder injury, though he’s been impressive in glimpses.
Matheny said, specifically about Hazelbaker, he has “done everything asked.” He added that the power option off the bench or a spare outfielder just may not be something the team “necessarily needs,” not with the other holes and the possibility of taking three shortstop into opening day.
“I feel we’re pretty covered on the outfield side,” Matheny said. “I do think we have some more depth than we’ve ever had before. Regardless of who is out there playing, we’ve got a thumper or two who is going to be sitting on the bench. Don’t rule it out. We want to leave with our best 25. Defense seems to be a premium right now with what we’re trying to do.”
www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/young-outfielders-bid-for-spot-on-opening-cards-roster/article_9d9b3069-831c-5099-8e4e-1f36adc04b3f.html
